Rescued by the Wolf Page 15

  A collective gasp sounded in Rafe’s head. In unison, the group turned and hightailed it toward their posts.

  They weren’t a bad bunch, but if Rafe had been a rogue decoy, the pack would’ve been vulnerable. Brice and Tristan, waiting at the entry point, would make sure these recruits did not forget tonight’s lesson.

  Instead of returning to the rendezvous point, Rafe ambled along the riverbank allowing the adrenaline from the chase to subside. He wished the havoc in his head could dissipate as easily.

  He didn’t need to close his eyes to feel Grace’s warmth and energy. He had yet to taste her fully, but her soft, supple lips were made for kissing and he found her sweet musk so provocative that he could almost smell her in the evening breeze.

  Wait—

  He stopped midstride and lifted his nose to filter the myriad of scents.

  Oh, yeah. Definitely Grace.

  What the hell is she doing out this late?

  Fire shot through his veins and his legs engaged in an all-out run. She needed to be locked in her room. Away from dangerous predators.

  Away from him.

  Chapter 25

  The rhythmic squeak of the swing sounded like a distorted lullaby. Grace had listened to the hypnotic drone for more than an hour.

  She couldn’t stop thinking about Rafe’s kisses. Or why, when he’d dropped her off tonight, his lips had whispered across the shell of her ear as he said good-night, but that was it.

  To say she was disappointed was like saying the Taj Mahal was a nice house.

  She opened the photo app on her phone and thumbed through the pictures. There were a lot. Most of those taken over the last few days were selfies of her with Rafe in the background, her and Rafe huddled together, and some with just Rafe. In each one, she recalled exactly where they were and what they were doing at the time.

  She selected a different album. The photos mostly consisted of scenery, buildings, the inside of art museums and other places she couldn’t remember unless she looked at the tags. Sliding from one image to the next evoked no particular emotional response.

  Switching back to the current album, Grace felt a smile stretch her mouth as the picture of her and Rafe at the scenic overlook appeared. She set it as the wallpaper image for her phone.

  Yeah, yeah. She liked him.

  They had chemistry in spades, but neither was quite sure what to do with it. Aside from the physical attraction, something else was taking root. Neither wanted to commit to an actual relationship, yet they naturally gravitated toward each other. When she needed something, he was the one she called on, and he never failed to respond. Most times, she simply wanted someone to talk to in the middle of the night. He always answered and never hung up even when she simply rambled on about nothing in particular. Knowing he was on the other end of the line seemed to anchor her whenever she felt the most adrift.

  She’d never experienced such a strong connectedness with her previous bed buddies, and she and Rafe had yet to move beyond kissing. She hoped things between them wouldn’t become too serious or complicated whenever they started having sex. They would, she knew they would. Some things were inevitable. And because of the inevitability of things, she believed they would never make it as a real couple. He was an oak, firmly planted; she was a leaf flittering in the breeze. Eventually something would take her away from here, from him.

  A rustling in the woods drew Grace’s attention. Silver tendrils of moonlight flitted across the dark water of the river, but she saw nothing. Yet something moved. She felt its presence, coming quickly.

  She untucked her foot from beneath her thigh and stood. Her leg stung as if a thousand needles stabbed her flesh and wouldn’t bear her weight, so she sat down again.

  A galloping thud rose from the footpath to the river. Grace sat motionless, not daring to breathe. The sounds of the night faded into the roar in her ears. The only thing she heard with clarity was the rush of whatever charged toward her.

  She saw the eyes first. Glowing orbs of bright blue brilliance, piercing the darkness beyond the reach of the soft glow of Tiki lamps along the trail. Next came the snout, housing a set of sharp, pointy teeth.

  Grace screamed and a large red wolf skidded to a stop. She fumbled around the swing, putting it between herself and the wolf.

  A whimper rumbled in the animal’s throat. He took a hesitant step.

  Heart pounding, Grace gauged the distance from the pathway to the resort. Too far to outrun a wolf. Especially since she had to use her room key to unlock the back door to the building.

