A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing

I Summer and Mia Raines glanced at each other as they exited the large airplane and followed the crowd up a long hallway. Though neither of them had ever seen Wolf Carson, the man who would be waiting for them there, he had assured them that he?d seen both of their pictures and would be easily able to recognize them. As they neared the other end of the hall, Summer was feeling somewhat numb. She imagined she was still in shock after learning of her sister?s sudden death. Before they reached the large opening that would surely begin an ordeal beyond, she reached out and tugged at Mia?s hand. ?Are you ready for this, sis?? she asked softly. ?As ready as anyone is to bury their older sister,? she commented dryly. Summer bristled slightly, but then she reminded herself that Mia usually responded with sarcasm when she was feeling emotional, and it was likely that she was at a time like this. ?Well, at least we don?t have to rush back home or anything,? she pointed out, making Mia bristle again. It was, perhaps, unwise to remind her that she?d opted to quit her job rather than miss the funeral, but the words had slipped out before she?d thought them through. ?Yes, that?s true,? she said. ?Can we just go now, Summer? I?d really like to get this part over with so we can pick up the pieces of our lives.? Without another word, Summer turned and began walking briskly. Why does Mia always think she?s in charge? She doesn?t think of anyone but herself, even at a time like this. As she exited through the large but crowded arch, she felt rather than saw someone catching at her arm. ?Slow down, Miss Raines,? said a smooth voice with a hint of amusement. ?You don?t want to leave without your ride, do you?? Summer stopped in her tracks and turned back to look at the man who had spoken. He could only be Wolf Carson. Silvery-gray eyes battled between merriment and sympathy as they met her assessing brown gaze, and she felt her lips quirk with some emotion that could have been anything between mirth and sorrow?and surprise. The man looks something like a wolf, she decided as she kept gazing at him while Mia caught up to her and he released her arm. All light-brown furred and just a little bit rugged, but somehow sleekly beautiful in spite of that. How does one?s mouth go dry and begin to salivate all at once, anyway? ?You must be Wolf Carson,? said Mia with a smooth, businesslike smile. Her eyes looked the man over appreciatively for a moment before she added, ?I?m Mia, and this is Summer. She doesn?t say much?bit of a bookworm, really.? ?Thanks,? said Summer softly, blushing. ?Has either of you been to Haven before this?? asked Wolf politely as his eyes rested on the flushing cheeks of the girl at his side. Mia insinuated herself between them as she continued to talk. ?No, it?s our first time here,? she told him. ?It?s just too bad we had to come here under such sad circumstances. Was Ellen special to you, Mr. Carson?? ?Well, we knew each other about six months, but in spite of an initial desire to become?closer?I guess it just wasn?t meant to be more than a friendship,? he admitted, his lips quirking up into a slight smile as his eyes seemed to flash with the recognition of the woman?s interest. Great, thought Summer. Mia is flirting again. And on a day like this, no less. She glanced at Wolf again, but found that even though he was engaging her sister in conversation his eyes kept returning to her, almost as if he could not seem to help himself. Her heart began to pound in her chest as she realized the nature of his regard. ?I?m sorry if my sister led you on, Mr. Carson,? Mia said smoothly. You mean the way you?re about to? Summer added irritably. ?Wolf, please,? he said with a grimace. ?My surname hardly seems necessary on such a solemn occasion.? ?Sometimes conventions in behavior can help lessen the sting of otherwise overwhelming emotions,? commented Summer with a slightly wry smirk. Wolf?s silver eyes shifted over to look at her, and their gazes held for a few moments. Her belly felt like a herd of butterflies suddenly took up residence, and she finally looked down at her hands again. Her whole body was aware when Wolf smirked in return and looked away as well. He began to move forward, and Summer realized how very tall he was, his frame strong and lithe, truly like that of a wolf. She followed behind him, almost mesmerized, but then Mia surged forward and took his arm, breaking the spell as jealousy surged up in Summer?s belly instead. Why does she always take all the men and leave nothing for me? As they walked, Summer surreptitiously looked at the man a bit closer. He had a perfect tan, and his golden-brown locks blended perfectly with the toned flesh. His teeth were smooth and white, and not one seemed out of place. They were hidden by a sensuous mouth that could not fail to entice, if he?d been of a mind to put it to use in that fashion. She shuddered