At One's Pleasure (11 page)

"Yes."

Rebecca
nodded, and then smiled.  "Very astute, it worked, but until I hear this
alleged poetry I'm keeping you in the easily distracted by sex, hot guy
category, and not the sensitive and deep thinker category."

He winced. 
"Not sure I want to be in that second category, sounds like less
fun."

"Maybe,
but I'm dying to see if you can remember your poetry lines when I have you
naked in my mouth."

She laughed
when Jacob’s eyes glazed over.

Linc shook
his head.  "He won't remember a single line.

Griffin
snorted.  "He'll be lucky if he remembers his name."

Jacob leaned
back in his seat, closing his eyes.  "Quiet.  I'm having a moment
here."  Rebecca laughed again.  Then leaned back in her own seat and met Griffin’s
eyes.  They were soft again, his lips tipped up at one corner.  It was the
easiest she had seen him look since they met.  It made her smile, happy to her
toes just to be with them.

It wasn't
quite as fun once they deplaned.  It was a long flight, but still it felt like
she had took a step in the hot sun of the tropics and then the next step the
plane was landing and they were surrounded by ice and white as far as the eye
could see.

“Exactly how
cold is it?”  She asked as Jacob helped her bundle into a snow jacket and
boots.

“About
twenty degrees and balmy for these parts,” Jacob said, shivering theatrically. 
“Once we get to the limo, maybe you should ride in my lap.”

“There’s a
heater.”  Griffin nudged Jacob out of the way and looked Rebecca over.  When he
was satisfied she was ready he signaled Logan to open the hatch.

Logan spoke
into the communicator at his wrist and then waited.  When there was a positive
response back he opened the hatch and stood for long minutes while he studied
the empty landscape around them.  Only then did he signal the car and lead them
out of the plane.

Cleo was
standing in the cockpit smiling at Becca while she watched the men surround her
like she was made of glass.

“See you
later, Cleo.”  Becca called, waving.

Cleo winked
at her.  “Good Luck with the wolves.”  She called.  Becca wasn’t sure if she
meant the wolves they would be meeting or the ones currently trying to shield
her from possible attack with their bodies. 

“Yeah,” she
muttered.  Either way, she was going to need it.

They made it
to the car without incident and luckily, Griffin was right.  The limo was
toasty warm.  From there they drove to an inn close to the pack running
grounds.  Linc assured her it was human run and that security had already been
vetted.  She was relieved, not looking forward to meeting any wolves from their
old pack after everything that she’d heard about it, and especially not looking
forward to meeting Griffin’s family.  From the tension coming off Jacob, he
felt the same way.  

It was not a
small inn, which is what Becca had been expecting; rather it was a huge log
cabin resort, with roaring fires and open beam construction.  Decorated in
English country lodge when she was expecting Wild West trapper, it was
comfortable and warm.  The suite was huge and all about the luxury, with a bar
a full bathroom, with a whirlpool tub and a seating area separate from the two
bedrooms.  One of which Logan commandeered for security headquarters.  No dear
heads on the wall, thank goodness, and very masculine and charming. 

Why she was
surprised that Griffin could find a luxury suit in the wilds of Montana she
didn’t know, but she was.  Montana just seemed so wild and unpopulated to
attract rich tourists, but maybe that was the draw.

“Fly fishing
and hunting,” Linc said, noticing her look.  “The lodge is close to the Bob. 
It’s a wilderness complex, beyond that are three other wilderness areas:
Glacier Park, the Great Bear and the
Scapegoat, which comprise approximately 3 million acres of wild country.  Fly
fishing: westslope cutthroat trout, and Whitefish.  Hunters come here for the
Bears, Mountain Lions, Deer, Elk.  It’s abundant.  River rafting's big with all
the rivers and lakes around here.  Lots of rich tourists during the season. 
Now it’s probably just us.”

“I have to
say it’s stunning, but I prefer the Paradise Island experience to the icy
tundra.  Sun, sand and ocean waves.”

Jacob
snorted, “No shit.”

Linc just
smiled.  “That’s good, since we live there.”

“Do you ever
miss the mountains?”  She asked Griffin, noticing the look on his face.

“Montana is
its own paradise,” he answered gruffly, his eyes on the breathtaking view from
their suite.  Then he turned and brushed back the hair falling into her face. 
“But it doesn’t have anything I can’t live without.”  He shrugged his massive
shoulders.  “I said good-bye a long time ago.” 

Maybe he
has.
  Rebecca thought. 
But he looks like he belongs here.

