One of her favorite places was the porch. The home was like many in the area, with a generous-size porch and several rocking chairs. She couldn’t resist sitting there and enjoying a hot toddy. Taking her tea-and-whiskey combination with her, she chose a chair near a small table, then eased into it and placed her mug down. The night was clear, giving way to a spectacular view of the stars. A full moon hung overheard, the darker craters of its surface begging her to find the man who lived there.
It was a perfect night for romance. The only problem was that Rick and Gunner hadn’t made it home yet.
“Where are you guys, anyway?”
She gazed at the moon and talked to the man staring back at her from the sky. “This just sucks. You’re up there and making the world look so romantic, but where are the men I love?” She glanced around her, aware that it was the first time she’d spoken her feelings out loud.
The man in the moon remained silent.
Which as it turned out was a good thing. The sound of the back door opening and closing earned her attention.
They’re home!
Not bothering to take her mug along with her, she threw open the front door and rushed toward the back of the house. She hadn’t gotten far when she almost barreled into Gunner and Rick.
Stunned, she took them in, naked as the day they were born.
None of them spoke. Instead, they seemed lost in the moment, each of them wondering what to say.
“Did I miss a skinny dipping party?”
Gunner’s usual lighthearted attitude seemed forced. “Nope. We’d have definitely invited you to that.”
She let out a breath, all at once, overwhelmed by their nude and hotter-than-hell bodies. They were sweaty and dirty, but that only made her want them more. Drawing in a long breath, she took in the fragrance of their bodies mixing with the labor of their work.
She didn’t want to ask them any questions save one, but asking them to take her to bed seemed off somehow. Instead, she finally gave in and asked the question that begged to be asked. “Um, then what are you doing running around without any clothes?”
A horrible thought came to her, almost knocking her off her feet with its brutality. Were they out having sex with another woman? But why? Wasn’t she enough for them? And why wouldn’t they have gotten dressed afterward?
“It’s not what you’re thinking, Mallory.”
Rick acted like he was angry at her for even thinking that way. His tone was sharp and unwarranted as far as she was concerned. “You don’t know what I’m thinking.”
“You’re thinking that we’re cheating on you.”
Were they cheating on her? But she didn’t have any right to accuse them of cheating, did she? After all, they’d never committed themselves to her or said they were exclusive. But he’d said the C-word, not her. “Okay, fine. You do know.”
She steeled herself against the answer. “So? Are you?”
Gunner pulled her against him, then sought her eyes with a look that smoldered with need. “We’d never do that to you. It’s not our way.”
Confused, she made her mind work against the sizzle that rushed between them. “Then what’s going on?”
“It’s nothing that concerns you.” Rick growled.
“Nothing that concerns me? You’ve spent very little time with me since we got back from Shatland and now you come in late at night and butt-naked. And that’s not my concern?”
Damn it. I sound like a nagging wife
.
“Rick, maybe it’s time.”
Gunner wanted to tell her, that much was clear. He was right. It was time to clear the air. “Tell me what’s going on. I know you’re holding something back.”
Rick started to say one thing, then changed his mind. She was sure of it.
“Not tonight. I’m worn out.” He seemed to mellow. “But we will. I promise we will when the time’s right. Until then, you’ll just have to trust us. Can you do that?”
“I don’t—” She gasped, just now seeing the wound on Rick’s hand. “Oh, my God. You’re hurt. What happened to you?” The only thing that could wipe away her desire for them was her concern for their safety.
Rick lifted his arm, acting as though he hadn’t noticed the bloody wound on his forearm. “It’s just a scratch.”
“Are you kidding me? It’s deep and it’s still bleeding.” She broke away from Gunner to take hold of Rick’s arm and get a better look, but he wouldn’t hear of it. “We need to take care of it. You should see a doctor. You might need stitches.”
“I don’t need a doctor or stitches.” He jerked his arm away when she tried to take hold of it again. “Leave it be, Mallory.”
“But—”
He was pounding up the stairs before she could finish her sentence.
“Don’t let him get you down.”
