Right.
The ceremony seemed to move along at a crawl. The cute little strappy heels Tierney had picked out for her ladies to wear were killing her feet, and sweat began to trickle between her shoulder blades, certainly leaving a wet streak down the back of her dress. But those weren’t the most uncomfortable things about the whole situation. The wolf standing across from her, staring, had her ready to snap.
She looked up, and he smiled. Megan jerked like he’d shot her and snapped her attention to the couple taking their vows. A ball of heat formed in her pelvis and rolled through her, and she licked her lips. One peek and she wanted to jump him. Not again. She would not look over there again, no matter how tempted.
Somehow, for the rest of the ceremony, she managed not to glance at Tad again, even though his eyes were burning holes through her and setting her libido on fire. She could smell his enticing clove scent, one of the things that had been branded into her memory for as long as she could remember. She could only imagine how he’d taste on her lips, how he’d feel buried inside her. Flip-flop, her stomach tumbled through a series of cartwheels. Megan clenched her hands into fists as moisture trickled down the inside of her thigh.
Great move. No panties. The dress wouldn’t allow it, not with how much Miss Fern had taken it in. When she’d tried on a thong, even that had shown, creating a V-shaped panty line that couldn’t be missed. So, in her infinite wisdom, she’d gone commando and, now, it didn’t seem as brilliant an idea as it first appeared. Panty lines happened. She sucked in a breath and focused on getting through the exchange of vows while Tad’s unique scent grew stronger.
Good lord, she had to get away from him and fast. How much longer is this damn ceremony going to take? If Tad didn’t stop staring, she’d surely go up in flames. She shifted from foot to foot.
“I now present, Mr. and Mrs. Felix Dawson.”
“Thank God.”
Groomsmen and bridesmaids all turned to her. And when she looked around, she realized more than the wedding party had caught her faux pas. Megan swallowed. “May they have a long and happy marriage?” She lifted her bouquet in salute and gave the pack a sheepish look.
The pack broke into cheers, and the bride and groom started down the moss-covered aisle. Tad stepped up next to her and offered his arm. This time she ignored it, lifted her skirts, and bolted ahead of him. Not going to touch him again. Ever.
“You’re not escaping me that easy, Meggie.”
“Don’t call me that.”
“Okay, go on ahead without me, but I have to tell you, that dress makes your ass look delicious.”
“Bite me.”
“Challenge accepted.”
She stepped beside Tierney, getting into line as protocol dictated. Tad followed, planting himself right next to her and way too deep into her personal space. His arm brushed hers.
“Do you have to be up my ass?” she hissed.
“I can accommodate that little fantasy. Just give me the word.”
“I said, back off.”
“No.”
She sucked in a breath. “You’re making me angry, Dawson.”
“I know. The tips of your ears are turning pink. I always thought you looked adorable when mad.”
Megan sniffed and turned away, smiling at the alpha as he approached to congratulate the bride and groom. Next, the matrons. She straitened her spine. If they smelled blood in the water, they’d be on her like tree sap. Everyone had heard of their meddling, and she wasn’t about to become the center of their attention. Megan pasted on a smile. She lifted the bouquet so it would be at nose level, hoping to bury the intoxicating scent of the man standing right next to her.
Misses Lonnie, Kathy, Claire, and Miss Fern all appeared in front of her. Miss Lonnie wore an extravagant hat, big enough to belong at a horse race, but not at a wedding. Megan blinked and looked closer. Does she have a bird’s nest in the flowers on it?
I think it’s the hat that was hanging on Miss Fern’s front door.
I think you’re right.
“I see you like my hat.”
“Uh, yes. Very…down to earth.”
“I heard that big hats at weddings are all the rage, you know, with the British royals all doing it up. So I hopped on the fashion wagon.”
“Is that from Fern’s place?”
She reached up and adjusted the brim. “Maybe.”
“I told her she’d look stupid if she wore that,” Miss Kathy said.
“I don’t look stupid. I look sophisticated.”
“Wearing a door wreath, with a real bird’s nest on it?”
“They were done with it.”
“Pthhhhh.” Miss Kathy waved her off. “She wouldn’t know sophisticated if it bit her in the ass.” She leaned closer. “Speaking of which, I think a certain young wolf would like to bite you in the ass.”
Megan gasped. “Excuse me?”
Miss Lonnie reached up and tugged her down to face level. “She means Tad Dawson has been staring at you the entire ceremony, like you were the ones getting married.”
“I…. This is awkward.”
“Not awkward at all.”
They moved on to Tad, and her cheeks heated, certain he’d heard every damn word.
“Megan is looking hot today, isn’t she?”
Hot being the key word. Megan flushed from head to toe, certainly turning a deep red. She glanced at Tad, a big mistake. He didn’t hesitate to wink and make her redder.
“I do believe you nailed it, Miss Lonnie,” he said. “Smoking hot.”
Stop doing that! She clenched her bouquet, gouging the base with her nails. It took all her willpower to resist bopping him over the head with the flowers and storming away. She would not mess this wedding up. Would. Not.
“You do know, dear, she’s playing hard to get?”
