Wolf on Board (Wolves of Willow Bend Book 14) (8 page)

“So, you’re worried about looking bad in front of me?” He canted his head to the side. There was something about how he did that. His shaggy blond hair fell over his eyes, almost shielding them from view, and yet she couldn’t look away from the gleam in those too-blue orbs.

“No.” The simple syllable stunk of a lie, but Jake didn’t call her on the bullshit. Instead, his smile grew and his expression gentled.

“I love to surf. I love to feel the ocean rising beneath me and propelling me. It’s the closest thing to flying I’ve ever found…or to the sensation of a good long run through the forest on the first morning of a real spring after the snow has melted.” The absolute poetry of his description underscored by his sigh at the end soothed every butterfly assaulting her. “You asked me what I wanted to do today, and I’d love to share it with you. Will you let me?”

“When you put it like that, how can I not?”

“Excellent.” He traced the line of her mouth, then withdrew the intimate contact to thrust a rubbery suit at her. “Strip down to your suit then put this on, I’ll get our boards ready.” Without a backwards glance, he crab walked through the rear and popped open the back doors to the van. He removed two surfboards, gave her a wink then closed the door.

Biting her lip, she tried not to sigh at the suit he expected her to put on or the way his smile and wink left her stomach fluttering for a whole new reason. Maybe if they just had sex, she’d get over mooning after the man. She’d tugged her t-shirt off then slipped off her sandals. She wore a simple one-piece underneath and, even as she reached for the button on her shorts, she had to pause.
Am I mooning after him?
They’d spent several days together in forced proximity for mutual safety and security. Mitch recommended they stick together, at least until he tracked her foreign wolf down and identified whether she was friend or foe.

Still, that didn’t mean she had to give him the run of her house—or let him hang out in her guest room, cook him food, and indulge his need to pilfer sweets to the point she’d begun to make extras of all the cupcakes so he could steal the ones he liked. It didn’t mean flirting with him, or watching movies or telling him all about her lessons. Nor did it mean checking his expression when she practiced her guitar fingering to see if he paid attention or liked what she’d been learning.

It also didn’t mean encouraging him to wash all his clothes or clean out his van or…no, those had been necessary. The stench had begun to give her a headache and her nose was far too sensitive to the unsanitary odors. Not to mention they covered up his naturally pleasant, and exceptionally masculine fragrance.

I have a crush on him.
The dawning realization transformed her from competent adult to twit teenager. “I do not.” She said the words aloud, as though to prove a point to herself.

Do too.

Growling under her breath, she stripped off her shorts then began to struggle into the wet suit. Fortunately, unlike its name, it wasn’t wet. Unfortunately, it clung to her everywhere and, even when she zipped it up the front, it felt like she’d encased herself in a second skin. It would leave nothing to the imagination. Running a hand over her tummy, which pouched ever so slightly, then to her hips, she grimaced.

Wolves were always in their most perfect form when they stayed in shape. Mimi did, but she also liked to cook, and she loved to eat what she prepared even more. While she could probably be skinnier, she’d never be a waif like Gillian or willowy like Alexis. She had curves and, like her diminutive height, she owned them. Glancing out the windshield, she caught sight of Jake down on the sand with both boards. He was checking them over and marking one with something that looked like white chalk.

Her heart did a little flutter, and she reached for her phone. When her call to Mitch went straight to voicemail, she blew out a breath and simply said, “Hey Mitch. Haven’t heard from you much over the last couple of days. Any news? Jake and I are sticking together, but I would like to free him up to go back to his life if he wants, you know?”

Lord, she sounded pathetic, even to herself. Disconnecting the call, she double checked she hadn’t missed any messages from her parents or her brother or her alpha. Everyone else she could blow off with impunity, those four she didn’t dare.

Finding one from Shiloh asking her for advice on a specific recipe and a second one from Gillian about Owen’s upcoming birthday, she tucked the phone beneath the seat and stepped out of the van.

She hadn’t brought a purse or anything other than her clothes. Jake didn’t seem too worried about locking the van, so she left it and padded barefoot out to meet him.

