Wild (27 page)

It was the only way he could give Cain a second chance.

Cain had come to Trak's small pack after he got out of the service, humbled by the death he'd witnessed, the killing he'd been part of, and begged Trak for a spot. He'd admitted what an idiot he'd been, how thankful he was that his alpha had elected not to kill him, but rather sent him on his way with orders never to return. Trak had allowed him in, fully aware Cain was a powerful alpha, with the caveat that if he screwed up or even hinted at a challenge, he was out.

But Trak had never allowed himself to trust Cain, not even when Cain and Brad formed a partnership that was as powerful as any male-female mated pair.

Adding Cherry had made it even stronger. Trak still didn't trust him, but Tuck was right. He hadn't given Cain a chance, either. He grabbed Tuck's hand and squeezed it tightly. “Thank you.” He glanced away to make eye contact with Evan as witness, then focused on Tuck.

“You're right. I never gave him a chance. From now on, I'll try.” He shrugged, feeling just a bit sheepish, which wasn't a pleasant feeling at all for an alpha. “You know you'll always have my permission to tell me when I'm acting like a dick.”

Both Evan and Tuck cracked up.

“You can count on it,” Tuck said. “We've got your back.”

“The thing is…” Evan glanced at Tuck as if for support, but then he turned and made eye contact with Trak, which wasn't natural for him. “Trak, we admire the job you do with the pack. You're a good leader, and other than the issues with Cain, you're always fair.” He grinned and winked at Tuck. “Well, mostly fair, except when it comes to the housekeeping duties in the cabins. I want to know how you always manage to get scheduled on off days when there's no one staying.”

“Not going there. I think this meeting is adjourned.” He stood, swept off an imaginary hat and took a bow, and left both Tuck and Evan laughing. Now all he had to do was remember not to give Cain any more grief than he deserved—though Trak was positive he definitely deserved at least a little.

Monday night

Jules left with Armando and Drew, Dar took off with Lawz, Elle and Tuck left hand in hand, and Meg missed Zachary so much she wanted to cry.

Trak stepped out of the kitchen, wiping his hands on a cotton towel. He set the towel aside, reached under the bar, and pulled out a large bottle. “Want to join me on the deck for a glass of port?”

She laughed. “You and your port. I see you've waited until everyone's gone before bringing out the bottle.”

“Busted.” Laughing, he grabbed two glasses. “I love the stuff, but it's really expensive. The guys would drink it like fruit juice if I didn't keep an eye on them. C'mon out and tell me how the hike went. I expected more conversation tonight.”

“I think they're all exhausted. I know I am.” Meg reached for a handful of chocolates and tucked them into her pocket.

Trak paused at the door, bottle and two glasses in hand. “Would you rather skip? If you're tired, I can walk you back to your cabin now.”

She shook her head. “Honestly? I'm not ready to go back to an empty cabin, knowing my best friends are all bunking up with someone.” She laughed, “Or, in Jules's case, two someones.”

“Well,” he drawled. “I'd offer to bunk up with you, but I don't think that's what you want.”

“Thanks, Trak. You're right.” She stared out the front window, at the darkness beyond and the little twinkling white lights that lit up the trails to the cabins. Then she pulled it together and smiled at him. “That was something I actually wondered. If I was exposed to a bunch of good-looking guys, would I be tempted? And it's weird, because, of any of the men here, I should be tempted by you, but there's no chemistry.” She led the way to the door and held it open since he had his hands full. “I never realized before just how important that is, but I see it with our friends, with Elle and Tuck, and it's definitely there with Dar and Lawson. I guess the big surprise is Jules, Manny, and Drew. Wonders never cease.”

She took a seat at one of the small tables in the shadows. Trak sat across from her and poured a bit of port into each of the glasses. Then he looked around and shook his head. “Damn. I forgot the chocolate.”

He started to rise, but Meg touched his hand. “Sit. I didn't.” She pulled her stash out of her pocket.