“I am well aware, and if she wants me to chase, I’ll chase.” He eyed her again. This time the humor had left his face, and he couldn’t look more serious. All she could do was stare, her mouth agape, looking like a complete idiot. Her reaction only seemed to encourage him because he cocked a brow. That one simple move did wicked things to her insides, things she didn’t want to think about.
“Stop!” Megan barked out. Again, every eye in the glade turned to her.
Open mouth—insert foot.
Um, yeah. Smooth.
“What I meant is, let’s move this line along. I’m ready to party. Shall we head over to the reception?” Obviously, many of the pack agreed because they turned to head for Gee’s.
The matrons followed the crowd, and, finally, she could draw in a breath. All the tension flowed out of her body, and she slumped in relief, until Tad reminded her he still stood beside her.
“I meant what I said, cupcake, and I don’t just chase…I catch.”
And off he went. This time, she got to watch his south side as he headed north, leaving her spluttering for a comeback in her strappy, painful heels and eat-your-heart-out dress. Except Tad wasn’t the one eating his heart out.
That would be her.
A long day already promised to be a longer night.
Chapter Six
Tierney pulled the lid off a foil-covered box. “Oh. Doughnuts? How…sweet.” She grabbed one and passed the box to Megan who scrawled the gift in the notebook, writing down who’d gifted it. Miss Fern.
An odd gift, but then, again, Miss Fern had always been a bit odd.
“Those aren’t just any doughnuts, dear.” Miss Lonnie pointed and smiled. “Those are Fern’s special doughnuts. They have bigger holes.”
“And cream filling,” Fern piped up.
Gee sprayed honey mead from his mouth and started coughing.
The whole room turned to look at him, and Megan smiled, glad this time the attention wasn’t on her.
Gee shook his head and escaped to his office, coughing.
Megan looked around for more, seeing nothing but empty wra
pping paper. “I think that’s the last gift.”
“Great,” Tierney said and rose, taking Felix’s hand. “Then let’s dance. Everyone, out on the floor. Now!” She dragged her new husband into the center of the crowd as the music started.
Megan set the notebook down and massaged her neck. Oh please God, no. No more.
“You know,” Miss Lonnie said. “I believe it’s not the last gift.”
Megan looked up. “What?”
“I left my gift at your place while we were getting the ladies ready for the wedding. Oh dear, and it’s raining.”
Miss Lonnie couldn’t have looked more fragile in that moment. No way would she let the matron wander through the dark to her house to retrieve her gift. Besides, the older wolf had just given her an excuse to escape and catch her breath. “I can get it for you.”
“You will?”
“Yes, it’s not a problem.”
“But you’ll miss your chance to dance with that handsome Dawson wolf.” Miss Lonnie pointed to the wolf in question.
Megan did her best to appear nonchalant, glancing over to where Tad laughed with his brothers by Gee’s bar, where he’d been for the last ten minutes. “Romeo? You’re kidding. Right?”
“I do believe he has a thing for you.”
“No, he has a thing for anything with a skirt.”
Tad stopped mid conversation and made eye contact with her. Little shocks zipped through her. He nodded at the dance floor, filling up quickly with guests. She gave a quick shake of her head and jerked her attention away. He’d leave tomorrow, and her life would return to normal, or as normal as it could be without him. It would be best not to invest any more of her time lusting after him. Her heart skipped several beats as the thought really sank in.
“It’s raining, dear. Maybe he can give you a ride to your place to get the present?”
A ride? Oh yes. “No. I like to walk in the rain. It’s liberating, and I could really use the fresh air.” She reached down and unbuckled her heels. “But I think I’ll lose these.”
“Your dress…it will stain the silk.”
“I won’t ever wear it again, and going to get your gift will give me the excuse to change into something more comfortable.” What would be the purpose of getting all dressed up when no one would be around to appreciate it anyway? No, she wouldn’t need the gown again. “Be right back.” She rushed out the door.
***
Miss Lonnie slid into Gee’s office and shut the door. She pulled a walkie-talkie out of her bag. “She-Wolf to Golden Eagle. The package has been delivered. I repeat, the package has been delivered. Launch stage two.”
Miss Kathy opened the door and stepped up next to her. “It would be helpful if you’d push the button when you talk.” She pointed at the front of the radio.
Miss Lonnie pressed the button. “This is She-Wolf to Golden Eagle….”
“Got it. Saw her leave. Fern has already launched stage two.” She cocked her head. “Why do I have to be Golden Eagle, again?” Miss Kathy asked.
She lifted the walkie-talkie to her mouth and engaged the receiver. “Because you’re closer to the sky than I am. She-Wolf—out.”
She snorted and swiped the radio from Miss Lonnie’s hand. “How much mead have you had tonight?”
She took the radio back and pressed the button with her thumb. “None. I just feel so dangerous and sexy, like a super spy.”
“You’re dangerous, all right. Okay, Mata Hari, you can keep the walkie-talkie, just don’t sprain anything or give away our position to the enemy.”
“You know me better than that.” Miss Lonnie slipped the walkie-talkie into her bag. “Did you say they had mead here?”
“Yes. I located it five minutes ago. Gee hid it under the bar. Care to toast to our success?”
