“No problem.”
“Great!” Stephanie pecked him on the cheek then left the kitchen, her heart as light as her steps. She could almost forget about her psychopathic ex-husband who happened to be a very rare and hard to kill Wendigo.
A small bit of despair doused her lightened mood. She wouldn’t be truly safe until Garrett was caught.
5
STEPHANIE WATCHED NOLAN as he played with a rain stick. The long piece of wood made a rattling sound reminiscent of raindrops each time he turned it upside down. His boyish pleasure in something so simple warmed her heart.
They stood in a nature store of some sort—one more shop in a long line of shops she had dragged him to in the past couple of hours. Had he complained? Had he rolled his eyes in a masculine chauvinistic way? Had he once suggested they stop? Nope. As she witnessed him putting down the rain stick in favor of a wolf hand puppet, Stephanie realized the truth. Nolan liked to shop.
A man who enjoyed going to the mall? Was he for real? Did he have no flaws?
Stephanie looked down at the two bags she held in one hand. The Nordstrom’s bag contained two pair of shoes that didn’t match a single item she owned. But the electric blue flats and the green stiletto heels were on sale and too beautiful to pass up. Her one weakness was shoes. Other than the shoes, she’d bought some books for her father—two weighty tomes on the Wild West and a couple of paperback thrillers. Honestly, she’d thought Nolan would whither like a rose on a hot afternoon if he stayed in the mall for more than five minutes. But he was wearing her out. Oh, the irony. She smiled.
“Something amusing?” Nolan’s voice was a dark thread of sensuality winding like a ribbon through her. She whirled around, cursing the sudden pounding of her heart.
“Are you finished playing with your toys?”
“For now,” he said. He curled his lips and sniffed the air. “Do you smell that?”
Stephanie looked around the shoppers clutching their bags as they moved from one item to the next. “Desperation?”
Nolan shook his head and smiled. “Did I mention that I out-shop my sister? Took her to the outlet mall in Stroud, and she ended up begging for mercy.”
“Are you a robot?”
“Flesh and blood. Every hot inch,” he said. “Believe it.” His gaze sent electric tingles zipping right through her.
She believed! “You ready to go?” she asked, flustered.
“Sure. Right after I buy this rain stick.” He gave it another shake.
His grin made her lower parts clench. She gave a quick nod and turned around, heading for the exit. How could this man do such incredible things to her emotions? What the man did to her body was torment enough.
Sighing deeply, she walked into the main mall. She sat down on a bench outside the store, not minding the hard wooden seat. Setting the bags next to her, she leaned back and closed her eyes. The rattle of a paper bag interrupted her drowsy thoughts. Opening her eyes, she saw a young man with a hoop earring in his nose leaning over her. He wore a black ball cap backwards on his shaved head. He grinned engagingly, and then whisked the Nordstrom’s bag off the bench.
“Hey,” she cried out, jumping up. “Those are my shoes!”
He disappeared through the mall crowd, but she could see the black ball cap bobbing through the people. She grabbed her purse and book bag then ran after him, passing Nolan as he walked out of the store. She felt the barest touch of his fingers on her arm, but slipped away from his grasp as she threaded her way through the throng.
“Stephanie!”
Nolan’s voice faded as she drew closer to the running boy. How dare he take her shoes! She’d cram a stiletto heel down his throat for stealing those pumps. And her flats! They’d been on sale, for the love of God! She ran faster, determined to get her property back. In the background, she heard Nolan’s shouts, but the boy was now only a few feet away. A large fountain circled by a one-foot brick wall stood in the way of the hooligan and the mall entrance. He ran around several small children who were throwing pennies into the fountain. With a wild yell, Stephanie launched forward and grabbed the kid by the waist. She heard his startled cry as they both crashed to the marbled floor of the mall.
The boy landed on his back, his hat flying off. Stephanie sat on his chest, her hands twisted into his T-shirt.
“Give me my shoes, kid,” she growled.
“Damn, lady! You can have the shoes,” he cried, his eyes wide in amazement. “Get the hell off me.”