He let out a low wolf whistle at her approach. The appreciative sound had her adding a bit of jaunt to her step. “Looking good, Lady.”

The reminder of their first meeting sent a wave of amusement through her. “Why thank you, Tramp.” She did a little twirl. “Though I can’t understand why you have one this small. It can’t possibly fit you.”

“Nowhere near as nicely as it does you, I promise.” His gaze lingered on her hips before sweeping upward to lock eyes with her. “But they do stretch.”

Snorting away her disbelief, she paused next to him. Best not to think how lickable he looked in his suit or how the wind tousled his already mussed hair. What would he look like with a haircut? Not like Jake.

He snapped his fingers in front of her, and she jerked a little. “What, did I miss something?”

“Just wanted you focused on what I was saying rather than on my bod.”

Heat scalded her cheeks, but she refused to be embarrassed. “Don’t be so distracting then, hot stuff.”

The dimples in his cheeks deepened with his grin. “Right back atcha, but for now, bring your sassy ass over here so I can show you how to ride the board.”

No way not to pick up on the innuendo in that statement, but she did as he asked. He turned her to face the board then put his hands on her hips. The light touch sent a shiver along her spine.

Focus
.

His lips pressed to a spot right behind her ear, and his breath tickled with every word. “See the white chalk on your board in the middle?”

“Sure.” She looked obediently and tried to ignore the quivering his combination of touches provoked.

“The middle of the board is a natural balancing spot. It’s very important for every part of your surfing experience. So we’re going to start with you lying down on the board, I want your feet together here at the back, then heels of your hands on that midline along with your sternum.”

Thank God he didn’t touch her sternum to illustrate his point, instead he gave her hips a light squeeze then abandoned her to go to his board. “See, watch me.”

Given carte blanche to stare, she indulged herself as he stretched onto his board. He kept his feet and knees together, his sternum rested on the midpoint with his hands exactly where he said.

“Now you.”

She glanced around. Other people were on the beach, but it wasn’t crowded.

“Come on, Lady, don’t be a priss—practicing on the sand is the best place and offers the least chance of you getting hurt.”

Not letting the light tease jab her pride, she eased onto the board and mirrored his posture.

“Good, keep your feet together though. It seems more natural to let them come apart at first, but that also lets the tail of the surfboard rise and pushes the front down. You don’t want that.”

Which made sense. “Got it.”

“Now, see the second line I marked for you?”

Looking meant not staring at him, so she shifted her attention. “Yes.”

“That’s your eyeline. This is important, and you’ll need that when you push up and do your pop. Watch me again.”
If he insisted…
“When you are riding out to the waves, you’re going to be swimming which involves paddling with your arms. You’ll be glancing over a shoulder to check where the water is…” Then he continued and demonstrated his pop.

Three times in a row, he showed her, and she had to admire the speed and grace with which he went from prone to on his feet. Thankfully, when he had her mimic him, she managed a respectable performance.

They spent an hour on the sand with Jake telling her how to turtle on the way out, how to keep an eye on which side the wave rose higher so she would angle away from the rise to go farther. After that hour of practice, he demonstrated everything he’d said by running his board out to the water, then riding in on some white caps. Only after she repeated every word of his advice, did he say go for it. She swam out on her board, reciting every word he’d told her in her head.

She turtled with her board to swim through a wave and get to the other side of it, then turtled a second time. A glance over her shoulder told her Jake wasn’t that far from her, he’d followed her on his board.

“Eyes ahead of you! Keep your chin up!” His voice followed her, and she laughed. He hadn’t been wrong about how cold the water was, but she finally angled her board then turned to follow the line as the wave began to rise. She popped to her feet, obeying his shout and then…

…damn, if she didn’t fly!

J
ake thrilled
to Mimi’s joy at surfing. She took to the board like a natural, popping up as the wave began to carry her forward. Perfect balance. Perfect grace. Then she glanced at him, absolute triumph in her expression—and wiped out. It took everything he had not to leap off his board as she fell backwards. Thankfully, she remembered his lesson about falling toward the wave and shoving the board forward. No head to board collisions.

