by Tl Reeve
“Good, right?”
“Very good.” She licked some of the custard from her finger and grinned.
“Will you sell them then?”
She sighed. “I suppose so. There are only three boxes of them.” She hesitated. “What happens if people want more?”
“Don’t worry about it for now.” He turned her to him and kissed her gently. “How about we meet you for dinner? Mrs. Parker and her husband make a mean barbeque platter. We could watch the moon come up together.”
She smiled up at him and nodded. “I’d like that. Dani, are you going to be okay if I go with Kal?”
“She’ll be fine, Keeley. She’ll be with me and Aiden. Don’t worry about it.” Caden wrapped his arm around Danielle and smiled. “Besides, you should be more worried about him.” He lifted his chin in Kalkin’s direction.
“Don’t listen to the asshole, he doesn’t know what he’s saying.” He kissed her one more time, then pulled away. “I’ll see you at sunset. If you need anything, Royce and Jace are around. They’ll come find us.”
“I’m sure we’re fine. Mrs. Martin is resting upstairs in the shop and Aiden is keeping her company. We’re fine.” She patted his chest. “I’ll see you later.”
Kalkin nodded and stepped away from the booth. When Caden joined him, they continued their way down the street. After dinner, he planned on taking her back to the house. From there, he would tell her they were going to go for a run. Again, stating it was tradition. Only then would he let the wolf out. Already his skin tingled with anticipation. His wolf wanted out so he could play. Just a few more hours. I can do this. Of course, he would have to explain what was going on, but he would do it after the mating was over. After he bound her to him.
As the streets filled with people, Kalkin grew more anxious. The turnout had been higher than they expected. Even some of the neighboring towns showed up. Thankfully all of his deputies were on duty, including him and Caden. However, he couldn’t quell the edge of anxiousness twisting his insides.
Maybe it was the people filling the streets, but the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. He keyed up the mic on his shoulder and called out to his deputies. “Check in, boys and girls.”
One by one, each member of his team made contact. The sensation of being watched didn’t go away. He made a quick call to Logan, to find out if there had been any status changes but found out things were all clear. So why did he feel like any second they would be ambushed? It bothered the fuck out of him. “It’s almost too perfect, don’t you think?”
“He wouldn’t be stupid enough to try anything yet,” Caden said. “We’re all out here.”
“But we’re spread thin. Think, man.” He needed eyes on the girls. His heart thumped against his ribs. If the bastard was out there, they had to find him, before he got to the girls. “We need eyes on the girls just in case. If the fucker gets within a hundred feet of them, I want his ass dropped. We’re not playing around.”
“Got it. I’ll let everyone know, but you have to get your shit together. You keep going the way you are and you’ll tip him off.”
Yeah. He was jumpy as a motherfucker. He realized some of it had to do with the pull of the full moon, and the fact mating heat turned his brain into a paranoid mash of shit. But the thought of the girls being in danger set off so many warning whistles. The girls were in danger, even if they were safe for now.
“Look, we’ll get Royce and Jace closer to the booth, and blend them in. We’ll have Sage and Logan take the back entrance. Jacobs and Corey can watch the sides and we’ll take the front. If he’s spotted, someone will call it out. We’ll take him down, Kal. We’ll take them all down. We have to,” his brother said, touching his shoulder.
“Yeah, let’s just pray they don’t get stupid and try to take them both.”
Chapter Nine
Keeley stared at the passing landscape from the window of Kalkin's SUV as he drove them home. The moon, now high in the sky, cast a silvery glow over their surroundings. She glanced at him from the corner of her eye again. He was deep in thought, she could tell. He had been that way since he picked her up at Mrs. Martin's booth and then took her to dinner at the Parkers’ stand.
He hadn't ignored her; on the contrary, he had been attentive, but also distracted. Something bothered him, yet when she had asked him, he informed her it was work related. Keeley being Keeley thought perhaps he might be having second thoughts about following through on his promise of making her his, especially now since he had time to think everything over.
