Total pages in book: 36
Estimated words: 33504 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 168(@200wpm)___ 134(@250wpm)___ 112(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 33504 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 168(@200wpm)___ 134(@250wpm)___ 112(@300wpm)
“Your point?” Lord asked.
Blake let out a growl. “Are you being a pain on purpose? You clearly like Astrid. Stop being a dick to her, and try being nice.”
“I don’t like Astrid.”
“You been to the library lately?” Blake asked.
Lord glared at him.
“See, the only reason you go is for Astrid. I never believed the bullshit about wanting to be well-read. You were so full of shit.”
Lord put the rope back into place and turned toward Blake. “She works for me.”
“And? You don’t think bosses and employees haven’t fallen for each other in the past?” Blake asked.
“She’s human.”
“As if you give a shit about that. Wolves and humans mate. We’re seeing it more and more in town. We’re all starting to live happily together. Don’t be a dick just because you don’t think it is going to work.” Blake rolled his eyes. “You know, there will be more guys like Enzo out there, and they are going to see a gem like Astrid. You might want to snap her up and claim her for yourself, before someone else does.” And with that, he was gone.
Lord glanced down to see it was getting close to six. Dinner would be served soon. He didn’t like the thought of Enzo being there with Astrid, helping her set the large table. It was getting cold, so the table indoors would have to be set.
Lord took a step toward the barn door and stopped himself. It was not his place to help. Yet, for some odd reason, one foot moved in front of the other, then the next, and the next, and he found himself in the kitchen. Astrid was alone.
The scent of beef filled the air, and he was about to let his presence known when Astrid turned and jumped, letting out a squeal. The wolf inside him was not happy with how startled she was, and his first instinct was to attack. He wanted to protect her.
“I’m sorry,” he said.
There was nothing to protect as he was the one who startled her.
“It’s fine. Honestly, I was not expecting anyone, and you just took me by surprise, but it’s all good.” She offered him a smile. “I’m just getting everything on the table. It’s beef Stroganoff for tonight.”
“Sounds delicious.” And it smelled even more so. His stomach started to growl, but Astrid was already making her way around the dining room table, putting out the knives and forks.
Plates were already lined up at one end of the table. This seemed to work. Astrid served, passing around the plates, and the men ate.
He grabbed several cans of soda and put them at the places on the table. All the time, he tried not to admire the rounded curves of her ass. Those cheeks were so plump, so inviting, and he wanted to reach out, cup them within his palm, and give them a delightful slap.
He didn’t do that. Touching Astrid would be wrong.
It was strange, because he could smell her sweet vanilla scent, even among the scent of beef. Her natural smell was so strong, but not so overwhelming he couldn’t breathe. She was intoxicating.
“You know, if Enzo did ask me to the dance, I would have said no,” Astrid said. “I don’t flirt. I don’t know how to flirt, and there is no way I am going to any kind of dance.”
“Why not?”
Her glare was adorable. “I can’t dance and I will never make a fool of myself at a dance.” She stormed back into the kitchen.
“I like handing out candy to kids, and dressing up in some freaky costume, but I don’t party. I have never been invited to a party, and I think it is highly insulting the way you treated me earlier,” Astrid said. Her face was flushed.
“I’m sorry,” he said.
What the fuck was the matter with him? He found himself stepping closer to her, and it was like his wolf had to reach out, touch her, tell her it was going to be okay. But there was also something else, something he didn’t want to control. An urge to mark her. To rub his scent all over her, so any wolf that got close would know she was taken.
Lord stopped himself. It took every ounce of strength. Astrid was not his, and this was not his place to mark her, or to make her belong to him.
She was human. His employee.
The struggle was real.
Fuck. He wanted her so damn badly.
He stared at her as she worked at the stove. She wore a dress that fell to her knees, and with it getting chilly, she wore a pair of novelty tights. Orange and black stripes curled up her leg, and he wanted to run the tip of his claw up those tights, to remove them from her body, so he could touch her without anything getting in the way.