* * *
Jade was dying to take off her salty, sandy bathing suit. She was used to swimming in lakes, and this wasn’t the same. Her skin would be chafed and miserable if she didn’t rinse off more. She knew Rafe would take some time getting dressed, so she practically sprinted for the patio, then spied a table with a piece of junk mail addressed to the current resident. She sailed past the table and outside, yanking off the robe and tossing it on the bench. When she reached the outdoor shower, she stripped off her shorts and bathing suit and quickly washed herself all over again.
Thinking back to the piece of mail sitting on Rafe’s side table, Jade realized she probably couldn’t find any snail mail that would tell her where Aidan lived. He probably got in touch with Rafe through emails, text messages, or phone calls. Even if she could get ahold of Rafe’s phone, it was no doubt password protected, and she wouldn’t be able to access his contacts. Aidan’s address might not even be listed in Rafe’s phone book. She only had phone numbers in hers.
Rushing to rinse off, she thought that while she might not be here for a perfectly innocent reason, enticing the wolf into a mating wasn’t in the plans. She was certain he would have offered her the use of his shower, or some other in the house, but she hadn’t wanted to ask or impose. Out here, she could rinse off the salt and sand and not leave a big mess. Though she supposed that was silly, because his maid service would clean it up. But she was a wolf too, and she didn’t feel the need to be pampered or to impose on him any more than she had to. She liked her low-key lifestyle.
She rinsed out her bathing suit and wrung it out. Slipping back into a wet bathing suit was a lot harder to do, and she hoped Rafe was moving really slowly.
Wolves shifted naked in front of each other when they were with their pack and used to one another. This wasn’t the same. She didn’t want him to get the idea she was doing this to try to snag his attention.
She rinsed out her shorts and was tugging them over her bathing suit when he opened the patio door.
“Are you sure you don’t want to drop by your place and get a change of clothes?”
Not expecting Rafe’s sudden appearance, she jumped a little, hating that she looked so guilty.
“Listen, I’m probably too wet to ride in your car.” As much as she hated to delay this, she didn’t want him to think she was too eager and make him suspicious of her motives. She couldn’t chance it. “Maybe we can make it some other time. Tomorrow, if you’re free.”
She really felt uncomfortable about this. She’d been trying to tell herself that although he seemed nice, he wouldn’t be Mr. Nice and Agreeable if she had business dealings with him. All she wanted was her son back. Dealing in deception? This was so not her.
“Nonsense. My car will survive. Let’s go.” Rafe sounded like he was afraid he was going to lose his lunch companion, but she knew that, before long, he’d wish he’d never rescued her in the surf.
Chapter 4
Rafe had let his personal assistant, Sebastian, know where he was going before he took off, having caught a glimpse of Jade gloriously naked as she’d rushed to remove her bathing suit and rinse off in the outdoor shower. He wished she’d felt comfortable just using a guest bathroom. He hadn’t wanted to catch her nude, or her to catch him seeing her like that. He knew by the way she was rushing that she wasn’t trying to get caught, but he took advantage of the moment to snap a close-up of her face so he could send it to Edward so he could use it to investigate her. Her face had been tilted up to the showerhead, her eyes closed, her hands on her wet hair, and her lips parted, kissed by the spray of warm water. She was busty and had nice childbearing hips and long legs—that he was trying not to look at too much. He had to admit she was beautiful.
After he’d quickly moved away from the glass door, he’d finished his conversation with Sebastian. He’d rushed, worried he was moving too slowly because of the soreness of his foot, and she would be tired of waiting for him. Though once he’d seen her naked, he wasn’t sure if his conversation with Sebastian had made any sense.
Now that they were on the road, Rafe didn’t see any sign of Edward, but Rafe knew he would be watching for him as he drove his Ferrari convertible to the Crab Shack. Other than his wolf friends and brother, no one Rafe knew hung out here. Not those who had money. He loved to meet Derek and his brother here from time to time just to go slumming.
