Page 4 of The Wolf Guard's Mate

“Given she’s mated to my brother, there’s no appropriate answer to that question.”

“That’s actually fair, Honey.”

His nostrils flared. “Honey?”

“Your eyes.” I gestured toward them. “And your name is Hunter, so it actually works. Anyway, whether or not you’re attracted to me hardly matters, unless you’re offering to break my cancer-driven abstinence streak yourself. And since you’re not, I’d really appreciate it if you’d stop scaring away the candidates.”

“You have a fixation with putting words in my mouth,Oli Pop.”

“You’re not offering to break my streak… are you?”

“Olive,” the cook called from behind the bar.

I glanced over my shoulder and saw him talking to a group of customers. They had all ordered mixed drinks earlier, so they probably wanted refills. Which the cook wouldn’t know how to make.

“Pause the conversation. I’ll be back.”

I opened his laptop screen as I slipped out of the booth and crossed the bar. The group at the counter looked over at me, so I put a little sway into my step. Looking good always led to more tips.

“Sorry,” I apologized, putting a smile on my face as I took my place back behind the bar. The cook disappeared, and I took over again.

When they walked away with their drinks, I checked for anyone who was eyeing the bar again before knocking on the kitchen door and going back to the booth.

“Alright, unpause,” I said as I lowered Hunter’s laptop screen again.

His eyes were dark when they met mine. “I’ll do it.”

“You’ll do what?”

“Break your streak.”

Oh.

Oh.

I’d been lusting after the man since I got to town, so if he was offering, I definitely wasn’t going to turn him down.

My eyebrows lifted. “Are you sure? It could make things weird between us at holidays and stuff.”

“It would just be sex, right? No strings attached?” he asked.

“Obviously. I don’t want a mate.”

“Neither do I.”

“Just one night, then,” I said.

“One night,” he agreed.

“Deal. Book us a hotel room—we’re not screwing in the Lodge or in my cabin.”

“Agreed. I’ll drive us when your shift ends.”

I hesitated, just for a moment. I wanted him, but the situation was slightly more complicated than a normal one-night stand.

“This isn’t a weird thing that has something to do with lingering feelings for my sister, right?” I asked.

“No. Feelings that never existed can’t linger.”

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