Page 18 of Fated to the Wolf Cowboy (Cowboys of Collier #1)

Tricia

I wasn’t sure where he wanted to take me and at this point, I had no idea what I was doing. I thought I could just get away without encountering him again. Clearly that wasn’t going to happen.

Now I was stuck on the back of his bike, holding on tight as I wrapped my body around his.

I’d never been on a motorcycle before, so I held on for dear life. His scent was already clouding my judgement and the wind in my face was doing nothing to dissipate it.

A few minutes later he rolled up into a neighborhood like the kind of place you’d see on Desperate Housewives or something. That picture perfect suburban vibe. I’d seen a few such places traveling here. They looked unreal to me. Who lived in giant houses like these?

I thought we’d just drive through, but instead he pulled up to possibly the biggest house in the neighborhood. Peyton’s house was one of the largest houses I’d even seen, but this one gave it a run for its money.

“What’s this?” I asked when he parked and turned off the bike.

“Just humor me a minute.”

He helped me off and then held my hand as we walked up to the big house. There was something so sweet about him. It was like night and day difference from the man I’d so far met. It made me realize there was a lot more to him than I’d suspected.

He fished out a key, unlocked the door, and walked inside like he owned the place.

“I know you think you want to just run away and get as far the hell away from here, and me, as possible. But I’m asking you to consider another option.”

“Oh yeah, what’s that?” I asked.

Our voices echoed through the empty house making me feel like I should be whispering.

He looked around and grinned. I didn’t realize he had dimples. Probably because I’d only seen him scowling before now. They were on full display now and I was mesmerized by them.

I had the weirdest sensation to pull him in close and lick one then the other.

Who the hell was I? This wasn’t me. I didn’t do or even think about such things.

“Uh, what were you saying?”

I wasn’t sure he’d said anything at all. Getting lost in my own head just looking at him was definitely a problem.

He grinned again and there were those dimples.

Damn him. It was like a secret weapon or something.

How could the tough, gruff, ill-tempered biker guy sport adorable, heart-melting dimples? It wasn’t fair.

The bad boy, I could deal with. I understood him and even though he seemed to turn me on like no other, I could somewhat keep my head around him. But this was a whole new arsenal he was throwing my way and I was struggling to focus, let alone think straight.

“Why are we here?” I blurted out.

He was starting to look a little frustrated. I cringed waiting for him to explode again, only this time he didn’t.

“I’m trying to ask you to stay. . . here. . . with me. So? What do you think?”

It took a moment for it all to register in my brain.

“You want me to live here with you?” I looked around the enormous great room that opened to the kitchen. “Here? Me?”

He frowned. “You don’t like it?”

I continued to stare like he had two heads.

“Or you don’t like me? Is that it?”

Everything about him had changed once more. There were so many facets to this man that I couldn’t keep up with them all. He was going to give me whiplash.

“I’d offer you a seat, but I don’t have one yet. But I will soon. I promise.”

“I’ve never even been in a place like this before,” I confessed. “Once my dad and I had a one bedroom walkup instead of a flat. He gave me the tiny bedroom while he slept on the couch. It was the biggest place I’ve ever lived in. You could fit three of that entire apartment just in this room.”

He nodded. “I understand.”

I shot him a look, letting him know I didn’t believe him.

He chuckled. “Really, I get it.”

“No you don’t. I’ve seen where you live. You don’t get it at all.”

His face morphed into something different once more.

“I didn’t always live there, Tricia. In fact, I sort of bullied my way into there.

” He chuckled. “I wasn’t always a Collier wolf.

Years back a small group broke off and formed a new Pack.

My dad was part of that. Larken Pack. We lived in a run down, piece of shit trailer park bordering Collier territory.

My whole life I grew up in the slums as a low life, somehow lesser to the Collier wolves.

We weren’t big enough or funded well enough to have anything.

I shared a room with my three brothers. We had one twin sized mattress on the floor for the four of us.

