Page 75 of Brazen

It wasn’t Sam.

It was the last person in Cooper Valley I wanted to see.

Rob Wolf.

He was a few feet away, thumbs tucked into his jeans pockets. A cold snap had come through overnight, but based on the lack of jacket he wore, he wasn’t bothered by it. In jeans and a dark red flannel, he didn’t look the least bit like an alpha wolf.

He looked like a typical rancher with a very serious gaze.

He removed his hat, and I couldn’t miss the crease in his dark hair.

“You okay?” he asked.

I rubbed the spot one more time then dropped my hands.

“Yes. Thanks,” I whispered. I glanced around for Ernie and saw him in the office on the phone.

Rob didn’t say anything. Neither did I. I wasn’t sure if his silence was a pack leader tactic, but I wasn’t having it.

“You can’t intimidate me with all that,” I said, pointing at him and circling my finger.

He arched a brow. “All that?”

“You don’t have to worry about anything with me. I won’t say anything. About… whatever. As for JT, he’s mine. Only mine. I–”

“I’m here because my truck’s blinker fluid light is on.”

I stared at him. Opened my mouth. Closed it.

“Blinker fluid?” I asked. There was no such thing. Mechanics were known to add a line item for it if a customer was really annoying–and an idiot.

“Yes. Perhaps you can take a look.”

I cocked my head, suddenly wary. “Are you kidnapping me?”

The corner of his mouth twitched. Actually twitched. “My friend and town sheriff, Levi, advises against that.”

Ernie would see if Rob did that. “Okay then. Lead the way.”

I followed the big and burly cowboy wolf shifter out to his truck which he parked by the street, not in front of the office.

There, he leaned against the driver’s door and faced me. “I came to apologize.”

I stared at him, this time in shock. “Excuse me?”

“I made a mistake, and it affected you, and I’ve come to make amends.”

I nodded. “Apology accepted,” I said curtly then turned and headed back toward the shop.

“Clio,” he called.

I spun around, raised my hands. We were less than ten feet apart. While there was no one around, and Ernie was inside the building, I kept my voice low. “Like I said inside, I won’t say anything about what you all are. It would only hurt JT, and I won’t do anything to hurt him. He’s not in your… family. He’s not in my ex’s either. No war. Nothing to worry about.”

“You and JT are part of my… family.”

I shook my head really hard. “No, you can’t–”

“You are Sam’s mate. Therefore you are one of us. We welcome you–” He cut off and ran a hand over the back of his neck. For the first time, he looked uncomfortable. “We did a shit job of welcoming you over the weekend, and I can’t blame you for being wary. And mad.”