Forbidden Bond (11 page)

“It felt kind of odd.” Olivia toyed with the label on her beer. “But it wasn’t the first time we’d run into each other.” She mentally grimaced. Here we go…

“Oh, really? Spill.”

She filled Josie in on what she claimed was their first encounter when she’d walked in on Eion and Kris. She wasn’t about to divulge the time she’d spent alone with him at the clinic. Josie’s imagination had always been a bit too combustible and she wasn’t about to add fuel to it. Then Olivia recounted the time at
Chuck’s
after Taylor had proposed and when she’d gone riding the following day.

“He actually came up to you after Taylor had proposed and had the nerve to ask if you loved your boyfriend?” Josie shook her head. “Strange.”

“I know…but later on my ride, Eion claimed he was looking out for me, since he and Kris used to be such good friends and he apologized.”

Josie blew her long bangs out of her eyes then took a long draw on her beer. “You said he came by today, too?”

“Yeah. He’s offered to work on the ranch while Kris recovers. Wants to help us out.” Olivia plucked a few peanuts from the bowl on the scratched oak table.

“I see… He wants to help you guys out. I wonder what else Mr. Tall, Dark, and Delicious wants to help himself to?”

“Josie!” Olivia’s heart pounded at the idea. And she wasn’t sure if it was because she was appalled at her friend’s statement or thrilled. “I’m dating Taylor.”

“I’m just making an observation.” Josie lifted her palms, feigning innocence. “For a man who has had nothing to do with you guys in years, suddenly he seems to be running into you a lot.”

“I hardly think he’s sitting up at night thinking up his next excuse to see
me
.” Olivia scoffed.

“But after all these years, Livvy Wilson, you still have a thing for him. Don’t you?” Josie’s mouth curled into a devilish grin.

Heat bloomed up Olivia’s neck. Oh, dear God. She could
not
be that obvious. “Maybe there is a still a small part of me that isn’t quite over that crush.” She shrugged.

“I knew it!” Josie sat back and lifted her bottle.

“Even if there was a
miniscule
part of me that does, Josie McAllister, you can’t breathe a word.”

“You know I wouldn’t do that,” she whispered. “What happens on girls’ night, stays right here.” She mimicked a zipping action across her lips, and the tension in Olivia’s chest eased a fraction.

“Taylor’s a wonderful man.”

“Yes, he is.”

“And even if I’m not ready to marry Taylor, I do love him. Besides, none of us knows anything about Eion anymore or why he left town. That’s why I’m doing my best to stay focused on what’s really important—the constants in my life I can count on, you, Kris, the ranch, the clinic, and Taylor.”

“Smart girl. Because something tells me these little run-ins with the mysterious Mr. Mandrake might not be over.”

That was exactly what Olivia was afraid of.

Chapter Nine

Waiting for the sun to finally set was like watching grass grow. Eion paced the confines of his house, about to come unglued if he didn’t get the chance to run soon. Running in the light of day was too much of a risk, even on his own land.

He should have never touched Liv.

Feeling the silken fall of her hair next to his skin—irresistible. A fantasy come to life.

Eion ripped his shirt from his torso. The memory was an agonizing tease he’d never get out of his head.

His heart pounded and his shaft throbbed from the constant denial to claim his mate. Not that he couldn’t find temporary relief alone, but it was never enough, and especially not when he was this close to her. He breathed deep. Even now, her scent lingered in his nostrils. Lemongrass and wild roses. Exotic, fresh, and sweet.

Orange and yellow bands of color streaked the horizon as the sun settled behind the hillside.
Finally
. Eion pulled open the back door and scanned the area, ensuring he was indeed without an audience. The chirps of nearby crickets filled his ears along with the occasional throaty
moo
of the Wilsons’ cattle echoing in the distance.

Satisfied with his survey, Eion stripped off the remainder of his clothes. After grabbing the robe he’d left draped over a chair in the kitchen, he stepped outside and flung it over the porch railing for his return.

Closing his eyes, he welcomed the familiar static-like tingle that raced down his spine, signaling the beginning of his shift. The new rotation in his hips took him forward and down onto all fours. Dark fur erupted from the backs of his hands. Canines lengthened, filling his mouth, in sync with the extension of his jaw. Sights and sounds sharpened. Instinct heightened, becoming more primal, and the stress of the day rolled to the back of his mind. Human needs pushed aside by the beast that stretched and yearned for his time to roam free.

