by Lavada Dee
This time Tyrell’s laugh rang out. “Oh I don’t think we need to fear that. But, you’re right that this isn’t the place to take things to the next level. Besides, I swore I’d give you time to get to know me. To know who I am.”
Tyrell didn’t add “know what I am.” He hadn’t made up his mind if he needed to divulge that to her. It wasn’t as if he would be shifting again. At least, not unless something came up that demanded he take his wolf form. And if that happened, it would be an isolated occurrence. He wondered, not for the first time, if Grant’s wife Baylee knew that side of his brother. He would ask Grant about it the first chance he got.
It didn’t take long to catch up to Devon and Page. He took Nadia’s hand in his and held it up, examining the differences. It was so small in comparison to his.
She studied their joined hands with him. “You have beautiful hands. Long fingers. Do you play the piano?”
“A little, and the guitar, but only for my own enjoyment.”
Devon heard, and answered back. “Don’t let him snow you. He plays a mean rhythm and blues, and his country has gotten us on more than one bar stage.” He laughed and added, “With free drinks.”
“Really?” Nadia laughed. As was becoming usual, her eyes reflected how happy she was.
Tyrell laughed with her. This is what he wanted, this getting to know you. If she went back to New York, he wasn’t sure he could let the relationship go. And, what then? His father had warned them, especially him and Grant, that for their kind, they didn’t have the option of dating around. There was only that one special woman that fate, or whatever it was, would put in their lives, but it was up to each of them to develop the natural bond. He had to admit that was scary stuff. Hopefully, he wouldn’t have to follow Nadia to New York.
Nadia squeezed his hand and he looked down at her. “What?”
“Nothing, it just seemed like you were miles away.”
“From you? Hardly. So what else would you like to know about me? My favorite color or…”
Nadia laughed and leaned into him. “Okay, that sounds good. What is your favorite color?”
“Black.”
“Black isn’t a color.”
“No? You sure?”
She rolled her eyes and he tried again. “Okay, charcoal gray. Like dark charcoal gray.”
“You are impossible. What’s your favorite food?”
“Oh, no, you don’t. What’s your favorite color?”
“Umm, brown, a rich, reddish brown.”
“So see, we are compatible. Gray and brown? That isn’t so far off.”
“Tyrell, you are stretching things.”
They both burst out laughing. Some of the physical tension lightened. A good thing, as there was nothing Tyrell could do about it at the moment. That they were attracted to each other wasn’t in question. And, the more he talked—and laughed—with her, the more he didn’t believe the woman he had first met was the real Nadia. They had a lot more in common than met the eye. For one thing the more she went out with him, the less he took her for a hot-house flower. She had stamina and muscle tone that he knew she hadn’t gotten sitting at a desk.
They were still just behind Devon and Page, who looked to be enjoying themselves. Tyrell wiped his forehead with his arm. It was getting warm, and even though all he had on was a t-shirt, he was feeling it. The others had put on another layer. Devon and Page stopped to take it off. Seeing them, Nadia stopped to take off hers, too. She had on a sweater in the style of a sweatshirt, but of some soft fabric. Tyrell reached over to help her. When they lifted it, it pulled up the little shirt she had on underneath it. If they had been by themselves he would have helped her off with that, too, and for that matter the bra, but he instead told her to hang on to the bottom of it while he took the outer shirt off.
That done, the four moved on. They had almost doubled their walk of the day before. He knew Page would still want a session in the pool and a massage, but it was early yet, and he still had some talking to do with Nadia. “You surprise me.”
Nadia gave him a look that plainly said she wasn’t buying it. Then, sounding cautious, she said, “What do you mean? I didn’t think anything surprised you.”
“Maybe surprise isn’t the right word. I mean, you seem to be taking to all this…” He swept his arm around.
She smiled. “I didn’t do all my growing up in New York. The school I went to in France was in a remote country area. We weren’t close to any towns, and the small village was twenty-four kilometers from us. The sisters insisted that all the girls have chores. The school was self-supporting without the board and room, and tuition fees. There were horses, cows, chickens, which I hated, and gardens.”
