“I’m glad you called.”
“Me too. I miss you,” I said. “I wish you were here.”
“Where are you?” he asked.
I paused a moment and looked around. “I just got back to my house,” I answered. The walk had gone quickly with the good conversation.
“I’ll be there in ten.”
Ten minutes meant he had to be here already, or very close to it.
I wondered what Lance was doing in town without me, but was grateful no matter the reason. Butterflies fluttered within me in anticipation of seeing him, of touching him again. There was nothing I wanted more than to be held by Lance Tenbrook. “I can’t wait.”
Chapter Sixteen
Lance
The warmth of the sun in the cloudless sky melted the frozen blanket that covered the earth. Light reflected upward from the icy crystals that had yet to melt. Water dripped off icicles clinging to cars and rooftops in a gentle rhythm. The long-sleeved, black t-shirt on my back drew the heat of the day like a magnifying glass. Partially melted ice cracked beneath my boots as I strolled down the quiet street. I appreciated the reprieve from the short, gray days that had filled most of November.
After weeks of clouds and snow, I couldn’t help but be drawn to the sea of cerulean above me. No matter the weather, I knew the best part of the day was yet to come. Each footstep brought me closer to Trixie. Just the thought of her brought a smile to my face.
As I rounded the corner, I caught sight of the beautiful redhead that consumed my thoughts. She sat on the porch step in front of her house, wearing blue jeans and my leather jacket. My inner wolf growled, pleased and fueled by her display of our relationship. Anywhere she traveled, she would carry my scent.
Her scarlet locks hung differently today, straighter and more voluminous. The dark circles around her emerald eyes had started to fade. She met my gaze with her familiar intensity and rose when she saw me approach. If it was possible, I thought she was even more stunning than when I had seen her just the day before.
I watched her confident stride as we approached each other, her full hips swaying with each step. She held her head high, keeping her sharp, emerald eyes on mine. Trixie had an aura of strength and confidence, an alpha she-wolf if I had ever seen one. She had rallied her people and put others above herself. I admired her as a person, and as the most beautiful woman I had ever seen.
“Lance,” she said when we met, with a small smile and a full blush over her cheeks. “Thank you for coming.”
I pulled her in close, and held her in my arms. She rested her head on my chest, and I felt better than I had since we’d parted the day before. “Trixie,” I growled.
“It’s good that you’re here,” she said. “But why were you so close? I expected you to be in Sawtooth Peaks.”
“Let me show you.”
I took her hand and led her back the way I had come. Her fingers were cold in mine, but I couldn’t imagine letting go. Now that we were together again, I couldn’t imagine ever letting go.
“Would you like your jacket back?” Trixie asked. “I have my own at home.”
“Keep it,” I said with a smile. “It suits you.”
Trixie smiled, and her cheeks turned pink all over again. I loved the way she let me break through her wall of strength and affect her.
Just a block over, we arrived at Walker Bar and Grill.
“You were here?” she asked.
“Not the whole time,” I answered. “I did go home after I left. And don’t worry, I had clothes in my truck.”
She smiled, then touched the blue tarp covering the hole where a window belonged.
“I ordered one,” I said. “A window. It should be here sometime next week, after the glass guys get back from Thanksgiving break.”
Trixie walked to the new door I had installed earlier that morning.
“Do you like it?” I asked. She ran her hand along the ridges of the ornate details of the dark wooden door. “My brother made it.”
“It’s beautiful,” she said, and turned to me. I held out the key for her, and she accepted.
We entered the bar, and Trixie turned on the light and took in the room. “You did all of this today?”
“I started early,” I answered with a smile.
Trixie bent down and touched the just-polished wood floor and checked her finger to find nothing on it. She moved to the tables and chairs I had set upright, the ones that had not been broken. Then she ran behind the bar and quickly to the entry to the kitchen. With her hands on the doorframe, she stood and stared.
