So I Married a Werewolf (Entangled Covet) (3 page)

Chapter Four

“Marry me,” Carter said.

Her smile fell. At least, Faith thought it did. Her lips had gone numb.

“What? Me? No!” she backpedaled. “You don’t want to do that. Let’s go through the list of your gazillion ex-girlfriends.”

Jealousy soured her stomach. Every Friday night, she listened to stories about his werewolf girlfriends, how beautiful and successful they were. He didn’t talk about them to make her feel inferior, but she did. Their skin was probably milky white, smooth, and perfect, from face to foot. She bet they weren’t marred like she was…

“Yeah, we already exhausted that list.” Carter grinned from the side of his mouth, causing a tiny dimple to form on his right cheek. She poked at it, but he dodged and tapped her hand away. “The bureau caught me at a bad time. But I have a solution.”

Her pulse raced. “Marrying me is not a solution.”

“Sure it is.”

No, it’d be crazy. And exciting. Something she’d dreamed about on more than one occasion. But this wasn’t how she’d envisioned a proposal. Not even close. He should’ve been on bended knee, in front of their friends and family (at least, that’s how she’d always pictured it). He should’ve been declaring his undying love, not talking about a phony-baloney engagement and sham marriage.

And what about her Luminary? Werewolves could fall in love and marry whomever they wanted. But once in a lifetime, they met their soul mate and were forever changed. They became stronger and faster, and their sense of loyalty increased for that one mate. Some wolves never found their one and only fated mate, and others refused to marry until they did.

Faith was open to both falling in love and waiting until she found her Luminary, but this went against everything. This wasn’t even love. This was a business arrangement.

“Don’t worry, Faith. It would be in name only,” Carter said, grabbing for her hand. “It wouldn’t be real.”

Oh yeah, that made her feel better.

She was going to be sick. “Carter, I want to get married. But I want it to happen with someone who loves me. Where’s the romance in this?”

He blanched. “You want romance?”

“You really don’t know women at all, do you?”

He shrugged. “I know you. And I know you love your brother more than anything. You’d do anything to see him succeed.”

He had her there.

Carter scooted to the floor and knelt, leaning over the seat cushion next to her. “I’ll pay Dawson’s tuition. The whole thing.”

Holy shit.

The offer floored her.

“You can’t.” The blood drained from her face and her hands went all tingly. “It’s too much. Not right.”

“Look what you’d be giving up for me,” he said, his tone turning tender. “You’ll be going to council dinners and putting on a show that we’re a couple. We’re going to have to spend more time together.”

“I don’t mind spending time with you, Carter.” She leaned in close. “I like you.”

Way more than she should.

“I like you, too. That’s why this is going to work. I’ll get the detective position,” he said, his light eyes sparkling with enthusiasm, “your brother gets to go to Yale, and you don’t go broke paying for it. All you’d have to do is go to the party with me on Sunday. I’ll introduce you as my fiancée. We’ll stay engaged for a while, and if they start pressuring me about the wedding date, we’ll just get married at city hall. You won’t even have to move in with me since we live so close. You can stay here and I’ll stay at my place. When I convince the council that I’m just as valuable on my own, I’ll say we split. We can get a quickie divorce.”

Married at city hall? Quickie divorce?

Swoon.

She fell back against the couch and tried to slow her thoughts. She wanted Dawson to go to Yale, more than she’d ever wanted anything…and she liked Carter. He was her very best friend. He worked hard, and had been dreaming of this promotion since she met him.

The two leading men in her life needed her. But what would she be giving up to do this? Her dreams of a fairy-tale wedding?

How much did she really want that?

“I’m dizzy,” she said, zoning out on the television. She needed a distraction. Fumbling about, she found the remote and clicked the TV back on. “What movie did you bring?”

“Please,” Carter whispered, resting his hand on her thigh. “Faith?”

She looked at him, and her heart pinched. Why couldn’t he touch her like this and mean it? Why couldn’t she have been his Luminary? All of this would’ve been so easy. But he’d already found his fated mate and had lost her. That loss must’ve been devastating for him. She couldn’t imagine finding the one you love only to lose them, and then have to walk the world alone.

She couldn’t imagine her life without Carter, whether he was a lover or a friend.

