The Werewolf's Christmas Wish (Nocturne Falls) (3 page)

T
he look
on Sam’s face told
Bridget everything she needed to know. He understood exactly what she was talking about. “Well?”

He leaned back against the shelves and rested his forearms on his bent knees. “What’s there to talk about?”

“Are you kidding? Can you just turn it on and off like that? Or were you faking all that flirting? And don’t try to say you weren’t flirting because you almost kissed me at least three times.”

He blew out a breath. “I did not.”

She slanted her eyes at him. “Uh, yes, you did.”

He shook his head and looked away.

“What happened? You hook up with some badge bunny at the fire academy?”

“
No
.”

“Did the age difference finally sink in?”

“What age difference?”

She lifted one shoulder. “I’m three years older than you.”

“How do you know how old I am?”

“I asked your sister.”

So she’d talked to Ivy about him. That was interesting. “I had no idea.”

“Well, what then?”

“I don’t want to have this conversation.”

“You’re the one who told me how boring it would be to freeze to death in silence.”

“We’re not going to freeze to death.”

She shivered. “I might.”

He patted the spot next to him. “Come sit by me. I’ll keep you warm.”

Yeah, she bet he would. The last thing her wolfy hormones needed was to be wrapped in Sam’s arms. Was the man trying to get himself bitten? “Thanks, but I’m not that cold.”

“Suit yourself.”

“Don’t think you’re changing the topic either. I want to know what happened between when you arrived in town and when you came back from the academy. You did like me, didn’t you?”

He sighed. “Yes. I still do. You’re very nice.”

She pursed her lips. “You know what I mean.”

He put his head down and stayed quiet for a long moment. When he spoke, his voice was low and husky and edged with something that sounded very much like need. “Bridget, I
do
like you. But you and me together is a bad idea. One that can’t happen.”

The timbre of his voice scraped over her skin, raising goose bumps and a few bad ideas of her own. Telling her she couldn’t do something only made her want to do it that much more. “And why is that?”

He looked up at her, eyes alight with the glow of his beast. “You know why.”

“No, I don’t. Tell me. And don’t bring up the Kincaid thing again. We’ve already established you’re a Kincaid in rehab. That excuse is no longer valid.”

He sighed. “Your brother is my boss. And your other brother is the sheriff. Both of them made it clear very early on that you were off-limits.”

“And yet Titus made sure that you and I were together tonight.”

Sam laughed. “You needed a truck. I had one. I don’t think the chief is responsible for that case of champagne needing to be delivered. And if you didn’t drive that impractical car, you wouldn’t have needed a truck in the first place.”

She narrowed her gaze. “So now my car is silly?”

“I didn’t say that. Your car is… an incredible piece of American muscle, and you look hot as hell driving it, but—”

“You think I’m hot as hell?” She grinned.

He scrubbed a hand over his face before staring to the side. At last he faced her. “I think you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”

That left her speechless and warm. When she found her voice, she asked, “Then why haven’t you asked me out?”

“I told you. Your brothers.”

“If you really liked me, they would be minor obstacles, not roadblocks.”

He bowed his head again as if wrestling with something more.

“What is it?” she asked. “What aren’t you saying?”

He got up and paced to the back of the walk-in. Didn’t take much with the length of his stride, just a few steps. He put his hands on the shelves and leaned in, putting his forehead against his knuckles. The width of his shoulders was an impressive thing. “I’m not the man you need, Bridget.”

She barked out a laugh. “Did my brothers coach you to say that? If so, you can take that lovely little turd and flush it. I’ve had enough of them trying to dictate who I spend time with. I’m a grown woman, in case you hadn’t noticed.”

“I have. Trust me.” He turned around, eyes wolf-bright with gold. “And no, those words are mine.” The gleam in his eyes faded as he shook his head. “You’re a Merrow. I’m a Kincaid. That’s enough right there to tell you we’re not suited.”

“Your sister and my brother proved that wrong. And seriously, that excuse is done. Try again.”

“It’s not
done
. Ivy became a Merrow by marriage. You’d have to become a Kincaid. There’s a difference.”

