Page 22 of Snowbound with the Alpha Wolf
The family didn’t want to leave. Yeah, they’dgotten careless, but they were tired of being on the move, and the trees in the nearby forest needed their energy to overcome a nasty case of fungus. So Danu had sent Darcy to help abate the rumors. The cranky, nosey neighbor was lonely. Loved dogs and his dog had died a few weeksearlier.
She’d joined the family as a big, goofy Golden Retriever that always got loose and ran into the crankyold timer’s yard and into his house. He’d softened like butter, and three months later, the Fae family and the old timer became fastfriends.
She ran away for good after that, leaving the Fae family to pretend mourn, adopt a new dog and coax the old timer into adopting one as well. But wow, those three months living in the heartland of America had been thebest.
Darcy knew her dream.Farmland. Iowa, maybe. Fields of corn, big, tall trees that burst into bloom each spring and shed color in the autumn. Small town, where kids jump rope in the street, there’s still a mom and pop drugstore and the local barber where you go to get a quick haircut. Retirees sitting in chairs in front of shops, kids bike riding to school or to their friend’s homes. Red brick buildings, friendly Labradorsrunning alongside their owners as they go jogging. A two-story house with a wood bannister you can slide down, sun streaming through the living room and a front porch with a built-in swing where you can sip a cool iced tea late afternoon or coffee in themorning.
Purple African violets on the windowsill of the yellow kitchen, a screen door in the back that was always banging shut aftersomeone ran outside to play baseball or grab a cold drink. Tin canisters on the counter, shelving for cookbooks with pages smeared with flour, floral curtains at the window, ivy plants topping the yellowcabinets.
Darcy opened her eyes. She set the dog back on the fireplacemantel.
Adrian ran his thumb down her cheek, evoking a shiver of delight from her. For a wild moment, she envisionedherself living with a Lupine like Adrian. A real home instead of hopping from place to place. Maybe a little job, working as a gardener, cutting back bushes and tending flower beds. Someplace to settle down, with a strong, willful, but good-hearted male to hold close, to make love with every night and wake up to eachmorning.
Never had she felt like thisbefore.
Darcy tired of beingalone, roving from city to city, never having anything to call her own except one small bag usually kept instorage.
Hiding her feelings, she gave a small shrug. “What do dreams matter? I made the choice to accept my life and help Others in need. This is my life, Adrian. I’m never going to settle down. It’simpossible.”
Surely her declaration would push him away. But notAdrian.
“Nothing is impossible. If it’s your heart’s desire, it can be accomplished. Danu could free you from your duties. Simply ask.” The strokes down her cheek increased in tempo. “I’ll helpyou.”
He could not get past the idea that she’d never be his mate. Or anything special to him. It hurt deeply to think she would remain an outsider to everyone else her entire life. And if Adrian knewher roots, he’d never speak to her again. Orworse.
“I don’t mean to seem rude, but I don’t need your help.” Darcy tore away from his grasp, her mouth wobbling. Every bone in her body cried out for his touch. Adrian was pure male strength, a big alpha who could crush cars with his hands. Sex with him would beincredible.
Adrian would no more hurt a woman than he’d kill a puppy. Itwasn’t inhim.
Neither was it in him to be a loner. He headed a pack, carried the responsibility of overseeing more than one hundred lives. Adrian could never understand her need for solitude, to get away from the noise of life and retreat into a forest to listen to the wind rustle the pineboughs.
Night had started to fall outside. Another shiver wracked her and not from the cold.They didn’t know what awaited them tomorrow in the mine. She felt confident of retrieving the snow crystal he sought, but what if Lars had not trulydied?
Adrian rubbed her arms, his grip light against her black-and-white sweater. “You’re cold. Come, let’s eat and get something hot insideyou.”
I could think of something that would warm me from the inside out.Her gaze dropped tohis groin, and she bit her lip. Need tunneled through her, the more biting need of sexual arousal than pure physicalhunger.
As he walked into the kitchen, she remained behind to admire his ass. Adrian had a gorgeous ass, molded and firm. Denim fabric stretched tight against it, squeezing it with every graceful stride. Darcy had an uncontrollable urge to snuggle against him, cup and kneadhis oh-so-fine butt with her hands. Even better naked. Naked in bed, all that male muscle and strength atop her, his powerful thighs nudged between hers, the slick slide of his thick cock intoher…
At the doorway, Adrian paused. Turned. A knowing gleam ignited his gaze. “Getting hot in here, Darcy. Very hot. Especially for the amount of clothing you arewearing.”
She sputtered. “I’mfine.”
“You would feel even better in the bedroom. Under the covers. Withme.”
Surely he could not read minds. But he was an alpha Lupine, and scent was part of his nature. Maybe she should have morphed into another lifeform to hide her growing arousal and attraction tohim.
“Do you likecats?”
Adrian’s nose wrinkled. “No.Why?”
“Maybe I’ll turn into a cat whenyou start annoying me. What’s fordinner?”
He gestured to the stove. “Roast lamb withmint.”
“You’re a good cook. Maybe some time you can rustle me up stir-fried shrimp. Myfavorite.”
“My pleasure.” He bowed hishead.
