Page 22 of A Wolf's Wound
“No need to thank me,” Gavin says, his voice tight.“Your stepfather insisted I stop by.Apparently, you haven’t been returning his phone calls,” he adds.
Now it’s my turn to blush.Of course, Dad engineered this.Of course, he’d overreact to me taking more than twenty-four hours to return a call!
“Well, you can tell him you did your duty and that I’m just fine,” I say in a voice just as terse as Gavin’s.“Thanks.”
Gavin nods, a hint of amusement in his eyes.He turns to Lori but I don’t hear their conversation, because suddenly Ryder’s by my side.
“I’m sorry I’ve been out of touch,” he says quietly.
“It’s fine,” I say, aware that I still sound brusque.
“No, really,” he insists.“I feel bad about it.But—well, you saw those animals.”
“I’ve been busy too,” I remind him.
“There’s just so much going on,” he adds and then stops and glances at Gavin.
Gavin’s broken off his conversation and is looking at the two of us.“I should get going,” he says.“Ryder, I’ll see you later?”
“Of course.”
“Walk me out?”he asks his mom, who pops up from her chair.
I turn my attention to Ryder and feel my resolve start to weaken a little.His hair, tousled and dark, looks like he’s been running his hands through it all day.And the look in his eyes, like he’s been wandering around lost and just found his way home.
I feel heat radiate out from my core but I can’t look away.I feel a dull pulse between my legs, intense and insistent.Cravinghistouch and no one else’s.
“Hannah,” Ryder begins, stepping closer to me.
“Ryder,” I start, moving toward him at the same time.
His lips are firm and a little rough, but not in a bad way.They taste like the outdoors, like freshly cut wood and campfire.He parts my lips with his tongue and plunges it into my mouth.I moan and instinctively touch his tongue with mine.
I wrap my arms around Ryder’s neck.His hair is softer than I would have guessed and thick between my fingers.One of his legs nudges between mine and I move closer, my hands sliding down his broad, muscled back.
“Hannah!”I jerk away from Ryder as if I’ve been bitten.Behind him I see April and Shadow.They’re both staring at us—Shadow in amusement, April in disgust and betrayal.
“What are you doing?”my friend cries.
“I’m sorry,” I gasp, pushing Ryder away.“April, I didn’t mean for that to happen.”
“You didn’t?”Ryder asks, sounding hurt.
“No!I don’t even like you!”I cry.
“Stop lying to yourself,” Ryder says in a low voice.I don’t think April heard him, but his words cut me to the core.He turns and leaves, slamming the door behind him.
“April, I’m so sorry,” I apologize again.“He just—I don’t know what happened.”
“Um, you were fuckingmaking out with him!”she yells.“It’s not that difficult to figure out, Hannah!”
“I know, but I didn’t mean to!I didn’t even want to!”
“Really,” she says, her voice thick with sarcasm and tears.“Funny, because I didn’t see anyone holding a gun to your head.What is it with you and this guy?”
“I don’t know,” I admit miserably.
“Stonehaven actually does have more single guys in it than just Ryder Stone!Couldn’t you go and kiss one of those guys?”