Our father was an abusive drunk. Apparently, I inherited his temper.

I hate it and I hate that I scared you this morning.

I don’t want to be that man, I was just so insanely overcome with jealousy and could not handle smelling Kenneth on you of all people. ”

He was being open and honest with me in a way I didn’t think I could be with him, or anyone else. And the picture of the little boy from the trailer park that he was painting with his words was breaking my heart and softening me to him.

“There’s no excuse for it though,” he continued.

“I’m better than that, and I just hope you stick around long enough to find that out for yourself.

Most of my former Pack lives together in this neighborhood.

It’s a really nice one, but it’s a lot more than we grew up with and more than most of us believe we deserve.

Probably why this monster has been vacant for so long.

I’ll admit it’s very intimidating. But it’s also next door to my brother, Tim.

And it’s available right now. We could make this a home, Tricia. If you’re willing to try.”

My jaw dropped in surprise. “But I don’t even know you and you certainly don’t know me. I’m just passing through. I’m not supposed to stay.” It’s not safe here, I thought, but didn’t add, because as crazy as it sounded and despite all our combined faults, Brady made me feel safe.

I wasn’t afraid of him or his temper. Every time he blew up, I got turned on.

It was the most insane thing. If I watched us through someone else’s eyes, I knew I’d be screaming red flags and toxicity everywhere, but it didn’t feel that way.

Sure, he was spiteful, angry, and quick to lash out, not to mention arrogant, but I’d also seen that softer side of him.

And the last time we were together, it had been me pushing him away.

From the sounds of it, he was just willing to accept our mating without question. I didn’t think I could do that.

It felt like I was starting to get to know and even understand him better now, but he still didn’t know me.

“This is insane,” I pointed out.

“I know. But I’ve witnessed first-hand the power of true mates, Tricia. And you are my one true mate, for better or worse. And I’ll likely challenge that worse side.”

He grinned, showing those dimples again and I softened into a gooey mess on the inside. But I knew I needed to stay firm on this.

“I don’t think it would be wise for me to just move in with you and pretend we’re this. . . what? I don’t even know.”

“I don’t know either. I’m just making this up as I go along. . . in case you couldn’t tell.”

I couldn’t help it. I laughed.

“I don’t have the answers, Tricia, but I feel like we deserve to try.

You only get one true mate. You’re it for me.

I thought I blew that by losing my temper, but you’re still here and that has to mean something, right?

I don’t want to screw this up. Honestly, I wasn’t sure I ever wanted to meet my true mate.

I know I’m not good enough for you. But I know I’ll try my damndest to be.

Or at the least to be a man you can be proud of. ”

“What if we don’t work?”

He smirked. “I’ll admit, we don’t look like we’d match. You’re all designer clothes and perfection while I’m dirt and cowboy boots. We do have some things in common. WE both have tempers. Though I suppose that could be a problem. Still, I’d say we’re pretty easily matched there.”

He had no idea just how matched we were in the temper department.

“Look, there has to be a reason that of all the people in this world, you and I are true mates. Maybe we don’t know it yet. Maybe we can’t even see it yet. But we’re fated to be together and I have to believe that means something, at least something worth making an effort to find out why.”

“Since that first moment I saw you in the bar, I knew that if I just stuck to my plans and moved on that I would regret it every single day of my life. Because you’re right, a true mate doesn’t come along every day.”

He stepped closer and gently tucked my hair behind my ear.

“Mate. My mate,” he said as he reverently stared at me as if I were the most precious thing on Earth.

I sucked in a sharp breath as it all hit me at one.

We weren’t talking hypothetical here. This was real.

“We’re really doing this?” I asked.

“Yes.”

This time when his head lowered to kiss me, I was ready for it. But it wasn’t the fiery all-consuming kiss we’d shared last time. This one was sweet and filled with promise. . . and far too restrained for my taste.