man responsible for the plight of Omaha’s women. “I’m honored to meet you,” she said in what she hoped was a shy tone.
“The honor is mine,” the mayor said gallantly.
Sky took her hand away from the mayor, who firmly retrieved it and held it in a warm grasp. “I’m just on my way home for supper. It’s only a quiet family meal, but why don’t you and your wife join me, Sky?”
Would it be rude to jerk her hand away? Behind her she could feel the men from the Pack bristling, but Sky laughed lightly.
“We’d be honored to join you and Mrs. McGrath for supper, but really, I have to insist on holding my wife’s hand myself.”
The mayor surrendered her hand with a laugh of his own. “Newlyweds,” he said in an indulgent tone. “When were you married?”
“Just a few days ago.”
Being touched by the mayor was uncomfortable, but having Sky’s hand close around hers caused a different kind of discomfort. Her heart sped up and her breath came fast. His hand wasn’t doing anything, just holding hers while his thumb stroked over the backs of her knuckles, but in her mind she imagined his thumb brushing over other portions of her anatomy. She knew when her body’s heated reaction to her imagination became evident to wolf senses, because Sky’s nostrils flared, and he looked down at her with an expression she’d never seen on a man’s face before. At least, not directed at her. Their gazes locked for a long breathless moment that was broken by the mayor’s chuckle.
“Yes,” he said, dragging the word out in three drawling syllables. “Newlyweds, indeed.”
Sky stopped Rose’s instinctive attempt to jerk her hand away by tightening his grip on her fingers. “You’ll have to forgive us, Tim. We’re still in the honeymoon stage of our marriage.”
“But you didn’t take time for a honeymoon?”
Sky shook his head. “I wanted to get back as soon as possible to find out about the hearings on the Women Acts.”
“Ah, of course.” The mayor nodded. “We can discuss that over supper. Send your men on to your place, and we’ll take my car to my house.”
Rose blinked while Sky turned and walked a few steps away to say a few words to Paint and the others. Her stare veered over to the black box-like thing at the curb. “Car?” she said to Mayor McGrath.
He visibly swelled with pride, his chest inflating almost like a balloon. “Yes, one of only three in the city.” He held out his hand. “Allow me to show you my pride and joy.”
Rose stared at his offered hand. One thing she knew: for a wolf’s mate to touch even the hand of another man would result in fur flying and blood spilling. Even Quill, the mildest and sweetest of the wolves in the den, turned into a growling monster if someone tried to touch Ellie. Back when Sky had first claimed her, he had tried to kill a man just for sitting beside her. She was still amazed at the self-control Sky showed a minute ago when McGrath first took her hand. Amazed, and…disappointed?
“Yes,” said Sky smoothly, coming up beside her and using his body to subtly block the mayor’s reach. He put an arm around her waist. “The car is a marvel. I’m thrilled to be invited to ride in it.”
The mayor laughed good-naturedly and dropped his hand. “Come along then.”
She glanced over her shoulder at the other men as Sky steered her toward the car. “Bye,” she mouthed at Snow, who was watching them with a snarl still on his lips while Paint and the others walked in the opposite direction. A lonesome yowl rose from the basket Paint still carried. Poor little Mitzi.
Chapter 7
Paint led the men from the den toward Sky’s house, listening to their grumbling as they walked. Other pedestrians, seeing them coming in a herd, made way for them.
Stone growled. “Did you see that man hold Rose’s hand? He kissed it! And Sky didn’t do anything.”
“Shoulda killed him,” Standing Bear agreed, almost viciously.
“And now they’re going off
“The honor is mine,” the mayor said gallantly.
Sky took her hand away from the mayor, who firmly retrieved it and held it in a warm grasp. “I’m just on my way home for supper. It’s only a quiet family meal, but why don’t you and your wife join me, Sky?”
Would it be rude to jerk her hand away? Behind her she could feel the men from the Pack bristling, but Sky laughed lightly.
“We’d be honored to join you and Mrs. McGrath for supper, but really, I have to insist on holding my wife’s hand myself.”
The mayor surrendered her hand with a laugh of his own. “Newlyweds,” he said in an indulgent tone. “When were you married?”
“Just a few days ago.”
Being touched by the mayor was uncomfortable, but having Sky’s hand close around hers caused a different kind of discomfort. Her heart sped up and her breath came fast. His hand wasn’t doing anything, just holding hers while his thumb stroked over the backs of her knuckles, but in her mind she imagined his thumb brushing over other portions of her anatomy. She knew when her body’s heated reaction to her imagination became evident to wolf senses, because Sky’s nostrils flared, and he looked down at her with an expression she’d never seen on a man’s face before. At least, not directed at her. Their gazes locked for a long breathless moment that was broken by the mayor’s chuckle.
“Yes,” he said, dragging the word out in three drawling syllables. “Newlyweds, indeed.”
Sky stopped Rose’s instinctive attempt to jerk her hand away by tightening his grip on her fingers. “You’ll have to forgive us, Tim. We’re still in the honeymoon stage of our marriage.”
“But you didn’t take time for a honeymoon?”
Sky shook his head. “I wanted to get back as soon as possible to find out about the hearings on the Women Acts.”
“Ah, of course.” The mayor nodded. “We can discuss that over supper. Send your men on to your place, and we’ll take my car to my house.”
Rose blinked while Sky turned and walked a few steps away to say a few words to Paint and the others. Her stare veered over to the black box-like thing at the curb. “Car?” she said to Mayor McGrath.
He visibly swelled with pride, his chest inflating almost like a balloon. “Yes, one of only three in the city.” He held out his hand. “Allow me to show you my pride and joy.”
Rose stared at his offered hand. One thing she knew: for a wolf’s mate to touch even the hand of another man would result in fur flying and blood spilling. Even Quill, the mildest and sweetest of the wolves in the den, turned into a growling monster if someone tried to touch Ellie. Back when Sky had first claimed her, he had tried to kill a man just for sitting beside her. She was still amazed at the self-control Sky showed a minute ago when McGrath first took her hand. Amazed, and…disappointed?
“Yes,” said Sky smoothly, coming up beside her and using his body to subtly block the mayor’s reach. He put an arm around her waist. “The car is a marvel. I’m thrilled to be invited to ride in it.”
The mayor laughed good-naturedly and dropped his hand. “Come along then.”
She glanced over her shoulder at the other men as Sky steered her toward the car. “Bye,” she mouthed at Snow, who was watching them with a snarl still on his lips while Paint and the others walked in the opposite direction. A lonesome yowl rose from the basket Paint still carried. Poor little Mitzi.
Chapter 7
Paint led the men from the den toward Sky’s house, listening to their grumbling as they walked. Other pedestrians, seeing them coming in a herd, made way for them.
Stone growled. “Did you see that man hold Rose’s hand? He kissed it! And Sky didn’t do anything.”
“Shoulda killed him,” Standing Bear agreed, almost viciously.
“And now they’re going off
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