Surprise rounded her mouth into an O. “So you’ve thought about us getting married?” That was way more than she’d imagined. Sam was one surprise after another.

“What? No. Not exactly. I mean… Hell, that’s not what I was saying.”

She jumped up and went to stand in front of him, as close as she dared. “I like you, Sam. I have since I first laid eyes on you. And it’s pointless to deny there’s some kind of chemistry going on between us. So I gottta ask. What’s a big bad wolf like you so afraid of?”

“I’m not afraid of anything.” The words rumbled out of him, setting Bridget’s blood on fire with their defiant tone.

She lifted her chin, trembling with boldness but unwilling to back down. If ever there was a moment to be brave, this was it. “Then kiss me.”

The snarl left his mouth, but the metallic wolf fire returned to his eyes. It took half a second for him to respond. His body snapped to attention, and he moved toward her with purpose. He threaded his fingers through her hair and brought her mouth to his in a searing kiss.

She closed her eyes and lost herself to the moment. The hum of the refrigeration died away, replaced by the thump of her pulse and her sudden intake of breath. She was no longer cold. No longer concerned about being stuck in the walk-in.

Sam Kincaid was kissing her.

His lips were as smooth and firm as she’d imagined they would be. She sighed into his mouth and his lips parted. His tongue darted out, stroking hers.

She shivered, but not because of the temperature. She reached for him, holding on to his arms.

He nipped at her bottom lip, teasing it between his teeth. She moaned, almost delirious with pleasure. His mouth went lower. Across her jaw, down her throat. To the tender spot below her ear. She gasped as a shudder of need tore through her. She broke contact and backed away.

It was that or they were about to create a serious health-code violation in this walk-in.

His eyes were still aglow and no doubt hers were too after that. He stared at her like he was hungry for more. “Still think I’m afraid?”

She shook her head, mute with pleasure. A few seconds passed before she managed to whisper, “No.”

Finally she could form words into sentences. “If you… That is…” Well, she mostly could. “Why did it take my asking?”

“Because we don’t belong together.”

That took some of the buzz off her pleasure high. If her eyes had been wolfy-gold, they weren’t now. “Explain that. Right now. Because based on that kiss, that’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.”

A
ll Sam
really wanted to do was kiss her again. And again. And
again
. She’d been everything he’d dreamed of and then some. Soft and lush and sweet and perfect. And despite the temperature in this walk-in, she’d nearly set him on fire.

But kissing her had done exactly what he’d worried it would. It had opened up a discussion there was no turning away from.

The one where he was going to have to lay himself bare before her and show her just how lacking he was. He’d had the conversation a thousand times in his head. He still wasn’t prepared for it. To actually stand in front of her, face-to-face, and strip himself emotionally naked.

He was too in love with her to want to see the look in her eyes when she realized what a mess he was.

He swallowed what was left of his pride. “Bridget, I’m not the man you deserve.”

“Says who?”

“Says me.” And his bank account.

The challenge fell off her face. “Why?”

He stared at the floor. “Because I’m not. Besides the fact that I’m a Kincaid, even one in rehab like you said, I can’t do anything for you. I can’t give you anything. I’m starting a new job. I don’t even have my own place. I’m basically living at the firehouse. That truck is the only thing I’ve got. You deserve a man who can spoil you with gifts and trips and fancy dinners. A man who can at least take you back to his place. I can’t do any of those things. I’m flat broke.”

She blinked. “What are you talking about? And not that it matters, but you must have money. That’s one time when being a Kincaid is a positive.”

“When the law got involved in my family’s business, which was ultimately a good thing because it freed my mother and Ivy—”

“And Charlie.”

“And Charlie.” Sam nodded. His and Ivy’s father was an abusive tyrant of a man, and Ivy and Charlie had taken the brunt of it. Their freedom made Sam’s own hardship easier to bear. “But when the government stepped in, everything was frozen. Pack money, personal money, assets, everything. And the new alpha of the Tennessee Pack declared that no new pack dividends would be dispersed to any Kincaid. I can’t blame him. My family almost destroyed the Tennessee Pack. But it’s made my life hard. If not for the kindness of your brothers, I don’t know where I’d be.”

