Canadian Wolf (Paranormal Nocturne Romance)

by Linda O. Johnston

Apparently not. Those brows lowered, and his expression became friendly, like a server who wanted a substantial tip. “Right,” Boyd responded. “Holly and I have talked about this before. I could show her, and the rest of you, a whole lot of fun things about West Columbia. I know you’ve got a group visiting here. How long will you be in town?”

  Instead of Craig, it was Patrick who answered.

  “Unsure so far,” he said. He and the rest of the Alpha Force members had just walked in and joined this group, making Selena feel relieved. Her CO was in charge once more, as it should be. “But we’ll keep your offer in mind. Now, I’d really like a bottle of that locally brewed Canadian red ale I tried the other night.” He looked straight at the server, who nodded.

  “I’d like to try it, too,” Selena added, and she was glad to see Boyd remove a pad of paper from the pocket in his leather belt and start making notes.

  “Gin and tonic,” said Craig, sitting down on the stool beside Holly. “Lots of gin. And I’d like it fast.” The look he directed toward Boyd was clearly designed to put the server back in his place.

  “Right away,” Boyd said. “As soon as I get everyone else’s orders.” His expression was a touch less friendly than before, but Selena felt fairly comfortable that the confrontation had ended.

  “Hi, sorry I’m a little late,” said a deep and very welcome voice from beside Selena. “I had to respond to a couple of phone calls.”

  Fortunately, the stool beside Selena had remained empty. Or maybe the others knew where Owen would want to sit. In any event, he slid onto the stool and leaned forward on the table. “I’d like whatever she’s having,” he told Boyd.

  “Let the party begin,” responded Selena.

  Chapter 12

  Owen wasn’t happy that he’d missed the earlier interplay between Craig and the server. It was now being whispered about around the table. He heard the comments, despite the noise in the bar and the fact that his hearing was the ordinary sort that mortals had, unlike some of those around him.

  He listened closely. He needed to know and understand all the interactions between those in his command and anyone else they spoke with around here, both to understand who they were and for the security of their operation.

  He considered ordering Craig to send his girlfriend back home, or at least away from West Columbia, but that wouldn’t improve his relationship with Craig or even the other CAs.

  Sal might even start to worry that Owen was about to order Yvanne out of here. The young CA might still follow rules, but he would undoubtedly feel resentful. Or at least that was the impression Owen now had of the eager yet somewhat moody kid. And that might affect his ability to do his job.

  Plus, after this encounter, such a move might wind up making the townsfolk—especially this server—wonder who they actually were if no one around here could interact with them except on a business basis.

  As Owen shifted on his stool beside Selena and began nursing his beer, he stayed quiet, watching, listening, thinking—and wondering how things would go tomorrow, when they got down to serious business.

  Shapeshifting business. Shapeshifting business that would ultimately help achieve highly important RCMP goals.

  Shapeshifting as part of the RCMP. If he’d even considered such a possibility as recently as a few months ago, he’d have thought he was going nuts.

  Maybe he actually was—especially since one of those shifters in particular fascinated him, despite all his good sense telling him to back far off.

  As he sat there, Yvanne joined them, taking a seat near her brother.

  “How did you happen to book rooms in the hotel where we’re staying here in West Columbia?” That was Holly talking to Craig, apparently on a subject other than her flirtation or what else might have been going on around here. “It’s such a nice place for this town. I mean, there are other good places, but I especially like ours.”

  Eavesdropping could be interesting, Owen thought. Was this an attempt at seduction, to get the guy with whom she might still need to make peace leave the party with her and go screw in the nice hotel room she shared with Yvanne?

  Maybe. Owen didn’t look toward her to see whether her expression said even more than her words.

  But beside him, Selena made a noise that sounded half like laughter and half like disgust. Owen turned to see her shaking her head.

  Why did that reaction, so similar to what he felt, too, make her seem so sexy?

  Or at this point, maybe everything about her seemed sexy to him. He took another sip of his beer, then turned to her.

  “How about you? Do you like your quarters here?” he asked her, loudly enough for others to hear.

  “They’re quite nice,” she said. “I’m sure that anyone who moves in there will like them a lot.”

  Good girl. She was saying something that the CAs would understand—that they soon would move into the residential part of their headquarters, once they’d learned all they needed to from the Alpha Force members. But she said it in a way that anyone listening in would not understand.

  “And you?” she continued. “I understand you’re staying here in town all by yourself, in a different hotel. Guess you’re not as friendly a tourist as you seem.” Her amber eyes captured his as if in challenge. One he enjoyed.

  “Friendly? Me? Heck, yes. But that doesn’t mean I don’t want my own space, too.”

  Space he wouldn’t mind sharing with her, under other circumstances. The way her skirt barely seemed to cover her thighs despite the prim way she sat with her legs together on that bar stool underscored his inappropriate interest in her. He couldn’t help but notice that she even wore dressy heels instead of the athletic shoes or military boots she’d worn around him before.

  Sexy.

  All the more reason for him to have space of his own, where he could retreat not only from those under his command, but also away from Selena.

