Fierce

“Hey, there,” Clint said. “I’m guessing you’re not Charlie Banbrook.”
She offered him a small smile and tucked her shoulder length hair behind an ear. It was dark brown and smooth, hanging in long layers around her face. My fingers itched to touch it.
What the fuck was wrong with me?
Human. She was a fucking human. Sure, I’d fucked humans before. My dick had gotten hard for them. But not like this. Clearly, it had been too fucking long since I’d gotten off with more than my hand.
“Actually, I am Charlie Banbrook. It’s short for Charlotte.” Her voice was husky, deep, but held a nervous catch.
Clint tipped his head back and laughed. I stared because it was so new to all of us... that sound. “I’m Clint Tucker. I spoke with your boss on the phone.”
“Right. Yes. Nice to meet you,” she replied.
“This is Boyd Wolf, his wife Audrey and their little girl, Lizzie.”
Boyd took off his hat and ma’am-ed her.
“Another woman on the ranch. Finally,” Audrey said. Since Boyd had found his mate in Audrey, the other guys had been dropping like flies. One after the other, each had found a mate, and the sexes on the ranch had been evening out. Especially with two new babies, both female.
“Thanks for having me here at your ranch,” she offered politely. Hell if she wasn’t a proper thing.
“Well now,” Boyd said with his usual swagger. “This is my family’s land, but my brother, Rob, runs the place. He’s in Billings right now, so you’ll meet him later.”
“This is Johnny and Levi,” Clint offered as an introduction.
We stepped her way.
I took off my hat, nodded. Took a sniff even though my nose wasn’t as attuned to scent as a full shifter’s. It was annoying as hell, and it made me feel defective. At least I had exceptional shifter hearing. I hadn’t been screwed over with that.
After offering Johnny a small smile, then turning her gaze finally on me, her eyes widened. I felt as if I’d been kicked in the chest by a horse. My wolf instantly rose. Howled. Pushed me toward her. Yeah, he thought she was hot, too. Definitely fuckable.
Her eyes narrowed when I moved in close. Too close for a stranger.
She took a small step back.
“Nice to meet you, Charlie.” I clasped her hand in mine and energy ran all the way up my arm. A shock of desire. I immediately released her and stepped back, running the affected hand over the back of my neck to alleviate the sensation.
“Well, now that we know you’re Charlie but not Charlie, we’ll get you set up in the main house,” Clint said. “I don’t think the bunk house will suit.”
“I can just stay at a hotel.” I couldn’t miss the stiffness in her voice.
“Town’s twenty miles away. Not all that convenient,” Boyd said doubtfully.
Audrey pushed her glasses up her nose and nodded. “Rob and Willow won’t mind you staying at the big house.”
“I don’t want to put anyone out,” she said, breaking her gaze from mine and looking to Audrey. “Whatever you originally planned is fine.”
“She’ll stay in the bunkhouse.” I spoke before I even knew I meant to. I usually deferred decisions to Rob or Colton or Boyd, but if I was going to be spending two weeks with a gorgeous female, I wanted her nearby. All my crankiness about sharing a roof with a human was out the window. I’d figured Charlie would be a guy and annoying at that, not a dick-hardening, fuckable woman. This definitely wasn’t a bad idea after all.
Clint chuckled. “The bunkhouse is nice and all, but not really meant for ladies. Shared bathroom and all.”
“Like I said—”
“She’s staying in the bunkhouse,” I insisted, cutting her off and meeting her gaze once more. Holding it. “I’ll make sure she’s comfortable.”
She stared at me but spoke to Clint. “Sounds like this could be difficult. I’ll get a hotel room.”
Difficult? The only thing that would be difficult would be fitting my hard dick in my pants with her around. I was like an aroused stallion with a mare in heat.
“You’ll stay in the bunkhouse,” I repeated. “Come on, I’ll get your bag.”
Her back straightened at my deep tone. I knew it sounded rough, but I couldn’t help it.
“Levi, right? I’ve made things awkward. You all had planned for a man, and then there’s me.” She set her hand by her neck, and I couldn’t miss her short fingernails. Manicured with a pale pink color.
Yeah, I hadn’t planned for her. I’d planned on some asshole human male who was going to cramp my style for two weeks. Not a beautiful human vet. And very female.
“Levi, maybe it would be better if she stayed with Rob and Willow,” Clint warned.
I wanted to throat punch him. I whipped my head toward Clint and made sure he could see the way I narrowed my eyes.
“I’ll stay in the motel,” she said. “Sounds like that will be easiest.” She was clearly uptight, and I’d made her uncomfortable. Hell, she was like a skittish mare.
I needed to treat her like I treated any nervous filly. I forced myself to relax and stepped forward, loose-limbed and friendly. I gave her my most charming smile—straight out of the Boyd Wolf player’s playbook—before he met Audrey, of course. “Definitely not. You’re staying in the bunkhouse. With me.”
In my bed, preferably.