The Mane Squeeze
Page 16
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Okay. Then who do you think
Shes going to think I deserted her, Lock blurted out.
Her? Lock didnt have a her in his life. Hed had a few you remember, whats-her-names over the past couple of years, but theyd come and gone quickly with little thought. The only females in his life that Ric knew Lock thought about on a regular basis were his mother and sister. Otherwise, Lock kept primarily to himself.
And who would this she be exactly?
I said I dont want to talk about it.
But Im sure we can go to wherever she is and
Forget it. It doesnt matter. Lock picked up his bowl of berries and walked out of the kitchen.
After they heard his bedroom door slam shut, Adelle asked, Do you think his she is a wolf?
He smelled like hed been around a feline, but what kind, Im not sure.
A feline? For my Lock? Adelle scrunched up her nose. Im not sure some felines going to be good enough for him.
If Lock really liked her, whoever she may be, Ric wouldnt care. His friend had not had an easy life, so a little feline canoodling couldnt hurt.
Ric slid off the stool. Let me see what I can find out.
Good.
Did you say Brendon Shaw was in town? he asked, always wanting to get information up front before he threw himself into things.
Yes. Brought out a bunch of people, too, including Smittys Pack and Jesss.
Ahh. Sweet Jess. Ric had always liked her, and was not happy he couldnt make her wedding. But he should have known that a sudden demand for an important business trip would rise up out of nowhere as soon as Rics father had found out he hadnt been invited to the wedding but Ric had.
Ill let you know what I find out, he promised, heading to the back door and pulling out his cell phone.
CHAPTER 5
One small kitchen fire later and Jess Ward-Smith was racing across territorial lines and right into Ulrich Van Holtzs open arms.
Oh, and it was a small, controlled burn. Nothing to worry about. Simply a way to distract one overprotective hillbilly wolf and his hillbilly wolf kin while she illicitly met up with one of the coolest-named guys ever.
Im so glad to see you! she said, hugging the wolf tight.
He hugged her back and kissed her on the cheek. Me, too. He placed her down and studied her carefully. You look astoundingly beautiful, he said easily. He had to be the only man she knew who made those kinds of compliments sound as if he was stating the obvious rather than merely trying to flatter her. And very happy.
Jess Ward-Smith knew she was blushing now, but she couldnt help it. Yeah, okay, she admitted. I am.
Ric laughed and gave her another hug.
Like all the Van Holtz males, Ric was tall, well-built with a slightly overdeveloped divers body, and handsome. Yet handsome was only the first stop on the beauty train for Ric, who managed to head all the way into the station for The Land of Gorgeous. With his sculpted cheekbones, Grecian nose, square jaw, and that always freshly tousled dark blond hair, it still surprised her hed never done any modeling.
And pregnant, too, he teased. My, those Smith males move quite fast.
Dont start. Jess stepped away from him, but kept a grip on his hand.
Knowing she was short on time once Smitty realized shed sneaked outwould she have to endure his Smith protective streak through every damn pregnancy?Jess asked, I got your text, handsome, whats up?
Lachlan MacRyrie went out for salmon and a nap, but came back covered in bruises and in full boar-rage. Any idea why?
Jess briefly covered her mouth with her hand, a small gasp escaping before she said, Oh, my God! That was Lock? When Bren had muttered something to Smitty about an annoying, fat-ass, stubby-tailed bear,
shed assumed it was one of the local bears. Not her Lock! And the last thing that man had was a fat ass, but that was a treacherous un-mate-like thought for another day. Is he okay?
Physically hes fine. But hes rarely this pissed off. Id love to know why, so I can avoid any maulings this evening.
Well, the men arent telling me anything, so I brought Blayne along to fill in the holes. She was there with Brens sister, Gwen. Right, Blayne? Jess looked around, wondering where the wolfdog shed dragged along with her had gone off to. Blayne?
Ric picked up a pair of shorts from off the ground. Shes disappeared.
No. She hadnt. But she had found a squirrel. Jess and Ric watched as a shifted Blayne chased the squirrel, caught the squirrel, toyed with the squirrel, let the squirrel go, only to go chasing after it again. Until she was distracted by the crow that she tried to catch in her mouth.
Sowhen are you due?
Jess winced at Rics question as Blayne ran into a tree, backed up, and went after the bird again. Mid-March.
And youre having a
Yes. Yes, Im having a wolfdog.
Huh.
Blayne was turning in circles now, trying to catch her tail.
