Wolf Prey (Wolf Cove Book 3)

by Nina West

  “Yes, I can sympathize.” What would I do if I were wheelchair bound and had her hovering over me all day, nattering on and on?

  A high-pitched squeal from the church’s karaoke machine tells me someone’s about to use the microphone. Reverend Enderbey it would seem. Mama, Jed, and Celeste stand on either side of him, Mama with the kind of wide grin on her face that I’d expect the day I hold up a sonogram of her grandbaby.

  “Everyone! Hey, everyone!” Reverend Enderbey holds a hand up to get the crowd’s attention. He has an easy way about him, and people are used to shushing and listening. “We just wanted to thank you all for coming on such short notice to welcome Roger home from the hospital. Three weeks ago, we almost lost him, but the good Lord prevailed and there he is, put back together and just itching to get back to the farm.”

  A round of applause goes up and Daddy waves them off with a smile. “I think Abigail and Jed have a new appreciation for all the work you do, Roger. The two of them have been run ragged every single day.” As if on cue, Reverend Enderbey passes the microphone to Jed.

  “I have been passin’ out before my head hits the pillow every single day!” Jed admits with a playful grin, but then it slips off, replaced by a somber mask. “It wasn’t even a question that I would quit my job and be here for Abigail and the Mitchells, because they’re my family. I’ll always be here for them.” He nods toward me. “Which is why I’ve also deferred my last year of college to stay here with you to run this farm. Nothing’s more important to me.”

  Talk about a subtle dig at Henry, who’ll be getting on a plane after this to go and run his corporation. I doubt anyone else has picked up on it. Has Henry?

  I glance over to see him watching Jed, an unreadable look in his eyes. But that tiny smirk on his lips…. He’s smiling. Why?

  A round of cheers go up and Jed grins at me. He loves this kind of attention. It’s just the kind of pat on the back he’s fishing for.

  I do appreciate the hand around the farm. But oh God, that means he’s going to be here all day, every day, thinking he can slowly whittle away my refusal to take him back. He saw me with Henry. He saw how happy I am. Is he completely blind or just clueless?

  Or does he see something so obvious that I don’t?

  Reverend Enderbey takes the microphone back. “Okay, everybody chow down and have fun!”

  I heave a sigh.

  “That’s not a happy sound,” my daddy murmurs, low enough for only me to hear.

  I force a smile. Even so, it’s tight. “It’ll be great to have the help. I guess.”

  “Well, don’t expect that boy to give up anytime soon. He’s an idiot for what he did, and an even bigger idiot for not seeing that he has no hope as long as that one’s in the picture.”

  “Did you hear that, Abigail?” Mama hollers, her girth shifting with each step as she marches for us. “Jed is putting his whole life on hold for us. That’s what a good family man does. He stays put when people need him.”

  He does not get on his private jet and fly all over the place, and send workers to take care of things is what she doesn’t say but means.

  Daddy and I exchange a glance.

  Her eyes narrow with suspicion. “What were you two jabbering on about?”

  “Corn,” Daddy says, at the same time I say “Hay.”

  Chapter Five

  I settle onto a bale of hay, the rough edges pricking me through the cotton of this dress. “Those are the original beams from a hundred years ago. My great-granddad told me how he watched them haul those up by pulleys when he was just five years old.”

  As much as I want to throw myself at Henry before he leaves, I guess it’s not in the cards. Not unless we leave to go somewhere in his truck, and I can’t do that while people are still cleaning up from the party. So, I decided to give him a tour of the farm.

  I wasn’t sure how interested he’d be, but if there’s one thing I’m learning about Henry, it’s that he loves architecture.

  Henry inhales the everlasting scent of hay, his gaze drifting over the rafters, some fifty feet above us. He looks so out of place in here, the original barn that we now use to store equipment, with his expensive tan dress shoes on the dirt floor, bits of straw scattered here and there. “You need a new roof.”

  The three gaping holes above us would agree.

  “It’s really taken a beating the last ten years or so. We had a big storm whip through the valley. Destroyed a lot of crops and buildings. Luckily this was the only major damage we got.”