“Come.”  He
took her hand, kissing the back of her wrist and pulling her away from the
view.  “It’s been a long flight, and tomorrow will be a long day.  Let’s get
you fed and bedded down.”  Linc and Jacob moved off with the luggage.

She raised a
teasing brow at Griffin.  “Is that a command from my Alpha?”

He looked
down into her sparkling eyes, his hand not holding hers went back into her hair
behind her ear.  “If it is am I going to get blasted?”

“Maybe.”

“Then no.” 
He leaned down and kissed her soft and firm.  “It’s a humble request for you to
join us for dinner.”  Then he growled the rest against her lips.  “Of course
after dinner, I’m going to peel you out of all those clothes and fuck you until
you can’t argue about every damn thing.”

She felt a
zing through her entire body.  “That would take a considerable amount of work
on your part.  I like to argue.”

“That’s the
Gods honest truth.”

“You think
you can last that long?”

“We keep
talking about this and you won’t get dinner first.”

Just then
her stomach made itself heard.  She blushed when Griffin laughed down at her. 
He rubbed his thumb across her blushing cheek.  “Now who’s making demands?”

She rolled
her eyes, but she did it smiling.  “I was too nervous to eat on your mini planelette.”

“It’s a Lear
jet.”  He growled again.

“Whatever.”

***

The dining
room at the Inn was full; Linc explained that Locals came here for the food
even when the Inn itself was slow on the off-season.  So it was a minor miracle
to get a table.  Of Course, Griffin being who he was it wasn’t such a hard
thing for them to get one.  More a matter of hiding how embarrassing it was to
go straight to the head of the line when others were waiting.  Especially since,
they did not dress for dinner.  Rebecca was pretty sure she was the only one
who felt that way though.  The guys seemed to take things like preferential
treatment in stride, and they didn’t sweat the opinion of others, especially on
her behalf, so she let it go too. 

She was
dying for a steak, so she ordered that, with a baked potato and the tomato
bisque soup in deference to the cold.  When it arrived there was also some
lovely asparagus drizzled with garlic butter on the side and she was steadily
working her way through all of it.  Griffin had asked for a red wine that
sounded impressive when he ordered and tasted like silk.  She had never been a
wine connoisseur but even she had to admit it was yummy.

“So what’s
on schedule for tomorrow?”  Becca spread her pristine linen napkin on her lap. 
“And where’s Logan?  Doesn’t he get dinner?”

“He’s
around,” Griffin sipped his own wine with appreciation.  “He’ll rejoin us in
the morning for the trip.  We’ll be leaving around eight so we’ll need to get
up early to dress and have breakfast.”

“Does your
father know you’re coming?”

“He knows.” 
She could feel the tension at the table rising as all three men had their own
reaction to the next day’s happenings.

She made a
split decision feeling it.  “Well then, I say we forget about tomorrow and just
enjoy tonight.”  She raised her glass.  “To enjoying a lovely dinner, and a
stress free night.”

Griffin
quirked up a half smile, raising his own glass.  Linc breathed out the tension
he was carrying with an effort and Jacob winked at her, raising his own and
clinking them all together.  Then they talked of inconsequential things while
they ate their dinner.

A while
later, Jacob was trying to talk her into a desert, which admittedly, was not a
hard job, when he suddenly stopped smiling or talking and she felt the change
in atmosphere.

All three
men turned their heads in sync and faced the entry just as a man and woman
entered the dining room.  Rebecca turned to follow their eyes and knew with one
look that the older gentleman was Griffin’s father.  Which explained the rising
tension in all her men.

Well.  So
much for a stress free evening.

The stately
man headed for their table, looking like an older, but still fit version of
Griffin, in a cable knit sweater and slacks.  It wasn’t until they were right
beside them that Becca saw he did not have his father’s green eyes.  He had his
mothers and she knew that when she met those deep chocolate eyes in the face of
the well put together lady who was accompanying the Alpha.

“Griffin,”
he greeted.  His voice was deeper than Griffin’s, his eyes hazel.  He was
completely expressionless, but then so was Griffin and she knew he was feeling
all kinds of emotions through their link.

“Monteal.” 
He looked at the woman clinging to his father’s arm.  “Mother.”

“Hello
Griffin.”  In her fifties, there was no sign of grey in the long French braid
of dark brown hair.  She had a few wrinkles at the corner of her eyes and laugh
lines at her mouth.  Her clothes were simple but well made, a sweater, like her
husband, hers was cream cashmere, and her skirt was long and flared at the
bottom over leather low heeled boots.  Griffin’s chocolate eyes looking out
from such a feminine face was strange.  Especially when she was obviously
attempting to hide serious emotions while she studied her son. 