Mimi was still laughing when they reached the shallows. She grabbed her board, threw him a grin and raced him back out to the waves. The second ride, she made it all the way to the shallows. The waves were sweet, gentle and excellent for the learning Mimi. Splashing toward him, Mimi leaped and he barely got his legs locked to brace himself when she wrapped her arms around him and her mouth collided with his. Electricity sparked along his spine, then he gripped her hips and had to resist sliding his hands along the roundness of her bottom.

Instead, he opened his mouth and darted his tongue along hers. A low moan vibrated between them. A wave surged against his legs and their surfboards both banged against him, but he didn’t care. For the first time in what seemed like forever, he found something far more thrilling than surfing. She broke the kiss, pulling her face away and laughing, almost breathlessly.

“I want to go again.”

He did, too, but she disentangled herself and grabbed for her board, which bobbed next to them. Keeping her steady until she had her balance, he finally and reluctantly released her.

Three flawless hours they spent, sometimes surfing and other times sitting astride their boards as they waited for a good wave. The breeze, the sun, and the sea had always been enough for him, yet somehow, Mimi’s presence made it more magical.

“Penny for your thoughts,” she asked, legs dangling in the water and the wind tugging one errant strand of her damp hair askew.

“You should put on more sunscreen,” he murmured. Her beautiful skin was far softer and paler than his, more likely to burn.

“That’s what you’re thinking about?” Skepticism rippled her tone. She swung her legs lightly against the water, and tilted her head as she studied him. The sun warmed them despite the chill of the water, but her wolf gleamed in her eyes and her nostrils flared. His wolf roused at the desire perfuming her scent.

“Well, I was thinking about your body, and it does need some more sunscreen. I don’t want you to burn. Burning would hurt.” Whether she wanted or needed his protection didn’t matter. He wanted to take care of her.

A flush pinkened her cheeks, and the gold ringing her eyes bled further into the iris. Her wolf stared at him from within the woman. It took all he had not to puff out his chest. “Maybe we should head back to the house…”

Dammit
. Had he pushed too far?

“…and you can inspect my body for any burns.”

Inspect her? He jerked as a heady sensation overtook him. His wolf practically quivered, scenting the invitation to hunt. “Is that a real invitation, Mimi?” The growl in his voice surprised him, but he couldn’t deny the ache in his soul. He wanted her.

Badly.

Mimi stretched her arms over her head, then glanced behind them. He checked the waves, the habit automatic, but he didn’t want to keep his gaze off her long. “I like you Jake,” she admitted and everything in him went still. “I like you more than I probably should. I get that you’re Lone Wolfing it, and I’m here on my roam, and we’re not supposed to get involved…”

“I’m in if you are,” he added before she could continue, then locked gazes with her and let his wolf off the leash. The animal’s power flooded him and he knew his eyes changed. They were alone, far enough from shore to shield them from prying eyes noticing the difference. “I adore you. I adore everything about you—your drive, your need to succeed, your incredible skill in cooking and baking. I kept my distance because I thought you were adamant about not getting involved, but I don’t want to stay away from you.”

“I don’t want you to stay away, either.” Except, he didn’t have to be close to her to scent the element of misdirection in her sentence.

“That’s not entirely true.” He couldn’t not call her on it, and he swung his feet to push his board closer to hers, then trapped her board with one hand on it. “And it’s okay, Mimi. If you’re not ready, you’re not ready. There’s nothing wrong with a healthy attraction between us.” Nothing except his cock had experienced a healthy attraction from the beginning. Man overruled wolf on the subject, especially when she’d made it clear she didn’t want contact…at least until he’d followed her.

She exhaled a long breath. “Maybe we should just head in.” Regret washed through her tone, and his nose wasn’t lying about her interest or her conflict.

“Hey…we can go in, but I’m not going anywhere.” No, even if he hadn’t fully admitted it to himself before now. He liked being with Mimi. He liked her house. The way she threw herself into learning. The definitive way she put him in his place. If he were completely honest, he liked who he was when he was around her. “I want to be your choice…not your regret, sweet lady.” Then risking both of their balance, he reached over and wrapped a hand around her nape and pulled her toward him.

