“Same,” said Silas, and he tossed in three dollar bills, laid down a full house, and swept the pot into his growing pile with a smirk.
Kenny dealt the next hand without a word, took a swig of his beer, and considered his strategy when he got a look at his next hand.
They heard the boots outside long before the man made it to them. Boone stood, crossed the room in three easy strides, opened the door, looked out, and sniffed.
“Human,” he said softly. “Fire department.”
“Sevier County Fire and Rescue,” the man called from twenty yards away. “I’m Jenkins. Ya’ll holdin’ up okay up here?”
“We are,” Boone answered. “You need some water? That’s a hike, if you came up from the bottom.”
“I’m good. Just checkin’ cabins, makin’ sure folks are all right.”
“We’re fine, and the woman ’bout a quarter mile north is good. The three of us will need to get off the mountain by Monday or Tuesday, but she’ll be happy to stay until you get the road back down fixed.”
The man made it to the porch, and Boone moved and motioned him in.
“We happened to have a charged Yeti, and the fridge is plugged into it. Don’t really need electric for anything else.”
The fireman’s eyes flicked between them. “Our experts say the cabins are on bedrock, so you’re safe up here at the top, but I’d stay put till we’ve had a chance to clear debris and check stability down below.” He shifted his radio on his belt. “If you need anything, call the sheriff’s office.”
“If you’re going to check on our neighbor, I’ll walk with you,” Silas said. “She knows me, but a strange man approaching at night might spook her.”
“That’s mighty kind of you.”
Boone watched the two walk away and turned back to Kenny. “What are the odds she’ll accept your proposal, do you think?”
“I won’t offer it right off the bat. Lead her along toward it, and if she balks at any point, I stop talking in that direction.” He shrugged. “I give it a fifty-fifty chance. Maybe.”
* * * *
Willow woke early enough to read about an hour before she had to get ready, but when it was time, she debated about what to wear. She’d been in joggers and a T-shirt when the wolves had shown up the day before,andwhen the wolf and fireman had checked on her after dark. She’d brought a few cute outfits in case she lost her mind and wanted to go out to eat, but she didn’t want to show up looking as if she’d dressed up for them.
She ended up in snug jeans and a short-sleeved cotton turtleneck. It covered her boobs without showing cleavage, but it hugged her curves inallthe right places and showed them off even more. The morning air was ten degrees warmer than the evening before, so a sweater would’ve been too much.
And these jeans loved her ass. Framed it exactly right. She’d been told by multiple men that hers is perfect. Apparently a narrow and poofy ass curving below an even narrower waist turns men on.
And why was she trying to turn these men on?
Maybe because they’d scented her arousal, seen what she was reading, and hadn’t recoiled in horror. Had actually been interested.Aroused.
And then they’d changed the subject like fucking gentlemen.
Not what you’d expect from wolves, but she’d let them in because the new Alpha of the Chattanooga Pack is reportedly a good guy. Honest and loyal. People had doubted whether he could hold the pack together as Randall had, but it turns out, he’s fierce when needed, a good businessman, and a good manager, all of which are necessary for a good pack leader.
She put the potatoes, the cast-iron pan, and what was left of her apple cider into her grocery bag and walked the narrow trail toward the other cabin.
The morning was breaking in hues of golds and oranges with a gorgeous sunrise off to the east. The storm had scrubbed the air clean, and she breathed it into her lungs.
She heard the men at the back of the cabin, so she followed their voices and saw Silas cooking bacon over the grill on the patio while Kenny beat eggs in a bowl up on the deck.
It took her a minute to figure out what Boone was doing — holding biscuits wrapped around sticks over a fire in the yard.
“Looks like ya’ll got an early start,” she said. “Not sure the potatoes will be done in time.”
“We can have potatoes with our lunch,” Silas said. “We were awake and figured we’d get started. You sleep good last night?”
“I did. What can I do to help?”
