Tuesday Teaser May 27, 2014: Wolf’s Lady Part 20
This is, once again, almost late. Mea Culpa! I was crazy busy yesterday with Wolf’s Vengeance’s release. However, here it is. Again, please remember that this is raw, with absolutely no editing, so there will be typos and other errors. Enjoy!
Sand didn’t like the look of the mayor’s house. From what he could see above the thick wall that enclosed it, it was more of a stone fortress than a house.
Sky nodded at the man who came to the gate in the tall, thick wall. “Good morning, Arthur. This is my cousin, Sand Wolfe. We have a meeting with the mayor this morning.”
The man looked them over with no expression. “You’re expected, Mr. Wolfe,” he finally said, and directed two men to open the heavy gate.
It was habit that made Sand automatically catalogue how many guards there were at the gate in the tall stone wall, and how many more were positioned along the wall and in the grounds, and how they were armed. He figured there were at least twenty, but probably more, around the back where he couldn’t see, and they all carried heavy batons perfect for cracking skulls, as well as guns and knives. They could be trouble if he and Sky needed to leave in a hurry.
Sky walked confidently over the decorative gravel drive to the house. Out of the corner of his mouth he muttered, “Remember to keep quiet unless you are asked a question. Answer honestly, but do not mention your wolf.”
Sky had already said that several times during the half hour it took to walk here. “I remember.”
“And quit tugging on your tie like that; you’ll ruin the knot.”
Sand lowered his hand to his side, remembering his mate’s hands twisting the length of fabric into a complicated pattern at his throat, and her heady scent so close to his nose. Another guard answered the front door. This one wore a suit, but Sand saw the outline of a gun beneath the coat.
“Mr. Wolfe,” he said, with a little bow. “Please come in. Mayor McGrath is in the library.”
It was cool inside the house, but Sand began to sweat anyway. He followed Sky to the back of the house, past half a dozen armed guards into a room with a fireplace, a round table in the center, and books on the walls. Another time he might have liked to look at the books, but now all he saw was the smug, oily face of Terry Askup. Just as his lip began to raise in a snarl, Sky jabbed his elbow into his side. Terry, seated at the small table, tilted his head with a smile that made Sand yearn to punch his fat mouth. Sand subsided and watched the other man rise from the table to shake Sky’s hand.
“Sky,” he said warmly. His hair was brown with lots of gray, his body tall and going soft around the middle, his smile wide, with too many teeth showing. He reeked of cologne. Sand’s hackles, barely smoothed after sighting Askup, threatened to rise again. His wolf didn’t like this man, or his perfumed scent. “Thank you for coming.”
Sand shot a glance at Sky. They’d had a choice? His cousin took the mayor’s hand with a smile as falsely cordial. “Thanks for setting the investigation here instead of at City Hall.”
“I think we can get things settled a little more quietly, don’t you? There’s no need for formality.” The mayor sent Askup a quick frown before he turned the wide, too perfect smile on Sand. “And you must be Sand Wolfe.”
Sand allowed the mayor to pump his hand up and down and hid his distaste behind a cool nod.
“Let’s all sit down and make ourselves comfortable. Coffee?”
Sand declined, Sky accepted. He sat in the leather arm chair and forced a calm, polite expression on his face. Sky and the mayor wasted a few minutes exchanging pleasantries about the mayor’s wife’s delicate health, the weather, and some upcoming social event that Sand couldn’t care less about. Askup didn’t seem to care either. His stare was fixed on Sand with an unpleasant smirk twisting his lips.
The mayor set his coffee cup down. “So, let’s get down to business, shall we?”
“Certainly,” Sky said, leaning back in his chair with supremely relaxed smile. In the years he’d been away from the Pack he had become a fine actor. Sand thought that was sad. At the den Sky had never used a word like ‘certainly’.
“Terry has made a complaint about treatment he received at your house a couple of weeks ago. He tells me Mr. Sand Wolfe threw him out without explanation when he had a long-standing appointment with Miss Amanda. He incurred some physical injuries during the encounter.”
Sky just kept smiling. “Naturally the House regrets any inconvenience to Terry. We always have reserved the right to cancel appointments at the lady’s discretion. Amanda has canceled all her appointments for the foreseeable future.”
Askup sneered at Sand. “Because he threatened her if she didn’t?”
Sand barely controlled his wolf’s snarl, but forced himself to keep his mouth shut as instructed.
“Not at all.” Sky crossed lifted an ankle to the opposite knee. “Miss Amanda is taking some time to consider if she will accept Sand’s marriage proposal.”