Trak held his glass out, and Meg tapped the rim of hers to his. “Here's to friendship, Meg. I'm enjoying your company, and honestly? It's nice to have an attractive, intelligent woman to hang out with and avoid all the drama.” He took a sip of his port, and there was a definite twinkle in his eyes. “Okay, now that we've got that out of the way, tell me about this guy you're going to marry. And you are going to marry him, you know. I can tell by the way your eyes light up whenever you or any of your friends mention his name. You definitely have all the signs of a woman in love.”

“I do love him. But…” And she told him. Everything about her fears that Zach couldn't love her, that he didn't really mean it, that she wasn't anyone special and he was. And when she was finished and feeling lower than dirt, Trak just stared at her with a look of absolute disbelief.

Finally, he took another swallow of his port, looked her in the eye, and said, quite plainly, “You realize that's a pile of shit, don't you?”

She snorted. Not at all attractive when she was trying to act the grown-up here, but he looked so serious and his comment was just so … male. Finally, she got herself under control. “Why?”

“Well, for one thing, it's usually the guy who gets cold feet, because you know we're all a bunch of pussies when it comes to commitment, and for another, none of your arguments hold water. So what if your parents didn't plan you when you came along? That doesn't make you any less valid or important. And if they're too self-centered and stupid to acknowledge the wonderful woman you are, then that's their problem, not yours. Why would their lack of parental abilities have anything to do with the woman you are now? You're an amazing woman, Meg, and obviously Zach is smart enough to have figured it out. Look, why don't you invite him here? There's no extra charge, and the bed in your room is certainly big enough.”

“Do you think he'd come?”

“Of course. It's not late; it's barely nine o'clock. You said his company is closed for the rest of the week. Go into the office off the kitchen and use the phone in there. I'll wait out here and give you privacy, but tell him you miss him and the bed is real empty without him here. That's the truth, isn't it?”

Nodding silently, Meg went into the little office where she stared at the phone for way too long. She'd never taken the first step before.

Ten minutes later, Trak walked in. “You didn't call, did you?”

She shook her head. “I can't.” She picked up her glass and finished the rest of her port. “Would you walk me back to my cabin now? Please?”

“If you're sure that's what you want.”

She nodded and left her glass on the desk. He took her hand and led her out of the lodge and down the trail to her cabin. Walked her up to the front door.

“Are you going to be okay?”

She looked at him. Really looked. He was so handsome with his neatly trimmed dark hair and the short beard. Well over six feet tall with a lean build similar to Zach's, a fun sense of humor, and a compassionate manner. If not for Zachary, would she want an affair with a man like Trak?

What would his kisses feel like? The thrust of his cock entering her, the weight of his long, lean body over hers? “Will you do something for me, Trak? Will you kiss me?”

He ran his hand over her hair. “Is this a test?”

“In a way. I never had a serious boyfriend before Zach. I honestly have never kissed another man. I don't think high school boyfriends count. I guess I'm curious.”

“I can deal with curiosity.” He cupped her shoulders and looked into her eyes, then he tilted her chin, leaned close, and covered her mouth with his. His lips were firm and yet so mobile, moving over hers with gentleness that seemed the antithesis of the man she'd been getting to know. His tongue tested the seam between her lips until she opened for him, turned to meet his kiss, the thrust of his tongue, the warmth of his big hands stroking her back, pulling her close.

She felt the heat of his erection through the long skirt she wore, heard the thundering race of his heart, tasted the port on his tongue and the hint of chocolate. There was no doubt in her mind he was aroused, but as much as she enjoyed the kiss, he wasn't Zach. Her body didn't respond.

When he finally pulled away, it seemed so apropos that both of them were smiling.

“For the record, I truly love kissing you, Meg, but your body tells me your brain wasn't nearly as involved as it should be. I bet all of you is a hundred percent into whatever your Zachary chooses to do with you.”

“You're right.” She felt like laughing, but that would be so rude. Still, he'd answered an important question. Zach and only Zach. No one else. “Thank you. Please don't hate me. I mean, I could tell that you were…” She stumbled over that. Turned on? Aroused? She shrugged.

