Gabriel took a deep breath.
“Amber’s going to wonder where we are. This isn’t a good start.” He set his body down on the leaves, giving into the inevitable. The wolf was about to break free.
“No, she won’t. I’ve turned on the radio and added a little spell to the music. She’ll think we’ve only been gone a couple of minutes.”
Chapter Six
Gabriel had spent the rest of the journey to Twin Falls telling Amber and Sadie about his days in the Marines. Every now and then, he’d glance at Amber in the side mirror and she’d smile, hoping he’d seen it. There had to be some catch, something had to be wrong with him, because, one, why didn’t he already have a wife or girlfriend? And two, why did he need the assistance of a dating agency? She tried to think of logical answers, but came to the conclusion that he was damn near Mr. Perfect, and she was one lucky lady.
Sadie pulled into a house in a cul-de-sac on the outskirts of Twin Falls.
“This is my first time here, so I’m anxious to see their new home,” she said, turning off the ignition.
The three of them got out and headed to the door. Sadie rang the bell. Through the glass panel Amber could see someone approaching, and then a pretty woman with long, dark hair opened it.
“Sadie, it’s so great to see you again.” Sadie hugged her and she kissed Sadie on the cheek.
“Gabriel, Amber, this is Katey. Katey, Gabriel and Amber.” They shook hands and followed Sadie inside.
“Come on back to the patio. Luc and Alex and one of our neighbor’s sons are out there playing Candyland.”
When they got outside, Amber saw a handsome, dark-haired man sitting with a toddler on his lap, and a boy in a wheelchair beside him. A German shepherd sat beside him but jumped up and barked directly at Gabriel.
“Willow, no, quit that!” said Katey.
Willow backed down so Gabriel put his hand out, allowing the dog to lick it.
“Auntie Sadie,” said the toddler as he slid off his dad’s lap. He was so cute that Amber couldn’t do anything but smile.
“Luc, this is Amber and Gabriel.”
Luc stood up and Amber noticed a scar his forehead.
“I’m pleased to meet both of you. You want to sit down.”
“Yes, sit, everyone, and I’ll go get some drinks,” said Katey.
Sadie was the first to sit and Alex climbed on her lap and began playing with her necklace.
“I don’t think you’re Alex, you’re too big to be him,” said Sadie.
“It’s me,” he said, sticking his finger in his chest.
Sadie put on her glasses and pretended to take another look at him.
“Ah, now I see it’s you. And who is this very handsome young man sitting over there?”
Sadie was referring to the little boy in the wheelchair who Amber guessed had cerebral palsy.
“This is Conrad,” said Luc.
“I live down the road, and Katey’s going to get me a dog like Willow.”
Willow barked and Conrad patted him on the head. Katey walked back out with a tray containing a pitcher of what looked like pink lemonade, five glasses, and two tippy cups. Luc got up and took the tray from her, then he poured everyone a glass of lemonade.
“My dad was in the army like Luc was, but my dad got killed,” said Conrad.
“I’m sorry to hear that,” said Gabriel.
“Sadie tells me you’re an ex-Marine,” said Luc.
“That’s right, and my brother, too.”
“That’s great that both of you could serve your country,” said Katey.
“Amber, do you want to take a walk with me and Willow while Sadie and Katey catch up on all the gossip? And Gabriel, these two guys are itching to finish our game here. But watch them because they cheat,” said Luc.
“I’ll keep my eye on them,” said Gabriel, moving his chair closer to the two boys. “Okay, whose turn is it? And remember, I’m watching you.”
Both boys broke out in giggles and Conrad nudged Alex. Luc put a leash on Willow and signaled for her to walk with him around the side of the house.
“Let’s go for a walk down the street. I could do with some exercise,” he said. “Sadie’s filled me in on what’s happening with your diabetes and your sight. So how are you doing?”
“I guess I have moments where I think I can handle whatever’s coming my way. Other times I panic.”
“Nothing wrong with that. I’m sure Sadie’s told you all about me.”
“She said you were injured in a bomb attack while you deployed, and lost your sight.”
“I didn’t think I could carry on living. She probably didn’t tell you I tried to kill myself.”
Amber looked at him, surprised by what he’d just told her because he seemed so “together”.
“I wasn’t very good at it. Took an overdose of Vitamin C pills that my sister had slipped into the medicine cabinet, thinking that one day I might pick up the wrong pills by mistake.”
Amber didn’t know whether she should laugh or not, but then Luc burst out laughing and she relaxed a little more.
“You want to give walking with Willow a try?” asked Luc.
“Don’t you need him?”
“I have one fairly good eye since I had my surgery and I can follow both of you, so I’ll be perfectly okay.”
Luc handed her the harness. “I won’t lie, Amber, it’s going to take some getting used to.”
She looked at him. His blindness had been sudden, which had to be even worse than hers—no time to prepare. No wonder he’d wanted to end his life.
“Katey can work with you to find the ideal dog. She’s training a couple of buff-colored labs right now so one of them might be a good match for you. And she also works with my old army buddy Jake, so between the two of them you’ll be okay.”
“Good thing I like dogs,” said Amber.