Askup slapped a hand on the table. “Now, see? That’s just wrong. Amanda is my fiancée.”
Only Sky’s foot slamming down on his kept Sand and his wolf from exploding. Sky was still smiling, but the smile took on a fiercer curve. “I believe you are mistaken, Terry. You asked Amanda to be your wife, but she declined.”
Under the overpowering reek of the mayor’s cologne Sand caught a whiff of Askup’s self-satisfaction.
Askup waved that off like it was smoke irritating his nose. “Every woman wants to be pursued, especially a whore.”
Sand’s wolf nearly took over. He fought to keep the wolf back. Sky lost the smile and the relaxed posture. He shot up straight in the chair. “We never use that term for our ladies.” His voice was almost pleasant; his face was not. “I would appreciate it if you’d remove that word from your vocabulary.”
Askup laughed heartily. “We’re all men here. We don’t need to pussy-foot around the name. Speaking of pussies…” He leaned forward, his lips shiny with spit, to leer at Sand “Have you tasted Mandy’s? I don’t usually like to eat pussy, but Mandy’s is worth it. Just hearing her beg me to go harder when I stick my tongue up her–”
Sand’s control broke. With a howl he lunged over the table, hands closing around Askup’s throat. He’d barely begun to squeeze when Sky’s arms dragged him back, forcing his grip to break. Vaguely he realized a dozen men had poured into the room, but he didn’t’ care. He just wanted to feel Askup’s blood on his tongue.
“Let me go!” he growled.
“Calm down,” Sky commanded in Alpha tones. It took a few moments of hoarse panting for Sand to identify Askup’s scent. Gloating triumph didn’t show on his face, but the scent was clear. The townsman reeled out of his chair, clutching his reddening throat.
“See? He’s a dangerous, out-of-control criminal! I want him arrested for assault!” he demanded.
Was that regret on the mayors face? He gestured to the guards standing around Sand and Sky. “Place Mr. Sand Wolfe under arrest and take him to the city cells.”
Wolf’s Vengeance is OUT!
WOLF’S VENGEANCE
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The next book in the After the Crash series is available at most etailers now!
In a future world where modern technology is unknown and women are rare, werewolf Snake Wolfe claimed Melissa Dirk as his mate the moment he laid eyes on her. Mel is a woman willing to do anything to save her mother, even marry the werewolf who promises to help.
Buy It Now from the Publisher
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Tuesday Teaser May 20, 2014: Wolf’s Vengeance
I’m so sorry, everyone, that the next bit in Sand and Amanda’s story isn’t ready. On Thursday I was struck down by the norovirus. Usually I write Sand and Amanda over the weekend, but this past weekend I spent almost all my time in the bathroom or in bed. In other words, I haven’t written anything new. However, it is only a week until Wolf’s Vengeance comes out, so I thought maybe you’d like a a little snip from that book.
Mel woke, feeling cool morning air on her back and warmth on her front. It was solid yet soft against her cheek as she yawned. It felt like—
Her eyes shot open, and she stared into Snake’s smile, only inches from her nose.
“Good morning,” he said.
She was proud of the smooth, unhurried way she climbed out of bed. “Looks like I overslept,” she said, trying for a casual tone. “Breakfast is going to be late if I don’t hurry.”
He moved even more smoothly than she did and twice as fast. He rolled out of bed and caught her by the arm. His kiss was a light brush of lips over hers.
“I’ll run downstairs and get some water pumped for you,” he offered and left the bedroom, closing the door behind him before she fully registered his kiss.
“Good grief, Mel, get a grip,” she muttered to herself and jerked her fingers from her lips. “It wasn’t much of a kiss.”
She gave a quick, disgusted shake of her head and pulled open a dresser drawer to grab clothes for the day. She dressed, buckled her gun belt around her waist, and hurried downstairs to the kitchen where Sara and Stone were facing off.
Sara flicked at glance at her as she came in. “See?” she said to Stone. “Mel’s here now, so you can go do whatever you need to do.”
Stone backed a few steps away, and Mel saw his face set into stoic lines. “I’m going to run a wide perimeter patrol. Be back for lunch.”
Mel frowned. “What about breakfast?”
He shrugged, heading for the back door. “I’ll catch something on the run.”
Sara made a horrible face. “And tear it open and crunch its bones, I suppose?”
He turned with a glare. “Depends on how big my catch is. Rabbit bones are hardly worth the trouble.”