  Not now, though. He let his eyes alight on her as he continued to nurse his beer and glance around the crowded bar, listening to both the Alpha Force members and CAs around him make small talk, as they were supposed to: tourist stuff and how good their beers and other drinks were and why they preferred the Yukon Bar over the town’s other drinking establishments.

  Every once in a while he joined in the conversation, offering a platitude or general comment that meant nothing but added to their pretense.

  He actually enjoyed it, and it appeared that the others did, too. Even Craig and Holly seemed to settle down and return to the same kind of flirting Owen had seen between them previously. That was a good thing.

  So was his eye contact with Selena.

  Lord, was she beautiful, especially now, all dressed up for the evening out. Her light brown hair was loose, framing her smooth and perfect face. She seemed to be teasing him without saying a word, shooting glances toward him with those intense amber eyes.

  What was she really thinking?

  Was she goading him nonverbally about the fact that his charges had now shifted during daylight, that they would do even more tomorrow and in the following days so they could accomplish their mission?

  Or more likely, about the fact that she, too, was a shifter?

  “Everything okay with you?” she finally asked him in a low voice. “You look like you’re thinking a lot.”

  “In other words, I’m not entering into the conversations?”

  “Exactly.” She smiled. “Care to talk about the weather? Or what’s on TV tonight?”

  “Not really. How about you? Care to talk about how much you’re enjoying visiting Canada?”

  “Absolutely!” She seemed to beam and in fact did start describing things she liked about this country—its coolness, the friendliness of its citizens, the remoteness and beauty of some of its towns and countryside.

  She stopped after a while. “Your eyes are glazing over.”

  “I’m enjoying what you’re saying, but I’m actually quite tired. And as we’ve all said, tomorrow’s going to
be a big day.”

  Her expression grew sober. “Yes,” she said. “It is.”

  “In fact, as much as I’m enjoying myself, I think I will become a party pooper and head back to my hotel.” He stood, hoping his departure would in fact inspire the others to take their leave. “Good night, everyone. See you all bright and early tomorrow.”

  “Good night, Owen,” Selena said as he started to walk away. “Sleep well.”

  * * *

  Selena meant it. She hoped Owen would sleep well that night.

  She doubted she would.

  Yes, the first really major step of teaching the CAs what they needed to know had been accomplished that day. But what would evolve over the next days would be even more important to their assignment.

  Her training plans would potentially keep her awake.

  So would her darned attraction to Owen. She’d already been wondering what he really thought of her. Apparently he found shifters intriguing on some level—most likely only professionally, not personally.

  That was okay. Or it should be. But in actuality...?

  No matter. The fact that her most private human areas warmed and ached when he was around was irrelevant.

  But she was curious about him on that personal level. Heck, she even just wanted to know where he was staying, what kind of place he had chosen to remain far from his own subordinates as well as the Alpha Force members.

  She’d had enough to drink. She’d had enough talking and bantering and pretending to enjoy the party that would be this group’s last—at least the last any Alpha Force members would attend.

  It was time to leave.

  It was only minutes after Owen had left. She had an idea. A dumb one, yes, but it would help to satisfy her curiosity.

  It would potentially even help her sleep that night.

  She stood, raised her hands into the air as she stretched and looked around at her coworkers. “Hey, everyone. I’m tired. And like Owen said, there’s a lot we’re going to do and see tomorrow. I’m going to leave, too. Anyone care to join me?”

  She glanced at Rainey. Her aide had been busy chatting with Tim and Sal and Yvanne. Rainey looked at her and gave a small, catlike smile as if she assumed Selena had things on her mind besides heading to the compound to sleep.

  Which she did, but not the one Rainey probably thought: seducing Owen. Although the idea did hold a lot of appeal...

  But no. What she really wanted was to learn where Owen was staying. And then she would return to her room—and to Lupe—and go to sleep.

  “Okay,” she said. “I don’t see any takers. I’ll see you all tomorrow morning.” Then she left.

  The sidewalk outside was dimly lit, but she nevertheless saw Owen walking briskly about a block away, in the opposite direction from where the CAs’ hotel was.

  This was dumb, she thought. But he hadn’t told her where he was staying, and she wanted to know.

  Carefully, staying in the shadows, she followed him. She needed to keep him within her vision, yet not allow him to see her.

  There were at least a couple of small hotels down this street, plus a bed-and-breakfast or two. She’d just watch to see where he turned to go inside and then she’d come back here for her car. An easy plan. What could go wrong?

  * * *

  Owen liked the briskness of the air as he strolled toward the WestColum Hotel, a small, independent place that was a little more elite than the chain hotel where his subordinates were staying. Fortunately, it wasn’t much more expensive, and he was paying the difference in price to avoid any issues later.

  He was about a block away when he felt someone following him.

  He wished, for that moment only, that he had some of those enhanced senses that shapeshifters supposedly had—hearing, for one. He believed he heard footsteps occasionally, but when he stopped, so did they.

  He considered turning and looking around but felt foolish. And if he was actually right, that would tell whoever was following him that he knew.

  No, he waited and walked...until he reached the outside of his hotel. Then he opened the door to the lobby and slipped inside.

  And hurried around to leave through a side door.

