Accidental Lover (Wolven Moon Book 3) Read online

  “Consider it done.” The guy snaps his fingers over his head. “And this,” he holds out a flower to Cherie, “is for you, darling.”

  “Oh, thank you, Fritzi. That’s so sweet. Calla lilies are my favorite flower.”

  “Darling, you deserve dozens for your genius solution. You single handedly saved the wedding.”

  Cherie laughs. “I’m certain the wedding would go on with or without flowers.”

  “Phssshaw!” The man disagrees.

  He air kisses both girls after which he begins packing his flower samples onto a rolling cart. The girls turn my way to leave the ballroom.

  Gabby sees me first. “Vic. What are you doing here?”

  “Came to get Cherie’s personnel file that she illegal absconded with.” I smile and push off the wall.

  “I apologize.” My girl digs through her tote bag. She extracts the slinky white robe to get to the file underneath.

  “Thank you.” I take the folder, fight the urge to touch her, kiss her. “What are you two doing the rest of the morning?”

  “I was thinking spa,” Gabby says.

  Cherie wrinkles her cute nose. “I wanted to go hiking — get to know the trails around Telluride.”

  The three of us mosey down the corridor toward the spa.

  Gabby sighs. “It’s not safe to go hiking alone. Besides, it’s my treat. Buying you a mani-pedi and bikini wax are my way of saying thanks to an awesome maid of honor.”

  “You’re adorable. I’ll take a rain check, okay? The wax would be wasted anyway. I had one two days ago.” Cherie blushes, twirling the calla lily in her fingers.

  And a sexy wax it is, peaches. I’d like to get my mouth on it again soon.

  “A massage, then?” My cousin beseeches Cherie. “Please. Let me treat you.”

  My dream girl, frustrated, exhales loudly. “G, you know I appreciate your generosity to the poster child of starving students, but it makes me uncomfortable — ”

  “Don’t,” I cut Cherie off, tired of hearing her say no. If Gabby wants to spend her trust fund, let her. “Don’t feel uncomfortable, Cherie. Not here. Spa treatments are part of The Avalon bridal package.”

  “They are?” Gabby questions me.

  I grin. “Of course. Who wants to see a hairy, scaly, snaggle-nailed bride?”

  Gabby laughs. Even my girl smiles, but she’s not convinced.

  “That’s nice for the bride, but I’m a bridesmaid.”

  Let’s add argumentative to the list of Cherie’s attributes.

  “And a new employee. You should experience every service at The Avalon so you can truthfully recommend them to guests.”

  Still doubtful, she pushes her nose into the lily, inhales. As we arrive outside the spa, her baby blues narrow at me.

  “Enjoy. It’s all on the house,” I say. “On me.”

  Easily swayed, Gabby practically skips into the inner sanctum.

  Mi ninfa is too intelligent to fall for it.

  Cherie hangs back. “It’s very generous, Victor, but I can’t accept — ”

  “You can and you will. Consider it training. My investment in you.” I point at, rather than touch her. Touching her now is a bad idea. Once I start, I won’t stop. “You agree that first hand experience is best for employees?”

  “Certainly, yes.” She gives in. “But — ”

  “No, buts.” I step closer, lower my voice. “Well, if you prefer, I’ll be happy to give your sexy butt a personal massage.”

  Cherie blushes a lovely shaded of pink. It’s her nipples pushing against the fabric of her dress that distract me the most.

  I growl, entranced by mi ninfa’s beaded little go buttons, shove my hands in my pockets and fight the urge to touch. I whisper close to her ear. “Mmmmm. You’re driving me nuts, peaches. I can’t wait to get my mouth on your beautiful breasts, again.”

  My dream girl’s sweet lips part on a sharp inhale. Her eyes dilate. That combo added to hard nipples and her scent? Fuck. I’m a walking hard on around this girl.

  “I want you so much, Cherie. You better go before I throw you over my shoulder and drag you upstairs, cave man style.”

  Finally, she backs closer to the inner, private part of the spa. Eyes sparkle, and her lips curl into a sexy smile.

  “You like that idea do you?” I take a step toward her.

  She tilts her head, shrugs a maybe. Just before she disappears behind the frosted glass, Cherie treats me to a come hither look that swells my cock in an instant.

