Wild (Wolf Ranch 2)

“I’m good at engineering,” I said, as if pleading my case for spending three years in a major I hated.

“Of course, you are. You’re super smart. But do you love it?”

I pursed my lips and shrugged, not ready to admit anything.

“Don’t bowl me over with your enthusiasm,” she countered, holding the container of eggs. “Here. I’m not sure what else you need. I get my cakes at the store, so I’m not going to be any help.”

“You deliver babies. You don’t have to be able to bake.”

She gave a little huff of laughter. “You’d think because I can deliver babies, I could make a cake. But, no.” She tucked her long hair back behind her ear. In jeans and a cute t-shirt, she looked more cowgirl than doctor. She had the arm candy, so all that was missing was the boots.

I pulled out a chair at the table. “Sit here and talk while I work.”

Happily, she sat down, then popped back up. “Coffee.”

I went over to the double oven to turn it on as she went over to the coffeemaker and poured herself a cup.

“Give me all the details of the wedding,” I said as I got to work. She hadn’t pulled out a stand mixer—she probably didn’t even know what one was—so I found it on a shelf in the walk-in pantry.

I listened to her tell about how it was going to be a small event, about twenty people. She’d invited a few girlfriends she worked with. I learned the Wolf family was only the three brothers, but there were about ten who lived and worked on the ranch plus other close friends who lived up in the hills who were also invited.

A few guys who called themselves the Barn Cats volunteered to play their bluegrass instruments. Fairy lights were being strung from the open barn doors, and a simple lunch was being catered by someone in town.

To me, it sounded perfect. I didn’t want a big event when I got married, not interested in being the center of attention. I was more eager for a guy than for the wedding.

That made me think of Colton. My pussy had gotten a workout, not once, but twice. I was tired, too, although I had no regrets about our three in the morning sexy times.

I turned and hit the coffee pot myself, grabbing a mug off the stand that was right beside it. Colton hadn’t shown up. Obviously. I started to wonder what I was going to do when he did. If he’d see me and pretend we didn’t know each other. Would he be mad?

I dropped into the mixer the amount of butter for the three layers and turned it on to cream. The noise of the machine didn’t allow for much talking, so I measured out the sugar and added it, letting my mind wander back to Colton. My quick and not-pleasant introduction to sex back in high school had left me wanting and lacking in skill.

That had been resolved last night. I had an inner seductress in me, and I realized I didn’t want to put her back. But it was Colton my pussy craved. His bossiness, his dominance. God, even the slap of his hand on my bare ass.

I just had no idea if he wanted more or not because when I’d left him in that motel room, I'd missed my chance for answers. The idea of getting the wrong answer left me too vulnerable. Exposed. The love'-em-and-leave-'em guy from college had validated how unexciting I was. It was best to shrug Colton Wolf off as no more than a wild night.

A night I’d be reliving with my vibrator for the rest of my life.

Besides, it was safer this way. I had a life back in LA. Plans. He had a life. Commitments. Guns and war and tactical maneuvers. Army stuff that was way more important than a one-night-stand in Montana motel room.

We could never be more than a fling. A fling that had flung.

I did not under any circumstances need him to want me...

Who was I kidding? That's exactly what I wanted. Big time.

6

COLTON

* * *

I drove through every small town between the motel and Wolf Ranch looking for her car. Fortunately, the towns were small, so it was easy to canvas the streets before moving on. Unfortunately, I hadn’t found her. I had no choice but to go to the ranch. For now.

I hadn’t been back in almost two years, and as I pulled up in front of the main house, I noticed what had changed. Not fucking much. The house had a fresh coat of paint. White flowers instead of red were in the beds below the porch. In the distance, I saw the fencing around the corral had been replaced.

I climbed from the truck, slung my bag over my shoulder. It felt good to be home, to be standing on the hard-packed ground I knew so well. The sense of belonging, the familiarity was in my DNA. My wolf was happy to be here… although he was a grumpy fuck for not knowing where our mate was.