Suddenly she realized, between her dreams of a fairy-tale wedding and being with Carter, that she wanted the latter more.

“I need this,” he said. “I need you.”

Ah, hell. How could she say no now?

She held his gaze. “Again, what movie did you bring? I might not want to hitch my wagon to a star with no taste.”

He grinned slowly, keeping his hand on her thigh. Her skin warmed, blooming into a tingly blush.

“It’s
So I Married An Axe Murderer
.”

“Good pick. Love this guy.” She fell over and clutched a throw pillow against her chest. She sighed and said, “Fine. I’ll marry you.”

Carter slid onto the couch and dragged her legs over his lap. The dynamic between them was comfortable. As if she’d just told him she wanted butter on her popcorn. But the emotions running through her body were hot and jumpy, on high alert. Her thigh was tingly where his hand touched it, her stomach was spinning, and she couldn’t feel her lips at all. Beyond that, a hollow feeling in the pit of her stomach warned that this wouldn’t work out how she hoped it would.

Maybe the pit would go away with some food. Now that she thought about it, popcorn with butter sounded amazing.

“So, um, when you said you’d marry me,” Carter said as the movie started, “were you talking to me or Mike Myers?”

“Both.” She giggled into a hiccup. “But you asked first so you get dibs. Lucky you. I’m quite the prize.”

He laughed. “Thanks, Faith. This means a ton.”

“I know.” She rested her head on the back of the couch, feeling as if every pound of the ton he spoke of was weighing heavy on her heart. “I know.”

Chapter Five

Faith woke up to the sound of her Keurig coffeemaker spouting heavenly syrup into a cup. Rays of morning light broke through her blinds and shone in her eyes, blinding her. She peeked around her living room through partly opened lids. Even though Carter wasn’t in sight, her heightened senses picked up his scent. Had he left his coat behind when he went home last night? Was that the scent she was picking up?

“Hello?”

Nope. Carter was actually in her cabin. She looked up to see him peek his head around the wall separating her living room from her kitchen. He looked rested, his light eyes bright, every hair falling in place. God, she probably looked like a troll.

“Hey. I’m stealing a cup of coffee.” His voice was so deep and rich, it was nearly a growl. “Hope you don’t mind.”

“No, I don’t.” She sat upright, and the blanket covering her body slid to the floor. Carter must’ve covered her after she fell asleep last night. That was nice of him. “Help yourself.” She rubbed her eyes and smoothed down her hair. “Want me to make breakfast?”

“You? Cook?” He laughed. “Let’s not and say we did, and that it was delicious.”

“What?” she hollered. “I can cook!”

“Ramen doesn’t count.”

Damn it.

She folded her arms over her chest and stuck her tongue out at him as he disappeared into the kitchen once more.

Suddenly, reality set in. Carter never came over this early on Saturday morning. Bits and pieces of the previous night clumped together in her brain.

“Why are you…” She turned to peek out her front window. His truck was parked in her driveway. “Um, did you stay the night?”

“Don’t you remember?” He brought out two cups of coffee in giant Disney mugs and handed her Goofy, then moved a heap of blankets and sat beside her. “Last night was great.” His voice was melted honey, rich and smooth, tingling her in all the right places. But then his words registered and her emotions flipped on a dime.

If they slept together, it’d been a mistake. No, she corrected smugly. The mistake would’ve been that she was too drunk to remember it. Did she feel different? Wouldn’t she have been able to tell if she and Carter had slept together? She would’ve been sore. Blissfully, wonderfully sore.

“We didn’t…”
How to put it?
“Tell me we didn’t…”

He busted out laughing.

Of course Carter hadn’t made a move. Of course they hadn’t slept together.

Not his type. You’re. Not. His. Type.

Disappointment streamed through her, but she buried it with anger. She smacked him in the chest.

“Hey! Watch it!” Carter recovered, guarding the Mickey mug with his other hand. “I spilled soda on your couch the day before yesterday. If I spill coffee today, you might make me buy you a new one.” His eyebrows danced. “Or maybe that’s your plan. This thing looks haggard.”

Ignoring him completely, Faith sipped the Veranda Blend coffee and moaned when the creaminess hit her tongue. He’d put French vanilla creamer in it. Just the way she liked. She couldn’t help but wonder if he was an attentive lover.

