A Wolf's Savage Embrace (4 page)

“So, I take it that you’re not close to your mother?” Luke asked, as he kept his eyes on the road ahead of him.

They had been on the road for a little over an hour, and in that time, Kat hadn’t said two words. She had just stared out the window; glaring at the passing road, nibbling on that damn perfect bottom lip of hers to the point that he couldn’t even look at her anymore because it was so damn distracting.

“No,” she rep
lied, not even bothering to glance at him – she just continued to stare out at the passing road.

“Listen, red,” Luke began, glancing at her from the corner of his eye – and he was again struck by her absolute beauty. Her auburn hair shimmered with streaks of gold, and her skin was the color of sun kissed alabaster.
God, he would never tire of looking at her, he thought with a grin twitching at his lips. “We’re going to be together for the next few days, and I really think it would go a hell of a lot faster, if you would just lighten up a bit and enjoy the ride.”

Kat finally turned and looked at him; her mouth set in a tight line.
“I didn’t need you to come with me, Benji.” She snapped. “In fact – if I’m not mistaken, I was quite set on leaving you behind. But as usual, you just didn’t listen.”

“Yeah, well…” he laughed, good-naturedly.
“I’m here. I’m going with you – so you might as well man up and deal with it. Why not enjoy yourself? I mean, you are going to meet your sister.”

“Oh, yeah.” Kat huffed in disgust, looking back out at the passing scenery. “That’s just fantastic, isn’t it?
I don’t know anything about her. She’s seventeen for God’s sake! She probably won’t even like me.”

Luke reached over and laid his hand on her knee, giving it a gentle squeeze, and Kat gasped.
“How could she not,” he replied softly; and Kats mouth fell open. “You have to give yourself a little credit, red.” He said quietly, and Kat fidgeted in her seat; a little too aware of the heat coming from his hand. It was sending a tingling up her leg, directly to her core, that she was not in the least comfortable with. She smacked his hand away and scowled at him when he burst out laughing.

“You don’t know anything!” She bit out, mad at him for doing what he did to her with just a simple touch – and hating herself for letting herself get into this mess.
She felt like the biggest coward on the planet, and was angry as hell at herself.

“I know that you’re a good person, Katrina.
And if you can’t win over your sister – well, then, there’s something wrong with
her
– and not you. You just need to believe in yourself a little more.”

Kat sighed and shook her head. Damn him! Why the hell did he have to be so damn sweet and considerate? She wanted nothing more than to stay angry at him – but the damned oaf was making that impossible. How could such an arrogant, self-centered ass be so thoughtful and sweet at the same time?

“I’m sorry,” she finally whispered, reluctantly admitting that he did have a point. If they were going to be together for who knew how long – she might as well make the best of a bad situation. “I’m being…”

“A bitch?” He broke in with a smile; and Kat couldn’t help but to return it.
The man sure as Hell said whatever popped into his head.

“Yes, well, I wouldn’t have chosen that particular word; but I guess you’re right.
And I do apologize. Since I seem to be stuck with you for the time being, I might as well
man up.”
She gave him a grin when he chuckled at the use of his words.

“So, tell me about your mom, red.”

“Elaine? Well, Elaine has always been sort of…” she paused; trying to find the most diplomatic words she could to describe her mother. After a long moment, she shrugged and decided that there was no way to describe her mother nicely. “Well, she’s a selfish, self-centered bitch.” She finally said, and was stunned when Luke burst out laughing once again, and she realized with a strange tugging to her heart that he had a wonderful laugh. It was deep and masculine and it caused her heart to flutter in her chest. “Why is that funny?”

“You’re sure not one to candy coat anything, are you, sweetheart?”

Kat returned his smile with one of her own. “No, I guess not,” she admitted. “I never have been. Why bother?”

“What about your father?”

“Well,
that
is a whole other can of worms,” she said with a shudder. “He and my mother met when they both joined the Coven, not long after; she got pregnant with me. They tried to make it work for a while I guess – but he enjoyed drinking and screwing around much more than he enjoyed family life. And after he left us, my mother decided that she didn’t want to be tied down either.”

Luke looked at her and watched the play of emotion on her face with interest.
Damn, but the woman had moxie. She had had a hard life – yet she wouldn’t let it break her. She stood tall, and proud and his opinion of her only skyrocketed.

“So you basically raised yourself?” He asked; a hint of admiration in his voice.

‘I suppose,” she said, shrugging slightly. “My grandmother was there a lot when I was younger,” she murmured fondly. “All of the good memories that I have are because of her. In fact, the medallion that I gave to Abby was hers. Elaine gave it to me when I entered the Coven when I turned sixteen. My grandmother passed away right before my birthday and made her promise to give it to me. And surprisingly, for once my mother did what was asked.”

Again Luke’s hand went to her knee and squeezed, but this time – she didn’t slap it away.
“What about you, Benji? What’s your story?” She asked; realizing with a start that they had never talked about his family. It seemed as if his pack was his family, and she had never thought to ask him about his parents.

Luke’s brows furrowed at her question, a part of him not wanting to go there – but he wanted her to know everything.
“My parents were killed in a car accident when I was five,” he said, and couldn’t help the grin that touched his lips when he felt her hand rest over his; her thumb gently stroking his skin – and God help him, but it felt good.

