Page 88 of Big Bad Wolf

“I already told you, you can’t.” Rafe’s response was immediate and gruff, taking every ounce of strength he had left after his never-ending night of denying his response to her.

Ruby put her hand on one hip and stared him down. Theo laughed. “You are so screwed,” he whispered under his breath, but Rafe ignored him.

“Good thing you’re not the boss of me.”

“Ruby…” Rafe’s voice was nothing more than a growl.

“I’m serious, Rafe. I’m coming. We can be done playing house all you want, but I’m not sitting here and letting you handle all of this alone. This concerns me and my sister. I’m coming.”

Rafe stood speechless.

“Lena doesn’t believe me about what you guys are, by the way,” she yelled to Theo before he snuck in the back door. “So good luck with that.”

Theo gave her an encouraging smile before he slipped inside. Ruby turned back to Rafe. “Let me come. Please.”

Bad idea, bad idea, bad idea. Everything about this was a bad idea and yet Rafe couldn’t seem to find the words to tell her that she couldn’t come. He’d tried, and she’d vetoed him anyway. He was at war with himself. His plan to keep her at a distance battled with his primal urge to keep her close. In the end, it wasn’t even a question. It hadn’t been a fair fight.

He swallowed hard. “Fine.”

Lena was her sister after all. Who was he to tell Ruby that she couldn’t try to help her own family? He ignored how his heart rate slowed as soon as he knew he would be near her. Everything in his body settled into a gentle thrum at the knowledge that Ruby would be by his side.

Ruby grinned. “Great.” Her gaze flicked down and then back to his face. “So, are you going to put some clothes on for this trip?”

Rafe’s face burned. He’d completely forgotten he’d ruined his clothes when he shifted. He covered himself with his hands, already half-hard under Ruby’s appraising stare.

“More than I got to see last night,” she muttered, the hurt still fresh in her voice. But he couldn’t have that conversation with her, especially not right now with him bare-assed in her backyard.

“I’ll go get some things and meet you back out here in five.”

“Aye aye, captain,” she said with a smirk. He strode past her and tried to pretend he couldn’t feel her gaze watching him walk away.

Chapter Thirty-Six

This doesn’t end happily for us.

Rafe’s words played over in her head as she waited for him. He was obviously scared. Scared that she would end up like Scarlet. It was why he kept pushing her away, but beyond that, was he right? Was there no future for them at all?

Did it matter that he was a werewolf and she was a human?

When she was with him, it didn’t feel like it did. Being with Rafe felt right. But if she couldn’t convince him that they would work, then what was she supposed to do? Rafe’s soft grumble let her know he was back and fully clothed.

“You need to work tonight?” he asked, coming up beside her.

“I called in.”

He nodded. “We can take the truck part way but then we’ll hike in.”

“Okay, great. Let’s go.”

Rafe let out a sigh as they walked to the front of the house to his truck. The white Ford pickup sat waiting for them and with it the memory of last night’s tense drive home and everything that had happened after. She climbed up into the seat, willing the memory of Rafe’s head between her thighs from her mind. It didn’t want to go. He’d been so damn enthusiastic. Like licking her was his entire purpose in life, like she was his new favorite flavor…

“Buckle up.”

Rafe’s gruff command broke through her reverie. Thank God.

She did as she was told and sat back, watching the towering pines whizz past as they drove out of town.

“What are you thinking about?”