The Keeping(67)

Self-retribution had followed once he was in the shower and had a clearer head. ‘Bad move, Taylor,’ he scolded himself. She could be—very possibly was—the enemy. His plan of giving her a quick and highly abridged interview didn’t include having sex. He was supposed to be acting like an ass, offensive and uncooperative so that she’d hurry on her way. With this in mind, he’d purposely been a jerk towards her this morning, brushing off the encounter, no tender words... Hurt and confusion had been evident in her eyes and, while he wasn’t the most sensitive of guys, he usually didn’t treat his women that way. Still, he’d steeled himself to do what was necessary and left her thinking the worst of him, despite the fact that his wolf was moving restlessly within him.

Maybe he should have just told her to go away in the first place, but from what he’d observed thus far, Melody wouldn’t give up that easily. At least this way he knew what she was doing and could dole out measured bits of information—enough to make it seem real, but never anything important. Yes, it was still the best plan. He just had to keep his mind focused on the possible threat she could pose, rather than her other interesting qualities.

Setting his jaw, Ryne firmed his resolve and went off to find his unwanted guest.





Chapter 18





After leaving Ryne’s house, Mel went home, changed her clothes, then tried to concentrate on a list of questions to ask the man. Forcing all thoughts of their early morning encounter out of her head, she tried to view him as dispassionately as possible. What should she start with? He was a reluctant participant, so she didn’t want to put him on the defensive with the very first question. Hmm... Tapping her pen against her lips, she considered the problem, then settled on the tried and true; basic background. There was nothing threatening about that. Date and place of birth seemed pretty safe, followed by where he grew up and what schools he attended. Then she could move on to his work inquiring about how he had started in photography and did he have any formal training. After jotting down her ideas, she sat back and considered the situation further.

She tried to imagine herself as someone interested in nature pictures. What would she want to know? Why was he interested in nature photography rather than people or buildings? How did he choose his subjects? What kind of cameras did he use? Were there special techniques that differed from other forms of photography? Any special considerations? Oh yes, and the locations. How did he select them and where had he taken pictures previously? Aldrich had conveyed that Greyson was particularly interested in the locations of the pictures. Personally, Mel didn’t think it was that important, but she wasn’t the one paying for the article now, was she?

The true story of the missing sales associate and the pilfered money would be interesting tidbits of information, but Mel scratched them from her list. If she asked, then Ryne would know she’d been talking to the people at Bastian’s Gallery in Smythston. For some reason, she felt it prudent to not let him know she’d been there.

Setting her papers aside, she contemplated the rest of her day. It was noon by the time she’d left Ryne’s, declining the offer of lunch which had been enthusiastically delivered by Bryan and Daniel and only grudgingly acknowledged by Ryne. He hadn’t pressed her to stay, nor acted as if anything had happened between them, so Mel decided he really had just wanted sex—the asshole. The man obviously never had any real interest in her; she’d just been a convenience, someone to help him relieve his morning hard-on. Well, that was fine with her. She could be just as blasé about it as him. After all, she wasn’t going to be in Stump River that long anyway. Just don’t expect a repeat performance, she added darkly.

A glance at her watch told her it was only three o’clock. How should she spend the rest of the day? There was no TV to watch and the card games loaded on her computer were beginning to bore her after a week of playing them each night. If she’d had an internet hook up, she could have done some research on Lycans. It was a fascinating fantasy world that people had created and she planned on spending some more time reading up on the topic tomorrow, just out of curiosity.

Mel picked up the romance novel she’d been reading, but after a few pages, set it down. Since her encounter with Ryne, the sex in the story just wasn’t that interesting anymore. She stared out the window at the woods. The wind had finally died down and the sun shone brightly. Maybe she could take a walk.

Without further thought, she grabbed her coat and stepped outside. The temperature was cool, but not so cold as to prevent her from enjoying the day. After spending most of her life in the city, the idea of having nature just outside her door was rather exciting. Mindful of the possibility of wolves, she decided not to walk too far, keeping the cabin in sight.