  The wolf came closer, his head hunched lower than his shoulders. However, his eyes remained steady on Grace.

  Something about the animal seemed familiar.

  “Don’t be afraid.”

  The crystal clarity of Rafe’s voice inside her head caused a wave of lightheadedness.

  She stumbled backward and despite a valiant effort to stay on her feet, she landed on her bottom.

  “Are you all right?” The wolf peered at her, pensive and primed.

  “Don’t eat me, okay?” Grace sat perfectly still, barely daring to breathe.

  The wolf eased forward.

  Grace’s heart pounded a hard, fast rhythm, strong enough to power a mad dash back to the resort.

  If she could move.

  The tip of the wolf’s cold, wet nose touched the back of her hand flattened on the ground.

  He looked familiar.

  “You’re Rafe’s wolf, aren’t you?”

  The wolf nodded.

  “Be nice. I wrecked my car instead of hitting you.” Cautiously, Grace lifted her hand. He licked her palm.

  As her fear eased, she grazed his ears, then buried her fingers in his fur so that her nails lightly scratched his skin.

  Insanity. Maybe it was a delayed reaction from the concussion.

  The first symptom was the crystal clarity of Rafe’s voice in her head. She should’ve known the occasional intrusions were signs of a mind on the verge of a meltdown.

  The second symptom was believing a wolf could actually understand her.

  The third was petting a freaking wild animal as if he were an ordinary house pet.

  “Um, good boy?”

  He raised one eyebrow over unimpressed cobalt blue eyes.

  She’d seen that look.

  “I’ve heard dogs and their owners look alike, but I never imagined the same applied to wolves.”

  Her heart still thundered a fast-paced rhythm. One wrong move and she might become a midnight snack.

  The wolf’s paw tapped her leg. He snatched the phone off the ground next to her and launched into the swing. The force of his weight caused it to rock and he struggled to keep his footing.

  “Hey.” She eased toward him and caught the swing to steady it. Carefully, she grasped the part of the phone sticking out of his mouth. “Give me the phone.”

  The wolf’s growl spread chills across her skin.

  She let go of the phone. “Okay, okay. You can have it.”

  He pawed the spot where she had been sitting.

  “It’s all yours. I’m going back to my room.” She took one step toward the path.

  The wolf growled again and put her phone on the seat of the swing.

  The fourth sign of insanity. Thinking a wolf wanted her to sit next to him on a swing.

  She needed her phone. The little device was her lifeline and she hadn’t backed it up to the cloud in over a week.

  “Maybe I can stay a few more minutes.” She sat gingerly on the swing, the phone between them.

  He sat there, looking at her. So pensive and determined.

  Finally, he blew a long, heavy breath through his nose. His big blue eyes following her every move.

  Not that she moved much. She didn’t want to startle him into an attack.<
br />
  “Grace, I’m not going to hurt you.”

  “Rafe?” She looked around.

  Too often she heard him in her thoughts. She needed to get a grip on reality before she started believing in those figments of imagination.

  The wolf barked once. He nosed the phone toward her.

  Grace cautiously picked it up. The image of her and Rafe was on the screen.

  “Look.” She showed the wolf. “I’m friends with Rafe. No biting, got it?”

  The wolf thumped his tail and grinned. Grace snapped his picture.

  He seemed to like the attention so she kept taking pictures. Needing more space, she had to stop to delete images from the phone’s memory. She chose photos from a forgotten vacation to some place she no longer remembered.

  Like Matt had said, after a while, the mountains in the background all looked the same.

  The wolf’s breath heated her arm as she deleted pictures. On impulse, she held up the phone. “Smile,” she said, snapping the selfie.

  “Wow.” The wolf’s expression in the picture reminded her of the one of her and Rafe at the scenic overlook. Same intense eyes peering into the camera lens, same jaw set with a hint of a smile. Even the wolf’s fur looked the same color as Rafe’s hair.