Willow stopped at the curb and waited for a car to pass before leading them across the street.
“How about family?” asked Luc.
“My parents live close by and so do two of my brothers.”
“And Sadie tells me you’ve signed up for Perfect Pairing. That’s going to be important. Without Katey, I wouldn’t have had the courage to have the operation that restored some of the sight in my right eye. She saved my life. And I got to see Alex, which was such a blessing.”
“He’s really cute.”
“Yeah, I know a parent always thinks their kid is beautiful, but he’s an angel, well, most of the time. So where are you and Gabriel going on your first date?”
Amber shrugged her shoulders, realizing Luc might not have seen her.
“I’m not sure. I think I’d like to see all the beauty in the mountains and lakes before it’s too late.”
“Yeah, I wish I’d done that. You know what you need to do?”
“What?”
“Go camping. Mountains, lakes, a chance for the two of you to get to know one another.”
“I love camping but I’m not sure Gabriel does.”
“He looks like the sort of guy who’s made for the outdoors.”
They turned the corner and Amber smiled when she saw Alex riding on Gabriel’s shoulders while he pushed Conrad in his wheelchair.
“Hi guys” said Gabriel. “We’re heading to the park if you want to join us.”
****
Camping.
Gabriel loved the outdoors. He’d gone camping almost every weekend when he was a teenager growing up in Montana. However, two things were different now. One, he was part wolf. Two, he was going to have Amber with him, who he found very attractive. They were going camping for a long weekend over the Memorial Day holiday. What would happen if he shifted while they were together?
His phone rang and he saw that the caller ID was Sadie Sutton.
“Morning, Sadie.”
“You ready to pick up Amber?”
“I am, but what if I do something stupid like change into a wolf?”
�
��Then you’re in the perfect spot.”
“Sadie, I’m concerned about this.”
“Shifting into a wolf in the cinema or while dining out would be a lot worse.”
“I know, but what if she sees me?”
“Gabriel, I told you I’m going to find Mavis. I’ll force her to undo the spell and you’ll be back to normal. Amber doesn’t have to know about this. Now, you’re going camping and both of you are going to have a good time. And I want to see lots of photos when you get back.”
“But…”
“Enjoy.”
He smiled. Sadie was a like a dear old aunt. And she was right, he was overthinking this. He’d done that since he was a kid and sometimes it landed him in lots of trouble.
Okay. Tents, check. Sleeping bags, check. Bug spray—damn, he’d forgotten that. Cooking stove, check. Drinking water, check. Amber had told him she’d bring along all the food for their three-day trip because she knew what diabetic foods to choose for herself. She was in good hands with him being a paramedic, or at least he hoped she thought so.
He’d take along his cell phone but he doubted it would pick up a signal in the part of the canyon they were heading for. Gabriel took a deep breath. He’d be fine. If he felt like he was shifting, and he was getting pretty good at recognizing that weird feeling now, he’d excuse himself.
After shutting the truck’s cargo door, he walked around to the driver’s door and got in. He’d need to call the drugstore to pick up the bug spray, just in case Amber didn’t have any. If he was any judge, mosquitoes would be in full force in the canyon, especially after dusk.
He headed down the road and turned into the strip mall housing the drugstore. He went inside, waved to one of the guys he recognized from the gym, and headed down to Aisle 4. He put two containers into his cart and then decided to get a couple of six-packs of soda. But wait, Amber would need diet soda. He placed a six-pack of diet lemon soda on top, and as he headed to check out, the family planning section almost called his name.
He stood frozen. They’d only just met, this was basically their first date, but damn, if she felt like he did when he saw her…
Gabriel hurried down the aisle, picked up a box of condoms, threw them into the cart, and hurried toward the cashier before he overthought yet another thing in his life.
****
Amber paced up and down. Had she packed enough food for them? Gabriel was a big, muscular guy who probably had a hearty appetite. She opened the pantry and pulled out another box of chips and cookies that she kept on hand for her parents or brothers when they dropped by. And yes, a couple of times they’d been a temptation to her as well. A truck pulled up on the gravel driveway outside the kitchen window. Gabriel was here.
She took a deep breath, anxious not so much about going away with him for three days, but the fact that she would be camping with a guy who was so drop-dead gorgeous.
The doorbell rang. She ran her hands through her hair, hoping it looked half decent. Another thing she’d not be able to do when… No, don’t think about that now.
She opened the door and swallowed. Today Gabriel wore a white T-shirt that pulled over his muscular chest, and black shorts which showed off his tanned, muscular leg. Her pussy actually did a flip.
“You all set?” he asked.
“Sure am.”
“You want me to help you with those bags and the cooler?”
“Great, and I’ll just make sure I haven’t forgotten anything. I’ll meet you by the truck.”
Amber grabbed her purse and the last of the paper grocery sacks and headed out to find Gabriel putting the cooler in the back next to the tents. When they’d gone camping as kids they had an RV to sleep in. Shit, she was really doing this whole outdoor thing.
He took the bags from her, closed the back of the truck, then he ran around to the side and opened the door for her. She climbed up and then Gabriel got in, turned on the ignition, and the air conditioning kissed her cheeks.
