“Who?” Evan asked sitting up next to me. Somehow, I always forget how giant Evan is compared to me. Sitting next to him on my bed, my head barely reaches his shoulder. I rest my head against my arm.
“I honestly don’t know, based on context, I think it’s the Bionic Woman,” I admit, “Duke and Louie kept calling me it at the festival.”
Evan chuckled, “Those guys.”
There was a heavy silence before either of us spoke again. It was Evan who broke the silence, “The town loves you, Lee. I just gave them the idea. I figured if it were anything else, you’d wiggle out of accepting it.”
“If it were anything else, I probably would,” I admit, “It’s weird, Ev, since Earl died, I never really felt like I belonged, you know? Even though I own half the pub and we’ve been getting along better...”
“And with all your work with the Easterville Chamber of Commerce, and the alumni committee at the college and-” I cut Evan’s teasing rant with a laugh he smiles down at me, “You’re amazing, Lee. I think you’re the only one who doesn’t see it.”
I nudge him with my arm, and look up at his face, covered in stubble. His brown eyes watching me with Evan’s trademark quiet intensity, “You’re pretty great yourself, Ev.”
There was another long silence where neither of us moved. Our eyes glued to each other.
I don’t know who moved first, or who was in control. All I know is that one minute, we were sitting staring at each other. The next we were kissing. His hands roamed my body while I tried to climb closer to him.
It was strange, it was wrong, it was good, it was right. He tasted of summer sun, beer, and bear. His hands were warm and rough against my soft skin. Our clothes disappeared next. Nothing new, we shifted twice a week together for years. But now my hand roamed through his chest hair, while still keeping my mouth linked to his.
Inside my wolf was fighting. This was wrong. This was a bear. The more he touched me in the new and foreign way, the more she fought for control.
“You don’t know how long I’ve wanted to kiss you, Lee,” Evan groaned into my mouth. He lifted me effortlessly and set me on my bed, his body covered mine as his mouth kissed down my neck.
I tried to fight against my wolf. I had never thought of Evan in a romantic capacity. I’d never really thought of anyone in that way. Before this moment, I thought I was too broken to be loved in this way. And the way my wolf was fighting, I guess maybe I was.
“You’re so special, you know that?” Evan asked when his mouth reached the space between my breasts. His hands reverently grazed each nipple sending shocks of pleasure through my body rapidly echoed by ripples of horror from my wolf.
I could feel her pacing against my skin, but I tried to push her down. If there was one person in the whole world, I could trust to give my heart to, it was Evan. This was years in the making. Almost eight years of building trust and friendship. This was the man who taught me to be a shifter and love my wolf.
But my wolf wasn’t loving him back. Evan moved lower on my body. His trail of kisses a path of my wolf’s rebellion.
“Are you ok with this?” Evan asked looking up my body from the apex of my thighs.
I nodded and he grinned up at me. Before he could lower his face down, my wolf ripped from my skin.
She growled at the man who was our best friend. And he stood immediately from the bed. Disappointment evident from his face.
“I’m sorry green eyes,” he said extending his hand out to my wolf who continued to bare her teeth, “I understand, a bear is not a suitable mate for you.”
She barked twice before sniffing his hand and letting him leave the room.
65
Present day
Molly Vail was over the moon to sell the property. The sellers accepted our low-ball offer hours after we’d sent it to Molly. The property would be in Cain’s name, because I was legally married to Kendrick and I didn’t want him anywhere near it. There should have been some part of me that was worried about putting so much of my hard-earned money into someone else’s name, but I trusted Cain. My wolf trusted Cain, more than trusted him, she lived for him.
The night we sent the paperwork Cain and I took Olly, Charlie, and Ginger out to see the land. We ran in celebration. Cain’s white wolf running on my right side. My wolf never let anyone near her right side, before Cain. She liked him there. He was covering her weakness.
Two days later we were standing with Ed on the remaining foundation of what had been the house and what would be our house.
