Wild (16 page)

She figured he'd suggested it because her lease had been up. He'd said it made sense because they'd be living together as soon as they married.

Living with Zach was good. Better than good. Sighing, she glanced at the clock again. The girls weren't due for at least ten more minutes, but after all the talk about going, all the reasons she kept giving herself for wanting to get away from Zach for just a few days, the reality of what she was doing scared her. She hadn't expected that.

What if she realized that she didn't miss him, that she was happier without him? What if one of those really good-looking men suddenly looked better to her than Zach? Honestly, she couldn't imagine any man possibly matching him, much less surpassing him. She was such an idiot, choosing to leave him just to see if she really loved him.

Except that wasn't the real question at all. What she really wanted to know was if Zach really, truly loved her. What if he didn't? What if he changed his mind? What if he realized he was happier without her? Meg figured the odds of that happening were greater than her ever changing the way she felt. Heart thudding in her chest, she grabbed the back of a kitchen chair for balance, needing the stability, the anchor to keep her from running back into the bedroom, to keep from …

“Meggie? Is it already time for you to go?”

She spun around so quickly she almost stumbled. Zach stood in the doorway, faded sweats hanging low on his hips, his chest bare, hair all mussed, eyes squinting against the bright kitchen light. “In a few minutes.” Damn, she sounded breathless, as if she'd been running. “I'm waiting for the girls to get here. I'm the last one they're picking up.”

“Are you okay?” He stepped closer and wrapped his arms around her. “You're trembling. Meggie?”

“I just realized how much I'm going to miss you.” Damn. She didn't want to cry, but he was warm and familiar, and she loved him, and she thought of what it would feel like if he grew tired of her one day and left. She'd already given him her heart. If he left her, he'd take it with him, but all she said was, “I was just standing here, thinking how long a week really is.”

He smiled at her and then hugged her close again. “You're going to have fun. I looked at the website, and if you do even half of the outdoor activities they list, you'll be too tired to miss me.” He kissed her, cupping her butt with his hands, pulling her close against his solid erection, making her ache with wanting him. “I, on the other hand,” he said, nuzzling her throat, “am going to miss you like crazy.”

“Mmmm. That's not fair.” She nipped at his lower lip. “Teasing me when I haven't got time to play with your toys.”

“I'll save them for you. I never share my toys. Not with anyone.”

She laughed. “I certainly hope not. Me, neither.” She kissed him again. Lights reflected off the window. “There's my ride.” She slipped out of his grasp and reached for her suitcase. Zach grabbed it in one hand and slung her heavy tote bag over his shoulder with the other. “Don't forget your purse. I don't see your computer. Aren't you taking it?”

“Nope.” She grabbed her purse. “They ask that we don't bring any social media stuff. It's a vacation away from everything, especially the Internet.”

He frowned. “What about cell service?”

“None, though I can hook up in the main lodge to call out. I left you a copy of my reservation with the number for the resort. I'm taking my phone for the camera, if nothing else, but if I can, I'll text.” She turned when the doorbell rang. “C'mon.” She kissed his chin. “If I don't go now, I'm going to change my mind and crawl back into bed with you.”

He laughed as Meg opened the door. “Works for me. Hey, Dar!” He leaned close and kissed her cheek. “Are you ready for this?”

“G'morning, Zach. You have no idea! C'mon, bride-to-be. We're burning daylight.”

“Burning daylight? Darian, dear, this is a lodge we're going to, not a roundup.”

“Move your booty, sweetie.” Dar shooed them both toward the car and opened the back door.

Jules grabbed her hand and tugged Meg inside to sit beside her in the backseat. Dar took the front passenger seat next to Elle. Zach kissed Meg, closed the door, and stepped away. Meg watched him out the back window, standing beneath the streetlight watching her, as Elle pulled away. He was still there when they finally turned a corner and headed for the freeway and the long road out of Portland to the Feral Passions Resort in California.

*   *   *

It was close to seven when they stopped at a little place just outside of Salem for breakfast. They trooped into the restaurant, found a table, and ordered coffee. Meg glanced at the steaming cups. “I just realized there's not a tea drinker among us.”

