Page 12 of She Wolf

Finishing my longer than usual shower in a daze I whip the towel off the heated rail and head out into the bedroom, not bothering to wrap it around my waist. I bury my face in the plush cream fabric and it’s only then that the taps against my bedroom window register. I turn the music down to listen again.

I’m at the back of the house and you can only access the yard from the front with a code, yet the tapping continues and when I cover my junk and look out, Coralie is standing on my lawn.

Fucking hell. She’s wearing tiny sleep shorts, and a button-up sweater and she’s holding a handful of the small stones that line my grass.

“Get down here, Gunner Grey,” she whisper-shouts, making me groan and adjust the instant semi that occurs every time she opens her mouth or comes anywhere near me. I throw on a pair of shorts and head back down, switching on the outside lights.

Her long, shiny hair is swept back off her face, illuminated by the warm golden glow of the fairy lights, she insisted I string up last spring.

I unlock the doors that lead out onto the deck. “What’s with the stones? You could have just texted me.”

She steps forward, placing her hand against the bare skin of my chest, right over my heart, over the ink that adorns my chest, and warmth spreads through me.

There have been many occasions over the years when I’ve had the opportunity to have her hands on me. Like the times she’s offered to cover me in sunscreen, usually when she is wearing only a swimsuit.

But if she had even touched me, the willpower that I’m constantly clinging to by a thread, would have snapped. I’d have been fucking her over a lounger right there and then.

Not a sight I ever want anyone else to witness, so I always politely declined.

“Where’s the fun in that? This has an old-school feel to it, don’t ya think?” She tips her head to the side and cocks an eyebrow. Her gorgeous mouth curling up on one side.

“Yeah, it’s old-school. Kind of reminds me of when all the girls in my neighborhood wanted me to play out late at night and didn’t wanna incur the wrath of Alison Grey,” I tease.

“Oh, I’ll bet there were many,” she says, rolling her eyes playfully.

“Nah, not really. I was too shy unless I was on the ice. Had to grow into myself a bit.”

Her smile widens at my self-deprecation, and she catches her lip with perfectly white teeth. We stare at each other for a beat until she whispers,

“I got divorced tonight.” A deep frown settles over her brow, her beautiful smile lost, and my throat dries at the weight of her words.

“I know. That’s good though, right?” She nods, but the frown remains.

“I have so much to sort out Gunner.”

“Like what?”

“I love living at Casey’s, but it’s just not right.”

My fingers can’t help but to stroke out the crease on her forehead until she finally sighs, relaxing again.

“Just give yourself a little time. Good things are coming for you, Coralie.”

Her eyes widen and then she takes a deep breath. “I hope so, but what makes you so sure?”

“Just a hunch I have. You deserve anything and everything you want.” Something flashes across her face that I can’t quite pinpoint.

“I feel like celebrating. I need to throw a party or throw caution to the wind. Be reckless. I feel alive and I want something that will etch this night into my memory forever.” She rings her hands like she’s keyed up and I don’t blame her.

“So something more noteworthy than eating your weight in Ben and Jerry’s Glamp Fire Trail Mix? Or forcing Casey to watch Dancing with The Stars?” I joke.

“He would be so good on that show,” she giggles and then quickly sobers. “But no. I think it needs to be big, something…” she gulp, stepping even closer. “Gunner Grey.”

Her words hit me square in the chest and my brain goes into meltdown. She tips her head up and I gaze into her electric blue eyes, searching them. For what though, I don’t know. Her readiness? Maybe. She needs to get herself settled.

Regroup.

So, as hard as it is, I step away slightly, fighting my inner war. Hell, this is everything to me and the timing—the moment, needs to be perfect.

---