Wolf at the Door - Nicole Morgan Read online

  Continuing with his scan he caught a glimpse of a photo peeking from within a file folder on her desk. The woman was a brunette with striking green eyes.

  “Whoa. Who’s this?”

  Pulling the picture from the file folder, he held it up to Gerri. “She’s gorgeous.”

  She rolled her eyes in response. “She’s difficult is what she is.”

  “Oh? How so?”

  “Well for starters, she tried to fire me. Can you believe that? Me! I’m Gerri fucking Wilder. No one fires me.”

  Nikko raised his brows and peered at her over the photo. “Why did she want to fire you?”

  “She’s one of those super sensitive, all men are jerks types. Swears that every date I set her up on was a bad match.”

  “Well?”

  “Well what?” she asked.

  “Were they bad matches?”

  “Nikko, I am Gerri Wilder. I don’t make bad matches.”

  “Right.” He tried to hide his eye roll, but she caught him anyway.

  “Knock that off. I’m serious. She just needs to have sex. All of these people get all bent out of shape all the time. If everyone would just fuck and get it over with they’d find out they have a lot more in common than they think.”

  “That’s my cousin. Always the romantic.”

  “Yeah well, it doesn’t matter anyway. She told me she wouldn’t go out on anymore dates.”

  “So she did fire you then?”

  “No.” she crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair. “Not exactly. We’re just… taking a break. You know, until she realizes that I was right and she was wrong.”

  “Yeah well, I’m gonna need you to call her.”

  “Oh? Does my cousin like what he sees?”

  “Are you kidding? She’s beautiful. What’s her name?”

  “Natalie. Natalie…” she reached over and grabbed the photo from him, flipping it around to read the back. “Natalie Renquist. But honestly, I have a ton of women who you would love to meet. Let me just –.”

  “Uh uh. I want to meet this woman.”

  Gerri sighed. “You know she was quite rude to me the last time we spoke. I wouldn’t do this for any client, but since we’re family…”

  He grinned and waited while she dialed the number.

  “It’s ringing.”

  “Good.”

  “Natalie? Hi Natalie, this is –.” Gerri clenched her jaw and set the phone back down on the receiver hook.

  “What happened?”

  “She’s umm… she’s going to call me back.”

  Laughing, he replied. “Uh huh.”

  Chapter Three

  Natalie pulled into the gas station and parked alongside the side of the building. She slid out from behind the wheel and stepped outside.

  Damn it!

  She had thought her tired looked a little low earlier that day, but now there was no denying it. Either she’d run over something or the tire had gotten damaged somehow. Barely at a drivable level she reached inside her car and rummaged through her drink holder, sorting through gum wrappers, bobby pins and coins to come up with the dollar in quarters she needed for the air machine.

  The sound of a car pulling in distracted her for a moment, but she didn’t stop to look up. A moment passed and she heard footsteps coming toward her. With her ass sticking up in the air she spun around to find a man towering over her.

  “Shit!”

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

  “Well for not trying you sure did a bang up job.”

  He stepped backward and gave her some room. “Again, I apologize. I…”

  She cocked her brow up and waited for him to finish. “Yeah?”

  “Sorry, I just –.”

  “Yeah, you said that already. Look, if you don’t mind, I’ve got to find another quarter and fill my tire.”

  “Oh, right. That’s why I came over here actually.”

  “To give me a quarter?”

  “No. Your tire. I saw it was low. I thought you might need a hand.”

  “Thanks. But, I’ve got it under control.”

  “Are you sure? I don’t mind –.”

  She held up her hand to stop him from saying another word. “Listen, thanks for offering, but, I can handle it.”

  “It really wouldn’t be any trouble.”

  For crying out loud. Seriously? First Gerri Wilder has the audacity to call her and now this guy?

  “Look –.”

  “Nikko,” he held out his hand and waited for her to take it. “Nikko Farkas.”

  “Right, Nikko. Like I was saying… I appreciate it. It’s really not necessary though. I just need to put some air in it and I’ll be on my way.”

  “Yeah, but –.”

  “No buts!” she was really starting to get annoyed by his persistence. “I’m sorry. I’m not trying to be rude. I’ve just had sort of a craptastic day and I really would just find another quarter and be on my way. So if you don’t mind?”

  To her relief, he finally nodded and took the hint. “Thank you.”

  He began to turn away and stopped. Reaching into his pocket he pulled out a quarter and tossed it in the air.

  She caught it, genuinely surprised by his kindness despite her just biting his head off. “Hey, thanks.”

  “Sure.” He shrugged. “Who knows, maybe we’ll meet again someday.”

  It wasn’t until that moment that she’d stopped being annoyed and really took a good look at him. His tall and muscular body was hard to miss. So much so that she wondered how she had done just that.

  His hair was short, blonde, and seemed to be the perfect cut for him. Being a hairdresser that was usually the first thing she noticed on people but, as we walked away she got a rather enticing look at his ass and had a new appreciation for the other end of him.

  He glanced over at her direction and she quickly fumbled with the quarters, putting them in the air machine one by one. Heat filled her cheeks as she felt his eyes on her.

