Shifter Romance: BODHI (LOST CREEK SHIFTERS NOVELLAS Book 4) Read online

  “No,” he said. “No, not anymore.”

  He turned and pulled down a crate of glasses from the side of the counter and started to unpack them aggressively onto the shelves.

  Natalie watched him uncomfortably, not sure of what to say. In the end, she felt his eyes on her again so she knew she had to speak.

  “I’m looking for somewhere,” she said cautiously. “Just a small shop, really… Do you know of anything?”

  She bit her bottom lip with nerves and he turned and eyed her properly. The men in the corner booth were all talking amongst themselves and their voices were gradually getting louder. They were laughing at a joke one of them had made and the sounds of their guffaws was making her even more nervy.

  “I do, actually,” he said.

  He leaned forward and crossed his hands over the bar.

  “It’s nothing special, but it’s much better than that dive next door,” he said almost in a whisper. “And it’s in a much nicer part of town. Further up the hill, toward the taverns. Know where I mean?”

  She certainly did. She felt excitement rise within her again.

  “Do you mean near the intersection?” she asked.

  “Just a little further up,” he smiled. “It’s small… But it’s probably much more suitable for a girl like you.”

  “A girl like me?” she asked as she crossed her arms over her chest and raised her eyebrow.

  He laughed. “You know what I mean, I can’t imagine you’re going to be opening a weaponry store or anything.”

  Natalie laughed and nodded.

  “Beauty, actually,” she said.

  “Well then,” Arlo grinned. “I think you may just be in luck.”

  Arlo and Natalie walked along Main Street and she tried her best to keep up with his fast pace. He was tall and broad, and he powered up the hill toward the intersection and barely even stopped for a second to check if he could cross before he was on the other side of the road.

  Natalie waited until there was a gap in the traffic and then she followed him, already finding herself out of breath. He was similar to the man who had saved her the previous day in build. Tall and muscular with a definite edge. It was almost as if they could have been brothers, but facially, they were nothing alike.

  When he stopped outside a small store front, set perfectly in the middle of two women’s clothing stores, Natalie’s grin went from ear to ear. But she could already tell there was no way she was going to be able to afford it.

  “Well?” Arlo asked as he held out his arms and presented the place to her.

  It was small, and very similar to the store that had joined onto the sports bar, but this one had been maintained much better, and it was in the perfect location.

  “Want to see inside?” he asked.

  Natalie nodded with wide eyes.

  As he turned the key in the lock and they made their way into the shop, her heart was beating so loud she thought he must be able to hear it.

  The shop was amazing.

  It was everything she could have hoped for and more. She felt the tears welling up behind her eyes and in an instant, her mind had already mapped out where she would have the main nail station, the reception desk, and some mirrors along the walls. She had decorated it within seconds and she knew exactly how everything could look. The store had white walls and a plain dark wood floor. It was a blank canvas and she could make it anything she wanted it to be. It was an open space, it was new and ready for someone to change it into something brilliant.

  “How much?” she asked, almost wincing. This was where she knew her dreams were about to be shattered.

  Arlo scrunched up his nose and shrugged.

  “I’ll have to chat with some of my business partners,” he said as he turned on his heel and headed toward the door.

  “What did you say you’re going to do with this place again?” he asked as he reached it and stood there looking at her suspiciously.

  “I want to open a nail boutique,” she said confidently.

  He looked at her as if she was insane and then she realized he didn’t have a clue what she was talking about.

  She held up her hand and pointed to her long, perfectly manicured talons.

  “You know,” she laughed. “Nails?”

  “Oh right,” Arlo half laughed. “Well sure, I mean there isn’t nothing like that around here,” he said. “And I’m sure that won’t take too much work in here, will it?”

  “No, not really,” she smiled.

  “Meet me here later,” he said. “Around six?”

  Natalie nodded.

  “I’ll see what I can do,” he held the door open and Natalie followed him out into the cold morning.

  As it closed behind them, Natalie turned and found herself pressing her nose up against the glass of the window. The shop really was perfect, but she had no idea if she had enough savings to make her dream a reality. She had been expecting to find somewhere small and on the outskirts of town, and probably off Main Street. This place was in a prime location, right in the heart of where most of the tourists would congregate after a hard day’s skiing for a look around the shops, or to check out a place for dinner. She was getting her hopes up prematurely. Surely, there was no way she would be able to afford it.

