“Yep. She died last year from a stroke, but she raised me and my sister, and she dedicated far more time than I would have liked grumbling about shifters.” Elena sat straighter and shook her head. “Not to imply she influenced us. She didn’t. Layla and I are not judgmental. Toward anyone. I just mean Grandma Mabel tried to instill her bigotry in us.” Why was she telling this stranger her life story?
“Go on. This is interesting.” He wasn’t making fun of her. He genuinely wanted to know.
“Okay.” She eyed him suspiciously, making sure he wasn’t pulling her leg. “Did you know Marge Keller?”
His face changed to a mixture of shock and surprise and concern and humor and uncertainty. Good grief. That wasn’t even possible. She probably imagined it. “Of course,” he responded reverently. “Everyone knew Marge.”
“Well, she was my great aunt. My grandmother’s identical twin.”
He nodded. “She was a great woman. How have I never met you before?”
“I’ve never been here. My grandmother and her sister had a disagreement in 1964 and never spoke to each other again.”
Caleb nodded, his brow furrowed. “I knew that. They fought over shifters. Your grandmother didn’t approve.”
Elena was shocked. Did everyone in town know their story?
Caleb shrugged. “Sorry. It’s a small town. Most of us are all up in everyone else’s business. If I remember correctly, Marge came through Canyon Springs right after she finished college, met Josiah Keller, and never left.”
“Yep.” It was weird that this man in front of her knew her family’s story. Hell, he probably knew far more than she did. “My grandmother didn’t think regular humans—as she referred to us—should mix with shifters. She took that stubborn belief to the grave.”
“That’s so sad.”
“It is. Grandma was incensed. She never let Layla and me visit Canyon Springs because she believed shifters had some magical ability to lure human women into their lives and never let them go.” Elena smiled to lighten the conversation.
Caleb started laughing. He even tipped his head back, the room filling with the gorgeous sound of his voice.
Part of Elena wished he would never stop laughing. She loved the timber. On the other hand, she was also a little embarrassed. Of course her grandmother’s theory was preposterous, but was he making fun of her? She jerked her hand out from under his, breaking the contact for the first time. “I didn’t say it was logical,” she murmured. “I was just answering your question. You asked.”
He stopped laughing and wiped his eyes with one finger before sobering and meeting her gaze again. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to react so strongly. I’ve heard it all before. It just sounded so…serious coming from you.”
She tugged her open pink blouse over her black shell and crossed her arms. “I didn’t say I believed any of that.”
He shrugged, his expression returning to earlier. Softer. Caring. “Why not? Maybe it’s true?” Was he teasing her?
She didn’t ask. Of course he was teasing.
He set his hand on the table, palm up. “Please. Forgive me. I’ll remember not to be so callous in the future. You’re…a sensitive being.”
She glanced down at his open palm. He wanted her hand back? This entire thing was absurdly intimate, considering she’d never met him before. Nevertheless, she felt drawn to him, and she finally relaxed her stance, dropped her arms, and set her hand in his as if he’d commanded her to. He hadn’t said a single word, but he’d gotten what he wanted.
Maybe he wasn’t kidding. Maybe he did have the power to control her.
“I’m being rude. I haven’t even ordered you a drink.” He turned his head to face the bar and nodded.
Elena followed his gaze and noticed the man who’d scowled at her on her way by staring at her. His expression was softer, less angry. More…sad? She shivered.
“Don’t mind Anders. He’s harmless.”
She finally jerked her gaze away from him, but the intensity seemed to bore into her from behind. It was hard to shake. Was everyone in the room staring at her? They probably were. Apparently that particular man didn’t like humans passing through town. Maybe he didn’t trust them. She couldn’t blame him.
Seconds later, a waitress showed up at their side. She was about Elena’s age with long, dark straight hair, which hung down her back and swayed as she shifted her weight. She was smiling as she glanced back and forth between Elena and Caleb.