“Police!” Nolan’s voice boomed, announcing his presence when he caught up to them. He held his badge in one hand and pressed the rain stick against the teenager’s chest with the other.
Stephanie loosened her hands from the thief’s clothes as Nolan simultaneously helped her up and lifted the kid by the scruff of his shirt.
“Hey man, she tackled me,” the teenager yelled. “I was minding my own damn business. Ask anyone.”
Nolan looked at Stephanie. “Are you all right?”
“Yes. He took my shoes,” she stated. “There they are.” She grabbed the bag that had somehow landed upright. Triumphant, she held the bag up and grinned at Nolan.
His look was unreadable, but she realized he was angry. He arrested the teenager, pulling a pair of handcuffs from inside his jacket. He handed the cuffs to Stephanie and patted down the kid. She saw his grimace as he extracted a switchblade from the thief’s front pocket. She felt her heart stop beating as she stared at the polished black handle. She met Nolan’s hard glance as she gave him back the cuffs, but her insides felt like Jell-O. Two security men arrived and Nolan released the boy to their custody. Stephanie watched as Nolan flashed his badge again, gave a brief statement of events, and then left the matter in their hands.
“Time to go.” His words were clipped. He really was angry. Thanks to Garrett, she knew the consequences of making a man angry—especially when it was her fault. Her heart began a familiar cadence of pounding, pumping adrenaline along every vein. How would Nolan act when he got her alone? She wanted to run the minute sunlight hit their faces when they exited the building. Instead, she held tightly onto the strap of her purse and her shopping bags, and silently followed him out to the car.
Nolan didn’t say anything as they got into the Mustang. The snap of fastening seatbelts cracked in the silence. Old reactions encouraged her to cry, to beg forgiveness, but she refused to give in to fear. When he didn’t start the car, she dared a glance.
His eyes were hard, glittering. “Don’t ever pull a stupid stunt like that again,” he said. “That kid had a knife on him. He could have stabbed you.”
She hadn’t thought about the danger—she’d only thought about the little creep stealing her stuff. “I’ve been through worse,” she said pointedly. “Besides, he took my shoes.”
“Shoes are replaceable,” he said. “You are not.”
A small relief filled her when she realized he wasn’t going to hurt her, followed by a flash of her own anger. “Those shoes are not irreplaceable. They were half-off the original price, and the last pairs in my size.”
Nolan closed his eyes, as though he were trying to compose himself. “I almost shifted. In a damned mall full of humans.” He opened his eyes and looked at her. “I didn’t know what had happened—if you’d seen Garrett and were trying to get away.”
Fear chilled Stephanie to the core as her anger left as swiftly as it had come. Suddenly, she felt like a foolish child. If Garrett had been watching them … he would’ve easily gotten to her. Nolan was right. Shoes weren’t worth her life.
“I’m sorry.”
Nolan reached out and grabbed her hand. “Hey.”
She resisted the urge to pull away and looked at him, hoping she looked remorseful.
He squeezed her hand and smiled. “I have to admit that was a nice tackle.”
She couldn’t help but return his smile. “Thanks.”
Nolan started the car. He backed out of the parking space and maneuvered the car onto 71st
street. Realization dawned slowly, brightly. His anger was a result of his fear for her. He cared about what happened to her. She swallowed back the words of gratitude as even more guilt filled her. Damn it. His easy, calming presence, his ability to make her laugh, and his gentleness were creeping vines crawling the emotional wall she’d built around her heart.
“YOU PASSED THE hospital. Where are we going?”
“Swan Lake.” Nolan offered Stephanie an apologetic smile. “It’s just for a few minutes. Get the mall stench off of us.”
She laughed. “I haven’t been there since Lee Stephens.” Nolan found himself the recipient of a suspicious stare. “You’re not planning on kissing me and trying to cop a feel, are you?”
“Why? Is that what good ole Lee did?”
“Yes.”
“And?”
Her husky laugh sent prickles of awareness through him. He gripped the steering wheel.
“Lee got pushed into the lake.”
Nolan laughed. “Difficult to do. There’s a fence around it.”
