A Wolf's Heart (Harlequin Nocturne) (9 page)

Chapter 12

T
he two-hour drive to Elise’s country cottage was a long, agonizing test of patience. Thank technology for the blessed triumph of the iPhone. While Gabriel drove, Elise checked email, read a few magazines electronically and caught up on the latest industry gossip.

She hadn’t had time to do any of that lately, so she appreciated the moments she got to indulge, even if it was spent in a vehicle with a brooding sangloup who refused to speak more than four sentences to her.
“Do you need to use the facilities?”
was at the top of that list.

The moment Gabriel turned into the dirt lane leading up to her cottage, Elise felt better, as if a huge load of rocks had been lifted from her shoulders. Smiling, she gazed out the window as he rolled the car up the tree-lined driveway to the house. When the quaint cottage came into view, she sighed happily.

She’d recently bought the place, and had only spent a week here, but that week had been heavenly. She’d puttered around the house, tended the garden and gone for many long runs through the neighboring forest. It had been the most relaxed she’d been in years. And now she was back in hopes of finding that same sense of peace.

Glancing at Gabriel, she didn’t think that was going to be quite as achievable as before.

Once the car was stopped, she pushed open her door and stepped out. Taking in a deep breath of crisp clean air, she said, “Now, isn’t this a piece of heaven?”

Gabriel was out of the car and looking around. He nodded. “It’s nice.”

Nice?
Leave it to Gabriel to make the biggest understatement of the year. “It’s more than nice. It’s absolutely a picture of perfection.”

He was busy at the back of the vehicle, taking out her bags—she’d brought three—and his measly pack. He shut the trunk and, carrying all the bags, he started for the front door. He pushed open the wooden gate that fenced in the front lawn and flower garden with his foot. “Reminds me of Bebe’s place.”

Elise halted on the stone path to the house and put her hand on her hip, really looking at the cottage. Bebe had been her grandmother. She and Gabriel had spent a lot of time together at her small cottage just outside the commune of Rodez, in the south of France, where both she and Gabriel grew up.

Because of their families’ feuding, they didn’t get many chances to be alone together. Bebe had offered them a sanctuary to explore their blossoming love. She’d never bought into the fight between the Leroys and the Bellmontes. She’d thought it a load of old-world bunk. She’d been right, of course. Bebe had been right about a lot of things.

Elise still missed her. Especially on days like these. She’d been dead going on ten years now, but Elise could still remember the scent on her skin and the delectable smells of home-baked biscuits cooling on the windowsill freshly made for her and Gabriel’s weekly visits.

Shaking off the maudlin feeling from the memories, Elise stepped through the open front door and into the main living room of the cottage. The light through the floor-to-ceiling windows flooded the room, making her smile. That was one of the features that had made her buy the place—the glorious light in all parts of the house. Shadows found it hard to hide in her cottage.

“Where do your bags go?” Gabriel asked from the huge country kitchen that the living room opened up into.

“This way.” She motioned toward the hallway off the kitchen. She walked down it, Gabriel following her to the two bedrooms that dominated the other half of the cottage.

She walked into the main bedroom, which never failed to put a little skip in her belly. She loved this room. It was open and airy and had its own patio, which curved around the backyard and garden. She stepped to the double glass doors and threw them open, taking in a deep gulp of floral-scented air.

She turned around just as Gabriel set her bags down near the big canopied bed. “Your room is next door. It has its own bathroom, as well.”

He nodded and then disappeared into the next room. Elise turned back to the open glass doors and stepped out onto the wooden patio. She glanced at the well-stocked garden and flexed her hands. She was itching to get in there and reap the rewards. She had her grounds tended to while she was gone, but this morning she had Lily call the people and tell them that their services were not needed this week. Elise planned to do the work herself.

Turning, she walked back into the bedroom, through it and peered around the corner into the other room. Gabriel was standing at the huge window staring out into the surrounding woods. He turned to meet her gaze.

There was an odd look on his face. One of longing, she supposed. She wondered how long it had been since he’d been out of the city and able to run through the trees unhindered by anything other than the brambles catching at his fur.

“We can go for a run tonight, if you like. There’s a stream not far from here. The water’s a bit cool but on a warm summer evening, it’s refreshing.”

He half smiled. “Sounds good. I can’t remember the last time I went for a country run.”

“Well, it’s time you did. I’m going to put my things away, then I think we should pop into the village and grab some groceries. We don’t need vegetables. I can get them from the garden, but some meat and fresh bread. We can eat out on the patio.”

“You can cook?” he asked, just a hint of humor in his voice.

She snorted. “Of course I can. Bebe taught me everything she knew before she passed on.”

“Well, then it should be a great meal.”

“You bet it will be.” She bounced around on the balls of her feet, feeling lighter and freer than she had in years. “I won’t be long. I’ll meet you in the living room when I’m done.”