“I’m sorry, Luke,” she replied softly.

“Yeah, well. Shit happens.”

“Did you have other family?”

He snorted out a short, bitter laugh and glanced at her. “My Grandmother,” he answered, and Kat could hear the anger in his voice. “You were lucky - my memories of my Grandmother are not fond ones at all. She was a nasty, bitter old woman who didn’t feel that I had the right to know what I was. Hell, she didn’t feel that I had the right to even be
alive
.”

Kats mouth dropped open at his confession, her eyes widening in surprise.
“You mean, you being a Were?”

Luke nodded, and turned the hand that was resting on her knee over, so that he could intertwine his fingers with hers. He watched as she glanced down at their joined hands, and her cheeks flushed – but she didn’t pull it away – and Luke couldn’t help the warmth that spread through his belly.
This was progress, he thought with a grin.

“She detested what we were, and turned her back on her pack long before I was born. She believed it was a curse.” He went on; loving the feel of her tiny hand in his. It felt so freaking right.
“She hated my parents for falling in love and having me – but after my parents died, I had nowhere else to go. So she had no choice. God forbid anyone find out that she had turned away blood.”

Kat fought back the tears threatening to spring to her eyes and pulled her hand from his – hating how she instantly felt the loss of his touch. She cleared her throat and tried to shake off the reaction she always seemed to have when he was near.

“Boy, talk about f’d up childhoods,” she laughed, although it seemed forced – even to herself. This was getting just way too heavy, she thought with a frown. And all their little talk was accomplishing was to make her like the man even more – and that just was not acceptable. She couldn’t let herself care for him anymore than she already did. “Hey,” she said, trying to keep her tone light. “I’m starving. Could we maybe hit a drive-thru or something?”

Luke seemed to sense her need to lighten the mood, and gave her a grin.
“I’ll do better than that, red. I’ll take you to an actual sit down restaurant.”

Kat couldn’t help but smile, and nodded emphatically. “Oh, pancakes sound like Heaven!” she giggled happily, and Luke felt that infernal tightening in his chest once again.
Damn, but this woman made him want things he never thought he would.

“It’s lunchtime,” he stated with a raised brow.

“It’s always time for pancakes!” She laughed happily.

True to her word – not forty minutes later, Kat sat across from Luke, diving into a plate of chocolate chip pancakes.
She groaned in appreciation with each bite that she took, and Luke found himself mesmerized with watching her eat - and a small, wicked part of him couldn’t wait until
he
made her moan like that. He just needed to heed Abby’s words, and remember that patience
was
a virtue. Kat was almost as stubborn as he was, and he knew that it was going to take her time to realize that there was something between them. Something strong; and very, very right.

“Enjoying yourself?” He asked when she shoved another forkful into her mouth and her eyes rolled back in her head.
She gave him a saucy little grin that had his heart beating triple time, and nodded - her full, sweet lips glistening from the sticky syrup.

“These are fantastic,” she mumbled between bites, and Luke burst out laughing.
God, she was adorable when she let down her guard. She was funny, and as soothing as a cool summer breeze.

He watched in fascination as a drop of syrup hit her chin and her tongue darted out; trying to remove the sticky substance.
When she couldn’t quite reach it, she lifted her hand to wipe it away, but Luke’s hand around her wrist stopped her.

“Allow me,” he murmured, raising his free hand to gently wipe it away.
His eyes held hers as he brought his finger to his lips and licked it off. “Mmm – you’re right; damn good,” he whispered, his voice a low, husky whisper that caused her body to instantly take notice.

Kat felt her cheeks burn from his seductive little display, and she fidgeted uncomfortably.
The restaurant suddenly got extremely warm, and she nervously took a gulp of her soda – trying desperately to cool herself. Sweet Mother of God!

“Would you like some?” She stammered, and cursed herself for letting him affect her the way that he did.
The man was completely edible, and she was finding it hard to even breathe – let alone concentrate.

“No.”

“Are you sure? They’re really very good,” she said in a rush - trying with everything she had to get her mind off of the fact that he was watching her every move with an intense interest that had her heart pounding in her chest and the warmth in her body spreading through her belly – and dangerously lower.

“No, thank you.” He raised his hand once again and ran his thumb along her lower lip, and she couldn’t stop herself from gasping softly. It was just a gut reaction to this man’s touch.

Kat leaned back and gave him a nervous smile. She wiped her palms on her jeans - suddenly aware of how clammy they had gotten. “Are you through?” She asked, her voice squeaking, and she inwardly cringed.

“Not even close,” Luke replied, his voice a low, throaty whisper; and Kats eyes widened.
Oh, Damn.

“Can we get a move on? As it is; we won’t get there until well after dark.
I don’t want to have to wake these people up in the middle of the night.” She burst out; feeling quite uncomfortable under his close scrutiny of her. Damn it to hell! It was as if his eyes were actually caressing her, and it had her trembling and fidgeting and blathering, and…hot!

“Of course.”

He motioned to the waitress who immediately came rushing over. She eyed him up and down a moment, her face breaking out in a flirtatious grin that had Kat rolling her eyes. “Could I get the check please?”

“Why sure thing, handsome,” she cooed, giving Kat a quick glance that said her presence was not going to deter her whatsoever in making a move on the gorgeous Were - and Kat felt her temper bubbling to the surface.