“You fell asleep,” he said, his words a sexy drawl. “I covered you up and locked the door on my way out.”

His scent clung to the blanket, to the couch. What she wouldn’t give to have his scent cling to her skin…

“How’d you get back in?” she asked.

“Used the key you hide above the door.”

Okay, he was sweet, but way too observant. Damn cops.

“Do you remember anything about last night?” he asked.

Her stomach churned as memories of the night before swam into mental view. Oh, she recalled a few things. How could she forget? She took a solid gulp of her coffee. “I remember vodka, an ax murderer, and a marriage proposal.”

“Good. The important things.” He nodded. “What do you think?”

“You’re serious?”

“Why not?”

“Because it’s crazy! Hasn’t the light of day knocked some sense into you?”

She suddenly had the urge to pace. Taking her coffee with her, she pushed off from the couch and headed out the front door onto the porch. The morning air was crisp and cold, typical for January, with a misty rain moving through the trees. It felt better out here—she could breathe easier. Her porch stretched the entire length of her house and wrapped around the side. She walked the length and back, thinking about Carter’s predicament, her brother’s tuition, and her options.

And why she’d ultimately decided to say yes.

By the time Carter joined her outside, she felt better about the whole thing. Barely, but the time away from him helped.

“I want to pay you back,” she said finally, leaning against the railing. “If you cover Dawson’s tuition for now that’s fine, but I want to pay you back when I can.”

“Deal.” Carter settled onto the wooden porch swing facing her and kicked his feet against the deck to get it moving. He had a kind of powerful grace that struck Faith when he was doing the simplest of things…like pushing a wooden swing. He’d be lethal in wolf form, no doubt. “As long as you know that you don’t have to pay me back for anything. I’d gladly cover his tuition for what you’re doing for me.”

Like to be doing a lot of other things for you, to you, whatever.

She nodded slowly, took a deep breath, and pushed dirty thoughts of Carter out of her mind. “Aren’t you the least bit worried that the council is going to see through this? I’m not like your other girlfriends. I’m going to have to pretend to be somebody completely different to make this believable.” The thought saddened her, though she didn’t know why.

“I don’t think you should be anyone but you.
That’s
the only way this will work.” He kicked his feet out and back, his jeans pulling taut over his legs as he stretched them out. “Do you want a wedding?”

Her coffee was fresh, but it wasn’t bold enough for this discussion. “Dawson’s the only family I have and I’d really rather him not know about the arrangement. Wouldn’t want him to feel like he’s a burden. He knows I’m not dating anyone, so announcing an engagement would send up a bunch of red flags. It’ll be better if he doesn’t know.”

“Understood.”

“What about you? Do you have any family to warn about an upcoming nuptial?”

“I have a sister who lives in Chicago and a half brother in Greece.” He sipped on his coffee. “They didn’t come to my first wedding so I don’t see why they’d care about my second.”

She was curious about his first marriage and his first wife, but now wasn’t the time to ask. Now that she thought about it, he didn’t talk much about his parents, his siblings, or his love life.

“What about your parents?” Faith asked. They were both born wolves. That was all she’d been told. “Will they be interested in knowing about an engagement or upcoming wedding?”

“My parents died fifty years ago.”

“Oh,” she said. “I didn’t know that. What about your friends? Anyone in the pack you’re close to?”

“Oh yeah, I’ve got hundreds of friends.” He smirked. “But none measure up to you.”

“Put your big game away, Casanova. I’ve got enough sweetness in my coffee.” Why did he insist on toying with her emotions? “So what’s our story? We should work out the kinks before tomorrow night.”

He stepped off the swing and joined her at the railing, peering out into the yard. The sun peeked through the canopy of fir above them, picking up subtle highlights in his dark hair. Why’d he have to be so good-looking? It’d be easier to see him as a friend and
only a friend
, if he didn’t have the whole sexy-yet-dangerous Colin Farrell vibe going on.

“I think we should stick to the basics, keeping as true as we can to how we really met. We should say I moved in next door to you last year and we hit it off right away. You knew from the moment you saw my rugged good looks that I was the one for you.”