Elle laughed. “You're just now figuring that out? We're all coffee addicts.” She took a sip. “By the way, I have to say this. That is one spectacular man you left on the side of the road.”

Meg laughed. “You've known Zach for months now. And you're just now noticing?”

Elle shrugged. “I've always thought he was good looking, but I think it's the way the guy looks at you, almost like you're the air he breathes. I would love to have a man look at me that way. Just once.”

Meg glanced away, much too aware of that prickly feeling of tears trying their hardest to fall. “Do you really think so?”

“What?” Dar stared at her. “You mean you don't see that? Darlin', you're engaged to the man. Can't you tell he loves you to death?”

“I guess.” She sort of fluttered her hands, realized she was doing the helpless female thing, and flattened them on the table. “I mean, he says he does, and he acts like he does, but…” She looked at the three women she'd known longer and better than anyone else. “Why am I suddenly so nervous about this?” Oh, crap, she really didn't want to turn this trip into a downer. Holding up her hand before anyone could say anything, she said, “No. Not now. I'm fine, and I know Zach loves me. It's just that he's so, well … I dunno. He's amazing. The best thing that ever happened to me.” She took a deep breath. Laughed. “I'm just me.”

“‘Just you' is a terrific woman.” Jules glared at her. “You've known Zach for how long now? Three years, right? I remember when he hired you. It was right after you got out of college, your very first job after graduation. You were crushing on him from the very beginning, and you've been dating now for over a year. His proposal was probably the most romantic I've ever heard of in my entire life. A man doesn't do that whole ‘down on bended knee, big diamond in velvet box in a restaurant full of other people' thing if he doesn't mean it.”

“That's the truth.” Elle laughed. “Do you know how many people posted that on YouTube? Even shared it on Facebook? That has to be one of the most recorded, most romantic marriage proposals of all time.”

Dar grabbed Meg's hand and squeezed tightly. “He loves you, Megs. No one can fake the kind of emotion in that man's eyes. And believe me, I was looking because even his eyes are sexy.” Then she rolled hers, and everyone laughed.

The waitress showed up then to take their orders. At least Meg wasn't fighting down a panic attack. Once again her friends had talked her off the ledge.

*   *   *

“When's our group of bachelorettes showing up?” Lawz poured himself a cold beer, walked around to the other side of the bar, and sat on the stool next to Trak. He nudged his brother's shoulder. Trak merely growled. Lawz practically cackled. Why was he enjoying this so much? “Don't stress. Dinner's all planned, and it's going to be wonderful. Brad's not the only one around here who can cook.”

Trak gave him the stink eye. “What are you fixing then, oh master chef?”

“Not me. Tuck's cooking tonight. He and Evan went out and caught fresh rainbow trout to go with the rice casserole Brad left in the freezer. All I have to do is stick the thawed casserole in the oven to reheat in time for dinner. Tuck's going to barbecue the trout along with some chicken breasts in case anyone doesn't like fish, Drew's got a veggie dish his mama used to make, and Manny's made a chocolate decadence I can't wait to try.”

“Manny? How the hell did you get him to cook anything? He's usually a pain in the ass.”

“I told him if he didn't cook, he'd get cleanup duty, and then I reminded him that women thought men who could cook were really sexy.”

“I see. And that actually worked?” Trak laughed, slowly shaking his head. “I can't believe you guys might actually pull this together.”

“Well…”

“Well, what?” Back to growling.

“If you'd quit thinking you were the only one here with a brain and accepted the fact that just because you're the alpha, you're not the only one who can figure shit out, you might realize you're surrounded by a terrific pack. None of us wants Feral Passions to fail, Trak. But a lot of the guys are a bit intimidated by your inability to see that anyone but you can manage to pull things together.”

Before his brother could answer, Lawz got up and went back into the kitchen. It was time to stick the veggies in the oven, and he wondered when their newest set of guests might arrive. And he really didn't want to deal with any of this. Enough was enough.