I moved in behind her and watched as she looked over the room that she had said meant the most to her. “I put the broken furniture out back for now. I fixed the light, rehung the cabinet doors, and cleaned up the floors. I haven’t had the chance to—”
Trixie interrupted my speech with a passionate kiss. Her soft hands cupped my stubbled jaw, and she closed her eyes as she moved my lips with hers. I massaged her tongue with mine, and slid my hands through her satiny red hair. Every inch of me wanted to take her in the kitchen, make love to her and claim her as my mate. My cock pressed hard against my fly, and a possessive animal growl came from deep within me. I took a step back and looked into Trixie’s gorgeous, vulnerable, green eyes.
“Trixie,” I growled.
“Lance, I’ve never wanted someone the way I want you. I know you want me too. Why do you pull away?” she asked, eyes wide.
“I can’t risk screwing this up. Trixie, I need you more than I need to breathe.”
Her shoulders relaxed, and her expression softened. “Thank you for the bar,” she said.
“Anything for you,” I replied. “Is there anything you have to do right now?”
“No,” she answered.
“Run with me.”
I pulled my shirt over my head and dropped it to the floor, then watched Trixie as she slid her shoulders out of my jacket. Our eyes remained locked as we let each piece of clothing fall to the floor. Her eyes changed before she took off her last piece, the long-sleeve shirt she had worn under her t-shirt. She looked nervous as she slid the fabric slowly up over her head, and I remembered that she had asked to keep her sweater on when I had shared her bed. When she let the fabric drop, I saw what had made her anxious. Inflamed red lines marked her neck, collarbone, and shoulder. Scars discolored her skin where teeth and a set of massive claws had scraped across the entire area, and had damaged her neck.
I took a step forward, and offered a warm smile. Trixie watched my face, her body stiff and her eyes pleading. One last step and I closed the distance between us. With a trail of tender kisses, I followed the curve of her shoulder up to her neck, and ended at her chin.
“Trixie,” I gasped, looking deep into her emerald eyes. “You are the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.”
“It was Dashiell,” she said, visibly relaxing. “And I know I’m too thin, it’s because of everything that happened.”
I nodded in response, and kissed her lightly-freckled skin just below the hairline. With a step back, I took in the whole package. Her full hips came in to a thin waist. More bones showed than I would have liked to have seen, but her pert breasts stood full and perfectly round. If she would let me, I would provide for her and feed her so she felt healthy again.
“You’re beautiful,” I replied. It was difficult not to touch her, so I shifted to wolf form. “Run with me,” I said.
And she did. Trixie shifted into the exquisite gray and white wolf that I had seen here in the bar last night.
When we stepped outside, she took off at full speed. Down streets of melting ice, I chased after her, with the warm sun overhead. Trixie led me through town, up and down streets empty of traffic, but more alive than they had been. Neighbors worked together clearing sidewalks, repairing buildings, and reclaiming their town. A woman with brown hair waved at Trixie and giggled. Others turned and watched as we ran past, Trixie’s friends and neighbors.
With a sharp tur
n, Trixie bounded through the snow, under the wooden sign marked Ellistown. I followed the same path, and knocked the icicles down with my back. Trixie barked a giggle and raced out into the pillowy, white landscape, still untouched and as white as the fur on her face. At its deepest, the snow came halfway up my legs, just below Trixie’s belly. We left trails of paw prints as we dashed across the fields. White-dusted pines reached up to the cloudless sky in the distance toward my home. I paused and wondered if Trixie would come home with me if I asked. Would she want to see Sawtooth Peaks and meet my pack as I had met hers?
Nearly silent breaths approached me from behind, and I smiled and turned to see my gray and white-furred companion diving onto my back. Trixie lay on top of me, as I spread my legs out in the cold, wet snow. She licked my nose and giggled.
“Trixie,” I said, enjoying the feel of her name in my mouth. “Can I show you my home?”
“What?” she popped up, and stood over me.
“Will you come back to Sawtooth Peaks with me?” I asked. “I’d love to show you my life.”
“Yes.”
