Ready & Willing

by Selena Blake

Part Eight

Kaden strode up to Ava’s door, still wondering how he’d been out maneuvered. She wasn’t like most women he knew. If you told them they’d be hours from the nearest mall, nail salon and Starbucks, they’d have been outta there.

No, she was different alright. She was determined, persistent. And while he was used to the tenaciousness that most shewolves exhibited when it came to things like sex, he wasn’t used to waging war with a woman.

Ava wanted to look good in front of her father, but that was no surprise. For as long as he’d known her, she’d been trying to win Phillip’s approval.

Not two seconds after he’d knocked did she open the door. Her delicious scent swirled around him and he once again noticed how lovely her eyes were. But then he let his gaze drop to the delicate plaid shirt hugging her breasts. Pearlescent buttons strained to hold her cleavage in check.

Okay, so it wasn’t that tight, in the scheme of things, but it was certainly revealing enough to give him all sorts of naughty ideas. Especially the little V that revealed the swell of her breasts – dear God – it made him swallow.

Knowing he was oogling her and would likely get caught doing so, he continued his evaluation. It wasn’t that her shorts were that short. No. It was the way they molded to her thighs.

“Glad you could make it,” she murmured in that pleased yet slightly sarcastic way she had. Very briefly, he noticed the overnight bag behind her.

 Please don’t turn—

Around…the thought died as she turned and picked up the duffle bag, giving him a fine view of her backside. The way the denim hugged those twin globes of perfection... Fuck. He was royally screwed. So much for telling himself to keep his mind on the job at hand. Even his thoughts were disgustingly poetic.

As if to piss him off even more, she wore cowboy – cowgirl? – boots. Heaven help him. There would be no rest for him on this trip. He’d be slinging sick cowboys off her left and right…not to mention the aching hard-on in his jeans. He gave a few more mental curses for good measure.

Wordlessly, he took the bag from her, and headed back to his truck. He heard the lock click behind him as he hoisted her gear into the truck bed. Yet another difference to catalog. She traveled light.

“Rick and the other guys are already on the way,” he told her as she approached. As much as he tried not to notice the little details about her, he couldn’t help but appreciate the way her hair shimmered in the morning sunlight. Averting his gaze, he glanced over at her sports car. Not red, like he would have expected. No, he’d been surprised when she’d chosen a blue green color that reminded him of the ocean behind her father’s house. Not that he’d ever mention that.

“Excellent. We can stop by a grocery store on the way.”

He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the driver’s door. “Why?”

“So I can get ingredients for dinner,” she said, as though it were obvious.

He was quickly coming to realize that nothing was obvious where Ana Garnier was concerned. From a distance he’d thought he had her all figured out. Like one of those photographs that was actually made up of hundreds or thousands of smaller photographs. You didn’t really see the full picture until you looked closer…at the details.

“You cook?” That was news to him.

She made a sound somewhere between a sigh and a laugh. Then the corner of her luscious mouth turned up in a way he was starting to find irresistible. She probably did it on purpose…

“You’ll just have to wait and see.”

She circled the truck and he was right behind her. Something in her eyes said she was out to cause trouble. Hell, she could be dressed in a paper sack and she’d still be a distraction. He didn’t have time for distractions.

“You don’t have to do this. I’ll tell your dad that something more important came up.”

She pursed her lips for a moment as she stared up at him. Why did he feel like he’d just kicked a puppy?

“If you don’t want to ride with me, just say so, Kaden. I can take my car.”

He looked over at the convertible. Such a guy magnet. On one hand, he didn’t want to spend time alone with her.

Liar.

On the other, he didn’t want her to be able to drive into a ditch or get herself into some other sort of trouble.  Phillip would kick his ass.

“Just get in the truck.”

Eyebrow raised in censure, she opened the passenger door. He was prepared to give her a boost, no matter the cost to his libido, but with effortless grace she hopped up onto the step and swung herself into the cab. The click of her seatbelt was like the final nail in the coffin. They were stuck together. For better or worse.

★ ★ ★

Also By Selena Blake

About Selena

An action movie buff with a penchant for all things supernatural and sexy, Selena Blake combines her love for adventure, travel and romance into steamy paranormal romance. Selena’s books have been called “a steamy escape” and  have appeared on bestseller lists,  been nominated for awards, and won contests.  When she’s not writing you can find her by the pool soaking up some sun, day dreaming about new characters, and watching the cabana boy (aka her muse), Derek. Fan mail keeps her going when the diet soda wears off so write to her at selenablake@gmail.com. Visit her online at http://selena-blake.com or become a friend at http://www.facebook.com/authorSelenaBlake

Copyright 2011 Selena Blake