She met him halfway, their mouths sealing together in a fierce, firm kiss. Then still holding her, he broke the kiss and met her gaze.

“I want to be the guy you run to…not from. Whatever this is between us, it’s not a fling for me.” His wolf rumbled in his voice and shook loose the truth he’d been keeping buried. “It’ll never be a fling for me.”

Of all the women in the world, his wolf had set his sights on Mimi Chase. He couldn’t fault his beast’s taste. The man was in full agreement. Wolves like Mimi should never be taken for granted. She deserved special treatment, to be pursued with vigor and purpose…to be wooed.
Luc would laugh his ass off at me.
His mother, on the other hand, would be pleased. Neither had anything to do with his final decision.

“Smile, Lady, or I’ll have to call the dog catcher.” The tease succeeded in puncturing the tension. Her flush faded, and she punched his arm. The light tap didn’t even rock him.

“Rude.”

“You like it that way.” He winked, then released her and jutted his chin toward the waves behind them. “Let’s go…first one in has to do the dishes.”

“The dishes?” She swung herself into position on her board. “What does the loser have to do?”

“Cook, of course.” Sprawling on his board, he began swimming ahead of the wave. Half of his attention on the water and the other half on the beautiful wolf who’d quite neatly boxed his heart into a canyon. If he wasn’t careful, she would carry it off and leave him with little else.

Twenty minutes later, he watched with appreciation as she stripped down the top of her wet suit and bared her shoulders to the sun. Though he’d admitted to worrying about her burning, her cheeks were ruddy from exertion not the sun. Droplets of water on the pale gold of her skin gleamed.

“Stop staring. I know you
won
fair and square.” Bold. Beautiful. Brazen. Damn how he adored her.

“I did win. On the other hand, I have a longer stroke than you do and a lot more experience.” He slid the boards into the back of his van before unzipping his wet suit. Peeling away the cold, clammy material did little to dampen his ardor. “And lots of motivation, because you are an amazing cook.”

The corner of her mouth tilted into a crooked smile. “You could have made the bet for anything, but you chose food.”

“I did.”

“So…” She strolled toward him, a swaying jaunt to her hips. “What exactly do you want me to prepare?”

Temptation incarnate.
“Bad wolf,” he said, then wagged a finger at her. “I want a shrimp boil. Cajun food. Are you up for it?”

“Oh, I can handle it. Spicy is my middle name.” She folded her arms. “We need to swing by a grocery store, pick up some supplies…or we could just make do with what I have at the cottage.”

Don’t fall too far too fast.
The mental advice was pointless. “I’ve worked up an appetite…for food.” He should never have told her he was in. What the hell had he been thinking? He hadn’t even mentioned returning to Hudson River soon. After the call with his brother and Brett, he knew he was going to return home. If not for the issue with the foreign wolf and his rapidly growing fascination with Mimi, he might have already gone.
No, I wouldn’t…
His alpha ordered him to look after her. He would have stayed for his alpha’s commands, but that wasn’t why he stayed.

He stayed for her.

She gave him a quizzical look, but he flashed her another smile then finished stripping off his wet suit. “Get dressed, gorgeous. You’ve got to feed me.”

Nose wrinkled, she sighed then turned away from him and shimmied out of her wetsuit the rest of the way. Beautiful curves highlighted by the exquisitely simple bathing suit. His wolf rumbled within him, claws raking along his insides. Yes, he wanted. Maybe the desperation in his want was why he couldn’t—hell, why he shouldn’t.

Combing a hand through his hair, he dragged his attention off her and onto getting dressed. Determination kept him focused on the drive to the grocery store, during their trip to fetch potatoes, fresh ears of corn, and shrimp. Mimi added a couple of loaves of fresh french bread, and more. When he gave her a curious look, she gave him an indifferent shrug.

No playful banter marked their checkout. The silence weighed against him, even as she fixed her gaze out the window. Nothing in her scent let him pinpoint her mood. Faint irritation skimming the surface of her murky emotions burned his nostrils, but her attention elsewhere kept him from getting a real read.

