Page 6 of The Scent of Seduction

“How much a night?”

“Normal rate is two hundred and five, but since it’s the end"" of the season and you’re pack, I can give it to you for a hundred dollars.”

“I’m not pack,” she said, stepping away from Jaryn.

Landon hung his head for a moment before saying, “I’m sorry, I thought…”

"Landon, there's no need to feel embarrassed. Your instincts are as good as ever. Nicole is new in town and we’re taking this one day at a time. We’re keeping a low profile, so if you wouldn’t mind keeping this under your hat for a while, we’d appreciate it."

“I’m honored, Alpha.” He chose a key from the bins beneath the counter. “Please let me show you the cabin.”

Jaryn took the key from Landon’s hand. “I think I can manage. Thank you.”

Jaryn probably thought she hadn’t seen the wink he gave Landon as they left the office, but instead of being annoyed, Nicole wanted to smile… again. Nicole gazed around at the quaint cabins. A grove of old-growth trees embraced the cabins at the back of the property. There were several picnic tables and a couple of old-fashioned barbeque pits set up in a central grassy area. It was quiet, despite being only a block off Main Street. The air was peaceful, and a light breeze lifted her hair away from her neck.

If this small town operated anything like the ones in stories she’d read, then Jaryn, all but outright confirming she was his mate to that kid, would mean that every town member would know by sundown.

“So which one is mine?” she asked.

Jaryn pointed to the cabin at the back of the property. “Number nine. Why don’t you pull your car around?” He wrapped an arm around Nicole’s waist and placed a soft kiss on her forehead. “I’ll meet you over there.”

Nicole opened her car door and watched as Jaryn strolled around the graveled driveway. Her gaze riveted on his lean hips and tight butt, expertly molded by his well-worn jeans. He hadn’t touched her yet, except for the little kisses on her head, but her blood warmed and her skin tingled in anticipation of their first proper kiss. She’d only known the man for an hour—how was it possible she was already daydreaming of what it would feel like to have his lips against hers, his large firm body pressing her into a wall or soft bed? This kind of reaction was not typical for her. Normally, the men she dated became frustrated long before she was ready to jump into bed. More than a few had called things off before she was ready, calling her a cock tease.

She shook her head as she realized that she’d subconsciously followed Jaryn and was now sitting outside the cabin with the car running. She disengaged the engine and grabbed her overnight bag from the back seat.

“You okay?” Jaryn asked as Nicole slowly walked up to him. “I’m fine. Must be more tired than I thought.”

“Then let’s get you inside. I have several things to do this morning and afternoon, then tonight I’ll take you to dinner. How does six o’clock sound?”

“That’s fine.” Nicole looked at the door to the cabin with longing, eagerly anticipating what she hoped would be a soft mattress and fluffy pillows.

The little log cabin was charming. There was a small patio sheltered by a wooden overhang. A window, cheerfully decorated by a flower box with some small sunflowers, sat to the left of the door. Jaryn inserted the key and pushed open the door. He came to a dead stop a few feet inside and started laughing. Nicole tried to peer around his body to see what was so funny. When she couldn’t see anything, she poked him in the back.

“What is so funny?”

Jaryn stepped aside and guided Nicole into the cabin. “Look around.”

Nicole saw nothing obvious. The interior of the cabin was the same pine paneling as the office. There was a lovely queen-sized bed with an antique white quilt, creamy yellow curtains in the windows, and a small love seat in front of a real wood-burning stove. A small but functional galley-style kitchen sat against the back wall. Nicole wasn’t sure, but it looked as though there wasn’t a single smart appliance anywhere. It was as though she’d stepped back in time and was greeted by a romantic getaway designed thirty years ago.

Not catching the joke, she looked up at Jaryn. “What? It looks nice.”

“It’s the honeymoon suite,” he whispered in Nicole’s ear.

She spun around to scan the room again. Nothing overtly screamed honeymoon. “How do you know?”

“Because this is shabby chic, and all the rest of the cabins have a more distinctive mountain wilderness flair.”

Nicole almost burst out laughing. Hearing those words come out of the big Alpha male’s mouth seemed so out of character, not to mention the way he’d said them with complete confidence. “And you know about interior design how?”

Jaryn leaned against the wall and shoved his hands into his jeans pockets. “Besides being pack Alpha, I'm also an architect. So, I frequently work with interior designers. You learn things,” he said with a shrug.

“Architect? Really? That’s… well, pretty cool, actually.” She took a couple of steps towards Jaryn and let a little giggle escape. “So you’re saying that had Landon given me one of the other cabins, a singing bass would greet me?”

“Not quite, but you would definitely encounter a much more rustic western atmosphere with lots of cast iron and horseshoes.”

She looked up, mesmerized by the smile that transformed Jaryn’s face. His strong features softened and laugh lines appeared at the corners of his silver eyes. “He did this on purpose, didn’t he?”

“Landon?” Jaryn asked. “Probably. He was trying to show you respect as the mate of his Alpha. Plus, the kid’s a softie.”

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