“I’ll tell you when I’m sure what’s happening.” Winona took her seat, tapped out a text message to Dr. Keene, the local vet.
Megs’ eyes narrowed. “My imagination will run wild.”
Their drinks were waiting for them—Winona’s Blackberry Izze, Grandpa’s root beer float, Jason’s brew.
“What’d you get?” Zach asked him.
“Smoke and Fire IPA.” Jason took a sip. His eyebrows shot up. “Damn.”
Zach raised his glass. “Told you.”
Their food came a few minutes later, the conversation at the table ranging from the new gear the Team hoped to buy to predictions for the first snowfall to Sasha’s upcoming photoshoot forRock & IceMagazine.
Then Sasha, who’d clearly had one too many margaritas, turned her attention to Jason. “What do you track as a Shadow Wolf?”
Jason seemed amused. “Bad guys.”
“What kind of bad guys?”
“The kind that wouldn’t hesitate to kill every single one of us just to make a buck—drug smugglers and human traffickers, mostly.”
That seemed to sober Sasha up. “Oh. Wow.”
Zach tossed back the last of his beer. “I met Chiago when I was still working the line. Our paths didn’t cross often, but when they did, I knew he had my back.”
“Back at you, man.”
Winona found it hard to keep her gaze off Jason. He was everything she’d been raised to admire in a man—courageous, respectful of his elders, willing to take responsibility. He was what Grandpa would call a true warrior. Even when he was relaxed, there was an air of danger about him. If that wasn’t enough, he was so good-looking that she found herself wondering about things she shouldn’t.
Things like how it would feel to kiss him. And what he’d look like without that T-shirt. And what it would be like to have sex with him.
Stop torturing yourself!He’s taken, remember?
Yes, she remembered.
And tomorrow, she was spending all day with him.
* * *
Winona was just dryingoff after her shower when Jason knocked at her front door.Damn. “Coming!”
She slipped into her bathrobe and hurried on bare feet to answer, her hair hanging uncombed and wet. “Sorry. I forgot to set my alarm. I’ll get dressed.”
“No worries. I’m early. We’ve got plenty of time.” He stepped into her living room, faded jeans riding low on his hips, a fleece-lined denim jacket covering a gray T-shirt, black boots on his feet. His gaze slid over her.
Great.
He probably thought she looked like a half-drowned cat.
“Make yourself comfortable. There’s coffee in the kitchen if you’d like some.”
“Thanks.”
Winona hurried into her bedroom, dressed in layers—jeans, a warm silk jersey camisole, her purple long-sleeved T-shirt with the yellow feather on the front, and warm socks. Then she combed the tangles out of her wet hair, squeezed the moisture out of it with a towel, and left it loose to air dry.
She found Jason sitting on her sofa with a cup of coffee in his hands. “Have you had breakfast?”
“Yeah, thanks. I’m good.” Jason wasn’t much taller than Chaska, but he dominated the space, the coffee mug seeming small in his hands.