He'd just set the oven controls when Trak stepped into the kitchen. “They're here. Should be quieter with only four this week. Two sisters had to cancel, so it's just the bridal party.”

Lawz rinsed his hands and hung the apron on a peg. There'd been some really nice women who'd come through over the past few months, but not a single one had really caught his attention. Ever hopeful, he followed Trak out the front door and down the steps.

And came to a dead stop as the driver's-side door on the big Mercedes opened and the most amazing woman he'd ever seen crawled out and stretched. Tall and lean with dark chocolate skin and shoulder-length black hair, she looked like a distance runner and moved with the grace of a dancer. She'd stretched her hands high overhead once she was out and then slowly bent at the waist and flattened her palms to the ground.

His mouth went dry at the trim curve of her absolutely incredible ass. Her snug camisole top gapped at her waist, baring sleek, dark skin between her light blue pants and the cream-colored shirt, but then she straightened, turned, and caught him staring at her. Her eyes went wide. He expected a snarky comment or anger, but he scented her instant arousal. Without hesitation, he walked up and held out his hand. “Lawson Jakes,” he said, smiling as she took his hand in hers. Her grasp was strong, her skin smooth as silk. “Welcome to Feral Passions.”

“I'm Darian Ahlers. Dar for short. Nice to meet you, Lawson.”

“Short form for me is Lawz.” He smiled and then followed her around to the back of the car, where Trak and Manny were helping the rest of the women unload their bags.

“Hey, Manny. You disappeared this afternoon.” He shook hands with the forester.

“Yeah, had to do a bit of scouting. You know that logging operation just north of us? I heard some gunshots over there just before lunchtime and wanted to go check. We can't risk any of the wolves getting out of the preserve. I'd hate to lose one to a hunter, but everyone's safe and accounted for.”

Dar raised her head. “Would someone shoot a wild wolf? There aren't that many of them, are there? Aren't they protected?”

“They are,” Manny said. “But there are enough idiots with guns who think it's their right to shoot anything that moves out here in the woods. That's why we keep the entire boundary of the preserve fenced. We've got enough property that the wolves aren't crowded, but we do our best to keep them safe.”

Tuck showed up while they talked. There was no missing the fact that the pack's veterinarian was huge, and he always made Lawz feel like a little kid. At least six and a half feet tall and well over two-sixty, he was all brawn and brute strength.

Until he worked with an animal. Then he was gentle as could be and a deft surgeon when necessary, as well as a skilled artist with a paintbrush.

Interesting how Tuck went straight to the largest woman of the group, but then he'd made a quip a while back that it would take a big woman to handle him. Elle was definitely that, a large, striking woman with satiny smooth skin even darker than Darian's. She was at least six feet tall and generously proportioned any way you looked at her, but Tuck seemed to find her absolutely mesmerizing.

Manny had obviously noticed her, but once Tuck moved in on the dark beauty, Manny turned on the charm, and just that fast, the one named Jules was teasing him back with practiced ease. Manny was one of those guys women thought so sexy they often clammed up and didn't know what to say around him, but he was really just a heck of a nice guy, a little quiet but a good, strong member of the pack. Darian had walked around the sedan to speak to a tall blonde. While Lawz waited for her, he watched Manny and Jules head toward one of the cabins.

So far, the guys had learned it was easy enough to start something from the very beginning—walking a woman to her cabin often set up a pairing from the start. He heard their laughter as Jules and Manny disappeared from view where the trail led into the woods.

Evan and Drew Miklos hung back. The two of them traded off tending bar at Growl, and they'd both paired up with women last week. Nothing had come of their relationships beyond a lot of good sex, but they weren't going to move in on anyone until the other guys had a chance.

That had been a good thing about this whole resort concept. The pack had stayed strong, all of them looking out for each other. Lawz glanced up as Darian walked back and reached for her bag.

“I've got them,” he said. “Ready to go?” When she nodded, he grabbed the rest of her luggage and led her away from the car, toward the cabin that had been assigned to her.