Espino, Stacey - Surrounded by Wolves [Wolves of Climax 1] (Siren Publishing LoveXtreme Forever) (2 page)
Authors: Stacey Espino
“This is bullshit,” he cursed under his breath, sifting through an oversized stack of invoices.
From what she saw, the worker wasn’t homely or overweight. He actually looked pretty damn fine from what she could make out. The blond was uncommonly tall, his tan work boots big, and his forearms generously muscled. “What is?” she asked, trying to be cute.
His head whipped to the side the moment she spoke, his blue eyes burning into hers. He was gorgeous—a rustic, untamed quality about him. She swallowed hard.
“Huh?”
“You said something’s bullshit. What is it?”
He stood up straight and frowned as if unsure what to think or say. “Oh…My boss sent me to find a month-old bill for him. He usually pulls these stunts when I have less than an hour to quitting time.”
She didn’t expect him to actually tell her. It just felt wrong standing there when he clearly hadn’t noticed her. And after checking him out, she wanted him to really notice her.
“Who are you?” he asked, giving her the once-over. She could feel the heat of his gaze as he explored her from head to toe.
“My name’s Cassidy Lyons. I’m supposed to start work as dispatcher on Monday. I just got into town and thought I’d pop in for a quick visit.”
A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, realization smoothing out his scowl. “You’re not scary at all.”
She scoffed. “Funny, I was thinking the exact same thing about you.”
He stepped closer. The guy was taller than she first estimated. He towered over her five-foot-two frame, making her pussy moisten. Big men were a weakness of hers, especially ones that likely had bodies to die for under all those layers of denim and orange protective gear.
“My name’s Travis. I suppose you’ll be working under me.” He kept coming, forcing her to back up against the panelled wall.
“Are you my boss, then?” She kept her voice hushed. He was so close, leaning into her, an arm braced against the wall near her head. If she had known this dirty-blond Adonis would be here, she would have touched up her makeup before making an appearance. She wondered if he was married, emotionally damaged, or gay. It had to be one of the three. It always was.
“I’ll be anything you want me to be, baby doll.” He had a slight twang to his accent. It wasn’t local. If anything, he reminded her of the out-of-town cowboys she’d seen when visiting the Calgary Stampede last year.
Cassidy might look innocent, younger than her thirty-four years, but she wasn’t born yesterday. Travis was a classic playboy, using sweet words and sexual innuendo to get women into bed. Her libido screamed at her,
Who the fuck cares?
Even though she knew he was full of shit, she still wanted a piece of him. Would his cock measure up to his boot size? Would he be as attentive in bed, between her legs? Her body heated, and her face felt flush.
Before she could give him a smart retort, continuing their game of wit, the door opened again. The new man who entered was dark-haired, with eyes so black they looked as if they were outlined in kohl. He was breathtaking, a neatly kept goatee giving him a sinister edge. The man was strapping and golden, just like the first. She felt surrounded by so much male heat that just a touch would bring her to orgasm. The past couple years had proved to start a sharp incline in her sexuality. Maybe the town was aptly named after all.
“Who’s this?” he asked Travis, a gruff disinterest in his tone.
“The new girl you hired.” He seemed amused by this, as if they had some secret, long-standing joke surrounding her.
“Cassidy Lyons? From the Lower Mainland?”
“I know I don’t start until Monday. I just got into town and wanted to take a peek around.”
Travis’s arm was still propped against the wall, his body temptingly close. The new guy stalked forward, and “stalked” was the only way to describe the way he moved. He had grace despite his size and bulky outerwear, his eyes narrowed and focused on her. She couldn’t look away, as if entranced by those two dark orbs, until she could see her own reflection. Cassidy took a breath, not realizing she’d been holding hers.
“I’m Garret, foreman of Gregor Mining. You talked with me on the phone.”
She nodded, not trusting her voice. He’d sounded older and much more unattractive on the phone.
“This will be where you’ll work most of the time, unless I need you in the tower. If you have any questions or concerns, I’m the one you’ll need to find.”
