Kismet (5 page)

"Thank you. It was wonderful to meet you, Dr.
Riley, and ladies.” He nodded to the whole table. He had to touch
her one more time. He held out his hand to shake hers and tried to
prepare himself for the current he'd feel. When their hands
touched, he saw her bright green eyes widen in surprise as she
licked her lips and a pink blush colored her cheeks. Garrett
inwardly groaned at the feelings shooting through his body. His
wolf was pacing around in his head and he was having a hard time
controlling himself. He smiled the nicest smile he could muster
under the circumstances without looking like a lunatic and turned
around to get out of there before he messed anything up.

He could feel the hole burning in his back
from her stare the entire walk to the front door. The Kismet
connection and his wolf demanded he not leave her for a second, but
his human side knew she'd never understand she was his Kismet. HIS
Kismet. He always secretly thought it was a bunch of malarkey;
something mated wolves made up to act more special than everyone
else. How could this be happening? He had to find a way to make it
through this minefield.

Garrett was opening his truck when the server
ran out after him.

"Hey! You didn't pay your bill! Don't think
you can get away with that, I have your license plate number and
I'll call the cops!"

Garret was shocked. How did he forget? He
really was losing it over her. "I'm so sorry, that wasn't my
intention at all; I was sidetracked. How much is the bill?"

"15.84"

He pulled his wallet out and thumbed out two
twenty dollar bills. "Here's forty. Please keep the change, and
again, I'm very sorry." She gave him the first genuine smile all
night and walked off.

Garrett also realized he'd left his Carhart
jacket inside. There was no way he was going to chance going back
in there right now. He wasn't sure if he could control his wolf and
he didn't want to scare her to death. He hoped someone would put it
in lost and found for him. Not that he really needed it, wolves
naturally ran hotter, so the cold didn't affect them the same as
everyone else. However, the humans on his crew would wonder how he
stayed warm if he didn't have it on, and secrecy was the first law
of all wolves.

*

Riley couldn't take her eyes off Garrett as
he turned around and walked out the door. His backside was perfect
as the rest of him. The play of his muscles under his t-shirt was
tantalizing. She had an insane urge to chase after him, which would
be idiotic since there was no way a guy like him would be
interested in a plain girl like her. After the door closed, she
took a deep breath and turned around to face her friends. She shook
her head again and said, "Did that really just happen?"

Sam piped up first saying, "See, you should
come out more often, he couldn't take his eyes off you, Ri. His
eyes were locked on you."

"Don't be silly, he was probably trying to
figure out why a doctor couldn't string two words together. We'll
probably never see him again - why would he bring his dog to
someone so inept?" Riley groused, but inwardly hoped she was wrong.
She HAD to see him again.

Jennifer and Lyla shook their heads. Lyla
said, "No, he seemed to be seriously checking you out. He barely
glanced at the rest of us."

Jennifer chimed in with, "He probably doesn't
even have a dog. It was probably a pickup line. I'll bet ya ten
bucks. Did you see the way he hesitated when you asked what kind he
had?"

"Ha! I'll take that bet. You guys are
delusional." Riley couldn't take anymore. She had to get home and
try to put this crazy encounter behind her, or at least be alone
while she obsessed over him for the rest of the night. What was
that spark she felt? She'd never felt anything like it before. She
quietly admitted to herself that there was an air of belonging when
she looked at him, but then she quickly shook the thought from her
mind.

Ten minutes later the server came over with a
man's work jacket in her arms. "Do you guys know the guy you were
talking to earlier? He left his jacket at his table."

Riley fisted her hands so she wouldn't reach
for it. Nevertheless, Sam grabbed for it and said, "Yes, he's a new
client. We'll give it to him next week when he comes in."

Riley wanted to throttle Sam. How could she
do that, what if he didn't become a client? Her hopes were already
too far up; she knew she was on the verge of heartbreak if she
didn't see him again. However, she couldn't seem to find the will
to argue as Sam threw the jacket at her and told her to hold onto
it. It smelled so good, like pine trees, rain, and sunshine all
rolled into one. She could already tell she'd be wrapping up in it
later tonight.
Yep, Riley, you've truly lost your mind. Who goes
around putting stranger's jackets on because they smell good?
Riley paid for her bill, said goodbye to the girls and headed for
her Jeep.

