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“I am assuming that you have one. You weren’t hatched. We’ve established, thanks to your alarming deceptive tactics, that you are an only child. What about your parents?”
“My parents died a few years ago,” I told him.
“I’m sorry. What were they like?”
I hesitated and cursed myself for it. He’d shared with me, I reminded myself, and he didn’t have to. So instead of giving him the pat answer I’d developed for Anna Moder, I told him about Jack and Marcy Campbell.
“Nice people,” I said, smiling when he slid his lips along the ridge of my hip. “High school sweethearts. Mom owned an interior-design business, and Dad ran a construction firm. They loved each other very much. They taught me what marriage was supposed to look like. I just didn’t pay close enough attention.”
“Well, you’ll know what to look for next time,” he told me.
“I don’t know if there will be a next time for me,” I said, yawning.
Caleb’s head jerked up, his expression alarmed. “What?”
I sniffed. “I’m thinking maybe polygamy next time around. Civil union with two or three guys. I think there would be less pressure that way.”
“Oh, you’re hilarious.” He groaned, digging his fingertips into my sides, making me jump all over the bed.
“It’s not my fault you keep falling for it!” I exclaimed as he tickled my sides. To escape the torture, I went with my only available distraction technique. I kissed him, long and hard, sliding my hands over his and directing them to more interesting, less ticklish parts of my body.
He tapped his finger between my eyebrows. “You’ve got that look on your face. What are you thinking?”
“Can I see your wolf form again?” I asked. “I didn’t get a very good look at you the other day.”
Caleb frowned. “Right here?”
“I’ll stand way over there, out of range,” I promised, scrambling out of bed and wrapping a sheet around my waist as I hid behind the oak nightstand.
Caleb grumbled, but he got out of bed and stood in the middle of the room. He rolled his shoulders and made a sort of squinting face. I giggled a little, which broke his concentration, making him whine, “This is awkward.”
“Oh, come on.”
He took a deep breath, centering himself. That same golden light spread from his heart, over his skin, dragging his human form in its wake. The light winked out, and standing in front of me was a huge iron-gray wolf, big chocolate eyes twinkling. He made a whuffling noise, as if to say, Well?
I knelt in front of him, letting his cold, wet nose tap against my face.
“You’re beautiful.” I sighed, running my fingers through his thick fur. He nosed against my neck, bumping his head against mine. “Such a big, beautiful boy.”
I scratched him behind the ears, cooing over him. He pressed his nose against my shoulder, knocking me back on my butt. I giggled as he hunched over me, licking my face. He phased back to human and was pressing kisses all over my face.
“Well, this is awkward.” I laughed.
“Too much?” he asked.
I nodded.
12
The Gift Horse Has Some Awesome Teeth
It had taken me much longer than I’d hoped, but we finally arrived in Anchorage. The snow was falling in earnest, giving the already alien city lights an otherworldly glow. Everything seemed far too bright, too neon, too busy. I found myself blinking in the glare of a stoplight.
I gave a fleeting thought to Red-burn and the post office she planned to use across town, but then Caleb asked me to locate Lolo’s “construction office” on the GPS system. I declined the honor of meeting him, electing to stay out in the truck while Caleb delivered the wedding ring to a snazzy office building in a nearly empty business park.
Caleb was all smiles when he emerged from the transaction. As part of our payment, Lolo booked us a room at the fairly spectacular Highbury Plaza. We were to stay there for a week, with all expenses paid. He’d booked spa appointments. We didn’t even have to check in, as Lolo’s “people” had seen to that.
I got a little nervous at the sight of the tall silver cylinder, one of the highest points on the city skyline. We crossed the chrome and blue glass lobby with our “well-loved” bags in hand and headed straight for the elevators. The moment the doors closed, Caleb lunged, pressing me against the glass elevator wall, and ravaged my mouth. I felt his hands cup my jeans-clad butt and squeaked. “It’s a glass elevator! The people in the lobby will see.”
