Page 2 of Wolfish Heart (Billionaires of Wolfe Mountain #1)

ZOE

W hen the breathtaking stranger mentions his name, something goes ding-ding-ding in my head.

I’m sure I’ve heard a few murmurs at the coffee shop about the Wolfe family – just minor things in passing, like how Josh Wolfe was going to examine a few trees on someone’s property, and somebody else was meeting Carver Wolfe at a poker game.

I guess his family is well-known, at least around here.

As I gaze up into Kaden’s deep brown eyes, there’s a flicker in the pit of my stomach, quickly followed by a zip of electricity up my spine, like when he was stroking my back just before.

There is definitely a strong physical connection between us.

Which is odd, honestly. I’m used to men staring at my boobs when I wear anything other than a baggy hoodie or a potato sack.

They’re like dogs drooling as the food dish is being filled.

I don’t even think about it much anymore, although my skin generally crawls at the unwanted attention.

With Kaden, though, it feels completely different. He’s not staring at my chest, but at my eyes. Almost as if… I’m not sure. As if he’s trying to draw me in, maybe?

In that brief moment, pressed close against him with his solid, muscular arms around me, I felt as if his warmth was something I’d been missing my entire life. Plus, he’s gorgeous – at least six foot three, thick dark hair, a scruff of beard, and a lumberjack’s physique.

Kaden chuckles softly. “Yes, like the mountain. My great-grandfather Adler named it when they were blasting through the pass to put in a road, and beginning to settle the area.”

“Wow! So your family is seriously old school.”

His eyes practically glow. “I guess you could say that.”

I wonder if such a long history in the area brings with it certain expectations. I definitely know a thing or two about attempting to live up to those. But there’s no way his family is as pointed about it as my meticulous mother.

He looks around for a moment, then back at me. “So, you’re new in town?”

“Yeah,” I sigh. I go to set my backpack on the ground, but Kaden swings it onto his shoulder for me.

“Whoa. Pretty heavy. Carrying around your family of pet rocks?”

“ Ha! No. It’s my camera, and some other equipment. I’ve been trying to find an office space where I can set up and shoot some videos for my mom’s company, but so far nobody has anything to rent short term.”

I don’t mention that I’m the one who, in a moment of possible insanity, suggested that I could give it a shot so Mom wouldn’t have to spend thousands on a professional.

Plus, since between our shared last name and distinctive eyes it’s clear that I’m her daughter, I thought it might give her company a wholesome family kind of vibe.

Kaden frowns. “How long do you need the space?”

“About a month and a half, I guess? I’m honestly not sure.”

“What kind of office?”

“Oh, any plain office setting would do. Decent light. A desk. They’re tutorial videos, so I don’t need it to look fancy. There’s just not an inch to spare at my cousin’s, where I’m staying right now.”

His smile is slow and hypnotic, drawing my attention to his mouth. I’ve never stared at a man’s lips like this before, it’s crazy. “Pretty sure I’ve got the perfect space. Want to come see it right now?”

Now, normally I wouldn’t take off with some guy I just met on the street. Yet the way people passing by nod to him as if he were the mayor or something – crap, is he the mayor? – tells me that he’s well respected.

Still, I hold up a finger and pull out my phone to text my cousin.

Hey – do you know Kaden Wolfe? Is he trustworthy?

I must have caught him on a break, since he replies immediately.

Henry: 100%. His whole family is solid. Why?

I’ll explain later. Thanks.

I grin up at Kaden. “No offence, I just had to check you out first.” He flashes a faint, incredulous smile. “What?”

A deep chuckle. “Nothing. It’s fine. I’ve just…never had a security check run on me before.”

I love the way he guides me down the street to his huge pickup truck by gently taking my elbow. And the way he holds my hand as I climb in sends shivers right through me. The guy is so sexy that even the smallest touch makes me hyper-aware of both our bodies.

It’s only a short drive to the edge of town, then he turns onto a side road.

After a moment, I realize it’s actually his private driveway.

The house that appears from around the curve literally takes my breath away when I see it.

It’s the perfect blend of old-world cottage and modern, with massive windows.

As we park in front of the enormous oak door, I do some quick math. Three-car garage. With the number of upstairs windows, there must be at least four or five bedrooms. And given the depth of the house, the living or family room has to be gigantic.

“So… You live here with your family?” I venture.

He rushes around to my side of the truck, taking my hand and helping me down. For one brief, delicious second, his palm skims my waist, then down to my hip. “Nope. Just me.”

Kaden takes me inside, nonchalantly strolling past a vast farmhouse kitchen with top-of-the-line appliances I’ve only seen on decorator websites.

“Here’s the space…” He steps into a huge home office, wrapped in windows on two sides, one of which looks onto a back deck. “I haven’t spent a lot of time in this office, but when I do, I’m working flat out. So I haven’t been able to really set it up properly, you know what I mean?”