The door closed behind him with a controlled slam. Sara scowled. “I think that’s disgusting. You want me to go out to the hen house and collect eggs?”
“Yeah, thanks.”
As Mel went about cutting bacon and slicing potatoes, she felt energized. Sleeping next to her husband had been very restful. She felt more relaxed and awake than she had in a long time. If he caught bunnies and ate them raw, well, that was normal for a wolf, right? Nothing for her to worry about. She wondered how much of Snake was present when he was a wolf. She would have to ask him sometime. Maybe later, when she knew him better.
Breakfast was a half hour late, and Mord and Mike clearly wanted to complain, but Snake came in from chopping wood and stopped them with a cold glare whenever they opened their mouths.
Wolf’s Vengeance Winners
A big thank you to everyone who entered. I love reading your comments. You’ve helped me see what is working for the series. Specifically, it seems everyone likes how the wolves treat their mates. Thank you again! And now for the big announcement.
The winners are Lindsay K and Jessica W!
I have emailed these two ladies. If I don’t hear back from them by noon tomorrow (central time) I will draw again.
Someone emailed me to ask how I do the drawings. I use excel spreadsheets. When someone enters I copy and paste their name and email addy into a spreadsheet. At the end of the contest I go out to mailchimp and download the most current list of newsletter recipients. I use the find function to compare the two lists. Any email addy that is on the contest entry list AND the newsletter list is added to the contest entry list again so that person has two entries. Then I use the random number picker at www.random.org. Each line of the spreadsheet has a number. So if I have a total of 81 entries, starting at line 2, I enter 2 through 82 and click generate. I find the number it comes up with on the spreadsheet, and bingo, there’s the winner. 🙂
Wolf’s Vengeance Giveaway!
Need something to read this weekend? How about Wolf’s Vengeance?
Template to be used to assemble cover art for Liquid Silver Books. It was created in PhotoShop CS6.
Yes, I know it doesn’t come out until May 26th, but I’m going to give away two downloads (in either ePub or kindle format) on Saturday night at 7:00 pm central time. That’s Saturday, May 17th, just three days away! To enter, just leave a comment below before 6:00 pm on Saturday and tell me one thing you like about the After the Crash series. I will draw 2 names and email the winners. If I don’t hear back by Sunday at noon, I will draw again. (as always, those who receive my newsletter are automatically entered twice to win)
Good luck!
Tuesday Teaser 5/13/14 Wolf’s Lady Part 19
This is a bit longer than usual, but I don’t expect you’ll mind too much. As always, please excuse the typos and errors. And I’m including a pic of what Sand looks like that morning. I can see why Amanda would notice him and want to play with his hair! Wouldn’t you?
Sand woke with the warmth of his mate’s back pressed against his front. His nose was buried in the wealth of her hair, and the scent of it was a comfort, a joy, and a call to arousal all at the same time. Waking with her like this for the rest of their lives was the most wonderful future he could imagine. His hand rested on her soft belly, just below the temptation of her breasts and it was all he could do to not caress her. His imagination supplied a vision of him cupping her soft breast in his hand while she woke and turned on her back with an inviting smile. He would push her tauntingly thin nightdress up past her waist and slide inside her. He always wanted her, but right now, his desire was like fire in dry grass.
The pinch of his jeans over hardening flesh reminded him that last night she’d required him to wear something to bed. She wouldn’t welcome his advances this morning. He shifted to ease the pressure of his jeans and relaxed against her. At least he had this. If the investigation didn’t go well, at least he’d have the sweet memory of lying beside his mate, her body lax and trusting in sleep against his.
The next ten minutes passed with him savoring the scent of her hair and the warmth of her body against his. She woke as he’d imagined, with a sleepy smile as she rolled onto her back beside him. He had to clench a fist and press it into the mattress to keep from caressing her.
“I’ve never done this before,” she murmured in a voice husky with sleep. The edge of her teeth showed in a small smile as she reached he palm to cup his cheek.
“Done what?”
“Wake up with a man.”
That startled him almost enough to not notice the way she smoothed her hand over his cheek. “Never?”
“No, never.”
Pride swelled his chest, mixed with awe. She had been with many men before, but he was the only one she’d slept beside. “Do you like it?”
Her smile was small and tender. “Yeah, I like it.” Her eyes looked closely at his face, obviously thinking of something else now. “You don’t need to shave, do you?”
It wasn’t really a question. “No. I pluck a few hairs sometimes, but I don’t use a razor.”
