Chapter 18 #2
“Like what?”
He shrugged his shoulders. From what I’d been taught as a child, mating with a human was impossible.
Dating? Marriage? Even having kids? Sure, that happened every day, but true mating, the kind where the male enjoyed the rut as much as the chase, could only occur when two Canis lupus were coupled.
I couldn’t envision that the prim and proper likes of the little librarian with the penchant for destroying arrogance could tolerate that kind of sex.
I grinned from the thought as nasty visions floated through my mind. Just envisioning her wallowing in the mud on a rainy day spun my libido out of control, my cock aching like a son of a bitch.
His deep breath was followed by a scratch of his stubbled jaw. “Well, I hadn’t thought that far ahead, but there are various scientific reasons dating back to the Stone Age.”
I gave him a dour look. “Really? That’s the best you can come up with?”
“Very true. I could tell you stories about your great-grandfather and some very unconventional mating habits.”
I threw my hand out. “Not tonight, Pops. I still have a small crisis on my hands.”
“Like setting a date.”
“No!” The smug look on his face was infuriating. “Like figuring out how the two of us are going to live together for the next few weeks without killing each other.”
“Aww. Opposites attract. Enemies to lovers. Grumpy/sunshine. The perfect recipe for a happily ever after.”
“You need to stay away from Mother’s romance novels, Pops. Just a tip. You’re turning into a broody fake hero instead of a pack leader.”
Every time he laughed, the earth beneath our feet shook. Tonight was no exception. He was a gregarious man with a zest for life. He was also a brutal leader when necessary. “Incidentally,” he mentioned almost casually. “We will need to talk about my retirement.”
“Oh, hell, no, Pops. We are not having that conversation again. As you said, I’m in my prime. I refuse to give up my career to become the next unwanted pack leader.”
“It’s in your blood. You are our firstborn and as such, you are required to become leader of the pack.
It’s your true destiny. I can’t wait to see when you ascend to the throne.
The day will be a true celebration and your mother and I will be so proud of you.
” He held his fisted hand against his heart, standing tall and staring toward the top of the wall behind me as if standing in front of a cheering crowd.
He did so adore his job. Way too much if you asked me. “Yeah. Yeah. I’ll consider it when I retire from the ice. Which isn’t going to happen any time soon. You still have a few good years left in you. If the romance novels don’t turn you into a hapless Golden Retriever.”
He was still basking in the moment, which reminded me that becoming pack leader was nothing I’d ever wanted. Hockey was my jam and I remained firmly committed to continuing my career.
Even if the little librarian came along for the ride.
“I’m going to check on Lily and make sure she’s alright. If I know Mother, she’s already selected a date for the wedding and hired the caterer.”
“True. Oh, why don’t you bring your fiancée by the house on Sunday afternoon around two? We’re having a barbeque with a couple friends and it will be nice to introduce our future daughter-in-law.”
“Dad.”
“Son.”
I laughed and shook my head as I headed to the door. I adored my parents, but they were far too overbearing.
As soon as I was a few feet away from the kitchen door, I realized my mother had gone full steam ahead on wedding plans.
“I think an October wedding will be perfect. Let’s scrap the winter festivities.
Plus, there’s training camp to consider.
You don’t want to spend your honeymoon on the ice.
I know my son. He’d drag you there every day.
Now, let’s talk about the flowers. With your hair color, I don’t think we could go wrong with roses.
Classy and classic. White? Or red. I’ll leave that up to you.
No. Maybe sterling silver roses. Yes, that’s the right hue.
With your incredible complexion, you’ll be a star.
We can adorn the cake with fresh petals. Oh, this is so exciting.”
The moment I walked in, I was forced to try to keep from laughing.
I knew the expression ‘deer in the headlights,’ but Lily’s expression was more as if she was staring at a group of hockey players who’d just dropped their boxers.
Or even worse, as if she’d just witnessed a heinous murder by a serial killer and was covered in blood.
“Mom. I think that’s enough for tonight. Maybe you can show us to our rooms. My beautiful fiancée and I need some time alone. Very much alone. I think my bride to be needs some TLC.”
Mother wasn’t the kind of woman to stop on a dime. She also wasn’t paying attention to anything I was saying. “Just a second, son. We’re almost done here.”
Almost done? The counter was covered in magazines and I didn’t need to get any closer to see the spread of photographs. Bridal magazines. I could only hope my dear mother was holding them for when my sister got married.
“There is nothing you can do to provide any comfort at this point, Saint,” Lily threw out. Her voice held an iceberg chill and all I could think about was cutting the sarcasm with my highly effective charm. There was something powerful about witnessing her anger and indignation.
Plus, she was completely flustered around my mom.
I thought the showstopping number with the reporters was the coolest thing I’d seen in a long time. This was much better.
“Oh, come on, honey bunchkins. How about a nice, long massage?” I folded my arms across my barrel chest, purposely taking a huge exhale while keeping the grin on my face. My actions infuriated her even more.
“Over my dead body,” she hissed between clenched teeth, her cute little nose crinkling.
The filthy images shifting through my dangerous mind were merely a tiny taste of what I planned on doing to the luscious woman.
She’d fallen into my trap, accepting the bait as if she knew exactly how to handle me.
Even the slight pink that had formed in her cheeks was drifting into a beautiful shade of rose.
“Come on. I can make you feel like the queen you are. Buzz. Buzz. Sting.”
Very slowly Lily lifted her head, the haunted look in her eyes immediately shifting. Gone was the deer in the headlights, replaced with a snake prepared to strike not once but several times. When she didn’t say anything, I realized she was keeping her nasty barbs in check for a single reason.
My mother.
It would seem I had the advantage and I didn’t mind one bit making good use of my standing.
“Ah, honey. I thought you wanted to indulge in our primal fantasies tonight. You know, be a little rough around the edges.” On purpose, I subjected her to a wolf howl.
To which my mother threw me a harsh look.
Not because I was letting the cat out of the bag, but because I’d interrupted her foray into the consequences of selecting the wrong wedding cake flavor.
“Be very careful playing games with me, Wolfman,” Lily countered. “My bite might be worse than my bark.” She raked her long, hate-filled gaze down my body. Damn if my arousal wasn’t reaching entirely new levels.
As I’d done several times during the night, I planted my palm over my heart, pretending to stumble forward.
I found it interesting that in a few grueling days, she’d altered my perspective on several aspects of my life.
She’d also forced me to challenge my traditional methods of hungering for a woman.
Up until this point, I’d remained emotionally shut down.
Partially on purpose given the profession.
Partially because I’d heard about the need to settle down for far too long.
I also knew I was a selfish prick, preferring the chase to the conclusion.
Since being around Lily, I’d found myself questioning all aspects of my personality.
The why didn’t seem to enter into the equation.
Maybe that’s why I was having way too much fun. The girl was lightning in a bottle and all I could think about was drinking from her fountain of deliciousness. Did that make me a very bad boy? Hopefully so.
Her response to my mockery of sin? To slyly give me the finger.
I had to admit fucking with the lovely librarian was the most fun I’d had in a long time.