He nodded as though he understood.
“Are you going to hurt me?” she asked.
He paused. “No.”
His deep voice gave her stomach a pleasant squeeze.
“I barely saw him before we crashed,” she said, nervous energy erupting in the form of babble. “He’s a wolf, too isn’t he? A gray wolf. Otherwise it wouldn’t make sense, me bumping into a wolf and finding a naked man in the middle of the woods.”
“Or findin’ a fancy lady in the middle of the woods,” came a hoarse reply, but it wasn’t from the Indian.
She twisted around to find the pale green eyes peeking through heavy lids.
“Thank heavens,” she said. “You’re awake.”
His mouth twitched into a smile. “You all right, ma’am?”
Goddess help her, he had a cowboy accent too.
“Me?” she asked. “What about you?”
“I’m fine.” Nevertheless, he winced and dabbed a palm to the back of his head while he sat himself up. “They need to watch where they stick these damn trees, though.”
“I’m so sorry,” she said. “Are you bleeding?”
“I’ll mend.”
He got to his feet and extended a hand to her. She stared at it briefly, although it was so close to his cock she didn’t dare look for long. She took the cowboy’s hand, and he pulled her to her feet. Sage crashed around in her carrier, yowling as Lana got up. When she teetered unsteadily, the cowboy grabbed for her and pulled her close. She began to struggle as soon as his powerful hands closed over her upper arms.
“Stop!” she shouted. “Let me go.”
The hands released her immediately. She sprang back, gaping at the two men while she tried to regain equilibrium. Cowboys and Indians, she thought. Wa-hoo. But then, this wasn’t one of her dreams. What she had here was trouble. Hot, naked trouble that was staring at her all too intensely. Maybe there hadn’t been anyone chasing her before, but now she was alone with two large, quite strong-looking men. Just because cowboys and Indians were the heroes of her good dreams didn’t mean they couldn’t be villains in real life.
And oh, yes, they were apparently werewolves.
She backed away. “I guess if you’re all right, I’ll just get out of your way. Again, I’m so sorry.”
She’d barely turned to head for Sage when the blond whipped in front of her. “You ain’t exactly dressed for a casual hike. Are you lost?”
Internal alarms were blaring. “I’m not lost,” she said.
“Why are you out here, then?”
Some of her alarm gave way to irritation. “Why are you so nosy?” She picked up the carrier. “You’ll notice I’m not asking why you’re hanging around the woods naked.”
The glitter in his eyes made her wish she hadn’t brought it up. “Dyin’ to know, ain’t you?”
“No.” She started around him again. “I have to go.”
He cut her off again, and Sage howled in protest. “Weren’t you headed the other way?”
“I left my suitcase behind when I started running. I’m just going back for it.”
Holding her gaze, he said, “Zane, you’re faster than me. What say you go grab the lady’s suitcase?”
“Oh, no, that’s not necessary,” she began, but the other man was already out of sight. “Hey, where’d he go?”
“Told you he’s fast. I’m Jayson,” the cowboy added quickly, thrusting out his hand. Sage leapt back in her cage as though she was being attacked. “Jayson Turk. Zane Larson’s the one who just went to play fetch. And you are?”
Wishing I was safely in my cabin, she thought. After a pause, she took his hand again. His was warm and slightly rough, and a wave of panic accompanied his touch.
He brought her hand to his lips, watching her all the while. The faint brush of a kiss set off an electrical charge that sparked something decidedly naughty in her stomach.
The cat was thrashing in the carrier now. The motion jerked the cage roughly as Lana clutched it, but she wasn’t able to focus on that. She couldn’t shake herself loose from Jayson’s stare.
“Your name?” he asked again, his breath tickling the hairs on her hand.
The V sound that automatically sprang to her lips almost gave away the identity she’d left eight hundred miles behind. That finally broke the spell, and she pulled her hand away. “I’m Lana Smith.”
“Lana.” The word caressed her like a lover’s endearment. “And what was the hurry that sent you straight into my arms?”
