Midlife Wolf Captured My Heart (Fated To The Wolf #7)

2. Dakota

2

Dakota

D akota left Howlers’ with a huge smile. Every time he and that red-haired beauty touched it sent a bolt of electricity coursing through his body. He wasn’t a dog but hadn’t been a monk, either. Dakota couldn’t remember the last time he had felt that kind of reaction when touching a woman – if ever. Her scent of jasmine and her essence stayed with him.

He pictured her sparkling green eyes and that beautiful smile she flashed at him. She exuded confidence. Her genuine interest in his work was almost as attractive as her aura.

Shaking his head, he reminded himself that he was old enough to be her father. She might have been slightly flirtatious, but she seemed to have a little bit of hero worship going on. Although he wasn’t nearly as famous as Stephen King, he did have a small following among people who loved science, especially wildlife.

He was still wide awake when he got home so he looked over the photos that would be featured at the art gallery in Albuquerque. All of the animals featured were endangered. All of the money he made from this showing and subsequent sale of the photos would be donated to organizations that worked to help the animals.

His two favorites were the series he did on the black rhinos and Asian elephants. He managed to get photos that no photographer had ever managed to get before. Somehow, he managed to slip in among the animals and, although they were leery at first, they eventually got used to his presence.

Dakota was satisfied with his nomadic lifestyle. He had made a lot of money from his books, photos, and documentaries and had a couple million sitting in a bank account. If he wanted to retire and settle down, he could and live comfortably for the rest of his life. However, he was drawn to wildlife and documenting their lives. Besides, there was no place he wanted to settle.

Angel’s Creek had crossed his mind a million times since he left home, but it had never felt like home. He never fit in. It wasn’t that people treated him badly or that he wasn’t a very strong shifter. The Nightshade Wolf Shifter Pack had never given him a hard time because he struggled to shift and he felt more comfortable in his human form. He was the one who felt self-conscious.

Over the years, he had wondered what it would feel like to go home. His parents had died in a car accident while he was in college and left him the house. He had rented it out over the years. Every once in a while he thought about selling it, but couldn’t bring himself to do that. It was his last tangible hold on the only family he had. Right now, he was between renters so he had a place to stay.

“I wonder if it’s going to be awkward being home. The people I grew up with are adults now with their families.”

His mind ventured back to Sadie. “Sadie Andrews. I went to school with James Andrews. He was dating Opal, who had red hair and green eyes.”

Dakota shook his head. “I may have just spent a very pleasurable evening with the adult daughter of an old schoolmate.”

Laughing, he shook his head and forced his thoughts back to his plans. He figured he would spend the winter in Angel’s Creek focusing on his next project on the lives of wolves. Dakota had always avoided the topic in the past because it made him feel like an imposter.

Although he was excited about his upcoming gallery showing and his future plans, images of a green-eyed, red-haired beauty floated in his mind as he fell asleep.

Dakota was working the next afternoon when his computer notified him that he had an email. His heart skipped a beat when he saw that it was from Sadie.

Good afternoon. It was so great to meet you yesterday. Can you do your presentation the day after tomorrow?

He grinned and typed back. That sounds terrific. Let me know what time I should be there.

His computer beeped a minute later. How does ten sound?

Dakota grinned. He wondered what it would be like to give a presentation at the same high school he graduated from. That sounds great. Do you want to meet at Howlers’ tonight to go over the presentation?

He had to shake his head at himself. All he needed to know was how much time he would have for the presentation and he could easily plan it himself. However, he felt compelled to see her again.

For a few minutes, he thought she wasn’t going to respond. Then, his computer beeped again. Why don’t you come over to my place? I’ll cook. She sent her address.

He couldn’t stop the smile that spread over his face. What time?

Seven.

Still grinning he typed back. I’ll be there.

Dakota sat back in his chair and put his hands behind his head. He realized that he was looking forward to seeing Sadie again and not just because he was excited about the presentation. He wanted to be near her – to breathe in her scent and see her beautiful smile.

He discovered that he was hungry right now, so he decided to head over to Howlers’ for lunch. As he drove through town, he was floored by how much Angel’s Creek had changed and how it really hadn’t. Some of the store names had changed. However, it seemed like the town hadn’t grown any. It hadn’t gotten smaller, either.

The bar and grill was busy and there weren’t any tables so Dakota slid onto one of the bar stools at the counter. A tall, red-haired man slid a coaster and menu across the bar toward him. “Hello, friend. Welcome to Howlers’’ ”

“Thank you.”

“Where do you hale from? We don’t get too many people passing through.”

Dakota shook his head and laughed. “Son, I was born and raised in Angel’s Creek. I knew your father. You look a lot like him.”

Sean opened his eyes wide and cocked his head to one side.

“Your father was Levi McCullum. You were born not too long before I left town. What’s your daddy and mama been up to these days?”

“They’re retired. They travel some. Dad likes to make small wooden crafts and Mom crochets. They do craft shows sometimes. What’s your name?”

“Dakota Higgins.”

