Wilde About Her (Wilde Pack Series)(5)

"And so do you," she retorted with a hand at her waist, taking in his  aging appearance. "How about while I'm here, I'll make breakfast?"

As she walked over to the large wooden table, Pappy gave her a dismissive wave. "I have country ham and toast every morning."

"How about some grits, the way Grandma Bea used to make them?" Denim suggested and she didn't miss the twinkle in his dark gaze.

"You got yourself a deal, young lady." He smiled and looked lost in the  memory of his wife's grits with country sausage and plenty of butter.  "While you're here, if you could teach Kitty how to make Bea's grits at  the diner, I think the people of this town would really appreciate that.  Hers can be a tad bit runny at times."

Denim grinned at the scowl on his face. "Sure Pappy, I'll be glad to."  She walked over to a door near the sink and stepped inside a walk-in  food pantry. On the bottom shelf she found a box of grits. She reached  for it, and then gazed down at the expiration date while shutting the  door behind her with a click. The pantry used to be one of her favorite  hiding places.

"If you're wondering if they're still good, I bought those a few months  ago and tried to make them the way Bea did, but didn't even come close."  Pappy gave a hearty chuckle.

Grinning knowingly, she moved over to the white gas stove, reached for a  small pot and filled it with water. Denim had a warm feeling flooding  her chest at the thought of cooking in her grandmother's kitchen again.  Being here always had a way of making her feel good. There's nothing  stupid about this place. She was starting to think she had been  ridiculous for allowing Grandma Bea's death to keep her away for so  long.

Pappy carried a platter of country ham over to the wobbly wooden table  along with a carafe of coffee while Denim put the pot on the stove and  lit the eye.

"Did you hear that wolf howling last night?"

"Wolf?" She swirled around, eyes wide. "Uh no," Denim stuttered, taken completely off guard. "I thought I heard thunder."

"Nope. It was those damn werewolves," Pappy mumbled more to himself than  to her, then he brought a mug to his lips and sipped before continuing.  "I've been trying to tell folks around here for years they're as yellow  as the sun and humongous, but no one wants to believe me."

"I believe you, Pappy." I've seen them and I wish I could tell you. But  if she did, Pappy would spread the story all day long at the diner.

Denim walked back to the table and took a seat while waiting for the water to boil. "Pappy, when was the last time you saw one?"         

     



 

His brow wrinkled the way it always does when he's in deep thought.  "It's been several years since I've caught those beady eyes staring at  me, but I feel them watching when I'm sitting out on the porch. In fact,  I felt one lurking outside my house this morning. Just with my eyesight  the way it is now, I couldn't hunt them if I wanted."

Thank God for small favors.

Denim reached for the carafe and filled both coffee mugs as she asked,  "Have there been any reports of livestock being killed? That's usually a  sign."

Pappy blew out a frustrated breath. "No nothing, which I can't figure it  out, but there haven't been deer sightings in these parts for years.  It's because of the wolves, I tell you!"

Now that much she couldn't argue. A deer had sense enough to stay away  if there were wolves present and there definitely were. Three in  particular.

"What's this about you getting married?" Pappy asked, changing the subject.

Avoiding his eyes, Denim reached for the sugar dish and tossed two  heaping teaspoons into her mug. "Not anymore. The engagement is off."

His eyes crinkled with worry. "Something you wanna talk about, Sweet Pea?"

Shaking her head, Denim sighed and said, "No, not really. Guess it just wasn't meant to be."

Reaching over, Pappy patted her hand. "You'll fall in love again. You'll see," he said with confidence.

Denim bit into her toast to avoid a response. After that fiasco, she wasn't sure if she wanted another relationship …  ever.

Love hurt.



* * *

His brothers were standing in the foyer at the bottom of the stairs talking when Jax headed down.

"Good morning," he greeted.

Aidan looked up and gave him a head nod. "Hey. What do you have planned for today?"

Jax shrugged as he reached the bottom step. "Work over near the stable, repairing one of the fences."