Into the sunset he ran, dodging the cracks in the land, and near the center of his property, Eion splashed along the banks of the shallow pond. The wind lifted his fur, cooling the flesh beneath, when an unexpected scent had him grinding to a halt.

Eion lifted his muzzle higher into the air. To the left, then right, he zeroed in on the general direction of the source. Using his heightened sensitivity to sound waves, he cocked his head, waiting, listening for the snap of a twig.

There
.

He whipped around, his gaze landing on the lone wolf’s eyes shining from the tree line.

Tawny leaped forward into the open. Eion pulled his upper lip away from his canines, a low growl releasing from his throat. Her ears fell back at the sound, and she lowered her upper body.

Dammit. What was she doing in Little Crow? He didn’t need this kind of complication or risk of exposure on his head.

With a hard kick and spray of loose sand, Eion whipped around and headed toward his house, knowing she’d follow. He needed answers. Now.

Minutes later, and with the porch finally in sight, Eion called back his form. Naked, he straightened and went for the robe he’d left on the railing. He slid his arms into the royal blue terry cloth, reached for the sash, but found himself encircled by a feminine embrace instead.

“Miss me?” Tawny loosened her hold enough to slink from behind and move to his front. Uninhibited by her nude form, she slid her hands beneath his robe and over his chest, tracing her fingers over his brand. Eion snagged her wrists and pulled her hands away from his flesh.

“Why are you here, Tawny?” He grabbed the loose ends of the sash to his robe, pulled the material together, and cinched it tight.

“No need to be modest on my account.” Her lips turned up into a coy smile.

Grumbling, Eion brushed past his uninvited guest and into the house.

Digging up something for Tawny to wear, he grabbed a pair of running pants that tied at the waist and a sweatshirt. “Put this on,” he growled. He plucked his clothes from the chair where he’d left them. “Where did you leave your stuff, anyway? And you still haven’t answered my question.”

“Fine,” she huffed, then shoved her legs into the pants. “I parked my car on the side of the road near here, left my clothes in the car, and went exploring.” She pulled the shirt over her head, then ran her fingers through the shoulder-length curls that matched her name. “I was hoping to catch you out on a run and surprise you.” Tawny sauntered over, stopping only inches away. “Are you surprised?”

“Yeah,” he growled, not masking the irritation in his voice.

Tawny flashed him a satisfied grin, pivoted and surveyed his living space. “Hmm…” She placed a finger to her lips. “Very…domestic of you, Eion.”

“Thanks,” he said, in his best droll tone and aimed for the kitchen. She laughed.

He needed a drink.

“Your father said you might be here a few more days.”

He froze mid-step followed by a one-eighty. “My father?”

“He thought I could keep you company.” Tawny kneeled on the couch, gazing at him over the back. “You know, remind you of all that you have waiting for you at home.”

“In other words, he sent you here to seduce and spy on me.” Eion clamped his mouth shut and spun on his heels. Nothing more than a very noncommittal sound came from Tawny. Not an acknowledgement, but sure as hell not a denial.

He really needed that drink.
Bastard
. He grabbed a beer from the fridge, popped the top, and took a long, hard swig. The cold, bitter liquid slid down his throat, soothing the parched tissues, but it would be a while before the alcohol could tame the urgent need to bash someone’s head against a wall. At the moment, his own would be first on his list.

Four swallows later, the lager was finished. Eion tossed the bottle in the recycle bin and meandered back into the living room. Tawny had kicked back on the sofa, making herself at home, the legs of her too long running pants rolled up to her knees. Nope, not enough buzz in the world to make this okay. He reversed his step and snatched another bottle before heading back in.

“You need to go home, Tawny,” Eion said, leaning against the archway between the kitchen and living space.

“What?” She sat forward. “I just got here, and that drive is way too long to head back that quick. Besides,” she added, a pout forming on her mouth, “I thought we could have some fun while I’m here, while you’re away from the pressure of the pack.”