  She looked from the wolf in the picture to the one nudging her arm. “So weird, but freaking adorable, too.”

  Suddenly, he sprang from the swing. Grace dug her heels into the ground to stop its wild rebound.

  Perched in a half crouch, he stared up the trail to the lodge. The hair along his spine spiked. Growl after growl rolled from his throat until Grace worried the wolf might be rabid.

  “Stand down.” Gavin Walker stepped from the shadows. The illumination from the Tiki lamps glistened in his snow-white hair.

  The wolf’s mouth drew back in annoyance and his vocalization resembled a grumble, but he allowed Gavin to pass.

  “Good evening, Grace. From the lodge, it appeared you were alone. I wanted to make sure you were all right.”

  “Yes.” She smiled. “Getting some fresh air and making a new friend.”

  “I see.”

  The wolf positioned himself in front of Grace and hunkered on her feet.

  “Is Cassie resting okay tonight?”

  “She is.” Gavin made no move to join Grace on the swing. “A little cranky because of the mandatory bed rest.”

  “I’m glad she’s taking it easy now.” Grace wiggled her toes from beneath her guard wolf’s solidly planted rump.

  “It seems he’s taken an interest in you.” Gavin stroked the wolf’s ears. “He’s a smart one. Too smart for his own good. Likes to break the rules. Wolves aren’t allowed to leave the sanctuary, especially at night.”

  “Sorry.” Grace tucked the phone in her pocket. “I think he came to see me.”

  “Indeed.” Gavin rubbed the wolf’s head and pinched the back of his neck to hold him. “He won’t bother you again.”

  “I don’t mind,” Grace said. “He’s great company. So is his owner.”

  “Handler,” Gavin corrected. “No one owns the wolves.”

  “Sorry, I forgot. Rafe mentioned it earlier.”

  “The two of you have spent quite a deal of time together since the accident.” Any emotion Gavin had suddenly blanked out of his expression. “He’s quite the loner and adamant to remain so, but there are a number of single men in our community who would appreciate the attentions of a lovely, kind-hearted woman such as yourself.”

  The wolf growled and Grace wanted to say, “Good boy.” Instead, she ran her hand along his chest to soothe him.

  “Rafe doesn’t mind my company and I prefer his to the dozen or so men Cassie and Brice have introduced to me over the last year.” She smiled her best cheerleading smile.

  “Then I wish you the best in your undertaking with him.”

  Somehow, Grace knew he didn’t.

  * * *

  Gavin’s hand on the scruff of Rafe’s neck prevented him from accompanying Grace up the walkway to the resort.

  He waited until she was safely inside before he hauled Rafe into a wooded area out of sight of prying eyes.

  Rafe shifted into his human form and sat back on his haunches, shaking off the pinch in his neck.

  Gavin gazed at the constellations, his face relaxed, almost serene.

  The Alpha’s peaceful countenance didn’t fool Rafe. Gavin was angry. Very angry, so Rafe waited for him to speak.

  It wasn’t a long wait.

  Gavin’s icy glare cut right through Rafe. “What the fuck are you doing?”

  “My duty. You appointed me as Grace’s guardian and ordered me to become her friend.”

  “Taking pictures with her while in your wolf form is not what I meant.”

  “She likes taking pictures.” Particularly of him, and them. “You wanted her to trust us. We are wolves. Now she isn’t afraid of wolves.” At least, not of his wolf.

  Gavin growled and Rafe fell silent.

  “I’ve told you the sheriff is looking for reasons to investigate us. Your carelessness isn’t helping. What if someone saw you?”

  “They would’ve thought a lovely woman was playing with her very large dog.” Which was why Rafe had imitated the canine behavior, all the way down to the tail thumping. However, he held back on the tongue lolling. Some things he couldn’t bring himself to do.

  “Have you lost your fucking mind?” Gavin snarled. “You know what it means to show a human your wolf.”

  He did, but Grace had already seen his wolf. There was no harm in her meeting him again.

