Page 35 of What a Wolf Wants

“Okay, that sounds like a deal.”

“We haven’t been to the hotel yet where you stayedovernight. Maybe we should run by there and see if anything jogs your memory about someone who was overtly friendly and might have sent you the roses?” Ethan asked. “Since your ex-boyfriend didn’t send them, and Renault might not have either.”

“Sure thing. Let’s go.”

When they arrived at the hotel, Charlene glanced around at the lobby, but then she took Ethan’s hand and led him into the Ocean Breeze Pub. The decor was ocean-themed with beach scenes of up and down the coast of Oregon, making the pub perfect for having a cocktail and watching the sun set.

They sat at a booth that looked out on the ocean and ordered their drinks. The server soon brought them their cocktails.

“Did you come to this pub when you were here before?” Ethan sipped some of his piña colada.

She lifted her margarita and licked the sugar off the edge of the glass.

He immediately thought of kissing her.

“For a drink, sure,” she said. “It was the night that I arrived. I spent time driving around the area looking at homes I might have been interested in seeing and then let my real estate lady know which places I wanted to see in the morning. I had dinner at the restaurant we went to tonight, then came here to stay the night and had a drink before I went to bed.” Then she saw a man watching her from the lobby.

Ethan glanced at what she was looking at. “Do you recognize him?”

“No, but he appeared to be taking a long look at me, which seemed odd.”

“I wonder if he works here.”

“Or just comes here to drink at the pub.”

“Looking for women.”

She smiled. “Well, if that’s the case, we need to do this.” She leaned over, cupped Ethan’s face, and kissed him with passion.

Oh yeah, he was all for this. He kissed her back, not caring if anyone thought that they shouldn’t. If that was the guy who was interested in Charlene, Ethan wanted him to know that he was in her life now, and she didn’t have time for another man in her life.

They broke free of the kiss, smiled at each other, and did a brief sweet kiss. “Hmm, once I finish my mission here, I might have to rent one of your places until I find one of my own so we can continue to…do this,” he said.

***

Charlene laughed and sipped some more of her drink. “I love their drinks here.”

“Yeah, this one’s great too. Not watered down like at some places.”

“I agree. And I love that they’ll fix it with sugar on the rim of the margarita instead of salt.” She licked her lips.

He smiled. “Yeah, I liked tasting your triple sec, tequila, and lime juice, mixed with the sugar on your lips, just the perfect sweetness.”

“Hmm, your piña colada with its rum, coconut cream, and pineapple juice is so sweet and delicious on your lips too.” She got a notification on her phone and said, “Do you mind me taking this? It’s about the rentals.”

“No, go ahead.” He glanced at the lobby but the man they’d seen was gone.

“Oh wow,” she said. “Both my places are now rented through twelve months.” She showed him the listings.

“Aww, hell,” he said, frowning, amused, but at the same time,not.

“What’s wrong?” She sounded worried.

“They’re all bachelor wolves.”

She laughed out loud. “I was worried they were some of the guys you’ve been after or have taken down in the past.”

He smiled. “No, it just means I’ll have to really step up my game.”