Catching an Evil Tail

by Mary Abshire

  "I was drunk." I glided my hand over the area where he touched me.

  "You were sober enough," he said.

  He touched my nape with his fingertips. An intense jolt of energy ran down my spine. I spun around to face him.

  "It was a mistake." I cast him a stern glare.

  His lips curled in a mischievous smile. "You won't admit it, will you?"

  "Admit what?" I asked, annoyed. "There's nothing more to admit to."

  "How about we conduct a test? I'll drop my towel, and let's see what happens. I'll bet you will look and want to touch. I'd love to see your reaction."

  My heart jumped. The man never stopped! If he dropped the towel, I wouldn't be able to stop myself from looking no matter how much I tried. The demon in me would win and he knew it.

  "Damn it, Jeremy, don't you understand? I don't love you." I stepped away from him. "My heart belongs to someone else."

  He chuckled. "You don't love him. You think you do, but how can you when he's dead to the world and never around? What kind of love is that?"

  Pain stabbed at my heart as I thought about Drake. Sure, his heart and body were dead, but we loved each other. There was no denying it. Yet, Jeremy hit on a valid point. Drake wasn't around for me and hadn't been for six weeks. He wouldn't tell me what was going on. And he wasn't returning my messages now. How could I love him when he wasn't around, wouldn't talk to me, or couldn't help me when I needed him? The truth hurt.

  "I'm not discussing my relationship with you. It's none of your business." I raised my voice, hoping he'd take me seriously for a change.

  Angry and frustrated, I strode back to my suite and slammed the door behind me. Maybe it was time for me to forget the past with Drake and give up the hope we'd have a future. Maybe. Given the arguments I'd had with Drake and Jeremy, my emotions were ready to explode and show their true colors. Damn Jeremy for stirring them up again. Where was a liquor bottle when I needed one?

  I snatched my keycard from the coffee table, shoved it into my pocket, then headed for the front door. Tired of being alone, mad, and depressed, I decided to take charge of my life. Screw Jeremy. Screw Drake. The new Jessie was in town. First item on New Jessie's agenda? Breakfast with big and hunky werewolves.

  Chapter Fourteen

  I strode past the entrance of the restaurant with my chin high and a smile on my face. The smell of fresh coffee enlivened me while the aroma of bacon and sausage roused my appetite. Peeking around the vacated hostess booth, I searched for Ryan or Alan. Tiny hairs on my arms twitched, alerting me to their presence. I stepped past the entrance and found the two men.

  "Can I help you?" said a female coming from my right. The hostess, I presumed, since she held several large menus in her arms.

  "I'm with a party. They're sitting next to the window." I pointed in Alan and Ryan's direction. They sat across from each other. Ryan's lips were moving fast while Alan held a look of grave concern on his face. I wondered what the topic of conversation was.

  "Oh, okay." She sounded a little surprised. She slid the menus behind the counter. "Right this way."

  I followed behind her at a distance and surveyed the food selections as we passed tables. Everything from colorful fruit to yellow omelets and Belgian waffles made my mouth water.

  Alan saw me coming before I reached the table. He stood with a welcoming smile. Ryan shot from his seat a second later.

  "Jessie, good to see you again." Alan lifted the empty chair at his side and dragged it from the table. "You look very lively this morning."

  "Thank you," I said, chirpy. "It's a new day, the sun is shining bright, and I'm on vacation. Well, not really, but it feels like it since I'm so far from home and the scenery is completely different."

  Ryan grinned while Alan assisted me as I took a seat and scooted forward. Alan's old-school manners continued to impress me.

  "Is Jeremy coming?" Ryan retook his seat.

  I shrugged. "I assume he is. I didn't ask."

  The two men exchanged quick glances. I had a sneaking suspicion they were hiding something from me. Maybe Ryan had informed Alan of Jeremy's outburst last night. I didn't care one way or the other if he had.

  "Would you like something to drink—coffee or orange juice?" Alan signaled for a waiter.

  "Coffee, please, and water."

