Chapter 20 #2
Fortunately, even in tennis shoes I could almost look the jerk in the eyes.
“I don’t know who you really are, but I can tell you this.
We’re not interested in providing you with your fifteen minutes of fame.
I don’t care how many promises you make to Ford or the coach.
They won’t matter. Yeah, I’m that girl, the one refusing to fall into the hype of needing a win at all costs.
He is an incredible talent, someone who deserved a chance in the NHL and damn it, I won’t let anyone stop him from obtaining that chance, including by having some reporter push him to the point he does something stupid.
So why don’t you skedaddle out of here and crawl back into your hole where you belong?
Meanwhile, I’ll continue protecting the people of this town. My way.”
While he was cool as a cucumber, I could tell by his eyes he wasn’t used to anyone challenging him in such an egregious manner. Oh, boy, was I hot under the collar.
Instead of fuming or allowing steam to spew from his ears, he smiled. A huge, bright, perfect teeth kind of smile that meant he was up to something. He lifted his coffee cup, nodding as if in respect.
Bullshit.
“You should consider my suggestion about talking with an agent on his behalf. You’re very astute about this industry. Ford is a very lucky man, Ms. Wallace, to have a good friend like you.”
Why the emphasis on the one word? What had I missed on social media?
“Thank you very much for the coffee and for taking my card. Enjoy your evening.”
As soon as he backed away, I turned around, leaving his card on the counter and stormed into the back. Where I stood to the side, taking gasping breaths and closing my eyes so I could calm my nerves and my anger.
When I darted my head toward the oval window, allowing me to peer into the main dining room, I was thrilled I could breathe a sigh of relief.
The bastard had left.
When I walked out, I noticed he’d left a crisp hundred-dollar bill on the counter beside his card. Oh, the nerve of some men. Still, I snatched it, grabbing the card with the other hand and moving toward the trash can.
The least I could do was ensure Ford didn’t do something stupid.
* * *
One too many margaritas.
Was there such a thing?
At this moment, I would say no. Especially since I was seated across from the hottest man in North Bend. No. That wasn’t right. The hottest morsel of food in the entire state of Washington. Yes, that was much better.
I dragged my tongue across the rim of the margarita glass, indulging in dark fantasies while the salt created a deeper thirst.
Ford munched on a tortilla chip, his eyes never leaving mine. Even the way he dipped the triangular chunk of corn into guacamole was sexy.
Okay, maybe it was possible I was just a teensy bit tipsy, but for the first time in weeks, I was letting myself go.
With a sultry chuckle, I brought the rim to my lips, purposely darting my tongue through the remaining liquid while he watched.
He leaned further over the table, dipping another chip into the delicious green sauce. “You… are very bad. Such a bad girl.”
I raked my fingers down the side of my neck to the cleft between my breasts.
I’d splurged, using the hundred-dollar bill and finding one hell of a dress for only nineteen-ninety-nine.
My choice had allowed me to witness a stunning reaction, the man taking a step back onto the porch when I’d opened the door.
It had been the first time I’d spent more than five minutes on my hair and makeup. I’d wanted to hide behind a costume, pretending I was someone else when I’d wanted to just be me. Ford had allowed me to break free.
Well, for the most part.
“Yes, I am.”
His smirk was more heated while he swirled the chip in the air before lifting a single eyebrow. “Open your mouth, you bad girl.”
“What if I don’t?”
The way he laughed sent vibrations down my back to my legs, swirling into the wildfire building in my core. He sighed, cocking that handsome head. “You don’t want to find out.”
I chomped on the chip, of course breaking it in half, which he caught so quickly, I didn’t see his hand move. But I did watch as he used his seductive tendencies while licking his palm clean of the homemade sauce.
The way his fingers were white knuckled around the bottle of Corona, I could easily tell my sinful actions were getting to him. That had been my intent. Although he’d been doing the same thing all through dinner. Rubbing his leg against mine, at first apologizing while grinning like some kid.
After swallowing, I took another sip of my drink while he polished off his beer. The grin he wore almost as if a badge of honor was more of a powerful draw. And when he eased back against the darkened booth, swinging his arm across the chartreuse seat, my breath hitched.
“I can tell in that pretty head of yours that you have questions.” His voice was decidedly husky, a low yet intense hum tickling all my senses.