He hated to let her go, but when she squirmed to get out of bed he made himself lean back out of her way. In the thin cotton nightdress that hid nothing of her beautiful body, she scrambled past him out of bed and went to the door.
“I’m going to brush my teeth and wash my face. I’ll be back in a minute.”
After she left, he lay for another minute on the bed that smelled of her. Last night when she explained that she had more than one mattress he had been surprised and confused, but also vastly relieved and pleased that no man had ever been on this mattress before. Depending on what happened today at the mayor’s office, this might be the only time he lay in this bed.
Amanda was preparing herself for the day; he should do the same. He jumped out of bed and hurried down the stairs and outside to the bunkhouse where he stored his few toiletries. He used the facilities, washed his hands and face, and brushed his teeth, but didn’t waste time doing anything with his hair. It was still in the same braid he had put it in yesterday, rumpled and frayed from sleep. Leaving it a mess, hurried back to Amanda’s room. He tapped lightly, but she didn’t answer so he slipped back inside. The room was empty. She must still be freshening herself. How long did it take her to get ready? The women at the den didn’t take very long.
He was straightening the sheet and blanket on the bed when he heard her walking down the hall to her room. She came in, her hair damp, dressed already in a floaty skirt like the one he had first seen her in and a pale green blouse with puffy sleeves. Her nightdress was over one shoulder, and she carried a suit on a hanger in her hand.
“Look. Here’s the suit Sky sent for you to wear this morning. I think this dark charcoal gray will look good on you.” She lifted a couple of ties. “I think the red will look best for you, but do you like the blue one better?”
A tie too? Sand swallowed his inner growl. “Red is fine. If you like that one best, I’ll wear that one.”
She flipped a smile over her shoulder when she turned to hang the suit up on a hook over her door. “And now I finally get to play with your hair! Sit down.”
The chair she indicted was the frilly fragile-looking one at her vanity. He hesitated, then settled himself on the little seat. “No one has combed my hair for me before, not since I was a baby.”
Her hands were fumbling at the end of his braid, unfastening the twist of rawhide he used to tie it off. “So, this morning we both get to enjoy something new. Don’t worry. I’ll be gentle.”
Sand’s eyes closed in bliss while his mate carefully unraveled his plait. He had a few mats from sleeping on it, but Amanda was true to her word, and her hands were gentle when she untangled the clumps with her fingers before gliding her comb through the length
of his hair. With him sitting in this low chair, she had to kneel to comb the ends. She fastened it with one of her hair ornaments at the nape of his neck. Then, apparently deciding she preferred it loose, she unfastened it and pulled it over his shoulders.
“I love your hair,” she murmured, smoothing her hand over it in the wake of the comb. “It’s so smooth and shiny.”
He met her gaze in the mirror and a contented smile curved his lips. “Did you know that in the old days, Lakota wives took pride in their husband’s hair? It was their privilege to take care of it.”
“Oh, I see.” There was an oddly blank note in her voice. He wasn’t sure what it meant. “It’s 7:40. You better get dressed so you have time for breakfast before you have to leave. Here/ put on the undershirt.”
He did, then reluctantly accepted the pressed trousers she handed him. She turned her back so he could
slip his jeans off and pull Sky’s borrowed pants on. They were the right length, he supposed, but maybe a little loose in the waist.
“Turn around,” Amanda commanded, and he obediently turned. “Damn,” she sighed. “There is nothing like a male ass in a pair of well tailored trousers.”
Blushing, he rushed to put the coat on. His mate licked her lips when she looked at him. “Mr. Wolfe, you are yummy! But you need to put the shirt and tie on before the jacket.”
He blushed harder and took the coat off. Amanda touched his hand. “I’m sorry if I embarrassed you.”
He wasn’t sure if it was embarrassment. He felt ridiculous in the scoop necked undershirt that barely covered his nipples, and her blatant admiration of his butt had caused heat to rise in his cheeks. But it raised another kind of heat inside him. The trousers didn’t hide his erection.
“Oh, dear,” she said. “I’m sorry.”
“You don’t sound sorry.”
“Ouch!” She pretended to shake sting from her fingers, as if to imply his words had hurt her. “I am sorry, to have to send you off like that, without giving you relief. If we had more time…”
He groan a short phrase in Lakota.
Amanda seemed to have decided that going on to the next thing was best. “Here’s the shirt. Shall I help you with the tie?”