“This isn’t the place.” Eion shoved away from the wall, bringing them closer. “Go home in the morning.” He narrowed his gaze. “I’m not playing.”

“What does that mean, ‘this isn’t the place’?” She stood. “Why? What’s so special about this podunk?”

Eion settled his beer on one of the end tables and placed both hands on the back of the couch, glaring at Tawny. “As your rising alpha, I told you to leave, and that’s all you need to know.”

“I can’t,” Tawny said, her voice barely above a whisper. She stuck a fingernail between her teeth. “You know your father.” She collapsed back down on the sofa. “If I go back so quickly, he’ll be angry. You know how he hates failure—from anyone.”

Slowly he straightened from the couch, turned, and paced the few feet of space between the kitchen and the hallway that lead to the bedrooms.
Damn
. He speared one hand through his hair. She was right. As much as her presence added more stress to the situation of him trying to keep his mind on the Wilsons’ ranch and off Liv, he didn’t want her facing his father’s wrath, even if she was serving as his father’s P.I.

“Okay.” Eion stopped, sighed, and faced Tawny. “You can hang out here for a few days.” She perked up and grinned. “But you have to stay put.”

“You mean in the house the whole time?” She scowled and peered around the room.

“It’s either that or you go home.” He crossed his arms.

She puffed out her cheeks, and then blew her hair away from her eyes. “Whatever you say… However, I’m beginning to think that you keeping me stashed in here and out of sight means that there’s something you don’t want me to see,” she stated.

Eion’s head pounded, but he couldn’t decide if it was from the rush of the alcohol or his blood pressure about to rupture a blood vessel in his skull. Probably both. He sucked in a long breath, searching for patience, and moseyed over toward Tawny.

“Stop it.” He shook his head and cupped her nape. “There’s nothing going on. Just some business I need to take care of that’s going to take a while. I’ll be back in Screaming Eagle soon. You and my father have nothing to worry about.”

Tawny gazed up, her big brown eyes searching his.

“If you say so.”

He pulled his hand back. “I say so.”

“Okay.” She chuckled and tossed her hands up as if in surrender. “So where do we sleep?”

Eion sighed and cocked his head. “
I
sleep in the first bedroom on the right. You can have the guest room. Last door on the left.”

She shrugged. “If you say so…” Tawny sauntered in the direction of the bedrooms, the sway of her hips exaggerated in blunt invitation. She glanced over her shoulder, a wicked smile on her lips.

“I say so.” He shook his head and grabbed the beer waiting for him on the end table. Eion pulled a long, hard swig. Yeah, one more had been a good call.

***

A few days turned into a week with Tawny still making herself at home on his ranch. Her inside the walls of his home equaled him
not
being there. Eion sighed and tapped the menu on the diner counter, deliberating between the Reuben and murder. Both sounded pretty tasty right now.

“Hey there, hon. Nice to have you back in town.” Betty wedged a hip against the opposite side of the counter, pad in hand. Betty Williams and her husband had run
Take a Break
diner way before he had moved to Little Crow Pass and attended high school. He and Kris had hung out here almost every afternoon after class.

“Thanks, Betty. It’s good to be here.”

“How’s our war hero, Kris, doing?” Betty pulled out a large blue and white striped towel and starting wiping the counter in front of him. “I hear you’ve been out at the Wilson ranch giving him a hand.”

Eion chuckled. Nothing happened in Little Crow that Betty didn’t know about. “He seems to be doing okay. His leg is still healing.”

“Well, that’s mighty nice of you helping those kids out while you’re here. With their dad passing last year, and then that boy coming home with his leg tore up like that, it’s been hard on them. I’m sure Kris appreciates his best friend being around again.” She straightened with a smile. “You ready to order?”

“Yeah.” He hoped that was the case. “Thanks, Betty. I’ll have…” The door chimed, signaling another customer. The bounce of a dark brown ponytail out of the corner of his eye had him cranking his head to get a better look. His heart slammed against his sternum at the sight of Liv walking through the door wearing a set of dark green scrubs that he knew matched the color of her eyes. Somehow she’d managed to escape the ranch before he’d arrived the last few days. A part of him was grateful, because that meant he’d be able to focus through the day, yet the other half grieved every second without her presence.