Whatever she
was trying to conceal she was only half-successful.  No matter their ugly
history, his mother was feeling this meeting deeply and holding on by a thread.

The Alpha,
who had stiffened at Griffin’s response, forcibly relaxed and turned to study
Rebecca, sniffing the air as he did so.  “I see the rumors for once are true.” 
He looked at the other men at the table.  “You have formed an Alpha Mate Bond. 
Very rare.  Congratulations.”

His mother
tore her eyes from Griffin and also looked at Rebecca.  Griffin stood up, “May
I formally introduce our mate, Rebecca Stacy.  You know Linc and Jacob. 
Rebecca this is Monteal and Margaret Hale, my parents.”

“Yes, of
course,” Monteal muttered.  More seriously, he turned to Linc.  “Your father
was a good man and an excellent enforcer.  He will be missed.”

Linc nodded
once, his face cold.

“Jacob.” 
The old Alpha nodded stiffly his way.

“Alpha
Hale.”  Jacob greeted just as stiffly.

“We were
expecting to have this meeting tomorrow.”  Griffin’s voice was a mild
reproach.  “Are Rhett and Nathan also going to show up unexpectedly?”

“That’s my
fault.”  His mother turned back to Griffin, apologetic.  “I couldn’t wait that
long.”

“You’re
brothers and the rest of the pack were warned to stay away.”  His father broke
in gruffly.  “That meeting will happen tomorrow as agreed.”

Having so
many emotions bombarding her from so many directions was disconcerting. 
Clearly, there was more affection here than Griffin was expecting, or was
comfortable with.  Whatever decisions were made all those years ago, it wasn’t
because his parents didn’t care about him, or he them.

“We were
just about to get desert,” Becca said quietly into the strained silence that
was developing.  “I was just trying to decide between the chocolate mousse
cheesecake and water.”  She smiled at the older woman in sympathy when her eyes
finally drifted away from her son.  “Since I already consumed like a million
calories, I should do the water, but I’m probably going to go for the
cheesecake anyway.  What do you think?”

The lady
blinked, and then Becca breathed a sigh of relief as she relaxed fractionally. 
“I think I always wanted to try the cheesecake here.”

“Well then,
that’s handy.  Pull up a seat and I’ll have an excuse to court a food coma and
sugar overdose, and later when my thighs expand exponentially, I can blame you
and say it was for a good cause.”

The older
lady laughed and then seemed surprised that she did.  Monteal cleared his
throat, gruffly.  “We can get our own table.  We didn’t come to intrude on your
evening.”

“Join us,”
Griffin said succinctly, his eyes on Rebecca.  “I have a feeling my mate will
insist on it.”

Then they
were all looking at Becca, who smiled and batted her eyes, making Jacob chuckle
beside her.

“I see what
you mean.”  The old Alpha said with the first smile he had shown.  He squeezed
his wife’s arm.  “I suppose we should give in graciously then, or neither of us
will hear the end of it.”

Griffin
sighed and signaled for a waiter to bring more chairs.  It was a stilted
gathering, with Margaret and Rebecca desperately carrying the bulk of the
conversation as the men grunted here and there.  Becca did learn quite a bit
about the families she would be meeting the next day. 

All in all
it went as smoothly as possible, considering they were having dinner with the
man that ordered Jacob’s death and then threw them all out of the pack.  She
wasn’t entirely sure how Griffin felt about it, since he continued to be stone
faced across from her.  Linc and Jacob had both relaxed marginally by the end
of the evening, which did not mean they actually talked, just that the emotions
coming from them had mellowed slightly.

“It was so
nice to meet you Rebecca, and see the boys again.  I hope you can all join us
for a family dinner tomorrow night.”

And there
went that tension right back up.

“That won’t
be possible,” Griffin said, standing up, signaling that desert was over.  “We’ll
be leaving as soon as the official business is finalized.”

“Oh,”
Margaret mumbled her lips tight.  “Of course.”  It was clear that this was a
blow to Griffin’s mom.  One that she wasn’t going to recover from quickly.

Alpha Hale
stood up and pulled back her chair, his face granite.  Margaret stood up
uncertainly as Jacob and Linc rose politely as well.

Seeing her
face, Rebecca lunged out of her seat and took one of Margaret’s limp hands. 
Their eyes met and Becca tried to convey solidarity with a squeeze of her hand.