The Wolves Next Door (2 page)

Julie
could sense that something wasn’t right – that Caine was on edge around
her and she wondered why. Was he suddenly unsure as to whether he should have
befriended her, especially with the rest of the neighborhood all but ignoring
her existence. Maybe he was worried about what people would think if they
somehow found out about him being ‘too nice’ to the new girl in town.

But
for some reason, she doubted that was the case. She told herself she hadn’t
mistaken the attraction she’d felt coming off him and he didn’t seem like the
type who would care about what anyone thought of him. Caine wanted her. Any
red-blooded woman could tell when a man desired them and she could feel it, the
sexual tension hanging thick in the air. Before that thought could send her into
a panic, she laughed inwardly at herself. Caine had never done or said anything
disrespectful or suggestive. She knew she had nothing to fear from him. If
anything, it was herself she couldn’t trust. Caine made her feel…
things
.
Things she’d sworn to never feel again, not until she knew what the hell she
was doing when it came to men and relationships. Until then, either one was out
of bounds.

“Just
set them on the table, please,” she directed him, and he turned to place the
bags on the nearby coffee table. When he faced her again, he seemed calmer and
his face was clear of whatever had been troubling him. Now, he flashed her that
killer smile that made her take a sudden gulp of air, her face blushing crimson
red.

“Your
home is very nice. You’ve really done a great job with the place,” he replied,
shoving his hands in his pockets.

“Thanks,”
Julie said with a pleased smile. “I’ve had a lot of fun with it. That’s my job…
I’m an interior designer.”

She
didn’t know why she’d divulged that information. Why she’d let him in at all.
But something about Caine made her feel safe, like he could be trusted. And Julie
realized she had been desperate for someone to talk to.

“That
doesn’t surprise me. You seem like the creative, artsy type. Now me, I’m just a
tech nerd. I work in software…programming mainly.”

  
“Wow. Brains and brawn,” Julie choked on a laugh, covering her mouth with her
hand.
Okay, now that was crossing the line.

She
wasn’t sure what he read in her gaze, or in the restless way she hugged herself
and rubbed her arms as if searching for security in the wave of attraction that
took a hold of her, but he only smiled, his deep blue eyes searching her face.

“I
get by. But you, well you’re every man’s dream. Such an intelligent woman, creative
and…absolutely beautiful.”

Julie
sucked in a breath, completely caught off guard. His gaze washed her skin in a
burning wave of heat, and she couldn’t look away, couldn’t breathe. He’d called
her beautiful – and for the first time in her life she believed him.
Alarm bells should have been ringing in her head. But they weren’t. Instead,
she felt a surge of confidence, sensing his genuine desire for her.

What
in the world is happening to me?

I
should know better than this, Julie’s inner voice warned her. I shouldn’t be
going weak at the knees for the first good-looking guy who tells me he finds me
beautiful. I came down here for some peace and quiet, to find myself again. The
last thing I needed was to get bowled over by another handsome face. Not after the
last relationship and his constant abuse and unforgivable betrayal. She
couldn’t risk her heart again…and especially not to a man like Caine.

She
drew in a deep, long breath and tried to think of an easy way to do what she
had to do, despite the fact that everything in her mind and body begged her not
to. “Look, um, Caine, I’m not quite sure…”

“It’s
just dinner. My place. I’m inviting a few friends over for a barbeque. Nothing
too serious.” Caine’s words broke in before she could finish and she paused
when he added with a grin, “Come on, it’ll be fun. I promise. It’s my way of
saying welcome to the neighborhood.”

Oh
. Well, damn it. Julie realized just how
silly she must look to Caine, assuming he was inviting her out on a date when
he was just being friendly, trying to reach out to the new girl in town.
Gulping down her disappointment, she forced a smile.

 “Thank
you, Caine. Sure, I’d love to come over. What time should I be there?”

“Ahh,
anytime after six is fine. And don’t worry; it’s just a casual get together
amongst friends. Nothing formal.” He smiled with enough warmth to light her
skin on fire and when he held out his hand to her, she was certain her
fingertips would ignite in flames at his heated touch.  “Julie,” he
rumbled, his voice low, “I’m really looking forward to seeing you again.”