“How much training time will I get?” She wanted to ask if the training was paid, but didn’t want to look like a penny-pincher. It’s not like there was a list of jobs to choose from in Climax.
Travis chuckled, a deep, erotic sound. “The little filly needs to be broken in. I’d be happy to be the one to do it, boss.”
“Texas, forget the bill. Get back in the pit.” The foreman only glared briefly at the other man before he complied, walking backward with a sexy smirk until he was out the door.
Being alone with the dark-haired man intimidated her, and she normally wasn’t the type of woman to be pushed over. An air of authority surrounded him which made her body respond. She licked her lips which suddenly felt parched.
“Cassidy,” he said as if savoring the sound of her name. “I think I’ll call you Cassie. It suits you. Is that all right with you?”
“Okay.” Many friends called her Cassie or Cass, but they didn’t make it sound the same way Garret could.
“There aren’t many women in Climax.” He stood so close to her, even leaning in to take a breath near her neckline. She froze, feeling a sexual energy between them, an unspoken power she was helpless to fight. “If any of the men give you trouble, be sure to let me know.”
She’d love a bit of trouble if it included Travis or Garret.
Chapter Two
Garret had only been concerned about getting a new dispatcher at the mine, not considering the effect a new woman could have on production. Cassie had big blue eyes and radiant beauty. The other three women in town had nothing on her. She wore a knee-length gray skirt and fitted white blouse, partially unbuttoned. The upper edge of a white lace bra peeked out. His crew would eat her alive.
He dragged a heavy hand through his hair, wondering if he’d just made more work for himself by hiring her. Travis wouldn’t stop until he had her in his bed. The look in his eyes was that of a wolf on the hunt, and getting him to focus on work would be a challenge now that he had his sights on the new dispatcher. It was hard enough on a regular day to get Travis focused. He was a loose cannon who really needed to get his act together. Garret knew his pack was pent up with the need to shift, and fuck, so they’d have more difficulty behaving themselves with temptation only feet away. His own control wavered as soon as he scented Cassie’s sweet vanilla fragrance. She reminded him he wasn’t just a workhorse, but a man, with needs and desires.
“So you’re moving into the old Graymont place?”
“You know it?” she asked, her attention piqued.
He chuckled. “It’s kind of hard to miss.” The dilapidated old cabin was an eyesore when driving out of town toward the mountains. Even the old man who used to live in the small house had abandoned it for easier living in one of the larger towns to the south almost a decade ago. The paint had worn away with time, the wood damaged from the harsh elements, and it had been overgrown with weeds and foliage. Cassie would have her work cut out for her if she planned to actually live in that shit hole. Maybe she planned to renovate or tear it down to start anew.
“Good. Then I won’t have a hard time finding it.” She fidgeted which didn’t support the bravado she’d outwardly displayed. Despite the fact he could scent her growing nerves, she refused to show weakness. He liked a woman with a bit of gumption, and she’d need it if she were to survive working at the Gregor Mine. She began to fiddle with the buttons on her blouse, distracting him with her cleavage.
Unfortunately, Garret didn’t have the luxury of treating her like a new toy. He had the weight of the world on his shoulders running the mine and trying to figure out what happened to one of his pack mates who’d recently gone missing. The new employee would just be an unwanted diversion.
“No, I doubt you’ll miss it. Just follow the main road to the fork about a mile up. Take the left turn and it’s just a couple minutes before you reach the cliffs.” Conflicting desires battled within him. His natural, feral lust demanded he take what he wanted. As alpha he had the right to choose the mate for his pack. Cassie wasn’t hard on the eyes, but he knew nothing about her. To give in to a moment of sexual yearning would be a lifelong mistake he wasn’t willing to risk. He gritted his teeth and turned his back to her. “Did you want a tour or could you wait until Monday?” he said flatly.
“I suppose I could wait. I have a ton to do getting settled in my new house anyway.”