“I’ll have the soil tests back next week, if all goes well, we can start pouring the new foundation the third week of March weather permitting,” Ed was explaining the process, “That will take the longest. Once it’s all set, we’ll move into the house, you’ll be able to move in late April.”
“April?” I was shocked, “So soon? That’s wonderful. Let me know when you have your quote finished.”
After Ed left, Cain and I stood on the foundation and looked around. This would be our home. We were going to do it. Evan’s truck came driving up the dirt road and he hopped out.
“Quite the hike to get out here,” he said shutting his truck door, “I hope you won’t mind the commute.”
“What do you think?” I asked him, “250 acres. Of course, you’ll have full running privileges.”
Evan laughed and wandered over to stand next to Cain, “This is really something. Charlie’s been freaking out telling me about all the space.”
I laughed; Charlie’s wolf loved open spaces. He preferred running in fields to forests.
“This is going to be a house sooner than later,” Cain reminded him wrapping his arm around me pressing a kiss to my temple, “Our house.”
I smiled. Our house. Evan smirked at me.
News of the land purchase and the subsequent house building flooded the Tooth and Claw that night. Even Duke took time out from regaling culinary tourists here for Evan’s burgers to ask about the house and the man.
“His name’s Cain,” I told Duke trying to seem annoyed, “You’ve seen him around I’m sure. He’s working for Holden.”
“I thought you were going to wait for me, Lee,” he said, pressing a hand to his heart dramatically, “All these years and you’ve found someone else.”
I rolled my eyes and looked at the tourists, “Your burgers will be right up, do you need any refills?”
“Will you be featured in the episode too?” the man of the pair asked. He was the typical retiree, white hair, Hawaiian shirt, and a beer gut.
I nodded, “Evan and I own the place together. I doubt I’ll be featured much, but I’m sure you’ll catch a glimpse.”
“She’s already famous for being the Bionic Barmaid,” Duke said leaning over the table ready to regale the rapt audience, “Lee came to Easterville with nothing but a few dollars in her backpack-”
I rolled my eyes and wandered back to work. The pub was too busy to deal with Duke’s dramatics today. Molly Vail came in with her gaggle of kids to celebrate the sale. Molly was quickly pulled to talk to townsfolk. I heard my name come up time and time again. Molly had the dirt on the Bionic Barmaid’s boyfriend.
Cain came in mid-way through the dinner rush. He grabbed an apron and started bussing tables without being asked. He bantered with the locals as they pestered him for information. He’d gotten a haircut shortly after starting with Holden and his light brown hair now neatly sit atop his head. Despite shaving every morning, by the time he was done with work his cheeks had a smattering of stubble that did nothing to hide the charming dimples when he smiled. He looked across the pub to me from his conversation with the Carlson’s. His green eyes sparkled, and I smiled back at him.
“Should I bring a fainting couch?” Ginger whispered from behind me, “You’re swooning again.”
With regular meals and socialization Ginger had come out of her shell into a sassy little thing. She still avoided humans when she could, opting to clean the pub after close and before ope
n. During open hours she usually ran the dishwasher or read books in the apartment.
“I’m not swooning,” I whisper back refocusing my attention from Cain back to my tables, Ginger snorted, “I’m not.”
“Yea, whatever, Lee,” Ginger said taking her load of used glasses back to her dishwashing station.
“You’re not swooning,” one of the bar patrons told me reassuringly. I felt tension ease from my shoulders until he smirked at me, “You’re smitten.”
Damn it.
The last call whistle couldn’t come soon enough. We were packed. Cain and Ginger struggled to keep enough glasses for the bar, Evan ran out of onions at eight, and had to send Charlie to beg the Mulligans to reopen their grocery register so he could buy more. It was insane.
After the final patron left none of the wolves had the energy to go for a run after work. We all sat in the big table while Evan made coffee.
