Page 166 of Howlin’ For You

He nods, nuzzling my chest in a way that soothes the nerves just a little bit.

Dane slowly approaches, head lowered.

“It’s, um, it’s nice to meet you,” I say. “I’m sorry I haven’t been to your flower shop yet. I was hoping we could set up a flower garland for the stage and maybe make some arrangements on the picnic tables for the anniversary event. Actually⁠—”

Georgie and Nick let out matching snort-wolfy-laughs, and even Dane cracks a grin-like thing.

“Right. Probably not the conversation for right now,” I mumble, smiling despite myself. I get chatty when I’m nervous, and it’s not like anyone else can fill the space with talking.

Nick bends his front legs, using his head to motion toward his back.

“Oh, did you want me to get on?” When we talked about this—me riding him while he runs in the woods—it never felt like it would actually happen.

I awkwardly climb aboard, marveling at the stretch of my legs over his back. He’s more like a bear than a wolf in size.

“How am I supposed to, you know, not fall off?” I ask, sizing up the ground as he lifts himself back up. “You don’t have a saddle.”

Georgie barks another laugh, Dane joining her this time before they trot off into the trees.

Nick snaps a playful pretend bite at my leg before trotting after them. The muscles of his shoulders and back ripple underneath me, and I grasp two fistfuls of his fur in my hands.

“I wasn’t kidding!”

He snuffles in reply but continues forward, gaining speed as we move through the trees.

Oh God, I’m going to fly off his back and slam face forward into a tree, and that’s going to be how I die. I’m not even going to get to see all the hard work I put into the town anniversary party pay off.

Just perfect.

CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

NICK

Izzy’s cute when she’s nervous. She has no reason to be—I would never let anything happen to her—but it’s cute, nonetheless.

So is the nervous chattering. She’s never done that before. But I can understand the need to fill the space with noise when in a new situation.

“Nick!” she exclaims, gripping me so hard I swear she’s going to pull some of my fur out.

Calm down, Izzy. You’re safe, I tell her. But to her, it just sounds like snuffles and woofs. I wonder if she’ll be able to understand me once we mate.

She leans down, her body instinctively leaning her weight forward to keep her balanced. She may not be aware of it, but her body instinctively knows what to do.

Atta girl.

I catch up with Georgie and Dane quickly, matching their pace as we make our way through the trees. They’re going slowly to accommodate for Izzy’s first time with us, but I know that won’t last forever.

The desire to let loose and really run will take over soon enough.

Do you two want to go ahead? Give her some time to get comfortable? I ask them. We can catch up.

Dane dips his head, leaping forward. He’s being oddly quiet tonight, starting with how cautious he was around Izzy when he arrived.

I think he’s jealous, Georgie says, as if she read my mind. Not that he wants Izzy or anything, but you know, out of the three of us, he’s the one who’s had the most hope he’d find his mate. I think he’s jealous you got there first.

I hadn’t considered that, but it does make sense. Keep an eye on him?

Always. With that, she runs off after him.