“Good…good. If you need anything, give the office a call.” He grabbed a handful of invoices to look like he had a purpose and bolted from the construction trailer. Rather than getting the reprieve he desperately needed, he bounded into a group of his men. They lurked around the entrance, eager to get a glimpse of the cute new employee that Travis had no doubt blathered on about. Sure enough he was there, a guilty grin on his face.
“Where is she at, this fine young thing?” asked Patrick. “I’m dying to see the woman Travis says I’ll be begging to have my children.” The redheaded machine operator was supposed to be excavating, not falling victim to the lure of fresh meat.
“Fuck, Travis! Are you determined to bring this mine to ruin? All of you get your asses back in gear, and minds on the job. I didn’t hear the quitting bell.” Travis, Evan, and Patrick were onlookers, but also Glen and several other human employees. If it were just his pack mates, he’d have put them in their place, maybe shown them some canines. Tonight, under the strength of the full moon, he’d remind his men who was in charge.
The pit was too quiet, production at a standstill. What would happen come Monday when Cassie was at the mine all day? Would his workers find every goddamn excuse to visit the trailer, putting them further behind in output? They were already slipping behind the competition. The Rockford Mine put them to shame, and Garret’s pride wouldn’t allow the other pack to outperform them.
The door opened behind him, all eyes shifting to Cassie. They silenced, their jeering and laughter stifled. He could feel the wave of energy, the feral lust coming off his pack mates. They’d tear her apart if given the opportunity to bed her. It was good timing that tonight was the night he promised they could finally shift. They could expel their energy racing through the forests under the light of the full moon.
“Well, for once I’d say Travis was right,” Patrick called out, no shame whatsoever. “She’s a beauty.” The men broke out in a chorus of laughter.
He turned in time to see the pretty blush on her cheeks. The small crowd of miners gawked as if they’d never seen a woman. She’d probably leave and never want to come back, and he needed a dispatcher.
“It’s not too late for me to change my mind about tonight, Big Red.” Patrick sealed his lips and stalked off, turning back only once to admire the woman still standing on the stairs to the office. The crowd began to disperse until they were all back to work. He walked Cassie to her car, unwilling to leave her alone for a minute. It was a rarity to see a woman in Climax, especially a breathtaking one with lush curves and a long mane of silky brown hair. Even Garret could imagine his hands tangled in her hair as their naked bodies pressed against one another. Whatever his men thought would be much more explicit.
“Sorry about that. They can be animals sometimes, but I’ll have them all on best behavior come Monday. Promise.”
Cassie leaned against the side of her car, fiddling with her keys. Her blue eyes were framed with thick lashes, and her tongue played a distracting game with her lips. “Don’t worry about me. I can handle men.” The woman liked to flirt, and he wasn’t immune. She kept it subtle, but he recognized the playfulness just under the surface. It only made her more of a personal temptation.
“Can you now?”
“They’re the same everywhere you go. Sometimes I think men are more predictable than animals.”
“Or one in the same.” He bit the inside of his lip to squelch the desire to lean in and kiss those pink, pouty lips. It seemed little Ms. Lyons had a magnetic pull even he couldn’t ignore. As alpha he couldn’t afford a loss of control. He opened her door for her. “Until Monday…”
She boarded the driver’s seat and started the engine. When Cassie rolled down the window, she looked up at him with innocently seductive eyes. “I’ll be here.”
If only she knew she was playing with a wolf.
* * * *
The first thing Cassidy planned to unpack was her vibrator. She imagined it all the way down the road, following the simple directions Garret gave her. Most of the men working at Gregor Mining were broad-shouldered gods. It looked like the set of a gladiator movie, with her smack dab in the center of it all. How much willpower was a woman expected to possess? Especially when they all seemed sex starved and interested in her. Maybe being the only woman at the mine would have its advantages. The attention was nice when she wasn’t used to it. But she had no plans on becoming the town tramp, and doubted any of the men considered her for more than a quick romp, so she had to get her thoughts out of the gutter. Cassidy was here to start fresh, to claim her new home and put down some real roots. Finding Mr. Right was on her list, but getting her life and mental health in order first was a necessity.