Page 35 of The Way You Bite
“What? No gourmet cook on staff to make you food?”
“The staff doesn’t travel with us.”
She grabbed the juice and took too large a gulp. Its acidity burned her throat. Her eyes watered as she struggled not to cough.
His lips twitched. If he laughed, she would go over the counter and hit him.
“Anything chocolate?”
“Are you craving sweets?” His tone was mysterious as if the craving meant something.
“I always like sweets.”
He pulled out a grocery store cardboard box. “Pie? Says it’s apple.”
“That works.” She glanced around. “Where are your, uh, guards?”
“They’re around.”
She pulled her gaze off the upward curve of his mouth. “How long have your guys been with you?”
“Long time.” He slid a slice of pie her way with a fork.
She scrutinized him, frustrated by his relative non- answers.
“I guess you’re a hot target and need guys you trust around you. Is that why you keep a low profile? Why you haven’t visited this country in a very long time?” She lifted the fork but didn’t eat.
“I have many responsibilities to my people. Those keep me busy. I probably should’ve ended this unfounded skirmish long ago, but the North American territory head wanted to handle it.”
“You think a wolf didn’t kill my mother?”
“I’m not sure who killed your mother, but for sure it wasn’t the wolf Dominic blames.”
“Really? Is that why you’re here? To fix a misunderstanding?”
“No.”
“Are you here to end this war and you think I can help?”
He shook his head. “Why aren’t you eating? You need food.”You need to be strong.
She’d inadvertently picked up his thought. Again with the being strong.For what?She glanced down. Food? Her life had become a screwed-up mess, her body was distractingly on fire for a male she couldn’t have, and he wanted her to eat?
“Eat.” He nodded at the pie.
She ate a small piece. It tasted like plastic, even though she was sure it’d been baked to perfection. Her body didn’t want anything but blood. She inhaled his scent, remembering the smell of port when he’d bled. Yeah, if she could find safe blood that smelled that good, then she’d be in heaven. “So, you being the reigning wolf, are you married? Or do you have a mate or two somewhere?”
His fork paused halfway to his mouth. “What? No.” He put down the bite of pie.
“Do you have a woman in your life, then?”
“Not in a long time.”
“There was someone. At least, I heard there was.” She took a cautious sip of orange juice.
“Was.”
“What happened?”