Elena frowned. It hadn’t even occurred to her that no one had come to take their orders yet. They’d been here a while.
Caleb narrowed his gaze at the woman and gave her an almost imperceptible shake of the head.
The woman sobered a bit and swallowed. She looked toward Elena. “I’m Serena. Can I get you anything?” She glanced at Caleb.
Caleb turned his attention to Elena. “What would you like to drink? They have a good menu here too if you’re hungry.”
Suddenly the last thing Elena wanted to do was eat. “Just a soda would be fine. Sprite or something similar.”
“Got it,” the woman said. “Caleb?”
“You can bring me the same thing.”
The brunette lifted both brows. Her mouth opened, but then she closed it and nodded. “Be right back.”
“That is not what you usually drink,” Elena stated.
“Nope. I’m a beer guy.”
“Then why would you order Sprite?”
He shrugged. “So you won’t be uncomfortable.”
She stared at him, her emotions all over the place. She couldn’t decide if he was for real. Was he just a genuinely nice, attentive guy? Or did he think he could get in her pants if he played his cards right. “I’m not going to sleep with you,” she blurted, again wishing she could control her tongue.
He flinched and then gave her a slight grin. “Ever?”
She couldn’t keep from chuckling at his tone. One second she’d been serious as a heart attack, and the next second, he’d managed to break down her high walls yet again.
Serena returned and set two glasses of clear sparkling liquid on the table. She scurried off immediately.
Caleb never took his gaze off Elena. He looked like he was waiting for a response to his ridiculous question. As he picked up his glass and took a drink, she responded. “Maybe after the wedding.”
The look on his face was priceless, and when he turned his head to one side and spewed his drink everywhere, she couldn’t keep from laughing.
He swiped a hand down his face as he turned back to face her. He was shaking his head and grinning again. “You’re going to be the death of me, aren’t you?”
Elena shrugged. “You’re the one who approached me, if you recall. I didn’t invite you to come over here and hit on me. So, if you want to continue entertaining me while your friend woos Layla, you’re going to have to roll with the punches.” She was surprised by how bold she sounded. Somehow she’d lost some of her shyness in Caleb’s presence. He calmed her.
Unfortunately even though she was doing everything verbally she could think of to ensure he didn’t think she was a sure thing, inside she was failing miserably. He was damn hot. Maybe she was simply curious because he was a wolf shifter and Layla had planted this curiosity in her.
Elena had little doubt Layla would end up sleeping with the man currently making his moves on the dance floor. If not tonight, then by the end of the week. Layla was beyond curious, and she’d verbalized this mission before they ever arrived in Canyon Springs.
Elena, on the other hand, never did that kind of thing. She was too practical. She’d only had a few boyfriends in her life. Two she’d slept with. None that made her think sex was worth getting excited about.
Something about Caleb though… She’d never even considered sleeping with a man she’d just met. It wasn’t in her nature. But she’d be lying if she didn’t admit he had her twisted in a knot. She was having difficulty sitting still. Butterflies were dancing around in her belly
. She felt flushed. And craziest of all? Her private parts were tingling. That had never happened. Not with a man anyway. Nor with a woman for that matter. The only times she’d ever been fully aroused had been at her own hand.
For the first time in Elena’s twenty-four years, she stared across the table at an extremely sexy man, who happened to be a shifter, and pondered the idea of throwing caution to the wind.
Chapter 6
Caleb had never before felt as out of body as he did tonight. This entire evening was surreal. This gorgeous, sexy, fidgeting imp was his mate, the woman he would spend the rest of his life with. And she didn’t know it.
It happened sometimes. Shifters met their mate and realized they weren’t versed in the ways of his species. Not only could Elena not fully feel the instant connection, but she didn’t even know much about the shifter community. She didn’t seem to be informed that shifters knew immediately when they met their mates. If she had known that, she wouldn’t be acting the way she was or saying the things she said.