Without waiting she returned to her room and tossed her first bag onto the bed to unpack. She unzipped it and drew out a pair of shorts. It was the perfect thing to wear on such a beautiful day. She could almost forget about the awful things that had happened in the past few days. It was as if it had never happened and she was here on a holiday to rest her mind, body and soul.

But she heard Gabriel moving around in the next room and knew that he wasn’t here on a vacation. He was only here with her to keep an eye on her, to protect her from someone who wanted to harm her. Her little fantasy vaporized in a moment, and she walked over to the large four-tier dresser, opened one of the drawers and shoved her shorts into them.

Maybe tomorrow would be a better day to wear them.

Chapter 13

A
fter putting things away in their respective rooms, the two of them drove into the village near the cottage and stopped at the only store that had groceries.

It was a quaint little shop that sold homemade jams, candles and other goodies. There was a homey apple-pie smell in the place and Gabriel admitted he’d taken in a few greedy gulps of it. It reminded him of the small town he’d been raised in.

And he found when he watched her now, strolling through the aisles of the shop setting various things into the basket she carried on her arm, he could still see the wide-eyed innocent child she’d been. So full of life and questions and wonder about the world. She was only a few years younger than him, but when she was a child, sometimes she seemed so much younger. He’d always felt protective of her. Even before he developed romantic feelings for her as she’d blossomed into a beautiful woman.

She smiled at him over the shelf with the little figurines made out of river rocks. He returned her smile, the first sense of relaxation starting to settle in. He rolled his shoulders and tried to let it fill him completely. It would be nice to lighten up for a little bit. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d had a holiday.

Elise bought some meat, including a couple of thick, juicy T-bone steaks, a loaf of whole-grain bread baked that day, fruit, and a few tasty pastries. Not many people knew he had a sweet tooth, but Elise did. After he thanked her for the pastries, they put the things in the back of the vehicle.

“Could we walk for a bit before we head back?” Elise gestured to the old-fashioned cobblestone street that ran down the middle of the hamlet.

“Sure.”

They strolled down the street together, near each other but not quite touching. Every store window they passed, Elise had to look in. When she saw something she liked, she’d point to it. He didn’t comment, just nodded his head.

The hamlet was nice, the street quiet. The few people who passed them on the sidewalk would smile and say
“Bonjour,”
as they walked on by. No one stopped to stare at Elise or ask for her autograph or take a picture. She must’ve been in her glory just being a regular person, doing a regular thing like window-shopping with a friend.

“It’s beautiful here,” she said.

He nodded. “Yeah, it’s peaceful. I imagine not much happens here.”

She smiled. “Hmm, wouldn’t that be great. To live in a place where not much happens.” She laughed.

He laughed, too. “Sure would.”

“I think we’ve both had enough of stuff happening to fill ten lifetimes.”

“I reckon so.”

She wrapped her hands around his arm. His first instinct would’ve been to pull away, but he didn’t. He liked that she touched him. He liked strolling down the street with her, with nowhere to go, nothing to do. And no one bothering them.

“When I retire, this is where I’m going to live.”

He glanced at her, a bit surprised. “Are you thinking of retiring from acting?”

She nodded. “I think about it all the time. More in the past couple of years. I’m tired, Gabriel. I want to do something else now with my life.”

“I thought you enjoyed it.”

“I do. I love it. My muse loves it. But it’s time to move on. I want something else in my life now. I want the things that I’ve been missing.” She looked at him. “Don’t you?”

He didn’t answer, but it was in his mind the whole time they walked back to the vehicle and returned to the cottage. He did want the things he’d been missing. A house, a yard, a woman he could love for the rest of his days. Over the years, these things had crossed his mind, but never more so than in the past few days.

* * *

Gabriel watched from the kitchen patio as Elise tilled in the garden. After retuning to the cottage, they’d put the groceries away and Elise had changed her clothes and wandered out into the yard. She was pulling up the carrots and onions that she was planning to cook for dinner.

He liked watching her, especially when she didn’t know it. She was so insanely lovely, it was impossible to keep his eyes off her. She was like a golden angel floating around on the ground. Her every movement seemed effortless. All of those things about her made her into the star she was.

And into the woman he’d always longed for.

Carrying the vegetables into the house, Elise passed him on the patio. “I’m going to make the salad while you fire up the grill.” She nodded toward the long stainless-steel grill situated at the end of the patio.

Resigned, he moved toward the piece of equipment and started it up. He guessed it wouldn’t hurt anything if he played along. They were in the beautiful countryside and it was a gorgeous evening. He wouldn’t be neglecting his job if he relaxed a little and enjoyed the evening. He was hungry and he was curious to taste Elise’s cooking.

An hour later, they were sitting out on the deck eating. Gabriel had grilled the steaks and Elise had made the rest. And he had to admit he couldn’t remember the last time he’d enjoyed a meal more.

