I stare at the wolf that stopped at the edge of the forest and watch him turn around. Our eyes connect, and I swear it’s starting right back at me with its amber-colored ones. For a minute, everything is silent. Not even the birds are chirping outside.
Between my hand in Kade’s and the wolf’s eyes on me, a strange feeling settles in my gut. Like I finally found where I belong.
Like I found my home.
Which is a ridiculous thought to have. Montana isn’t my home, Seattle is. No matter what happens, I’m convinced I don’t belong in this corner of the world. I don’t belong in this small town where everyone hates my mother and in turn hates me.
If I thought stepping out of my mother’s shadow in Seattle is hard, doing it here is impossible.
I shake my head to get rid of these thoughts. I refuse to let my head ruin today. I’m determined to enjoy my time with Kade, no matter what’s going to happen once things go back to normal.
Suddenly, the animal’s ears pick up, and it turns around and is gone before I can blink. “That was strange,” I comment, forgetting Kade was about to ask me a question before the two wolves showed up.
“Yeah,” he agrees distractedly before he continues the drive. We don’t talk the rest of the way to town, both of us lost in thought.
Chapter Seventeen
I walk into Willow’s Café with Kade gripping my hand. I’m not sure if it’s to make a statement or prevent me from running away. The latter, a thought that enters my mind as soon as he opens the door and nearly every person inside turns to stare at us.
I might have visited the town over the past few weeks, but I avoided actual interactions with most residents—the only ones I would spend time with were Gram, Lauren, Wayne, and Lizzie. And now I hope to spend some time with Kade, though that doesn’t necessarily need to be in public.
I ignore the stares, deciding to pretend none of it exists.
Kade leads me to a table in the corner next to the floor-to-ceiling window at the front overlooking Main Street. Ever the gentleman, Kade pulls the chair out for me to sit, making sure I can sit with my back to the room. Something I appreciate since it makes ignoring the looks easier.
I look up at him and smile gratefully. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, Princess,” he whispers before he leans down and kisses me close-mouthed. An act I didn’t expect which catches me off guard—just like everyone else in the café—if the shocked collective gasp is any indication. I can feel a blush creep up my neck at the public display of affection, and the fact that he just proclaimed to the whole town we slept together.
“What are you doing?” I whisper with vehemence while he takes his own seat.
I don’t get an answer, instead he smirks at me and lifts one shoulder. As if to say ‘what’s done is done.’ My controlling nature doesn’t like this, but he’s right, there’s nothing I can do. I narrow my eyes at him and grab the menu on the table.
I skim the breakfast section. My nutritionist would have a heart attack at the selection in front of me, nothing about it is healthy in the slightest. Not that I care. If anything, all the sex these past twenty-four hours burned a lot of calories.
I’ve just decided on a stack of pancakes with strawberries, blueberries, and maple syrup when a bubbly blonde quite literally bounces up to us. She barely glances at me, her eyes locked on Kade.
“Hi, Kade. How are you, sweetie?” As soon as I hear her tone of voice, I have to bite my lip to prevent from bursting out laughing. I don’t know why some women think a high-pitched voice that borders on being child-like is sexy and will capture the attention of a man. And yet, here I sit, watching this girl try her hardest to entice Kade, all the while completely ignoring my presence.
I can’t even fault her for it, as he looks downright delicious this morning in his skintight, dark blue shirt with a light blue, jean shirt thrown over top and his jeans that meld perfectly to his thighs and ass. He’s sexy as hell with his tousled hair and striking blue-gray eyes.
Unfortunately for her, those mesmerizing eyes of his are locked on me. Watching my every move. “I’m great. Thanks, Amber. How are you?”
I tear my eyes away from his, the morbid curiosity swirling inside of me getting the best of me, and they collide with moss green ones shooting daggers at me. I press my lips together and raise my eyebrows in a silent, ‘What do you want from me?’ It’s not like I can control Kade, despite how much I might want to in certain situations.
I don’t look away, refusing to break first. I’ve never liked women like her. She’s just like Destiny, blaming everyone but themselves when they don’t get what they want, instead of looking at their own behavior. It’s why Destiny keeps telling everyone I cheat whenever I beat her instead of looking at her own technique. Her horse is good enough to beat me and Whisky, with the right rider. But she’s so focused on all the wrong things during the competition, and probably life, she misses the cues her horse is giving her. Or maybe she ignores them on purpose.
I long ago learned to ignore their jabs, outright engagement in their childish antics doesn’t help. But sometimes, when they throw their issues into your face you have to stand up for yourself.
I stop pressing my lips together and instead give her my most disarming smile. “Hi, I’m Montana.” I watch her eyes narrow in contempt. I’m not sure