“I can actually see those wheels spinning in your mind over there, Keeley.” Kalkin's deep voice broke through the silence of the truck.
She turned to him, a bit taken aback by his statement. How did he know she’d withdrawn from him? “I wasn't actually thinking about much.” She shrugged. “Just taking in the scenery and wondering what other traditions you have planned for us tonight.” She gave him a halfhearted smile.
Kalkin sighed deeply. “Sweet cheeks, later tonight we're going to have an in-depth conversation with regards to always being upfront and honest with me. Always.” Kalkin brought the SUV to a stop outside of his house. He put it into gear before stepping out and making his way around to her.
“I was honest with you,” she stated as Kalkin helped her out of the truck. She gazed up at him. “Partially. I was partially honest with you.”
“Exactly.” He gestured for her to head toward the house.
She walked up the path toward the front porch, then up several steps before she turned to face him once more. Even standing on the steps he towered over her petite frame. Would she ever get used to his size?
“Kal?”
“No, Keeley, not now.” Kalkin shifted closer to her. “I promise you, we will talk later. But for now, put all of your questions out of your mind and enjoy this with me. Come on in.” He went up the steps, then took her hand, walking the rest of the way with her to the door. “I want to get out of my uniform, then we are going to do another tradition.” He wiggled his brows at her.
With a quick turn of the key, he opened the door and stepped inside. From where she stood, Keeley watched as he headed up the stairs two at a time, calling out he would be right back. She made her way around the house, taking in every little detail of their bachelor pad. It was exceptionally clean, yet lived in. The kitchen was spotless, much cleaner then her own, for damn sure. Dark brown leather furniture dominated the living room, while a huge flat screen TV hung on the wall over the fireplace.
Although the interior had been masculine, there were decidedly feminine touches mingling throughout the bottom floor which threw Keeley completely off. A delicate blue vase had been placed high up on the bookshelf. Tea cups and tea pots were situated along a sideboard with several dried flower bouquets on the shelves below. Keeley drew closer to the pictures of Kalkin and his brothers in all different stages of their lives hanging on the walls. They hadn’t been updated, though. None of them had Royce, and a man she’d never seen graced several of them. She tucked that bit of information away for another time, determined to get to know his family better. On one of the bookshelf units and on the fireplace mantel she recognized photos of Caden and Kalkin. She picked up one of Kalkin and Caden when they must have been ten. They were in that in-between stage of getting all their permanent teeth but were still missing a few. They’d grinned at whoever took the picture, their arms wrapped around each other. The twin bond between them was strong. She felt it when she created the psychic tether to him.
Caden often had a ready-made smile on his face, while Kalkin always looked like he carried a heavy responsibility. Maybe he did, considering he was the oldest and therefore responsible for the other two brothers and his nephew.
“Can you tell us apart?” His rich voice broke through the silence of the house again, causing her to jump a little.
“Yes, actually it is pretty easy.” Her breath hitched when he stepped in front of her.
He was dressed i
n a black t-shirt that molded to his upper body perfectly, giving her the first glimpse of his tattooed forearms. It also allowed her to view the bulges of muscle on his upper arms while seeing the expanse of his chest and the powerful strength he carried with grace and ease. He had on matching black jeans, which she knew when he turned around would cup the perfect ass of his—just like it accented the bulge of his erection. Oh wow. She cleared her throat and fought the blush from creeping up her cheeks.
“How?” He stepped into her personal space. The scent of his wild spice and pine made her head spin and her sex tingle with anticipation.
“Caden smiles more than you do.” She couldn't help the involuntary step back she took. Nor the way her heart crashed against her ribs. He was a predator and she was his prey. “You're way more serious. You're only smiling in one of the pictures.” Keeley reached around him and grabbed one of the pictures off the shelf to show him. “Also, I just seem to know.”
She shifted uncomfortably as he watched her. His gaze seemed to zero in on the pulse beating at her neck and she trembled. The way his blue eyes assessed her was unnerving, invasive and completely erotic. Each brush of his gaze stoked the fire burning inside her, to the point she thought she’d combust before he touched her.
