He sat beside me, his legs close enough to touch mine, I had to give him an A for effort. He knew my reasons for not having sex with him - I'd explained them the very first night he'd tried chatting me up - but he still couldn't help trying it on. Maybe it was all about the chase for him - and the more I refused, the more determined he became.
"That depends on your definition of fun," I glanced at him, "I've seen what we can do to humans. I'd hate to spoil that pretty body with a few ill-placed scars."
"Scars attract many ladies."
"If you're dead they won't."
He grunted, but the determined flash in his blue eyes suggested he was a long way from giving up just yet. "So what do you want to talk about?"
"Adrienne Jenson."
Something flickered in his eyes. Not recognition, but something else. Something that raised alarms deep inside. He might not have gray eyes or big cars, but he still had to be considered a suspect. He certainly knew more than he was telling. Or was I just being overly suspicious once again? "I'm gathering by the surname that you're from the same pack?"
"Yeah." I got out my phone and brought up Adrienne's picture. "You seen her around?"
He studied her for a moment, then nodded. "She did the tour here a week or so ago. I remember her hair." His gaze raised to mine. "It's such a pretty color in the sunlight."
I smiled at the compliment. "Was she with anyone?"
"I don't think so." He hesitated. "Why?"
"Because her mom has been pestering me to find her. She thinks she's run off with a man."
"She looks old enough to make her own decisions about who she wants to bed."
"She is, but this is a human man we're talking about."
He raised an eyebrow, amusement playing around his lips. "So the reluctance is a pack thing more than personal?"
"Both." I switched the phone image to the sketch Blake had sent. "This is the man her mom believes she's with."
Again that something went through his eyes. He knew the man, I was sure of it.
All he said was, "Pretty lousy drawing."
"But you know him, all the same?"
"Didn't say that."
Didn't refute it, either. "He's not in trouble. I just need to know if he's got any idea where Adrienne might be."
He didn't say anything for a moment, then shrugged. "I actually can't tell you much. I've seen him on the island a few times, helping out at the bar and such, but I've never really talked to him."
"Is he here today?"
"Don't know. You could try asking staff-management. They might tell you if he's around."
"Do you know his name?"
He frowned. "I think it's Jim. Jim Denton."
"I talked to Jim Denton last night. He looks nothing like this sketch."
Jared grinned. "Mom's obviously a lousy artist. Or Adrienne was telling lies for reasons of her own." He flung an arm around my shoulder, his fingers draping perilously close to my left breast. "Now that we've discovered I can't help you find your friend, how about we discuss a more interesting topic?"
"Like what?" I said wryly. "You, me, and bed?"
His fingers moved, lightly brushing my nipple, teasing it to life. "That sounds like a good place to start."
"Coffee is a good place to start," I pulled away from his arm and stood up. "I need to be wined and dined before I can get into any sort of sexual discussion."
"A reluctant werewolf," he muttered, his expression a mix of amusement and frustration. "Who'd have thought there was such a beast?"
I linked arms with him as we walked down the pier toward the small coffeehouse. "Just goes to prove you can't believe every rumor about us."
"And isn't it just my luck to find that one exception when I'm feeling as horny as hell."
I grinned. "I never said I didn't want to bed you. It's just the whole human thing that's the sticking point."
"Meaning if I keep trying, I may just wear down your defenses anyway?"
"You might."
"Excellent. Let's get down to coffee and cake then."
We did. And he did keep trying.
Rut he didn't get lucky.
Jared dropped the tour group back on the main island an hour later, and left me with a. promise to continue his seduction attempts during his lunch break. Grinning at his determination, I headed back to my little villa and rang my brother.
"Once again, she rings at an indecent hour," he said, by way of