If she realized the implications of this meeting, she would be freaking way the fuck out. He knew this just from getting acquainted with her personality. Elena was practical. Conservative. He doubted she dated much and had probably slept with few men. No way in hell would she have sex on a first date and for sure not with a man she just met in a bar.
Caleb’s cock was beyond stiff. His wolf was right at the surface too and had been from the moment he saw her in the grocery store earlier in the day. It seemed like every inch of his skin was electrified, especially when he touched her, and he couldn’t even breathe for the few moments she’d drawn away from him, removing contact.
Thank God she’d given him her hand back. The contact grounded him. Eventually he was going to have to tell her who she was to him. She wasn’t ready yet, but he needed to set the groundwork. “Let’s get something straight. I was not sent over here to entertain you. I’m not Hunter’s wingman. In fact, I’m pretty sure I saw you before Hunter saw Layla. So, technically you could say he’s my wingman.”
Elena’s brow furrowed. “We just met half an hour ago. Your friend saw Layla out running earlier.”
“Yep.” He wiggled his brows, hoping his next words wouldn’t freak her out. “But I saw you at Morton’s Grocery earlier, and when Hunter texted me to meet him here, I’d already set my sights on you.” He grinned, feeling pretty proud of his argument.
She licked her lips, hesitating. “You saw me at the store?”
“Yep.”
“And then what? You hoped I would come here tonight?”
“Exactly.” He shrugged. “What other choice did I have? There’s only one bar in Canyon Springs, and I didn’t have any other specific way to find you. I mean I could have asked around town, and I would have if I’d been unsuccessful tonight, but both of us took the chance that you might come here.”
Elena stared at him, incredulously.
He stroked his thumb over the back of her hand.
“And then you could smell me.” She was piecing it together.
“Yes.”
“So, tell me what you’re planning to do while you’re in town. Are you staying at Marge’s house?”
She nodded and then took a sip of her soda. “We’re here to settle the estate.”
“Oh. You’re planning to sell her house?” He couldn’t keep from frowning. Somehow he had to convince this woman she was his and not let her leave Canyon Springs. How much time did he have?
“Yes. What else would we do with it? We don’t know a single person in this town, and we both have lives and jobs.”
“Where?” Caleb’s pulse picked up. This was going to be complicated.
“I live in Chicago. I’m a journalist. Layla lives in LA. She’s an actress.”
He nodded. Shit. It should have occurred to him how difficult this was going to be. Obviously two women didn’t just appear out of thin air in Canyon Springs. They would have lives and careers. Hell, her sister was an actress. Caleb wondered what he might have seen her in. She was so distinct, he would surely remember her. “How long are you planning to stay?”
She shrugged. “We talked about a week, but once we got here and I saw the house, I started to feel nostalgic. Marge was my great aunt. I never met her. I don’t want to just throw away everything she owns without taking some time to explore her home. We don’t have other relatives. Maybe I’ll need more like two weeks.”
He gripped her hand tighter. “God I hope so. I like this plan even better.” I hope you stay forever.
She bit into her lower lip, making his cock stiffen once again. He wanted to lean forward and kiss her, suck that lip between his. Find out what kind of noises she made when she was thoroughly kissed.
He wouldn’t do that. Not here. Not in a crowded bar. Partly because he wanted their first kiss to be special. Private. He wanted her uninhibited so he would know the real her.
And then there was the fact that he probably wouldn’t be able to stop at just a kiss. Nope. He needed to keep his mouth to himself for now. He swallowed. “So, you’re a journalist. A reporter? Or a writer?”
She giggled, and he almost had to reach down and adjust his cock. “Do I seem like the sort of person who could do any sort of public speaking? I write. I find interesting stories, write about them, and sell them to whoever is willing to buy them.”
“Wow. That sounds like a tough job. Hustling.”
She sighed. “Believe me. It is. I haven’t managed to make ends meet yet. I’ve been working a second job to pay the rent.” She glanced around. “Layla doesn’t know that.”