  He wanders over to the small workshop, a curious frown on his face. “What’s all this stuff?”

  “Lye and glycerin, molds… coconut oil. All the stuff I need to make my soaps. Remember that herb garden I walked you through? It’s a bit sparse since I haven’t been here for it this year, but that’s where I grow everything.” All that’s there now are some lavender and sage bushes, and perennial mints.

  He picks up the sheet of labels I printed off last week on our home computer.

  “I was thinking of hiring someone to design something a little more professional.” I designed those myself with Word Clip Art, something that I’m sure is pretty obvious at first glance.

  “What is it you make again? Soaps and….”

  “Essential oils, moisturizers…. It’s something to keep me busy.”

  “How long have you been doing this for?”

  “A few years. It’s just a hobby, but it’s mine. I’ve never made much. It was enough to pay for my flight to Alaska, though.”

  “It’s important to have something that’s yours.” He adds more softly, “That’s what Wolf Cove is to me.”

  “I love it when people tell me how good their skin feels after using something I’ve made. I know that probably sounds dumb.” Why am I so embarrassed to talk about my little business with him? I guess maybe because running a soap and essential oils production out of a small room in my daddy’s barn feels so silly next to his luxury hotel chain.

  He looks thoughtfully at the label for another long moment, his expression unreadable, before setting it back on the table. “You’ve been busy.”

  “Definitely trying to keep that way while I’m stuck here.” Now that my parents are home, I’m sure Mama will be running me ragged with all kinds of extra errands. And my late-night video calls with Henry… those are basically over.

  Will he start looking to satisfy his needs with someone else?

  His blue eyes settle on me. “So, what are you going to do with this place when your dad’s too old to run it?”

  Asked seven months ago, I would have said that I was going to take over. That was the plan all along—marry Jed and run this farm.

  Ask me that question now and…. “I don’t know. I guess it depends.”

  “On what?”

  On where you are, I want to say, but I’m afraid. He’s all “let’s see where this goes” and I’m over here, all “I’m madly in love with you and want to spend the rest of my life with you.” I don’t want to scare him away by letting him know how hard and fast I’ve fallen. How deeply committed I am.

  “I’ll stick around until Daddy’s back on his feet,” I say instead.

  “Why? Fuckface seems to want to take care of things.”

  I roll my eyes. “That was a surprise all right, but my family needs the help so I can’t say too much.”

  “You know why he’s doing it, right?”

  “Yeah. He thinks I’m not good enough to keep you interested. You’ll get bored of me and move on soon, and he’ll be here to pick up the pieces. Mama thinks that, too.” Are they right about that first part? Am I too head over heels in love to see any different?

  Henry’s brow quirks as if he can read my mind, but he doesn’t say anything.

  “What?”

  “Don’t start getting insecure on me. You have nothing to be worried about.”

  He says it so smoothly, so matter-of-factly…. I bite my bottom lip, fighting to keep the nervous smile
from escaping.

  “What about school?”

  “I’ve deferred until at least January. Next September, if I have to.”

  “So you’re committed to here and Chicago for the next two years then, basically.”

  “Basically.” Is that too long for you to wait, Henry? “I could always work at Wolf Cove again, next year.”

  He chuckles but it’s not humorous. “With the outdoor crew? Hell, no. Not a chance.” He twists his lips. “Forgot to mention earlier, there was an error in accounting. You’ll be getting a check deposited shortly.”

  I’ve learned that Henry loves to change topics abruptly. I’ve gotten used to it. “Really?” I was already netting a lot of money—more than what I could earn at any job around here.

  He shrugs casually. “I don’t know what happened, but it sounds minor. You’d have to ask Belinda. She manages all of that.”

  Right. I smile at the mention of the Wolf Cove general manager, a cougar who has slept with Henry and had it out for me for a while. She actually wasn’t so bad in the end. We shared a common hatred—Henry’s brother, Scott. “How is Belinda doing?”

  “Ready to come back to civilization.”