Trak laughed. “Don't worry about that. I'm a guy. It's part of our makeup. Pretty woman, soft lips, warm kisses.” He paused, glanced at her chest, and grinned. “Magnificent breasts. Boners happen.” He cupped her shoulders again, leaned close, and kissed her, a short, sweet kiss good night. “I'll see you in the morning.”

“Do you think the wolf will come back?”

“If you leave the door ajar, he might show up.” He reached around her and opened the door. “I think they go cabin to cabin, looking for a warm bed. Good night, Meg. Sweet dreams.”

She watched him walk toward the forest and thought for a moment, by his measured walk and the slope of his shoulders, that he looked lonely. But that couldn't be. He had his pack and the pick of any woman who came through Feral Passions.

Too bad. This week, he got stuck with the engaged one.

*   *   *

Jules couldn't stop shivering. Her logical mind told her she was absolutely terrified, but her inner hussy knew the truth. She'd never been so aroused in her life, merely walking between two men.

Men she was almost positive were able to shift into wolves, but she'd decided to let that curious issue slide for now, because it was way too outrageous to really believe and she hadn't had the chance to talk about it with the others to see if they had any suspicions.

Ignoring the wolf issue, she was bracketed by two men who were not only awesomely sexy and way too hot, but smart and funny and interested in her. And in each other. She'd picked up on that vibe from the beginning between Armando and Drew. It was sweet and sensual without any heavy emotional stuff going on. They appeared to be two guys who truly liked each other and probably screwed around when the mood struck them.

Now, it appeared, they'd been struck with the mood to screw around with her. She was always the good girl, the one who played by the rules. She didn't love either man, but she certainly liked them, she was definitely attracted to them, and this week was a fantasy for her, a chance to shed that boring image she'd been stuck with.

Andrew's words reverberated through her skull, his accusations that she was frigid and uptight. The word he'd used was “prissy.” No one called anyone prissy anymore, but that bastard had, even when he was already screwing the new receptionist. No wonder the turnover in his office was so high.

Tonight, though, she'd prove to herself that she was adventurous, that she could do something that, just a few days ago, would have been unthinkable. Still was, actually. How the hell did one woman have sex with two men at the same time? She glanced at Armando, and he smiled at her. Definitely a wolfish grin.

He looked like a guy who could figure it out if anyone could. She wasn't worried. No, not at all.

Well, maybe just a little. Protection! She hadn't even thought about that. She was still on the pill after that horrible affair with Andrew, but the guys here appeared to have had a constant supply of women coming through all summer, and she …

Well, if they hadn't come prepared, it would give her a good reason to back out. Except she really didn't want to back out, now that she'd come this far.

She took a deep breath once they reached the cabin, let it out as they walked up the steps to the front door. Armando … no, she needed to think of him as Manny. He wasn't all that fond of his given name, said it sounded much too pretentious, and he preferred the nickname the guys had given him.

Manny fit. She'd already figured out that while he was so hot he quite literally took her breath, there was nothing artificial about him, no inflated ego like so many good-looking men. He paused in front of the door and wrapped his arms around her, hugged her close, and kissed her. Drew stood behind her, his hands on her shoulders, his lips tickling the back of her neck.

“This is entirely up to you, Jules,” he said. “One of us can stay, both of us, or we can kiss you good night at the door and wish you pleasant dreams. We don't want you to feel coerced or pressured in any way. It's your call. How do you want to spend tonight?”

She didn't hesitate. Tipping her head, she looked directly into Drew's smoky-blue eyes. Never in her entire life had a man as handsome as Drew been this close to her. She wanted to savor the moment. “I want both of you to stay with me.” She took Manny's hand, grasped Drew's. “But only if you want to. This week is a fantasy come to life for me, but I really don't know what both of you want.”

“That's easy to answer.” Drew opened the door and tugged her hand, pulling her gently inside. Manny followed. Her heart seemed to lodge in her throat, pounding out a cadence that left her shivering in response. She was really doing this. She, Julia Bennett, was inviting two amazing men into her bed.