“Yeah. He toppled over pretty good. He was six-feet seven-inches, and his ego was just as huge. Must have made him top-heavy.” She sighed. “I was different then. Brave. I didn’t take crap off men.”
“You don’t take crap off men now.”
Her silence warned him that she didn’t want to talk anymore, but he hoped, deep down, she knew he believed she was strong. A couple minutes later, they pulled into the exclusive Swan Lake neighborhood. He parked the car and killed the engine. Turning in his seat, he faced Stephanie.
“About kissing... I’m not making any promises,” he said wickedly. “And you can’t push me into the lake. They’ve reinforced the fence.”
Stephanie’s slow grin matched his. “A fence is a minor obstruction, Nolan.”
“I’ll take my chances.”
“Keep your lips to yourself,” she said in a breathless voice.
“Whatever you say.” He got out of the car, and walked to the passenger side. She’d already opened the door. He took her hand and led her to the sidewalk.
They circled the lake, their shoes scraping against the concrete. The gentle swish of water relaxed him. Swans, oblivious to rhythms of man, preened and swam the perimeter of the lake. Stephanie stopped, and Nolan felt the loss keenly when she withdrew her hand to lean against the fence. “They’re so beautiful.”
“They are,” he agreed. “So are you.”
She glanced at him, her expression uncertain. “Thank you.”
“Compliments make you uncomfortable, don’t they?”
“I guess so. Garrett’s glossy charm wooed me. I couldn’t see past his façade to the real man. To the monster he hid with pretty lies and expensive gifts. It’s not fair to you, I know. I think you’re a good man, Nolan. I really do.”
“But you don’t trust yourself.”
“No.”
He watched Stephanie move away from the fence. She walked toward the car, not looking to see if he would follow. He stood there for a few seconds, watching the stiff way she walked. Nolan grimaced, then shoved his hands into his jean pockets and trailed after her.
“I really like you,” he said again, reiterating what he’d told her at the house earlier in the day.
From across the Mustang’s roof, she stared at him. Silence stretched tautly between them. He dug the car keys out of his pocket, their jingle sliding across his nerves. Remembering the way she’d felt in his arms—remembering how she tasted when they’d kissed.
“I know,” she said, wetting her lips. “I haven’t changed my mind. I like you too.”
He recognized the flickers of doubt, of need in her eyes. Relief made his fingers tremble, and he dropped the keys. She still wanted him. That was the first step. “We’ll start small. Then we’ll build.”
“I can’t make any promises either.”
“I’m not asking for any.” He scooped up the keys, walked to her side and unlocked the door. He dipped his head, happy when she tilted her face to him. He grazed her lips with his own, his pulse pounding as he moved back so she could get in the passenger side.
He rounded to the driver’s door, barely feeling the ground beneath his feet, and heard a click as she unlocked it from the inside. He slid into the seat and started the car. “Would you be interested in having dinner later … with me? I’ll take you to the best restaurant in town.”
He sensed her hesitation and glanced at her profile.
“Yes,” she finally said.
Elation filled him. “I love that word,” he said.
6
WHEN THEY FINALLY ARRIVED at the hospital, Stephanie watched Nolan turn off the engine then twist in his seat to face her. “I will protect you. I will fight for you. I will be there for you.”
“My werewolf in shining armor?” she asked softly.
“That, and whatever else you want me to be.”
It was an unspoken promise. An invitation.
She nodded, unable to form words. Instead she leaned forward and brushed her lips across his as he’d done to her at the park. And in the kitchen. Dear Lord, she craved him. For a moment, they breathed into each other, lips parted, centimeters of space between their mouths.
Nolan took control, cupping her face as he deepened their kiss. His lips were warm and firm. He tasted vaguely of mints and coffee. It had been too long since she’d had tenderness, and she reacted with a hunger that frightened her. She tasted desire, felt the hot pull of more, more, more.
She slid over the console and onto his lap, straddling his growing erection. She wanted him on a primal level—something that went beyond mere sex. It was frightening how connected she felt to him.
