Page 56 of Big Bad Wolf

They’d arrived at the bar, but Ruby made no move to get out of the truck.

“Are we just not going to talk about it?” she asked. “About earlier…”

She leaned toward him, just slightly, just enough to make her impossible to ignore, and suddenly the truck was way too small.

“That was sexy as hell, Ruby.”

Shit. Why did his voice sound like that? Thick and aching.

“But it’s not a good idea.”

“Why not?” She was immediately indignant.

He let his gaze rake over her, lingering on her lips. He couldn’t help himself. “It’s just not safe.”

She scoffed. “It’s not safe for who? Are you afraid of me, Rafe? Because I’m not afraid of you.”

He leaned across the cab, so close now that his ragged breath fanned across her chest. He watched as goosebumps broke out over her skin. “You should be afraid. You could have been killed. I couldn’t even protect you from some asshole sticking his hand up your skirt. The least I can do is protect you from myself. From the things that happen to people who hang around me for too long.”

Ruby shook her head. “I’m a big girl. Big enough to make my own decisions.” He opened his mouth to protest, but she kept going. “You’re the coward. Not me.”

Coward? Well, that fucking hurt.

But Rafe already knew how this ended. Humans were not for him, no matter how bad-ass they thought they were. This whole mess would only end with one or both of them hurt, and that was only if Ruby made it out of whatever this was alive.

Again, Scarlet hovered around the periphery of his memory. Her blood, bright red in the morning sunlight. Rafe shook his head, scattering the image. Humans and werewolves didn’t mix. Shouldn’t mix. He’d make sure things ended differently this time.

“Maybe I am,” he admitted, sitting back in his seat. “But I won’t risk it. I won’t risk you.”

Her dark eyes flicked up to his, searching for answers he wished he could give her.

“So, they came back?” she asked, letting whatever the hell was between them go. For now, anyway.

“Yeah. You didn’t hear anything?”

She shook her head.

Rafe growled in frustration. What the fuck were they up to?

Ruby glanced at him from under her dark lashes. “Are they… related to you? I mean are they your … pack?”

Christ, there was so much he hadn’t explained, so much Ruby still didn’t know and he’d been taking for granted.

“No,” he said gruffly, running a hand down his face. “My pack is County. They’re Highlands.”

Ruby blinked.

“Same as people?”

“What?”

She laughed. “Your packs are just named after the regions of Maine that they’re from?”

“Why is that funny?”

She laughed harder. “I don’t know! You’re werewolves!”

“That doesn’t make us creative.” Her giggles filled the truck, and he couldn’t help when his mouth ticked up at the corner. She was cute when she laughed. What the hell was he supposed to do?