Read Online Wild Nights with a Lone Wolf by Elisabeth Staab - Free Book Online Page B

brushed along her jaw and the edge of her ear. “Still, I find it hard to regret our time together. That it put you in danger, absolutely. But every word, every touch of your skin? Fuck no.”
    Sherri flushed with heat. She studied Ash’s face, his body language, and his apologetic assertion for signs of deception. Her gut wanted to trust him. Her gut had trusted Ryan at the expense of everything, and she didn’t want to be wrong this time.
    She was as sure as she could be that he was being honest when she said, “I believe you.” At the least, working together was their best bet.
    Stress and stale air coated her lungs in the small room. “So running sounds like a risky option. Maybe there’s a way we can get word to someone who can bust the handoff? What does this ‘only a ceremony’ entail?”
    Ash cleared his throat. Then he did it again. Then he scooted back on the small bed, murmuring something about getting more comfortable.
    “Uh-oh.” Sherri crawled toward him, wondering about the way his eyes had gone from warm but serious to guarded and dark. “That’s not a confident look. Do we have to slaughter a goat or something?”
    He scoffed. “Of course not.”
    “You’re worried about something. I see it on your face. You might as well tell me so we can figure out what we’re dealing with.”
    Ash smiled slightly. “Typically I keep these things to myself better.” He flattened his hands against his upper thighs. “Okay. The ceremony is pretty simple: some words are said, there’s a symbolic blood exchange—”
    Yeesh. “A what?”
    He flipped his palm over. “A small cut on each of our hands. A blood pact. Ever do that as a child?”
    She wrinkled her nose. “No, but I think I get what you mean.” That didn’t sound terrible. Exceptionally strange, but whatever. “Is that all?”
    “Then we say our vows, we kiss, we go and make love.”
    “Hmm.” She met his gaze. That didn’t sound terrible. She’d enjoyed being with Ash—okay, it had been the best sex of her natural life—still, doing it on command sounded peculiar, and anxiety-inducing. “Do we have to? Will they know if we don’t or something?”
    He nodded. “One or more elders from the pack usually waits outside the door. They’ll know by the scent.”
    Double yeesh. “Okay that’s...” Sherri drummed her fingers on her knee. “...creepy. And more than a little nerve-wracking.” Her body flashed hot and cold as she scanned his large frame. He’d come in wearing a strange uniform, some sort of shop coveralls, but she could still picture the hills and ridges she’d seen in all their glory when they’d been naked together.
    She settled her hand on his arm. “All right. You know, I meant it when I said I don’t ever do what we did. I don’t sleep with guys I don’t know. I liked you, though. I liked you so much I couldn’t let you walk out of that bar and wonder ‘what if.’ Had the situation been different, I would have wanted to exchange numbers and see where things could go and all that nonsense. So as disturbing as this crazy ritual thing sounds, I’m sure we can both handle getting naked together one more time if it buys us a chance to get out of here intact.”
    Ash bit his thumbnail, staring into space. “Good. That’s... good.”
    “Why do you still look like we’re definitely going to be shot before dinner?”
    “Emotions, Sherri.” He propped his forehead up with his fingers. “You know that thing about how dogs can smell fear? Weres can detect most of the human spectrum by scent. Fear, joy, arousal, even love.”
    “So... Oh.” She settled back on the bed, suddenly consumed with the same weighty sense of doom Ash was probably experiencing. “We might like each other a lot, but we’re not in love and they’ll know if we do this ceremony.”
    He only shook his head.
    “So we’re stuck in a werewolf border town, wedged between a rock and a hard place. You know these folks, so what do you think