“No athletic programs?” Tyrell was surprised at the picture Nadia painted. Twenty-four kilometers was fifteen miles, no short walk. With her family’s money, and sophistication, he would have expected her to attend a preppy upscale school. This was sounding anything but.
“My grandmother picked out the school. Just before I left, she said I probably wouldn’t like it, but that someday I would thank her for the opportunity to live a full life.”
“Um, and do you?”
Nadia stopped, and turned toward the lake. Leaving the trail, she made her way the few feet down to the water. Finally, she stopped and looked up at him. “You ask hard questions. Ones I’ve worked equally as hard to not ask myself.” Her voice lowered until it was barely a whisper. “I always wonder if Grandmother loves me. If my father loves me. I think that is the main reason I want—no, need—to succeed with the business, because their love of LaMar Inc. is the one thing I’m sure of.”
“From what I have seen of your grandmother, she loves you. If I were to guess, I’d say she wants you to make your own choices for the life you want. How about inviting her to have dinner with us?”
“Tonight, at the Mexican place?” She hesitated then said, “I don’t think she will come.”
“Try her.”
Devon and Page had moved ahead and were out of sight. Tyrell would have liked to hang back even more, but he knew he had to get the therapy out of the way. Taking Nadia’s hand, he picked up the pace, and it wasn’t long before they were back at the lodge. As they passed the gazebo Devon stood up. “About time.” He glanced over at Nadia. “Want to hang with me while Page puts Tyrell through the routine?”
Nadia wasn’t the same woman she had been just a few days ago, and looked genuinely sorry when she told him she needed to check in on her grandmother and then get a little more work done. When she told him Tyrell suggested that they ask her grandmother to join them for dinner, he raised his eyes and met Tyrell’s gaze. “Works for me.”
The afternoon passed quickly and Tyrell found himself enjoying the session with Page. Life would be so much simpler if it could have been her that was meant for him. As it was, he liked her, a lot, much like he found himself liking Grant’s and Cooper’s wives.
Page frowned. “You’ve been quiet. Not that you’re exactly a fountain of information, but quieter than usual. Something on your mind?”
As always, she was perceptive, and Tyrell didn’t find it odd she had picked up on his mood. “Just thinking. I think we can stop these sessions.”
“I thought you wanted to continue them for a couple more weeks.”
“I don’t need them. I’m going to get back to work tomorrow, and I won’t have enough time. At least, not enough time to do scheduled treatments. I’ll still get in a daily swim, and if my muscles start tightening, I’ll stop in to the clinic and maybe we can work in a massage.”
“Okay, we can try it. But, and I mean this Tyrell, if you start having any trouble, you get right in. I’m still not comfortable with this unaccountably quick recovery.”
* * * *
Nadia was surprised when her grandmother not only accepted the invitation to dinner, but seemed excited about going. “We should take the town car, dear. You said there will be five of us and it has so much more room.”
After leaving her grandmother, Nadia got into work. Her assistant had finally sent her a photo of a male model she could live with. He wasn’t Devon, and certainly not Tyrell, but he had a fresh new look that would launch the campaign the way she wanted it. She quickly called the office to tell Sandra she would get a contract written up. They used a form contract, but she wanted to add a few things to this one. On the fourth ring, it dawned on Nadia that the office was closed. New York versus Montana time made the argument for working mornings. Hanging up, she spent the next couple of hours going over the canned contract, and making changes. Then she emailed it to Sandra.
When she heard the knock on the door she glanced at her watch. Tyrell. Her heartbeat became stronger, harder. If she had any doubt he would sense her arousal, it was dashed when she heard his voice in her mind. This time not words, just a sort of hum.
She unlocked the door, and he was instantly inside. She didn’t stop to think, but went straight into his waiting arms. His mouth came down on hers, and she opened for him, welcoming his tongue with hers.
His voice was labored, matching her own. “You feel so good. I don’t want to stop.”