“I’ll bring you home in the morning if you’d like to stay the night,” I said. “I can sleep in a separate bed if you—”
Trixie licked my mouth then started running back toward town.
“I said yes,” she yelled back at me. “Let’s do it.”
I smiled and chased after her.
Chapter Seventeen
Trixie
How long had it been since I’d left Sawtooth Valley? Certainly not the eternity that it felt like. I held on to Lance’s hand as he drove us into Sawtooth Peaks, and I clung even tighter to my bag. This was a big step, meeting his friends and family, being introduced to his pack. There would be familiar faces—Hailey, Cole, Axel. What did coming here mean for Lance and me as a couple? Would his pack be accepting of me, or would they be looking for him to mate a she-wolf from Sawtooth Peaks? Dating wasn’t something I had done in the past, so the idea was foreign and a bit intimidating.
Though I was filled with uncertainty, I knew I wanted to follow through with this, to pursue this relationship.
Lance parked the truck by the edge of a heavily-wooded forest, in a small lot.
“Ready?” he asked, squeezing my hand and looking into my eyes with a reassuring smile.
“Ready.” Leaving my bag on the seat, I hopped out onto the stone lot. More snow had fallen here than at home to be certain. White banks bordered the edges of parking lots and streets, but the classic stone roads were bare.
Lance met me by the side of the truck and took my hand. We walked to the entrance of a one-story wooden building, with crimson shutters on large windows, and a hand-carved sign that read Sawtooth Den.
Lance held open the heavy wooden door for me to enter. I took a deep breath and stepped inside.
“This is Sawtooth Den,” Lance said, “the bar my father passed down to me and to Cole.”
The dark room was filled with humans and wolves alike, all dressed casually and drinking. The noises and smells reminded me of Walker Bar and Grill, though there was no scent of burgers or space for a large kitchen by the bar. A rough man leaned against the wall by the door. When he noticed us, he straightened and came to greet us with a wide smile. His thick frame and full beard reminded me of Liam Blake, but he was smaller, with scars down his face, and a warmth that the bear lacked. I didn’t think Blake was capable of smiling.
“Lance,” the man said, and hugged my silver-haired companion, then turned to me.
“Harkins,” Lance said, “meet Trixie Walker.”
“A pleasure,” Harkins said, and offered me a large, rough hand.
“Nice to meet you,” I said, and smiled as best as I could with as nervous as I felt.
The eyes of wolves around the bar followed me, probably judging a potential mate of the man they wanted as alpha.
“Harkins is our eyes and ears, and our muscle,” Lance said.
“Happy to serve,” Harkins said with a smile, and kept his eyes on me.
“Let’s get something to eat,” Lance said to me. “Please excuse us,” he said to his friend.
The rugged man returned to his place against the wall, and we walked over to the bar. A friendly blonde bounced over to us from behind the counter.
“Hey there, Boss,” she said with a salute. “Who’s your friend?”
“Amy, this is Trixie Walker.”
Amy turned her attention to me. “From Ellistown?”
“Yes,” I answered.
“I was there that night,” she said. “When Cole went for Hailey. It’s a real tragedy the way your town was treated. How are you holding up?”
“I’m okay,” I answered. I knew she meant well, but I didn’t want to talk about Dashiell or what had happened. I focused on what we had accomplished since. “Sawtooth Valley is full of survivors. Not everyone stayed, but those who did have banded together to rebuild.”
“Trixie led them,” Lance said, beaming down at me. “She inspired her people to overcome the tragedy of what happened and start over. She’s a born leader.”
I blushed at his words, so kind.
“It was only because of Lance that we had food and supplies. We could not rebuild without him,” I said, looking up into his gentle, blue eyes.
“It sounds like you two do well together,” Amy said, watching us. “Can I get you something to eat or drink?”
“What’s good?” I asked.
“Turkey club,” Lance replied.
“I’d like one of those, and some water,” I said.
“I’ll have the same,” Lance said, then turned to me. “Can you give me just a moment? I’d like to get Cole.”