Her fingers looping the narrow silk around his throat did nothing to cool his blood. It took every ounce of self-control he possessed to stand still while her breasts brushed over his chest while she tortured the tie into a fancy knot at his throat. She held the coat for him and then stood back to look at him.
“You really are very handsome,” she told him, smoothing a bit of lint from his sleeve.
He scented Sky outside the door even before the knock came. “Thank you,” he told Amanda quietly, before he opened the door.
“Ready to go?” Sky asked.
“He hasn’t eaten yet,” Amanda said quickly.
“I’ll be fine,” Sand shrugged. “Wolves are used to going hungry.”
“You’ll need to be sharp at the mayor’s office,” she argued.
“I’ll be fine,” he said again, but the knowledge that she cared made him smile.
One of her hands squeezed the other hard enough for the knuckles to go white. “You don’t know that. This could be the last time I see you. I mean…”
He brushed a quick kiss over her cheek. “It will be okay, Amanda,” he whispered. “I’ll be back soon.”
He saw the uncertain glance she gave Sky, and the grave smile Sky gave her.
His cousin nodded. “Tom won’t want to disrupt the flow of our taxes,” he said, his tone encouraging. “Kiss your mate good bye, Sand. We can’t be late.”
Her kiss tasted of suppressed tears. “It will be fine, Amanda.”
She nodded briskly. “Of course it will. I’ll see to that myself, if I have to.”
His gaze lingered on her as he went out. Already he was anxious to get back to her. She cared for him. He was certain of it. All he needed to know was how much did she care?
Tuesday Truth May 6, 2014: Wolf’s Lady Part 18
This is almost –but not quite!– late. Thanks for being patient. It’s been a pretty crazy week. I wrote this quickly, so there are probably a ton of errors in it. Please be gracious and overlook my typos. Enjoy!
Amanda put another spoonful of ice cream and strawberries into her mouth, gaze lingering on Sky’s face for a moment before going back to Sand’s. Both of them had been silent during supper, almost grim. She directed her eyes at Sky again. “Is something wrong?”
“No.”
She didn’t believe it. “Sand?”
The man beside her opened his mouth, but Sky sent him a commanding stare and answered. “No, Mandy.”
Sand frowned at Sky. “Amanda,” he said, in a pointed tone.
Sky frowned back at him.
“Her name is Amanda. Ah-Man-Dah. Don’t call her Mandy anymore, okay?”
With a blink, Sky nodded. “Okay.”
He remembered, Amanda thought, feeling warmth slide around her heart in a tender hold. Sand was so sweet. She took another spoonful of ice cream. “What’s got you so down, Sky?”
The smile he gave her was almost fake, close to the kind he gave visitors. “Nothing. It’s been a long day. Beautiful weather today. I suppose we should enjoy it while we can. Winter is only a few months away.”
He was lying. She knew it. Sand looked down into his bowl without speaking. She couldn’t say she knew him as well as she knew Sky, but except for the light that lifted his face at the sight of dessert, his face had been grave since he came to the table. She liked the expression of delight at the sight of the ice cream. Her suitor must have a sweet tooth. A wicked smile curved her lips. He liked ice cream. Maybe he would like to lick it off her breasts. Desire, so easily aroused when she thought of Sand, flooded her as she imaged cold ice cream and his hot tongue against her breasts…
His hand seized her wrist. She looked up into dark eyes staring at her with the same hungry delight he’d shown the ice cream. His nostrils flared as he inhaled deeply. He opened his mouth for the spoon she lifted to his lips.
“Oh, for pity’s sake,” Sky groaned. “Not at the table!”
Amanda glanced around at the others eating supper. Some studiously ignored Amanda and Sand, others watched frankly. Paint had an expression of stark longing on his face, but it vanished as soon as he saw her watching him.
Sand leaned close. “Are you done eating?”
She nodded, and followed him out of the dining room to her room upstairs. He slammed the door shut behind them and dragged her against his chest. He had showered before supper. She could smell the shampoo on his still damp braid and the scent of soap tickled her nose where she pressed it against his throat.
“What are you thinking of?” he growled.
“You,” she murmured, dropping her head back to look up at him under her lashes. “Licking ice cream off my breasts.” She felt his cock stir against her belly. “You like ice cream, don’t you, Sand?”
His voice was slightly hoarse. “Yeah.”
“Kiss me.”
His lips were soft, gentle against hers. Chaste. That wasn’t the kind of kiss she wanted from him. She wanted him hot and demanding, and she got that for several long minutes before he pulled away and held her at arm’s length. His unsteady pants put a smug smile on her face.