She drew back, but didn’t push him away. “We have to stop. I told Nona to wait for us in her room, and Devon and Page will be waiting for us, too.”
His answer was more of a growl. “I’d say to hell with Devon, but your grandmother…”
“Yeah, my grandmother.” Just the thought of making her wait had Nadia chuckling. It lightened the super charged air around them.
“Later.” His low voice held a promise.
Chapter 16
Tyrell was surprised that Nadia was enjoying herself. “You said you haven’t eaten Mexican before. You’ve been missing out, because there are some out-of-this-world authentic Mexican restaurants in New York.”
Nadia picked right up on his comment. “You’ve been to New York?”
“Don’t look so amazed. One of the guys on my team is from there. So yeah, I’ve spent some time checking out the eating places.”
Their dinner had arrived. She’d had trouble with the menu and Tyrell had ordered for her, but her grandmother didn’t have any trouble making a dinner selection.
He watched as Nadia swallowed the first bite. “What is this?”
“Guacamole Chicken Chilaquiles. Like it?”
“I do, but it wouldn’t do for a steady diet.”
Tyrell lifted an eyebrow, and looked down at her. When he didn’t say anything, she elaborated. “I’d weigh two hundred pounds.”
“Umm, I don’t see Page, or for that matter your grandmother, having a problem.”
“I don’t know about Page, but if I hadn’t seen the ease that Nona read that menu, I wouldn’t have believed it.”
Tyrell was beginning to think that there was more to the little lady sitting across from him than met the eye. When Nona caught his gaze and winked, he laughed out loud.
The restaurant was busy. Plus, the band made it impossible to talk below a shout. Tyrell leaned closer to Nadia, and raised his voice. “You like the band?”
She laughed up at him, and said, “I like everything. The food, the drink, and well, just everything.”
Her cheeks were flushed. She had only had one margarita. Before giving it much thought, he signaled the waiter for another round of drinks. Looking over at Nadia’s grandmother, he saw a twinkle in her eyes. Yes, he was definitely going to talk to her.
Tyrell scanned the table, and saw Devon and Page close in conversation. He could listen in, but shut down his sense of hearing. He didn’t need to know what they were saying. Their body language was telling enough.
It was almost two hours later when, finished with dinner, they stood on the sidewalk in front of the restaurant. The cool night air felt good to Tyrell, but he didn’t want to risk having Nona chilled. Removing his leather jacket he put it over her shoulders, then noticing how heavy it was on her, he put his arm around her to take some of the weight off.
“My, handsome and a gentleman, too,” she said.
Tyrell laughed. He was really starting to like this little lady. She was barely five feet, but he would guess she could pack quite a wallop. If not physically, then certainly verbally.
The restaurant was in a touristy part of town. The small shops were closed, but their windows looked like miniature fairylands. “Would you like to walk and window shop?”
“Do we have time?”
“We have all the time in the world. Besides it will help us work off that dinner.” Keeping his arm lightly around her shoulders, he turned back to tell the others what they were doing.
Tyrell breathed in the cool air. Winter weather was on its way. It would be early this year. Snow already capped the surrounding mountains. He could hear Devon, Page, and Nadia come up behind them and continued the slow stroll with Nona. “How did you get the nickname ‘Nona’?”
She stopped at a brightly lit window hung with early Christmas decorations. “When Nadia was little, she started calling me that. We didn’t know why, but it sounded right so I became Nona.” She chuckled and looked up at Tyrell. Mischief shined from her eyes. “I’ll tell you a secret. I liked it a whole lot better than grandma, and she was way too little to say a mouthful like grandmother.”
“Good enough reason, and honestly, I like it better too. You are much too young for ‘grandma.’”
Nona socked him playfully on the shoulder. “You…are a tease.” She smiled, then said, “But a sexy one.”
At that Tyrell burst out with a wholesome laugh. Looking over, he gave Nadia a wink. When he heard Devon’s answering laugh, he knew that all of them, and probably anyone on the street, had heard.
