I glanced inside at the small jars of paint she’d added. “Robyn said it was okay for me to have it.”
“Of course it’s okay.” She set it down. “I’ll have to strap it on the bike so you’re not holding it.”
“That won’t be necessary. Noah’s here.”
“He’s in the gym,” Archer explained.
Mercy looked toward the kitchen, where we heard and smelled food sizzling on a stove. “Do you two want to stay for dinner?”
That sounded amazing, but I wasn’t sure what Noah’s plans were. Especially once he discovered I was here without permission.
“Perhaps another time,” I told her. “We need to head home.”
Noah’s voice boomed from the living room, “Holy shit! You’ve gotsomepad here.”
Curious of whom he was talking to, I wandered around the corner toward the front.
The long-haired man with the crystal-blue eyes and leather pants was standing with his arms crossed while Noah gawked at the house.
When Joy walked through the front door, she gave me a nervous smile. “I thought you left.”
Noah turned on his heel to see who she was talking to, and his face reddened. Then he prowled toward me and lowered his voice. “What are you doing here?”
“Yoga. Mercy invited me. She was about to drive me back.”
“Are you pulling my chain?” he asked calmly. “This is a wolf pack.”
“We don’t bite,” Archer said with a smile.
Noah’s eyes flicked to my loose hair and then down to my pants, but he said nothing. “Yoga?”
“It was so much fun. As it turns out, I’m pretty good at it.”
“She sure is,” Mercy agreed while joining our group.
A smile touched Noah’s lips. “Are you drunk?”
Mercy put her arm around me. “We had a little girl-talk session. I’m the designated driver.”
“I didn’t think it would matter,” I said, my chest tight and heart galloping. “Since it’s only me in the store today, no customers, I figured a break wouldn’t hurt.” I searched his eyes, wondering if his tiger was pacing.
Noah stroked my cheek. When he did, Mercy smiled and drew back. “I don’t want to worry about you, baby.”
Others had joined us, and before I knew it, Noah was making introductions and winning everyone’s admiration. He was so affable and rarely entered a room without making friends.
“Archer here promised he can make me as buff as him.” Noah clapped Archer on the shoulder. “He’s got a sweet setup. I just don’t have the room for all that equipment.”
Melody and Robyn pulled me aside while the men bantered. “That’sNoah?” Melody asked. “I thought you were paired up with a quiet librarian type.”
Robyn smiled. “He’s a keeper. Nice-looking, friendly, and he looks at you the way Montana looks at me. Can I ask you something?”
“Sure,” I answered quietly.
She stole a quick glance at him. “What’s his animal? I’m getting potent energy, but I can’t tell by his demeanor.”
“Tiger.”
“Rawr.”Melody clawed the air with her hand.