“Stephanie.” Nolan broke away, his fingers sifting into her hair as he struggled to regain his breath.
“I know,” she said. “I know.”
He offered her one more soft kiss. Yet another promise.
And she wanted him to keep it.
“HOW’S BODYGUARDING?” ASKED Andrew.
“I think Stephanie might need another bodyguard.”
Andrew raised an eyebrow.
“To protect her from me.”
Andrew chuckled. “Hallie said you had the hots for her.”
“She did, did she?” Nolan looked at his brother-in-law. Andrew was a doctor in the pediatrics unit at the Moon Pack’s shifter hospital, one of the few humans who worked here. In fact, that’s how Andrew met Nolan’s sister. After she recovered from the attack that nearly took her life, Hallie had begun volunteering in the children’s wing. While Stephanie visited her dad, Nolan met with Andrew in the cafeteria for a quick bite of lunch.
He planned to bring Stephanie a sandwich, and he hoped she ate it.
Nolan watched in part-amusement, part-disgust as Andrew loaded his mug with sugar. Humans really loved sweets. And Andrew had a bigger sweet tooth than most.
“What no creamer? Why not completely ruin a perfectly good cup of coffee?”
“Lactose intolerance. You know how it is for us fragile humans. Hallie doesn’t mind, though, because she says it means more ice cream for her.”
Nolan laughed. “Yeah. Don’t mess with that woman and a pint of Ben & Jerry’s.”
“One of the many reasons Hallie and I are so perfect for each other.” Andrew smiled, his longish face reminding Nolan of a beagle. “So tell me about Stephanie.”
Nolan sighed and shifted in the uncomfortable plastic chair. Nolan had been restless about his feelings for Stephanie—needing to talk, needing not to talk. And that wasn’t all. He couldn’t shake the sense of danger he’d felt when Stephanie had taken off in a run at the mall. Even though his brain knew she hadn’t been in immediate danger, his body couldn’t turn off its early warning alarm. The fact that he’d almost shifted in a crowded place full of humans and in broad daylight, and the fact that he still itched under his skin, told him Stephanie meant so much more to him than he was willing to admit out loud.
He answered his brother-
in-law’s question about Stephanie, but not with what he really wanted to say. “She seems fragile, you know? But she’s not. She’s tough. Still, she has good reason to be scared of her husband.”
“Married to a Wendigo … I still can’t fathom that.”
“You and me both.”
Nolan inhaled the crisp scent of bacon and eggs. He scooped up some eggs, watching as Andrew squirted Light-Italian dressing onto his salad. “Hallie’s got you on a diet again?”
“Hell yes.”
Andrew plunged the fork into his salad and eyed Nolan’s cheeseburger. Nolan took pity on his brother-in-law and split the burger in half. He plunked a portion onto Andrew’s plate. “Don’t tell Hallie. She’ll skin me alive.”
“I’d sooner die than rat on such a generous guy.”
They ate in silence, and soon, Nolan pushed his empty plate away. Even with a full belly, he couldn’t shake the foreboding he’d felt since the Mall.
“You almost done fixin’ up your fixer-upper?”
Nolan shook his head, grateful for the distraction. “It’s a mess. I don’t know where to begin.”
“At the beginning.”
“Gee, thanks.” He’d bought the fixer-upper because he’d fallen in love with the house, but he hadn’t actually gotten around to doing anything with it. He had the insane urge to share it with Stephanie—to show her that he could provide a home, a home that they created together.
Holy shit.
Did he really just think about Stephanie as his future?
Yes. Yes, he did. And it felt right.
It felt perfect.
“Maybe you should hire a general contractor.” Andrew glanced at his watch and drained his coffee. “Time to do rounds. Why don’t you bring Stephanie around for dinner this week?”
“I may need to ease her into the chaos at your house.”
“It’s happy chaos.” Andrew stood up, and Nolan rose, too, putting his napkin onto the table. “You take care, Nolan.”
The Pack Rules Boxed Set: The Complete Series of Wolf, Bear, and Dragon Shifter Romances Page 16
