“SHADE! BEHIND YOU!”

My hand went to my back, my fingers curled around my Glock and I spun.

A red wolf in front of me, Summer behind me, I hadn’t heard either of them approach over the noise of the generator. If this had been one of Vincenzo’s hired guns, we’d both be dead right now.

“Shade,” Summer whisper cried.

Letting go of my piece, I held one hand out behind me. “Stop. I see him.” The fox was harmless. “He’s not a threat, he’s hungry. Don’t scare him.” There was a damn rabbit den under the generator. I should’ve been coming up here more often and checking on the place myself instead of leaving it all on the caretaker.

“But it’s a giant wolf,” she whispered dramatically.

“Red wolf,” I corrected. “And he isn’t giant, but they are an endangered species. He’s probably hungry as shit to come this close to us. Slowly head back inside.” I’d gotten the generator working for now. I could check the rest of the spark plugs later. “Let’s give him some space to catch his dinner.”

“Dinner?”

“Rabbit. Under the generator.” Pissed off she’d come out here to warn me about the damn wolf, I turned toward her.

Horror crossed her face as she sucked in a sharp breath. “He’s going to eat a bunny?”

Snow falling on her still wet hair, she was going to get fucking hypothermia. “Back inside the cabin. Now.” This was the second time she’d risked her safety to come after me.

“Oh my God.” Her hands, buried in the sleeves of my leather, went to her chest. “You can’t let that happen.”

“It’s gonna happen whether we want it to or not.” I glanced around, hoping like fuck the wolf was the only thing out here besides us. “Let’s go, woman. I don’t want you out here.”

She turned but then stumbled in the almost knee-deep snow.

Grabbing her before she face planted, I lifted her into my arms.

“Oh my God.” Her breath puffed. “Sorry.”

A grunt my only response, I carried her to the house. The natural scent of her, the weight of her in my arms, I was reliving that fucking kiss, and my cock wanted a taste of her. Pissed at my body’s reaction to her, like I was a goddamn teenager with no control, I dumped her before the front door and barked out a command. “Stomp the snow off.”

“Okay.” She didn’t stomp. She tapped her feet in rapid succession like she was running in place.

I fucking stared.

Inspecting her boots, she bent and brushed her shit off with her bare hands, then stood back up, and heat colored her cheeks. “What?”

No attitude, looking innocent as hell, she threw me. “Nothing.” Using the code, I unlocked the front door and pushed it open.

She looked at my arm holding the door, then at me, then she dropped her gaze. Sucking in a sharp breath, she moved to walk past me, but at the last minute she stopped and put her arms around me. Her head against my chest, she squeezed me tight for two seconds, then let go and walked inside.

“What the fuck was that?” I demanded, still holding the door.

“A hug.” She shrugged.

What the fuck? “Why?”

She turned around and nodded at the door. “Who’s letting all the heat out now?”

Stepping inside, I kicked the door shut. “I asked you a question.”

Defiance bled into her tone. “And I asked you one back.”

We stared at each other in silent standoff.

Keep it up, little girl. You won’t win this game.

Exactly three seconds in, she caved.

Rolling her eyes, she sighed dramatically. “Fine. Would you have let me hug you if I’d asked?”

“No.” Fuck, no. Did I look like a goddamn hugger?

“Exactly.” She threw her arms up, and the too long sleeves flapped.

“Jesus Christ.” I nodded brusquely at the stairs. “Go get some sleep.” I hung my parka up and pulled my Glock out.

Staring at me, she stood there.

I checked the magazine, then slammed it back home. “What?” That fucking hug.

“Do you seriously not know how many bullets you have left?” she challenged.

Shoving the gun in my back waistband, wondering if her rack was real, I let my gaze drop to her chest. Even with a jacket on, her tits stood out. “Your point?” I knew exactly how many bullets I had. I’d reloaded after I’d turned on the security cameras.

Looking ridiculous in my leather, she crossed her arms. “I’m beginning to understand why you’re single.”

“Who says I’m single?” I turned and headed toward my security room because if I stood there another minute sparring with her, I’d do something she’d regret.

On my heels, oblivious to her own damn self-preservation, she kept talking. “Unless you miraculously obtained a new girlfriend since dumping yours a few hours ago, I’m going with single.”

Intending to put her and her smart mouth in place, I pivoted, but when my gaze landed on her teasing smile, I knew I’d been played.

My dick pissed off it wasn’t getting any action, my hardware pressing into me, out of patience, I slammed my hand on the doorframe above her head.

She flinched.

“Hug me again,” I demanded.

Her eyes widened and she crossed her arms. “What?”

“You heard me.” I’d fucking destroy her young cunt if that’s what she wanted.

Her gaze darted nervously from my arm to my face. “What are you doing?”

I didn’t mince words. “Giving you an invitation to touch me.”

She boldly held my gaze for a beat, but then her age came out. “Why?”

I smirked, but I wanted to punch the fucking wall. “That’s what I thought.” I dropped my arm. “Go upstairs.”

She quickly darted away, reaffirming exactly why I shouldn’t touch her, but after two paces she turned. “You know, it didn’t have to be like that.”

I raised an eyebrow.

Her voice dropped. “I meant, me touching you.” Heat colored her cheeks more than the cold outside had tipped her nose red, and she got even quieter. “You could’ve touched me.”

No, I fucking couldn’t.

More life experience than any nineteen-year-old I’d ever met, a body like a woman, a mouth that was smart one minute, vulnerable the next, she was skittish as fuck and she’d gotten under my skin. I wanted to own her cunt, but she was too damn young. So young, she’d come sliding down a mountain after me when she thought I was in trouble, and barreling out of the cabin when she saw a wolf on my six.

Women didn’t do that shit around me.

They either wanted to fuck me or cross the street to avoid me.

But this one wanted to goddamn hug me.

Christ.

“Go to bed, princess.” I walked into my security room.