her?”
Warning signs flashed through her at his gentle question. “Yes, I just—I didn’t like her. She was in my space, and she shouldn’t have been.” Before he could ask her to explain, she added, “We stared at each other. She knew I was there when she waltzed in with her cloud of perfume. No wolf wears that much product unless they are trying to douse their bad decisions.”
“You picked up her other scent markers despite the perfume?” Instead of doubt, all she heard in his tone was an air of being impressed.
“Yes. The fresh air outside helped, too.” Now, for her shame. “She aggravated me. She didn’t like that I recognized her, nor did she like that I followed her. The speed at which she vanished tells me she’s an expert in making herself scarce. By itself, not a bad skill to have, but when you couple it with the perfume, the other scent markers and the fact that she showed up in an antique book shop in Coral Cove when I was there at the same time? It pissed me off and I was all but snarling in the street when I ran into Jake again.” So, the last she gave with moderate edits.
“You have good instincts, Mimi. I’m heading to Coral Cove to check it out now. Keep Jake with you for now. Don’t engage any wolves you don’t know. It could be a new Lone Wolf or a random stray from Three Rivers…” Or one of the Russians they’d all been warned about. She didn’t need Mitch to remind her to be cautious. “Good call, baby girl. Good call.”
“Thanks, Mitch. I’ll text Mason when I get home.”
“Okay, I’ll be in the area, and I’ll call you with anything I think you need to know.” It was the closest he would come to promising her some kind of outcome to her worries.
“I appreciate it…should I make sure Jake stays the night at the cottage?” The idea didn’t upset her as much as it should.
“He sleeps in his van, so not a bad idea at all. Let him have the hammock on your deck.” Laughter crept into his tone. “Trust me, he’ll love it, and you don’t have to listen to him snore.”
“Noted.” The call disconnected as she pulled into the shady little driveway and under the carport. It wasn’t a garage as she knew them from home, but then Monterrey didn’t get epic fucktons of snow, either.
The van rumbled to a stop behind her, neatly boxing her coop in for a moment. Jake backed it up a few feet and moved over enough to park, leaving her plenty of room to slide her tiny vehicle out. Lips curved in appreciation, she grabbed her cooking duffel and shopping bags from the backseat while he climbed out of his van.
For a moment, he stood in silence, simply surveying the cottage all tucked into the natural foliage. The people who’d owned the house before the pack arranged to purchase it for her had apparently had a love affair with landscaping. Between all the plants, with their thick, wide green leaves and the tall palm trees, it was the perfect oasis.
“You can barely see there’s a house here.” Jake commented, his gaze sweeping over all of it. From his board shorts to his t-shirt and long blond, hair, Jake was the image of a beach bum. Hell, he even had on flip flops. Disheveled appearance aside, however, he served the role of attractive wolf damn well.
“I know, it’s one of my favorite parts about the place.” She curled her fingers in invitation. “Follow me.”
He slammed the door on the van, and she could practically feel the heat of him at her back as she led him around the house. She bypassed the front door to head along a garden stone pathway to the deck on the back of the house. It overlooked the ocean. Three steps up, and they were out of the foliage and into the beautiful sunshine on the wooden deck.
A low whistle breezed from his lips as he took in the two-story deck with the wraparound bannister. The varnished cedar had been colored red, and it was warm under foot after being in the sun. Built into the deck was a wraparound bench, a sunken
Warning signs flashed through her at his gentle question. “Yes, I just—I didn’t like her. She was in my space, and she shouldn’t have been.” Before he could ask her to explain, she added, “We stared at each other. She knew I was there when she waltzed in with her cloud of perfume. No wolf wears that much product unless they are trying to douse their bad decisions.”
“You picked up her other scent markers despite the perfume?” Instead of doubt, all she heard in his tone was an air of being impressed.
“Yes. The fresh air outside helped, too.” Now, for her shame. “She aggravated me. She didn’t like that I recognized her, nor did she like that I followed her. The speed at which she vanished tells me she’s an expert in making herself scarce. By itself, not a bad skill to have, but when you couple it with the perfume, the other scent markers and the fact that she showed up in an antique book shop in Coral Cove when I was there at the same time? It pissed me off and I was all but snarling in the street when I ran into Jake again.” So, the last she gave with moderate edits.
“You have good instincts, Mimi. I’m heading to Coral Cove to check it out now. Keep Jake with you for now. Don’t engage any wolves you don’t know. It could be a new Lone Wolf or a random stray from Three Rivers…” Or one of the Russians they’d all been warned about. She didn’t need Mitch to remind her to be cautious. “Good call, baby girl. Good call.”
“Thanks, Mitch. I’ll text Mason when I get home.”
“Okay, I’ll be in the area, and I’ll call you with anything I think you need to know.” It was the closest he would come to promising her some kind of outcome to her worries.
“I appreciate it…should I make sure Jake stays the night at the cottage?” The idea didn’t upset her as much as it should.
“He sleeps in his van, so not a bad idea at all. Let him have the hammock on your deck.” Laughter crept into his tone. “Trust me, he’ll love it, and you don’t have to listen to him snore.”
“Noted.” The call disconnected as she pulled into the shady little driveway and under the carport. It wasn’t a garage as she knew them from home, but then Monterrey didn’t get epic fucktons of snow, either.
The van rumbled to a stop behind her, neatly boxing her coop in for a moment. Jake backed it up a few feet and moved over enough to park, leaving her plenty of room to slide her tiny vehicle out. Lips curved in appreciation, she grabbed her cooking duffel and shopping bags from the backseat while he climbed out of his van.
For a moment, he stood in silence, simply surveying the cottage all tucked into the natural foliage. The people who’d owned the house before the pack arranged to purchase it for her had apparently had a love affair with landscaping. Between all the plants, with their thick, wide green leaves and the tall palm trees, it was the perfect oasis.
“You can barely see there’s a house here.” Jake commented, his gaze sweeping over all of it. From his board shorts to his t-shirt and long blond, hair, Jake was the image of a beach bum. Hell, he even had on flip flops. Disheveled appearance aside, however, he served the role of attractive wolf damn well.
“I know, it’s one of my favorite parts about the place.” She curled her fingers in invitation. “Follow me.”
He slammed the door on the van, and she could practically feel the heat of him at her back as she led him around the house. She bypassed the front door to head along a garden stone pathway to the deck on the back of the house. It overlooked the ocean. Three steps up, and they were out of the foliage and into the beautiful sunshine on the wooden deck.
A low whistle breezed from his lips as he took in the two-story deck with the wraparound bannister. The varnished cedar had been colored red, and it was warm under foot after being in the sun. Built into the deck was a wraparound bench, a sunken
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