Seduced by a Shifter(32)
Even by a certain sexy ski instructor, tracker, and all-around hottie. Realistically she knew her time in Woodcliff would be short. Willow would either be free to go back to New York or she’d be dead. So she’d make the most of the time she had. If Ben was interested in a fling, which his bone-melting kiss suggested, Willow would jump into one with both feet.
She’d just have to guard her heart.
* * * *
Two hours later they crossed the outskirts of Woodcliff and Willow almost got whiplash trying to take everything in, just as she had on the outside trip.
After several glances her way, Tess finally asked, “Have you actually seen the town or has Rome pretty much kept you up at the cabin?”
Lips twisted in wry amusement, Willow answered, “Other than your mom’s house, I haven’t seen anything of the town.”
Tess rolled her eyes. “I know you’re under protection, but seriously? He’s making it more like a prison.” Then she let out a chuckle and grinned when Willow looked at her in question. “Let’s take the scenic route back.”
The scenic route basically involved taking a tour through the town. Willow recognized Ruth’s house nestled in the middle of a long line of homes in a thick residential area. Taking a right, a quick left, and another right, Tess drove them down another road, this one sparse with homes. They passed the long dirt driveway that led to Kaylie and Dean’s home, the home Tess and Kaylie had grown up in, and where another generation of Gentries slumbered.
“But don’t tell Dean I used Gentry instead of Kinigos.” Tess laughed. “He’s such a male, all possessive and protective.”
Yeah, Willow had gotten that from her first night. She might have been nervous and exhausted, but one would have to be dead to miss the love and devotion he had for Kaylie and his newborn son.
As they passed the impressive house Jackie and Zan owned, Tess’s cell went off.
Willow tried not to listen in on the short conversation, but in the close quarters, it was difficult not to. Apparently Caleb was home from work, hungry and missing his bride-to-be. He must have said something naughty because Tess blushed to the roots of her hair, an expression of embarrassed delight on her gorgeous face. “Only if you call and order it.
“I need to make a quick stop at Dolen’s,” Tess told her, hanging up her cell phone.
“Okay.”
“But first we’ll do the government loop before the commercial.”
Staring out the windows as Tess drove down a circling road, Willow at once understood her comment. While many businesses lined the main highway, it seemed the hub of activity rested along one of two long, narrow, oval-shaped roads that bisected the main road. They each made a loop, the narrow center containing open land. Outside of winter it was probably a beautiful, grassy area, complete with a few scattered benches and a quaint white gazebo. The school, police office, town hall, community center, bank, and post office were situated on the government side.
At the far back, where Tess made the curve, sat the school, and adjacent to that, across another expanse of land covered with a thick layer of snow so pristine that the reflecting sun nearly blinded Willow, was a large park with several baseball diamonds, swing sets, monkey bars, and slides.
Willow sighed. “It must have been nice growing up here.”
Tess nodded. “Thinking about it now, yeah, it was nice. But it also had its problems. Still does. But you take the good with the bad.”
Willow’s eyes were glued to her window as she practically gawked at a huge white building with impressively thick columns holding up an equally impressive porch. “Like what?”
“Gossip.”
Willow turned to look at Tess. “Gossip?”
Tess braked for the red light and let out an exaggerated groan. “Oh, yeah. Everyone is in everyone else’s business. Giving advice when it’s not wanted, contemplating with each other on who is sleeping with whom, and parents telling on each others’ kids.”
At Willow’s open shock, Tess let out a chuckle and crossed the main road on the green light. “Yeah. Small communities aren’t real private, which makes your private time even more special.”
“Wow.”
“Now this is the commercial loop.” On this side of the street sat several shops, including a bookstore, a women’s clothing boutique, a salon, toy store, and Dolen’s Cafe.
Tess pulled into the cafe parking lot. “I had to readjust when I came back, but I have to admit I’ll take the gossip over the harsh demands and anonymity of a big city any day. It wore me out.”
Willow raised a brow at the ex-model. “Please. You were never anonymous.”