I bowed, pleased he was impressed with my performance.
My beast clapped but thought I’d gone overboard in my description.They’re just mountains.
While I had his attention, I suggested to Indigo that we go for a short hike this morning. He screwed up his face, but I added, “There’ll be hot chocolate at the end.”
“You should have led with that.” He leaped up, and I caught a whiff of his scent.
My wolf lay on his back inside me and kicked up his legs. He was like a kid.
Please, I’m a pup.
An hour later, we were on the trail. Indigo asked questions about the trees, mountains, and animal tracks, none of which were wolves. I’d spent most of my life here, and my wolf and I had explored every inch of our land. Talking to him kept me focused on the answers and not his enticing scent, and not how he skipped along the path, or oohed and ahhed at the patterns in the snow.
“Almost there.”
We rounded a bend, and the length of the valley lay before us. It was one of my favorite places on pack land.
He surveyed the scene. “It’s beautiful and reminds me of a postcard.”
“We have those in the lodge lobby. Remind me to grab you some.”
We sat on a log, and I pulled a thermos from my pack and poured the hot chocolate.
“Yum.” Indigo looked out over the valley. “You’re so lucky to live here.”
I hoped he’d grow to love the place as much as I did.
“What do your days look like when you’re not here?” I asked.
He made a face and rambled on about alarms, commuting, and spreadsheets.
It sounded dreary, but I kept that to myself.
“But sitting here makes me wonder if I’ve been missing out. Perhaps there’s more to life than tax returns.” Indio drained his cup. He turned it around, studied his boots, and looked everywhere but at me. “Areyouliving the life you want?”
“This land is in my blood, and I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.” I wanted to be as honest as I could. “But I’d love to have someone to share it with.”
Pink spots dotted Indigo’s cheeks. “Whoever they are, they’ll be very lucky. Not everyone gets a guy who can be a personal security guard, chef, and a mountain guide who serves hot chocolate.”
“I'll add it to my dating profile.”
“You have a dating profile?” His high-pitched voice was telling me something, but I wasn’t clear what.
“No.” I laughed. “Dating options are limited around here.”
“Oh.”
Was he relieved that I didn’t date? I hoped so.
Branches behind us cracked and broke the spell, and Indigo slid over the log toward me so our thighs were touching.
“W-Wolves?” He picked up the metal cup, but he didn’t scream or cry.
I scanned the trees and sniffed, but it was a deer, not one of my relatives eavesdropping, though I wouldn’t put it past them to sneak up on us.
“Nothing to worry about.” I took his hand, and he didn’t pull away.
“Not when you’re here.”
