Free Rescue in the Smokies (Durham Wolves) by Becca Jameson

sayin’.”
    “Can I take you ladies to lunch?” He’d rather be shot than have to share his mate with anyone at this point, but it couldn’t be avoided. Until the three women got it out of their systems, he was stuck waiting on them to grope each other and make sure all limbs were still intact and no one was in eminent danger of dying.
    “I’ve never been so hungry in my life.” Juliana’s shoulders sagged with relief. “Please.” She looked around and smiled.
    Sergius followed her gaze to the hole-in-the-wall diner across the street and nodded. “Jasper’s. Great burgers. Especially if you’re famished. Just a sec.” He headed over toward the sheriff who still fiddled with something in the cruiser. “Taking Juliana and her friends to lunch across the street. We’ll be back. I’m sure you need a statement.”
    “Sure. I’ll be here.”
    Serg turned, smiled at the women and spread an arm out in the direction they were headed. “After you, ladies.”
    Giggles erupted and Juliana slapped both her friends on the arm. “Stop it. You’re embarrassing me.”
    He didn’t know why. The friends of the woman he intended to spend the rest of his life with thought he hung the moon. What could be wrong with that?
    In moments, the four were seated in a booth at Jasper’s, Serg on one side with Juliana pinned against the wall, Vanessa and Charlene on the other, all gaga-eyed, tossing repeated looks in his direction. Was he that fantastic to look at?
    It’d been a while since he’d spent any amount of time in town, hanging with the locals, but he couldn’t remember anyone ever acting quite so…drooly…in his presence.
    Perhaps it was the hero factor. He’d saved their friend from certain death—in their eyes anyway.
    When the waitress came over, chomping a huge wad of gum on one side of her mouth, Sergius glanced up at her. “We’re starving.”
    “Okay. What can I get you?”
    He turned to his mate and raised an eyebrow. “Burger? I promise you’ll never have a better one.”
    “Perfect.”
    He glanced at her friends. They both nodded assent.
    “Four burgers, fries and fountain drinks.” His stomach rumbled and he wasn’t even the one who hadn’t eaten for a day.
    “Cokes?” The waitress snapped her gum and jotted down their order with a flare. As if the woman couldn’t remember the simple fare between the booth and the kitchen.
    Everyone nodded and she went back to the kitchen.
    The women jabbered all at once again. He had no idea how they knew who was talking to whom or when to respond. His brain was tired, and he just watched them and the dance of their limbs and lips as they spoke over each other, hand signals sending arms flailing in every direction.
    He set the arm closest to Juliana on her thigh and squeezed. He couldn’t stand not touching her, and he wanted her to know she was still his. Even though they were no longer lost in the woods, he wanted her. Intended to have her.
    She tensed for a moment and then relaxed into his touch, even reaching below the table for a moment to squeeze his hand with hers.
    It was all he needed. Acknowledgement that they were okay. This wasn’t over. She wouldn’t tell him to “take a hike” when they walked back outside.
    His fingers grazed her thigh while she talked to her friends, and he watched her face flush, knowing he did that to her. She angled him a look with narrowed eyes that said “watch it, buddy”, but her legs parted slightly at the same time, giving him even more access to her center. Over the scent of fried food and grilled meat, he could smell her arousal and chuckled softly to himself.
    She wanted him.
    She needed him.
    She was his and he would have her. Soon.
    Huge plates of food landed in front of them. The silence was a welcome relief when everyone dove into the juicy burgers and hot, crispy fries. It was after the lunch crowd. Not many people in the diner at this hour of the day.
    Juliana moaned around a bite and closed her eyes