a little as she imagined him doing so. Stop this, she admonished herself. We?re here for Ellen, not the man she was dating when she died. Mia and Wolf caught the luggage and loaded the cart with it as Summer looked around at the smallish airport. She noticed the place had terminals for only four companies, and none of them were large airlines. The little town of Haven really was as remote as their sister had mentioned when she?d told them of the home she?d purchased in it three years ago. ?I was sorry to hear what time the two of you would be arriving,? Wolf mentioned as they walked through the exit and out into the parking lot. ?It?s going to be tight, getting to the cemetery before the time set for the ceremony to begin. I had to tell the preacher he might need to wait for us to arrive.? ?It couldn?t be helped, I?m afraid,? said Mia briskly. They had reached his car then, and he opened the trunk using his remote so he could begin loading luggage into the back of the black sedan as soon as they reached it. Summer stepped up and helped, and Mia went to stand by the front passenger side as they worked. The action was not lost on Wolf, and he raised a brow in Summer?s direction. She merely shrugged in response. As they finished, Summer followed Wolf around to the driver?s escort avcılar side, and he bowed slightly as he opened her door and held his hand out, offering to help her in. Her eyes flew down to her feet to avoid his as he set her inside, then closed the door for her before opening his own and sliding into his seat. The leather seats match his eyes, she noticed, trying not to smirk. She kept her eyes on the scenery as they headed out onto the road, trying to ignore the insistent pounding of her heart. ?So, I understand the two of you intend to remain in Haven,? said Wolf as he drove, and he glanced at Summer through the rearview mirror. She blushed when she saw him, turning away shyly. ?Yes,? Mia answered. ?My employer didn?t want to let me leave at all, so in the end I decided to quit the job. So I guess we?ll be keeping Ellen?s old house, since Summer can write her articles and stories from anyplace she chooses.? Wolf?s eyes sought Summer?s through the mirror again, and this time when she looked, she felt a strange kind of energy pass between them, almost like a liquid heat that firmed up in her belly, leaving her limbs weak. She felt her breaths quicken. ?Yes, I have read some of your work, Summer,? he said then, his eyes returning to the road. ?You have a gift with words, I think, especially for one who isn?t even twenty-three. It?s obvious that your thoughts stray well beyond the everyday world and live in that place where the mind searches for true meaning.? Summer laughed at this as she shifted in her seat, embarrassed and yet pleased to learn he had contemplated her in such a manner. ?Thanks, Mr. Carson,? she replied. ?Call me Wolf,? he insisted, his tone settling in her ears and seeping into her system. It sounded somewhere between a command and a caress, and she could not help but comply. ?Wolf,? she whispered, surprised by the almost sultry tone in her voice. She excused her roiling emotions, attributing them to the death of her sister rather than the man himself. No man she?d ever known had ever brought out such a response in her before, least of all one she had only just met. ?We?re here, ladies,? Wolf announced as they turned into the cemetery?s long drive. He parked near a small gathering of people who surrounded a cherrywood coffin. Mia was out of the car and next to the coffin in the blink of an eye. Summer did not get a chance to open her door before Wolf Carson had opened it for her. He held out his hand to help her out, and Summer?s heart did a flip as she took it this time. His touch set a fire in her blood, and she stopped trying to deny the cause. This was a lust of the hot, animalistic variety. His scent mingled with the smell of pine and freshly mowed grass that floated on the air, and she desperately wanted to taste him. A desire that she tamped down with a firm resolve. Sometimes conventions in behavior can help lessen the sting of otherwise overwhelming emotions? Wolf reluctantly let go of her hand as they joined the others, and he moved to stand beside Mia. The sight of the two standing together sparked a fury inside Summer she could not stop. How can the man make me feel him so strongly, and then stand so very far away, and at the side of another woman? Summer knew she needed to snap out of it. She knew that she was supposed to be there for Ellen, but when Mia suddenly burst into tears as the preacher spoke, her heart clenched as Wolf took her into his arms. ?Hush, now,? he told her as he held her head to his chest. His eyes flickered up and looked into Summer?s, and in them she saw amusement, desire, and a challenge. She couldn?t seem to look away, and Wolf had no desire even to try.)0( Wolf turned the key off and slid it out of the ignition. The car was