Wolf Among Sheep: A Paranormal Werewolf Romance (Roadside Angels Motorcycle Club Book 1) (6 page)

“Okay, I’ll see what I can do for you.” He stopped to stare at her for a second then went on, “So, be ready by seven. Dress up.” He reached across the space between them and touched his thumb to her cheek. “Later.”

Then, he drove away, and as she went through the door, her insides were heaving, as though she were aboard a ship on a storm-tossed sea. Eventually, she would learn how to be calm around men like him. As she only had another day here, shortly she wouldn’t have to worry about how he left her feeling off-balance every time. The thought of leaving him filled her with such an ache that she absently rubbed her chest to relieve it. She had gotten her wish; he was going to give her some answers. She’d better get some questions ready.

CHAPTER FIVE

“You can’t start the next chapter of your life if you keep re-reading the last one.”--Unknown

The sound of bikes roaring past woke Tammie just as the sun began to slide down the sky, and she hopped out of bed to catch a glimpse of them. There were about half a dozen or so, all black and chrome, and despite the noise, they passed at a modest pace. She wondered where they were headed, as she went to shower and change for her date. The thought of dinner with the man who had been seemingly the bane of her existence in the town was making her hand shake so much she had to steady it to apply eye makeup. She found him incredibly attractive, and she wondered how she had managed to reach the ripe old age of twenty-five without ever meeting anyone even a little bit as sensual as Lex. Everything about him screamed possession, hard fucking, and romantic lovemaking. And everything in her was unable to stem her craving for all that he had to offer.

He had said to dress up, and though she didn’t have the best dress she owned in her suitcase, she did have a dressy royal blue business suit—a subtly sexy pencil skirt and a feminine jacket accented by a delicate scallop-necked silk shell—and strappy sandals. She swept her hair up on top of her head, letting the few stray tendrils whisper down her cheeks. Since it would be dark soon, she wore a deeper shade of lip color and then sat in nervous anticipation of Lex’s knock on her door. When it came a minute later, her body jolted up as though she had been electrocuted. Taking deep calming breaths, she picked up her purse and went to answer the door.

Lex’s eyes registered admiration when she opened the door to him. He smiled, and her knees trembled. He looked as different from the way she had come to imagine him as he ever could. He wore a conservative dark blue suit, a crisp white button-down shirt, open at the collar, with cufflinks that she would later discover were wolf heads.

“You look lovely,” he said, stepping aside for her to close the door behind her.

“Thank you,” she replied, keeping her eyes on his chin, trying desperately to control the warmth creeping into her cheeks. “You look lovely, too!

When he chuckled, she met his eyes at last and saw amusement and awareness in their blue depths. Whatever it was that always sprang to life when they were together had her by the throat already, as he extended his arm for her to rest her hand on. More gallantry from a man who was becoming increasingly dangerous to her peace of mind, she noted. Plus, for some reason, she felt treasured by his attention.

They walked out to his truck, and when it became clear that her narrow skirt would make getting into the seat an issue, he scooped her up and placed her gently on the plush leather. She heard his sharp intake of breath at the same time that she inhaled deeply, and she wondered if she was becoming as deeply imprinted on him as he seemed to be on her. Strapping herself in, she waited for him to get in.

“Comfy?” he asked, turning the key. The vehicle sprang to life beneath her feet as she nodded, curiously unable to speak.

“We’re headed out to a fancy new eatery that’s only been open a year now. It’s a few miles away, but close enough that people here don’t mind the drive.”

She returned the smile he slanted at her and then relaxed her spine against the seat back. She felt warm, despite the air conditioning, and she wondered how she would make it through dinner if merely being in Lex’s presence was raising her core temperature. She wondered how old he was, thinking that he was certainly older than the only other man ever to show any interest in her. And by comparison, Garth Crosby was definitely more boy than man. The thought unsettled her, and she shifted in her seat, suddenly uncomfortable. She didn’t want to think about what might happen when he discovered how untutored in the ways of men she truly was. And yet, perversely, she wanted to learn everything she was sure he could teach her.

“You’re pretty quiet,” he remarked, glancing at her profile as they headed down the highway. “Did something happen?”

Yes,
she thought wildly,
you did
. “No, nothing happened. I’m okay.” She reached for control of her thoughts and added, “Thanks for asking.”

“It’s just that I’m not used to a quiet Tamara Gibbs,” he continued, the smile in his voice warming her. “I’m used to sassy, feisty Tamara Gibbs. In-your-face Tamara Gibbs. Take-no-prisoners Tamara Gibbs.” He looked at her again before adding, “You seem so young to be so bossy.” His quiet chuckle pleased her. She loved that he was teasing her and found she was enjoying this side of him a whole lot.

“Have you seen how tall I am?” she asked, ragging on herself. “I need to be bossy to get any attention.” She grinned when he laughed out loud.

“I’m glad to see you can make fun of yourself, too,” he commented when he stopped laughing. “By the way, I’m sure you know the saying that it’s not the size of the gun, but the effect of the bullet.” He turned off the highway just then and gave his attention to making two quick left turns before he said, “I assume, based on our few encounters, that your bullets must pack a wallop, Tamara.”

She couldn’t help it, but she preened at the admiration she could hear in his voice. He liked that she was who she was, and for some reason, she found that significant. She was as confused by her reactions to him as she was aroused by them. To get her mind away from her current thoughts, she sassed him instead and said, “I knew there had to be a reason folks like you.”

When he chuckled again, she joined him, letting herself relax for the first time. He turned into the crowded parking lot of a restaurant with the unlikely name of Highlanders and helped her out of the truck with gentle attention. He offered her his arm again, and she took it. They found themselves eventually in the foyer of the establishment, waiting to be seated. The young woman who stood at the front had a deep Scottish brogue and pretty dimples. She was clearly interested in Lex, despite their obvious age difference and his complete lack of any interest in her.

