“What are you doing here?” I asked.
His lips twitched, and the whiskers of his beard moved a little.
I had to clasp my hands for fear that I’d reach up and try to run my fingers through it.
“Helping you move in,” he said as if the answer should’ve been obvious. “Most of your furniture arrived already.”
“I’m going to kill Jodi for this,” I said.
Gabriel shook his head. “Don’t blame her. She doesn’t even know I’m here.”
Finding my voice again, I placed my hands on my hips. “You expect me to believe that?” I demanded. “She didn’t tell you I was moving into her house?”
He didn’t look the slightest bit perturbed by the bass in my voice. “Not at all. Jodi wouldn’t violate your privacy like that. In fact, she’d probably be pissed if she knew I was here.”
Folding my arms, I gave him a searing look. “Then how’d you know?”
“I have my ways. Harlington ain’t the big city.”
That was originally its appeal, but staring at Gabriel, I started to have my doubts.
He dipped his head before starting for the moving truck on the other side of the rocky driveway.
I trailed him with my gaze and gasped at seeing the tattoo on his back.
“A wolf.” A wolf’s face, glaring back at me. The tattoo wasn’t complete, but it was massive.
On the left side were the typical traces of fur and whiskers you’d find on a wolf. However, the right side was more symmetrical, using shapes and petals of flowers to form the other half of the wolf’s face. The tattoo was outlined, not shaded in, as if it was still a work in progress.
The only coloring was in the eyes. They were the same hazel-green and bluish coloring of Gabriel’s eyes.
“You’re a wolf,” I said out loud. That was the moment it hit me. What I couldn’t put my finger on the first time we’d met or at the wedding. Gabriel reminded me of a wolf stalking its prey.
He looked back at me with that lascivious grin, and I hightailed my ass into the house.
Rayven followed me back inside. “What was that?” she asked, staring at me.
I shook my head. “I need to use the bathroom.”
I pushed past her and headed down the hall, searching for the nearest bathroom. Once inside, I slammed the door behind me, feeling riled up and not even knowing why.
“Write and work,” I said out loud. Those were the only two reasons why I was in Texas. After splashing some water on my face, I went back out to the house's main room.
The movers were in and out, carrying in the furniture that I’d ordered for the house. Jodi’s place was small but comfortable. She’d recently remodeled it, renewing the wooden floorboards and painting the walls white, which I liked a lot.
The addition of the grey couch, hand woven area rug, wooden coffee table, and the earth-tone vases and throw pillows made it all come together. Jodi told me that the house had an updated and state of the art security system. She emphasized this point, especially given what had happened to her the year before.
When I told Rayven about the murder of Jodi’s grandfather and her kidnapping, Ray was vehemently opposed to us staying there. However, when she got to check out the security system for herself and ask Jodi at least a thousand questions, she gave in.
Not that I wouldn’t have remained here without her approval. But it was nice to know that she deemed the property safe.
“That’s the last of it,” Gabriel said, pulling me out of my thoughts. It was only he and I in the room. “This place is looking kind of nice.”
“Thanks,” I said with my arms folded. “I guess you’ll be needing payment now for your help.”
He lifted an eyebrow. “Payment?”
“Yes. This was a job, right?” I asked. “You should get paid for it. That way, I don’t owe you anything.”
