Free Werewolves of Forever 06 - Wild Lust by authors_sort Page A

Anderson Holms, one of the Holms cousins.”

Chapter Five
    Charlie didn’t want to believe her ears. “Anderson Holms is your partner?”
    Blane turned off the gas under the pot of pasta. “Yeah. Is that a problem?”
    Shaken, she knocked the bottle over, spilling some of the remaining wine. “And you know my sister lives with him? With him and his cousin Daniel?”
    He snatched up the sponge lying next to the sink and wiped up the spill. “This is a small town. People know a lot about their neighbors. What’s the problem? Are you all right? You went a little pale.”
    “Do you know much about them? The Holms cousins, I mean?”
    He handed her glass of wine then took a sip from his. “As much as I need to know. I see them and your sister around town, and they drop into the bar like most everyone around here does.”
    “Do you know what they are?” She took a sip, hoping to steady her nerves.
    “I’m not sure what you mean. I know they’re good, honest guys. Daniel sometimes free-lances with architectural gigs, leaving Anderson to handle a lot of the ranch’s business along with his part in the bar.”
    “That’s all?”
    “What more is there?” He turned back to the pot on the stove and drained the water by pouring the pasta into a colander. After running hot water over the noodles, he grabbed two forks and piled the food onto the plates she’d found.
    “Nothing. It’s just that it happened so fast. One day she’s single, and a couple of days later, she’s living with not just one but both men.”
    “Is that the problem? That she’s living with two men?”
    “No, it’s not that. Shannon and I have had threesomes. Not relationships with three people, but I don’t think it’s a bad thing. If the right people are involved.”
    He turned, his gaze glittering with curiosity. “Yeah?”
    She wasn’t the type to blush, but the warmth spread through her cheeks anyway. “Okay, I didn’t mean to say all that, and I’m not going to say anything more except to clarify that we were never together in any threesome.”
    “Damn. Way to break a man’s fantasy to hell and back.”
    She took a sip to cover her smile.
    He poured the sauce into a bowl then set it into the microwave to heat up. “I have to say that every time I’ve seen her she seems happy.” Bringing the warm sauce back to the counter, he pulled up the other barstool and sat next to her.
    “Go on. Chow down. I promise next time I’ll plan a better dinner for you. One made from scratch, like it should be done.”
    She nodded, unsure how to continue the conversation. Should she ask him straight out if he knew the Holms cousins were werewolves? But her nerve failed her. Instead, she twirled the spaghetti around her fork and took a bite.
    “Charlie, let’s clear the air, okay? I promised I’d tell you why Reese and I were keeping watch on you.” He zeroed in on her. “We heard what happened the last time you were in town.”
    She swallowed hard. “Exactly what did you hear?”
    “We heard how your sister wanted to kill Deacon Slater and how you came into the picture at the last moment and stopped her.”
    If her jaw had dropped, she wouldn’t have been surprised. “I didn’t stop her from killing Deacon. I just wanted to get us out of there.”
    “Anderson and Daniel said you tried to get Shannon to leave with you.”
    She studied his face, trying to decipher his expression. He appeared open, unguarded, and truthful. Did he know Deacon Slater was a vampire? “She wouldn’t go with me even when I tried to drag her away.”
    He set down his glass, his expression growing more serious. “And that’s why we were watching you. Around here, we tend to take care of each other. So when the Holms boys heard you’d come back but hadn’t contacted Shannon to say you were in town, they got a little nervous. I guess they were worried you’d try and snatch Shannon away like people do to loved ones that have joined a cult.”
    “I’m not