  She’d been caught checking him out and now she couldn’t help but feel his eyes bearing down on her.

  She turned on the air and unscrewed the cap to her tire. Bent over she still sensed his presence. He was watching her. She could feel it as sure as she was looking right at him.

  Suddenly she was very aware of the size of her ass. She’d never had body image issues. And the truth of the matter was that she didn’t right then either. It was just remarkable, though how much one could almost feel it’s ass literally growing by the pound when it was being stared it.

  Shit. I shouldn’t have been such a bitch to him.

  Why had I been such a bitch to him?

  Oh that’s right, I’m an idiot!

  Damn it! I spent months meeting jerks and once I finally meet a nice guy I blow him off. I wonder if I could blame Gerri for this.

  Ugh.

  Gerri Wilder. Best matchmaker, my ass!

  Chapter Four

  Nikko sat in the parking lot of the supermarket, his eyes fixated on the automatic sliding doors at the entrance. He argued with Gerri relentlessly for the past two days as she kept insisting he go out with these women from her agency.

  It’s not that he was trying to be difficult. He had come to town in hopes that he could find what his mother had so desperately wanted for him, and what he had promised her. He knew very well that if anyone was going to have any luck setting him up it would be his cousin, Gerri.

  His mind fought him anyway. Regardless of Gerri’s success rate in the matchmaking department, he couldn’t seem to get Natalie Renquist out of his mind. Then when he had been driving to his hotel that same night and realized it was her that he’d stopped to help, it just shook him.

  For years his mother had nagged him, speaking of the laws of fate which had thrown her and his father together no matter what they did. After hearing the story so long he always thought it to be nothing more than the ramblings of a sentimental woman who missed her husband.

&
nbsp; There was something about Natalie though. Her beauty was striking, and her eyes were damn near mesmerizing. Still it wasn’t until the moment he came face to face with her that he felt his body pulse with need.

  For the past two days he’d taken creepy to an all new level. After leaving the gas station that night he’d parked a ways away and turned off his headlights, waiting for her to pass by. Then, keeping a safe distance back, he made followed her home.

  At first he’d convinced himself that he’d been doing it for her safety and concern for her making it home without being stranded with a flat tire. He’d fallen for his excuse too. Hook line and sinker.

  Then came the next morning when he woke up with an erection that hurt like hell. In pain and agony he’d gotten in the hot shower and jacked off as images of her danced through his mind.

  The release should have cured his fascination, at least for longer than five minutes anyway. But, here he sat on day two, stalking her like a damn predator, sporting a hard on that he couldn’t seem to keep at bay no matter what relief he provided himself.

  The entrance doors opened and out she walked. Her long hair was pulled up into a pony tail and swayed from side to side as she carried her bag of groceries to her car.

  He just stared at her as she made her way across the parking lot. He wondered so many things about her. Things his stubborn ass cousin refused to tell him.

  Suddenly she stopped and turned her head in his direction.

  Fuck! She saw me!

  His balls hurt. His dick leaked. He wanted nothing more than to bury himself into her. And here she was walking straight to him.

  Chapter Five

  Natalie thought she had seen him. So when she stepped out of the store and her suspicions were confirmed she hadn’t been that surprised.

  She didn’t run. Quite the opposite in fact, she took long and determined strides toward Nikko’s car, not taking her eyes off of him for a second. The night he’d offered his helping hand and a quarter in her time of need, she was certain would be the last she’d see of him. Her rudeness had almost certainly guaranteed that. Or so she thought.

  Later that same night she’d gotten the feeling that she was being watched. Call it a sixth sense or a woman’s intuition. Whatever it was, it had prompted her to turned off her lights to grab a peek. Looking out into the darkness she saw nothing though and eventually wrote it off to her overactive imagination.

  Then yesterday she was sure she’d seen him when she’d gone to the bank, and then again later when she took her dry cleaning in.

  Seeing him there in the parking lot of the supermarket no longer seemed like a coincidence.

  She’d never been one to be too egocentric, but even she had to acknowledge the probability that these instances were anything but chance.

  Knocking on his window she waited for him to roll it down. He looked surprised, and oddly uncomfortable compared to the helpful demeanor he’d displayed two nights earlier.

  “Hi.”

  “Hi, Nikko right?”

  “Yes. You’re the woman from the gas station.”

  She didn’t answer right away, her eyes had betrayed her and snuck a peek at those jeans she’d admired from a distance before, offering her a surprising peek into what was hidden beneath the zipper.

  “Huh?” she stumbled for a moment, trying to ignore her body’s reaction. “Oh yeah. I’m Natalie. Natalie Renquist.”

  “Well,” he held his hand out the window. “It’s nice to meet you, Natalie.”

  “Thanks, you too. It’s Nikko, right?”

  “Yeah. Nikko Farkas”

  They both looked at one another. An awkward silence looming over them while she stood outside her car, trying to remember what it was she’d planned on saying to him before she’d seen the outline of his cock pressing against his jeans.

  Say something, Natalie.

  The sounds of passersby and the occasional horn in the distance was all that could be heard.

  Seriously, Natalie, say something. Say anything.