“Oh yeah.” She groaned and rolled her eyes. “That’s exactly how it happened. I think you couldn’t keep your dirty paws off my bodacious bod.”

He turned, leaning back against the railing. “You
do
have curves for days.”

Despite the way he was playfully ogling her body, she knew full well he didn’t like women with soft stomachs and a little something extra on their hips. The women he dated were rail-skinny and had somehow discovered a way to make every ounce of fat on their body suck to their breasts. Even in wolf form, she had a little bit of meat to her. She wasn’t one of those dainty wolves who looked like she could be tossed around by her mate. No, Faith was bigger than the average female. And stronger.

She stood upright and flattened her shirt down her stomach. “We should set up other rules, too.”

He nodded. “Like what?”

“I don’t think you should be able to date anyone while you’re dating me.” She chose her words carefully. “If the council thinks I’m your wife and they see you around town with someone else, that would reflect on me.”

“That’s fair.” He emptied his cup. “I won’t date anyone until this is over. But if I can’t date anyone, you shouldn’t be able to either. Tit for that and all that stuff.”

“Gosh, now I’ll have to cancel all my dates and I’ll be making phone calls all day.” She
tsk
ed. “Somehow I think I’ll manage that part. Any other rules you want to set up while we’re on the subject?”

He nailed her with a glare that sizzled the blood in her veins. “Honesty first and foremost. I won’t be lied to.”

Good, because she didn’t want to be lied to, either.

More importantly though, she didn’t want to look stupid. In any way, shape, or form.

She’d had enough of that when she was younger, when the kids in school would make fun of the scar on her neck. Then, when she thought she’d put the past behind her and finally accepted the permanent marking, her ex-boyfriend had thrown it in her face.

Look at you,
he’d said during their very public breakup.
You’re more beast than beauty. All I see when I look at you is a cut that didn’t go deep enough.

She’d broken up with him after he said it. Actually, that was an understatement: she’d thrown her drink in his face and then broken his nose with a left jab. But she heard the gasps and whispers from other patrons in the restaurant, long after she’d left. The memory of that moment had her cheeks burning and her stomach churning with hatred.

He’d been an asshat to say such a thing, and she hadn’t thought much about him since. But the feeling of being humiliated that way, publicly, still hurt.

She took a deep breath to calm herself down. “I won’t lie to you,” she said. “And one more rule: you will
not
make me feel like a fool.”

“Deal.” He extended his hand and she took it. His skin was rough, but warm.

It wasn’t the marriage proposal she’d been dreaming of since she was a little girl, even though the man himself was pretty darn close to what she’d imagined her hunky groom to be.

“When’s the wedding?” she asked, taking back her hand.

Their contact didn’t seem to faze him one bit. “Do we have to decide right now? Can’t we be engaged for a while first?”

“We can, but when a couple gets engaged, they usually start planning.” Absentmindedly, she rubbed the spot on her left hand where he would put a wedding band. “If we have a date in mind, it’ll look more realistic.”

“Hmm.” He nodded, agreeing. “Six months from now sounds vague enough. Sometime in June or July?”

“That’ll work.”

His gaze caught on her hand. “I completely forgot. You’ll need an engagement ring for tomorrow night’s dinner.”

A warm blush fanned over her cheeks. “No, I don’t think—”

“I’ve got to run.” He set the mug on the railing and swept down the steps to the front yard before she could stop him. “See you tomorrow morning? Around ten?”

She frowned. “What’s happening in the morning?”

“We’re going through your closet to pick what you’re going to wear for dinner.”

“I’m fully capable of choosing my own clothes.”

He turned back at his driver’s door. “When was the last time you wore something other than jeans and Converse? And yoga pants don’t count.”

“I—”
Damn.

“Everything about tomorrow night has to be perfect. I’m not leaving anything to chance.” He slid into his truck, rolled down the passenger window, and leaned across the bench seat. “See you tomorrow,
wifey!
”

The coffee in her stomach tumbled at the name.

Oh, God.

Was she ready for this?

She checked her watch. She had two dogs to pick up for walks in fifteen minutes and another three shortly after that, and since she’d forgotten to update her blog last night, she’d have to squeeze that somewhere into her day.

She bolted into her house, snatched her cell, and called her best friend Tracy for backup.