“Why is he acting that way? I didn’t do anything wrong.” Tears sprang to life. She’d had hopes that they’d spend the night together, but those hopes had gotten trampled on. Even having Gunner so close to her, ready to comfort her, didn’t make her feel any better.
“We had a rough go of it tonight. But that’s no excuse. He’s an ass for taking it out on you.”
“Why? Please tell me what’s going on? Is it about the wolf?”
He tilted his head at her. “Yeah. That damn wolf has been at it again.”
“That still doesn’t explain why you’re naked.”
He glanced up the stairs, then gave her a small smile. “I can’t get into it without Rick. But like he said, we will tell you.” He skimmed his palms along her arms. “Can you hang in there a little while longer?”
“I shouldn’t have to. Gunner, please tell me.”
He was trying to decide if he should tell her, but once he’d made up his mind, she could see that he’d decided not to.
“Please, Gunner.”
“I can’t. Not yet. Just know that we’re doing our part to catch him.”
Him? Instead of it?
She backed off from his advances, unable to stand to have him touch her when he wouldn’t open up to her.
“Give it time, Mallory.”
“I’ll try, but I can’t promise that I can.”
“That’s all I can ask.”
He started up the stairs, leaving her alone again.
Her chest burned with his rejection.
How could she feel so close to Rick at one point, then feel like she didn’t know him at all in the next? Had she made a mistake in staying? Yet, she’d had no choice. The attraction, the ever-present pull she had with both men gave her no choice. As badly as she hurt at that moment, that pain was nothing compared to the pain she’d suffer if she never saw them again.
* * * *
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” Gunner fisted his hands, ready to come to blows. Or better yet, he’d shift and use fangs and claws to make Rick see his mistake. “Are you trying to run her off?”
Rick washed the blood off his already healing wound. “Fuck off. I’ve had enough crap tonight.”
“Damn it, Rick. Her finding us naked was a good opening. We could’ve told her the truth right then and there.”
“No.”
Fuck, but his brother was frustrating. “No? Come on. We can still do it.”
“I said no. Think about it. If we told her tonight, would you be sure that she wouldn’t freak out? And if she did, what would you do if she took off running? A woman out in the dark with that rogue werewolf around? That’s just asking for trouble.”
“I wouldn’t let her get that far.”
“Okay. So you’d bring her back to the house and then what? Lock her in her room until she accepts us for what we are?”
Rick was backing him into a corner, but he had no way out. “Yeah. Maybe. I’d at least make her understand and show her, if I had to.”
“Oh, don’t worry. We’re going to have to do just that. She won’t believe it until she sees us.” He wiped a hand over his face, his fatigue showing in the deepening lines. “Gunner, I know I’m stalling. First because I’m afraid she won’t want us and take off. Second because I just don’t have it in me right now. Like I said before. One problem at a time. I’m worn out and I can’t take any more tonight.”
He was right. Every inch of his body hurt. If he had to shift one more time…
They’d shifted, running through the pastures, checking the herd out and looking for any signs of the wolf. At one point, they’d run into Jacob Carr, one of the unofficial leaders of the werewolves who lived in Forever. After shifting back into their human bodies, they’d talked about the killings. Even some of the werewolf ranchers had suffered losses. Jacob, one of the few werewolves that the Northman brothers liked, assured them that he and his brothers, Jayden and Jackson, were doing everything they could to find the werewolf that was responsible for all the trouble.
“Fine. We’ll keep playing it your way. But if you let your shithole attitude get in the way again, we’re going to lose her for good. Even the connection can’t make up for you being an asshole.”
Rick blew up a lot easier than he did, but, although it sometimes took a while for him to work his anger out, he always came back to a level-headed way of thinking.
“I know. I screwed up again.”
“No shit.”
“Yeah. No shit.” Rick flopped down on top of his bed. They had enough bedrooms in the house so that each of them could have their own room, but soon they hoped that they could join Mallory in the largest bedroom. That was the room they’d saved for the woman of their dreams.
“I’ll take care of it,” said Rick. “Once we have time to do it right, we’ll tell her.”
Gunner gazed out the window, his mind already drifting to the problem that had kept them away from her for far too long. “I’m going to hold you to it. Soon, too.”