She hooked her arm in Miss Kathy’s. “Indeed I do. Oh, but first, we need to send Romeo after our gift.”
She fished out the radio again. “Fern, dear.”
Her cell phone rang in her bag. Miss Kathy and Lonnie exchanged glances.
It rang again. Miss Lonnie shrugged and reached into her bag, extracting her phone and swiping the screen to answer.
“We have radios.”
“Well, I kind of dropped mine in the punch bowl and now you sound like you’ve sucked helium.”
“She always sounds like that,” Miss Kathy piped in.
Miss Lonnie shot her a dirty look before returning to her call. “How on earth did you manage to do that, Fern?”
“Why are we using walkie-talkies when we have cell phones?”
“Because that’s what super spies do. That is not important. It’s time to go hot.”
“Oh, I do love going hot.”
“I meant, send Romeo after our package.”
“Right. Got it. Hey, did you know they have mead out here?”
A hand dropped on Tad’s bicep and squeezed. “Oh, you are quite strong. So…perfect.”
Tad turned around to find Miss Fern fondling his arm and smiling up at him, her jewelry’s shine damn nearly blinding him. “Excuse me?”
“I need a big strong wolf.”
He frowned, disengaging from her grasp and taking a step back. “Um, don’t you have a mate?”
“I do, but he’s off to who knows where.” She waved her hand in the air.
Tad eyed her suspiciously.
“Oh my, that came out wrong, didn’t it? What I meant is I left a very heavy gift at Megan’s for the bride and groom. Could you please get it for me?”
“A gift?”
“Yes.”
Tad started laughing. “For a moment there….”
Miss Fern stared. “You are a retriever, are you not, even if you’ve been strutting around on a stage in fancy pants for the last five years?”
“Yes, well. Fancy…? Never mind. Wait, didn’t you give them doughnuts?”
“That was an appetizer.”
“I don’t think I’m going to touch that one.” Tad eyed the woman in the flashy copper gown and massive bling, looking serious about giving a gift of appetizers for God knew what purpose.
“Probably a good idea you don’t. Please go now.” She shooed him toward the door. “I want to give it to them before they leave.”
“But they’re not….” Going anywhere tonight.
She shoved him.
Tad glanced around, looking for Megan. He didn’t want to leave her where any wolf could encroach on his territory, but he wasn’t about to tell one of the pack matrons no either. His mother had raised him better than that. Besides, if Megan was half as receptive to the competition as she’d been to him, they’d leave limping if they tried anything. Score one for the martial arts classes he’d given her as a teenager. “Fine. Which room did you leave it in?”
“Megan’s bedroom.”
“Uh….”
“Oh, don’t act all innocent now, Tad. You’ve been in about every single female’s bedroom in Los Lobos. It’s not a novelty.”
“Excuse me?”
“You heard me.”
Great. If Megan caught him in there, she’d probably make good on her promise to remove his testicles. He surveyed the room again. Where the hell was she?
“Go.” She nudged him again.
“I’ll be back in ten minutes.”
“I highly doubt that.”
“What?”
“The package is really heavy.” She batted her lashes, and an ill feeling settled into his gut. Just what kind of game did this woman play?
He nodded and walked out of the bar, taking his bow tie off and tucking it into his pocket as he went. Once outside, Tad headed for the truck he’d borrowed from his brother and got in. He drummed on the steering wheel for a moment and peered through the windshield into the downpour. Good thing he had a vehicle. He’d hate to think about walking in this mess.
Tad pulled out, heading down Main Street toward a side road that led t
o Megan’s.
He didn’t get half a mile before his headlights landed on a drenched woman in red, walking barefoot in the storm. She turned around and put her hand to her forehead to shield her eyes. She jerked and spun around, gathering her soaked skirts and jogging.
He pulled up next to her and unrolled the window. “Nice evening for a walk?”
“It wasn’t raining this heavy when I left.”
“You could have asked for a ride.”
She stopped and turned toward him. “From whom?”
“Me.”
“No.” She started walking again.
Tad stepped on the gas, pulling up next to her. “Swallow your damn pride for a moment and get in.”
“No.” She didn’t bother to look at him this time.
“Meggie.”
“No!”
“Don’t make me get out and throw you in.”
“You could try, but I wouldn’t recommend it.”
“Honey, get in.”
She shook her head. “Please, you’re leaving again tomorrow.”
“Meggie, babe….” That’s when he noticed one of the straps on her dress had broken. But not just her strap. It appeared the back of the dress where the zipper ran down had also split and showed a whole lot of flesh, including the fact she’d foregone undergarments of any kind. “Stop walking for a second.”
“How many times have I told you not to call me that?”
“Meg.”
“Leave me alone, Tad.”
He slammed on the brakes and threw the truck into park, hopping out and running to stand in front of her. “Stop!”
“Get out of my way.” She balled her fists at her sides.
He took his jacket off.
“I don’t need the chivalry. I’m not cold.”
“I don’t know how you aren’t. Your dress is falling off.” Her bust took that moment to split.
Megan screeched and snatched his coat from his hands, shielding her body.
Tad burst into laughter.
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