“Okay, let’s be on our way, and hopefully we’ll miss any traffic jams.”
“So you’re an expert camper?” asked Amber.
He glanced at her. Whenever he looked at her it made her legs tingle.
“I wouldn’t say expert, but I’ve done it enough times to know what I’m doing. I thought of the ideal spot to pitch the tents. We could even move to other sites for the other two nights. I’ll leave that up to you.”
“I think it’s going to be exciting. I mean, being out enjoying nature, away from everything.”
“Tomorrow, you might have a different opinion about that.” He turned and smiled again.
“Outdoor cooking’s going to be fun. I even brought along some marshmallows to make S’mores. And don’t worry, the ones for you won’t be made from diabetic chocolate.”
“That might be good for me. I have to get back to working out more often.”
“You look just fine to me.” Better than fine.
Gabriel turned off the main road and headed down a road that looked like it was leading straight through a mountain.
“Is it okay if I wind down the window so I can hear nature?” asked Amber.
“Sure, let me turn off the air conditioning.”
Amber pressed the button until her window was down halfway.
She rested her head against the side of the truck’s interior, glancing out at the river that now followed the bend of the road. So beautiful, with the water slowly cascading over the jagged rocks. A pang of panic and regret washed over her—regret over the fact that she hadn’t done this all her life, looked closer at the beauty and splendor of the world around her. A tear splashed onto her cheek. She hoped that Gabriel hadn’t seen it but guessed he must have when he reached across and squeezed her hand.
“It’s going to be okay, Amber. Believe me, it is.”
She turned to him with more tears streaming down her face. “I’m so sorry,” she said.
“For what?”
“We’re only an hour into our camping weekend and I’m already ruining it with my stupidity.”
He pulled the truck over and turned off the ignition. He swung around in his seat and looked her in the eye. “One thing you’re not is stupid. I’d be acting the same way. About ninety-nine percent of the people I know would, too.”
Before she knew it he was reaching over and pulling her into his body, wrapping his big, muscular arms around her. He smelled of aftershave and something she couldn’t quite detect, almost a musky odor that made her want him. She actually wanted to tear off her clothes and force him to make love to her. A man had never made her feel quite like this before.
He rubbed his hand up and down her back, making her pussy pull, and her panties grow damp. They had the whole weekend to get through, just the two of them in the middle of nowhere. If he didn’t want the same thing she did, which was for the two of them to have wild sex under the stars, then she hoped the lakes and streams were still ice cold because she was going to have to jump into lots of them to cool her libido.
“Hey, you want to take off your shoes and we’ll walk through the stream over there?”
He pulled away. She had a little more than taking off their shoes in mind, but at least it was a start.
Chapter Seven
Suggesting she do something she could get lost in wasn’t the only reason he’d thought about walking in the stream. He needed to cool down. Well, not just his feet, but his whole body. His erection still hadn’t subsided, but thank God he’d opted to wear his loose-fitting shorts for the journey. His balls felt heavy, achy almost, as they walked along in the cool, crystal-blue water. Holding her had been a spur-of-the-moment decision, the one time in his life he hadn’t overthought something. Then he’d regretted doing it, not because he didn’t want to hold her, but having her body so close and taking in her scent had upped his desire for her.
Being part wolf was killing him. He watched as she maneuvered her way over the rocks. If she didn’t want him as much as he wanted her,
the next three days were going to be sheer hell for him. He might have to go somewhere private and jerk-off.
Gabriel just realized how amusing that thought was. Did wolves jerk-off? He smiled to himself, and Amber chose that moment to turn around and look at him. Her cheeks were now red from the sun. Shit, she was beautiful. His cock twitched again, and by the feel of things, his erection was plain to see, even in the baggy shorts. Maybe she hadn’t noticed. Yeah, right.
“This is so much fun, thanks for suggesting this,” she said.
“Feels good, doesn’t it?”
She nodded and continued walking. Yeah, it felt pretty damn good, cool water swishing around your ankles, pebbles beneath your toes. He guessed it was nothing compared to what it would feel like if and when he made love to Amber.
Gabriel hadn’t been paying attention when Amber slipped on a rock. He rushed to her.
“You okay?” he asked, putting both his hands under her armpits to help her up.
“I’m fine. One of the rocks was a little slick.”
Her shorts and some of her T-shirt were now drenched, making them transparent. He caught a glimpse of the outline of her panties and her cute butt. As she turned slightly, some of the water had splashed up on the front of her T-shirt, giving it a see-through effect. Not only did he see the outline of her bra but her nipples stood to attention, making him almost howl like the wolf that now resided within him.
“Maybe we should head back to the car and be on our way so we can get settled into the campsite,” he said.
Gabriel noticed her hobbling a little.
“You sure you’re okay?” he asked.
“Yeah, just cautious now, that’s all.”
“How about I give you a piggyback ride back to the truck?”
He didn’t give her a chance to respond. He simply turned around and pushed himself back toward her body until she had no other choice but to wrap her arms and legs around him.
“You sure I’m not breaking your back? I know I’m not a ‘Skinny Minnie’.”
Falling for an Alpha Page 4
