Seduced by a Shifter(50)

His grin was playful and he reached for her hand, kissing the back of it. “I’m not abducting you, Will. Relax. I might have libidinous tendencies where you’re concerned, but I’d never hurt you. It’s a semi-private place.”

She glanced down at where her hand lay trapped between his and his hard thigh. “Semi-private?”

His lips pursed and he tilted his head from side to side, as if figuring out how to explain. “It’s a place that not everyone in town knows of. Like a community center but only for certain people.”

“Oh, God.” She yanked her hand free, her heart thudding in her chest, and not in a fun way. “You’re all part of some weird cult.”

“What? No!”

“No? You’re taking me out in the middle of nowhere to some quote, community center, unquote, where only certain people are allowed to go?”

The look he shot her was priceless. “It’s deep in the woods because it’s for hunters. You know, deer hunting? And that’s mainly who goes there. Hunters. Men like to hunt, pretend we’re big bad predators, yet still want the comforts of home.”

Willow eyed him. “A hunting lodge?”

“Exactly,” Ben seemed pleased with the label. “A hunting lodge. But it’s not open to the public. When you buy a hunting license you can upgrade to also purchase a membership to the lodge. That way you can still use the facilities outside of hunting season.”

She’d hold her opinion in reserve, especially when Ben pulled into the spacious, but empty, parking lot next to a large one-story building. Saying nothing, she allowed herself to be drawn to a side door and watched as Ben used his key and tapped out the code. Inside, after he flipped on some switches, she gaped. “Wow.”

Mirrors lined two sides of the open room while a third contained a second door and several blind-covered windows ending halfway down the wall. Beneath the windows sat several heavy plastic benches. Along the fourth wall, from where they’d entered, was another bench, huge cubbies for clothes, keys, or whatever, and a counter with a computer monitor and what looked to be audio equipment. Cabinets filled the space below the counter, and three wall-mounted flat-screen TVs filled the space above. Finally, situated over the industrial-grade linoleum were enough weights and gym equipment to make the center she worked at in Arizona green with envy.

Ben locked up behind them. “Dean’s office is on the other side of those windows and there’s even a bedroom and bath beyond that.”

Willow moved around the room, trailing her fingers over the hands of an elliptical machine. “Dean’s office?”

“Yeah.” Ben set their bags on a bench by the door next to several cubbies, her white plastic one next to his black duffel. “The Haven was his idea. He’s co-owner and manager but I’m pretty sure he’s looking for someone to replace him.”

“Oh?” Willow might not know anything about hunting, but she did know more than a little about community centers. Okay, maybe not enough to manage one, but she was a smart cookie. She could learn.

What the hell am I thinking? Willow gave herself a mental smack. I’m not looking to stick around. Once this is all over, I’m going home to New York.

She moved on to admire a leg press, studiously ignoring the whisper in her head telling her nothing was left in New York for her except her father, and he could visit anytime. “What else is here?”

Ben’s nose scrunched in thought, the action so adorable she felt her heart flip-flop. A little cross at the betraying organ, she glowered at a pectoral fly machine. She hated those machines.

“A kitchen, dining hall, two conference rooms, a rec room, a game room, three actual bedrooms other than Dean’s, and a common room, which is just a nice way of saying a large room with a bunch of bunk beds.”

Willow raised a brow. “Bathrooms?”

“Oh.” He grinned sheepishly. “As it really is just men that use the place, it’s a common bathroom, like in a high school.”

Her brows creased. “Lovely.”

“You can use Dean’s bathroom for anything while you’re here. It’s sort of the designated girls’ room.”

“I’m sure he’s thrilled,” she muttered under her breath.

“So what do you want to start with?”

She made her way back to the elliptical and climbed on. “Here. It’s easier on my hip and knee.”

“All right.” He showed her the unfamiliar display. “Music or TV?”

“Music,” she replied promptly.

He walked over to a counter. “Any particular genre?”