She broke eye contact and found herself gaping at the organ that was lifting itself to stare at her. For just the briefest of moments, she actually felt her will split in two. Half wanted to run away. The other half wondered what it would be like to reach out and touch a big, meaty cock.
Distance was the smarter choice, and she took a step back while averting her gaze. “Look, if we’re going to make small talk, could you turn around or stand behind a tree or something?”
He glanced down at himself. “I reckon that’d be the polite thing.”
He strode to a clump of barely waist-high brush. More of his stellar body than was prudent still showed when he stepped behind it, but at least his dick was out of sight. As a bonus, Sage settled down once Jayson was away from her.
Lana lifted the cage to peer inside. “Hey, now, calm down. It’s okay.” Still, she had to wonder about that. Animals had keen senses, and the fact that Sage hated Jayson could be a red flag. Or maybe the cat just took exception to the idea of a human sprouting fur and a tail.
“Now,” he went on, “tell me why you mowed me down like the head of a cattle stampede.”
She sighed and set down the carrier. “I heard something in the woods.”
His brow lifted. “The woods are full of things to hear.”
“It was a thumping sound, like a foot.” She demonstrated with her own.
“Probably a pinecone hittin’ the ground.”
She pressed her lips together. “I thought of that. But then I heard scuffling in the leaves like someone was coming. Pinecones don’t scuffle that I’m aware of.”
His eyes narrowed. “And?”
“And I picked up Sage and ran.”
“Who?”
“My cat.”
“Did you see anyone?”
“No. After I ran into you, Zane said he hadn’t seen anything either.”
“Might have been squirrels. Lots of ’em scamperin’ around out here.”
She thought about that and felt a stab of foolishness. “I don’t know. Maybe.”
“You still shouldn’t be out here alone in these woods,” he said. “It ain’t safe.”
“You were out here alone in these woods.”
The dimple in his smile weakened her knees. “I wasn’t alone. Anyway, I’m different.”
She lifted her chin and decided to come out with it. “I’ll say. Aren’t you a werewolf too?”
That grin widened. “I see Zane didn’t waste any time givin’ up our secrets. What else did I miss while I was passed out?”
“You didn’t answer the question.”
“Want to see for yourself?” His eyes brightened, gleaming with an alien yellow she recognized.
“No,” she spat out. “You being naked pretty much confirms it.”
“Thought you weren’t askin’ about that?”
She felt her cheeks flush as she looked away. “I’m not.”
“I got no problem showin’ you what I am.”
“No, wait.” Her eyes flicked back to see Jayson was gone. Damn it, she thought. Was a gray wolf hiding behind that shrub?
“I said I don’t want to see,” she called out. “Don’t you dare come out of there on all fours.”
“I ain’t on all fours, darlin’.” His voice was right behind her.
She whirled around with a scream and jumped back. So did the cat. “Gods, you scared the shit out of me.” Tears stung her eyes as she pressed her palm to her chest, waiting for her heart to restart. �
��Don’t ever sneak up on me like that.”
His smart-ass grin slipped into a frown. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t tryin’ to give you a fright.”
“What the hell did you think you’d give a woman you were sliding in behind?”
There was a distinct flash of amusement in his eyes at the remark. When he saw how her hand shook while she tried to smooth back a rebel strand of hair, however, the grin faded.
“You’re really scared,” he said, and he stepped forward. “Come here.”
She stepped away. “No. Just stay where you are.”
Sage concurred by spitting and hissing.
“I’m sorry I scared you. I didn’t mean no harm.”
“I’m the idiot who asked what you were.” Lana glanced at the wild-eyed feline. “Although I suppose Sage’s reaction is clue enough.”
With that, Jayson knelt down to peer at the brown-and-white striped cat through the thin wire bars. “I ain’t surprised he don’t like me. Most animals don’t take to my kind.”
Sage proved it, too, by letting out an obnoxious howl. She shoved curved claws briefly through the bars at him before flattening herself in the back corner.
“She,” Lana corrected. “I guess she knows what you are, then.”