  You sweet little tease.

  Hiding the bulge in my pants with Cherie’s file, I approach the girl at the spa reception desk.

  “Ms. Santana and Ms. Valentine are my guests today. Charge my account for their expenses.”

  “Of course, Mr. Santana.”

  I head back down the corridor. I need a cold shower.

  chapter eight

  THOROUGHLY RELAXED FROM the massage, I place my lunch plate between Gabs and Jesse and sit. Even the few sprigs from the salad bar will be too much after that huge breakfast. Baldwin and Victor sit at the round corner table with us.

  “Thanks, Vic. Look at my toes.” Gabs wiggles her right foot. “Your nail techs are fine artists. And the massage you gave C practically has her purring.” Gabs smiles at me.

  Jesse chokes on his iced tea. “You gave Cherie a massage?” Jesse snarls at Victor.

  Gabriela smacks Jesse’s hand lightly. “Not literally, you goof. The masseuse at the spa did the delicious rubbing. My cousin just sprung for it.”

  Oh, nice. Thanks so much, Gabs. You could’ve shut up at ‘thanks, Vic.’

  “Yes. Thank you,” I say to Victor.

  “My pleasure.” Victor smiles, flashing his eye creases and a whole lot of sex appeal.

  “Seriously?” Jesse looks at me. “Your new boss paid for spa treatments and you accepted?” He glares Victor. “That’s inappropriate as hell.”

  Victor chews the olive he just popped in his mouth before speaking. “How so? Guests are more apt to trust employees who have experienced our services first-hand. Don’t you agree?”

  With a grunt, Jesse shrugs half-heartedly. “Sure. If The Avalon is comping the expense. Not if you’re paying for it, personally.”

  “Tell you what, kid,” Victor says. “You go to Santa Fe and get trained however your dad sees fit. Meanwhile, I’ll take care of training Cherie here.”

  Oh, god. Please don’t let anyone else understand that double entendre.

  “By the way.” Victor slides a keycard across the table to me. “I needed to shuffle some rooms. You’re in 310 now. I can help you move your things later.”

  “I believe I can handle it.” I narrow my eyes at him. Victor’s room is 308. Is 310 an adjoining one? He looks away with a nonchalant, innocent face. What if it is adjoining? Newly activated muscles deep in my abdomen clench at the thought. Perhaps the nearness would be a benefit.

  Jesse’s phone beeps an alarm. He glances at it. “Our Jeep rental will be delivered in twenty minutes, Cherie,” Jesse says.

  “Nice. A few more bites and I’ll go change,” I say.

  “Jeep?” It’s Victor’s turn to glare at Jesse.

  “Yeah. Cherie wants to commune with nature at Blue Lake and Bridal Veil Falls.”

  “That’s a four-hour hike from the trailhead. Round trip, that is,” Victor says, worry in his voice. He takes a bite of his lunch.

  “Yes, I know. We’re both in shape and altitude acclimated.” I grin at Jesse. “We should return to the trailhead about five. Long before dark.”

  While he chews, Victor searches my eyes. He swallows the food. “There’s an Avalon landscape meeting this afternoon I’d like you to attend, with me. It’d be good experience for you.”

  “I didn’t realize that Cherie’s on the payroll already,” Jesse says.

  Victor narrows his eyes at him. “She’s not, officially. It’s her choice.” He swivels his head to look at me. “Meeting or hike, Cherie?”

 
I feel like a fire hydrant being circled by two wolves getting ready to pee and mark their territory. The pissing match obvious, Gabs glances between the two guys and then at me with a curious expression.

  What the hell is Victor trying to prove? Tossing down my napkin, I stand.

  “I choose Blue Lake. Jesse and I planned this a long time ago. I’ll go change and grab my ritual bag.” Ignoring Jesse’s gloating smile and Victor’s angry eyes, I take the keycard and head for the elevators.

  “I’ll meet you out front, Cherie,” Jesse calls after me.

  Upstairs, I quickly toss all my loose stuff into my suitcases to haul it down to 310. Just as I’m rounding the corner of the floor, Victor steps off the elevator. Oh my god, is he mad. I can count the beats in his ticking jaw from twenty yards away.

  Without a word, he takes the new keycard from me, unlocks the door and holds it open for me.

