Vivian Arend - Black Gold

He looked her up and down slowly. Glanced over her shoulder. “Something wrong at the hotel I need to know about?”

She shook her head. “No, nothing. Everything’s fine. I mean, things were fine when I left last night, and I didn’t stop in yet this morning. I’m not on shift until tomorrow, to be honest, but I’m sure everything is going great.”

Evan waited. Caroline bit her lip. She’d been rambling. That wasn’t good. Wolves didn’t like rambling. Straightforward, no nonsense. That had been her plan, but she always turned into a babbling fool when she got nervous.

Nervous . Shit—he could probably smell her anxiety. Damn wolf senses.

He stepped back, gesturing her forward. “You want to come in.”

She was past him before she realized what he’d said. Caroline twirled to spot him sporting an ear-to-ear grin. “You already know why I’m here.”

Evan closed the door behind them and laughed. “Caro, trust me. Of all the surprises thrown my way since becoming Alpha for the Takhini pack, you are the most interesting.”

She followed him into the kitchen where she took a deep appreciative breath of the scent of coffee filling the room. Without thinking, she grabbed the coffeepot and two mugs, and prepped them both drinks. “What makes you say that?”

Evan tilted his head toward her. “Honey, you’re the only human I know who would knock on my door at six a.m., walk in and make herself at home.”

She paused. “Oh. Sorry.”

He gestured for her to carry on. “I don’t mind. Come on, let me know what’s got you in such a tizzy this early.”

She finished her task, passing him his mug. He’d found a T-shirt while she’d been working, and had covered up.

Damn it anyway.

The main living space was decorated with dark cushions scattered on thick log furniture. She’d had a blast putting the place together for him. The extra-wide windows faced the Yukon River, the curve to the left leading to the dry-docked SS Klondike . Only a few remaining pieces of ice clung to the edges of the river, and spring was well on its way.

Caroline turned from the view and grabbed a seat in one of the single chairs. Straight out with it—after all those years around her stepfather, you’d think she had this talking-to-wolves business down pat. “I have a proposition.”

He sprawled on the couch, a contented smile breaking across his face as he took a large gulp of his coffee. “God, that is so good. How do you consistently make a perfect cup? Half the time my coffee tastes like dirt.”

“You pour to the dregs and get all the excess grounds. You need to stop and leave a little in the pot.” She watched his throat as he swallowed. “I want to move in with you.”

Evan jolted upright, choking on his mouthful. She sat patiently, waiting until he calmed down. Except, every time he looked her direction, the coughing began again until she got pissed off. Placing her mug on the table, she stood, fists landing on her hips. “Fine. You don’t have to spell it out. That’s a no.”

Before she’d reached the door he was there, blocking her path, his breathing still shaky. “You want to back this train up a few stations? I’m not saying no. I’m not saying yes. I’m saying what the hell kind of question is that?”

Caroline stared at the wall. “Was that too blunt? Johnny always told me to simply spit it out, that wolves liked the straightforward approach.”

“Johnny. That’s your stepdad, right?”

She nodded.

Evan wrapped an arm around her shoulder and led her back to the living room, sitting next to her. This time he handed over her cup, motioning for her to drink. “Go on. Take a sip. We’re not going anywhere until we get this figured out.”

Caffeine was an utter necessity at this point, to get through the rest of the conversation. Evan reached past her and nabbed his own mug, his thigh pressing tight to hers. There was no way to hide her instant physical response, but she knew from their history he would simply ignore the way she heated up whenever he was near.

He was used to it, and frankly, she planned on making the undeniable attraction work in both their favours. She wasn’t in love with him. Had no ideas of forever and all that kind of thing where Evan was concerned. The fact her secret agenda would be served nicely by getting a taste or five of his wolfish charms was a bonus in the scheme.

Guilt-free offers that helped both sides were always the best way to go.

They sat quietly and drank for a moment before Caroline deemed herself ready to try again. She placed her cup down and laughed when he copied her.

“Sorry, protective measures.” Evan turned to face her. “Now. Seriously. Are you getting kicked out of your apartment and need a place to crash for a while?”

“No. I need to move in to stop the local women from tearing the town apart trying to get your attention.”

His brow rose in the air. “You want to shack up for my sake?”

She nodded.

“But…you’re not a wolf.”

“I know. So you don’t have to worry that I’m trying to do what all those other females are doing. Trying to get ahead in the wolf priority list.”

Evan looked confused. “But you’re not a wolf.”

“Don’t be stupid. I know that. Trust me, I got reminded of that often over the years by the rest of the pack every time they came around the house. Johnny was strong enough to fend them off until I learned to deal with them myself.”

He leaned back and crossed his arms, Mr. Sexy in full view. “Well, sweetie, Johnny may have been right about shooting straight with wolves, but there are a few special circumstances when it’s perfectly fine to explain yourself. In complete and utter detail.”

“When would that be?”

Evan tweaked her nose. “When I can’t understand what the hell you’re proposing. I mean, I got the ‘you move in with me’ bit, but how will it help me having a human in my house?”

Caroline sighed. “The power plays are a constant thing, Evan. Add in the fact you’re single, a looker, and a touch on the wild side, the ladies of the pack without boyfriends, and some with, are always trying to hit on you.”

“I noticed. Why is that a problem for anyone but me?”

She pulled a face. “Okay. Take last night. I’m going to assume whatever happened in the bar was somehow related to the woowoo thing you guys do.”

His grin got wider. “ Woowoo . Nicely put. Is that the scientific word, or something we’re still trying on for size?”

She ignored him. It was the only way to make this conversation go anywhere before she needed to drag in reinforcements.

“In the old days I had to come up with logical explanations for weird wolf shit happening around the hotel and bar maybe once or twice a month. And nine times out of ten the incidents were caused by visitors to the area—the usual gangly teens not able to control a shift, or thinking it would be hysterical to go for a swim in the pool in their wolf forms.” Evan snickered, and she smacked him on the arm. “Laugh it up, big boy, but after a while trying to cover your asses and keep the shifters undercover is a royal pain. I like my job, and I like the pack. I don’t like being your nursemaid.”

“Sorry.” He looked contrite enough, but his smile didn’t diminish. “I was remembering the story they told me about you announcing there was a meeting for the Iditarod and some of the teams had gotten loose. That’s why crowds of ‘dogs’ were swarming the halls.”

Caroline sniffed. “That was one of my better moments of inspiration.”

She stood and carried their empty cups to the kitchen, rinsing them and putting them in the dishwasher. When she stood, Evan was right there at her side.