parked outside a tall, almost haunted looking house surrounded by a large, wrought-iron fence and plenty of trees. A slight wind seemed to have kicked up, making the evening air seem chilled. He did not fail to open Summer?s door as he passed, but walked briskly toward the back to get their bags. ?I?ll leave you two to get settled in, if you don?t mind,? he said as he handed Mia the keys and set some of the bags by the front door before turning back for more. Summer was behind him with a couple bags, and he cast her an appreciative smile. ?Do you really have to go?? Mia practically pouted. ?Yes, I believe the two of you will want some time to grieve properly, and I value my silk shirt enough to at least try to preserve it,? he said with a smirk. She giggled at this as she wiped at her eyes. Then she surged forward and gave Wolf a hug. ?Thanks, Wolf, you?ve been a great help through all of this. I hope you won?t make yourself scarce now that it?s done.? Wolf extracted himself from her grasp as his eyes sought out Summer?s. ?Don?t worry, I?ll see you two later. I?m just totally exhausted right now, that?s all.? As Wolf got back into the car and drove away, both of the women watched him go. Mia had a confident look in her eyes, as if she?d seen something she wanted and intended to have it. Summer, however, watched Wolf Carson leave with a feeling that he already belonged to her.II About four days later the phone in the hallway rang, and Mia answered it. Summer looked up curiously from the sofa, where she sat perched with her laptop sitting on her thighs as she hammered away at the keys. When Mia hung up, she turned to give her sister a huge smile. ?What?s got you so happy?? Summer wanted to know. ?That was Wolf Carson,? she practically gloated. ?He?s asked me to dinner tonight. I wonder what I should wear.? ?Clothes, I imagine,? Summer replied with a smirk. Inside, she was reeling with shock. I was so certain Wolf was interested in me, she thought. Ever since he?d gone, he had been the only thing she could think of. How he?d gazed into her eyes, how he?d made her feel with the simple touch of his hand. It had been difficult to sleep with thoughts of him plaguing her mind and her body. ?You?re always such a help, sis,? Mia said as she stepped over and patted Summer?s cheek before turning on her heel to retreat into her bedroom. Summer was almost relieved while her sister was gone, simply because escort bahcesehir she had talked incessantly about Wolf Carson all day long. It had made her gut literally ache by the time Wolf had appeared at the door and Mia had jetted out before she could even catch a glance of him. The pain of it left her dreading Mia?s eventual return. Summer heard the doorknob rattle, and quickly turned back to her laptop to pretend she?d been on the thing the entire time. She looked up sleepily and said, ?Oh, are you here? My goodness, look at the time. I must have been working for hours.? ?Yes, I?m sure you have,? Mia smirked as the door clicked shut behind her. ?Not bringing in lover boy?? Summer inquired sweetly. ?He has work tomorrow,? she explained. ?But he did give me the sweetest kiss.? Why is he giving my sister kisses instead of me? I want to die! ?Well, I?m very tired, so although I?d love to hear all the gory details, I think I?m going to just turn in,? Summer said, trying not to allow the bile to rise up into her throat. ?All right, then,? Mia said, unaware of her emotions as usual. ?I?ll just have to tell you in the morning.? ?Goodnight,? Summer said, kissing her sister?s cheek as she stepped into the hallway and headed for the bedroom at the back of the house. Wolf Carson was lying on her bed with his hands behind his head, staring up at the ceiling. ?What do you think you?re doing?? Summer wanted to know. ?This was Ellen?s room, you know,? he commented as he glanced over at her, not moving from his position in the middle of the mattress. ?Was it?? she asked sweetly. ?Yes,? he answered, flipping onto his side to flash a cheeky grin in her direction. ?It sort of makes me feel closer to her, just being in here.? ?And is that why you invited my sister to dinner as well?? she wanted to know. ?No, no, no,? he chuckled as he sprang up and moved to take her hand, drawing her into the room and setting her on her bed in his place. ?I can assure you that my intentions towards Mia are quite pure.? ?Somehow I doubt you?re overly pure,? Summer told him as he stood between her knees and gazed hungrily down at her. The words caught in her throat around a gasp as his fingers slid slowly from the tops of her shoulders down toward her elbows. Summer wasn?t sure when they had moved so much closer to each other as he did this, and heat swirled in her belly. ?You look much more beautiful in this bed than Ellen ever did,? he mentioned then. ?Love the lingerie, by the way.? Summer?s eyes flew over to her closet door, and she could see that he?d been looking through her things there. Her gaze