*

Garrett sat outside of Rowdy's with his truck
idling. He looked down at her business card in his hand and grinned
because she used her first name with her title. Dr. Riley Stratton.
It was a clear indication she tried to lessen the barrier between
Dr. and client. He knew he should get out of here, but he couldn't
find the strength to leave. He didn't want to come off as a crazy
stalker, but he needed to make sure she made it home safely. His
wolf's overwhelming protective instincts were in full force and he
couldn't let it go. If she were a wolf she'd know what was
happening, and she'd feel the Kismet too. It was instantaneous and
mutually felt, and there was no delay to act upon it. Did she even
feel anything? Her eyes did widen when they shook hands, so he had
to believe she felt something. She appeared attracted to him, but
so did many women. He wasn't conceited, but they did tend to
approach him.

Just then, he felt a ripple in the air and
his head snapped up. There she was, exiting the bar and she had his
jacket with her. How did that happen? He gripped the steering wheel
as he watched her look around guiltily while putting her face to
the jacket. Did she smell it? Then she slid her tiny frame into it
and folded her arms in front of her, as if she were hugging it to
herself. It was the most amazing scene he'd ever witnessed; his
Kismet was wearing his huge jacket. It swallowed her up and he was
glad something of his was protecting her from the cold.

She walked over to a red Jeep Cherokee and
climbed in. Garrett backed out of his space and followed her from a
distance. He couldn't let her see him; he'd completely lose his
chance if she thought he was stalking her. As he followed her down
the city streets, he thought of another problem. What if she was
married or had a boyfriend? He was so caught up in the connection
he didn't even think about the possibility. He recalled each detail
he could about her person and was fairly certain she hadn't been
wearing a ring, but what if she was serious with someone? His
stomach started to churn and he felt green at the idea. His wolf
would not be OK with another man touching her, what if something
went wrong? Things like this didn't happen within packs. Wolves
knew to stay away from someone's Kismet because they killed
encroachers, but now he was dealing with the human world and they
didn't understand the shifter's nature and laws.

They were only on the road for about ten
minutes when her Jeep pulled into a neighborhood of 1930's
bungalows. Parked cars skirted the road, since there weren't
garages attached to the homes. The neighborhood was well
maintained, and he was relieved to see she lived in a somewhat safe
area of town. Not as safe as with him, but at least it appeared her
neighbors cared about their homes, which bode well for the crime
rate. He kept driving straight when she pulled over to the side. He
didn't see another car parked directly in front of her house; so
far, it appeared she lived alone. He circled back around and parked
across the street about three houses down. Luckily, the vehicles
lining the street helped him to blend in. He didn't know what he
was going to do, but he still couldn't find the will to drive
away.

He took the time to inspect her house. It was
a small white bungalow with black trim and shutters. The entry
boasted a covered front porch set above the street level by four
steps. There were two large picture windows covered with lacey
curtains on each side of the black front door. A brick chimney
poked out of the right side of the roofline. Garrett could guess it
was probably a two bedroom, one bath home. A 6' wood fence skirted
both side yards and wound around the back of what appeared to be a
sizable yard. The house looked very symmetrical with the matching
windows, shutters, and curtains. There was an old, cracked sidewalk
running down the tree-lined street in front of her house.

*

Riley had a strange feeling; the hair was up
on the back of her neck and she could feel eyes boring into her.
She sat in her Jeep in front of her house trying to figure out how
to get to her door as fast as possible. She didn't want to leave
the safety of her car, but she knew Wolf was inside and would scare
off any would-be intruders. She wrapped Garrett's coat tightly
around her, then grabbed her keys and her purse, making sure to
have the house key ready. Opening the door, she jumped out, slammed
it shut, and quickly sprinted up her front steps to the door.
Thankfully, she was able to get the key into the lock on the first
try. She slipped in, slammed the front door, and dead bolted
it.