He was shocked. Mostly that she had secrets from her sister. But also that she’d trusted him enough to tell those secrets.
She scrunched up her face. “The truth is I’m embarrassed, and I don’t want her to know I’m a failure.”
He cringed before squeezing her hand again. “You’re not a failure. I’m sure it’s a tough profession. How old are you? You can’t have been doing this long.”
“Twenty-four. Graduated college two years ago.”
“Well, don’t sell yourself short. I bet your writing is fantastic. As soon as the right person finds you, you’re going to take over the world.” He hoped he was right. Some day soon, he prayed he would get to see some of her work, and he sure didn’t want to have to lie to his own mate for the rest of her life.
She flushed, a gorgeous pink on her tanned cheeks. And then she glanced away and took another sip of her soda.
When a beer hit the table, Caleb lifted his gaze to find Hunter and Layla taking the other two stools. Hunter had a hand on Layla’s back.
The moment Elena noticed them, she yanked her hand away from Caleb as if she was embarrassed.
Fine. But Caleb wasn’t about to lose contact. Breaking the connection made his skin crawl. It was bad enough that he would have his work cut out for him trying to convince her of her destiny in the next few days. He wouldn’t be able to keep from touching her in some way every chance he got.
He scooted his stool closer to hers and set his hand on her thigh under the table.
She jumped in her spot as she looked toward Layla, but she didn’t jerk away or shove his palm off her leg. Progress.
“I ordered appetizers,” Hunter stated. “What the hell are you drinking?”
Caleb rolled his eyes wearily toward his best friend. “Shut up.” He held Hunter’s gaze for several seconds. It would be cool if they could communicate silently, but that didn’t stop the two of them from projecting about a hundred emotions in their expressions, demeanors, and even pheromones.
Hunter was as stressed as Caleb. Concerned. A bit panicky. And also filled with sexual tension.
It was going to be a long week. Or maybe even two.
Chapter 7
June 8, 1965
* * *
Dear Mabel,
* * *
Josiah has picked out a lot, and we are building a house! I can’t believe it. I don’t personally thin
k it’s necessary. Our apartment is fine. It’s plenty big enough for the two of us. What will I do with all that space?
But there’s a new neighborhood being built, and Josiah thinks now is the time to buy. It’s an investment he says. People should own property. And get this! It’s going to be two stories. I never dreamed of owning a two-story house. The thought of all those stairs just to get to the master bedroom!
I’m being silly. I know. I’m sure the house will be amazing. It’s going to have four bedrooms. Josiah thinks we need that much space just in case we have three kids. Imagine them each getting their own room! Times sure have changed since we grew up.
I hope you’re well. I miss you.
* * *
Love, Marge
* * *
Caleb lifted his gaze from his computer screen the next morning when Hunter entered his office. “Did you tell Layla who we were last night?”
“Nope. Did you?” Hunter dropped down onto the seat across from Caleb with a smirk.
Caleb couldn’t keep from chuckling as he adjusted his gray tie. “Nope. I might have skirted that little detail. It seemed like it would be entertaining to see their faces this morning when they come in.”
Hunter nodded toward the computer. “What are you working on so intently?”
“Ah. Googled Elena. She’s a journalist. I wanted to see what I could find. Turns out she’s a fantastic writer. She just hasn’t had her big break yet. I’m impressed by everything I’ve read by her.” He’d been at the computer for two hours already, getting to know a little about his mate through her writing style.
She’d done a piece on the homeless situation in Chicago that pulled at his heart, confirming his knowledge that she was sensitive and thoughtful.
“I googled Layla also. She’s been in several commercials and had a few roles in some shows. She’s good. Scares me a bit. I can’t imagine moving to LA.”
Caleb cringed. He couldn’t imagine Hunter leaving Canyon Springs either. For one thing, the two of them were closer than most brothers. For another thing, Hunter was a small-town guy. The city would swallow him whole. “Let’s hope she loves it here and finds something else she’d rather do.”
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