“Mimi…”

“What is up with you?” She twisted in her seat and stared at him. “You follow me. You insert yourself into my life. You make a point of pursuing me, yet when I reciprocate, you tell me on the one hand you’re all in, then tell me I’m not and withdraw to some polite distance as though you aren’t as attracted to me as I am to you.”

“My level of attraction has nothing to do with my decision.” He turned the van off the coastal highway to follow the winding road toward her cottage. “It has to do with me…and with being honest with you.”

“How the hell are you being honest when you are shutting me out? And the 180 you pulled…it was too swift, Jake. What aren’t you telling me?” Her focus switched away from him abruptly, her gaze narrowing to the drive ahead of them.

Ahead of them, a motorcycle waited and he swallowed any admission he’d been prepared to make.
Their missing Enforcer had decided to make an appearance right now, of all the freaking times.
Resentment flared through him. Mimi scented the man before they even spotted the bike. Her talent couldn’t be denied…and it simply added another reason to the pile for him to protect her.

She was out of the van before he managed to slide the gear into park. Jake was a half-step behind her. Mitch wasn’t visible, but he trusted her nose and followed her around the cottage to the deck. The Enforcer sat in one of her lounge chairs, his jean-clad legs stretched out in front of him and his motorcycle booted feet crossed at the ankles. His head was back, his eyes closed, and he appeared to all the world asleep.

Mimi didn’t slow, stalking straight to him and kicking his feet. It took willpower on Jake’s part to keep from leaping forward to get between them. He didn’t doubt her capability, but he didn’t trust Mitch. The Enforcer was a good guy, yet the rules which governed them didn’t always apply, and he was definitely a force of nature.

“Where the hell have you been?” Mimi demanded.

The Enforcer squinted at her then grunted. “Damn, woman, who taught you your manners?”

“The dog catcher.” The smart-ass response had Jake biting back a grin. Hands on her hips, she continued to stare at the Enforcer. “You tell us to hole up together and keep each other safe, then you fall off the face of the Earth. Where’s the foreign wolf? Where have you been? What the hell are you doing making yourself at home on my deck?” Sincere rage radiated off of the little wolf and, for the first time since they met, Jake tasted real power in her stance.

Her dominance enchanted him nearly as much as her cooking and her clever tongue.

“Stand down, Chase.” Mitch went from indolent relaxation to on his feet. His laconic expression turned to stone, his dark eyes focused and dangerous. Waves of dominance rolled off him, and where normally Jake would have placated or yielded, he held his ground and kept his chin up. Mitch might be the Enforcer, and he might outweigh Jake and wipe the floor with him. None of that mattered.

Not remotely cowed by Mitch’s order, Mimi continued to glare at him. “Then answer my questions.”

“I’ve been busy, and most of the answers are none of your business. Except one…” He held up a finger, then pulled out his phone and pressed a button.

The call he placed was answered on the first ring. “Are you with her?”

“Yes, sir.” Mitch glanced at Mimi and she’d stiffened. “She can hear you.”

“Mimi, Mitch needs your help. Amelia Sullivan is missing. Go with him, track her.” The level of command in the caller’s voice resonated within Jake.

“Yes, sir.” All trace of anger and playfulness left Mimi. “How long has she been missing?”

“We don’t know. She hasn’t been checking in, but after she’s been ignoring her mother’s calls—I asked Mitch to swing by when he was in the area. The apartment had damage, foreign wolf scents, and a missing Amelia.”

“Does her family know?” Mimi clenched her fists.

“I’ve informed Shiloh and their father. We’re waiting for more confirmation before we panic her mother. Your mother and Matt’s mom are focused on keeping her distracted. Check in with me. Stay with Mitch or the Hudson River wolf…there is no time for traveling alone. Come home to us.”

“I will.” Mimi spared him a glance, then refocused on Mitch. “I’ll check in as soon as I know something Mason.”

“I’m counting on it, Owen is ready to fly to you as needed.”

Shit.
Jake pulled his own phone out and texted Brett.
Trouble with Willow Bend wolves, one missing. Will assist.