Lured

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The Porsche purred beneath my palms. Wind whipped through the gap in my window, stirring my hair into a halo. In the passenger seat beside me, my best friend, Poppy, sat shivering. “You sure you’re warm enough, Pop?”

“I’m good.” She pulled her coat a little higher around her wild, red curls and re-aimed the vents her way for the twentieth time.

She’d never complain, anyway, not when she understood being a werewolf notched up my regular body temperature enough that a sweater and scarf compensated for the chance at fresh air. At least she had the burgers for warmth. Brown paper bags filled with lunch pressed against her lap. I’d already eaten one while driving, but the wafts of fat-scented steam continued to entice.

Rounding the corner, I turned onto the road to the site of the pack’s latest property development. Although tempted to squeal through the gates and announce my arrival in style, I figured it best if Sean continued to believe I drove like a snail when in his car, and shifted down the gears one by one.

I spun the wheel left for the turn, but braked hard at a woman standing in the middle of the gatepost.

She whirled, lids narrowed over irises of bright blue, until she settled into a look of bewilderment.

If she thought I’d missed the fleeting irritation in her expression, she was mistaken. I stuck my head out. “Can I help you?”

From beneath a full head of black waves, her cool stare trained on me, as her hands faux-flapped in front of her. “You scared me out of my wits, flying ‘round the corner like that.” The chill in the woman’s tone matched her expression.

I scowled. “Five miles an hour is not flying.”

“She trying to put out a fire, or something?” Poppy mumbled.

She turned from me to Poppy and quit with her hands, before circling toward the almost completed apartments.

Near the entrance, Ethan, Sean’s older brother by two years, had his head in close to Connor Larsen’s ginger curls, but her focus only swung as far as Connor’s son.

As though aware of the attention, Josh lifted his chin, and his gaze shifted from the Porsche to the stranger. After he mumbled something to Connor and Ethan, the three men headed our way.

I glanced back in time to see a smirk cross the woman’s face.

“What’s she playing at?” Poppy hissed.

Shrugging, I stuck my head back out the window. “I asked you what you wanted.”

She glanced back to me. “I was just admiring the apartments.” At the arrival of the three men, she gave them her full attention, complete with winning smile.

“She switched that on pretty quick for them,” Poppy murmured.

Josh smiled at the young female as he strode past her. Arms coming to rest against the Porsche’s window ledge, he planted a kiss on my cheek. “You’ve been ages, Jem.”

“Well, I’m here now.”

He thumbed over his shoulder. “Who’s your friend?”

“She’s no friend of mine.” My lip curled. “She looked like she was spying.”

Josh straightened as he laughed. Obviously, he didn’t get my non-joke. I’d have set him straight, but the fake, stalker-girl already had his attention, as well as Connor’s and Ethan’s.

“The apartments.” She waved a hand to her right, lashes fluttering.

Ethan tucked his hands into his jeans pockets and rested against the gatepost. “What did you want to know?”

My eyebrow lifted as I faced Poppy.

A ‘Can you believe them?’ expression showed on her face.

With a low growl of irritation, I jammed the gearstick into first. “If you want your food, come and get it,” I said and drove off.

I parked near the three-storey structure and killed the engine. The second I climbed from the car, Sean Holloway came our way.

The mere sight of my mate hitched my breath and sent my stomach into somersaults.

He removed his hard hat, a rub of his hand sending his chocolate brown hair into disarray. Four days into December, and he wore only short sleeves, offering a glimpse of his muscular arms. The nearer he came, the clearer his dark eyes grew, and his widening smile flashed teeth that glowed against the golden skin of a man who spent his life outdoors.

Poppy laughed from the other side of the car. “You two look at each other as though you’ve been parted for decades.”

Sean reached me, tangled his fingers into my hair, heaved out a deep sigh as though relieved I’d made it in one piece, and drew me in for a kiss. Eyes locked, our bodies met as though drawn by a magnetic force. Our tongues darted out, sampling the delicacy of the other, and my right foot left the ground, my body swaying with the headiness of the moment.

“Did you bring food?” he asked as his lips freed me.

“Of course.”

He sent Poppy a grin over my shoulder. “Joining us for lunch, Poppy?” He made it sound like we had a table reservation at a high-class restaurant, rather than squeezing into the portable onsite cabin.