Rafe might have a nice car, but he was wearing cutoffs, sandals, and a well-worn T-shirt like he usually did when he ate at the Crab Shack. He would have dressed up for Jade, but since she was wearing just her bathing suit and shorts, he didn’t want her to feel underdressed.
As they drove with the top down, the wind whipped Jade’s wet curls about. She was smiling as they tore off down the road, and he wanted to go a lot farther than the two miles to the restaurant. Maybe she’d agree to a longer drive just for the hell of it. He realized then he hadn’t asked for her full name, because at the time, he hadn’t intended to share his. Now he wanted to know it. Edward could learn who she was as soon as he ran her license plate. But then Rafe had another thought. Maybe he could take her out on the yacht, the Lo-Lee. He knew he shouldn’t plan for anything long term. But damn if he didn’t want to throw caution to the wind and enjoy the ride while he spent time with her. That was his wilder wolf half talking.
When Rafe escorted her into the Crab Shack, the hostess seated them on the deck, the fragrance of the salty sea air and seafood dishes wafting around them. Seagulls called out overhead, and people played and laughed on the beach as the waves crashed on the shore. It was a beautiful day to be here, and he had to admit that being with Jade made it even more special—if he didn’t overanalyze why she was here.
They ordered the king crab feasts, and Jade made her selection so quickly that he wondered if she had been in the area for a while.
“So how many days are you going to be here?” he asked, settling back in his chair.
“Another week.”
“Have to use up some leave time at work?” He shouldn’t have asked, but he really was curious why she was here by herself.
“I needed a break. A way to clear my head so I could get creative again.”
“What do you create?” He was thinking of art, sculptures, maybe writing.
“Lingerie fashions. I sell them to upper-end stores all over the States.”
“Lingerie.” He smiled a little. Now this was totally unexpected. “Like Victoria’s Secret?”
“What would you know about Victoria’s Secret?” Jade was smiling.
“Not a whole lot, really. But secrets always sound intriguing.”
She smiled. “True. So, what do you do that you make enough money to afford the shack on the beach?”
“I dabble in real estate.”
“Dabble.”
“I’ve made some good investments and consequently some good sales. I just have an eye for what might do well.”
“Your house is incredible.”
“Thanks. I’m rather fond of it. I’ve lived in the city, but I like living on the beach best.”
“Do you take trips to the woods?”
“To run? Sure. To be myself—to let the other side of me out. I have a jet on standby for anytime I want to get away from all of this. I love running on the beach at night as well.”
“A jet, wow. So you really do love to still be wild?”
“Hell yeah. No pressing business, no modern tech stuff, just being one with nature—that’s what it’s really all about. What about you? You don’t have any woods to run in around Amarillo, do you?”
“No, but we have a lot of wide-open spaces out there, so I run at night.”
“Do you want to run with me tonight?”
Their crab baskets were served, and after making sure they had bibs and everything else they needed, their server headed for another table.
“I’d like that. Thanks.” Jade tied on her bib.
He smiled at the saying on it: The Best Kind of Crabs
to Have!
Rafe sure as hell hoped Edward wouldn’t find anything discouraging about Jade that would ruin what until now had been the nicest dating experience he’d ever had. Not that bad news would change his mind about seeing her, at least until he learned the truth directly from her—and then?
His thoughts drifted to seeing her naked in the shower. Ah, hell, he was aroused all over again. No matter what she was up to, he knew reining in his wolf needs was going to be easier said than done.
* * *
Of course Jade said yes. If she wanted to earn his confidence, she had to accept his invitation to run. But this whole charade was going to be a nightmare to keep up with. Yes, she created lingerie, and yes, she sold to upper-end stores, but she didn’t sell to that many. She certainly wasn’t wealthy by any means, but even so, she didn’t feel he was too rich for her blood, and she appreciated him for making her feel that way. Maybe it was because he was a wolf too.