* * *

Men
like Caine certainly had no problem getting women, gorgeous women, to do
anything he wanted. He’s just being nice to me, Julie thought as she accepted
his hand, and felt the immediate strength in his grip.
It’s not like he’s
desperate to touch…

But
even as she placed her hand in his and decided the gesture was indeed innocent,
it didn’t feel that way. His large hand closed around her much smaller one, and
she felt enveloped by warmth. Julie almost shivered from how much heat Caine
seemed to exude.

An
instant magnetism surged through her, coupling with a budding sexual awareness.
Visions of his nicely heated olive-tinted skin against hers made her heart
flutter and her thighs ache. With just this light touch, Julie came full circle
with the realization that this man was unlike any other that she’d ever met.
She would never have believed she could fall so easily for a man’s charms, or
want someone so badly that she barely knew. She needed to get a grip on her
desperate hunger for this stranger before it got out of hand and she got
hurt…again.

Julie
hadn’t been sure what exactly to wear, so she went for a simple sundress. You
could never go wrong with a dress, especially if its hem skimmed the thighs and
the fabric clung nicely to her plentiful curves. It was grey in color, and had
cut outs in the back, nothing too revealing but it gave the dress a feminine slant
that highlighted her lines.

Julie
considered her reflection and wondered if she should put on any make-up. She
didn’t want to seem like she was trying too hard or desperate to win attention
from her handsome host, though if she were honest with herself she would have
to admit that’s exactly what she was hoping for. Besides, if she looked good,
she’d feel good and Julie knew that she could use all of the confidence she
could muster up.

She’d
grown up with issues about her weight, her mother constantly reminding her that
men preferred “thin” women and that if she weren’t careful she would end up
miserable and alone. 
Perhaps her mother was right after all
, she
thought, considering her failed relationships, but still a part of her fought
the echoes of insecurity, drowning out her mother’s voice, and reminding
herself that Caine had called her beautiful. She’d lost her plain-Jane persona
over the years, and learned how to fake a smile and when necessary, confidence
and if she had to use those tools tonight, she most certainly would. Still, as
she stood in front of the mirror, she still felt that all too familiar pang of self-doubt.
Sighing, she put on some light foundation, mascara and a flattering shade of
lip gloss to highlight her already puffy lips, and fought down any lingering
nerves. Just dinner amongst new friends, and in a few hours she’d be back home,
safe within her walls, hidden away from the scrutiny of the world around her.

Damn
him
, she thought as she
recalled how her ex, Grant, had tried to break her spirit but she’d fought her
way through until she could escape his torment. Now there was no going back to
the weak woman she was. She refused to ever look back again.

Julie
couldn’t help but smile when she thought of Caine, and how he hadn’t seemed put
off when she’d artlessly said he had brain and brawn. She decided that if she
had the opportunity she’d let him take her where he wanted. Was she in any way
a woman he’d ever consider dating? There’d been a certain something in those
gorgeous blue eyes of his and she decided to accept it as truth, finally
silencing the nagging voice in her head that insisted on telling her that Caine
Marks could never possibly settle for a broken woman like her.

* * *

She
found herself standing in front of Caine’s door, reluctant to knock and then
deciding that she had nothing to lose.
Here goes nothing
, she thought.

 He
opened almost instantly, so her surprised smile was genuine. He looked hot as ever,
his t-shirt rolled up at the sleeves to reveal his inked forearms. His dark
blue jeans were deliciously snug and his dirty-blond hair looked freshly
washed. Julie stared at him, her mind blank apart from a blur of moving body
parts.

He
grinned. “Right on time. You look beautiful.”

There
was that word again.

“Thank
you,” Julie whispered, heat rushing to her cheeks.

He
swung open the door for her, and she walked through, pausing for guidance. He
quickly slid the palm of his hand down to her lower back, guiding her in. She
shivered at the way his hand held her back, his grip strong and possessive. His
slanted grin as he released her tugged at the knots in her belly.

