My head whirls around, and I eye him as he keeps his eyes trained on the road.
“Some people save cougars. Some save deer. I hunt to fill my fridge and freezer—not for sport. But I have a soft spot for cougars because of Cougar,” he tells me. “If it’s wearing one of my tags, no one from Tomahawk will ever kill it.”
My eyes stay on him, taking him in a little too brazenly. From his tempting lips to his broad shoulders…to his lap. Why am I staring at his lap? Why do I want to crawl in his lap just because he tagged Bambi to keep her safe?
It was a girl.
Why does knowing that make my heart turn to mush?
I really, really want to kiss him right now. Worse than I’ve ever wanted to kiss anyone. I’ve never been particularly boy crazy. I’ve never wanted to fling my panties at a man either. This is all so sudden, and I could really use Reese to walk me through these super confusing desires right now.
An image of me ripping open that flannel shirt pops into my mind. Flannel isn’t supposed to be so hot. Well, not in the sexy hot meaning of the word, anyway.
“Why is your face so red? You okay?” he asks with genuine concern.
I squeak out a sound as my eyes widen, and I jerk my gaze back to the window.
I never should have asked him anything. It’s made this unbearable ache start to form in some rather inconvenient places.
I’m embarrassed? Great. Now I seem like some innocent little girl instead of a twenty-six-year-old who has been around boys before. Sheesh.
I’m not innocent.
I’m not super experienced, but I’m damn sure not innocent.
“All good,” I assure him as I clear my throat. “Just nervous about meeting new people,” I add, since that’s sort of honest.
He pulls into a deep part of the woods after abruptly turning off the road, and I glance around at nothing but trees and snow.
“We gotta park here. It’s like a covert operation when we all meet up in one spot. Can’t be seen and all,” he states like that’s an explanation as he turns off the Jeep and hops out.
Okay then. Guess we’re hiking the rest of the way.
He stops just in front of me, turns his back to me, and squats.
“Hop on. You’re not wearing the right shoes to trek in snow,” he tells me.
I stare at the back of his head like he’s lost his mind. He can’t walk in snow if I’m also on his back.
“The sooner the better. You’ve never seen the Vincents or Malones eat. There won’t be nothing left if we dally for too long,” he adds, glancing at me over his shoulder.
“I can walk,” I assure him as I side step him and move onto the road, finding tracks to walk in to make it easier.
My breath leaves me in a startled rush when I’m suddenly lifted and tossed over a shoulder that shouldn’t be so strong. He doesn’t look like he’s this strong, but he did pull me from the icy water with just one hand and carried me already.
“Fine. I’ll carry you this way then,” he says like he’s amused.
Resisting the stupid urge to grin over being manhandled, I say, “You win. I’ll ride your damn back.”
Wild Ones Tip #754
Never feed the Wild Ones. It’s hard to get rid of them once you do.
Chapter 9
PIPER
*******
“I’m not having any damn babies, Aunt Penny! I want to enjoy my married life,” the one they call Lilah is shouting at the woman who is following her around with pregnancy tests.
“But pregnancy is good for the skin!” the woman argues…
“Is that true?” Reese whispers to me.
“Does it matter?” I whisper back, trying to take in all the chaos all around me, but struggling to do so.
Hale, Kai, and two others are engaged in some heated argument about who ate the last brownie someone brought for Lilah’s husband’s brother…
Deacon. His name’s Deacon. And Lilah’s husband is Benson. I think. There were some quick, sloppy introductions made.
Krysta and Nila keep staring at us.
“Those are some pretty clothes,” Krysta finally says…to Reese…since I’m wearing Kai’s sweatshirt for the second day in a row. I’m pathetic, and now everyone sees it. “What size are you?”
Clearing my throat, I pick at the top of my knee-high boot, unsure if I should answer. She’s the one who was chasing Deacon in the street like a crazy person…
“Stop making my date uncomfortable,” Kai snaps at them.
“Yeah, you cockblock him, and he’ll make your lives hell,” Kai’s bald brother says to me, winking like we’re on the same team or something.
Hunter? Is that his name? Or is that one Shade? I can’t remember. The introductions were just so lazy and quick.
I don’t know what’s going on anymore.
“Don’t say that shit. You’ll scare her off. She’s fancy,” Kai gripes.