7Claire couldn’t help but be nervous as she rode beside him in his truck. Her nerve endings were strung taut, and she was certain that if he said anything, she would jump in surprise and let out a startled squeal. So far, he seemed content to let her maintain silence, and she was trying to avoid saying anything that would make her seem gauche, moronic, or eager to be with him. He didn’t need to know that part was particularly true.She had little reason to be nervous, except if her parents saw him dropping her off at the house. It wasn’t like Bodie was suddenly going to jump on her. A strong surge of regret went through her as she had that realization, and then she acknowledged she’d been hoping for some indication that he cared about her as more than someone he pitied and was worried about after her near attack last night.In her mind, she couldn’t help imagining how it would be if he pulled over to the side of the road and suddenly jumped on her, pulling her into his arms. No doubt
8Bodie woke anticipating his date with Claire that night. He couldn’t help feeling like a teenager about to embark on his first date with a girl, though it had been quite a few years since he had experienced that sensation. He couldn’t even recall the name or really the face of the first girl he’d dated, but it’d only been the one date, so that was hardly surprising.It seemed like it would be forever before the day would end so he could pick up Claire at the appointed hour. By midmorning, he was scowling at the clock, annoyed by how slowly it seemed to be ticking past. His phone rang, diverting his attention from the offending timepiece, and he answered with the speakerphone on, so he didn’t have to pick it up. Ostensibly, he was working on pack business, but in truth, he was far too distracted to give it much consideration. “Hello?”“Bodie, can you stop by?”He nodded before answering his dad. “Sure. What time would you like me?”“The sooner the better,” said Duke with a hint of gr
9He entered the sheriff’s station, and it was a calm and quiet environment, similar to usual. It appeared that their front desk person wasn’t working that day, but that was hardly surprising. Claudia was usually part-time at best, since it was a quiet town that rarely required any major intercession. Sheriff Dillon Starr and Deputy Juno Lane, along with a third deputy, though that position was currently unfilled, managed to handle everything that arose in their town—everything except this unsettling matter, which was new to all of them.Juno looked up from her desk, which was positioned where she could greet people in case Claudia wasn’t available. She nodded to him and said, “The sheriff said you might stop by after he spoke with your father.”“It seemed like the thing to do. Were you the one who found the fliers, Juno?”The tall brunette stretched as she pushed back from her desk and came over to stand near him. “It wasn’t me. Gus was coming in to do cleaning at City Hall, and he’s
10It told him to get off on the third floor, and he stepped out several seconds later, following his senses until he saw Gus mopping the floor of Courtroom B. He opened the door, having glimpsed him through the window in the door, and said, “Gus, do you have a minute?” To his surprise, the old shifter didn’t answer. He supposed he could be getting hard of hearing, but his senses should at least alert him that he wasn’t alone in the room.He stepped inside, waving the door a little to allow his pheromones to better disperse. A second later, Gus stiffened and turned to him, and he was smiling. He was also wearing wireless headphones, which explained why he hadn’t heard Bodie’s greeting even with his refined wolf senses. They must be getting dull with age, but the man was still competent and moving around.He came closer to Bodie, still moving the mop as he walked. “What can I do for you, young fella?”Bodie was amused at that, considering himself far from a young fella as he neared thi
11Since Claire had the day off, she decided to pamper herself for the date ahead. It had been a long time since she’d been on a date.The last one she could recall had been about a year after her car accident, when the son of one of her dad’s friends had asked her to dinner. She’d been excited, until he let slip halfway through that his father had agreed on his behalf, and he had gone through with the date to be a good sport. He hadn’t meant to be a jerk about it because they’d already connected and were friendly at that point. He didn’t seem to realize that confiding the truth to her had been off-putting until she asked to go home shortly thereafter. He’d seemed annoyed with her overreaction, and they hadn’t spoken again.It caused a ball of anxiety to form in her stomach as she remembered her last attempt. After that, there hadn’t been any more invitations, but she’d determined she would turn them down anyway unless she was absolutely certain there was no pity involved.Yet here sh
12In a flash, she raced downstairs and tore open the door. She didn’t allow him to come in, though he seemed ready to cross the doorway. She just pushed past him and closed the door behind her. “Let’s go.” She sounded breathless, having raced down the stairs so quickly. She was lucky she hadn’t broken her neck since she was wearing midrange high-heel shoes she also hadn’t worn in years.He seemed frankly baffled. “Are you—?”“We should go now.” She grabbed his arm and started tugging, pulling him toward his truck. She realized she was acting crazy, and he was obviously concerned, but she was more concerned about getting him in the vehicle and away from her parents. As they reached his car, she heard the front door opening and said, “Let’s go now.” There was no hiding her insistence and hint of fear.Bodie unlocked the truck, and she climbed in, not waiting for his assistance. Mentally, she was urging him to hurry up as he came around to the driver’s side. She glanced back at the fron
13After a moment, his expression cleared, and he shook his head. “Nah, I don’t think I could handle two desserts.” He nodded down to his. “Would you like some?”“I don’t like bavarois cream.” She said it abruptly since it was a lie. She absolutely would’ve adored a bite of his dessert, but the idea of eating it on his spoon—and she was certain that’s how he would’ve fed it to her—was just too intimate. It led her to thinking things she shouldn’t think about on an outing with friends. To him, it was probably nothing more than a casual sharing he would’ve done with any female acquaintance—perhaps even some male ones, though she had a hard time believing he would’ve let one of his friends or cousins feed him—but to her, it took on too much complexity and too many nuances that she shouldn’t interject into the encounter.He looked briefly disappointed. “That’s too bad. It is delicious.”“So is mine, so I’m good.”After they’d finished dessert, and she was trying to maintain the pretense t
14Bodie’s wolf was surging in his mind, urging him to press harder on the gas pedal so they could be back at his place that much faster. Since Bodie was in agreement with the wolf, it was hard to control the urge, but he kept the speed to a reasonable level, only exceeding it by a couple of miles per hour. He was aware how Claire tensed up when she had to ride in a vehicle, and he was certain speeding wouldn’t do anything to help lessen her fears.It was difficult not to pull over and touch her then. His wolf was in full rut, and he wanted to be as well. He managed to call back the urge, noting how quiet she was. Her hands were clenched tightly around her purse, and her knuckles were almost white. She was obviously anxious, and perhaps even afraid, but he wasn’t certain if it was because she was having to ride in the vehicle, or because she was going to spend the night with him.The second idea left him unsettled, and he considered asking for an explanation, but they were in Northsta