snapped back to him angrily as she said, ?Get out of my room, Wolf Carson!? He laughed then, and the sound erupted as tingles down Summer?s spine. She felt rather than saw his lips descending, and the next thing she knew he crushed her to him and his lips devoured hers. His fingers splayed across her back, and then one of his hands came around to latch onto her chin, bringing her lips more fully against his. Summer?s heart hammered hard in her chest as those fingers left her chin and slid down to the valley between her breasts as his tongue took complete possession of her willing mouth. Heat suffused between them, and their breaths came in little gasps. Then, almost as though he?d done it against his own will, Wolf let Summer go, and in the next moment he was gone.)0( One sheep, two sheep, three sheep?oh God, the bed smells like him! Four sheep, five sheep?maybe if I just cuddle the pillow. God, he smells so good! Six sheep?I?m never going to fall asleep in this Wolf-scented bed? Summer thought about what Mia had told her when she?d come home. Sweet kiss? He?d given Mia a sweet kiss? Either their interpretations of ?sweet? were drastically different, or Wolf had definitely not kissed them both the same way. But the trouble was, why had he asked out Mia, and then come in here and ravished her with his tongue in the first place? It didn?t make much sense. Especially if one factored in the whole ?six months with Ellen? business. ?Wolf,? she whispered his name the same way she?d said it the first time, and it made her belly tighten up with unspent desire. ?God, I must be crazy!?)0( Summer must have counted a thousand sheep last night. She?d eventually decided she did not want to tell Mia what had happened?she?d rather wait and see what Wolf actually did before she made any sort of judgments concerning him. Maybe he was just feeling overly emotional or something. After all, he did say that he?d been hoping to become closer to Ellen, and Summer had been in Ellen?s bedroom. Maybe the two factors taken together had sent him over the edge. Who knows? ?Good morning, sleepy head,? said Mia as Summer padded into the kitchen and poured herself a cup of coffee. ?Is it?? she grumbled as she plopped down onto one of the chairs. ?How can someone be completely exhausted, and yet still not seem to get any sleep?? ?Easy, when you?ve just finished burying your older sister,? Mia commented. ?Some of us deal with things differently than others.? ?So you?re dealing with it by dating her boyfriend?? ?Wolf said they never got that close,? Mia reminded her. Summer doubted that was true. After all, Wolf was well aware of which room Ellen had slept in, and he?d told her that she was more beautiful in her bed than her sister had been. He would not have known that unless he?d seen Ellen in her bed to begin with. Must you be so jealous over all of this? Summer admonished herself. It?s not as though the man has made any sort of promises to anyone. Not to Ellen, not to Mia, not to you. He?s just a single guy on the prowl. He?d probably love it if he?d have been able to have all three. ?Summer?? said Mia. ?I?ve asked you about four times now. Did you want some eggs and toast or not?? ?Oh, sure,? she answered with a shake of her head. ?Sorry, just woolgathering.? ?That?s odd,? she chuckled. ?Wolf said the exact same thing last night when he suddenly spaced off, too.? ?Did he?? she chuckled. ?I suppose that is a bit odd.? ?He reminds me of you the way you both lapse into silence,? she added. ?Makes it easier to be with him since he already beylikdüzü escort seems familiar.? ?That?s good,? Summer lied. ?So then you think he?ll ask you out again?? ?Well, I mean, I hope so,? she said. ?You know how much I hate it when I don?t have a date on Friday night.? ?Yeah,? Summer agreed, holding back a snort of derision. All she cares about is if she has a date. He?s not just a date, he?s a person with thoughts and hopes and feelings. ?Anyway, I think we need to get food for the house,? Mia added. ?I?ve rented a car; it should be here by now. They said they?d leave it in the driveway for us.? Not wanting to continue the discussion they were having anyway, Summer was quite willing to turn to the task of making a shopping list instead. Mia told her what to write while she sat at the table typing it into her cell phone. When they?d finished, the two women stepped out and got into the car, which turned out to be a red sedan, While they were waiting in the line to purchase the groceries, they noticed several people whispering behind their hands and looking at them. They began to feel uncomfortable by the time they?d finally reached the cashier. ?Why are they all staring at us?? Summer asked her uncomfortably. ?They think you should be warned about?well, about the company you keep, I suppose,? she explained with a grimace. ?There?s a lot of prejudice around here, and there?s some who believe your sister?s death was no accident.? ?What do you mean?? Mia