Page 10 of Curvy Girl and the Mountain Man Wolf
"It's fine," I tell her, then address Lily. "The wolf isn't a pet. Wild animals don't make good pets. They need to be free."
Lily considers this, her small face serious. "But you know it, right? It lives near your house."
Perceptive child. Too perceptive. "I'm familiar with it," I say. "We have an... understanding."
Lois takes the coffee, "Sorry," she murmurs, though she's done nothing wrong.
"Eggs and bacon okay?" I ask.
"You don't have to cook for us," Lois protests. "You've already done so much."
"I need to eat too," I point out. "Might as well make enough for everyone."
"Thank you. Can we help?"
"I've got it." I turn back to the stove, grateful for the excuse to put some distance between us. "There's juice in the refrigerator if Lily wants some."
Lois moves to the small refrigerator, and I'm aware of her every movement, even with my back turned. The sound of her heartbeat, the soft pad of her feet on the wooden floor, the way she inhales sharply when she opens the refrigerator and sees its contents.
"Kane, you have enough food in here to feed an army," she says, surprise evident in her voice.
I shrug without turning. "Winter in the mountains. Need to be prepared for anything."
"Including taking in stranded travelers?" She adds, smiling.
"Apparently."
I hear her pour juice for Lily, then the scrape of chairs as they sit at the table. How long has it been since I shared a meal with anyone? Since I cooked for anyone but myself? Jim occasionally stays for coffee when he brings supplies, but he never lingers. No one lingers in my presence. They can sense the predator beneath the man, even if they don't consciously recognize it.
But Lois and Lily show no sign of that instinctive wariness now. Perhaps their gratitude overrides it. Or perhaps... No. I shut down that line of thinking before it can take root. There is no "perhaps." There is only the reality that they are temporary visitors in my life, soon to be gone.
I finish cooking and bring plates to the table, setting them down before taking a seat as far from Lois as the small table allows. Lily digs in immediately with a child's enthusiasm, but Lois hesitates, watching me.
"This looks amazing," she says. "I'm beginning to think you're wasted up here in this cabin. You could open a bed and breakfast."
The image is so absurd. Me, running a business that caters to humans, smiling and making small talk with strangers that I nearly choke on my coffee. "Not likely."
"No, I suppose not," she agrees, her expression thoughtful as she takes a bite of eggs. "You don't seem the hospitality type."
"And yet here you are," I point out. "With a bed and breakfast."
A smile breaks across her face, transforming her features from merely pretty to stunning. My wolf stirs, pushing against my control, wanting to be closer to her.
"So we are," she says. "Lucky us."
We eat in silence for a few minutes, the only sounds Lily's occasional happy humming and the scrape of forks against plates. It's strange how quickly they've adapted to my presence, how comfortable they seem in my space. Most humans can barely maintain eye contact with me, sensing on some primal level that I'm not quite one of them.
"What's the plan for today?" Lois asks, breaking the silence. "I need to try to call the school in Cedar Falls, explain why I'm missing the interview."
I consider the options. The main road will still be impassable, but I might be able to get her signal on the ridge above the cabin.
"There's a spot about half a mile up the mountain where you might get cell reception," I tell her. "I can take you there after breakfast."
"Really?" Her face lights up with hope. "That would be amazing."
"It's not guaranteed," I warn. "And the hike isn't easy, especially in the snow."
"I can stay here," Lily offers. "I'll be good, I promise."