“I’m
glad you’re here. Come on in,” he said warmly.

Julie
loved Caine’s home. The designer within appreciated the open-plan concept of
the place while the furniture was minimalist and yet welcoming, even homely.
She was surprised to see that other people had already arrived. Her eyes
widened slightly as she came face to face with two of the biggest men she’d
ever seen.

Caine
was well above six feet and packing serious muscle himself, but these two were
absolute giants, both of them very good looking men, their muscular frames
threatening to rip through the cotton of their t-shirts. They looked like they
could easily be in the army or some Special Forces team or something. Caine
introduced them as Vern and Hawke, friends of his from childhood.

They
regarded her with interest and Julie was quite sure she caught them sending
Caine a nod of approval when they thought she wasn’t looking.  So much
brawn in one room…it was almost surreal, as though she had stepped onto the
pages of a romance novel.  Quickly scanning the room she was relieved to
find two other women chatting quietly in the corner. Making her way towards
them, they turned to greet her, one of them handing her a chilled glass of
white wine, which she gratefully accepted while Caine came forward to make more
introductions. Two of the women happened to be significant others of the other
two men in the room. Jemima was the petite brunette dating Hawke and Julie
couldn’t help picturing how the six-foot-plus hunk would look next to the pretty,
tiny girl. The blonde, who was willowy with a cover-girl beauty, happened to be
Hailey who was Vern’s fiancée. This was another image of contrasts that
intrigued Julie. But it was the clear, unspoken bond between them all that
couldn’t be ignored and yet they never let her feel like she was the outsider. Julie
figured they’d been paired off nicely for the dinner setting but that was until
she got yet another surprise.

“Oh
good, Ryan’s here,” Caine announced from behind her. “Now we can get to eat. Julie,
there’s someone you haven’t met yet.”

Julie
felt his hand in the small of her back and she turned round in interest, her
glass lifting to her lips. The hand with the glass paused in mid-air when she
came face to face with him.

Caine
was grinning. “Julie, meet Ryan. He’s like the big brother I never wanted,” he
joked. “Ryan, this is Julie. She lives in between our houses – she moved
in months ago. Remember I told you about her?”

Julie
knew she was staring but couldn’t stop. She’d never forget that face, or that
body. It had to be several weeks ago, but the memory was still fresh.

Tall,
dark and handsome didn’t begin to describe him. He had ‘dangerous’ written all
over him from the top of his inky black clean-shaven hair to his dark grey
shoes. The kind of guy mama and all your friends warned you about. His
smoldering dark green eyes held hers and Julie felt swept away.
Damn
.
She was in big trouble.

 And
she wasn’t exactly sure what the heck she had done wrong but she already felt
guilty as hell for the simmering of awareness that bubbled between her thighs.

“I
believe I’ve seen you before,” Julie said. She was surprised that she could
actually piece coherent words together. Thank goodness. She even managed to
hold out her hand and then felt tremors rush through her when he swallowed it
in his strong grip.

“Yes.
I remember,” he replied, his voice a deep rumble.

Just
three words – combined with that look that could singe a girl’s panties
off and Julie decided she was officially losing her mind. She definitely had a
thing for Caine which she’d been looking forward to exploring if opportunity
presented itself. So how come she was getting instantly bowled over by Mr. Dark
and Deadly here?

Yeah,
she certainly remembered him. too. How could she forget? It had been only a few
moments but it seemed set in stone. It had been a week after she moved in and
she’d been on her way home from a walk. They’d passed each other on the
walkway, but there had been that instant their eyes had met and held and she’d
been struck by the fierceness of his gaze and the almost devilish edge to his
attractiveness. He had that ‘bad biker’ look and was all lean and mean, with an
impressively broad chest and shoulders that would make an Olympic swimmer green
with envy.

Finding
out he was actually her neighbor and Caine’s close friend put Julie in somewhat
of a dilemma. Getting equally drawn by two men she barely knew wasn’t something
that had ever happened to her before. She certainly couldn’t deny the fact that
they both made her pulse race and her head swim with deliciously naughty
thoughts. And it wasn’t just because they were so incredibly good looking.
She’d dated gorgeous men before though none of the relationships ever lasted.
But this attraction was different. Caine and Ryan got to her in ways she
couldn’t understand, and as they stood side by side, watching her intently she
realized she could never have either of them. And the knowledge that both men
wanted her so badly was incredibly intoxicating.

