Wolves Gone Wild(31)
The sensation was both amazing and terrifying all at the same time. They were wrong. The attraction wasn’t any less than it had been last night. In fact, it was more. He wondered if Lance was feeling the same draw.
“We, uh, figured that it’d be better for you not to have to see it again. We didn’t know you were already up.”
“Well, as you can see, I am.” The sadness he saw in her eyes made him ache to hold her, to comfort her. “I’m not sure it’s much good getting her repaired now. What am I am going to tell the insurance company? That a man tore the hardtop roof off my car? Somehow I don’t think they’re going to buy that.”
“You could always let the adjuster come out and see for himself.”
Duncan had to interject. Lance wasn’t doing them any good. “We know you had a rough time of it last night.”
“Is that what Jackson told you?”
“Jackson?”
“His wife is in the diner. She told me Grant and he are taking care of the two men who tried to accost me last night.” She pffed out a breath. “Accost. That’s a slightly nicer way of saying that they tried to rape me.”
Once again, anger erupted in him, threatening to turn his inner wolf free to exact revenge. He clenched his fists, pushing it back into submission. He had to let Jackson and Grant handle it. Either they’d work out a deal that included punishment for Merle and Gabe, or the werebears’ refusal to do so would open up the possibility of war between the two shifter clans.
“We’re sorry we weren’t around to help you.” He hated telling her that. Instead, he wanted to confess that they were the three wolves who had saved her.
She pulled her body straight. She was proud and courageous. Everything he’d always wanted in a mate. “What’s done is done, as my mamma always says.”
“She’s right.”
Lance took her hand, and jealousy, pure and simple, ripped into Duncan. The green-eyed monster was gone in the next second, replaced with the lust-filled one inside him. If he didn’t get between her legs soon, he’d explode. And yet, if he did, he could risk a lifetime with her.
This is a bad idea.
“Lance, we need to get going.”
He’d meant that they should get away from her as soon as possible. They needed to stay at the ranch even if it meant having someone like the Carr brothers chain them up until the amber moon phase had passed. Lance, however, took it the wrong way.
“Yeah, I know, man. Look, Christy, we were wondering if you’d like to come out to the ranch today.”
Shit. How do I get us out of this?
He had to pray she’d pass on the offer.
She hesitated, then squashed his hope. “Sure. Okay. Why not?” Her hesitation was replaced with an excitement that made her appear even younger and more carefree. “Do you think I could ride a horse? I’ve never ridden one before.”
He could imagine her body in front of his, riding bareback, the heat from the horse’s back mixing with the heat from her luscious behind pressing against his crotch. The horse couldn’t bear their weight for long, and the feel of her next to him would break every bit of restraint he had.
It was another bad idea, but one that had his need stirring on a hard, fast boil.
“Of course you can.” Lance swept her into his arms and whirled her around. She laughed as he put her on the ground. “We’ll make you one hell of a good cowgirl. You just wait and see.”
* * * *
Christy’s nervousness about being alone with Lance and Duncan was gone the second she saw the horses. They were beautiful creatures, regal and serene, yet bundles of energy just waiting to explode at the slightest movement. A lovely, chestnut-colored horse pranced around the enclosure, while a horse with spots all over its rump lifted his head from munching the grass to see what the humans were up to. A black horse shook her head, sending her glossy mane dancing.
“They’re all so amazing.” She itched to stroke their necks and whisper to them. They stood well over her height, and for the first time since asking if she could ride, she reconsidered the idea. Falling off would hurt. Getting kicked or bitten would hurt even more.
“Yes, they are.”
She glanced up at Lance, noting the reverent tone of his voice. He cared about the animals, not just as property, but as living creatures he had the privilege to care for. “Are you sure it’s okay for me to ride one? Like I said, I’ve never ridden a horse before. Not even one of those kiddie ponies at the fair.”
She forced her attention away from Lance. Riding to the ranch seated in the middle of the pickup’s front seat had taken a lot out of her. She’d wanted to sit on top of Lance’s lap and ride him like she was about to ride one of the horses. Instead, she’d talked her head off, about everything and anything, and fixed her attention on the road ahead.