Winter of the Wolf (57 page)
Read Winter of the Wolf Online
Authors: Cherise Sinclair
“Don’t be sily,” she said, deliberately misunderstanding.
“A little nail scrape doesn’t warrant al this concern.” Nudging his arm away, she shook hands with the realtor.
“Ms. Golden, nice to meet you.”
“Just cal me Amanda.” Tal, blonde, wearing silky black pants with matching jacket, she was the epitome of a refined style that Vic had never mastered. After giving Vic’s hand a style that Vic had never mastered. After giving Vic’s hand a firm shake, the realtor frowned at the cop. “Is there a problem?”
“You got here just in time,” Vic said. “Your policeman was about to arrest me and haul me away.” Amanda’s snicker wasn’t at al businesslike. “Ah, yes. If his jail’s not overflowing with criminals, Alec feels he’s not doing his job.” She leaned forward and whispered loudly,
“Of course, it’s only a two-cel jailhouse.” Vic smiled and glanced over her shoulder to see how the sheriff took being taunted. With one hip propped on the railing and a lazy grin on his tanned face, he didn’t look too upset.
When his focus shifted from Amanda to Vic, his gaze intensified, as if he were trying to see inside her. She felt a quiver low in her bely, but from worry or attraction—she wasn’t sure. Probably worry.
Towering six feet five or so with appalingly broad shoulders that narrowed to a trim waist, the man moved like a trained fighter. Not al spit and polish like a soldier though.
His golden-brown hair brushed the colar of his khaki-uniform, and he’d roled his sleeves up, revealing corded wrists and muscular forearms. She remembered how easily he’d lifted her, how those big hands had wrapped around her. He was damned powerful, despite the easy-going manner.
Yeah, the quiver was definitely from worry.
Yeah, the quiver was definitely from worry.
But then he smiled at the realtor, and a dimple appeared at one corner of his mouth. The laugh lines around his eyes emphasized a thin blue-tinted scar that angled across his left cheekbone as if someone had marked him with a pen. His voice was deep and smooth and slow as warm honey, and she felt her muscles relax. “You have a mean streak, Amanda,” he was saying. “I’l have to warn Jonah.”
“He wouldn’t believe you,” the realtor said as she worked on unlocking the front door.
The sheriff turned, letting that should-be-a-registered-weapon grin loose on Vic, and her temperature rose. “So,” he said, “Ms. Waverly, wil you be staying in Cold Creek?” He was gorgeous, and he looked at her as if she was something tasty. "Um…” she said and his smile increased a fraction, just enough that she realized what an idiot she was.
You’re losing it, Sergeant
. She scowled at him. “A while.” And the sooner she left this damn town, the better.
The breeze whipped his shaggy hair “Wel, while you’re here—” he started.
“I need to get my stuff,” she interrupted. Anything to escape. Odd how the scare from the sheriff’s appearance had wiped out her need to pee.
To her annoyance, he folowed her down the steps.
“You’re going to enjoy Cold Creek,” he said. Before she could dodge, he slung an arm around her shoulders, and she could dodge, he slung an arm around her shoulders, and she felt his fingers trace the thick gauze dressing covering the cat-bite.
“Thank you, but I can manage,” she said, smoothly enough despite the way her heart was pounding. Then she looked up.
Dark green eyes the color of the mountain forests narrowed, and he studied her like she was a puzzle to be solved. A quiver ran up her spine as she realized the laidback manner and slow voice camouflaged a razor-sharp inteligence. Knives tended to come at a person in two ways: dark and hidden, or out in the open, al bright and shiny. A bright and shiny blade could stil leave you bleeding on the sands.
She puled away. “I’l be fine.”
“Wel then, I’l take myself off so you can get settled in.” He waved at Amanda Golden and smiled at Vic, but this time the smile didn’t touch his eyes. “I’m sure we’l run into each other again, Ms. Waverly. Cold Creek’s a smal town.” Cordial, polite. And Vic heard the threat underneath.
* * *
Contents
Chapter One
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-one
Chapter Twenty-two
Chapter Twenty-three
Chapter Twenty-four
Chapter Twenty-five
Chapter Twenty-six
Chapter Twenty-six
Chapter Twenty-seven
Chapter Twenty-eight
Chapter Twenty-nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-one
Chapter Thirty-two
Chapter Thirty-three
Chapter Thirty-four
Chapter Thirty-five
Chapter Thirty-six
Chapter Thirty-seven
Chapter Thirty-eight
Chapter Thirty-nine
Chapter Forty
Daonain Glossary
About the author
Table of Contents