scent seemed even stronger. Diego let himself focus on her fragrance for a moment, picking out hints of strawberry, vanilla, and a distinctly feminine scent that seemed uniquely her own.
He crossed the street, following her scent while doing his best not to dwell on why it was so tantalizing. She smelled amazing. That was as far as he cared to go at the moment.
Both scents led him to one of the many ambulances lined up outside the security perimeter. Heading around to the side door, he tapped on the metal doorframe as he stuck his head inside. The beta werewolf and his mom were sitting side by side on a gurney while Trent checked them out.
“What’s the word, Trent?” Diego asked.
His buddy from Dallas Fire and Rescue looked over with a grin as he pulled a blood-pressure cuff off the kid’s arm. “Bree is dealing with an elevated heart rate and her pressure is a bit high, but that’s to be expected considering what she went through this morning.”
Bree.
So, that was her name. It was beautiful. Just like the woman it belonged to. Diego had noticed how pretty she was when he’d first laid eyes on her in the diner, but now that he had time to appreciate her, it was impossible to miss how stunning she was. An angelic heart-shaped face, plump pink lips, and eyes the color of creamy milk chocolate. She was definitely something else.
Diego didn’t realize he was standing there staring until he noticed Trent had been talking the whole time and he hadn’t heard a single word.
“Brandon, on the other hand, is as fit as a horse,” Trent said with a laugh. “In fact, he’s got the pulse rate and blood pressure of an elite marathon runner. He’s got some bumps and bruises from you tackling him, but by and large, it’s like the stuff this morning didn’t bother him at all.”
Diego chuckled as he stepped into the tight confines of the ambulance. Even without three other people in here, these vehicles weren’t meant for men his size. Hearing Trent go on about how healthy Brandon was after what happened wasn’t a surprise. All werewolves were fit AF.
“Now that you’ve checked them over and made sure they’re okay, do you mind if I borrow your ambulance for a few minutes?” he asked. “I need to talk to Bree and Brandon about a few things, and your ride is about the only privacy available in a five-block radius.”
Trent nodded. “No problem. The rig is all yours until we catch a call.”
Diego heard Bree’s heart beat a little faster as Trent stepped outside and closed the door. Brandon’s pulse kicked up a notch as well.
“Before I say anything else, I guess formal introductions are in order,” he said, sitting on the fold-down seat across from them and holding out his hand. “Diego Martinez.”
She leaned forward, clasping his big hand with her smaller one. Diego couldn’t miss how soft her skin was or how badly he wanted to rub small circles on the back of it with his thumb.
“Bree Harlow,” she said, and maybe it was his imagination, but she seemed to hold on to his hand for an extra second or two. “And this is my son, Brandon. You saved his life in that diner. Thank you for that.”
Diego opened his mouth to tell her he was simply doing his job, but the look of true gratitude in her eyes stopped him.
“Brandon is my world, and you risked your life to keep him safe,” she said softly. “If I live to be a thousand years old, I’ll never be able to pay you back for that. I’m not sure how to try beyond saying thank you.”
The heartfelt words tugged at Diego in a way he’d never felt before. It might be his job, but Brandon was her son. Saving Brandon’s life wasn’t just another day at the office. It had been a very big deal.
“You’re welcome,” he said.
His voice sounded huskier than normal, and he cleared his throat as he reached out to shake Brandon’s hand. The kid had a firm grip.
“You said we have a lot to talk about?” Brandon said, sitting back. “Does that mean you can explain what happened to me in that diner? Because it’s been happening to me for months.”
Out of the corner of his eye, Diego saw Bree’s eyes widen in surprise, then fill with pain. As though she hadn’t known her son had been dealing with something like this for