She could see the wolf in him even now—with the cutoffs and the T-shirt washed a million times, the old sandals that looked like they’d seen thousands of miles, and the stubble just appearing on his jaw. He leaned back in his chair, his relaxed posture indicating he was comfortable with who he was and content being with her.
For the last two weeks, Jade had been so uneasy around her brother’s pack that she wished she could feel more at ease around Rafe. Unfortunately, her reason for being here kept her from enjoying herself. She couldn’t quit thinking about Toby, yet she had to be on guard so she didn’t slip up and mention him. The jig would be up then. But keeping her son out of her thoughts was impossible. Everything reminded her of him: kids building sand castles or playing at the edge of the surf, squeals of childish delight, even a family sitting nearby. The child was in a booster seat, fisting a fat french fry while Dad handed him a sippy cup.
Jade started cracking open a crab leg, then looked up at Rafe. He was concentrating on one too. “Do you come here often?”
“As often as I can with Derek. Sometimes with my brother.”
“So both of them live in the area?” This was the first opening she’d had to ask casually about his brother, but she was afraid her accelerated heartbeat was going to give her away.
“Derek does. Aidan doesn’t.”
“Are you close to your brother?”
Rafe dug out some of the meat from his crab leg and dipped it in warm butter. “I am. But we don’t get to see much of each other because of the work we do.”
“So, he’s not a real estate mogul too?”
“Hardly. He’s more the scientist in the family.”
“What about Derek?”
“He plays the market. Some years are good and some years not so good. But he’s had a lot of years to invest, and like me, he’s got a knack for seeing the trends and picking the winners. What about yourself? Family?”
This was a hazard of asking Rafe about his brother and friend; Jade would have to share about herself if he asked. She wanted to stick as close to the truth as she could. But she couldn’t mention her son. Not when Rafe would want to know why she’d abandoned him to come on a vacation alone. Wolves were super protective of their offspring. Her story wouldn’t ring true. Or he’d think she was a bad mother.
“I have a brother. We were close at one time. When he took over the pack…” Crap, what did she say now without spilling the whole story? She pulled out a piece of crabmeat. “Things are strained between us.”
“But you stay with the pack?”
Jade looked up at Rafe. He was watching her, trying to read what was wrong between her and her brother and why she would stay—trying to learn what was going on behind the scenes in her head. Wolves were intuitive creatures, and she feared she was failing miserably at keeping up the charade.
“Not for long,” she said, probably a little too angrily as she stabbed her fork into a green bean. Before she’d fallen head over heels with Stewart, she’d been happy with the pack. Relationships between lupus garous and humans rarely produced children. So she had been just as shocked as everyone else. But that had changed everything for her. Not only were her brother and the pack furious, but raising a human child with the pack could spell disaster for all of them.
Jade had tried to convince Kenneth she wouldn’t have anything more to do with Stewart and that she’d move away so he wouldn’t learn about the child, but Kenneth didn’t believe she’d give her human boyfriend up. Kenneth had been certain there was only one way to deal with the possible threat of Stewart’s learning what they were. Killing him.
Kenneth’s concern wasn’t just a vague one. Stewart had wanted to marry her. And he had wanted kids. But changing him could have been a disaster. And Kenneth wouldn’t have it. Besides, convincing Stewart to leave his mom, stepdad, brother, and half sister behind wouldn’t have worked. He had been devoted to them, which she’d liked. Family had been so important. Her brother had said that if she left the area, he’d leave Stewart alone. But damn Kenneth. He’d lied and never told her until it was convenient to threaten her own son.
“So how did you get the idea to start a women’s lingerie business?” Rafe asked.
She pulled her attention from her morose thoughts and stopped digging at a crab leg to look up at Rafe. She wondered if he had been studying her the whole time, waiting for her to elaborate about her brother and changing the subject when she didn’t.