“I’m not going to lie that I’m very curious about your life.”
“You mean my wolf’s life.”
“The few times you’ve said anything about being a shifter, you’ve acted as if your wolf is an entirely different entity. You are one and the same.”
Ford took a deep breath, finally lifting his bottle as the waiter came by. When he motioned to see if I wanted another one, I finally put my foot down, covering my glass with my hand. “In a way he is a different creature altogether. He rules a much more private place in my life.”
“Because humans can’t handle the alternative side of you.”
His dimples were even more evident with every grin. “Something like that. Imagine if I decided to shift right here in front of all these people, most of which are fully human by the way. What do you think their reactions would be?”
“You’re Ford Kendrick, the hot, hunky hero of the town. They’d take pictures and spread them far and wide on the internet; every unattached female and even some with longtime husbands will dare say they’ve had carnal relations.”
“You make it sound completely unappealing.”
“I’m glad to hear that.”
“Would the doctor in training be jealous?”
I rolled my eyes. “Ha. I’ll never be able to afford medical school, but maybe. A teensy tiny little bit, but don’t let it go to your head.”
“I think you have me confused with someone important. These good people would run away in terror, hiding under their beds. Besides, I’m not a big deal here in town.
You need to remember, I grew up here. Anyone over forty knows me as the mischievous kid, the one who played pranks and encouraged their kids to get into trouble. Which we did a lot.”
“So you were the resident bad boy?” I leaned as far as possible across the table, repeating the action of grabbing a chip and digging half into the guacamole.
Only I selected the largest chip and slathered the piece with a heaping mound of sauce.
And being the brat he’d accused me of being, I smashed the chip into his face, smearing the dip.
His eyes registered shock, but that look swiftly drifted into plotting and planning. He was as easy to read as a book. One hot alpha romance book. He took his time munching on the chip while my thoughts drifted to whether I should tell him about the guy who’d stopped by the Velvet Roast.
Honestly, I preferred taking the time to confirm my suspicions before sharing that he was being stalked.
We were in the process of mending a fence that I continued to be unsure how to deal with.
Not about him being a shifter or even about the craziness that I was his mate, although that could give anyone nightmares.
About whether we could keep doing this and if so, for how long?
He rolled his tongue around his lips, catching the creamy goo. Being able to read his emotions must be a gift. Maybe at some point I’d consider it a curse, but I did so enjoy being able to unsettle him.
Without thinking, I rolled my finger across his face. “You missed a spot.”
The man was quick with his actions, snapping his fingers around my wrist and pulling my hand to his mouth. Was there anything this man could do I’d not consider sensual? He was forceful with his movements, dragging me halfway across the table while taking his time sucking in my fingers.
The look in his eyes changed, drifting into something much hungrier than before. Of course he was doing so on purpose.
“That’s not going to work,” I mused. When he sucked even harder as his tongue danced back and forth, his teeth biting down, I squirmed in my seat.
Which was exactly what he wanted.
Another lacy thong soaked.
“What isn’t?” A slight but effective growl filtered into my ear while he ensured removing my finger made a popping sound.
“That. You can’t seduce me.”
“Wanna bet?”
In truth, hell, yes. “Back to the conversation. A bad boy in the making, huh?”
“I was, which is another reason humans don’t want to see the wolf in me.”
“I bet some do.” Why was it that he couldn’t be taken anywhere? Two girls had been ogling him from a separate table. They appeared like twins out to dinner with who I hoped was their father and not their sugar daddy.
When the big burly man left the table, the girls slipped from the booth, both with phones in their hands.
“Let’s test my theory out,” I cooed as they approached.
“What theory?” He seemed genuinely surprised until the girls were only a foot away from the table. As I’d seen so many times before, he plastered on his ‘Wolfman’ personality, complete with an infectious, almost ‘aw-shucks’ grin.
The girls were bubbling over by the time they made it to the table. As suspected, I was completely ignored as they gushed all over my dinner companion.
“Oh, Wolfman,” the first girl drawled in a sickeningly sweet southern voice that was so fake I should bottle and sell it. “Would it be alright if we took a picture with the three of us?”
To Ford’s credit, he glanced in my direction to see if I would mind. I simply folded my arms, to which he grinned.
“Why, of course, ladies. Do you like hockey?”