  Outside again, he waited in shadows.

  Sure enough, someone had been following him. Selena.

  She stopped on the sidewalk and folded her arms in front of her lovely, curvaceous chest, apparently taking in the exterior of the lobby’s building.

  Then she pivoted and started to walk away.

  That was when Owen made his move. He jumped out at her and pulled her toward the building, into the shadows.

  “Okay, Owen, enough,” she said immediately. “Did you think I didn’t hear or smell you there? Why did you come back outside so fast?”

  “Because I knew you were there and I wanted to catch you.”

  “Why?” she demanded.

  “This is why,” he replied, and then he pulled her tightly into his arms, lowered his mouth and kissed her.

  * * *

  This wasn’t why she had been following him—was it?

  Selena could no longer think. All of her consciousness, her being, was drawn into the feel of Owen’s hard, hot body against her, his lips moving against hers, tasting and teasing her to open her mouth by pushing gently with his tongue.

  She could do nothing but obey.

  After a minute that seemed like an eternity, though, she realized that very sexy mouth of his was speaking against hers. “Come inside,” he said. “We have no privacy here.”

  Another bad idea, she knew, yet what could she do but follow him inside? Running off held no appeal.

  Owen held all the appeal around here.

  When he pulled away, she felt bereft but held his hand tightly when he grasped hers. He used a key card to open the door.

  He led her through the lobby and into the elevator. As soon as the door closed, she found herself in his arms, his mouth on hers, involved in a kiss that was like no others she had ever experienced.

  A short kiss, though. The door opened again on the second floor.

  The hallway was bright and not particularly long. Owen took her hand once more and led her past only a few doors. He used a card again to open the door to room 211. She glimpsed that number for only a second before she was inside the room, the door closed behind her.

  The dim light of the tiny entry area was the only light in the room. In it she could see the king-size bed, the typical TV facing it, a desk against the wall...

  But it was the bed that garnered her attention. Some of her attention, at least. The rest was focused on Owen, who suddenly pulled her into his arms once more.

  “Selena,” he whispered against her lips. But that was all he said as his hands began stroking her back. The dress she wore had seemed attractive enough and not especially obtrusive before. Now she wondered how fast it could be removed.

  But Owen didn’t try. Not yet. Instead, he bent enough to touch the backs of her bare legs, the feeling of flesh on flesh making her moan with desire.

  Oh, this was a bad idea. They were professional colleagues, both with official missions to accomplish.

  But, oh, it was a wonderful idea. She wanted more.

  She wanted Owen.

  She felt his fingers trail up her legs, over her derriere, up her back. Was he looking for a zipper? She almost smiled against his mouth. He’d have to back away at least a little to get the dress off. It buttoned up the front.

  Meantime, she could start undressing him. But first she wanted to tease him a little. Only a very little since she was already starting to become impatient.

  She pressed herself against him, feeling his hardness at stomach level. She wriggled just a bit to get his attention.

  “Selena,” he said again, this time louder, in a more ragged voice.

  “Yes, Owen,” she managed to say, moving her hand around to latch on to his buttocks, squeeze them and pull him even closer.

  Oh, heavens, she wanted him. And
this was taking much too long.

  She refused to think any more about how bad an idea sex was with a professional colleague—and a nonshifter. Despite how his arms enfolded her, she stepped back and looked at him as much as she could beneath the dim light.

  His gaze was hot. So hot. Those blue eyes of his were molten, his mouth swollen and enticing, his breathing fast.

  Selena quickly began doing what she wanted, what she needed. She reached toward him and began unfastening the buttons of his shirt—from the bottom up. That allowed her hands to drop just a bit and press against the hardness beneath his dark slacks.

  The feeling, even in her fingertips, made her moan, and she hurried to undress him with trembling hands.

  Owen began undoing her buttons as well. His hands on her—first skimming over her breasts, then taking hold of them—left her gasping, and she tried to hurry even more.

  Somehow, in mere seconds that somehow felt like days later, Selena realized she was nude—and Owen was close. His shirt and pants were on the floor, but he still wore his shorts. They extended out in front of him enticingly, and she wanted to see, not just feel, the erection they hid.

  She moved toward him just as he, too, reached for the last item he wore, and suddenly he was naked.

  And gorgeous. Selena had visualized in her mind how he would look, all muscles and sinew, plus a male member that was large and erect and altogether alluring.

  “Come here,” he whispered, even as he began to touch her most sensitive sensual areas and lead her onto the bed.

  She lay down facing him, touching him, squeezing him and pumping gently for her own benefit. He clearly needed no further arousal.

  His head bent, and she felt him licking, then sucking at her bared breasts. “Owen.” Her voice was husky and needy—and then he pulled away. “Owen,” she repeated—and then realized he was moving not completely away from the bed but reaching down to the floor, where he pulled his wallet from his slacks.

  He pulled a condom from inside the wallet. Oh, this man wasn’t merely sexy. He was responsible.

  And she wanted him. Now.

  “Let me,” she whispered to him. She felt the heat and shakiness of his fingers as, smiling as he returned to face her upon the bed, he handed the condom to her.