“I was looking to create something that was easier for women to remove in a hurry—for our kind, you know. That meant a lot less material, and my creations turned out to be pretty sexy.”
He smiled.
“But it was hard selling them to anyone but our kind for eons until a big change in women’s fashions caught on.”
“I always thought less was better.”
Jade laughed. “So did she-wolves. Then I started a specialty baby and toddlers’ line, Tykes and Tiaras, high-end infant and toddlers’ apparel.” She had no intention of telling him what had inspired her to create that line of fashion.
“Sounds good.”
Rafe didn’t seem as interested in that line as he did in the intimate apparel one. Which was totally understandable.
“What about you? What made you get into the real estate business?” she asked, then sucked out another piece of sweet meat.
He watched her, smiling a little. “First property I bought as an investment was a block of old buildings—boarded up, a hazard to the community, and no one wanted to do anything with it. I had all the buildings torn down, except for a corner service station. I expanded it and turned it into a 1950s ice-cream shop and the rest of the block into a park. The ice-cream shop does a phenomenal business, plus locals work there and the residents love the park.”
Jade hadn’t expected that. Had he changed over the years as he’d built up his wealth? “You can’t have made a lot of money off that when you turned most of it into a park.”
“You’re right. But it made me see how a rundown area could be revitalized and made it better for the locals, when they really needed that. It’s not all about making money. I’ve done that with other ventures. I love to turn areas that once thrived but have been abandoned into green-space parks, walking and biking paths, places where people can enjoy the area.”
“So your wolf still longs for nature.”
Rafe finished another crab leg. “Yeah. Just as yours wanted to create something that made it easier for women to be wolves.”
Someone standing on the beach and looking in their direction caught her eye. Worried that one of her brother’s men was spying on them, Jade turned to see who it was. The man wearing jeans, a T-shirt, and sneakers wasn’t from her pack, but he was getting ready to take a picture of them. Rafe might not be a movie star celebrity, but his wealth still made him a powerful man.
“There’s a guy taking a picture of us. Why in the world would he do that?” She feigned ignorance that Rafe had the kind of wealth and power that would entice the paparazzo to take shots of him. Well, of them.<
br />
“The photojournalist taking a picture of the two of us sharing lunch? I make enough money that some people are interested in what I do with my social life. It comes with the territory. Most of the time, I don’t even notice photographers unless they get in my way. Do you mind?”
Yeah, she did, because she didn’t want people to believe she was dating him when she wasn’t, not that she could do anything about it. “I guess not. I just never expected anything like that to happen.” Jade wasn’t used to mixing with celebrities or billionaires, and she really hadn’t thought she’d be caught up in this too. The pictures she’d seen of Rafe all had to do with parties, either that he put on or that he attended, not having lunch at a seafood shack on the beach with a friend.
“Because I’m not a movie star?” He smiled.
She thought he would make one great-looking movie star.
“A confirmed billionaire bachelor raises lots of speculation.”
Jade choked on her water. “I…guess he would.” She coughed a little bit and tried to catch her breath. She hadn’t expected him to tell her the truth.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah. Thanks. I’ve never been interested in the lifestyles of the rich and famous. I’ve never met one in the flesh before. You look pretty ordinary to me.”
Rafe smiled.
Her face burned. No way did he look ordinary, but he fit in with the general beach crowd. “I mean, you don’t stand out.”
His eyes twinkling with mirth, Rafe chuckled and saluted her with his glass of water. “It’s been one hell of a way to live.”
Now Jade worried that if the photojournalist thought the two of them were an item, he would look into her background and learn who she was. Even if she and Rafe weren’t dating, she imagined stories could be made up. She’d never considered that kind of trouble. One good thing, if he did learn Kenneth was her brother, Kenneth wouldn’t screw up this deal by mentioning Toby was her son.
Taking a breath to calm her raw nerves, Jade dove back into the conversation as if she hadn’t been concerned about anything. “Do you ever worry about losing it all?”