Page 30 of Howl Will I Know

I stop and set the drill down. “Hold this.”

She comes over and takes the rail when I hand it to her. Our fingers brush, and heat punches through me. My cock jerks against my jeans, and the wolf surges with a violent, possessive hunger that nearly steals my breath.

Nora’s eyes drop, and she goes very still.

Fuck.

She looks back up, a flush high on her cheeks now as I take the rail from her too quickly.

I focus on fitting the rail into the brackets with shaking hands. She’s closer now. I can feel it without turning. The wolf is beside himself.

I put the drill down carefully. “Nora.”

Her voice is quieter when she answers. “What?”

I turn to find her standing a few feet away. Not touching me. Not teasing. Just looking. Her gaze drops briefly to my mouth before returning to my eyes.

That tiny movement nearly undoes me. “You need to stop.”

“Stop what?” Her forehead creases. “I’m standing in my own kitchen.”

“You know what I mean.”

“No.” She takes one slow step closer. “I don’t think I do.” She studies me for a second, then asks the question I’ve been avoiding since the day she arrived. “Why do you keep coming near me if you want me to stay away?”

I have no answer that doesn’t expose me.

Because I hear you laugh through an open window, and suddenly silence feels wrong.

I reach for the safest answer. “You shouldn’t ask questions you won’t like the answers to.”

Nora doesn’t flinch. “Try me.”

She waits while I stare at her. No nervous chatter or joke to soften it. Just Nora, standing in front of me and asking me to tell the truth.

“The wolf wants you.” The words sound ugly when I say them aloud. Too blunt.

Nora’s expression doesn’t change. “Okay.”

I frown. “Okay?”

“Yes.”

“You don’t understand.”

“Then explain it.”

“He doesn’t want coffee. He doesn’t want conversation. Doesn’t want you waving at him across the street or leaving pastries on my porch.” My voice drops. “He wants your scent on him and his on you. Wants every man in town to know you’re his.”

Nora’s breath catches, and her lips part.

I should stop. I don’t.

“He wants to get you under him and fuck you hard and deep until neither of us can remember why this was a bad idea.”

Nora’s breathing is faster now. “And you? The wolf wants all that, but what do you want, Hewit?”

Everything.