Page 15 of Wine, Whiskey, & Lipstick 2

He was putting on his other boot. “Mmm . . .”

Dillyn inched a little closer to him while glancing around. “D-d did you hear that?”

Ben sometimes forgot that Dillyn was a city girl. He chuckled, “What specifically? There are all kinds of critters out here this time of night.”

She turned toward the direction from where she thought she’d heard the noise. Given the darkness, it was difficult to see anything further than a couple of feet away from the fire. “Nuh-uh. What I heard didn’t sound like critters. More like footsteps. The humankind.”

Ben turned and followed her line of sight. He had asked security to stay far enough away not to intrude but close enough. He wondered if one of them had gotten a little too close. He stared hard into the woodsy brush. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust. Then, he saw it.

“Be still.”

Dillyn stopped breathing. She was scared shitless and wouldn’t have been able to move even if she tried.

Ben moved quietly as he inched to Whisper to retrieve his rifle from its scabbard.

Dillyn whisper-yelled, “What do you see?! What is it?”

Rifle in hand, Ben quietly came to stand beside her, then subtly moved Dillyn behind him. He put a finger up to his lips, “Shh.”

Dillyn’s heart was now thundering inside her chest, threatening to explode. She jumped at a howl, or rather more like a yipping noise.

Ben whispered, “It’s a coyote.” As soon as he spoke, it walked out into the clearing with several others. Their eyes glowed yellow like little monsters.

Dillyn was going to DIE right where she stood.

There was an intense stare-down between Ben and the main coyote. The alpha-to-alpha standoff went on for what felt like hours but was more like seconds until the pack leader seemed to decide they weren’t worth the effort. Eventually, he turned and walked away, taking his friends with him. After a few more moments, Ben joked, “Think they got a full-on show?”

Dillyn hadn’t yet found the humor in being stalked by a pack of coyotes, “Are we safe? Think they’ll come back?”

Ben pulled her into the crook of his arm. “You’re always safe with me.”

The sincerity in his eyes made Dillyn relax . .. a little. She released a small sigh, “I’m going to hold you to that because it’s not hard to imagine being eaten alive by those things. Glad they're gone.”

“Me too,” He chuckled.

Dillynstillcouldn’t find the humor, and it bothered her. “Lately, I’ve been so jumpy.” Obviously, not when they were making love. Her thoughts returned to hearing her father’s phantom voice at Franks and now feeling like someone had been watching them.

“S’pose it’s kinda normal. We’ve been through a lot the past few months, and remember, you’re also still getting used to living in the country. It hasn’t been long since you traded-in your red-bottoms for cowgirl boots.”

“When did I do that?” Dillyn asked, “I might have traded in city life for the country, but I’ll never give up my red bottoms.”

“Speaking of . . .” Ben had put off the inevitable long enough and figured now was a good a time as any to bring it up. “I went to town earlier today to pick-up a few things and um . . .”

Dillyn waited impatiently for him to finish his thought before gently prodding, “Yeah?”

“I think it’s time we tell our friends and family that you’re pregnant.”

Frustrated, Dillyn rolled her head around her neck. “Didn’t we agree to wait a little while longer just last night?”Please don’t ruin our amazing evening sans the potential attack of the coyotes. She wasn’t ready to tell Cat and Palmer.

“We did, but we might have a problem.”

Her head snapped up, “What?”

He rubbed the back of his neck, “You know Tony Myers?”

His name sounded familiar, but she was having trouble recalling his face.

Ben prompted, “The mechanic at Zone Auto.”

---