Page 14 of Loan Wolf
“La dee da, la dee da!” Aaron sang. “Like a princess!”
Gabe had called her a princess. It was still a little uncomfortable sitting down and Clara knew that her cheeks were pink again. When Aaron said it, it annoyed her. When Gabe said it…
Clara reminded herself that she and Gabe were not a thing. They had a very practical business transaction... with extras. That was all.
“Tell me everything,” she invited, to take her mind off him. “What’s happened with you two? Tell me all the latest scandals!”
That invited a litany of local gossip. Jamie and Devon had a whole passel of kids, and Clara was shocked to hear that some of their own agemates were married and parents. Julia still ran the grocery. The local bookclub was still meeting under Tawny’s direction. Gillian’s husband had passed away and she had mellowed considerably. Gran’s loss was still keen in the community. Marta still had her nose in everything. Stanley was deeper into conspiracy theories than ever.
Clara told them practiced stories about her more memorable performances and graciously accepted their praise. She spent the meal trying to decide if their attention was perfectly normal, or more intense than it ought to be.
Could she be someone’s mate? How could she know? She wasn’t a shifter, and she never would be.
13
GABE
Gabe knew that there was a chemical reason to be in a good mood. It was just endorphins, from an athletic night of sex with a sweet girl who wanted no strings. He shouldn’t be humming, and he definitely shouldn’t be hoping for anything more.
But his wolf remained delusionally sure that they’d met their destiny and that everything was going to be perfect, like he’d just found a giant juicy bone and a patch in the sun to gnaw it to nothing.
Wolves lived now and now only, and it was hard to dismiss his sunny optimism. Certainly, Clara had enjoyed his company.
Gabe grinned as he walked to the bike store. She’d enjoyed his company several times.
To his surprise, Clara was waiting at the door of the shop.
“You’re late,” she said impatiently. She was straddling Daisy and wearing her helmet. Her hair was in two adorable braids with corkscrew curls at the ends.
Gabe looked fixedly at the door as he unlocked it, and still fumbled the key more than he would have liked, trying to dampen his irrational excitement. She was only here to return the bike.
“I’ll take the bike and get you a receipt,” he said, more evenly than he feared he would. “You owe thirty dollars still.”
“I’m not here to return the bike yet,” Clara said haughtily. “I have a few more hours and I want to hire you.”
Gabe was surprised into looking her full in the face. “Didn’t you get enough last night?”
To his delight and chagrin, she went beet red. “As a trail guide, you— you?—!”
“Asshole?” Gabe supplied. “Adonis?” He opened the door.
“You are unbelievable,” Clara said, laughing and shaking her head. “I want to do the Eagle Ridge trail. You said I should have a guide.”
Gabe told himself that he shouldn’t do it. He had to limit the amount of time he spent with this bewitching woman. His heart was already gone, but she still had a reputation and the longer they spent together, the more likely it was that he would tarnish it or do something truly stupid like tell her he loved her or propose marriage.
“It’s a really challenging trail,” Gabe cautioned. “You can’t take it slow.”
It was the worst thing he could have said and he saw Clara’s eyes go bright with outrage. “You’re saying I couldn’t keep up?”
It was devastating, that underlying edge of steel that she had beneath all of her sweetness and grace. Gabe didn’t doubt for a moment that she could handle the trail. She was ferocious and strong behind those soft blonde curls and cornflower eyes. Anyone who underestimated her was sadly mistaken.
We’re not sad! his wolf said eagerly. This isn’t a mistake!
Gabe looked at the clock over the register. He wasn’t expecting any returns until the afternoon. “The Eagle Ridge Trail isn’t for a first-timer,” he said firmly. “But we could do the Dennis Loop. Do you have water?”
He forced her to take a bottle from the cooler and strapped his own to the holder on his bike.
“No sportsballs on that one,” Clara observed, when he’d picked his favorite from the choices.
