Wild Invitation

the water bottle he’d drained and raised an eyebrow.
    Margot’s responding smile was playful. “Aw, come on, Coop. You know.”
    “I know you two are best friends,” he murmured, “but if you’re offering what I think you’re offering, I didn’t know you were that close.”
    Vitoria snorted. “We’re not. We just figured we’d play fair and give each other the same shot. So?” A warm invitation in eyes of jade green brilliant against skin the color of pure, unadulterated coffee. “We’ve noticed you’ve been abstaining.”
    Damn pack. Nosy as hell. “It’s by choice,” he said bluntly, knowing the women wouldn’t take it as an insult, as he hadn’t their affectionate offer to assuage his increasing touch hunger—a hunger focused on one woman and one woman only. He wanted Grace’s hands on his body or no one’s. “I’m taken.”
    Two pairs of eyes lit up in unholy delight.
    “Do tell.” Margot sidled closer. “We’ll keep it a secret.”
    He was the one who snorted this time. “Wolves gossip like old women.” It was the flip side to their incredible loyalty—everyone wanted to poke his or her nose into everyone else’s business. “I’ll tell when I’m ready to tell.” Not that it wouldn’t become obvious soon enough. He didn’t plan to pursue Grace in secret; he wasn’tthe subtle type. Though since he was meant to be on his best behavior, he’d try to give her a fraction more breathing room to get accustomed to the idea of him.
    “This should be fun.” Vitoria actually rubbed her hands. “Who would dare give Coop the runaround?”
    “None of your business.” It was a growl.
    Rising on her toes, Vitoria kissed him on the cheek, bracing her hand on his shoulder. “You know we only care because we love you.”
    Another kiss on his opposite cheek, this one from Margot, the soldier tall enough that she didn’t have to reach like Vitoria. “Soooooo…her name starts with…?”
    Laughing at their playful teasing, he snapped his teeth. “Out. I have things to do.”
A certain submissive wolf to catch.
    Vitoria and Margot made faces at him but obeyed the order. It left him alone in the training arena. The first thing he did was walk to the service door and pull it open. The luscious scent of ripe peaches warmed against a certain woman’s creamy skin whispered into his lungs, strong enough that he knew she’d been here not long ago.
    His lips curved.
    His mood more cheerful than it had been for six long months, he shut the door and headed to his quarters to shower. Pulling on a pair of black cargo pants and an olive green T-shirt afterward, he ran a hand over his chin, felt the stubble, and decided to shave. That done, he slapped on some aftershave, figured it was the best he’d ever look. Pretty he wasn’t.
    What if Grace liked pretty?
    Biting back a growl, he grabbed the little box he’d been hoarding for over seven weeks. He was about to walk out the door when he realized that the moment his packmates spotted the shimmery blue wrapping paper and silver bow, they’d stalk him with brazen relish. Digging out the small backpack he used to carry his water and food when he wanted to go into the forest in human form, he stowed the box inside and slung the pack over his shoulder.
    Several people said hello as he walked through the den, and he returned the greeting but didn’t stop. No one paid him much mind when he knocked on Grace’s door—everyone was used to seeing him talk to people from different parts of the den,and in the absence of her two immediate superiors, Grace was the one in charge of her department.
    “Just a second!” In spite of her words, it took Grace at least two minutes to open the door, and from her flustered expression and damp hair, she’d been in the shower.
    The image of her creamy skin soap slick and slippery wasn’t good for Cooper’s self-control.
Patience
, he snarled at himself, wrenching so hard on the reins that his wolf yipped in protest and his voice came out a near growl. “Can I come in?”

Chapter 4
    CONSCIOUS AT ONCE that he might just have screwed up his attempt at a gentle courtship, he said, “Or we can go outside.” Where he could talk her into skin privileges of the sinful kind.
    Cheeks flushed with soft color he wanted to lick up, she stepped back. “No, here’s fine.”
    Not giving her time to change her mind, he slipped inside and nudged the door until it was almost closed, creating the privacy he craved.