They’d talked about old times, but not about their relationship, just about mutual friends and their respective family members. It was nice to catch up on Elise’s family. He remembered her mother. She’d been nice to him and kind. Elise also had a younger sister, Yvette, whom he’d liked. Elise told him Yvette had moved to Spain and was a painter. She’d married and had children. Elise had two nephews whom she adored.

“What about your parents? Are they still in the same old house?”

He nodded. “I get letters from my mother. She’s well.”

“And your father?”

“He died a few years back.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.” She reached across the table and gripped his hand. “I didn’t know.”

“It’s all right. We never did get along. He’d always been a bastard. My brother, Antoine, plans to take over the land and house.”

“He married?”

She pulled her hand away, and he was intensely aware of the loss of heat over his skin.

“Yeah, a lycan. They have four children already. Two sets of twins.”

Elise’s eyes went wide and she laughed. “Wow, I can’t imagine little Antoine married with four babies to look after.”

He laughed, too. “I know. It’s a miracle to me that the oldest are already five.”

“Do you see them often?”

He shook his head. “Not often enough.”

She rested her head on her hand and regarded him curiously. “I can picture you with them. Uncle Gabriel. You probably spoil them rotten.”

“Maybe.” But he smiled. He did spoil his nephews and nieces. He brought them sweets and presents every time he visited.

She dropped her hand and placed it in her lap. She fidgeted with her napkin. “And you? You never came close to getting married and having your own children?”

He kept her gaze for a moment, seeing the emotion in the dark green. The attack on Elise had rendered her infertile. She could never give birth to children. He’d always wondered if she thought that had been one of the reasons he’d left.

“No. Never even close.”

She gave him a half smile then stood. She started to gather the plates from the table. “I’ll toss these in the sink. Then we can go for that run. I think we both need one.”

Gabriel stood and helped her carry the dirty dishes into the kitchen. When that was done, they walked out through the patio doors, across the lawn and into the woods without any words. They didn’t need any. Not now.

Once they were just inside the copse of trees, Gabriel started to undress. He took off his shirt, folded it and set it on the ground, then shed his pants, folding those, as well.

“I see you still fold your clothes.”

He turned to look at Elise. She was breathtakingly naked and her clothes were strewn about as if she’d tossed them here and there. Which she most likely had. It was hard to look at her without desire. He wanted her—he couldn’t deny that—and fighting it was proving to be more difficult by the second.

He averted his gaze. “An old habit,” he said as he pulled down his boxers and folded them on top of his pants.

When he was completely naked, he fell to all fours to transform. Elise did the same. And as their gazes met, they both started the shift.

It was a painful thing to shift. Bones snapped and elongated and changed. Skin pulled and twisted. Coarse hair popped through too-small skin pores. The jaw and head were always the worst. Sometimes it felt like railway spikes were being pounded into the skull, and teeth were being pulled with a set of pliers.

But thankfully it was quick.

Five minutes later they were both in their wolf forms. Gabriel stretched out his legs, all four of them, and snorted through his nostrils. Then he lifted his head and inhaled the new scents that permeated the clean, crisp air. Mosses and leaves and mold, and the fresh trail of a chipmunk. But it was
her
scent that filled him to bursting.

He turned to look for her, but she was already on the move. She glanced over at him and huffed two times then continued through the trees. She wanted him to chase her. It was a game they’d played before. As a wolf, he was always up for games, reveled in them. It was as a man that he didn’t allow himself to indulge.

So the chase was on.

They ran through the woods, jumping over fallen logs and zigzagging through thick underbrush. Periodically, Gabriel overtook her, but then moments later he would fall back and let her take the lead. Back and forth they went like that until they reached the shallow stream in the small clearing. It was then that Gabriel made his move.

As Elise bent down to lap at the water, he leaped toward her. Swiping at her body, he took her down and they both went tumbling sideways into the cool water. She yelped as they went under and tried to turn to nip at his hind legs. But he held her down by the sheer force of his weight.

She struggled beneath him, and then finally got her jaws around his muzzle. She bit down and it hurt. Gabriel got the message and jumped up, releasing his hold on her. He guessed the game was over.

After a good shake to get the water off, Elise bounded back into the trees. Gabriel followed her, giving her room but also keeping an eye on her. Even as a wolf, maybe more so, his protective nature took over. He’d never let anything harm Elise. If any other animal, human or otherwise, threatened her in any way, he’d attack. Without a second thought.

Whether it was official or not, and no matter what had happened to them in the past or would happen to them in the future, Elise belonged to him. He’d claimed her many years ago. And just because time had passed didn’t make it less so.

Elise made it to the edge of the wood where they had left their clothing. Huffing once then twice, as was her way, she crouched down preparing to shift back to human.

That was when Gabriel caught a new scent. A scent that hadn’t been there before. It was strong and offensive to his nose.