Lex Gray was in love once. He was young and gave his heart to Cash Udolph, who he believed would be with him forever. When his world fell apart, Cash was nowhere to be found. Lex left Warwood, the tiniest village ever placed on a map, and swore never to come back. Seventeen years later, he's there to attend his grandmother's funeral.
Cash lost his mate. Lex begged him to run away with him, but as the enforcer of a werewolf pack, Cash can't leave Warwood. When everything came crashing down seventeen years ago, he shifted into a wolf and ran off into the woods. He ran to clear his head and make a plan of how to convince Lex to stay and how to get the pack to accept Cash having a human mate. But when he came back, Lex was gone.
Lex needs to get out of Warwood, but driving in the middle of the night might not have been his best idea. A naked man jumps up on the road only to turn into a wolf before his eyes, and Lex slams the brakes hard enough to slide off the road. When Cash is called in to sort a situation with a human, he never expected the human to be his Lex. He's been given a second chance, but Lex wants to leave as soon as possible. Can Cash convince Lex to allow him back into his life before the tow truck gets there?
A branch snapped under Lex’s foot, and he swayed. Cash grabbed his elbow to prevent him from falling.
“Thanks.” Lex shook free of his hold.
“It’s not much longer.” He gestured at the light streaming through the tree trunks. He’d left the door lamp on.
“This is taking secluded to a new level.”
Cash smiled. He loved his cabin. It wasn’t visible from any road and unless you knew where to turn, it was next to impossible to get there by car.
“You sure you haven’t turned into an axe murderer over the years?” The look of trepidation on Lex’s face had Cash stopping. Was he afraid of him? It hurt more than it should. Everyone was afraid of him, but Lex had never been before.
“I’m sure.”
“I bet all axe murderers say that.” He pursed his lips and looked ahead as he walked. He should be able to glimpse the cabin through the trees. “You’d be surprised by what people are capable of.” His attention was on the cabin, not on Cash.
He took the opportunity to look at him. Still so God damned beautiful it made his hand ache to touch, but there was something ... He looked tired, lost, and it made Cash ache. He should have been there for Lex to lean on.
“It’s lovely, Cash.” For the first time, Lex smiled at him. It had a lump forming in his throat. Stubble or not, the dimples were there.
“I like it.” Cash’s voice had gone husky, and Lex raised an eyebrow at him. Had it been seventeen years ago, he’d have pushed him against a tree and kissed him.
“I can imagine.” He took a step forward, the serious expression back in place, leaving Cash bereft.
He hurried past him and up the stairs. “Come on. Tea?” He held the door open, forcing Lex to move closer to him.
“Something warm would be lovely.”
Cash could warm him.
They stepped inside, and Cash closed the door behind them. He hoped Arric had the situation with Gordon under control. Cash didn’t want to get interrupted, and he didn’t want to leave his cabin ever again, at least not for as long as Lex stayed.
“Kitchen is this way.” Not like he could get lost. The cabin only had a kitchen, a living room, and a bedroom. There was some storage space and a bathroom, but it wasn’t big enough to wander.
“Can I borrow your phone?”
Cash froze. “Ah, yeah ... of course.” He went to the bedroom where he’d left the phone on the bedside table. “Here you go.”
He unlocked it and handed it to Lex. Lex followed him into the kitchen while reading on the screen. Cash glanced at him, but he was too engrossed in his search for a tow truck to notice. Lex fit in his kitchen.
He pulled out a chair and sank down on it. “There are no tow trucks nearby.”
Cash shrugged. They were in the middle of nowhere. “Maybe it’s easier to call one of the mechanics.”
“I don’t think the car’s broken, just stuck. I only need someone to pull me out.” Then Lex looked at him with narrowed eyes. “Don’t you have a car?”
He did, but for once, luck was on his side. “I do, but it’s in the shop. I’m to get it this afternoon.”
“Your car is in the shop?” Disbelief widened his eyes.
“Yes, you’re free to check my garage, if you don’t believe me.”
“No, no ...” He shook his head. “I believe you.”
“I’m to go into Warwood with Arric after lunch. I can pull you out after.”
“Or this Arric person could pull me out before.”
Cash was about to object, but he didn’t have a plausible excuse. “We can call him in the morning.”
Lex’s eyes flew to his. “Ah, yeah ... right, it’s the middle of the night.”
Thank heavens or Lex would be out of here in no time. “Still want tea, or do you want to go to bed?”
“Cash.” The way he said it could mean a lot of things. “I’m not going to sleep with you.”
“I only have one bed, but it’s a double, so I think you’d survive it.” Cash might not.
Indecision stole over Lex’s face.
“Come on, babe, you need to rest. You look exhausted.”
Lex turned a steely gaze his way. “Do not call me babe.”
Oops. “Lex.” He nodded. “You need to rest, especially if you’re going to drive later today. You shouldn’t drive when tired.”
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