gasped. ?Are they accusing Wolf Carson of something?? ??Fraid so, my dear,? she said as she pressed a button to activate the card reader. ?But it?s not what you think. You see, there?s some who believed your sister was?well, she was altered, I guess you?d say.? ?What the hell does that mean?? ?There?s some as believe there?s a pack of werewolves living in Haven, and your sister was one of ?em,? she explained in a low tone. ?They think Carson must have been bitten sometime as well.? ?What? That?s completely crazy,? Mia gasped. ?Why do they think that?? Summer asked quietly, prompting the other two to glance at her in surprise. ?Well, his name, for one thing,? the woman pointed out as if it should be obvious. ?Wow, they really are prejudiced,? said Summer, offended on Wolf?s behalf. ?Well, I certainly don?t believe a word of it,? Mia protested hotly. ?I?m not going to just take this nonsense at face value.? ?But how do we know he hasn?t already got you under his spell?? she said. ?You were just out with him last night. What did the two of you do when you returned home?? ?Nothing at all, not that it?s anyone?s business,? Mia gasped. ?He was a perfect gentleman.? ?Good,? she answered as she finished bagging the food and set the last bag into their cart. ?Let?s just hope you keep it that way.? Mia scowled at this, and stormed out, leaving Summer to wheel the cart behind her.III When Mia and Summer stepped back into the house, they discovered that it was filled with roses, each of a dozen in its own vase. ?Oh my!? Mia gasped, stepping forward to finger one red petal. ?It was Wolf. It had to be.? ?Well, that?s a little creepy,? Summer pointed out. ?He must still have a key to the house.? ?I think it?s very romantic,? Mia insisted as she took one rose from its vase and held it to her nose. She padded down the hallway and went into her bedroom, leaving Summer to put the food away. Why*did Wolf kiss me if he?s giving roses to Mia? This sucks. "I saw the roses,? said Mia into her cell as she returned to grab a glass of orange juice. ?That was so sweet, Wolf. Yes, dinner tomorrow night sounds great. Yes, eight is fine, but won?t you be tired if you?re working all day?? Summer was relieved when Mia closed her door, finally drowning out her sorrow. All she could do was mull everything that had happened since they came to Haven around in her head. They*buried their sister Ellen?and Wolf had kissed her. They moved into her home?and Wolf had kissed her. The*townsfolk thought he was a werewolf?and Wolf had kissed her. He filled the house with roses?and he?d kissed her. Why had Wolf kissed her, but asked Mia on a date? Why would he give Mia all those flowers if she?d only gotten a ?sweet? kiss and her own had been so hot? Once the food was put away, Summer headed for her bedroom, and hot tears pricked at the sides of her eyes. Wolf was lying in her bed. Three more roses adorned her dresser in one big, beautiful vase. ?So listen, I really have to go now, okay?? Wolf hung up his cell phone and tossed it next to the vases. Then he lay back and grinned up at her invitingly. "Why are you in my bed, Wolf?? she managed to ask. ?I?ve been waiting for you,? he said, and slipped the stem of another rose between his perfectly white teeth as he sat up to pull her down onto the bed with him. ?Why are you making a date with Mia while you?re in my bed waiting for me?? Summer insisted. ?She?s the one who invited me,? he explained. ?I was simply unwilling to turn down the offer of a good meal.? "And the roses?? ?They were meant for you, Summer,? he said softly. ?I can?t help it if Mia assumed they were hers. Your sister is a bit pushy, isn?t she?? ?Yes, she is that,? Summer had to agree. ?Sometimes it really pisses me off how pushy she is.? Wolf slid a hand down her side and along her hip. ?But you are too sweet,? he mentioned as he gazed into her eyes. ?You think about things.? ?I think it?s strange, what I heard at the store today,? she smirked as she flipped onto her side to face him more fully. ?What did you hear?? he inquired. He moved forward to nibble her neck, but Summer backed away so she could see his face again. ?Are you really a werewolf?? she inquired curiously. ?What?? Wolf laughed, and then his silver eyes sparkled for a moment before he moved closer again and pretended to bite her throat and tear her to pieces, growling as he did so. ?Stop it, Wolf,? she giggled. ?Seriously, everyone was staring at as like we have the plague or something. They really seem to believe it, whether it?s true or not. Where would they all get such a crazy idea?? ?Gee, I don?t know?my name, maybe?? Summer laughed with him this time, and when he moved in to kiss her, she let him. He bit her bottom lip, making her giggle again. Then she pouted and said, ?You have a date to plan for tomorrow, and I need some sleep. Now get out of my bed.? ?You?re jealous,? Wolf chuckled as he moved above her and nibbled her neck some more. ?Jealous?? she scoffed.