“Sure,” I replied.
As soon as Lance stepped down the hall, a hard-faced, thin blonde swooped in like a hawk on a field mouse. Her shoulders were rigid, and she showed none of the warmth Amy and Harkins had.
She slid in next to me while Amy was at work on the food and said, “I don’t know who you are, and I don’t care. Lance is mine.”
Her eyes were daggers, and I laughed in response. “If he cares so much for you, why is he here with me?”
Her skin turned red and she gritted her teeth. “He’s just using you. You’re an old bone to chew, that he’ll tire of. Then he’ll find comfort in my bed, claim me the way I deserve.”
“You should leave,” I said, voice flat. She was obviously just jealous, but was that really something that he did? Had he thrown women away? He said I was the only one who mattered, and I felt like we had something special, but I wished this woman would just leave me alone. As confident as I felt in what we had, the evening had been tainted with a glimmer of doubt.
“I work here,” she said, and stomped away.
I turned and locked eyes with a handsome, raven-haired woman of around forty years. Her lips curved up slightly to the side and she raised her glass to me. Then a soft hand touched my shoulder. I turned to find Lance and Cole Tenbrook side by side. The two shared nothing in looks but their height. Cole’s hair and skin were darker, his build thicker. Lance held himself more confidently, more relaxed than his stiff brother. I preferred Lance’s lean, muscular build, and sharper features, but they were both handsome in their own right.
“Ms. Walker,” Cole said with a smile. “Great to see you, and with none other than my brother.” He elbowed Lance’s side.
“Just Trixie, please,” I replied.
“Okay, Trixie it is,” Cole said.
“Let’s grab a table,” Lance said, and led us to a spacious booth on the side of the room. I slid in first, and Lance after. Cole sat across from us on the other bench.
“Thank you for the door, it’s lovely,” I said.
“No problem. I have a stack of doors in my cellar. Tables and chairs, cabinets too,” Cole replied. “Lance said you might need some of those, and that the town may need a lot of things. I’d be happy to come down and help rebuild.”
“That would be much appreciat
ed,” I said, and squeezed Lance’s hand on the bench between us.
“So tell me about yourself, Trixie,” Cole said. I appreciated the question. It wasn’t about what had happened to me or how scarred my town had become. It was just about getting to know me.
“I grew up in Ellistown with my twin brother, raised by my Gran,” I said.
“Are your brother and Gran still in Ellistown?”
“Troy is,” I said. “Gran died.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” he said. “Are you and your brother close?”
“No,” I answered.
“We’ve been fortunate to have each other,” Lance said. “Since we’re so close in age, we grew up together even though we have different mothers.”
“That’s nice,” I said.
“Trixie enjoys cooking,” Lance told Cole.
“Oh yeah?” Cole looked at me. “What’s your specialty?”
“I’m fond of my fish and chips,” I said. “My Gran taught me how to cook. I like cooking anything, really.”
“If you’re up for it, I could use a hand for Thanksgiving dinner,” Cole said. “That is, if you don’t have any plans.”
I turned to Lance, searching his sparkling, sapphire eyes. Thanksgiving with his family was a big deal. Were we up for it?
Cole watched Lance and me look at each other with uncertainty, then said, “You don’t have to decide now. There will be plenty of food. You can let me know later or just show up. Hailey wants to make it a big thing.”
“Sounds nice,” I said, but I wasn’t sure. I thought about the blonde from the bar, what she had said to me. I thought about the ups and downs Lance and I had already faced in such a short time. Thanksgiving sounded so normal, so familial.
Amy spoke from beside the table, alerting me to her presence.
“Food’s ready,” she said, passing out waters and plates to the three of us from a large tray she held with her other hand. “Enjoy.”
Her gaze seemed to linger a moment longer on Cole than it should have in passing, then she headed back to the bar. I wondered if it meant anything, then focused on the food before me.
Werewolves & Whiskers: Sawtooth Peaks Wolf Shifter Romance Box Set Page 36