“So, what is your next tradition?” she asked, trying to distract herself from his imposing presence.
“Well, we are going to go for a little run through the woods.” Kalkin smiled at her as he sat down on the couch to slip on his boots. “And I am going to catch you.” He growled. “Then, I am going to make you mine.” The idea of him catching her and fucking her out in the middle of the woods caused goose bumps to appear on her skin and her panties to dampen.
“T-the woods?” she stuttered as anxiety and excitement coursed through her body. “I don't think that is a good idea, Kalkin.” She shook her head, not ready to admit how much it actually was a good idea. “There are wolves out there! Pretty big ones, too!”
“Do you trust me?” He stepped closer to her.
“Yes. Yes, I do.”
“Then trust me to protect you,” he stated plainly, exuding a quiet confidence to do exactly what he said.
“Fine. But if I get eaten by the big bad wolves, I am going to come back to haunt you!” She smiled up at him. “That's a promise.”
“Oh, I promise you’ll be eaten tonight, Keeley. Several times in fact.” He winked at her, his tone purely sexual. “I am sure you will enjoy every single moment of it.”
She gaped at him, opening and closing her mouth a few times while trying to find something witty to say back. Instead, her nipples became diamond hard pebbles as images flashed through her head and her pussy slickened with anticipation. Damn, the man is too smooth for his own good.
“Ready?
“Yes,” she said softly, realizing in those last seconds she was agreeing to more than just the run. She followed him out the back door into the starry night and tipped her head back to glance up at the moonlight. “I never realized how utterly beautiful the glow of the moon off the treetops is. Or how the moon caresses the water, making it sparkle and shine.” Rubbing her hands together, she smiled.
“I could say the same about you,” Kalkin murmured, reaching out to caress her face and push a tendril of her blonde hair behind her ear. “You have an ethereal glow about you, Keeley.” He bent toward her. Their lips touched in the gentlest of kisses as his arms wrapped around her in a protective manner. “You really should start running, so I can catch what’s mine.”
A shiver of anticipation crept down her spine, settling low in her belly and causing her pussy to ripple with need. “Chase me? I think you will catch me in less than two steps,” Keeley whispered, falling quickly under whatever spell he was weaving.
“I won't be running at full speed,” he chuckled. “Half the fun is the chase, sweet cheeks.” Kalkin maneuvered her into place, facing the path he wanted her to run on. “Follow the lane for about a quarter of a mile. You will come to a huge pine tree where the trail Ys off.” He nipped her ear. “Take the path to the left, Keeley. Got it?”
“The path to the left,” she murmured, repeating his last instructions, more than a little dazed and confused about how she could want him this quickly. She ached for him with each breath she took.
“Good girl.” He patted her ass. “Now, run, sweet cheeks.”
Glancing over her shoulder at him, she saw that he nodded at her encouragingly. The path loomed over her, shadowed by the foliage, and gave it a spooky feel. Each step she took brought her closer to the thicket and made her heart pound faster. She knew she wasn't a very fast runner, nor did she have the grace of one either. With large breasts which bounced and jiggled with each step, slowing her down, she could only imagine that his view was on her ass as she ran. However, she pushed on, intent on proving to herself and him she was ready to give herself over one hundred percent.
The scents of the forest hit her nose first, the earthy mix of wet leaves, pine, and evergreen along with the sweet hint of honeysuckle. The heady fragrance wrapped around her as she continued up the path heading toward the big tree he said was ahead.
A quick glance over her shoulder confirmed what she already knew: she wouldn't be able to hear Kalkin approaching her. The information her sister had given her the night before had been confirmed when she'd seen a couple earlier shift near the alley by Mrs. Martin's and run for the hills. She wondered what Kalkin would look like as a wolf since she assumed everyone in town was one, what with Aiden's puppy form and the young lovers. Would he be huge like those fictional ones she'd read about or the size of a husky? Were wolf-shifters larger or the same size as their wolf counterparts?
