Treyton picks me up at Grandpa’s the next morning and suggests going to breakfast.
At breakfast, I’m reintroduced to everyone in the diner. I shake everyone’s hand and get the usual “welcome back.” Everyone seems friendly enough, but it’s the looks, the smiles, and the stares.
After breakfast, strolling around the town’s neighborhoods and shops, I get the same creepy stares. And the same question is asked over and over: am I staying for good? Because the town needs someone like me.”
What does that mean? How could I possibly be good for a town like this? I’m a lawyer, yes, but really, is this place so full of criminal activity that it’s in dire need of my legal services? I did grow up here, and I remember it as a safe town.
I shake so many hands, I believe I now have carpal tunnel syndrome. I could chalk it up to everyone being friendly, but my legal training has taught me otherwise. If it looks like a skunk and smells like a skunk, then, more than likely, it’s a skunk.
Meanwhile, being so close to Treyton is half nerve-wracking, half calming, and it makes no damn sense to me. It’s like I’ve known him my whole life, but part of me is nervous because it feels as if there are expectations I know nothing about. And I need people to quit looking at me like they know something I don’t, and just tell me what the hell is on their minds.
The only thing I truly enjoy is Treyton’s hand on my lower back; it’s been there all day long. Every time we move to another location or meet someone else, that hand is warm and tingly on me. It makes me want to lean in further into his palm and breathe in his smell of citrus and pine, smells I wouldn’t think would work together, but on Treyton, causes me to go weak in the knees.
After a few hours, we circle back to the diner where we had breakfast this morning, and Treyton opens the passenger-side door of his truck for me. I hop in, and he tells me he will be back; it will only take just a minute as he needs to grab something for the trip. Okay, what trip? It doesn’t take long before he comes back out with a large basket and puts it in the back seat, then climbs in.
“You ready?”
“Please tell me there aren’t any more hands to shake.”
He laughs, and that deep vibrato makes my skin tingle.
“We are done for now. You may later see someone we may have missed, but that was pretty much everyone.”
“Okay, so where we going?”
“It’s a surprise.”
I raise an eyebrow at this man.
“I’m not a fan of surprises, Treyton.”
He closes his eyes and laughs.
“I like hearing you say my name. You’ll like this surprise. Learn to live a little, Bexley. Enjoy life as it comes at you. Quit thinking so much.”
Holy hell…if I did that, I’d enjoy more than saying his name.
“Okay, let’s go.”
About twenty minutes later, we arrive at a place that seems to be nothing but a huge expanse of trees. Great, this is where he kills me, cuts me up into little pieces, and throws them in the basket. Here I am, drooling over a hot serial killer. Way to go, Bexley.
“Come on. It’s not far to walk.”
“Is this where you kill me?”
He laughs out loud and almost drops the basket.
“Kill you? I probably could, but not the way you’re thinking.”
What? What the hell did that mean?
“Watch your step. There are a lot of branches and roots you could trip over. I can’t have you getting hurt.”
“Protective of me, are you?”
“You have no idea.”
What the hell? Why does everyone speak in riddles around here? I’ve about had it. We walk a short distance through the trees until they start to thin out. I hear what sounds like water, and I’m right. As soon as we reach an opening in the trees, I see the most beautiful pond with a small waterfall pouring over the cliff above. It looks like it’s steaming.
“Oh, my God! Is this a hot spring?”
“Yep.”
“It’s so beautiful.”
“Yeah, I know.”
He continues to stare until he realizes what he’s doing and clears his throat.
“Let me lay a blanket down so we can sit. I also brought lunch.”
He spreads the blanket down on the edge of the pond, along the grassy area, and takes out our lunch of sandwiches, chips, pie, and lemonade.
“I thought after going through town and having so many people all up in your face, you would enjoy a little peace.”
“It’s perfect, Treyton.”
I swear I hear him growl. I glance at him and his eyes are closed.
“Are you okay?”
“Hmm? Yeah. It just does something to me when I hear you say my name.”
“Really?”
He turns those crystal green eyes in my direction.
“Yeah, really.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I see something white and furry. Is that a wild animal? I’m a city girl. I don’t know how to handle this. I jump and nearly end up in Treyton’s lap.
“Holy crap, what was that?”
He wraps his hands around my hips as he checks over my shoulder. He lightly laughs and the deep gravelly sound makes my insides turn to slush. He pulls back slightly, and I’m almost sure I hear him sniff my neck. But before I can give it much thought, he says in that deep baritone voice I’ve already grown to recognize, “It was just a bunny rabbit.”
Yep, I’m a goner. I feel the tip of his nose as it slides up the column of my neck, inhaling my scent. He lifts his hand to cup my cheek, and now it’s my turn to close my eyes. I don’t understand the sparks that happen every time we touch, but I’m starting to like it.
“Can I kiss you, Bexley?”
Oh, God, yes.
I open my eyes. For some reason, my voice completely leaves me. I can’t say anything, so I just nod. He slowly lowers his face to mine and I can feel his warm breath on my skin. He rubs his nose on mine before he lightly brushes his lips across mine. He pulls back slightly, and I open my eyes to see him staring at me. We don’t say a word before he slams his lips back to mine and—oh, my heavens, the sparks are electric. He licks my bottom lip for entrance, and I open without hesitation.
As soon as I feel his tongue, the sparks slide throughout my body, and I can’t help but moan into his mouth. I feel his hand on the back of my neck, tangled up in my hair. His other hand is now sliding down my back, pulling me closer. My hands have somehow grabbed ahold of his shirt to either hang on for dear life or pull him as close as possible. Which one, I’m not sure.
We break apart so we can catch a breath, and then he leans his forehead against mine.
“Dammit, Bexley.”
“Yeah.”
Suddenly, he tenses and turns his head. I follow his gaze to the top of the waterfall, and standing there is what looks like a huge wolf. It has a reddish coat—its dark eyes appear to be watching us.
I freeze against Treyton and gasp. Fear rips through my body faster than Test Track at Disney World. I’d thought a bunny rabbit was bad, now I’m looking at something that could eat me alive for a snack. Even from this distance, I can see drool drip from those sharp teeth. I’m definitely not in the city anymore. And I’m starting to think maybe coming here was a mistake.
“Bexley, I need you to head back to the truck.”
“Umm, do you think it will hurt us?”
“He sure isn’t friendly. Now, please do as I say. I need you safe.”
“What about you?”
“I’m going to, um, scare it off. Go, Bexley. Here are my keys. Lock the doors.”
I run through the woods back to the truck without a second thought. Luckily it isn’t that far, but I trip and fall over a log and cut open my knee. Not caring how bad the cut is, I make it to the truck, get inside, and lock the doors.
The silence and safety of the cab makes me feel guilty. What about Treyton? Maybe I need to go back, after all. I mean, what if he gets hurt? There’s no way he can confront that huge wolf by himself. I have to make sure he’s okay; my fear is now for a totally different reason. It’s now for the safety of the man I left behind.
A knock on the window makes me jump sky high. I unlock the door for Treyton and he climbs in.
“What happened to your knee?”
“I fell running back to the truck and I was looking for napkins or tissues.”
“Here. There’s some in the basket.”
I realize he’s cleaned up our picnic and brought it back with him. As he’s blotting my knee to get the blood to stop, I speak.
“Treyton?”
“Yeah?”
“Who’s Alpha Creed?”
He stills.
“Is that your nickname?”
He doesn’t respond. I keep talking through my laughter.