  “Funny, I would do anything to leave it.” Though Belinda would never call Greenbank, Pennsylvania, “civilization.” I pause. “And everything else at Wolf Cove? Sounds like it’s going well from what I’ve heard.” Ronan and Connor still text me occasionally, but those messages are growing very few and far between.

  “Your fuck boys found a new plaything, so they seem to be entertained for now,” he answers with an edge to his voice, as if able to read my mind.

  I avert my gaze to my feet where I still have hints of red polish left. I’m in bad need of a pedicure, something I didn’t even think about pre-Alaska. I blame Katie for that.

  “What’s wrong? Does hearing that they’re with someone else bother you?”

  “No! Of course not!” Just as quickly, I meet his gaze. “I wish I could erase what happened.”

  He strolls slowly toward me, his scrutiny of the barn now shifted fully to me. To my face, and then lower, over the buttons of my dress that run from neck to knee. The dress does very little for my figure, though Celeste did put in darts at the chest to give it at least a bit of shape. “Why? Because you didn’t enjoy it?”

  I open my mouth to say “yes,” but falter because that would be a lie. I did enjoy it. “Because I don’t want you to be mad at me.”

  “I let you go. I have no right to be mad at you for what happened.”

  “So it doesn’t bother you?”

  “That you were with someone else? I fucking hate it. Every time I think about it, it’s like a punch to my gut.” He heaves a sigh, reaching up to run his finger along the collar of my dress. “But I’m not angry with you. I’m angry with myself for ever allowing things to go the way they did. Had I been completely open with you, had I put you before myself and Wolf Hotels, we could have avoided it all.”

  His fingers leave my dress to wipe the tear that slipped from my eye. “I’ll try not to bring it up again. Okay?”

  My head bobs up and down. I slide off the bale of hay and reach for him, needing to feel his mouth on mine, his body against mine. I press myself against him and rope my arms around his neck, pulling him into my mouth, trying to convey how badly I want him, how much I feel, with each graze of my lip, with each stroke of my tongue.

  “You can’t start this now, Abbi,” he growls between kisses, his arms tightening around me, pulling me closer to him. I feel him growing hard against me.

  “Why not?” It comes out in a painful moan.

  “Because I have to go if I want to get to New York tonight, and we both know your mother would not be okay with this happening under her roof. Neither would your father. I can’t disrespect them like that.”

  “It’s the barn, not the house,” I counter with a pout. He’s right.

  And yet I can’t just let him go. I’ve been watching him all day long, sneaking in touches wherever I can, thinking about kissing him but unable to, imagining him undressed in front of me, remembering what it looks like when he strokes himself for me at night.

  I’m completely wound up and no amount of touching myself is going to satisfy me.

  Plus, who knows when I’ll see him again!

  “Hold on a second.” I pry myself away from him and dart over to the open doors. It looks like the last of the revelers have left. All the cars are gone, even the Enderbeys’. I can see Mama moving about in the kitchen. No doubt Daddy’s in his bed already, exhausted from the day.

  My stomach flutters with excitement. “Follow me.” I smile at him as I head to the other side, the one that faces the open fields. The sun’s just dipping below the horizon, leaving streaks of hazy pink and purple, promising another hot day tomorrow.

  “What’s out here?” he asks, eyeing the stack of hay that’s sitting just outside the door. It’s a nice place to sit and rest after a long day.

  “No roof.” I smile as reach up to unfasten the top button of my dress.

  He smirks. “Sex by semantics?”

  “It’s the only way.” I drop my voice to a soft lull. “And I need you.”

  The humor vanishes from his face in an instant. “Are you sure? Out here?”

  “Everyone’s gone and Mama’s not going to walk all the way out here to check up on us. Not if it means leaving Daddy alone.”

  I unfasten another button, the one that holds the dress together between my breasts.

  Even in the dim light I can make out the heat flaring in his gaze as it rakes over my soft pink bra. “I almost forgot how beautiful your body was, hidden under that ugly thing.”

  I giggle. “I wish Celeste would stop making me dresses. I look like a ten-year-old girl.”

