Page 22 of The Enforcers: NOAH

His gaze melted her resistance. “Okay,” she said, before she could stop herself.

He smiled. “Sweet,” he said. “I thought for a while there you were going to completely blow me off.”

“And Angus McHottie always gets his girl.”

He grinned. “Apparently. But you can call me Noah. Noah Reilly.”

She realized he didn’t know her name. “Mina Reston.”

He took her hand in his. “Nice to meet you, Mina.” A little shiver of electricity ran up her arm. Uh-oh. Angus McHottie could be big trouble.

His sleeve had slid back, exposing the leather bracelet on his wrist. It was about an inch wide, with paw prints imprinted into the leather.

Wolf tracks.

She reached out a finger and touched it. “What’s this?” she asked.

“I have Native American ancestry,” he said. “Wolf clan. I guess I think of the wolf as my…totem spirit.”

“Why just the tracks?” she said.

He ran the fingers of his other hand over the indentations in the leather. “It means…you might not see him, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t there.”

She gazed at him. There was something else behind that, but she didn’t know what.

“Is that why my alleged werewolf son doesn’t scare you?” she asked finally, trying to lighten things up.

He grinned. “Maybe. We’re kindred spirits.”

“More likely, he picked up on my wolf obsession,” she said. “I’m a researcher, and wolves are my specialty.”

“I know,” he said. At her look of surprise, he said, “I mean, I knew you liked wolves. I saw the decals on your laptop.”

Oh. “You really have been watching me all week, haven’t you.”

“Guilty,” he said. “That’s cool that you study wolves, though. Are there many around here? I thought they were all out west.”

“I’m tracking down rumors,” she said. “It’s one of the things I do—look for previously unknown or unconfirmed wolf populations.”

“Jammin’,” he said. “I can’t wait to hear all about it.”

At that moment, her phone rang. Robbie’s ringtone.

“Shoot,” she said. “I have to take this.”

He leaned back and she hit the button to accept the call. “Hey, Robbie.”

“I’m bringing Brock over early,” he said. “I have something to do.”

“Okay,” she said, excited to be spending more time with her son. “What time are you bringing him?”

“Now,” he said, sounding exasperated. “We’re in the car.”

Freaking freaktards. “I’m not home,” she said. “It’ll take me a few minutes to get there.”

Across from her, Noah was looking out the window, pretending not to pay attention, but she could see a frown growing between his eyes.

“Well, hurry the fuck up,” Robbie said.

“Don’t swear in front of Brock,” she said automatically. “I’m leaving now. If I’m not there when you get there, just wait a couple of minutes, okay?”

“If you’re not home when we get there, I’m going to have to take him with me, and you won’t get to see him at all today. I’m late already, for God’s sake. Jesus, it’s just like the other day. I try to give you more time, and all you do is complain.”

“I’m not complain—”

The call cut off.

She stuck the phone in her purse, ears burning and temper simmering. “I’m sorry, Noah, I have to go. My ex is dropping my son off at the house in a few minutes.”

Without waiting for his reply, she gathered up her stuff and bolted for the door.