“Yeah. Soon.” Rick rose and started for the bathroom door. “First, the werewolf. It’s just a matter of time before we find the bastard.”
Gunner felt the hackles rise on his bear’s neck. Its claws flexed and a warning growl rumbled in his chest. “Is that right? Is that all it is? Just a matter of time?” It was his turn to blow up, but at least he’d taken his frustration out on his brother and not Mallory.
Rick cocked an eyebrow at him. “Yeah, it is. The bastard’s slick. I’ll give him that. But he’ll fuck up soon enough. And when he does, we’ll get him.”
“Then we turn him over to Jackson and the pack?”
He knew Rick hated the idea of letting the werewolves decide the rogue’s fate. He’d rather exact justice on his own terms.
“I don’t know. Let’s decide that after we nail his ass.”
“Done. Until then, we keep looking.” He shot his brother a hard look. “And you start treating our mate the way you should.”
* * * *
Another two freaking days.
Mallory paced back and forth in the living room.
Two freaking awful, sexless days.
She checked the landing of the second story, expecting to see Rick and Gunner at any moment. If nothing else, she’d get to see them before they left. She’d made sure of that by getting up at five in the morning. They wouldn’t leave her behind today. That was the promise she’d made to herself.
They weren’t going to get away with it. Telling her to stay and then ignoring her wasn’t going to work. She’d have it out with them once and for all, demanding that they tell her where she stood. Were they playing with her? Or were they as serious as they’d led her to believe? What the hell was going on?
She’d paced into the living room again when she heard the thud of their feet as they headed down the stairs. “Hey, hold up.”
Rick stalled for a second, then started moving again. Gunner, ever the easier one to talk to, grinned at her. “You’re sure up early.”
“The better to catch you with.” Her Little Red Riding Hood joke fell flat. “I’m going with you.”
Rick spun around. “The hell you are.”
“Yeah, I am. I can help. Just tell me what to do and I’ll do it.”
“Baby, that’s nice of you to offer, but this is—”
“I swear, Gunner, if you tell me that it’s ‘man’s work,’ I’ll kick you so hard you won’t be able to sit in a saddle.”
He visibly cringed, his hands going down to cover his crotch before he realized what he was doing. “Who me? I’d never say that.”
“Maybe he won’t, but I will. This isn’t a job for a woman. Especially one who doesn’t know the area or the animals involved.”
Why was Rick so damned difficult to get along with? He hadn’t been Mr. Sociable to begin with, but lately he’d become a major bear of a grouch. Killer wolf or not, she was going to make him see reason.
“What do I need to know? A wolf’s killing your livestock.”
“It’s more than that. A lot more.”
She caught the exchange that passed between them. “When are you two going to let me in? It’s fine for you to get between my legs, but when it comes down to really letting me get close, to trusting me with your problems so I can help, you close the door fast.”
“This is bullshit. We don’t have time for this.” Rick pivoted on his heel and strode toward the back door. “Move it, Gunner.”
They had longer legs and were faster than she was. But that didn’t mean she wouldn’t do her best to keep up. She followed them out the back door, picking up her pace as they widened the length of ground between them. It wasn’t long before they’d disappeared into the shadows of the barn.
She hurried, running now, but it did no good. “Where’d you go?” How could they have gotten their horses saddled that fast, much less left the barn without her seeing them?
A horse nickered, bringing her attention to the closest stall. She’d seen Rick riding that horse several times and knew it was his favorite. “Where’s Rick, fella?”
The growl brought her to a stop, fear zipping into her like the sharp end of a sword. Hardly daring to breathe, she searched the area of the barn to her left where the beginning of the sunlight eking its way over the horizon couldn’t reach.
Cold, amber eyes, brilliant and glowing, met hers.
Mallory drew in a breath that burned in her throat. The gray wolf, a huge animal that was twice the size of an average wolf, pulled back its lips. The snarl came first before the ominous sound of the growl rolled out from him. The eyes blazed with fury, but it wasn’t the kind of hate she thought she’d see in an animal’s eyes. The hate that burned within the wolf was different, more personal. More human.