“We need more help,” Charlie groaned rubbing his shoulders. In the three weeks since they’d moved in with us Charlie and Olly had filled out substantially. They were starting to look their age of twenty-two. Ginger, as it turned out, was older still at twenty-three. It had been a shock finding that out as we did her employment forms.
“How were we this busy on a Tuesday?” Olly groaned, his head was on the table and he rolled it to look at Evan, “You said March was dead.”
Evan shrugged and looked at me, “It usually is.”
“It’s the buzz from that show,” Ginger piped up, “I heard it all night. Apparently, they’ve been featuring the Tooth and Claw in the promos for the new season.”
“I’ll have to adjust our next food order,” I said rolling my own shoulders, “Cain, any of your rogue wolves looking for work?”
Cain was standing behind me and he started rubbing my shoulders. Ugh the man was perfect. I was swooning. This is what swooning was.
“I’ve called around,” it was Evan who answered, “I got a few that are interested, but they need to get their affairs in order first. They also want assurance of housing. The living room isn’t big enough for another bed.”
I’d bought a King-sized mattress for Olly, Charlie, and Ginger to share in the living room so they wouldn’t have to sleep in their furs on the couch every night. Ginger still slept on the couch, she said she doesn’t like sleeping in her skin, and I wasn’t going to push her. Charlie and Olly were appreciative though.
Evan set down the tray of coffee and sat in the chair Cain had vacated to rub my neck.
“If the projections from the network were correct, this will be our new norm for close to a year with a slow taper off for the next two,” Evan said taking a sip from his mug, “If our episode is popular, it might be more.”
Charlie and Olly groaned.
“The busier we are at the Tooth and Claw, the nicer the house will be,” I reminded them. As it was going now, they’d each easily have their own rooms in the house, and we were rapidly approaching private bathrooms.
They both nodded, “I’m not complaining,” Olly said quickly, “I’m really grateful for the job and the place to live and all. I’m just tired.”
“Better than living in our car,’ Charlie agreed, “It’s nice to be a part of a family again. Well, sort of.”
We all finished up our coffee talking about what we needed to get in Mainsbury before lunch service. Olly and Charlie would run to the restaurant supply and get more glasses while Evan and Ginger went to the wholesaler and got more ingredients. Cain and I were meeting with Ed and his crew to pick out the house, also in Mainsbury.
We filed upstairs taking turns with our five-minute showers before going to sleep. I took my shower last, unafraid that the only remaining water would be ice cold. Evan’s snores echoed through the house as I crawled in beside Cain, who’d opted to shower in the morning. His green eyes watched me slide into my oversized shirt before crawling next to him.
“I have to be dreaming, right?” he murmured into my neck. His arms were wrapped around me holding me tight to his body, “Life is never this easy.”
I snorted, “It’s hardly easy. The pub was a zoo tonight.”
“If that was the pub a zoo,” he said his nose rubbing against the nape of my neck, “I can’t imagine how well-oiled it is when it’s slow. You are the calm in a storm. The unflappable Lee Fields.”
I chuckled and rolled over so I could face him, “How’s working for Holden?”
Cain smiled at me, his dimples drawing attention from his perfect teeth, “I had twelve oil changes and six tire rotations. And every single car owner wanted to know the same thing.”
“How often to get their oil changed?” I asked with a small laugh.
“Who was the guy who’d caught the eye of the town’s favorite girl,” he said with a wink, “I didn’t know humans could be so creative in their threats to my manhood. Mrs. Bailey threatened to run my bits through a pasta maker if I step out of line with her beloved Lee.”
I felt my face flush again, “I love this town and they love me back.”
“They adore you,” he said, his hands came up to touch my face, “I adore you too. And I’m growing very fond of the town.”
I leaned into him inhaling the scent of him, his wolf, and just a bit of motor oil. Cain’s lips met mine. I lived for his kisses. The way my heart raced just touching him was everything for me.
The next morning the Tooth and Claw crew loaded up into two cars and the truck all destined for Mainsbury. I had Cain drive, he knew Mainsbury better than I did and knew where the model home park was located for our viewing.
