Page 7 of Wolfish Heart
I burst into laughter, then switch to a deep commercial-announcer voice. “Encrypted numbers…powered by water and birds.”
“People like the name Wolfe Security, too.” He shrugs. “It’s kind of badass.” We lean back against the couch, nudging closer until his arm slips around me.
“That’s awesome that you have a job you like.” I smile up at him as his fingertips drift up and down my arm. “And I guess a family business is pretty stable.”
I expect Kaden to smile. Instead, his lips press to a line.
“What is it?” I whisper. After another moment of silence, I add, “Look, whatever it is, it’s better to tell me now, right? I mean… If you’re moving to Antarctica next month, it would be kinder to tell me now before I’m in too deep. Or if your company is in trouble, and you’re about to throw in the towel and become a mechanic…I mean, I don’t care if you do that, but?—”
“Our company is worth over a billion dollars,” he blurts quickly. “There was a huge jump in the market last year, and our client roster is expanding at lightning speed. We’ve been trying to pay it forward here in town, but the money keeps rolling in with every new contract and glowing review from Fortune 500companies. It’s like a boulder careening downhill. We can’t stop it.”
I can’t help myself. I burst out laughing. “That’syour big secret? That your company’s doing really well?” My head falls against his shoulder. “Here I thought you were going to say your company is messing with endangered wildlife, or polluting the rivers, or something awful like that.”
I’m sputtering with laughter at this point. “You guys stumbled upon a way to turn natural data into a billion dollars without harming anything, and you’re keeping people’s data secure. That’s beyond amazing – be proud of it!”
Kaden’s eyes widen, then he blinks at me twice, then he laughs so loudly that the sofa almost shakes, the sound bouncing off the massive glass window beside us. Finally, he collapses against the back, throwing his arms around me to hold me close. Relief rolls off him in waves I can almost see.
“I…I… I don’t know what I expected,” he chuckles. “That you’d think I was a geek. That you might be afraid because you didn’t understand what we do. Also, everyone’s been treating us differently since we suddenly became wealthy. Being too polite, acting all weird. But it’s kind of…not even our money, you know?”
My mouth falls open. “Paying it forward…oh wow… When I was in town buying things for this room, I mentioned it was for you and I thought the “shipping charge” was ridiculous since you were so close, but didn’t want to say anything.”
Kaden’s explosion of laughter finally subsides, and he nods. “We ask all the stores and companies we deal with to charge us a little more. That way if the next person is a bit short, it all evens out.”
My palm caresses his cheek. “That’s really lovely.”
“We finance a whole bunch of things in the area, but don’t want our names on the donations. People look at us strangelyenough now that they’ve heard we’re technically billionaires or whatever.”
I catch his gaze and hold it. “I can see it in your eyes. You don’t want to be rich. You never expected it, and you’re almost embarrassed about it.” Leaning in, my forehead touches his. “That tells me you have a good heart and you’re a good man. And you’d still be a good man if you were swinging an axe or working in a kitchen.”
“Maybe a good man. Lousy cook, though,” he grins. “Still… Thank you.”
He leans back, pulling me into his lap. This time we move into the kiss together. Once again, it’s sweet and gentle and romantic for a few moments, then the heat quickly builds, our chests pressing together and our limbs entwining as we touch everywhere we can reach. Our lips part and Kaden caresses my tongue with his as our lust takes over.
Time almost stops as we lose ourselves in our dream-like state. Finally, he reluctantly pulls away. “I should probably drive you home, baby.”
My breath stops.He just called me baby. As in…kind of…like we’re really together.
“I was going to come back tomorrow to start working on the videos. Maybe I could just borrow your Jeep again?”
The way Kaden’s smile lights up his eyes with a flicker makes me wonder if he really does have wolf-like energy inside him. “Or I could drive you home, then pick you up in the morning so we can grab breakfast?”
“If you want, sure.”
His mouth grazes my ear as he whispers, “Iwantto show the entire town that you’re mine.”
The shiver that runs through me is tinged with heat. Never mind just the town, I want the wholeworldto know.
Maybe that will help me believe that this is really happening.
5
KADEN
Blowing on my coffee, I take it to my new easy chair to watch the forest stretch awake. This corner of the office is now my favorite spot in the entire house, thanks to Zoe.
I’ve experienced some incredibly satisfying moments in my life: the day Wolfe Security was formed. The day it hit a value of a million dollars. Five hundred million. A billion. The day my house was completed and I was handed the keys. The day my brothers and I handed the mayor a huge check to update City Hall.
But last night’s drive through Old Hemlock Valley with my arm around Zoe is going to stick with me as a milestone. Sure, some people stared at us because I’ve never been seen out with a girl before. And others are probably wondering what I’m doing with a stranger who is so new in town.