She heard a low growl come from the corner of
the room. Wolf had never growled at her and she was shocked. She
flipped the light on and Wolf gave her the most confused look she'd
ever seen. He tentatively approached her and sniffed her hand, then
Garrett's jacket. He nuzzled her hand and then sat down and whined
as he cocked his head to the side. Riley chuckled. She supposed it
was the first time she'd come home smelling like a man, he must
have been surprised.

She needed to take Wolf for a walk, so she
went to retrieve his leash and a flashlight from the hall closet.
As they left the house, she had that feeling on the back of her
neck again, but she ignored it. She had Wolf now, and there was no
way he'd let anyone hurt her. She turned left at the street and
followed the sidewalks for their normal three-mile loop.

*

Garrett felt bad; he could tell when she
jumped out of the Jeep she was spooked. She nearly flew to the
house and slammed the door behind her. She must be feeling the
electrical connection since he was so close. That's good! That
means she does feel it, and maybe it's not one sided. A few minutes
later, she walked out the front door with the biggest beast he'd
ever seen, well except for a shifter wolf that is. The dog seemed
to be alert and on guard, which calmed his wolf a bit. He forced
himself to stay in the cab of his truck and not follow her out into
the dark, it felt like the hardest thing he'd ever done. An
agonizing 45 minutes later, she walked down the sidewalk across the
street from where he was parked. He ducked his head so she wouldn't
recognize him if she turned his way. As he looked up again, he saw
her entering her home and shutting the door again. He sat there all
night long, unable to leave.

At 6:00 the next morning, he decided he
should head home and get a few hours of shuteye. Luckily, it was
Saturday and he wouldn't see Breck today. He didn't know how he'd
look the man in the eye after this. They always shared the same
pain and heartache for Sarah, but after meeting Riley, the
heartache dulled to an almost imperceptible level. He still loved
Sarah, but he knew it was nothing compared to how he felt about
Riley. How would Breck take that bit of information? He would know
Sarah had been with a man who didn't love her as much as he could.
Garrett felt guilty, but powerless to do anything about it.

He would need to meet with his Alpha after he
had some sleep. He hoped that John would help him find out what was
going on and figure out what to do. He knew the first law of never
exposing themselves to humans, but he had Kismet with this human.
He had to reveal himself to her; a wolf can't survive without their
Kismet once they met each other. He gulped, thinking about the
possible consequences of that truth.

Riley woke
up with Wolf's huge head lying on her stomach and Oscar curled
around her head on the pillow. Diffused light filtered through her
curtains, illuminating her room. She stared at the ceiling, feeling
anxious for some reason. She felt like she wanted something, but
couldn't put her finger on what exactly. Her heart was beating
faster than normal and it felt like her skin was crawling. Usually
the buttercream walls and white-washed wood of her bedroom served
to sooth her, but today she felt anything but calm. She decided to
get up and take a shower. Even though she spent a good hour in the
bathtub last night, she was hoping the shower would help her feel
better.

She used all of her strength to push Wolf off
her and then threw back her white fluffy comforter. As she padded
her way to the bathroom, she saw Garrett's jacket lying across a
chair. She reached over, picked it up, and inhaled the scent of him
again. She was afraid she'd cover it up with her own smell by
constantly touching it, but she couldn't help it. She stood there
with her arms hugging it for about five minutes before she started
to embarrass herself. She put it down, shook her head, and headed
for the shower.

The edgy feeling didn't leave her, and after
she ate breakfast, she decided to grab her tools and look at the
fence that needed repairing. Maybe some physical labor would help
even her out. If it didn't work, she'd go for a long run. Her
father had set her up with a full set of tools when she bought the
house. She was grateful for his thoughtfulness, because she'd
always been independent. She liked to make most repairs herself,
avoiding a call to a contractor. However, some tasks required more
strength or two people and she yearned for the day she'd have a
helpmate. Garrett popped into her head and she laughed at
herself
. As if Riley, stop teasing yourself. You know he'd never
go for someone as boring as you.
He probably has a
girlfriend, or a wife, one that looks like a super model...
Her
thoughts disturbed her. Did she remember seeing a ring on his hand?
She didn't think she had seen his ring finger because he kept his
hands in his back pockets most of the time.
Stupid, stupid,
stupid. What does it matter? Even if he didn't have a ring, he is
sooo out of your league.