“This is exciting,” he told me pulling off the highway at the Mainsbury exit. We’d spent the hour-long drive talking about what we were looking for in a house. He was so easy to talk to. Conversation flowed easily, laughter came easily, everything about Cain came easily to me.
“Driving my car?” I chuckled, “Because it’s so old it’s practically a classic?”
Cain gave me a withering look, before quickly turning his attention back to the road, “Lee Fields, you know exactly what’s exciting,” he reached over and held my hand, “We’re going to pick out our house.”
“Our house, in the middle of our street,” I sang to him, “If you told me a month ago, I’d be house shopping with a green eyed Adonis, I’d have said you were insane.”
Cain squeezed my hand, “Adonis?” he asked, “Is that how you think of me? Mere mortal to your goddess? I guess that’s fair. But, can we choose a different Greek story? Adonis gets gored by a boar and I don’t want to die to a pig.”
I felt my face blush, “I was thinking the colloquial sense, not the mythological sense,” I told him, “I was saying you’re hot.”
Cain snorted, “Hot? Me? You flatter me, Lee.”
“It’s not flattery,” I told him, “It’s true. My wolf thinks you’re hot too.”
It was Cain’s turn to blush, “We’re almost there.”
Ed met our car at the cul-de-sac of model homes. He had a list of ones that we’d be looking at, that would fit on the foundation his team would start working on the next week. Cain and I wandered through the homes comparing the flow of the living spaces to the bedrooms. His arms draped over my shoulders, his hand found the small of my back, his hand was in mine, I was constantly in his touch and I loved it.
“I think this one,” I said in the final home, “Large kitchen, large communal spaces-”
It was open layout, which we had been on the fence about but the more we saw it the more I liked it, “It had several areas that can be built off of if you decide to expand-” Ed added pointing to areas where he’d added more bedrooms for other clients.
“You just like all the bathrooms,” Cain whispered burying his face in my neck, “You hate waiting in line to shower.”
“Which one do you think?” I asked him, twisting around to face him again.
“This one,” Cain kissed me, hard.
“I’ll uh, let the office know, they’ll get the paperwork dra
wn up,” Ed said finding an excuse to leave us alone.
Cain’s hands were all over me, under my coat, pulling me closer, “Lee,” he moaned into my mouth.
“Cain,” I moaned back, my hand brushing his face, “We should... get the paperwork.”
He pressed his forehead to mine, “When this house is ours, on our land, will you have me?” His green eyes sparkled with the intensity of his question, of his desire. His desire, for me.
I nodded, unable to form words. His crooked grin spread across his face showing me the dimple I loved so much. I traced a finger over it, fascinated by his face. I wanted to stare at this face forever. I wanted those intense green eyes full of humor and mischief to stare at me, forever. He leaned in and kissed my lips again, short, sweet, a promise.
“Better get that paperwork,” he said wrapping his arm in mine and leading me to where Ed was holding a clipboard outside.
“You two love birds ready?” Ed asked a trace of bitterness laced his word despite the smile on his face.
“We sure are,” Cain said patting my hand, “Where do we sign?”
66
2 Years Earlier
My wolf finally let me regain control of my body late the next morning. Every part of my mind was whirring. Evan and I crossed a line the night before that we’d never been near before. And my damn wolf ruined it. At the thought of her, I could feel her pacing against my skin, almost threatening me to take over my body again.
I dressed and walked out into the apartment. Evan was at the stove cooking breakfast.
“Morning Evan,” I said. I hated how my voice cracked. I hated how afraid I sounded even to my own ears. Everything changed last night, and I didn’t know what it meant.
“Hey Lee,” he said flipping a pancake into the air, “Let me fix you a plate. Big day today.”
“What’s today?” I asked, grateful for Evan’s casual demeanor. He set the pan back on the stove and pulled out a plate for me and loaded it up with a short stack of pancakes.
Tooth and Claw (Kootenai Pack Book 1) Page 21