  “She hasn’t seen me shift.” Yet.

  But on the verge of showing her tonight, Rafe wasn’t sure if he was relieved or irritated by Gavin’s intrusion.

  “Do you intend to claim Grace?”

  “No,” Rafe forced out after a pause. Just because he wasn’t ready for a mateship didn’t mean he didn’t crave Grace’s company.

  “Then stop confusing her. She is using you as an excuse to push away other suitors.”

  “I heard.” Her revelation had filled him with a sense of pride and honor.

  “I asked you to safeguard Grace’s best interests.”

  “I am. Grace doesn’t want a mate.”

  Gavin’s face darkened. “Grace is close to Cassie, and she’ll be close to my granddaughter. Do you understand how big a target Grace is?”

  “I do.” Rafe rose from his squatted position. “Particularly when you are the one holding the bow and arrows.”

  “Step back or step up, Rafe, soon,” Gavin snapped. “I want Grace settled before my granddaughter arrives.”

  Rafe was reluctant to do either.

  It would take a better man than he to tame Grace’s spirit. Maybe not better, but different. Because Rafe didn’t want her tamed, especially if she needed to soar.

  Chapter 26

  “Mmmmm.” Rafe walked into his kitchen and slipped his arm around Grace’s waist while the other skimmed past her toward the cupcakes on the table.

  “Those are for Alex.” She swatted Rafe’s hand a second too late. He’d already swiped his finger through the frosting of the nearest cupcake.

  “He won’t notice if one is missing,” Rafe murmured against her cheek. “Unless you rat me out, and you wouldn’t do that, would you, sweetheart?”

  Rafe finger-painted frosting along the underside of her jaw and beneath her ear, then proceeded to lick her skin clean.

  Grace pressed her back against him, trusting him to support her weight as her legs weakened. No matter where his tongue touched, her entire nervous system short-circuited, causing immediate surrender of her body, which begged for more of the same.

  Rafe reached for a second dip into the frosting. Delicious expectation curled in Grace’s belly like the steam
that had risen from the cupcakes when she’d taken them out of the Walkers’ hot oven.

  He used his free hand to undo the buttons on her blouse to one below her front-hook lace-cup bra. Next, he slathered the colored confection down the valley of her breasts.

  Turning her around, Rafe gazed at her with a wicked gleam. His dilated pupils gobbled all the color to transform his eyes into large black orbs. He looked dark, dangerous and devastating.

  “My, what big eyes you have,” she teased.

  “All the better to see your beauty.” He flashed his pearly whites.

  “And what big teeth you have.” Grace’s gaze lingered on his generous, masculine mouth.

  “All the better to taste you.”

  At least that’s what Grace thought Rafe said. She couldn’t be sure since he’d growled the words.

  He hauled her hips against him. She arched her back so he could lick and suck every fleck of frosting from her skin. He unhooked her bra. His tongue laved a decadent trail down her breastbone before detouring to her breast. When he sucked her nipple into his warm, moist mouth, Grace’s breaths turned to pants. Each swirl across the sensitive bud caused her sex to clench until it throbbed.

  With a wet pop, he pulled away, causing her to whimper. He soothed her with a soft “Shhhh,” before latching on to her other breast, lavishing it with just as much attention as the first.

  Unable to stop herself, she ground against him. No man had ever gotten her all hot and bothered faster than he did.

  “Want to comment on the part of my anatomy that’s growing by the second?” Rafe’s playfulness took her breath away. Never had she seen him so relaxed and spontaneous.

  She inched her fingers down his abdomen. His breaths grew shorter, faster, the farther down she went. His copper lashes fluttered lower and lower, until they closed completely with a groan as she cupped the bulge in his coveralls.

  “My, my,” she rasped in a sexy, sultry, siren voice. “What a big cock you have.”

  “All the better to fu—”

  “Aa-hem!”

  Grace squealed and heat flamed in her checks. Rafe’s eyes widened, then his nose twitched.