  While Alan ordered my drinks from the waiter, I opened the menu lying on the table and scanned over the selections. The picture of the Belgian waffle with walnuts looked good. I hadn't had a waffle in a long time. My stomach growled at me as I perused the selections. No, it didn't just growl. It yelled.

  "Hungry?" Ryan asked.

  I stifled a grin. "Maybe a little."

  "Order as much as you want, whatever you want," Alan suggested.

  "Where's your friend, Gabe?" I asked.

  "He had something he needed to take care of," Alan replied. "Did you sleep well last night?"

  The waiter set a cup of coffee and a glass of water on the table in front of me. Desperate for a caffeine fix, I pushed the menu aside and slid the cup and saucer toward me.

  "I slept very well. The accommodations are very nice here." I reached for a pink packet of sweetener. "I think I might check out the spa later."

  "Here he comes," Ryan said in a low voice.

  Knowing that Ryan was referring to Jeremy, I refused to look over my shoulder. I tore open the pink packet and dumped the white powder into my coffee.

  "Did I miss anything?" Jeremy claimed the seat next to Ryan. I glanced at him for the sake of acknowledging his presence.

  "Nothing at all," Alan said. "We were deciding what to order."

  "Find anything good to eat, Jessie?" Jeremy opened his menu.

  "Everything looks good," I said. I had considered ignoring him, but I knew he'd only keep bothering me like an annoying fly that wouldn’t go away. I was tired of fighting him. "I think I'll try the Belgian waffles with walnuts."

  He quickly lifted his gaze from the menu. I'd never stated what I would order before. The look of shock on his face was priceless. Meet the new Jessie.

  "That sounds good," Alan said.

  The waiter stopped by and we gave our orders. The three men ordered large dishes with extra sides, making my waffles seem adequate for a kid. After the waiter left, I turned my gaze to the window.

  "My secretary assures me your gown for tomorrow's party will be delivered this afternoon," Alan said, gaining my attention.

  "Gown? What type of gown?" I asked with hesitance. I'd never been to a fancy party before.

  Alan's lips hinted at a smile. "Nothing extravagant. I told her to keep it simple. If you don't like it, you can call me and I'll have another one delivered."

  "Will my suit be delivered as well?" Jeremy asked, his tone bordering on rude.

  "Yes, I believe it will," Alan said.

  "Good." Jeremy leaned on his elbows over the table. "Because if I don't like it, I will be calling you."

  I glowered at Jeremy. I lifted my coffee and was half tempted to throw it in his face. "Don't mind him. He woke up on the wrong side of the bed."

  Ryan snickered. Jeremy stared at me. Grinning, I sipped my caffeinated drink.

  A sly grin formed on Jeremy's face. "I won't make the same mistake tonight."

  My blood pressure rose fast and my hand shook slightly. I bit my tongue to hold myself back from cursing him in public in front of new friends. Oh, how I wanted to kick him, slap him, and spit colorful words at him. I set my cup down so I wouldn't throw it at him. The temptation was so strong I was confident it was the reason for my jitters.

  Alan's hand slithered over my thigh. His soft touch brought instant relief to my flaming temper. It also sent electrifying energy up and down my leg.

  "Do you play golf, Jeremy?" Alan asked, keeping his hand on me. He picked up his cup of coffee with his other hand and sipped it.

  "I usually take in a couple of rounds during the off-season," Jeremy said.

  "Perhaps the three of us cou
ld hit the golf course. If you're up to it, maybe we can place a wager." Alan set his cup down.

  The sly grin on Jeremy's face said everything. "I'm always up for a good challenge." Jeremy leaned back in his chair. He looked relaxed and cockier than ever.

  "We could go after breakfast. The course is already open," Ryan said.

  Alan looked at me. "Care to join us?"

  Watching three large men swing a metal club sounded boring to me. Watching Jeremy act all macho sounded even worse. Lying next to a pool was my cup of tea, though I dreaded spending more time by myself.

  "Thanks, but I'm not a golfer. I'd rather soak in the rays at the pool and check out the spa."

  "I'll call Gabe and have him stop by to check on you," Alan said as two trays of food appeared at my side.

  My belly growled loudly. The sight and smell of eggs, sausage, bacon, and syrup turned my hungry stomach into a famished lioness. Everything looked delicious. I couldn't wait to dive into my waffles.