Her foot caught in a rut and she stumbled, grateful when she glanced behind her. Kalkin hadn’t seen her graceful save. Yet, if she strained really hard, Kee thought she could hear his soft footfalls trailing behind her. His black shirt and pants mixed in with the shadows of the forest, making it impossible for her to see him.
“Kal?” she panted, slowing her already pitiful pace down even more.
“I am here, Keeley.” She spun around, trying to catch a glimpse of him but was only successful in making herself dizzy. “Keep going, you're almost to the tree, sweet cheeks.” His voice caressed her, and instantly she tingled with awareness.
The heat of his body surrounded her and before she could get a good look at him, he was gone. Well, lesson number one, wolves are faster than humans. Or, well, her at least.
Keeley continued her trudge up the trail. Her lungs were screaming for air, and her muscles burned from the exertion. Why did it have to be at a thirty-degree incline? Why couldn't it be flat terrain she had to cross? As she came to the bend in the path, the huge tree lay dead ahead, just as he told her and there was a path to the left.
Oh boy, more running. She veered off, following his instructions, but gave pause when something shifted in the underbrush. The air crackled as though it were electrically charged. It caused the hairs on the back of her neck to tingle and stand up in warning.
She spun around. “Kal?” Her voice caught in her throat, and she was unsure of what exactly she had heard or even felt. The woods were completely silent once more. She squinted back down the path, trying to gauge whether or not Kalkin lurked within the dense vegetation. “Kalkin, please!” she begged. “If part of this tradition is scaring the shit out of me, it is working!”
Twigs snapped under the weight of something stepping on the dirt-covered ground. Behind a bush, she could hear rustling. Probably a bunny. A cute little four-legged creature. The sound came again, only this time closer. The steps were heavier, tromping the ground as it grew near. It ran for her at a fast gallop. The heavy foot falls kicked her heartrate up a notch, but when she saw the large, black-furred creature dip its head and charge at her, she screamed. Keeley could already see the headlines. Girl found dead in woods, mauled by a bear while running in the middle of the night like a fool idiot. Comment from the bear stated she was
sweet and satisfying. She cringed.
“This isn't funny, Kal!” She yelped when the shadow shifted, and an image finally started to take shape. Keeley screamed and scrambled backward as it doubled its effort.
“Help!” she screamed, tripping on a large root. Her breath whooshed from her lungs as she fell hard on her ass.
The biggest black wolf she had ever seen in her entire life moved out from under the cloak of darkness and into the glowing light of the moon. “Kalkin!” she yelled his name and slapped the haunch of the wolf. “How could you scare the shit out of me?!”
The beast growled, narrowing his eyes as he exposed a row of perfectly straight, sharp teeth. I’m going to die. I’m going to die, it’s not Kalkin. She scrambled back to her hands and feet, kicking the muddy ground up at the wolf. She looked over her shoulder and found herself at a dead end. The face of a rock wall greeted her, giving her no reprieve from the animal in front of her. She was fucked and not in a good way.
“You don't want to ea-t-t me,” she stammered. “I don't taste very good. Maybe you can go hunt a rabbit or something.”
Her gaze darted from side to side, trying to find anything she could possibly use for a weapon—something to give her a fighting chance if the wolf attacked. To her right was a fist-sized rock. Without hesitation, she picked it up and placed it between her legs. If he took another step closer to her, she'd bean the bastard.
The big, black wolf watched her with a mix of amusement and curiosity as he lowered his hind legs to the ground. Relax. Sit. Stay.
She curled her lip as he cocked his head at her. What the hell? It is you! I should kick your ass. She stared into his steady ice blue eyes. She recognized the gray peppering his temples and flecked through his black coat. She rubbed the spot over her heart, trying to slow the rapid beat. He'd taken ten—no, twenty years off her life.
What. The. Fuck!
The beast shifted and stood back up. He came closer to her. The predator and prey feeling she got when Kalkin was near fell over her once more. The wolf stopped just out of kicking range of her feet, then sat again.