Chayton nodded his spiky blond head. "I'll give you a hand."

"Cool, the crew and I can use any help we can get." They had dozens of  hired hands working at the ranch, yet Jax really enjoyed pitching in  whenever he could.

"You plan on going back into town today for another hamburger?" Aidan asked.

Confused, his brow rose. "A burger?"

His younger brother smirked and replied, "Yep, from Pappy's Diner."

Jax noticed the way his brothers were looking at each other, grinning.

They know.

Sidestepping Aidan, he avoided the question and headed into the kitchen  where their housekeeper was making breakfast. Of course those two  knuckleheads followed him.

"I heard through the grapevine Denim is back in town. Have you seen her  by chance?" Aidan asked, even though the sparkle in his golden eyes said  he already knew the answer. Jax had known it was just a matter of time  before they found out.

He reached for the plate of bacon. Weres had a hearty appetite. Jax  brought a crisp slice to his lips before speaking. "Yeah, I saw her. So  what?"

Amused, Aidan arched an eyebrow at him. "So what? Her scent …  all you  used to talk about was that delicious smell that drove you crazy. You  telling me she no longer smells good enough to eat?"

The question caught him off guard. Chayton eyed him speculatively. Jax  didn't bother denying it because all they had to do was be within a few  feet of her and they would know Denim still smelled fucking amazing.

"She's human," Jax replied, like that was the end all.

"And?" Aidan said with a rude snort. "Weres have been known to fall in love with humans. Cousin Kyle is a good example."

Jax glanced back and forth between the two of them before speaking. "Not  this werewolf." Being a shifter was hard enough as it was without  complicating his life even more.

Chayton was watching him intently. "I agree. This pack has enough problems."

Aidan waved his hand. "Are you for real? Dude, things happen for a  reason. You're no longer with Troy, and maybe that's because Denim is  your soulmate." Aidan was the youngest and the biggest pain in his ass.  Usually he rolled with his brother's jokes, but not this time.

"She's not. So, change the subject," he growled, shaking his head in  exasperation, then walked over to the refrigerator just as Ms. Gayla  handed him a glass of orange juice. She had been with them for fifteen  years, since their mother, an alpha female, died in a car accident. No  matter how old the Wilde boys got, Ms. Gayla couldn't suppress her  maternal instinct to coddle them.

"I hope you boys are hungry."

"Always," Aidan replied as he leaned forward and planted a kiss to her cheek. Ms. Gayla smiled and handed him a glass as well.         

     



 

While Jax sipped from his glass, he stood at the island, flipped through  the morning newspaper, pretending to read when he was actually thinking  about Denim. Aidan was right. Her smell was like nothing he'd ever  experienced before. Even yesterday at the diner, the pull of pheromones  had grown stronger the closer he'd moved toward the counter. Last night,  all he could think about was her as he imagined bending her over one of  the vinyl stools, lifting her skirt, and sinking deep inside-

"One thing for sure, you better not let Troy find out about Denim,"  Aidan said, with a chuckle, interrupting his explicit thoughts.

Jax gazed at his brother's wide smirk, pointed canines flashing.

There was nothing worse than a she-wolf scorned. After their  relationship ended, Troy stalked and taunted every female he'd attempted  to date. And then a few members of the Chadwick pack got involved, and  took her side, believing a Wilde had broken her heart. The entire  situation had caused so much friction between the two packs that Jax  finally decided to take a break from dating until the tension had ceased  between them.

Jax blew out a harsh breath and laid aside the paper. "You have to admit Troy's been way too quiet."

Aidan looked over from the kitchen table and shrugged. "That could be a good thing."

"Maybe she's found another Were," Chayton added, while stuffing bacon into his mouth.

One could only hope. But he knew better. Troy was vindictive and there  was no way she was letting him off that easy. She had been so quiet,  Jax's animal instincts had kicked up a notch. Something was brewing.

Chayton scratched his head. "I'll get a few members of the pack to reach  out and see what they can find out." His voice was suddenly laced with  urgency.