“You can’t be done kissing me,” she pouted teasingly. “Don’t you want to kiss me again?”
“Only—” His voice broke and he had to clear his throat. “Only as much as I want to breathe. But we need to stop before I forget myself. Unless … Have you decided to be my mate?”
The hope on his face brought shame to hers. “No.” She made her tone gentle. “I haven’t decided yet.” To keep herself from pouring out excuses, she turned the subject. “What has you and Sky looking so glum? He wouldn’t tell me. Will you?”
He dropped his hands from her shoulders and looked her right in the eye. “Maybe Sky wants to protect you from worry.”
“But you don’t want to protect me?”
“From anyone who would hurt you, yeah. But you’re grown up. Keeping secrets from you seems wrong. Do you want to know, even if it’s something you can’t do anything about?”
He really seemed to want to know her feelings. “Yes.”
He nodded. “Peter Vann was here today. He says me and Sky have to go to an investigation of a complaint that Askup made about me.”
Hot rage welled and was chased off by cold fear. “Terry went to the Mayor to complain? That asshole.”
“Yeah. So tomorrow morning me and Sky go to the Mayor’s house for an investigation.”
“Oh, my God.” She couldn’t help but grip his arm. “Sand.”
“I have to wear one of Sky’s suits.” He sounded disgusted.
“You’ll look wonderful,” she assured him. She shoved alarm away with a forced smile. “You’re handsome in jeans, but in a suit you’ll be devastating. I’ll help you get ready. At last, I’ll get to play with your hair!”
Sand gave her one quick kiss. “You can play with my anytime you want.”
They shared her bed that night. He tried to sleep on the floor again, but she had a strangely fierce desire to hold him. Surely, the mayor would be kind. The tax Sky and his house provided the city was sizable, and the mayor liked Sky. He wouldn’t offend Sky, even to keep his friend Terry Askup happy. And, if worse came to worst, she had the promise the mayor had made her on her eighteenth birthday. He’d exercised his right to be her first lover, and afterward, when she’d cried, he had patted her head and told her she could ask him for a favor anytime and he would grant it. She had never used it.
But for Sky —and especially for Sand— she would claim his promise. How had he become so important to her so quickly? She burrowed her nose into the nape of Sand’s neck and breathed his warmth in.
Wolf’s Vengeance is Up for Pre-Order
My next book, Wolf’s Vengeance, is coming out on May 26. You can pre-order it from the publisher now at a 
http://www.lsbooks.com/pre-order-coming-soon-romance-books-c322.php
In a future world where modern technology is unknown and women are rare, werewolf Snake Wolfe claimed Melissa Dirk as his mate the moment he laid eyes on her. All he wants is her to love him as much as he loves her. Mel will do anything to save her stolen mother, even marry the fierce werewolf who promises to help with the rescue. Love? Well … maybe she’ll love him someday.
When trouble from Mel’s past threatens her very life, Snake swears anyone who wants to hurt her will have to go through him, and he will avenge every insult dealt her. Can love be born in blood? Or will Snake have to settle for merely his wife’s gratitude?
Tuesday Teaser 4/29/14 Wolf’s Lady Part 17
Here we go! This section in Sand and Amanda’s story is meant to build tension and drama. We’re about two thirds to the end of the story. Enjoy!
Amanda left him at the door to Sky’s House, saying she had girl things to do until supper. He watched her go up the stairs with sadness. He wanted to spend all his time with her. With a sigh, he turned to go to the kitchen.
Paint was standing in the kitchen door. “There you are!” he said. “I could use another hand with the lawn.”
Sand followed willingly. Two of Sky’s men he didn’t know well worked on the lawn in the front of the house while he and Paint worked on the back lawn. He rolled the push mower over the grass, wondering why anyone needed to cut grass. All that did was make it fall in untidy heaps that Paint had to rake into piles and load onto a wagon to be taken away. The scent of freshly cut grass was so strong in his nostrils Sand couldn’t smell anything else.
They took a break on a low stone wall to eat the sandwiches Denise brought out for them. “Why are you still here?” Sand asked. “Aren’t you going home?”
Paint shrugged, swallowing half a sandwich whole. “I guess I’ll leave pretty soon. Snow wanted a few days to play tourist.”
“And you didn’t want to leave Sky short-handed. Where is Snow, anyway?”
One of Paint’s rare smiles flitted over his face. “Riding the bus, I bet. He’s fascinated with it.”
Sand made a face. He remembered the loud, smelly vehicle with distaste. “I wouldn’t ride that thing if you paid me.”
