AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Everything. But first, I want to know why my brother-in-law hasn’t taken his eyes off you since he walked through the door.”
CHAPTER 5
MAYA
I swear I can feel his gaze on me the second Leah mentions it. My body heats and my core tightens just thinking that he’s here and he’s watching me. It shouldn’t make me so happy to have his attention. I’m a grown woman. Just because the notorious playboy is interested in me doesn’t mean I have to give him the time of day. I should show him I’ve got more willpower than that. Even if he has the sexiest dimples I’ve ever seen and soulful brown eyes you could lose yourself in.
Except, even as Leah watches me with curiosity, I can’t keep his crooked smile from invading my thoughts, and a grin creeps across my face. Damn it. Leah winks at me as she takes a sip from her glass and watches me intently.
“Oh my, it looks like he’s not the only one who has it bad.”
Was I that obvious? Judging by Leah’s delighted expression, I was.
“He’s cute, but I saw him with some girl this morning, sneaking her out of his room. I’m not interested in being another notch on anyone’s bedpost.”
That’s not exactly true. Even as I say the words, denying my reaction to Nathan feels wrong. I’mveryinterested, but my pride won’t let me go down that path if it’s only going to lead to a fall.
Leah goes to speak, and then, biting her lip, hesitates for a moment. She glances over my shoulder to where I assume Nathan is standing. Reaching past me to pick up some snacks as a ruse, she casually manoeuvres us so she has her back to Nathan and he’s directly in my eyeline. I try not to stare, but I can’t help it.
He’s speaking to Peter, one of the other members of my pack who also arrived today. Even though they’re in the middle of a conversation, he lifts his gaze to mine and doesn’t look away as he speaks. Leaning against the wall, arms folded across his chest, long legs crossed at the ankles, his presence dominates the space. Or maybe it only feels that way to me because the intensity of his stare has my heart thumping. I blink hard to force myself to break eye contact.
“You can tell me to mind my own business, but may I make a suggestion?” Leah twirls her glass around in her fingers as she asks, and I’m intrigued by what she has to say. I have no experience with any of this. I’ve never had a proper relationship before, so getting someone else’s input can’t do any harm.
“I won’t pretend Nathan isn’texperienced, but on the plus side, the lucky lady he ends up with is going to get the benefit of all that… practice. He is kind, loyal, and honest, and he’s looking for the real thing, even if he won’t admit it. And I’ve never seen him look at anyone the way he is looking at you.”
I can’t help looking at him again as her words sink in and my stomach clenches. He’s still watching. Leaning in to shake hands with Peter, he slips by him and instantly I know he’s coming over here. Oh, goddess. Leah chuckles beside me when she sees the look of panic on my face. Nathan moves through the crowd with ease, never looking away, and ignoring all other attempts to engage him in conversation.
“Why not get to know him and see what happens? Worst case, you get to enjoy spending a bit of time with a smoking hot wolf and you leave it at that. Best case, you have lots, and lots, offun.”
Leah winks and laughs, her blonde curls bouncing around her shoulders, before patting my arm and moving away, just as Nathan reaches us. He stops right in front of me, not crowding me, but close enough that my body tingles from his mere presence. His hair is still slightly damp from his shower. Did he rush down here just to see me?
“Maya.” Nathan’s voice is deep and silky smooth. The way he says my name is enough to make me melt. “How about that drink?”
Unable to think, let alone speak, I tip my glass toward him, showing him the half full drink already in my hand. Nathan frowns and his face falls. He looks so disappointed. A small hand reaches over my shoulder and snatches the glass right out of my grasp. When I twist around to see who stole it, Leah downs the rest of the wine with a grimace and sets the empty glass on the table beside her without a word.
I turn back to Nathan, open-mouthed at her brazenness, but he is beaming with delight. He holds out a fresh drink with his brow quirked in question. I accept it with a chuckle and a shake of my head.
“That’s some wing woman you have there,” I laugh. “I hope you’re paying her well.”
I can’t believe she just did that. She really wants me to give him a shot.
“Leah’s the best,” he says fondly as she disappears into the crowd, leaving us alone. Our hands touch as he hands me the glass, and that barest of touches sends heat straight between my legs. Leah might be right. There’s no denying the chemistry between us, and I’m only here for a couple of months. Why not enjoy myself with someone who knows what he’s doing?
“Leila showed me around the packhouse, but I felt bad for keeping her on her feet for too long. Want to bring me on a tour of the grounds?”
I should be ashamed of myself for my rapid one-eighty about getting involved with someone who’s clearly a player, but it’s hard to feel anything other than excited when Nathan looks like he won the lottery. Crooking an elbow for me to take, he grins at me and gestures away from the crowds, toward the wide-open lawn at the back of the packhouse, stretching to the treeline.
“I’d be honoured.”
Something clicks into place as I slip my arm through his and he places his other hand on top of mine. This feels so right.
NATHAN
Maya smiles up at me as I lead her away from the rest of the pack, and I’m overwhelmed by how perfect this feels. It’s like the last piece of the puzzle has slotted into place, and now I understand what the picture is supposed to be. Listening to my family speak about the mate bond, I couldn’t fully comprehend how intense it was, but now I get it. I see what my life is meant to be like. I can see it stretching out in front of me, with this beautiful lady at the centre of it all.
“How do you like the pack so far?” I ask as we fall into step with one another. She’s giving me a chance to redeem myself and I’m grateful. I won’t ruin this opportunity by pushing too hard.
“Honestly? Meeting all these new people is daunting. I’ve had some exposure to the outside world through helping Dean, but nothing like this. He brought me on a few trips to visit the other alphas, hoping they’d be more welcoming to him with me there as well. Either that or he was hoping I’d find a mate and he could ditch me.”