I look at the three desks and five chairs jammed into the corner. They give the room serious “defunct office furniture showroom” vibes.

“I guess so. You need to arrange the furniture. Decide on what lighting you want, and whether you’d like to work facing the view or with your back to it.”

He nods, pacing for a moment while I shamelessly admire the way his worn jeans hug his firm ass and muscular thighs.

“Personally, I think I’d want to face the view,” I say. “I mean, when you’re in the middle of something boring or need to think for a moment, staring out at some trees gives you a kick of energy, right?”

He flashes me a saucy grin. “I don’t want to sound anti-progressive or anything, but women are always better at this kind of stuff.

I’m thinking if you took over the office for a few months, you’d end up arranging it in the best way.

” He points to the far wall. “I’m thinking about bookshelves there, but I can’t decide what color. ”

I scan the room again. “You want natural wood for sure. A few tones darker than these floors would create a bridge between the dark wood trim and the light oak.” I turn to examine the desks.

“There.” I point at one of them. “If the shelves are pretty much that tone, I think everything will sit nicely together.”

His warm smile lights up his deep eyes, and his rich chuckle makes the bottom of my stomach tighten.

“See? Ten seconds, and you’ve made more progress than I have in weeks. I’ve been travelling a lot the past few years, so everything’s been done piecemeal whenever I have a chunk of time. Mom helped me with some of it.”

“That explains the dish towels with the birds on them in the kitchen.”

He grins, his hand reaching out and drifting along the side of my arm for a nano-second. “Birds are actually part of our business, in a sideways way.”

Kaden takes a half step back, his head cocking to the side and locking his gaze with mine.

“I’ll make you a deal. You can use this office completely for free for the next two months.

I’ll give you a key – use the kitchen, coffeemaker, whatever you like.

I’ll leave you a credit card, too, so you can decorate this office any way you see fit. ”

He leans casually on the ugliest of the three desks. “There’s one catch. I’m leaving tomorrow, and I’m not sure when I’ll be back. Probably a week or so. When I’m gone, don’t Google me.”

I blink. “Really? Why?”

He holds out his hand, and I automatically take it. The way his thumb drifts gently across my skin makes me shiver and melt. This physical reaction is really winding me up, creating a delicious prickling tension through my core…and lower.

“I have a feeling about you, Zoe. Like this could really be something great. So I don’t want your view of me to be tainted by other people’s opinions. Ask anyone in the coffee shop, they’ll tell you I’m a good guy. But please, don’t look me up online. Deal?”

My fingers tighten around his. “I mean, it’s a pretty weird request. How about this: when you get back, you tell me whatever state secret it is that you’re hiding.” I wink at him.

He grins. “Fair enough.”

The next half hour is a blur. Kaden gets me a set of keys, digs out his spare credit card, and writes down the security codes, the phone numbers of furniture stores, and the contact details for a carpenter, Clark, who’s also a friend.

He makes sure I know how to use the coffeemaker and even shows me where to add anything I’d like for his scheduled grocery delivery tomorrow afternoon.

His laid-back manner and casual confidence are contagious. I begin to think that maybe, just maybe, I can do a good job of this project for Mom’s company.

Then we go outside, and he hands me the keys to a sporty forest-green Jeep. “I’d give you the flashy car, but some of the roads have bad potholes. The road can get extra lumpy if it rains hard on the gravel. You’re much safer in this.”

“I don’t know how to thank you,” I say in a daze, accidentally stepping a little nearer to him than I intended.

His hand slides around my waist to rest against my lower back, pulling us close. My breath hitches as he leans down, his perfect lips so close to mine. Then he gently kisses my cheek, a feather-light caress. “There’s something here, Zoe. You feel it, right?”

I’m already nodding. “Yeah.”

“I’ll see you in a couple of weeks. Good luck with your videos. I’ll text you.”

“Cool.” I look up to realize my hand is gently trailing along the scruff of his beard. “Thank you, Kaden. For everything.”

He helps me up into the seat, and I hold back a laugh at his relieved exhalation when I expertly throw it into gear.

I drive slowly and carefully back to Henry’s, my head spinning. My office problem is solved . I won’t have to pay outrageous rent and make Mom rethink this whole idea. I know that she’s expecting me to fail: she’s never trusted anyone but herself.

I’m probably transferring that energy onto me and not quite trusting that I know what I’m doing, though I really do – even if being on camera makes my spine feel itchy and my shoulders slowly clench and lock up like concrete setting.

Much more importantly, I’m going to have to find a way to control these runaway thoughts suddenly swirling in the back of my mind.

Kaden really likes me. I really like him . And if we spend any amount of time alone in that beautiful house in the forest once he gets back…

Sparks are going to fly, and my heart might explode.