“It’s not far?” Shelley didn’t really want to be out of sight of the truck. Everything she owned was in there. She really didn’t want to admit she didn’t want to be too far from James either.
“Nah,” the woman assured her. “It’s only two minutes from here. Take the right at the next corner and it’s only a few doors down.”
“Thank you.” Shelley quickly headed to the door, barely hearing the woman’s “you’re welcome” as she left.
The cold air was a harsh contrast to the warmth of the coffee shop. She almost turned around and went back inside. Instead, she stiffened her spine and marched down the sidewalk, following the directions she’d been given.
Sure enough, the shop was there. She could get what she needed and be back waiting outside the coffee shop before James got there. Excitement gave her butterflies in her stomach. For the first time in her life, she was going shopping for her own clothing.
Pushing open the door, she stepped inside.
Chapter Four
Impatience ate at James as he left the stuffy confines of the bank behind and headed to the coffee shop where he’d left Shelley. The meeting had gone well, but had lasted far longer than he’d anticipated.
His legs ate up the distance. He was so intent on his destination, he barely noticed how people practically jumped out of his way. All he knew was he wouldn’t rest until he saw Shelley.
His instincts rose to the fore, the skin on the back of his neck prickling as he entered the small eatery. He glanced around, anxiety eating at him. Shelley was nowhere to be found.
Had she left him?
His wolf began to growl deep inside him, denying the possibility. It took everything in him not to tip back his head and howl. Shelley was his. And she was alone and vulnerable in a strange city. He should have insisted she come with him.
Frustration ate at him. No, he couldn’t have done that. Shelley was panicked enough just being around him without him going all alpha on her.
Keeping his emotions on a short chain, James stalked up to the counter and pinned the older woman with a steely gaze. “Have you seen a woman with light brown hair, wearing a dress and a gray sweater?”
The woman hesitated, obviously undecided whether or not she should tell him anything.
He forced himself to relax a bit. His wolf was too close to the surface. The woman might not be able to see anything, but she could sense the predator inside him. “I was supposed to meet her here. I got tied up longer than I expected.”
“She was here,” the woman told him, somewhat reluctantly.
James nodded. “Yeah, I left her here. Told her to have something to eat. My meeting ran longer than I expected.”
The older woman sighed. James figured she must have decided he was okay because she began talking. “She asked me if I knew of a place to buy used clothing. I sent her to the shop around the corner.”
“Thank you.” James’s gratitude was heartfelt. He left without a backward glance and strode down the sidewalk.
He turned the corner and thought he caught a whiff of Shelley’s scent. Wishful thinking or reality, he couldn’t be sure. But she was close. He could sense it.
He scanned the store signs and found the one he was looking for—Second Time Around. The words “gently used clothing” were in smaller print on the large glass window.
He pulled open the door, ignoring the tinkle of the bell above him. He scanned the shop. It wasn’t overly large, but it was packed with racks and shelves stuffed with clothing.
Shelley wasn’t anywhere to be seen. But he could smell her. This time there was no doubt in his mind. He knew her unique scent now. It was a part of him.
He sniffed and followed his nose, skirting several other shoppers. He was almost to the back of the store when Shelley stepped out from behind a change room door and stood in front of a mirror.
He stopped dead in his tracks.
She’d been pretty in her faded dress and sweater. Hell, she’d even been pretty in the awful pink polyester uniform she’d been wearing when he’d first seen her. But in jeans and a form-fitting turtleneck sweater she was a knockout.
The faded denim cupped her heart-shaped bottom, making his fingers itch to touch it. Her legs were long and slender and seemed to go on forever.
As if sensing someone was watching her, she slowly turned.
When she saw him, she smiled. That smile of welcome slowly faded and her nostrils flared as he slowly walked toward her. The sweater was a deep chocolate color and matched her eyes to perfection. The soft wool hugged her breasts. She might be slender, but her chest was substantial.
His cock sprang to attention. Oh yeah, Shelley wasn’t just pretty. She was smoking hot.
She tugged subconsciously at the hem of the sweater. “I was hoping to be back at the truck before your meeting ended. I guess I lost track of time.”
He stopped in front of her, unable to speak. He was afraid if he opened his mouth, the only thing that would come out was a growl. He was so turned on right now, he could barely think. He hadn’t felt this way since he was young. Not since Leda.
And even the thought of his dead wife and all the pain he’d suffered after her death couldn’t stop him from wanting Shelley.
“James?” Her voice quavered and he could hear the fear in it.
He inwardly swore at himself for frightening her. “You look amazing.”
Pink tinged her cheeks and she glanced at herself in the mirror. “You think so?”
It struck him that she wasn’t just being coy and hoping for more compliments. She truly meant it. She had no idea just how sexy and beautiful she was.
He stood behind her and turned her so their reflections were both visible in the mirror. His hands rested lightly on her shoulders. Her hair flowed free around her shoulders, not really much longer than his.
She watched him as he hooked a lock of her hair over her ear, his fingers caressing her cheek. Her skin was soft and beautiful. Her eyes wide and wondering. The blush added some much needed color to her face.
“You’re incredible.” His voice was rough with pent-up desire. What he really wanted to do was back her into the small dressing room and strip those jeans down her legs. Then he’d nibble his way back up to her sweet pussy, part the slick folds with his thumbs and taste her.
He barely suppressed a groan and was glad she was standing in front of him so she couldn’t see his erection. If she moved back, she’d certainly feel it.
As if she’d read his mind, she swayed, her butt grazing him. Her eyes widened and then half closed. She nibbled on her bottom lip, a sign he was quickly coming to recognize as something she did when she was nervous or thinking hard.
“It’s okay, Shelley.” He ran his hands down her shoulders and over her arms. She shivered and he barely resisted the urge to wrap her in his embrace. He was close to making a spectacle out of them as it was.
“James?”
He shook his head. This wasn’t the time or the place. He knew better. He dropped his hands and took a step back. “Did you find any more clothes that you liked?”
She shuddered and smiled ruefully. “Truthfully, I found too much.” She laughed then and it made his entire body clench. He pretended he couldn’t see how her nipples were standing out in relief against the soft sweater. She was aroused, but she was also nervous. He could wait. He was good at that.
“Show me.”
Shelley went back to the dressing room with him close behind her. Her “too much” ended up being two more pairs of jeans, a T-shirt and two additional sweaters. His heart ached at how little it was.
“What about a coat and some boots?” There was a rack of ladies coats off to his left. He fished through it and found a lined leather jacket whose color matched the turtleneck sweater she was wearing. It was slightly battered, but that only added to the character of the coat. He tugged it off the hanger. “Try this.”