SelkiesSeduction Read Free Page A

Jones.”
    The elderly lady smiled and waved back. “Hello, Nikki. Nice
to have you back in town. I hope you can stay for a while, this time. The sun
shines brighter when you’re here.” She turned to Wolfe, and her smile got just
a tiny bit brighter. “Hello, Wolfe. I have those fresh herbs you were asking about.”
    “Thanks. I’m taking Nikki for lunch, so I’ll pick them up
later.” He nodded in a friendly manner.
    “No problem. You two have a nice meal.”
    “You know Mrs. Jones?” Nikki tilted her head at an awkward
angle to look up at him while Fred ambled on down the road.
    “Yup.” He struggled not to show his amusement at the
confused look on her face.
    “If you have a cabin here and know the locals, how come I’ve
never seen you around before?”
    “You don’t spend all your time here either,” he pointed out.
“This is the first time you’ve been home this year.”
    He felt her tense, her mental shields slamming down and
realized he’d scared her. Shit. He had to be careful or she’d bolt like a
rabbit. He didn’t intend to let her slip away before he got to know her better.
A lot better. She intrigued him and that made her very special. It had been a
long time since a woman had aroused his interest.
    “Relax. I know you haven’t been here in over a year because
your sister mentioned it.” He stopped the gelding in front of the coffeehouse
and, keeping a firm grip on the reins, swung to the ground. “I haven’t been
stalking you.”
    Nikki frowned down at him, her expression suspicious.
    Wolfe tore his gaze away from the enchanting furrow of her
brow and fudged the truth. “When you suddenly tense up like a deer caught in
the headlights at midnight, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out you’re
scared.” He held out a hand. “Let’s go get some coffee and you can call your
sister to check me out. I’ll even let you use my cell phone. The reception here
is usually good.”
    Nikki ignored his proffered hand and slid off the horse in
one fluid movement. She turned, and he found himself staring down into her
enchanting green eyes.
    He inhaled deeply, her scent imprinting itself on his
psyche. What was it about this woman that slipped through all his defenses?
    He resisted the urge to wrap his arms around her and taste
those full lips. Barely. According to his grandfather’s foretelling, he had a
destiny to fulfill, and it didn’t include seducing green-eyed witches who
managed to light up his world with a smile. Unless, of course, she was part of
that destiny. He felt an acute need to know more about this woman.
    Fishing his cell out of his pocket, he held it out. “You’ll
need this to call Trina.”
    She took the phone and sidestepped around him. Running up
the stairs to the wide veranda surrounding the coffeehouse, she threw him a
wary look over her shoulder before she disappeared into the dim interior.
    Scared. Smart woman. She knew a predator when she saw one.
    Wolfe loosened the saddle and slipped the bridle off the
gelding, turning him loose in the grassy paddock. Fred nickered happily.
Turning his back on Wolfe, he trotted over to graze in the shade of a wide
maple. Wolfe hung the bridle on the fence post before turning to follow Nikki
into the coffee shop.

Chapter Three
     
    Wolfe bounded up the steps two at a time, hoping Nikki’d had
time to call her sister and satisfy herself that he was legit. To hell with his
grandfather’s foretelling, this woman was definitely special. He planned to use
the threat of those men at the cabin to convince her to let him stay at her
side. He felt an incredibly urgent need to be close to her, and that would be a
whole lot easier if she trusted him.
    It took a few minutes for his eyes to adjust to the dim
interior. Nikki sat at a table in the far corner, his cell phone held to her
ear. From the worried look on her face, he surmised she’d gotten in touch with
her sister and the news wasn’t good.
    He motioned the waitress to bring