Shameless - Sybil Bartel Page 0,39
of the corner of my eye caught my attention.
Glancing back at the window, I gasped.
A wolf, a really big wolf, slinked toward the cabin.
“Oh no, no, no.” Where the hell was Shade? Why hadn’t he come back inside yet?
The wolf took another few steps toward the cabin.
Dumping the blanket, I ran downstairs.
Unable to see where Shade was from upstairs, I looked left, then right out the downstairs windows. Barely visible, but exactly where the wolf was heading, Shade was standing over the large rectangular generator with his back turned.
I didn’t think.
I grabbed my Uggs from his bag that was still by the door and shoved my feet into them. Then I snatched his leather jacket that was now hanging on a peg by the front door and pushed my arms through.
I was out the door in seconds.
“SHADE! BEHIND YOU!”
My hand went to my back, my fingers curled around my Glock and I spun.
A red wolf in front of me, Summer behind me, I hadn’t heard either of them approach over the noise of the generator. If this had been one of Vincenzo’s hired guns, we’d both be dead right now.
“Shade,” Summer whisper cried.
Letting go of my piece, I held one hand out behind me. “Stop. I see him.” The fox was harmless. “He’s not a threat, he’s hungry. Don’t scare him.” There was a damn rabbit den under the generator. I should’ve been coming up here more often and checking on the place myself instead of leaving it all on the caretaker.
“But it’s a giant wolf,” she whispered dramatically.
“Red wolf,” I corrected. “And he isn’t giant, but they are an endangered species. He’s probably hungry as shit to come this close to us. Slowly head back inside.” I’d gotten the generator working for now. I could check the rest of the spark plugs later. “Let’s give him some space to catch his dinner.”
“Dinner?”
“Rabbit. Under the generator.” Pissed off she’d come out here to warn me about the damn wolf, I turned toward her.
Horror crossed her face as she sucked in a sharp breath. “He’s going to eat a bunny?”
Snow falling on her still wet hair, she was going to get fucking hypothermia. “Back inside the cabin. Now.” This was the second time she’d risked her safety to come after me.
“Oh my God.” Her hands, buried in the sleeves of my leather, went to her chest. “You can’t let that happen.”
“It’s gonna happen whether we want it to or not.” I glanced around, hoping like fuck the wolf was the only thing out here besides us. “Let’s go, woman. I don’t want you out here.”
She turned but then stumbled in the almost knee-deep snow.
Grabbing her before she face planted, I lifted her into my arms.
“Oh my God.” Her breath puffed. “Sorry.”
A grunt my only response, I carried her to the house. The natural scent of her, the weight of her in my arms, I was reliving that fucking kiss, and my cock wanted a taste of her. Pissed at my body’s reaction to her, like I was a goddamn teenager with no control, I dumped her before the front door and barked out a command. “Stomp the snow off.”
“Okay.” She didn’t stomp. She tapped her feet in rapid succession like she was running in place.
I fucking stared.
Inspecting her boots, she bent and brushed her shit off with her bare hands, then stood back up, and heat colored her cheeks. “What?”
No attitude, looking innocent as hell, she threw me. “Nothing.” Using the code, I unlocked the front door and pushed it open.
She looked at my arm holding the door, then at me, then she dropped her gaze. Sucking in a sharp breath, she moved to walk past me, but at the last minute she stopped and put her arms around me. Her head against my chest, she squeezed me tight for two seconds, then let go and walked inside.
“What the fuck was that?” I demanded, still holding the door.
“A hug.” She shrugged.
What the fuck? “Why?”
She turned around and nodded at the door. “Who’s letting all the heat out now?”
Stepping inside, I kicked the door shut. “I asked you a question.”
Defiance bled into her tone. “And I asked you one back.”
We stared at each other in silent standoff.
Keep it up, little girl. You won’t win this game.
Exactly three seconds in, she caved.
Rolling her eyes, she sighed dramatically. “Fine. Would you have let me hug you if I’d asked?”
“No.” Fuck, no. Did I look like a goddamn hugger?
“Exactly.” She threw her arms up, and