Not The Leader Of The Pack Read Free Page B

another year, even if he had to tie its engine together with dental floss.
    Juli blinked. “You know, I’ve never been there. I left Missoula before I was a legal drinker.”
    “Well, then we have to go.”
    Their silence on the drive over gave him a good chance to watch her from the corner of his eye. Juli wasn’t a teenager anymore, that was for sure. Even at eighteen, she’d been all woman, driving him to distraction every time she entered a room. She probably had no idea what it had cost him to resist her advances.
    She’d gotten even taller if that was possible, big and strong as a man, but still curved in all the right places. The firm set of her jaw made the soft glow of her pale skin even more inviting. It didn’t look like she cared much for what she wore, but the pale blue color she’d always favored for her shirts brought out every complex highlight of her eyes. At some point, she’d gotten a shorter, more grown-up looking haircut. He missed the long, black hair that used to fly wild, but couldn’t deny the way the new look shaped her face and pulled his attention to her plump lips. Just a little glimpse of her skin would have driven him crazy, but her damned hiking shorts showed miles of leg.
    He parked on the street outside the bar. Neil couldn’t resist a moment of pride when he went around to her side of the truck to help her out. He might drive a beat-up old ride, but no other man in there would have a girl like this on his arm.
    The din of conversation roared over them the moment he swung open The Rhino’s door. Peanut shells crunched under his boots as he stepped onto the worn, wooden flooring. Did Juli cling to him a little as he led her through the crowd? Neil let himself believe she did.
    “They’ve got a really awesome selection of craft beer here.”
    Juli squinted at him, not lighting up like a person who knew beer. He patted her shoulder. “I’ll get you a Moose Drool. You kind of have to know about it if you live in Montana.”
    She nodded, then leaned forward to shout in his ear. “It’s really loud in here.”
    He smiled. “You can stay close to me.” She narrowed her eyes, but he didn’t read genuine anger there, or even irritation. “Seriously, a loud place is the best way to get real privacy. I want you to take a break, but we also have some serious things to talk about.”
    His lips could have brushed the side of her face, she’d come so near him. The sweet cucumber scent of her hair couldn’t mask the earthier smell of female werewolf. She’d slathered herself in bug spray too, but he wasn’t a bug. That unpleasant scent didn’t repel him in the least. His beast instincts surged to the forefront, very interested. Neil forced the wild part of him back down, wondering if it had been a mistake to bring her here. Having a few beers, then whispering into the ear of a beautiful woman could potentially distract him from the delicate politics of the situation.
    He excused himself to the bar, ordered their drinks, then returned and found them a spot in a corner. Even with the students gone for the summer, people crowded The Rhino on Saturday nights. Juli wound up with her long body pressed against his from knee to shoulder. Neil braced one arm behind her to give both of them a little stability, and prayed he wouldn’t offend her with his stirring erection.
    She shifted beside him, her breathing irregular. “You okay? If you want to leave, we can,” he offered.
    She studied him so long before replying that he had to wonder what hidden meaning she found in his words. “No. It’s sort of a weird switch, but it’s nice to be reminded about life outside the hospital.”
    “Yeah.” The heat of her body made him think plenty of thoughts about life outside the hospital. “Do you like the beer?”
    She took a considering sip, then made a face. “It tastes like honest-to-God moose drool.”
    “I’ve never actually hunted one of those.”
    Juli smiled for only a second before