  "I'm sure I'll be fine here." I covered my lap with the napkin.

  "You should come and watch us play." Jeremy fixed his attention on me. "I'm sure I can beat Alan with my eyes closed."

  Alan grinned as he cut into his steak. The comment meant to antagonize him obviously had little impact. With each ridiculous comment, Jeremy looked more and more like a dumbass. Whereas Alan's cool as a cucumber responses gained him nobility and respect. It was easy to see who the reasonable adult was.

  "I'll pass." Getting a nice massage, my toenails painted, and soaking in some sun seemed much more enjoyable. Heck, maybe I'd go for the whole body treatment, mud bath and all. The new Jessie was going to enjoy every minute.

  "You're welcome to watch me get my toenails painted," I offered as I poured warm syrup over my waffle. The scoop of butter melted quickly.

  Ryan chuckled as he shoved a large piece of his pancake into his mouth.

  "No, thanks. I'll stick with a round of golf," Jeremy said.

  Relief swelled within me. I didn't want the demon spending the day with me.

  We spoke less as we devoured our meals. I finished my breakfast before the men, but they had twice as much food to eat. It amazed me how much they consumed. I sat back in my chair and sipped coffee. Jeremy and Ryan continued to shove hefty portions into their mouths as though they hadn't eaten in a week.

  Alan set his fork on his plate, then wiped his mouth with the napkin from his lap. He leaned toward me. "Would you like to have dinner with me later this evening? Just the two of us."

  My gaze darted to Jeremy. He stopped chewing and gave Alan a baleful glare. Anger stirred inside me. I wanted to throw my drink at his face. Fuck him and what he thought about Alan. The Alpha had been nothing but kind. He couldn't be anymore dangerous than Jeremy, or so I thought.

  I faced Alan. "I'd love to."

  "I'm sure Jeremy and I can find something to do," Ryan said.

  "Great," I said, excited. "What time tonight?"

  Jeremy dropped his fork and it clanked on his plate. He leaned back in his chair. "Why can't we come?"

  I glowered at him. "He asked me, not you. Get over it."

  He clenched his jaw. His face took on a reddish tint. Jeremy had the worst temper and it showed.

  Ignoring him, I turned to Alan. "What time?"

  "Let's make it seven. In case we get in a couple rounds of golf, I want to make sure I have time to clean up."

  "Sounds good to me." I dropped my napkin on the table and stood. If Jeremy was going to throw another fit, I didn't want to see it. "If you will excuse me, I need to make a couple of calls. Thank you, Alan, for the breakfast."

  "I'll see you at seven," Alan said with delightful grin.

  I glanced at Jeremy. The demon's face was tight with tension. He looked ready to explode. I was half-tempted to stay and see if he did, but I wanted full spa treatment. The werewolves could handle the asinine demon.

  As I walked away, I wondered if I’d made the right decision in accepting Alan's request. A small voice in my head tried to tell me to stay away from him. I argued back. I'd had plenty of dates with Jeremy because of my deal with him. Why not have dinner with Alan? If I could handle a demon who couldn't keep his hands off me, I was confident I could handle a well-mannered werewolf. What could go wrong?

  Chapter Fifteen

  My body soaked up the sun's warm rays while I relaxed on a float in the middle of the large pool. I was wearing my red bikini and I had coated myself with sunscreen. Technically, I didn't need to protect my skin since I had the ability to heal quickly if I did get sunburned, but I actually enjoyed the smell of the lotion. Besides, I needed to fit in with everyone else, even if only by appearances. I dipped my hands into the pool and splashed water on my legs to cool down a bit. My newly painted rose-colored toenails sparkled in the sunlight. I smiled. Yeah, this was nice. And if I had an alcoholic beverage in hand, I would feel like a queen.

  Keeping my hands in the pool, I leaned back and rested my head on the float. The spa treatment I had scheduled was in a few hours, leaving me with plenty of time to relax and bronze before my mud bath and massage.

  "Mind if I join you?" The familiar voice came from behind me.

