Page 28 of Love, A Curvy Girl's Guide

Haley didn’t know what to say. Every memory before she’d won a date with Ian at the fireman’s auction had been laced with pranks, barbed comments, and heated stares. But there were other moments too—like when he’d checked on her after she’d broken her arm or when he’d gone ballistic on prom night after Casey tried to take things too far. Or how, every time she needed backup, Ian seemed to appear like magic.

“It just doesn’t make sense,” she whispered. “I’ve got whiplash from how quickly everything has been moving. I guess I was just so used to you acting like I was a pain in the ass. Then we had sex, and now we’re mates. I’m worried that you were forced into something you don’t want.”

Ian chuckled softly. “First of all, you are a pain in the ass. The best kind. The kind that keeps me up at night thinking about you. The kind that wonders what you are doing at all times and worries about you when you aren’t in my sight. The kind that makes me laugh, makes me hard, and calls me on my shit.”

Haley’s cheeks flushed, lips tipping up. “That’s ridiculous.”

“Yeah?” Ian rubbed against her, showing Haley just how much he wanted her. “What’s more ridiculous—me wanting you, or you pretending you don’t feel it too?”

Haley’s pulse raced. The truth of his words settled heavily between them. She could deny it, tell him he was full of shit—but it would be a lie. Every snarky exchange, every heated kiss, every charged glance, every moment she’d caught herself watching him when she thought he wasn’t looking—it all pointed to one undeniable fact.

Ian Johnson had been in her blood for as long as she could remember.

“But, I hate you,” she said weakly.

Ian smiled, slow and knowing. “Nah. You don’t.”

His hand rose, tucking a stray curl behind her ear. The simple touch sent a shiver down her spine. She was about to respond with some smartass remark when Ian leaned in, brushing his lips against hers.

The kiss was soft at first—a gentle exploration that differed from his other kisses. Haley felt her insides melting as she opened her mouth, her body instinctively leaning closer, urging him to deepen the kiss. It quickly grew hungrier. His hand slid to her hips, anchoring them both together as the world fell away. There was no packhouse, no family drama, no hospital calls. Just Ian’s mouth on hers, the press of his body, and the undeniable truth that this—they—was something neither of them could deny.

When they broke apart, Ian’s forehead rested against hers. “The sex is fucking fantastic,” he murmured.

Haley’s burst of surprised laughter caused Ian to smile as well.

“I wasn’t finished,” he added.

Haley felt cherished in his arms. It instilled a confidence in her that he really did care, that this wasn’t just about the sex.

“Then by all means,” she whispered softly, “continue.”

“The sex is fucking fantastic,” Ian said, voice rough, “but it’s you that makes everything better. The sex, being a werewolf, the new pack, having a mate—none of this would be okay without you. If anything, I’m scared that I am falling so hard, and you’re going to wake up and realize that you can just walk away at any time. I need you, Haley. I needed you then, and I sure as hell need you now.”

Haley’s hands tightened in his shirt. “You have me, Ian.”

Ian groaned, kissing her again, deeper this time, until her knees wobbled. His arms wrapped around her, holding her tight, anchoring her in a storm of sensation.

SEVENTEEN

Haley sat cross-legged on the small cot in Neela’s clinic, absently tracing the seam of the thin blanket as she listened to the elder healer go over the day's lesson. Neela had been kind, patient, and an unrelenting taskmaster. After a week of intensive training, Haley’s body ached in places she hadn’t known existed, and her brain was saturated with more herbal remedies and pressure points than she’d ever thought necessary. But there was also a quiet satisfaction in the work—a sense of belonging she hadn’t expected.

Working at the pharmacy had been a lot of standing or walking short distances during long shifts. Working with Neela was much different. Some of the patients came to Neela’s clinic, but there were far more that they visited in their homes. Haley liked being able to meet many of the pack members, especially those who were older or too ill to have been there the night she and Ian arrived. But most importantly, she loved helping others. It was what she enjoyed about being a pharmacist, but somehow this felt like a deeper level of connection.

Ian was also immersed in his training as a new wolf of the pack. Between learning to control the shift and learning all of the pack rules, it was a grueling regimen. But somehow they wereboth happier living with the Iron Claw Pack than they had ever been.

It was the nights, as she lay in Ian’s arms, with their bodies entwined and his warmth anchoring her, that she felt true happiness. Their nights together had been nothing short of ecstasy—each touch, each whispered word drawing them closer than ever before. She had never felt more connected to anyone, never known this kind of raw, unfiltered intimacy.

The chime of Haley’s phone interrupted her thoughts. She fished it out of her pocket and frowned at the name flashing across the screen—Mom.

Her stomach clenched. Somehow, she’d been expecting this call. Dreading it.

Neela, ever perceptive, gave her a knowing look and nodded toward the clinic door. “Go ahead, Haley. Take your time.”

Haley stepped outside, the crisp mountain air doing little to ease the apprehension in her chest. She pressed the phone to her ear. “Hey, Mom.”

“I hope you enjoyed your pharmaceutical convention,” her mother said, voice dripping with sarcasm. “Or should I say, your jury duty?”

Haley’s stomach dropped. “What?”

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