Pleasure Me Read Free Page B

creating more problems for herself. Crud. Her mom should have at least told her he was staying at the bar. Was it asking too much to have advance warning?
    Starr huffed out a sigh and climbed the front steps. Brass wind chimes tinkled merrily on the porch, the soft breeze helping them make music. More bells jingled on the front door, announcing her entry.
    “I’ll be with you in a sec,” her mom called out.
    “No rush. It’s only me.”
    “Baby.” Ethra hurried down the narrow hall, a dishtowel over her right arm. Her hair was long and black except for one gray streak on the right side. She was a head shorter than Starr was, but they resembled each other closely. “How did things go at the bar?”
    She shook her head. “Not good. Tanner cussed me out for causing the searches when I first left. Gee told him to shut up. When he wouldn’t, Gee broke a mug then threatened him with the jagged edges of the glass. Drew shifted and jumped on Gee’s back, biting his neck to get him to stop. You know Gee. He wouldn’t. He shifted into—”
    “You saw Wylder, huh?” Her mother arched one eyebrow. “Went badly, huh? You refused to listen to him? He couldn’t apologize enough? His explanation didn’t meet with your expectations?”
    Starr backed away from the interrogation.
    Her mom followed. “Well?”
    “All of the above, okay? I don’t want to get involved with him or any man, ever again.”
    “Aw, sweetie, you don’t mean it.”
    “Sure I do. I’m the same as you. You’ve been alone forever and you’re doing fine.”
    “I have you. And I do date occasionally.”
    “Oh yeah?” She leaned in. “Who? Do I know him? Will he mind if I call him daddy?”
    “Let’s get back to you.” She slipped her arm through Starr’s and led her down the hall to the yellow-and-white kitchen. Vanilla, cinnamon, and apples scented the cozy space, along with venison stew and cornbread.
    Given her mom’s cooking skills, she should have opened a restaurant here. Her stuff was way better than what Gee served. “How about I front you for a diner? This town could certainly use another one.”
    “I hate to cook. Sit.” She pushed Starr into a chair, grabbed her own, and faced her, their knees touching. “What did Wylder say?”
    Aw crap, they were back to him. Rather than tell another tall tale, she opted for the truth. “Too little too late.”
    Her mom glanced at the left side of Starr’s face as he had. Nothing to see, her hair hid everything.
    “Baby.” She rested her hand on Starr’s knee. “Give him a chance. He’s who you’ve always wanted.”
    She shook her head. “I’m not the same person he knew before he left. I’ll never be the way I was back then.” Trusting. Loving. Wanting. Hoping. Believing in a happy future was too damn hard. “I know what I’m doing. Please don’t bring him up again.”
    “How can you ask me to ignore what’s obviously killing you? You love the man, always have. Always will. He’s your mate.”
    “No, he’s not. No one is.” Starr pushed out of her chair and backed away. “Let’s drop it. Please.” She raced down the hall, not knowing where to go.
    Finally home again, she had nowhere else to run.
     

Chapter Two
     
    Wylder didn’t expect Starr to return to the bar, snuggle onto his lap, and whisper sweet nothings about wanting to give their relationship a chance. However, those moments would come. They were fated to mate and he wouldn’t let her go this time. Of course, she could always avoid the inevitable by giving in to her wolf and taking off. If she chose the most remote areas of the Black Hills and was careful not to leave her scent, finding her would be like searching for the proverbial needle in the haystack. She could live undetected off the land for months or years on end until she decided to come back.
    God, love was a bitch.
    After a reasonable wait and a lot of hard thinking, he stepped outside Gee’s to call Ethra. The couple who’d shoved their