“Amanda likes to ride it.”
Gentle warmth curled around his heart. He had first seen his mate when she mounted the bus. “If Amanda asked me to, I’d ride the bus with her.”
Paint adjusted the patch over his missing eye. “How is your courtship going?”
“I don’t know.” Sand looked down at his sandwich. “I think it’s going okay. She hasn’t accepted my mate claim, but she says I’m still in the running. She wants me to give her something before she’ll be my mate.”
“What?”
“I don’t know.” He spread his hands. “She wouldn’t tell me what it is, only that without it she won’t marry anyone. She said I had to figure it out myself.”
“Hm. That’s not fair. Maybe you could ask Sky. He’s learned a lot about women since he came here.”
“Yeah,” Sand agreed. “I’ll ask him.”
After they finished the lawn work, Sand went back into the house in search of Sky and found him in his office seated behind his desk. He wasn’t alone. A slender man in a black suit was in the plush visitor chair. Sand thought he looked familiar.
“Sand,” said Sky. “Just the man we needed to see. Peter, this is my cousin Sand Wolfe. Sand, Peter Vann, Vice Mayor of Omaha.”
Since the little man stuck his hand out, Sand shook it before folding his arms over his chest. Maybe he should have some said one of those polite, meaningless phrases that townsmen used when meeting a stranger, but Sand didn’t see the point in wasting words. He waited, saying nothing.
He didn’t have to wait long. Vann spoke in a quiet finicky voice, fussing with the cuffs of his suit rather than looking at Sand. “A complaint has been lodged against Sky and his House.”
Sand almost spat on the floor. “Askup,” he growled.
“Yes, indeed.” Vann did look up now, face cool. “Normally, the Mayor’s office wouldn’t concern itself. Sky has proven himself a savvy and supportive businessman. However, a formal complaint can’t be dismissed out of hand. An investigation must take place.”
Sky lounged in his chair, looking supremely relaxed. Sand wondered if the Vice Mayor knew how false that appearance was. Even with the scent of cut grass lingering in his nose Sand could smell Sky’s rage. Sky inclined his head with a lazy smile. “Of course.”
“Excellent.” Vann got to his feet and stretched a hand to Sky, who rose to shake it. “We will see both of you in the Mayor’s office at nine tomorrow morning.”
“Certainly,” Sky agreed. “Let me show you out. Sand, wait here for me, will you?”
It wasn’t a request. Sand watched Sky walk out of the office with the Vice Mayor, then took the visitor chair to wait for Sky to return. He should have done what he’d wanted last night and kicked Askup down the stairs instead of just taking him down them with one hand hooked under his arm.
Sky came back and closed the door so they were private. He slumped down on the corner of his desk and dropped his head into his hands. “Oh, lord, what a mess.”
“Askup already harassed me and Amanda in the garden this morning. The City Guard dismissed his complaint. Is this something else?”
Sky looked up. “Yeah. Looks like Askup doesn’t like to hear no. Did Amanda tell you she refused his marriage proposal?”
Sand nodded. “She said she refused him in two seconds.”
“I’ll bet he thought he could still get her to say yes. He was willing to keep trying. But she’s considering you, so that makes his chances of winning her darned slim.” He stood straight with a growl. “You have to stop hurting our clients.”
“I didn’t hurt that weasel! I was polite. I told him his appointment was cancelled, and when he tried to push past me to go to Amanda’s room I tried to be nice. All I did was block his way. Even when he tried to punch me, I only lifted him by his arm and walked downstairs with him. I could have thrown him down the steps.”
Sky rubbed a hand through his thick hair, dragging the locks that fell over his forehead back. “I can’t fault you. That seems reasonable enough. Normally, this kind of a complaint would blow over with no harm down. But Askup is one of the mayor’s best friends. This isn’t going to blow over.”
Sand lifted his lip in a derisive snarl. “What can they do about it?”
“At best, we’ll be let off with a fine.” Sky looked at Sand soberly. “At worst, we could both be condemned to death.”
Sand choked on horror. “What? I didn’t do anything wrong!”
“I know that.” Sky’s voice was grim. “The mayor will know it too, but Askup is one of his cronies, and one of his most generous supporters.” An ironic smile quirked the corner of his mouth. “Justice in Omaha is different than in Kearney.”
“Justice is justice,” Sand protested with a scowl.
“At the den, sure. Taye decides for us at the den, and he doesn’t play favorites. Even Mayor Madison in Kearney is hard but fair. But here, the mayor decides.”
