Page 12 of Under the Moonlight

One thing was for sure. Despite his best efforts, he’d brought Greer into this. Now he had to do everything he could to protect her.

9

The blaring speakers on the wall of Howlers was giving Greer a m

igraine. She wasn’t drinking tonight, and had only come out because she didn’t want Jill to get into trouble. Drinking with somebody watching your back was one thing, but hitting a bar alone was stupid.

But the way the local band’s lead guitarist was relishing his solo was seriously giving her ideas about bailing.

“Are you having fun?” Jill asked, practically screaming over the music.

“Oh sure.”

“Why don’t I believe you?” she slurred. Jill had already downed six long necks, all courtesy of a couple of local boys who thought Jill was wild enough to take them both on.

By the way Jill’s eye had already begun to stray, Greer had a feeling they were going to be incredibly disappointed.

“Holy sex on a stick, who is that?”

Greer followed her gaze to a tall, dark skinned man with high, gorgeous cheekbones and short black hair.

“Never seen him before.”

“Well, I’m about to wheel out the welcome wagon.” Jill chugged the rest of her beer and set the glass bottle down on the bar with a clink. “Wish me luck.”

“Hey, don’t you leave this bar until I get a picture of his photo ID and his blood type!”

“Yes, mom,” Jill sang as she sailed through the crowd.

Greer shook her head, keeping one eye on Jill as she introduced herself to the tall, handsome stranger. With the other, Greer scanned the crowd. She recognized most of the people in the room from high school and local businesses she’d been going to since she was a child.

And then a familiar brown head came through the door and Greer caught her breath.

Xander stood a head taller than most of the men in the room. His hair just brushed the collar of his leather jacket and his blue eyes were bright even under the fluorescent lights.

When he caught her gaze, her stomach fluttered, stopped, then belly-flopped. Especially when he made a beeline for her, his full lips tilting up.

“Hi,” she murmured as he stopped in front of her.

“Hey. Glad to see you looking well and vertical.”

“What can I say? Sometimes you just got to get out of the house and party.”

He nodded to her empty hands. “Doesn’t look like you’re hitting it too hard.”

“Can’t mix alcohol with my pain meds.”

“What are you doing here, then?”

Greer waved toward Jill. “Just being a good wing woman. Making sure Jill doesn’t get herself in trouble.”

He didn’t even glance Jill’s way, his gaze was thoroughly focused on her and the intensity of it made her knees weak.

“What are you doing here?” she asked.

“Looking for a couple old friends.” His hand lightly touched her arm. “By the way, I was sorry to hear about yours. Are you doing okay?”

Greer’s stomach knotted up as she thought about vivacious Kelsey, her life snuffed out by a wild animal. It made Greer think about her encounter with the wolf and she couldn’t believe how careless she’d been. Taking for granted the fact that just because she hadn’t ever seen any large predators didn’t mean they were around, lurking right out of sight.

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