wanted.
Except that now she had to knock on the door and go inside.
The soft light of a kerosene lamp still burned in a window downstairs. “Quit stalling, Ginny.” She dropped from Lightning Bug’s back and lashed him to the post between the house and the barn before making her way slowly to the porch.
It occurred to her that her heart was pounding more loudly than her fist on the door, but she didn’t have time to berate herself for her own foolishness. The door opened, and Jack greeted her with that damn smile that made her crazy. “Virginia.” He stepped back and pulled the door open wide. “Please, come in.”
“Jack.” He’d discarded his vest and rolled up his shirtsleeves, and the slightly rumpled look was sexier than anything she could recall seeing in recent years. “Thank you.”
She tugged off her hat and walked past him, resolute and determined. She could ignore the pull of his body calling to hers, if only she didn’t have to look into his eyes. “I’m afraid I’m having a little bit of trouble, and I didn’t --” The words hung in her burning throat like glass shards. She forced them out anyway. “I need your help.”
The sudden tension in the room was palpable. “What did they do this time?” Jack demanded, his low voice filled with enough anger to make her fight a flinch.
She steeled herself and turned to face him. “Cut the fence in the south pasture. The one Ollie Russell helped me string last week.”
Rage flooded his features for a single heartbeat before he regained his control. “Did you recognize any scent at the scene, or had too much time passed?”
“I didn’t come here to get you riled up and out for blood,” Ginny protested. “I just want it to stop.”
He crossed the space between them in two steps, stopping so close she could feel the heat from his body as he leaned down until scant inches separated them. “We’ve passed the point of pretty words and asking nicely. You came here for my help, Virginia. You may not take it back.”
“My name is Ginny.” She instantly regretted the correction. The last thing she needed was to invite more of Jack’s familiarity, especially when she’d just put herself under his protection. And that’s the first step, isn’t it? First his protection, then his authority. “I only want you to talk to them. I mean, it isn’t as if I’m part of your pack, not like they are. I know that. But I don’t know how else to keep things from sliding toward bloodshed.”
The anger flashed in his eyes again, and this time he didn’t pull it back. His magic, the power that gave him his strength and authority as a wolf, crackled through the air as he growled. “You think I haven’t talked to them already? You think I’ve watched them torment you and done nothing ?”
“No. I don’t know.” She looked away, her teeth digging into her lower lip as she fought a whimper. Everything in her demanded that she placate him with a soothing apology. That she offer him her submission. “I know I’ve flouted your authority.” She barely heard her own voice over the blood rushing in her ears. “I wouldn’t blame you if you’d left it alone. I wouldn’t blame you if you chose to do so now .”
Strong fingers slid along her jaw and forced her to look at him. “Every wolf in my territory is my responsibility. I warned Dawson and the others that there would be repercussions for bothering you again. Which means they intend to make sure you’re not around to lodge a complaint.”
Ginny fought not to drop her head back and offer him her throat. She barely succeeded. “I suppose they don’t care that I didn’t do anything to them. I’m a woman alone. An oddity.”
“An oddity,” he agreed quietly. “You and Charlotte certainly make my life interesting, don’t you?”
“If you told Lottie to do something, she would. She’s not interested in reminding you that you don’t own her.” She lifted her chin even more and watched his
Except that now she had to knock on the door and go inside.
The soft light of a kerosene lamp still burned in a window downstairs. “Quit stalling, Ginny.” She dropped from Lightning Bug’s back and lashed him to the post between the house and the barn before making her way slowly to the porch.
It occurred to her that her heart was pounding more loudly than her fist on the door, but she didn’t have time to berate herself for her own foolishness. The door opened, and Jack greeted her with that damn smile that made her crazy. “Virginia.” He stepped back and pulled the door open wide. “Please, come in.”
“Jack.” He’d discarded his vest and rolled up his shirtsleeves, and the slightly rumpled look was sexier than anything she could recall seeing in recent years. “Thank you.”
She tugged off her hat and walked past him, resolute and determined. She could ignore the pull of his body calling to hers, if only she didn’t have to look into his eyes. “I’m afraid I’m having a little bit of trouble, and I didn’t --” The words hung in her burning throat like glass shards. She forced them out anyway. “I need your help.”
The sudden tension in the room was palpable. “What did they do this time?” Jack demanded, his low voice filled with enough anger to make her fight a flinch.
She steeled herself and turned to face him. “Cut the fence in the south pasture. The one Ollie Russell helped me string last week.”
Rage flooded his features for a single heartbeat before he regained his control. “Did you recognize any scent at the scene, or had too much time passed?”
“I didn’t come here to get you riled up and out for blood,” Ginny protested. “I just want it to stop.”
He crossed the space between them in two steps, stopping so close she could feel the heat from his body as he leaned down until scant inches separated them. “We’ve passed the point of pretty words and asking nicely. You came here for my help, Virginia. You may not take it back.”
“My name is Ginny.” She instantly regretted the correction. The last thing she needed was to invite more of Jack’s familiarity, especially when she’d just put herself under his protection. And that’s the first step, isn’t it? First his protection, then his authority. “I only want you to talk to them. I mean, it isn’t as if I’m part of your pack, not like they are. I know that. But I don’t know how else to keep things from sliding toward bloodshed.”
The anger flashed in his eyes again, and this time he didn’t pull it back. His magic, the power that gave him his strength and authority as a wolf, crackled through the air as he growled. “You think I haven’t talked to them already? You think I’ve watched them torment you and done nothing ?”
“No. I don’t know.” She looked away, her teeth digging into her lower lip as she fought a whimper. Everything in her demanded that she placate him with a soothing apology. That she offer him her submission. “I know I’ve flouted your authority.” She barely heard her own voice over the blood rushing in her ears. “I wouldn’t blame you if you’d left it alone. I wouldn’t blame you if you chose to do so now .”
Strong fingers slid along her jaw and forced her to look at him. “Every wolf in my territory is my responsibility. I warned Dawson and the others that there would be repercussions for bothering you again. Which means they intend to make sure you’re not around to lodge a complaint.”
Ginny fought not to drop her head back and offer him her throat. She barely succeeded. “I suppose they don’t care that I didn’t do anything to them. I’m a woman alone. An oddity.”
“An oddity,” he agreed quietly. “You and Charlotte certainly make my life interesting, don’t you?”
“If you told Lottie to do something, she would. She’s not interested in reminding you that you don’t own her.” She lifted her chin even more and watched his
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