Honorera didn’t have a driver’s license. Even if she had had it, she didn’t have a vehicle to drive, so she walked all the way from her home on the mountain to the convenience store in Pete’s Peak. She wished she could go into Rutberg, to a real grocery store but if she asked for a ride to town, Tanner would know she'd gotten money somewhere. And if he knew she had cash, he would take it from her, citing all the expenses he had incurred by feeding and sheltering her for the last sixteen years of her life.She had a list prepared of the items she needed for the house. Nothing very extravagant. Dish soap. Laundry detergent. Toilet paper. Food. She had carefully calculated the price of every item to make sure she wouldn't overspend. She felt the eyes of the store clerk following her as she moved up and down the narrow aisles filling up her basket. She brought the items to the cashier and handed him the sturdy, reusable bags. She needed strong bags with handles since she would

Honorera was dreaming.She was in the forest again, walking in the waning evening light. She was not scared of the dark, ever. It embraced her, as the forest embraced her. She was looking for something again... no she was looking for someone. She headed for the clearing, for the rock. She felt a little strange, her arms ached and her head felt heavy, even in the dream. It was there again, that sensation that someone was watching her, moving toward her, and she tensed, ready to run. Who was in the woods? Was it Mr. Shepherd? All the times in this dream she had run away... but this time something urged her to move toward the stranger, to find him, to see him. "I know you are there." She called into the night."Don't fear me, my love. Come to me," he answered her. She knew that voice, deep and sexy. She moved toward the sound and saw a shadowy figure moving between the trees. She wondered if it was a trick. It simply wasn't possible that a man like Mr. Shepherd would even s

“How long does it take to get some food?” Honorera grumbled. She eased out of bed and looked around the tiny cabin. She felt like she should do something to repay Mr. Shepherd for the kindness he was showing her. All this strange talk about mates and wolves...she shook her head. No, it was too much...too strange. But still, he had rescued her. She busied herself tidying up the small space. Moving and stretching her body hurt her wounds, but cleaning helped calm her frazzled nerves. She made the bed, washed the few dishes in the sink, and cleaned the bathroom. She couldn’t find the supplies to do anything more. Next, she nosed through the little kitchenette, hoping to find a snack, but there wasn't much there. She guessed Gabriel hadn't been cooking in the cabin. He must have been eating from the snack bar or buying ready-made food from the mini-mart. Maybe he even drove into Rutberg to dine in real restaurants or buy from real supermarkets. Being shut inside made her fee

"I look completely ridiculous," Honorera tugged at the dress that Cora had given her. Although it had been a modest dress for a slim old lady, it was too tight across her breasts, and much too long on her petite frame. "Don't worry, it's just for a couple of hours, then you'll be back in your own clothes," Gabriel said soothingly. But the dress was killing him too. The enticing cleavage being forced out the top nearly undid him. "Get in the truck, let's go." It was a forty-minute drive into Rutberg along a road that wound through the valley, and past old farmhouses and mostly defunct farms. They called Rutberg a city, but really it wasn't much more than a town that got lost in the mountains. "Where are you going?" Honorera asked as they veered left off the old highway. "The Walmart is down that way." She pointed in the other direction. "We aren't going to Walmart." "But, you said we would get clothes?” Her forehead wrinkled in confusion. "Yes." Gabriel had gotten the name

"Hey sleeping beauty, wake up." Gabriel nudged her awake. "Mmm?" Honorera sat up in the bucket seat and rubbed her eyes. It was dark already, and they were in the parking lot of a restaurant. "Where are we?" "Pennsylvania. We will stop here for the night. I thought we'd get a bite to eat, and then head to the hotel." "Oh." Honorera bit her lip and couldn’t help but wonder if they would share a hotel room again. Would they sleep in the same bed? She didn’t know if the idea made her feel nervous, or excited. She had already shared the cottage with him in Pete's Peak, she had already passed several nights sleeping with Gabriel’s huge arm curled around her, and he’d always been a perfect gentleman. He came around to her side of the truck and opened the door. "Do you like Chinese food?" Her eyes widened. "I've never had Chinese food." "Never? Well, tonight you will try it. Hopefully, we can find something you like." He helped her out of the truck and kept his hand on th