“Apparently so,” she said.

“We didn’t want to keep you waiting, so I’ll drop Poppy home after we’ve eaten.” I studied his eyes, checking to make sure he didn’t mind, and received a nodded response.

At the passenger side, I ducked into the Porsche for the bags of food. A glance to the right showed the three pack members still chatting to the woman at the entrance. As her body language headed in the direction of flirting, my scowl returned.

“Lunch!” I shouted.

Connor and Ethan broke away.

“Bring mine here,” Josh said without turning.

My brows shot up. “What?”

“I’m talking. I’ll eat here.” Still, I didn’t warrant so much as a glance from him.

“I’m not your servant.” I growled. “Get it yourself.”

Connor passed behind me. “What’s up with you?”

“Nothing,” I mumbled, meeting Poppy’s gaze.

Ethan smirked as he brushed against me and grabbed one of the bags. “I have a pretty good idea.” He strode off, tossed two burgers to Josh, and followed Connor into the apartments where the rest of the pack worked.

With my scowl still in place, I plodded across to the inadequate hut.

Behind me, Sean’s footsteps hit the gravel, keeping pace with Poppy’s as she waffled on about cushions and throws and everything else we’d perused on our shopping trip.

I nudged the door open, flicked on the light—for Poppy’s human vision more than my own—and dropped the fast food bag onto the desk on my way to the drinks counter in the corner.

“Sounds like you had a good day,” Sean said, the rustle of paper telling me he wasted no time searching for his meal.

“We did,” Poppy said.

I flicked on the kettle and spooned coffee into three mugs.

The intensity of the stranger’s eyes, with her attention latched onto Josh like a damn fishing hook, roiled through my mind.

Looking at the apartments, my foot.

“Didn’t we, Jem?”

I leaned back against the counter and took the burger Sean held out for me with a nod. “Got the cushions.” I peeled back the greaseproof wrapper. “Picked up paint charts.” I aimed the bun at my mouth and bit a chunk off. “Grabbed lunch.” I sent him a burger-distorted smile around the garbled words.

The door swung open, and Josh entered, his green eyes sparkling beneath a mess of shaggy, dark blond curls, and a wide grin spread across his face.

My gaze flittered to Sean.

His expression matched his pack brother’s like Josh had impressed him with his ability to chat with a young, attractive female.

Poppy and I exchanged another glance—a hoard of unspoken communication passing between us. Knowing Poppy also had a bad vibe about the stranger made me feel a little better.

Josh unwrapped his second burger and shovelled half into his mouth as he leaned against the counter beside me.

I peered up at him. “Who was she?”

He shrugged. “Just passing and stopped to look at the apartments.”

“She wasn’t looking at the apartments.”

He nodded. “She lives with her sister and is looking for her own place. She said these look perfect. So ...” He shoved the rest of the burger in and chewed. “I gave her my card.”

Gave her his card? He didn’t even know her. I sought Sean’s reaction—he still had a smile on his face. “She wasn’t looking at the apartments,” I said again.

“’Course she was,” Josh said around his swallow. “What else could she have been doing?”

“Could have been ... spying,” I mumbled.

Sean choked on his burger. “Spying?” He rubbed his hand across his mouth in a poor effort to hide his smile. “On what?”

Averting my gaze, I watched the shuffle of my feet at the floor.

“Jem?”

I lifted my face to the glistening in Sean’s eyes, tilting my head as it sank in how ridiculous I might sound to him. “Josh.” I cringed at the heat spreading through my cheeks, and my stare flickered away again.

Deep chuckles met my ears. Josh reached around and drew me to his side. “If I didn’t know any better, Jem, I’d say you were jealous.” His lips met my neck, and a little wolf nuzzling ensued.

“Hey.” Sean tossed his empty wrapper at his pack brother, though his lips remained curved. “Knock it off.”

Josh sent Sean a grin, but he released me, bumping me with his shoulder. “Don’t worry, Jem. I’d never run off with someone who didn’t have your approval.”

My eyes sought Poppy’s, found them already on me. Poppy knew as well as I did we’d have to hope he never asked approval for the dark-haired girl.

She’d already lost it.

***