Chapter 21
Ford
“Where are we going?”
Georgia’s question was accompanied with her leaning forward in her seat. “What if I told you I was kidnapping you?”
“Then I’d say the kidnapper couldn’t handle the victim. Didn’t I spend enough time telling you what I’m capable of?”
Of that I had no doubt.
“Now, what makes you say that?” I adored pushing her buttons more than I should.
“Because women are more powerful. I will escape. And don’t try and ignore the question.”
“I’m the driver.”
“Hmmm.”
Her sudden silence had me instantly on edge. I could smell her wheels turning. Did she know how crazy she’d driven me the entire time through dinner? With the gorgeous dress hugging every voluptuous curve and her soft near breathless sounds as she laughed.
And there was her full attention even when I was rattling off something about hockey because the woman made me nervous.
Still.
After all the bantering and irritation. After the determination to keep her at arm’s length. And even after we’d experienced the most incredible sex of my life, the woman had a way of driving under my skin leaving me aching all over.
A series of sensations was a clear indication my wolf had bypassed being hungry. He was now hangry.
As well as highly impatient.
“To my house.”
“Why?” she shot back.
“You’re full of questions.”
“I am, which you don’t seem inclined to answer, but I will get them out of you.”
With a deadpan seriousness, I glanced at her just before we pulled away from the last of the town’s city lights. “I can’t wait to see what you attempt. We’re going to my house. Just for now. I thought you’d like to see where I lived so you could openly criticize all my decorating choices.”
She wasn’t buying what I was selling, mostly because I sucked at being a liar.
The truth was, since we’d been seen together out in public and not in a competitive setting, if I was right about Bubba and his female crew, she could be in danger.
I’d dropped off the shell casing to my father instead of the police.
This was pack business and if someone had been trespassing on our property, the cameras would pick it up.
What bothered me was that whoever had ventured onto the property had known to avoid the trip wires.
We had a few surrounding the property, mostly to announce any wild animals that might have ventured on the property, but after shifters had been brought to the public’s attention, we’d reinforced every manner of security.
In the morning I’d made a few calls, also trying to figure out Bubba’s real identity.
I rubbed my finger across my bottom lip. Plus, I wanted her writhing underneath me while screaming my name in my own king-sized bed.
“I guess we’re making another deal. I will go to your place if you promise to answer all my questions.”
How clever of her. “Alright. I can do that. Just go easy on me. I’m an injured man.”
“Ha. Nice try, buddy.”
The truth was that just by being around her, the ache in my ribcage had lessened to a dull throb. God, I hated when my father was right.
“Then fire away.”
“Be careful what you ask for.”
“I’m so scared.”
She dared take the bull by the horns, squeezing my thigh. Was she trying to cause a wreck?
“How can you tell the difference in humans and shifters?” Georgia asked after we’d only been in the truck for a couple of minutes. “There must be a chemistry to your ability.”
I glanced into the rearview mirror while I thought about an answer that wouldn’t bring a barrage of additional questions.
“Chemistry is an excellent word to use. Humans have a different scent.”
“Oh, we do, huh?”
“Yes, you do. And I’m not talking about that incredible vanilla and jasmine perfume you wear.”
“You know my perfume.”
Before I made a turn, I checked both side mirrors, concerned that Bubba and his pretenders were following us.
While they’d left twenty minutes before, I’d still been able to gather their stench in the parking lot.
I’d noticed the man had gone outside to make a phone call, even though I’d pretended I hadn’t been paying any attention.
He’d left the building to prevent me from overhearing him.
If I had to guess, I’d say he’d been a lookout, sharing my presence with someone. I’d need to be very careful.
“Absolutely. A touch of tangerine and a hint of hibiscus. A very seductive fragrance.”
“How can I tell a shifter from a human?” she pressed.
With her growing more curious, and her questions becoming more pointed, it was only a matter of time until we cracked open the elephant in the room. “By our extraordinary abilities, but only if we allow them to be seen.”
“Such as running faster, jumping higher, keen eyesight and hearing.”
“You’ve been reading up on shifters.”
“A little bit.” The heat of her gaze was nothing I could ignore. Neither was the intense desire that had nearly crippled me all through dinner.
“Are you afraid of us?”
“Why should I be? Because other humans are? People are often afraid of what they don’t understand.”
“You mean like Bubba? He doesn’t like me because I can get all furry?” I was merely trying to lighten the mood.