“Well
it’s nice to meet you,” Julie said brightly, finally breaking the spell and
retrieving her hand from his gentle yet firm grip. Damn and double damn. She’d
just moved to a neighborhood that had two of the most sinfully gorgeous men
living on either side of her and there was nothing she could do about it.

Strangely
enough, once she got that into her head it made her feel a lot better. Now she
could just chill with them and not worry about how they sent the blood rushing
like wildfire through her veins. Or so she liked to believe

It
had seemed odd though that there were three women to the four guys but somehow,
in the end it worked out. Especially since the two best friends Caine and Ryan
took it upon themselves to give her their undivided attention whenever
possible.

Dinner
was an informal and fun affair. The food was perfect and the presentation as
good as anything you’d find at a Michelin-starred restaurant. Ryan chose to
designate himself as the chef’s assistant and helped with getting the plated
courses to the dining table and keeping the glasses filled while Caine did his
thing in the kitchen in between sitting at table with them and playing host.

Julie
was glad she came. She didn’t want the night to end. She didn’t have to do much
talking and instead, people-watched her dinner companions and marveled at how
much they seemed like old friends, complete with the ribbing and the laughs.

Julie
never had this with Tre. Neither of them really had that many friends –
none they’d kept around for long. Julie had made her life all about Tre and the
few girlfriends she’d had had drifted away thanks to his dark attitude and the
way he liked to pick at her friend’s faults and why she shouldn’t have them in
her life. When their romance had faded, there’d been no one to help Julie pick
up the pieces. No family, no friends. Somehow that had made it easier to start
a new life.

And
now she was here. For the first time in a long while, she felt accepted and
part of a special group. Maybe this could be her new ‘family.’ Everyone treated
her like she was already one of them. If she could just get over the strange
way she was insanely attracted to both Caine and Ryan, she’d be fine…

* * *

Julie
had never dreamed that the night would end like this.

Somehow,
after all the food and music the others started to call it a night till Julie
found herself with just Ryan as Caine saw Hawke and Jemima out. Vern and his
fiancée Hailey had already left.

Julie’s
laughter died off at the end of something funny Ryan had said. She’d never
thought she could relax so much around him but now that it was just them, the
atmosphere got charged in the way it only could when a man and woman had
something simmering between them.

Julie
placed down her wine glass and rose quickly, if not unsteadily to her feet.

“I
think I’d better be going,” she said, hoping she wouldn’t fall flat on her face
with these damn heels. Maybe those after-dinner drinks had been a few too many.
But everyone had been having so much fun dancing and joking around that Julie
had let herself get carried away. The high point of the evening had been
getting to dance with Caine and then Ryan had come up to steal her away into
his arms. It had given the sensation of being the center of attention between
two gorgeous men and that had been such a high she’d never expected or imagined
before.

Now
she was flustered, excited and worried about what she might do if she lingered.
Caine could be heard saying goodnight to Hawke and Jemima when Ryan rose and
closed the space between him and Julie. She instinctively backed away a few steps.

Ryan
paused in his stride. “Are you afraid of me?”

Julie’s
heart was pumping fast but it wasn’t out of fear. Adrenalin mixed in with a
massive dose of endorphins whizzed through her core and she placed a hand on
her belly to quell the huge coil of arousal tightening there. She met the dark
depths of Ryan’s piercing eyes and felt like she could fall adrift inside them,
tangled up and torn with desire.

“No…”
she began slowly, gathering her wits about her as she couldn’t keep the teasing
note from her voice as she added, “I don’t really know. Should I be?”

Ryan
flashed a wicked grin that instantly, had her flooding the crotch of her
panties with creamy want. “Maybe a little caution would be wise.”

“Why?
Because you’re the big bad wolf about to eat me all up?” Julie asked with a coy
smile.