  “Thank you,” I say, rolling my suitcases past him and turn to close the door on him, but he’s already in.

  “What are are doing, Cherie?”

  “I’m moving my things, and then changing my clothes to go hiking with Jesse.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I want to see the falls and Blue Lake,” I say. “Now, if you’ll excuse me.” I hold the door open indicating he should leave.

  Instead of taking the hint, he walks to a chair and lounges in it like he’s staying awhile. He stares at me and rubs his chin.

  “Victor?”

  “Wait.” He holds up a hand. “Don’t talk. I’m trying to figure you out.”

  “Fine. Let me know when you’re done.” I let the door close.

  He holds his chin and stares at me.

  This new room is five times the size of the closet I was in. A mini-suite like Victor’s, it has a large sitting area, a better view and a balcony. As I suspected, the connecting door to Victor’s room is right next to the balcony slider. Should I be more upset at the audacity of connecting me without asking my permission, or at his brooding mood right now?

  I hang my garment bag in the closet before lifting my big suitcase on to the bed. Taking out jeans and a white tank top, I go into the bathroom to change — hoping he’ll be gone when I come out.

  He isn’t.

  He’s making me nervous and I don’t like it. I continue to act as though he isn’t there, brushing my hair into a ponytail.

  “So, here’s what I got,” Victor says. “You lied to me when we danced in the gym last night. Jesse really is your boyfriend. That’s why you wanted me to act like I didn’t know you at breakfast.”

  “Wrong.” I hang the blue dress I just took off in the closet and dig out a pair of hiker socks from the suitcase. “I did not lie to you. I don’t have a boyfriend. Jesse is not my boyfriend.”

  Victor bolts out of the chair and advances on me, shocking me with his intensity. “Then, fucking tell me what your relationship is with him. Do you want him to be your boyfriend?”

  “No. I don’t want any boyfriend at all. Jesse and I hang out together sometimes. It’s nothing.”

  “You might want to ask him, honey. I’m betting he thinks it’s something, especially since you just blew me off to be with him.”

  Interesting. Victor’s hurt because I chose an afternoon with Jesse?

  I sit to put on my socks.

  “God. I didn’t blow you off. We’re just going to Blue Lake. Jesse spent some time in Telluride as a child. He offered to show me around this week.”

  He glares at me. “Oh, I just bet he did.”

  “It’s not like that.”

  “Cherie, you snuck into a hotel room to seduce him. Now you’re telling me you don’t want a relationship with him? Can you explain that to me?”

  I sigh, search for words that would make sense to a man.

  “It’s not that complicated. I just wanted to experience sex before my twenty-first birthday. I felt like a freak, an old-maid virgin.” I get my hiking boots from the suitcase. “I didn’t want to feel like that anymore.” Pulling the laces apart, I put the boots on. “I was ready to grow up, be an adult. Jesse was the obvious choice.”

  Mouth gaping, Victor looks at me like I’m crazy. “So you don’t have feelings for him at all? You just wanted him to pop your cherry?”

  “Yes. No.” I shake my head to clear it. “Yes, I have feelings for him. I care about Jesse. He’s been a good friend and he’s a nice guy.” I shrug and tell the truth. “And let’s face it, he’s hot.”

  Victor glowers at me for that remark.

  “But, yes, all I wanted from him was to teach me about sex. Nothing more. No boyfriend, girlfriend relationship.”

  “Did Jesse know that? Or were you just going to use him and stomp on his heart, too?”

  Why is he shouting?

  “Oh, please.” I laugh at the idea of men having fragile hearts. “Guys aren’t like that. You know that as well as I do. It’s just about sex for you. ”

  Jaw slack and drooping, again, Victor’s eyes get tight and narrow, like he’s pitying me.

  “Don’t look at me like that,” I murmur. “You know it’s the truth.”

  “Honey, how did a virgin get so jaded?” At least he’s not yelling anymore.

  “I’m being realistic.”

  Men are what they are. Trying to change their stripes is futile and useless. Banging your head against the wall gets better results.

  Finished tying my shoes, I pull out my CU hoodie and ritual bag from the suitcase.