She shook her head, her eyes glistening with concern. “Sam, I had no idea.”

“No one does. Except for your brothers.” Which was exactly how he wanted it.

“And Ivy.”

“No, Ivy doesn’t know. I told her I had other money. I don’t want her worrying about me. She’s got Charlie and Hank to take care of. She doesn’t need the burden of her brother.”

“I doubt Ivy would think of you as a burden.”

“No, probably not. But this is my business, and I’d like to keep it that way.”

She nodded. “I understand. Completely. I’m the daughter of an alpha, and sister to two sons of an alpha. I get all that macho nonsense.”

He frowned. He’d just laid his soul out and she was calling it nonsense? “It’s not nonsense. It’s a man wanting to take care of things his own way.”

She popped her hip out. “Even if taking care of things his own way means ignoring the woman right in front of him?”

Sam stared at her. How was she not getting it? “I
cannot
be the man you need.”

“How do you know what kind of man I need? Isn’t that my decision?” She rolled her eyes. “Let me tell you something. Men of the alpha werewolf variety would do themselves a huge favor by getting out of their own way.”

“I’m not in my own way.”

She laughed. “Oh, Sam. So pretty and so dumb. Fortunately for you, that’s a combination I can work with.”

She walked toward him, eyes sparking gold.

The walk-in seemed surprisingly warm all of a sudden. He backed up into the shelves with no further room for retreat. He understood the look in her eyes, but she wasn’t going to sway him with her ridiculous curves and soft mouth and beautiful smile.

Okay, that was a total lie. “Bridget, you don’t understand.”

“No, you’re the one who doesn’t understand.” She kept coming until her body met his.

“What are you doing?”

She slipped her hands underneath his coat and snaked her arms around his torso. “I’m cold, and you’re going to warm me up while we finish this conversation.”

He didn’t want to smile, but he couldn’t stop himself. “You say that like it’s an order, but I already offered twice so clearly I’m happy to do it.”

She tipped her head back. “It is an order. So you have to follow it. Plus, technically, I outrank you.”

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. The feel of her body against his almost dropped him to his knees. “How do you figure that?”

“My father’s pack was bigger than your father’s pack, I’m higher up in the birth order than you, and I’m older than you.”

“The age thing again? You’re only older by three years.”

“So you see my point. I’m in charge of this situation now.”

“I don’t think—”

She pressed her index finger over his lips. “Shh. You just listen. First of all, it completely sucks that you’re paying the price for your father’s crimes, but there’s not much any of us can do about that but move on. Secondly, I don’t need gifts or trips or fancy dinners. You know what I like?”

He shook his head carefully so as not to dislodge her finger.

“I like evenings in. I don’t get many because I work so much, but a night on the couch with a takeout pizza and a movie? Heaven. That only thing that could make that better would be you on the couch next to me. Possibly with your shirt off. Or pants. I’m not picky.”

“I’m exceptional at evenings in. With or without clothes.” He grinned as new ideas rose in his head and fresh heat filled his body.

She patted his chest with her other hand. “That’s the kind of positivity I like. And as far as your current situation goes, I could always use more security at Howler’s. If you want to pick up a few shifts on the nights you’re not on at the firehouse, I’d be grateful to have the help.” She took her finger away. “You interested?”

“Is this a pity job?”

“No way. I’m an awful boss. You’ll see.”

He laughed. “Is that why Lenny quit?”

“Very funny. Do you accept?”

He nodded. If this was her way of helping him out, it was sweet and he needed the money too much to be prideful about it. Not to mention he’d have done it for free just to be around her.

“Good.” Her fingers traced designs on his chest. “I will have to check what the handbook says about employee fraternization.”

“So we’re fraternizing now?”

She nodded and wiggled her finger back and forth between the two of them at chest level. “This? Us? It’s happening. We are officially a thing, and I don’t give a flying fox who knows.”

“And when one of your brothers tells you that you can do better?”

“They won’t. They know better. And I promise you if I’m happy, they’ll be happy.”