Nona turned away from the window. “I’m ready to go back. Might just as well, as I’m sure my cover is blown.”
A new burst of laughter heralded her announcement.
The ride back consisted mostly of bantering back and forth between Devon, Page and Tyrell. Nona was quiet, and Tyrell thought for a bit that she might have dozed off, but when she commented about how clear the night was, and how bright the stars, he knew he wouldn’t have to help her up to her room. Nadia, on the other hand, he wasn’t sure about. He sensed all was not right on that end of things.
When they got back to the lodge, Tyrell pulled around to the front to let them out. Nadia would need to get her grandmother settled in. He told Devon goodnight, reminding him that he probably wouldn’t see him in the morning, and then telling Page he would call her when he got done at the airport. Everything taken care of, he smiled to himself as he took the car to the lot and anticipated the night ahead.
When Tyrell got the car parked, he took his time going to the lodge. He thought about a nightcap, but he wasn’t into drinking in a bar by himself, and besides it felt good to be outside. Instead of going in, he walked around the side and down to the lake. Off in the distance Tyrell heard a wolf call. Something in him stirred, but he tamped it down. Gone were the days when he would roam the mountains at night, run free and feel strength that he didn’t know in his mortal form. It was time to settle down. Surprisingly he felt, or maybe more sensed, that was as it should be. When he felt his wolf smile, a peace stole over him. They were, and always would be, of one mind.
It was almost an hour before he made himself go inside. Would it be enough time for Nadia to settle her grandmother? He was impatient, but could wait so that once they were together they wouldn’t be interrupted. From the body language during, and after dinner, he was positive Nadia had questions.
* * * *
Nadia didn’t say anything until they got inside her grandmother’s room. She was confused. She hadn’t seen this side of Nona before. It seemed so natural. She was as much at home in the loud, quaint Mexican restaurant as she was in one of the elite New York eateries. And what was that with Tyrell? Nona seemed completely at ease with the big man. She thought back. She had never seen her grandmother with anyone that didn’t look like they had walked off the pages o
f a Fortune 500 magazine.
Nona took off her sweater, and laid it across a chair. Again, Nadia noted how out of character that was. Even though her grandmother had a personal assistant, and had always employed domestic help, she never left things lying around. “Are you feeling okay?”
“Yes, why do you ask dear?”
Nadia wanted to get to her room. She needed time to think before Tyrell showed up, but she felt uneasy about leaving her grandmother. She picked up her grandmother’s sweater and opened the closet. “You aren’t yourself tonight is all.” Nadia didn’t say it, but she suspected her grandmother might have imbibed one too many margaritas. If that was the case, should she leave her? “Would you like me to stay for a while?”
“No, unless you want to watch TV with me.”
Nadia suppressed a shudder. Her grandmother’s taste in TV shows wasn’t hers, but still, it might be better to stay until Nona fell asleep. Besides, if she stayed, it would give her time to sort through her thoughts. If she wasn’t near Tyrell, he wouldn’t be able to rouse the feelings that inevitably arose the minute he was around her.
She hung the sweater, and then said, “Would you like a cup of tea?”
“Good heavens, no. I’ll probably be up half the night with what I’ve already had to drink.” When Nadia started to sit down, her grandmother shook her head. “You don’t have to stay. I’m fine. In fact, I’m better than fine. I really like those two guys. Devon is, well…” Her grandmother rolled her eyes. “But Tyrell, oh my. If I was thirty years younger…”
Nadia couldn’t help herself, she laughed out loud. This was a grandmother she didn’t know, and one she had to admit she liked. Thinking about it, she’d been seeing glimpses of this personality ever since her grandmother had landed in the hospital after the aborted cruise.
Shaking her head, Nadia bent to kiss her grandmother on the cheek. “Okay then, but I’m only down the hall if you need me.” She headed toward the door, and then on impulse turned back. Shaking a finger she said, “And, don’t go dreaming about the Blackhawk brothers.”