  Henry strolls forward with even strides, his hands sliding inside my dress, pushing either side open to uncover my bra. His fingers settle on the outer curve of my breasts, his thumbs stroking the swell back and forth, almost soothingly. “No, you look like a woman to me.” With a heavy sigh, he grips either side of the dress and yanks the skirt apart. Buttons pop and scatter all over the ground.

  My mouth drops open in shock.

  “Just making sure you don’t wear this one again.” He smirks, pushing either side off my shoulders until the material slides from my arms. He tosses it onto the makeshift hay bench, leaving me in nothing but my bra and panties. Taking several steps back, his eyes travel from my breasts down over my abs and farther, to where my legs are parted, sliding up my thighs to the crotch of my cotton panties. I feel every stroke of his gaze as readily as if it were his fingertips.

  “Take off the rest,” he demands in that cool, commanding way he has.

  Flutters churn in my stomach as I hesitate. I was thinking he’d hike up my skirt. I didn’t expect to be completely naked. I should have known better.

  “You started this.” He folds his arms over his chest, waiting expectantly. “I don’t have long. My plane won’t be able to take off past a certain time.”

  It’s been three weeks since I’ve felt him inside me. Three weeks. It could be three more weeks until I see him again.

  Holding my breath, I reach back and unfasten my bra. My breasts tumble out, heavy and swollen, my nipples already pebbled with anticipation.

  His eyes settle on them immediately, his jaw tensing. He says nothing though and I know he’s still waiting.

  Setting my bra beside me, I push the sides of my panties from my hips, letting the material fall. I shake my flip-flops off as I slip my feet through the legs.

  And now I’m standing stark naked in front of Henry in the great outdoors.

  I can just make out the hard ridge of his erection in his pants, so I know he’s enjoying this, but he simply stares at me—my breasts, my stomach, the bareness between my legs—for the longest moment, searing my skin. He still fills me with an odd mix of nervousness, exhilaration, and borderline terror.

  I figh
t the urge to cross my arms or legs.

  Finally, Henry makes a move, reaching back to peel his t-shirt over his head. “Sit down,” he orders, tossing his shirt to the side. I can’t help the gasp as I take in his upper body again, so hard and perfectly sculpted. He’s religious with his gym regimen and besides the odd Scotch, I never see him consuming anything harmful or of poor quality.

  Gingerly, I climb back onto the bale of hay and sit on the dress Jed’s mom made for me, conveniently now serving as a barrier between my naked skin and the scratchy straw.

  Henry strolls to me, unfastening his belt and buckle, letting his jeans pop open. The thick, hard ridge of his cock shows through his boxer briefs. I reach for it but he blocks my hands with a smile. And then he pushes my thighs up and so far apart that I’m forced onto my back.

  He drops to his knees, settling himself at eye level in front of my wide-open legs.

  “Fuck, I’ve missed this.”

  Right now I’m wishing I had Katie around to keep me smooth. I’ve had to resort to shaving because it’s not like I can go anywhere in town to get a Brazilian. I don’t even know if anyone does them in Greenbank. Discretion or not, I’m afraid somehow Mama would find out and that conversation would be unbearable.

  I gasp as Henry takes one long swipe along my slit, the tip of his tongue just skating over my clit.

  “Watch,” he demands. I struggle to lift my head and meet his eyes, letting a slight whimper out at his intensity, my gaze darting around us. No one can see this, I remind myself.

  He seals his mouth over me and I feel his tongue pushing inside with force, making his way deep in me. “Oh my God!” I gasp out, letting my head fall back until I’m staring at the dimming blue sky, his arms hooked around my thighs, holding me still as his mouth works away relentlessly, the buildup coming so fast.

  Soon enough, I don’t care that I’m out here on a bale of hay, naked and out in the open. All I want to do is come.

  Suddenly his tongue disappears. I groan my displeasure and he chuckles, grabbing hold of my hands to pull me up off the bale. “Turn around,” he orders, even though his strong hands have already fastened around my slender hips and spun me around. His hand slides up my spine to the middle of my back and then he pushes. His way of telling me he wants me to bend over.