Jayson straightened up, and Lana stiffened. “The real question ain’t what I am, but who you are.”
She eyed him warily. “I told you. I’m Lana Smith.”
“That ain’t what I meant.” He sniffed the air between them. “Your scent tells me why you wound up on top of me.”
Folding her arms headed off an annoyingly pleasant shiver. “If that’s supposed to be a pick-up line, it’s about the worst I’ve ever heard. And trust me, I’ve been treated to some real hall-of-shamers.” Her eyes flicked downward and saw his dick climbing higher. “And why aren’t you standing behind that bush like we agreed?”
He made no move to cover himself. “You asked what I was, so I showed you.”
“You’re showing me too much. I’ve seen enough strange sights for one day.”
He reached between his legs. “So, my fancy lady thinks I’m strange-lookin’. I’m mighty sorry to hear that.”
She jerked backward. “Stop touching yourself. And why do you keep calling me fancy?”
He eyed her up and down and walked closer. “A business suit and high heels ain’t what most women wear on a hike.”
She stepped away. “It’s just a pantsuit, and the heels on these pumps are only two inches high. Besides, I wasn’t expecting to be hiking in them.”
His eyes focused on the open neckline of her white blouse. “Interestin’ necklace. A wolf’s head, ain’t it?”
Her hand closed over the pendant self-consciously and shrugged. “Maybe.”
“So, you got a thing for wolves.”
She found herself backed against the tree he’d bashed his head on. “I don’t have a thing for them,” she said. “It’s more like a hobby. I mean, I collect wolves.”
“You collect wolves,” he echoed as he stopped inches away. “Ain’t that somethin’.”
She breathed in a heady male scent her body longed to experience more of. The way he was staring at her produced another hot rush in her stomach, and she couldn’t speak.
“When I was comin’ to,” he said, “I heard Zane sayin’ you were tryin’ to protect me.”
The sudden change in topic threw her, although not as much as the heat radiating off his body. “So what if I was?”
“Do you know why you were driven to keep me from harm? Or the other urges you’re feelin’ now?”
She slid away from the tree. “I don’t have urges,” she stammered.
A chuckle came from low inside him. “Is that a fact?”
A lie came quickly. “Look, I have a friend waiting who will send out the troops if I don’t show up soon. I should go.”
He cocked his head. “A friend.”
She nodded. “My car died out on the main road. Cutting straight through the woods was the faster way to meet up.”
He seemed to chew on that for a moment. “Then I reckon Zane and I best make sure you find your way.”
She felt a stab of fear. True, she wasn’t thrilled about being in the woods alone, but she certainly didn’t want werewolves tagging along. Especially with the way Jayson kept staring at her.
“I really can’t trouble you any farther,” she said.
“I insist.”
“And you shouldn’t have sent Zane after my luggage. What if he gets lost looking for it?”
“He’s already back.”
“What?” She leaned around Jayson in surprise to see the other man setting down her suitcase and a pair of boots. Zane nodded at her and tossed a pair of jeans at his partner.
In the short time he’d been gone, Zane had managed to not only grab her luggage, but to get dressed in the process. He wore a black thermal shirt that stretched tight over his broad torso. Black jeans hugged his muscled thighs, his boots were black leather and square-toed, and he wore a gray Stetson. Her stomach tightened just looking at him.
“I checked around while I was out there,” he said. “But yours was the only scent I picked up.”
He had time for recon too? She heaved a sigh. “Thank you. Jayson thinks it may have just been squirrels. Guess I’m out of my element.”
Jayson zipped up his criminally tight blue jeans. “My shirt?” he asked, and Zane held out a blue plaid button-down he’d had tucked under his arm.
Lana goggled at Jayson like a fool while he finished dressing. Then he looked as much like a cowboy as he sounded, all the way from the brown Stetson he was straightening to his snakeskin boots. Hot damn, she thought.
When she could finally drag her eyes off the two of them, she glanced over at her bag. “How did you find that and get dressed so fast?”
