Uncaged (16 page)

He bit into the fry. The internal temperature was volcanic. In an instant, a blister formed on the tender skin inside his lip. “Hot, hot, hot!” He leaned forward to allow the fry to slide from his mouth onto the plate, the same way a disgusted child would spit out a boiled Brussels sprout.

When he glanced up, he saw to his horror, she was laughing.

Sela dabbed a paper napkin to her mouth. “I’m sorry.” She giggled. “You made the best face!” With lips sealed, she appeared to be holding her breath to contain her amusement, but more laughter burst out. “I was trying to be gracious by sharing my fries. I’m killing you with kindness aren’t I?”

He watched her with fascination. Sela was so pretty. Dazzling smile with a tiny dimple in her cheek. Her dark eyes twinkled. “I might forgive you.”

She brushed her hand against his. The touch lingered. “Let’s start over, okay? I want to be your friend. Blow on the fries first.”

He froze. Her unexpected gesture was innocent, yet so powerful. The unmistakable pull of attraction coupled with a desire to flee overwhelmed him. For a heart stopping moment confusion reigned.

She noticed him staring at her fingers and snatched her hand back. With uninhibited gusto, she picked up her burger and bit into it.

“Oh!” she muttered. “This is good.” An enraptured expression crossed her face. She licked the top of her lip. For a moment, he envied the burger. “How far is the cabin?” The mouthful of food garbled her words.

“About ten miles, but the road is rough dirt. We have to cross a few gullies.”

“I’m sorry I was so late getting to town. I ruined your evening. If I’d realized I’d made you wait this long, I would have gotten a hotel room and called you in the morning.”

The image of Sela opening the door to a hotel room or, heaven help him, inviting him inside struck him hard. He was dying to run his hands around her waist and pull her close. The whole idea was exciting and slightly forbidden; Sela was an outsider. Common sense dictated she should remain one. Too bad he loved her scent and found her so fucking attractive.

“The drive sounds like a long haul. I’m going to have to turn around in the morning to come back to town to buy groceries.”

He shook his head. “I stocked the cabin with a few necessary things, coffee, paper goods, oatmeal…. There’s a freezer full of venison and wild game wrapped and labeled. You’re welcome to all of it.”

“Thanks.” She glanced at his untouched food. “You’re not going to eat?”

He was afraid to admit his stomach was doing a nervous, twisting tango from having to sit so close to a beautiful woman. It had been ages since he’d felt a spark toward anyone. Even longer since he’d treated himself to a lover. He needed one, too. The sooner he got away from Sela, the better off he’d be. “I’m not hungry. I’ll get a to-go box.”

Gee bumbled around behind the counter. A furtive glance made it obvious he’d been listening. “What’s with you, Rio? You came here pissed-off and ravenous. Now, you don’t want my new, greatly improved burger?” A low growl rumbled in his chest. “I guess there’s no pleasing some people.”

Sela set her half-eaten burger on the plate. “I’ve really wrecked your night, haven’t I? I feel awful. I’ll get a to-go box, too.” She signaled for Gee and stood. “Check please, mine and his.”

Now, he felt terrible about making her rush. “We don’t need to leave yet. Sit,” he commanded.

“No. I’ve wasted enough of your time.”

Without thought, he gently tugged on her sleeve. “Don’t rush on my account.”

She pulled free of his feather-light grasp. “I’m tired. We should probably leave. Let’s get this over with.”

He wanted a beer, but it was asking for trouble to hang around the bar, waiting to say or do the next wrong thing in front of Sela. Goddamnit, why did it have to be this way? Sela was his exact type. It wasn’t as if he had to wolf-shift in front of her or explain his true situation. He’d invested a lifetime protecting his pack’s secret, always sharing just enough with lovers from the outside but not too much. Deep intimacy was something he’d never allowed. Exposure was not his friend.

A career on the move as an Army Ranger coupled with being a shifter had made settling down with an understanding woman all but impossible. He was thirty-four, far past the age most men in the pack took a life mate.

He reached for his leather jacket and slipped his arms through the sleeves. “Let’s go.”