  “I’m not doing anything wrong, Victor. Like you pointed out last night, you and I are single, consenting adults. Jesse is someone I thought would be a good first lover.” Stroke his ego, girl. “But, you were wonderful last night. I don’t regret being with you. And don’t worry. I won’t ask for any promises from you, either. I won’t go there.”

  And I won’t. Strings, commitments and promises only get broken in the end anyway.

  I put the bag strap over my shoulder. We look at one another, searching each others eyes. I try a small smile to break the tension. “I’ll see you, later, maybe?”

  He laughs crudely. “You want me to be around to fuck you later? Is that it? No promises, though, right?” He’s back to being angry. He glares at me, nostrils flaring.

  “You don’t want to be my lover now?” I ask, disappointed. Given that he moved me right next door, and given how aroused he was in Gabs’ suite this morning, I assumed he wanted me, again.

  With another bitter scowl, this time with an angry tilted head, he flicks his hand shooing me out the door. “Go on your little hike, mi ninfa.”

  Well, there you go, Cherie. Men are totally unreliable.

  “Fine.” I turn and, head held high, walk out the door.

  I’m not doing anything wrong. I’m not lying. I’m not expecting anything from anyone. The only mistake I made was getting the wrong room last night.

  So Victor doesn’t want to have sex with me, again. So what? It’s not like I should be surprised. Pressing the lobby button in the elevator, I am surprised at my emotional reaction, though. I know better and it’s ridiculous that my eyes fill with tears over his rejection. It’s easy enough to find another lover.

  chapter nine

  “BOURBON,” I SAY to Wes, the bartender at the Last Buck Saloon in downtown Telluride. It’s a cozy bar founded by his Norse pack generations ago. What stories the weathered old bricks could tell. A hangout mostly for locals, The Buck is always a nice place to hide from the hordes of tourists. A home away from home.

  “Come again, Santana?” Wes looks at the clock.

  “Yeah, I know. It’s three in the afternoon. I’m done with my work and off the clock, mommy. Give me a fucking bourbon.” I slide onto a stool, wipe my face with a hand. “Make it a double.”

  “Work or a woman?”

  I laugh at him.

  “It’s always one or the other.” Wes smiles back.

  “Woman. A wild and strange one.”

  He puts the glass of chestnut liq
uid in front of me. “Sexy?”

  “Aw, hell yeah. Sinfully.” I take a healthy swig.

  “Wild and sexy? Those are the best kind.” He grins. “Nice to see you back in the game, dude.” He goes back to prepping for happy hour.

  Yeah, dragged back in by a wickedly hot virgin in the middle of the night.

  I sip some more comfort. Maybe an alcohol fog will help me make sense of her attitude toward me, Jesse, relationships in general.

  “Hey, cuz.” I turn to see Gabby peek in from the door, scanning the place.

  I smile at her. “What are you doing away from The Av? Shouldn’t you be counting place settings or something else bridal?”

  Letting go of the door, she moves inside. “Looking for my groom. He’s supposed to be planning his bachelor party. Thought I might find him here.”

  She raps my glass with a perfectly polished fingernail. “Kinda early for that, isn’t it?”

  “One of those days.” I take another healthy swallow.

  “Landscape meeting a tough one?” She laughs.

  “Fucking flowers.” I laugh with her.

  She studies me, raises her chin at my drink. “That’s got nothing to do with my blonde bestie, does it?”

  I look at her out of the corner of my eye. “Why would you think that?”

  She hesitates. “Cause you’ve been making goo-goo eyes at her since the second you saw her at breakfast. Not to mention the ‘die, fucker, die’ vibes your wolf has been shooting toward Jesse.”

  “I don’t make goo-goo eyes, whatever the hell that is.”

  She snorts, sits on the stool next to me. Signaling Wes, she asks for iced tea.

  “Coming right up, Gabs,” he says.

  Wes brings her tea. She smiles a thanks before turning back to stare at me.

  “Spill,” she says, ripping sugar packets open.

  I take a sip of bourbon, wanting her to go away.

  She tilts her head waiting. “C’mon, you know I’m not going anywhere until you tell me all about it.”

  Fuck. If anything can help me figure out how a twenty year old virgin got so damn jaded, it might be info from a bestie.

  “If I talk to you, it has to stay between you and me. That is, if this” — I swirl the amber liquid around in the glass — “is about that little shit.”