“I think you already know,” Jayson said as he tucked in the tails of his shirt.
“Well, I wish I had your speed—and strength,” she added when Zane hefted the bag onto one shoulder with ease. “I had trouble dragging that thing.”
“He’ll carry it while we take you to your friend,” Jayson said.
“You really don’t have to,” she tried again. “I should let you get back to whatever you were doing.”
“It can wait,” Jayson replied, and while his eyes held a glint of humor, the words were firm and unyielding.
She glared at him. “Oh, fine.”
“Did you see her necklace?” Jayson asked Zane.
“A wolf’s head,” Zane replied.
Jayson walked toward her and reached for it. “Is it pure gold?”
“Why, are you planning to steal it?” She yanked back from his seeking fingers. “It’s just cheap gold plate over silver.”
At the mention of silver, he pulled back with a sour face. “Oh, and she collects wolves,” he went on, waggling a brow at her. “Though I ain’t had a chance to ask whether she means real ones.”
“Of course not real wolves,” she snapped. “Just statues and artwork, that sort of thing.” Plus throw pillows, T-shirts, mugs, sheets, and two shelves of books. An assortment she’d spent years collecting, most of which she’d had to leave behind when she’d gone on the run.
“I’m sorry,” she said, “but I really have to go.”
“Let’s go, then,” Jayson said, waving her in the direction she’d been headed when their worlds collided. “Ladies first.”
She started toward the carrier, but stopped and blinked in surprise when Zane picked it up. Sage showed no sign of freaking out. In fact, her pink nose twitched against the bars as she sniffed at him in idle curiosity.
Jayson stepped forward, his expression a fair approximation of Lana’s. “How are you doin’ that?” he asked.
Zane eyed the two who were staring at him. “What?”
“Jayson said animals hate werewolves,” Lana replied. She glanced at him. “Or is it just you?”
Zane shrugged. “No, he’s right. It’s just th
at I got a certain way with animals.”
Jayson frowned. “So I see. How?”
“It didn’t come natural, not at first. But you can learn to push the wolf far enough behind your human side so animals don’t see you as a threat.”
“I didn’t know you could do that,” Jayson said in awe. He walked forward, but he stopped when Sage recoiled and spat at him. “Reckon you got a few surprises in you that I ain’t been privy to.”
“I’ll teach you sometime, if you want,” Zane said. “It’s just a matter of time and practice.”
“That’s great, Dr. Doolittle,” Lana said. “But can we please get going now? It’s going to start getting dark pretty soon.”
She started marching forward again, ignoring the looks both men were throwing her way.
“Is this friend of yours far?” Zane asked, heading after her.
“Or a wolf?” Jayson added.
She huffed in frustration. “It’s not much farther. It should be straight ahead.”
Despite Lana’s attempt to march in front of them, Jayson came alongside and kept pace as they crunched through leaves and pine needles. “Your friend is an ‘it’?” he asked with a grin that showed his dimple again. “You said ‘it’ should be straight ahead.”
She shot him a glance. “My friend’s place is just ahead.”
And what would happen when they arrived at her destination? Would they expect to meet the alleged “friend,” maybe be invited in for a doggie treat and a pat on the head because they’d helped her? Worse, maybe they were hoping to dine on scared rabbit. Although if they’d been planning on making her a meal, they could have done so easily enough by now.
Maybe they were hungry for something else, like an easy male opportunity. She thought of Jayson’s suggestive words and the way his cock hardened when he got near her.
“Look, I really don’t need an escort,” she went on, rubbing absently at the hand he’d kissed.
Jayson eyed her. “You seem in a bigger hurry to get rid of us than you were to crash into me in the first place.”
She lifted her chin. “I’m just not sure I should be hanging around strange men.”
“We’re walkin’, not hangin’,” he said. “And we ain’t strange.”
“Well, I wouldn’t say that,” Zane cut in from behind. “Especially not you.”
Disorderly Cowboys [Lone Wolves of Shay Falls 6] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Page 2