Sela studied the Los Lobos Ranger patch on Rio’s sleeve, remembering she’d scratched his truck. Now was the time to say something, but she stared in silence instead. Dang, he sure looked good in leather. A broad shouldered brick house. He had such an interesting face, too. There was a lot of depth to his eyes. She was quick to remind herself the summer in Los Lobos County was slated to be devoted to the wolves’ plight, while she healed from her uber-shitty divorce from her ex, Matt.

Matt had left her for somebody else. They were already expecting a child. The incident had left her sick with envy. Life wasn’t fair. She’d been working like a dog, building a future. Then a few shitty text messages proved everything she thought was solid had slipped away.

We need to talk.

I can’t do this anymore.

I’m not the right man 4U.

In truth, maybe Matt had never been solid. From the start, he had a wandering eye. Long weeks spent apart on location hadn’t helped matters, either. She was always the dependable one, but damn she’d loved him.

Now, her savings and dignity were on the line. She needed to show up in L.A. next September with useable wolf footage paired with a winning sales pitch. A rising sense of desperation for this project to work haunted her. It was too late in the season to concoct a plan B.

Gee handed her the bill along with two take-out containers. Dropping a twenty on the countertop, which was plenty, she slid what was left of her burger and fries into the box. Rio did the same with his uneaten food.

In silence she followed Rio out of The Den. They stepped into the night. For late May, the night was chilly by Los Angeles standards. She wished her coat wasn’t buried in the backseat beneath a ton of equipment and camera cases. She shivered. “Brr.”

“Ha!” Rio scoffed. “Are you cold? This is not cold.”

“I spend my days closer to the equator. I’m thin blooded. The last wildlife location I filmed was in Honduras. The place was sweltering.”

“You’ll adapt. I know firsthand. I did six tours all over the Arab Peninsula. You can get used to anything.” He swung his jacket from his shoulders. With a gallant gesture, he offered. “Wear this.”

She was tempted. Ages had passed since a handsome man had been so spontaneous with her. She gravitated toward the jacket, sensing luscious body heat trapped in soft leather, but stopped. Something about the offer felt way too intimate. If she allowed Rio to distract her, he could really derail her plans. “No thanks. I’ll use the Jeep’s heater.”

Disappointment erased his faint smile. He withdrew the jacket, slinging it over one shoulder. When they reached the alley, he stopped beside the truck to open the driver’s side. “I’ve got something I want you to hang on to.” He reached across the seat to pick up a map, flashlight, and a small case.

With a guilty conscience she eyed the ding in the door—now prominent beneath the glow of a neon sign. “I scratched your truck.”

“Why?”

“What do you mean why? This was an accident. I didn’t mean to.”

He examined the damage. “Don’t worry. Gravel flies around here. Trucks take a beating.”

“You’re so calm. I was afraid you’d turn into an angry hornet.”

“You weren’t being malicious, so why would I get angry?”

Sela relaxed her shoulders. A paint scrape would have made Matt freak out big time.

Rio handed her a folded map. Then clicked on the flashlight to illuminate it. “Keep this in your Jeep until you’re certain you know the way.” He traced his finger along a yellow highlighted line. “This is the most dependable route. Gray Paw Mountain is crisscrossed with dozens of trails and fire roads. Half of them wash out after a hard rain. Taking the wrong one could easily get you lost. I drove a stake into the ground at every junction and tied a piece of orange cloth to them so you could find your way in daylight.”

“Thanks. I’m sure I’ll need markers the first couple trips.”

He handed her a small zippered bag with a strap. “Carry this with you in the Jeep. It’s an HT. I want you to have emergency communication with the ranger’s station.”

She took hold of the strap. “What’s an HT?”

“Handheld Transceiver. Two-way radio.”

“You mean walkie-talkie?”

“Yes. Do you know how to use one?”

“I usually take one with me into the jungle. I’m sure it’ll be handy here, too, but I don’t know who I’d talk to.”

“You can talk to me.”

A nervous flutter took her breath. The schoolgirl reaction couldn’t be good for her plans, which included lots of time in man-free isolation to get her mind right. “If I need help, I’ll call.”

“Do. I’m just up the road.” With a shrug, he thrust his hands into his jeans pockets. “We should go. There’s a rough drive ahead.”