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Mateo nodded at the other man, apparently satisfied, and he returned to the bar, leaving me alone with my new point of focus.
I studied the handsome stranger across from me, and he stared at me in return. My inner monster relaxed at his appraisal. Sometimes my wolf seemed to become less restless and pent-up when I had no-strings-attached one-night stands. I was busy considering having another as I watched him.
After another long swig of the drink, I eyed the stranger up and down. There was no ignoring the way he made my stomach flip and how I didn’t bristle at his attention. Normally, I didn’t feel safe and secure with another person, but the way he looked at me quieted the noise in my head. I let my shoulders relax. If he had that effect on me, there was no way I didn’t want to be around him longer. I didn’t find that kind of escape easily, and I obviously needed it desperately if I was this close to losing control around so many people. A release was exactly what I needed.
But I couldn’t be sure if this incredibly gorgeous man in the expensive clean suit would be interested in such a thing with me for one night. I checked his ring finger. No ring, no tan line.
Single.
Perfect.
I closed my eyes and licked the remnants of the martini off my lips.
For now, I had to settle my wolf and unwind, which didn’t seem to be an issue with this guy. It would pass the time. A healthy dose of flirting with a handsome stranger—and maybe more, if I played my cards right—could set me right before I moved on to the next town and resumed my life on the run.
Again.
Chapter2
Ridge
I bit back a smile. As the mayor of Blackwood Creek, it was my responsibility to be welcoming and help others. On most occasions, I enjoyed it, but with this alluring little wolf sitting across from me, I wanted to be welcoming in a wholly different way. Looking at her only intensified that need.
The scent she was putting out couldn’t lie. Beneath the chemical scent of cheap hair dye was the distinct sweet-and-sour smell of fear. My wolf bristled, wanting nothing more than to ease that fear. But fear wasn’t the only scent emanating from her. There was an essence that was all her.
I subconsciously leaned in, chasing the perfume. Man, oh, man, was it delicious. It intrigued and excited me. There was something else there, something I recognized but couldn’t put my finger on. Before I could parse it out, my wolf made his interest known, and my cock twitched, signaling its approval.
I had no option but to push my way into her graces. I’d never used my alpha dominance on a female before. Truth be told, I’d never needed to, but I couldn’t lie and say I wasn’t puffing out my chest to make myself look bigger around her. To show her how big and bad I was, that I was a catch. And what could it hurt that I was mayor and alpha of the pack? I needed to show that I could care for her, that I had the means to look after her.
I nearly spat out my drink, that last thought catching me by complete surprise. What the hell was I thinking? I didn’t even know this woman’s name, and already I wanted to go all caveman, drag her back to my den, and keep her there. That was not like me at all.
My wolf growled and paced, fighting to get out, to devour her in all his favorite ways. His potent need surged through my blood. It had been a while since he’d reacted with such fervor. He’d never shown interest in females beyond a need for release and ensuring they had an amazing night.
I was straight to the point and honest with every woman I took to bed. I never let them believe it was anything more than simple pleasure. They knew the score and didn’t get uptight when I left shortly after. The only thing I ever promised any of them was a night of great sex with a man who would draw every ounce of passion from them long before he gave over to his own. In my experience, the ones who wanted more really only wanted my name or money. My wolf knew that. I knew that. So, my wolf didn’t handle getting close to women very well, but I couldn’t pin that all on him.
I wanted more. I wanted someone who wanted me forme,and I was willing to wait for her.
Besides, I had so much happening in my life with everything going on with the packs, the hunters, my mayoral duties, my vision for the town’s inhabitants, not to mention my family and personal businesses. That didn’t leave much chance for any interludes, romantic or otherwise.
I couldn’t help sniffing around this lost traveler, though. She was a temptation that was too hard to pass up.
The woman before me took a few sips of her drink, and the tension eased from her in degrees. First, her shoulders relaxed, then the dilation in her eyes evened out. After a few minutes, she stopped clutching at her head and neck as if she was about to burst into flames. She tucked one of her silky curls behind her ear and almost smiled. Whatever bothered her was extreme but lessened with every sip.
“Thank you for the drink. I needed it, but I don’t take drinks from men I don’t know. So, I’ll pay for it.” Her self-assured voice was warm honey, smooth and sweet.
I leaned back in the booth while my wolf rumbled his appreciation. I smiled at her. That was a first. People usually always expected me to foot the bill, probably because my family’s money was no secret and often made me the subject of gossip. Nobody knew exactly how much money I had, but there was no hiding that I was a Blackwood, or that much of our fortune had been earned through bloodshed, crime, whatever it took. Blood money.
I pushed my introspection aside so I could better focus on the woman across from me. I laughed. “Don’t worry about it.”
Her outfit, her smile, hereverythingleft little to the imagination. The clothes appeared to be made from some cheap, thin material that had faded from repeated washings. The fatigue—droopy eyes, slow reactions—could only have been brought on by the exhausting travel clinging to her.
It was more than just travel, though. The shifty-eyed glances around the room, always checking that nothing errant was coming her way, the subtle twitches of her body, the way she startled at every sound…fear and self-preservation were the only things fueling her at this point. She was on the run from something, and it wouldn’t take long for her to finally collapse. A person could only withstand that sort of life for so long. Wolves could only hold out without another wolf for an even shorter time.
What are you running from, little wolf? How much danger are you in?
On the inside of her wrist was a beautiful tattoo of some kind of flower. Even in ink, it looked delicate and frail. It clearly meant something special to her. Each colorful petal had been carefully tattooed and shaded with shadows and light, giving it a three-dimensional effect. Every so often, she turned her wrist and stroked the tattoo with her thumb, like an anxious habit. I doubted she was even aware of it. It was a tell if I’d ever seen one, and I wondered what she was thinking about when she did it.
I wanted to know this woman in a way I didn’t remotely understand. One thing was for sure, though: my wolf and I were on the same page, looking for an opening to make it happen.
