Lars nodded, understanding the plan immediately.
“Be right back, Ginger. Don’t be shy,” Sofia said, melting into the crowd.
“Well, that wasn’t subtle at all. It looks like we’ve been set up,” Ginger said, reaching out to meet Chance’s handshake. “Nice to meet you, Chance.”
“Nice to meet you too. Sofia sure has been telling everyone how excited she was to have her friend visit. I guess I just had to meet the amazing Ginger in person.”
“Oh wow. Be sure to let me know if I live up to expectations,” she replied, unable to contain her laughter.
“So far, so good.”
“Whew, that takes the pressure off. I’ll have to check back and see what you think at the end of the evening,” she said, racking up the balls.
He appreciated her fun and somewhat flirtatious manner, which continued back and forth as the game progressed.
“So, Chance. Is that your real name? Or…”
“That’s my real name. But it’ll come in handy when I throw you a desperate one-liner at the end of the night.”
“Desperate? You don’t look like the kind of guy who would ever be desperate.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“Well? Test it out on me. I’ll let you know now.”
“There’s the standard ‘Come on, take a chance.’ Or the ‘Last chance for romance.’ They’d probably sound better if we’re both drunk. But now we can skip those.”
“Yeah, those aren’t doing anything for me. Sorry. And now for the eight ball in the corner pocket,” she said, finishing him off.
“So, Ginger, what do you think of Black Paw so far?”
“From what I’ve seen, I love it. I don’t think I could ever get tired of the wilderness. And the views are amazing.”
An idea popped into his head. “You know, I have to head up to the mountain in the morning. Our Alpha asked me to bring some supplies and check on an elderly couple in a remote cabin. You’re more than welcome to come with me. If you think the views down here are nice, you’d really love seeing the views up there.”
“The views? Uh huh. I’m sure. I’ll give you four out of ten points for world’s lamest pick-up line. But what the hell, okay. Sounds like fun.” Her quick answer came as a surprise to both of them.
7
From the living room window, Ginger admired how the sunrise painted the canvas of newly fallen snow with shades of orange and red.
“Am I crazy for agreeing to ride off into the mountains with a perfect stranger?” she asked, slipping on her winter coat.
“Chance is hardly a stranger, to us at least. I guarantee that you’ll have a nice time with him. Besides, Chance knows if he isn’t on his best behavior, forget what Lars would do to him, he’ll have to deal with me. Trust me. He knows better. He doesn’t want to unleash my wrath.”
“I suppose you’re right.” Her mind drifted back to the night before when she first caught a glimpse of Chance. Jet black hair, emerald eyes, full kissable lips, and a chiseled jaw. He was the epitome of incredibly freaking handsome. His shirt looked like it had been painted on, and from the way his perfectly toned muscles rippled beneath it, he could certainly get away with wearing a t-shirt that tight. But it was more than just looks which attracted her, it was his easy-going demeanor and sense of humor that had instantly put her at ease. He seemed like a nice guy. Sweet, but also powerfully erotic—the kind of guy who’d take her on an orgasm powered ride until the sun came up.
And when he suggested she accompany him on his trip, she had agreed without even thinking twice. That sort of second guessing came later when she went home with Lars and Sofia, and she was no longer spellbound by Chance’s sexy aura.
“What time did he say he was picking you up?” Sofia yawned. She didn’t mind patiently waiting with her, but she also wanted nothing more than to crawl back in bed with her mate.
“Right about now.” Ginger smiled, watching a black pickup truck pulling up the driveway. “See you later this evening,” she shouted, stepping out to meet him.
Chance walked around the bed, double-checking his cargo. “Sorry, I hope I didn’t keep you waiting, I had to chain up my tires and pick up provisions from our Alpha’s place.”
“No worries. It looks like it’s going to be a beautiful day for a ride.” The sun was shining, and it looked like it should be a warm summer day. But the snow on the ground said otherwise.
“Don’t jinx us. As long as that cold front holds off and the mountain weather doesn’t pull any tricks on us, we’ll be just fine,” he said, warily scanning the horizon. Just to put her at ease, he tapped his chest. “But then again, with such pleasant company, how can you not have an awesome day?”