  I twisted my head to face Alan. "What are you doing here?" I held my hand above my eyes to protect them from the sun's glare. "I thought you were playing golf."

  He stood near the edge of the pool. "We were in the middle of our second round when Gabe called me. It gave me the perfect opportunity to tell Ryan and Jeremy I had to leave." He squatted and dipped his hand in the water.

  I almost laughed. "You ditched them?"

  "When I left, they were having a good time." He stood. "Mind if I join you?"

  Before I could respond, he lifted his shirt over his head then dropped it on the ground. His large, tattooed chest hypnotized me and I couldn't look away. The black design ran down the length of his torso and underneath his jeans.

  I swallowed and finally answered him. "Sure. Yeah. Why not?"

  He grinned and unzipped his pants. The jeans fell from his legs to his ankles. Beefy muscles in his calves and thighs were a sight to behold. Wearing only dark blue boxers, he dove into the pool.

  I sat upright on my float and flung my legs over the sides as the wave he'd made rippled toward me. My pulse quickened with the realization I was in a bikini and he had on a pair of thin cotton shorts. Sure, my goods were covered, but I still felt naked and uncomfortable.

  I glanced around. Not a soul was in sight. Of the eight pools on the premises, I selected the most isolated one for peace and quiet. I hadn't expected a werewolf to show up in his undies.

  Alan's head popped above the water. He ran his hands over his scalp, pushing his drenched hair from his face. "This feels good."

  I slid off the float and held my breath as I went under. The cool water soothed my hot skin. Swaying my arms, I pushed my head above the surface. After I wiped my eyes, I saw Alan treading a few feet from me.

  "I don't think your attire would pass the pool guidelines," I said.

  "I can take them off." He shot me a sly grin.

  "No!" I said fast, my face heating up.

  He paddled his way to me. "I have nothing to hide."

  I swung my arms and legs to keep afloat. Maybe he was used to running around naked, but I wasn't. Oh wait, he was a werewolf. Of course he felt comfortable running wild in the buff.

  "Do you…change often?" I asked.

  "At least once a week. The process helps keep me in shape." Beads of water rolled down his face and threatened to go into his eyes. He blinked repeatedly, keeping the water from dripping in.

  "Do you have a special place that you go to?" I asked.

  "Three, actually. One is in a canyon about an hour from here. It's very peaceful and quiet. Sometimes, a group of us will spend a couple of days there."

  "Kind of like camping."

  He grinned again. "Kind of."

  "I don't picture there being a lot of Bambis in the desert." I
paddled by him, then spun around to face him. "What do you hunt?"

  "We mostly find foxes and rabbits. One time, we caught a cougar."

  "Really?"

  "It took two of us to bring him down. He must have weighed over two hundred pounds. And he was fast."

  Reaching the shallower end of the pool, I settled my feet on the bottom. Alan was already standing near me. He grabbed my hand, pulled me toward him, and spun around. "Climb on," he said as I bumped his back. I did as he instructed and clutched his sides with my legs, then gripped his shoulders.

  "Hold on, I'll swim to the other end." He pushed off before I could get a word out.

  I laughed softly as he tried to swim like a frog, swinging his arms and kicking his legs. He tried to keep his head above the water with me on his back, but half of it went under a few times. Muscles tightened and bulged under my hands with each stroke he made. Heat from his body warmed me, but the water helped keep me cool. When my hands started slipping from his shoulders, I wrapped my arms around his torso. The strong, steady beat of his heart vibrated through his chest.

  "The terrain must be pretty rough here," I said. "Wouldn't you prefer to run somewhere less hot, where there are lots of animals to chase after?"

  He slowed his pace. "I've thought about relocating several times."

  I let go of his body and paddled next to him. The end of the twelve foot deep pool was near. "Why don't you?"

  "The company keeps me busy. I haven't had time to look into moving."

  "You run the company. Can't you take a week or so off and travel? You might actually find a place that you fall in love with."

  I grasped the concrete edge of the pool to help keep me afloat.

  Alan gripped the side too. "As much as I would like to take time away from work, I'm afraid something might happen in my absence. And as pack leader, it is my responsibility to resolve all issues."