Blayne, Jess called out. Blayne!
Shes going to think I deserted her, Lock blurted out.
Her? Lock didnt have a her in his life. Hed had a few you remember, whats-her-names over the past couple of years, but theyd come and gone quickly with little thought. The only females in his life that Ric knew Lock thought about on a regular basis were his mother and sister. Otherwise, Lock kept primarily to himself.
And who would this she be exactly?
I said I dont want to talk about it.
But Im sure we can go to wherever she is and
Forget it. It doesnt matter. Lock picked up his bowl of berries and walked out of the kitchen.
After they heard his bedroom door slam shut, Adelle asked, Do you think his she is a wolf?
He smelled like hed been around a feline, but what kind, Im not sure.
A feline? For my Lock? Adelle scrunched up her nose. Im not sure some felines going to be good enough for him.
If Lock really liked her, whoever she may be, Ric wouldnt care. His friend had not had an easy life, so a little feline canoodling couldnt hurt.
Ric slid off the stool. Let me see what I can find out.
Good.
Did you say Brendon Shaw was in town? he asked, always wanting to get information up front before he threw himself into things.
Yes. Brought out a bunch of people, too, including Smittys Pack and Jesss.
Ahh. Sweet Jess. Ric had always liked her, and was not happy he couldnt make her wedding. But he should have known that a sudden demand for an important business trip would rise up out of nowhere as soon as Rics father had found out he hadnt been invited to the wedding but Ric had.
Ill let you know what I find out, he promised, heading to the back door and pulling out his cell phone.
CHAPTER 5
One small kitchen fire later and Jess Ward-Smith was racing across territorial lines and right into Ulrich Van Holtzs open arms.
Oh, and it was a small, controlled burn. Nothing to worry about. Simply a way to distract one overprotective hillbilly wolf and his hillbilly wolf kin while she illicitly met up with one of the coolest-named guys ever.
Im so glad to see you! she said, hugging the wolf tight.
He hugged her back and kissed her on the cheek. Me, too. He placed her down and studied her carefully. You look astoundingly beautiful, he said easily. He had to be the only man she knew who made those kinds of compliments sound as if he was stating the obvious rather than merely trying to flatter her. And very happy.
Jess Ward-Smith knew she was blushing now, but she couldnt help it. Yeah, okay, she admitted. I am.
Ric laughed and gave her another hug.
Like all the Van Holtz males, Ric was tall, well-built with a slightly overdeveloped divers body, and handsome. Yet handsome was only the first stop on the beauty train for Ric, who managed to head all the way into the station for The Land of Gorgeous. With his sculpted cheekbones, Grecian nose, square jaw, and that always freshly tousled dark blond hair, it still surprised her hed never done any modeling.
And pregnant, too, he teased. My, those Smith males move quite fast.
Dont start. Jess stepped away from him, but kept a grip on his hand.
Knowing she was short on time once Smitty realized shed sneaked outwould she have to endure his Smith protective streak through every damn pregnancy?Jess asked, I got your text, handsome, whats up?
Lachlan MacRyrie went out for salmon and a nap, but came back covered in bruises and in full boar-rage. Any idea why?
Jess briefly covered her mouth with her hand, a small gasp escaping before she said, Oh, my God! That was Lock? When Bren had muttered something to Smitty about an annoying, fat-ass, stubby-tailed bear,
shed assumed it was one of the local bears. Not her Lock! And the last thing that man had was a fat ass, but that was a treacherous un-mate-like thought for another day. Is he okay?
Physically hes fine. But hes rarely this pissed off. Id love to know why, so I can avoid any maulings this evening.
Well, the men arent telling me anything, so I brought Blayne along to fill in the holes. She was there with Brens sister, Gwen. Right, Blayne? Jess looked around, wondering where the wolfdog shed dragged along with her had gone off to. Blayne?
Ric picked up a pair of shorts from off the ground. Shes disappeared.
No. She hadnt. But she had found a squirrel. Jess and Ric watched as a shifted Blayne chased the squirrel, caught the squirrel, toyed with the squirrel, let the squirrel go, only to go chasing after it again. Until she was distracted by the crow that she tried to catch in her mouth.
Sowhen are you due?
Jess winced at Rics question as Blayne ran into a tree, backed up, and went after the bird again. Mid-March.
And youre having a
Yes. Yes, Im having a wolfdog.
Huh.
Blayne was turning in circles now, trying to catch her tail.
Blayne, Jess called out. Blayne!
