Page 23 of Love That Sass

“Oh no. Poor Pop,” she’d murmured, tears in her voice.

Weylin had heard all he could take without moving into action. In half a second, he was beside her, wrapped his arm around her waist, and miracle of miracles, she’d leaned into him for support. The doctor waited for her to nod, and she did, then he went ahead and explained the test results in more detail.

He was so fucking relieved when she didn’t back up or push him away. In fact, her tiny hand latched onto his as she allowed herself to rest against him. Taking comfort in his body was a gift he never expected, and fuck was it beautiful.

“Thank you, doctor,”she had said when the man had finished his long speech.

Weylin had tried to listen to his words, but being so close to her had filled his senses. After hearing the news about her grandfather’s condition, Gwendolyn had a moment of pure despair that was so heartbreaking all he could do was hold her while she cried.

Seeing her so upset was super hard, but hearing her plead with someone made him want to kill things. Lucky for the doctor, the man had been gentle when explaining their standard of care was to ensure all patients were very comfortable as they transitioned from this stage of life to the next.

Afterward, she sat by her grandfather, read to him. She cared for him and spent some time with the staff as well. Weylin waited in the hall, not wanting to intrude, but he heard everything, and his heart swelled with respect and affection for this intriguing woman.

Strong. Passionate. Loyal woman. Soft heart. Good heart.

They’d stayed a couple of hours, and when she was finished, he’d led the way back to his SUV, allowing the silence to envelop them like a safety blanket in the vehicle. The emotional and physical toll of seeing someone you loved suffer that way was unthinkable to him.

Dire Wolf Shifters lived very long lives, and illness rarely played a part. After a moment, his Gwendolyn with the pretty brown eyes had turned to him and thanked him—him, Weylin Scott, newly reformed playboy who no one takes seriously—for just being there with her. Like that was a hardship.

His heart thudded at the memory, and his Wolf bayed like a wild thing inside him.

“I’m so sorry for what you are going through, Gwendolyn. I know my opinion might not mean anything to you, but I think you’re an incredible person. You care so much, sweetheart. I have never met anyone like you. And, this might not seem like much, but I am here for you if you need a hand, or a shoulder, or an ear, or anything at all.”

He thought for sure he’d blown it. His Wolf was about to chew him a new asshole, but then she smiled through her tears. It was one of those tentative ones, watery, and kind of trembly. But maybe that was why it struck him like lightning.

Precious. Fleeting. Honest. Gift.

It was a moment he would never forget. Even now, he coveted it, cradling the memory to his heart and mind. Burying it deep so no one could ever take it from him.

“Thank you, Weylin. But you’re wrong, it does mean a lot. You don’t seem like the kind of guy who makes promises like that to just anyone, and I am touched, even if maybe I don’t deserve them.”

“What do you mean?”

“Despite what you saw, I’m not especially good or anything. It’s just, he’s my Pop.”

“We can agree to disagree on you being especially good. Now, wanna go grab something to eat with me?”

He’d asked her to get food with him, even held his breath, waiting for her answer. Thank fuck, Gwendolyn had said yes. Driving an hour out of his way to feed her hot dogs from a famous hole in the wall grill that’d been serving the same deep fried dogs for over seventy-five years was fun.

She had scoffed at first, doubting any hot dog was worth the ride, but after her first bite, the girl was hooked. Damn, she was special. He had never had so much fun with a woman. She was even cute when she belched behind her napkin after she had polished off her third hot dog loaded with house-made relish and a tall, cold birch beer.

Gwen had been mortified until he let one rip out his mouth, then she just laughed till she almost fell out of her chair. Afterward, they shared a huge slice of cherry pie, covered in real whipped cream, and then he brought her to the roadhouse to get ready for work.

Fun woman. Sexy, too.

Chapter8

Everything had been going along just fine. Or so he’d thought. But overnight, something had changed. Gwendolyn had started avoiding him in earnest after that day. He felt raw and confused, his Dire Wolf, too.

Weylin hated to admit it, but he was a little bit butt hurt by the whole thing. Fuck, he didn’t know how to do this. What she needed was someone with patience and understanding, but what the Fates stuck her with was him.

Weylin was OG love ‘em and leave ‘em type. He never had a serious relationship, flitting from bed to bed like a bee flying from flower to flower. At least he hadn’t bedded any of their staff.

Oh, he’d had some minor flirtations with one or two waitresses. But that was as far as it went. Even he knew not to shit where he ate.

Then there was the biggest impediment to his pursuing Gwendolyn, and that was the fact she was human. How he was going to get over that obstacle was a mystery to all, him included.

Weylin was a damn monster. These days, he was barely keeping his animal under control. It was way too soon for any normal to understand, but Gwendolyn Hoffer had already burrowed her way into Weylin’s untried heart. Bottom line was he never felt this way about a woman before.

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