The sounds she made when disgusted were adorable. “Hardly, big boy. Bubba can’t stand you because you’re ten times the man he is and those women knew it. They’d much rather ride your… stick than his.”
“Wait a minute. I thought he was their father.”
Her laugh filled the cab. “You have a lot to learn. And here I thought you were a bit kinky.”
I shifted in my seat while squeezing the steering wheel.
The man was a hunter. I’d bet all I had I was right.
From the time I was a small child, I’d been taught to recognize full-blooded humans.
Not to fear or be angered by them, but to remind me I needed to be on my best behavior in not giving away who and what I was.
At least by growing up in a town that had always known there was something different about a core group of people, I’d had more freedom to enjoy my heritage without fear of persecution.
Over the past couple of years, I’d honed my skills at being able to identify those who meant harm instead of being curious. The man was using the women as pawns to track down shifters.
My reaction brought her amusement.
“You’re worried about Bubba. Aren’t you? You think he’s some hunter.”
“I think there is a good chance he’s in town with an ulterior motive. But my father will know how to take care of the situation.”
“What does that mean?”
Exhaling, I gripped the steering wheel even harder. The longer she lived here, the more she’d understand about what we were dealing with so she might as well learn the truths up front. “We have pack meetings.”
“Pack meetings.”
“Yes,” I said, half laughing. “As in wolves are from different packs just like you’ve read in books and seen on television. The ones in the area have gotten together for meetings as long as I’ve been alive. My father is pretty much the man in charge.”
“Politics in packs.” The smile on her face was far too adorable.
“Something very much like local politics. But don’t worry. Up to this point, we haven’t thought about running for any human offices. Not that we’d be allowed. But we’ll see in the future.”
“These hunters need to be caught.”
“Even if Bubba realized there’s a huge wolf presence in town, I wouldn’t be too worried.” While I didn’t want her to feel too much anxiety, I certainly did. “But don’t worry. I will protect you. I’m the man in charge.”
Georgia shifted in her seat. “The man in charge, huh?”
Was she laughing at me? She was, the little brat.
“What’s so funny?” I glanced over, the darkness accentuating her beauty. She carried a luminous glow tonight, so beautiful I could easily become mesmerized.
“You’re so prim and proper at times.”
She could have me laughing more easily than anyone I’d ever been with. And was still capable of driving me crazy. “Prim and proper?”
“Yep. You heard me say it.”
“I’ll have you know I’m a wild man.”
“No, you’re the Wolfman. Remember? There is a distinct difference.”
“Ha. Are you still high on margaritas?”
“Maybe a little bit. That brings me to another question. How is it that alcohol doesn’t affect you whatsoever?”
“I have a high metabolism.”
“So you really do think you’re invincible.”
As I turned down the street toward where I lived, I wished for a snappy comeback. The woman could still make me nervous. “I do.”
“Then you won’t mind playing a little game.”
“A game?”
“Yep.” She chose to pop the p as if making a point without telling me what she had in mind.
“What are you up to?”
“Just something from a dream I’ve been having.”
When I’d heard about her dreams, I’d been more than curious. I also understood what Samantha had been trying to tell me. True mates began to become closer first through dreams. “Let me guess. You’re not going to share.”
As soon as I pulled close to the house, she removed her seatbelt, staring out the windshield. “I tell you what. If you’re game, I’ll show you.”
“Now I’m going to answer with hmm. What do you have cooked up inside that brain of yours?”
“Well,” she said with quiet resolve while opening her door. “I’m curious about your wolf. So I figure the best way to learn more is in the wild.”
Georgia didn’t wait for me to answer, stepping outside and backing away from the truck. Given I’d left an outside light on just in case the date had gone well and I brought her back to my house, the warm LED provided a golden halo surrounding her. She was baiting me, beckoning with a single finger.
After cutting the engine, I stepped out, taking my time to push her buttons as she was doing to mine. As I rounded the corner, moving in front of the truck, she sidestepped me, edging closer to the forest.
“What are you doing?”
She threw her arms out, lifting her head toward the sky. “The rain has stopped. It’s a nice night.”
“A nice night for what exactly?”
“Mmm… Perhaps a little chase through the woods.”
“What did you say?”
“You heard me. Are you up for it? Wolfman?”
Was she freaking kidding me? “You want me to chase you in these woods.”