“Are the owners of the restaurant Scottish?” she wondered aloud.

“Yes, and a couple of the servers, too. They make great food, some of it Scottish.”

“As long as I don’t have to eat haggis or black pudding, I’m good to go,” she replied on a grin.

Once at their table, Tammie looked around her, listening to the ebb and flow of conversation, the highs and lows of other patrons’ voices, and taking in the man sitting across from her. He looked delectable, the five o’clock shadow lending him that sexy, scruffy look that was currently all the rage. He made it look, all at once, dangerous and delightful. A part of her wanted to stroke his cheeks and chin, just to feel the hairs beneath her fingers, and sink her fingertip into that tempting cleft.

“What would you like for starters?” he asked, glancing across at her. She blushed, hoping he hadn’t noticed her gawping at him. Hiding her hot cheeks by bending and pretending to look at the menu, she gave in after a few moments and said, “I’ll have whatever you’re having.”

“Okay, then.” Turning to the waiter, he ordered arancini and bacon-wrapped scallops.

Tamara sipped the water in her glass, feeling his eyes on her, but determinedly avoiding them. Searching the menu’s entrées, she decided on rack of lamb with mint sauce, baked new potatoes, and sautéed asparagus spears. The appetizers came, and they placed their orders. Lex ordered a huge porterhouse steak, medium rare, and a salad with a name she had never heard before.                                                                                          

When she quirked her brows at him, he said, “Saving room for dessert.” Then, he laughed at her eye roll.

“Are you another man with a sweet tooth?” she asked, popping a bite of bacon-wrapped scallop into her mouth.

“Another man?” he asked, ignoring her question. There was something in his voice she couldn’t place, a tone to his question that made her glance at his face. However, it was a cool mask, and she decided that she was imagining the tone.

“Well, my grandfather loves all things sweet, but especially pastries and most especially cakes and pies. Are you that guy, too?” She smiled at him as she spoke, adding, “Besides, I’ve never seen a man willingly choose salad as part of his meal. Don’t you guys believe in meat and potatoes only? A man’s meal and all that rot?”

She was teasing him again, and enjoying the way his dimples socked into his cheeks and his eyes lit up with amusement. “Wait till you see the salad before you judge me too harshly,” he warned and laughed. “Besides, I like to choose my carbs.”

Their meals arrived, and Tammie watched Lex set to with a will. She ate her own meal with gusto, enjoying every bit of the treat, and happy that she didn’t have to foot the bill. It was nice to feel free to enjoy her food and not have to pretend she was one of those girls who needed to be rail thin and could only eat leaves and drink water. When he caught her eyeing him, he smiled and asked, “Everything okay?”

“Yes, thank you!” Then, she added, “Your salad is certainly different.”

He chuckled and extended his hand, palm up. “Give me your fork,” he said.

When she complied, he speared some of the things in his plate that made up the salad. Returning it to her, he said, “Try it.”

She looked at it for a moment, trying to see all that was there. Aside from the usual green leafy things, including spinach and arugula, which she loved, there was a hard white cheese—which she later found was an Italian mix—hard-boiled eggs, bacon, radishes, sweet onions, julienned carrots, croutons, and sweet, cherry tomatoes. She enjoyed the mix of textures and flavors and watched his smile widen when she hummed in enjoyment.

“Told you!” he said.

He chuckled when she said, “Definitely a manly salad.”

He went back to his meal, and after another moment of silent savoring, he said, his vivid blue eyes boring into her gray ones, “So, tell me about Tamara Gibbs. Who is she? Why is this job so important to her?”

She regarded him solemnly for a long moment, wondering how much she ought to tell him. He seemed so different from the man who had rudely dismissed her two days ago, and she wondered briefly if she could trust that change. Then, common sense said she had let him own her mouth earlier, and as she had never felt more alive and sexually aware than when she was with him, it stood to reason that he might find her interesting enough to want to know more.
Plus, what do I have to lose at the end of the day
? she asked herself.

“I’m just an ordinary girl who happens to live in the state she went to college in.”

“So you’re
not
a Connecticut Yankee?” he teased, sipping his wine.

She laughed softly. “Afraid not. I was born and raised in Wisconsin. My grandparents still live there.”

He cut into the meat on his plate, and just before putting it into his mouth, he asked, “What happened to your parents?”

“They died when I was a baby,” she said. “I don’t remember either of them, of course, but once in a while, I dream about a couple who keep calling for me to come and visit with them. I don’t know them, but somehow, I recognize them.” She shook her head to clear it of the musing. “Really odd dream. Not a nightmare, more like a daydream, except I’m asleep. And it’s always exactly the same.”

Lex looked sharply at her but said nothing, and she wondered what he was thinking.

“So how did you end up in Connecticut, and why journalism?”

Lex’s interest in her life, in her, pleased her inordinately, and when he looked at her like he had done a moment ago, with a gleam in his eye, she felt electricity sizzle along her spine into her arms and fingertips. There was just something about him that drew her and held her captive, and tonight, when he was being so warm and kind to her, she found him completely irresistible. And not a little arousing, truth be told. Fortunately, he wasn’t asking for that particular truth, and she gladly gave him the less incriminating ones he wanted, distracting herself from her feelings.

“I got a scholarship, and I have always been a bit of a nosey parker.” She grinned at his expression and continued, “I once saw a movie about whales in the Arctic and the Greenpeace activist and her journalist boyfriend who helped to save two of them. That was where the flame was lit, so to speak. I was offered a job while in my last semester of college.”