“I know who you are. You are our hometown hero so to speak. You’re famous in these parts.”

“Really? I’m not a movie star or anything like that.”

“No, but you’re the closest thing we have. You wrote a lot of books and everyone watches the nature channel around here.”

“That’s awesome.”

After lunch, Dakota spent the rest of the afternoon planning his presentation. Kids typically liked all different animals, so he figured he would do a quick show depicting one or two photos of each animal. He had some short, cute or funny stories about several of the animals he could share. If he could get just one kid interested in photography or animals, then his time would be well spent.

He picked up a bottle of red wine on the way and was on her doorstep promptly at seven. Dakota had no idea why he felt like a schoolboy about to pick up his prom date.

She opened the door with a smile. The blue halter top wasn’t tight but it fit her perfectly and paired with her blue jeans, he could see that she had an incredibly beautiful body. It was obvious that she took care of herself.

“Come in. Dinner will be ready shortly.”

He handed her the wine and stepped inside. She led him into the kitchen and put the wine on the counter.

“My friend, Talia, gave me a recipe for a chicken, potatoes, and green bean dish. It’s one of my favorites – mostly because it’s easy to make and I haven’t messed it up yet. I can cook well enough to keep myself alive, but that’s about it.”

He grinned. “That’s all you really need, isn’t it?”

“True.”

She put plates and silverware on the table. He studied her for a moment. “What made you decide to be a media coordinator?”

Sadie giggled. “I was inspired by Rachel Weisz’s role of Evie in The Mummy when she announces ‘I am a librarian.’”

Dakota laughed.

“Actually, I love working with kids and helping them discover the world around them. I love research and learning. Being a media coordinator lets me work with all the kids in the school, not just the ones who sit at the desks in front of me. I help them with different kinds of projects.” She grinned. “And, unlike classroom teachers, I get to go to the bathroom whenever I want.”

He laughed. “That is important.”

“What inspired you?”

“I’ve always loved photography. The old cliché that a picture is worth a thousand words is absolutely true. A person can look at the same picture over and over again and each time they will learn something new from it. A photograph will capture information that a person won’t necessarily see when they first look at a scene, which is why forensic techs always photograph crime scenes before they do anything. I’ve heard it said that you can’t hear a picture, but there are some images that not only talk to you but scream at you.”

Sadie nodded thoughtfully. “That’s true. There are several pictures that I can hear and smell. I can even feel them, like the cold of a winter’s snow or the soft touch of a feather. You’ve answered the photography part. What about wildlife?”

“They are the purest form of life. Non-human animals, including insects, are honest about who they are. Sure, they camouflage themselves for protection or to hunt for their prey. They might pretend to be another animal for that purpose. However, no animal pretends to be your friend and stab you in the back. All animals have souls. They love, are loyal, and follow their instincts. There is an innate beauty in the lives of non-human animals.”

Sadie looked at him, contemplating his words. “You talk like someone who’s been hurt before.”

Dakota shook his head. “I really haven’t. However, I’ve always been an observer and watched people even when I was in elementary school. I know that most people are wonderful and are good. There are plenty of people who work hard to understand humans and try to figure out why people act as they do. There aren’t as many of us who’ll go out into the wild and find out what makes a hippopotamus tick.”

The oven beeped and Sadie pulled the casserole dish out and set it on the trivet on the table. “Glasses are in the top right cabinet.”

He pulled two out and poured the wine. During dinner, he asked her about life as a media coordinator for the high school.

“The hardest part about my job is getting some kids to return books. I have one student who will check out a book from her favorite author and then ‘lose it.’” She used her fingers to put quotation marks around the words “lose it.” “She’ll pay the fine and then check out another.”

“I guess that’s one way to create your own library.”

After dinner, she scooted close to him so she could see the presentation he put together. He could smell her scent and being close to him started a fire way down in his belly.

“I love everything. You are truly an artist.”

He looked at her and grinned. “Thank you.”

Dakota looked into her emerald green eyes. The smile that curved on her beautiful face made his heart skip a beat. He leaned over and pressed his lips to hers. The kiss was soft and gentle at first. She made a little moaning sound in her throat and wrapped her arms around his neck.

He pushed his tongue against her lips and she opened. She tasted like the wine she had just sipped. His heart raced and their breaths mingled as he made sweet love to her mouth. The air around them heated up, and Dakota wanted to feel her naked flesh against his. The intensity of that want scared him, as he had never experienced anything like it before.

When the kiss broke, Sadie’s chest was heaving. She looked at him with an expression of pure desire. He wanted more than anything in the world to stay but knew that he couldn’t. They had just met and Sadie wasn’t the kind of person he could simply have sex with and walk away from. She deserved more than that, and he wasn’t in a position to give her a long-term relationship.

“I need to go,” he said breathlessly. “Thank you for dinner. I’ll be at the school.” He grabbed his computer and jumped up from the table.

She nodded and walked him wordlessly to the door. He turned around and pulled her against him, hugging her tightly. He brushed a kiss across her lips, and then left, wishing more than anything that he could stay.