  Nikko drummed his fingers along the steering wheel while they both continued with their standoff in silence.

  Oh for fucks sake, Natalie! Nothing you say could be worse than this awkward ass silence. You literally crossed a parking lot to talk to this guy. So what if the site of his dick poking through his jeans made you wet. So what if you haven’t had sex in over a year. Get your shit together already. You look like a God damned idiot standing here.

  “Rocky Road?” he asked.

  “Huh?”

  “The ice cream in your bag. Is it Rocky Road?”

  “I like nuts.”

  I like nuts? What the ever loving fuck was that?

  He grinned. “Well, I like the marshmallows.”

  She smiled, thankful for him not laughing at her and driving away. “I guess a single lady coming home with cat food and a tub of ice cream kind of takes the cliché to new levels.”

  “Actually, I didn’t see the cat food.”

  Well of course he didn’t, Natalie. But, you being the dumbass that you are you just had to point it out. Maybe next you could tell him how you spent last weekend binge watching movies on The Romance Channel while you curled up with your cat and a package of triple chocolate chip cookies.

  “Oh. Well, I have a cat.”

  Awesome! Great response, Natalie. You don’t sound like a lunatic at all. It’s no small wonder you’re still single.

  “Nice.”

  More. Awkard. Silence.

  “Any chance you have an extra spoon?”

  “Umm… I don’t know. I mean, I have a lot of spoons. Why do you…” she stopped herself from sounding even stupider than she probably already did, “oh, you mean to share?”

  He shrugged. “I do like marshmallows.”

  Don’t say you like nuts!

  “I know I shouldn’t ask, I know you don’t know me. Maybe I should apologize for being so direct.” He said.

  “Can I ask you something?”

  “Sure.”

  “I’ve seen you the past couple of days. A lot.”

  He nodded. “Yeah, I know. Creepy. I’m sorry.”

  “So, it’s not a coincidence?”

  Shaking his head, he replied. “I wish I could say it was.”

  “I own a gun, you know?”

  He let out a chuckle and held up his hands. “Okay. I surrender.”

  “Not yet you haven’t.” She spun around and began walking to her car.

  “Wait.”

  “Yes?” She turned back toward him.

  “You’re just going to walk away? Just like that?”

  “Pfft. Let’s not pretend like you’re not going to follow me home anyway.”

  Chapter Six

  Nikko’s heart was pounding as he drove the five minutes to Natalie’s place. He couldn’t help but wonder how he had he gone from looking for love in order to grant his mother’s dying wish, to a stalker who followed a woman all over town until she invited him over for ice cream. This shocking realization was obviously why his cousin was in the matchmaking business and not him.

  When he pulled into her driveway and was about to get out of the vehicle his cell phone rang. The loud ring captured Natalie’s attention and he quickly silenced it. The caller ID had shown it was his persistent, yet well meaning cousin, Gerri but, the last thing he wanted to do was explain another woman’s phone call.

  “Are you coming inside?”

  He walked up to her and took the bag of groceries from her hand. “Absolutely, but I’ll carry this.”

  She unlocked the front door and motioned for him to step inside.

  “Uh uh, ladies first.”

  She smiled. “I may have invited you over for ice cream, but I still don’t know you. I’d prefer not to turn my back on you. Not just yet anyway.”

  He nodded in agreement. “I can respect that.”

  The small cottage was humble, the furnishings mostly white with accents of blues and grays in one way or anoth
er.

  Instead of being separate, the living room and kitchen were one giant space, leaving everything tied together with the exception of a small hallway which no doubt led to the bedroom.

  He politely remarked on her home and followed her to the kitchen, taking note that she turned back to watch him several times. He found her caution cute and almost endearing.

  She took the bag from him and made quick work of putting away the various items. Then when all that remained was the Rocky Road she pulled two spoons from the drawer and slid one across the counter toward him.

  He watched her mouth intently as she took her first bite. Her lips worked around the spoon almost teasingly. “Mmm. So good.”

  You’re telling me.

  “Are you gonna have some or not?”

  I sure the fuck would like to.

  “Hello?”

  “Sorry, I just…” he hesitated and then said to hell with it. “You’re gorgeous.”

  She smiled at first, and then seemed to freeze up.

  “I’m sorry. I have a tendency to say what I think.”

  “And apparently stalk women too.”

  He shook his head. “I know. That’s way creepy and not cool. To be honest I couldn’t get you out of my head after the other night.”

  “What was it? The messy hair? Or big ass?”

  He grinned. “I think you have a fine ass.”

  She took a deep breath and glanced down at his crotch. He’d been doing his best to hide his excitement, but this woman was no fool.

  “Yeah.” He looked down and acknowledged his erection. “Apparently I’m not only a stalker, but I’m a stalker who can’t seem to control himself either.”

  “It is what it is.” She shrugged. “I’m not offended.”

  “What are you then?”

  She set the spoon down on the counter and inched closer to him. “I’m… curious.”

  He knew he may end up regretting his decision, but his mind was no longer making decisions for him. His body was in control. And he wanted her. He wanted her bad.

  Chapter Seven