Disgust climbed up Sand’s spine.“And he has favorites?”
His cousin nodded. “And guess who his top favorite is?”
“Terry Askup.”
“That’s right.” Sky strode to the door, pausing to glance back. “You’re a little thinner, but one of my suits will fit you well enough. I’ll have it sent to the bunkhouse for you.”
A suit? He had to wear a suit? “I’ll be with my mate.”
Sky nodded slowly. “Alright, I’ll send it to her room. Be ready to leave tomorrow morning by 8:00.”
Tuesday Teaser 4/22/14: Wolf’s Lady Part 16
I can’t believe I’ve been putting this serial out for almost 4 months now! After this there will be more action than emotions. I feel like we’ve gotten to know Amanda and Sand a bit more now, so we can get to the “good stuff”. What would make Amanda be willing to accept Sand? Does Sand love Amanda. or only want a mate? I need to bring them both to the point where they know their feelings are real and deep.
As always, this is rough and unedited. Hope you enjoy it!
Sand watched Askup and the Guardsman until they were out of sight and hearing. When he was sure they were away, he pulled Amanda back to the bench to sit. “That fat slug asked you to marry him?”
Her beautiful smile, the one that showed only amusement, curved her mouth. “Yes, he did. He’s rich, he’s close friends with the mayor, and he has a large mansion, so his wife would have a life of ease.”
He didn’t like that. “So why did you refuse him?”
She leaned close to speak in a voice hardly louder than a whisper. Her scent overwhelmed him. He breathed deeply of that precious scent. “He’s also petty, controlling, and mean in bed. Did you hear his threat? I won’t marry a man who won’t accept defeat gracefully.”
The threat didn’t bother him. The image of Askup in bed with Amanda lifted his lip in a snarl. When Amanda dropped his arm and stepped back he realized his mistake. He sniffed. Her scent had changed. “You’re nervous?”
“Of course not.”
Her scent said different, but her face lifted to his with a calm expression. Amanda was not only beautiful beyond his dreams, she was also strong and self-controlled. His wolf had chosen a superb woman for his mate.
“Sand, does my career bother you?”
“We already talked about this.” It took a little effort, but he kept his voice mild. “What you did before we even met is none of my business.”
“Hmmm,” she murmured in a doubting tone.
He clenched his teeth. “I’m jealous of the men who have been in your life before me,” he admitted. “I can’t help that, but I know I have no right to expect you to deny loving other men in your life.”
“They were in my bed, not my life!” she clarified, with a bit of a snap. “The only men in my life that I care about are my dad and Sky. I love Sky like my brother. And I’ve never brought Sky here.” She waved an arm around the clearing with the dead fountain. “Only you.”
Only him. Relief, and something close to wonder, melted his heart within him. “Will you accept my mate claim?”
She smiled and lifted one shoulder in a slight shrug. “I don’t know yet.”
Relief dissolved in disappointment. “Oh.”
Her smile grew to a laugh. “Don’t give up, Sand. It took me two seconds to refuse Terry. It’s been twelve hours and you’re still in the running.” She took his arm. “Let’s go back to Sky’s.”
She hadn’t denied him yet, at least. He just needed to figure out what would make her accept him. As they strolled through the gardens he noticed her pleasure in the flowers. “If you accept my mate claim I’ll plant all the flowers you like around our house. I’ll make you a garden, with a fountain, and a bench and anything else you like.”
She flashed him a quick glance. “That would be nice. But if I marry you, it won’t be for a house, or flowers or anything like that.”
He stopped and looked down at her, forcing desperation back. “Then for what? What can I give you to convince you to accept me?”
She stopped too, staring up at him with an unusually sober face. “What I want from my husband can’t be touched or put into a gift bag, and the price could be very high. But I won’t marry without it.”
“Name it.” Determination rose in him. “I’ll give you whatever you want.”
Amanda’s smile this time was misty, as if she were holding back tears. “It’s not that easy, Sand. I’ll be cheating if I tell you. You have to figure it out for yourself.”
A challenge! There was nothing a wolf liked better. His smiled fiercely at her, savoring the lovely lines of her face. “I will figure it out. Give me a hint.”
She bit her lower lip. “It’s only what most women want.”
If the Lupa were here he could ask her. Maybe he could write her a letter. “I’ll find out and I will give it to you.”
Her hand was soft and gentle when she touched his cheek. “I hope so,” she murmured. “Let’s go home.”