  Arlo nodded at her as he turned on his heel and started to walk off down the hill. Natalie found herself watching him, almost in a daze, her mind swirling with possibilities.

  As she stood there in her stupor, she heard heavy footsteps approaching from behind and she instinctively stepped to the side to let whoever was approaching get past, but it seemed as if they had had the same idea...

  As Natalie stepped closer to the store front, so did the person approaching and they smacked right into each other with a dull whack.

  “Ouch,” she said. “Sorry!”

  She was thrown and when she looked up, it was to her shock that she realized the person she had crashed into was the handsome stranger from the previous day. The one who had saved her life.

  “Oh my goodness,” she laughed. “Jeez, I’m sorry, what are you going to think of me?” She shook her head and made a crazy sign with her hand around her head.

  His eyes flicked up and met hers, but he didn’t look amused. His lip curled, but it definitely wasn’t into a smile, and it was such a contrast to how he’d been the day before it threw her all off balance. He glared at her meanly and it made Natalie flap even more.

  “I… I’m sorry,” she stammered. “I guess neither of us were looking where we were going…” she trailed off.

  He looked at her with irritation and she realized she was getting nothing back. The man was still glaring and he looked incredibly annoyed, until finally he smiled at her patronizingly and said, “No problem,” before he moved quickly past her and carried on walking.

  Natalie felt her face blush bright red and her palms begin to sweat. She had a sinking feeling right deep in the pit of her stomach and it made her need to lean back against the wall of the store.

  What the hell had just happened?

  The day before, he had been so kind and so genuine… and now he just seemed… angry.

  Natalie brushed her hair behind her ears and took a deep breath.

  Well screw him, she thought. Talk about rude.

  She snorted to herself and then turned and started to walk back along the street and made her way toward The Hideout.

  Inside the coffee shop, the crowds were long gone after the morning rush as the majority of tourists hit the slopes and the people of the town had all made their way to work.

  Natalie ordered one of their legendary hot chocolates and grabbed a table right by the fire where she could keep herself warm. Even though it was morning and the sun was shining brightly outside, the mood inside the coffee house was dark and all of the lights were low. It made it incredibly easy to sink down into the couch and close her eyes for a moment as she waited and she let her mind travel some more to where she longed to be.

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sp; She wondered what would happen when she met back up with Arlo later in the day. He had been so vague when he had mentioned money, it was almost as if it didn’t matter to him. Surely, for someone who owned a store, he must have had some kind of idea in mind of what he would charge to rent the space monthly.

  The barista appeared at the side of her table and set her hot chocolate down, and Natalie grinned as she saw it was frothing with huge marshmallows.

  “Perfect, thanks,” she smiled, as she rubbed her hands together.

  She sat back and took a sip. It was just as good as she remembered. Oh how she had missed her days chilling in The Hideout. She closed her eyes again and listened to the crackling of the fire. Despite all the activity and all the stuff she had going on, she had never felt happier.

  It could almost have been like she had never been away, but Natalie knew that with her throwing herself back into life in Lost Creek head first, she was going to have to sort out some practical matters before things really started to get moving with her career. She reached into her purse and pulled out her journal. She flicked to the last page and scanned her big ‘To-Do List’ with wide eyes.

  What can I get crossed off while I’m down on Main Street? she thought to herself as she sipped her cocoa and bit her bottom lip.

  She traced her finger down the page and let it settle next to number 3… Change address ASAP.

  “Better swing by the post office,” she whispered to herself as she closed the journal and drained the rest of her mug. It had been so good she could have had another, but she knew she had to get on with her day. She smiled as she got to her feet and took one last look around The Hideout. It felt good to be back.

  The cold nipped her skin as she crossed the street and hurried to the post office. She could feel the chill in the air was getting harsher and she could sense snow was on the way. Luckily, as she stepped inside, she could see there wasn’t much of a line and she made her way up to the front without having to stand for too long.

  The heat was cranked up high and her cold fingers quickly began to warm up. As she was waiting at the counter, explaining to the woman working there of her situation, she heard the bell on the door ting and a heavy set of footsteps enter. A strange sensation rolled over her, almost as if she just knew it was him. She looked up and saw him standing there by the door, looking every inch the sexy god he had the previous day, and only minutes before when she had run into him in the street.

  “Oh Jesus,” she whispered to herself as she put her head down and tried to turn slightly to the side so her face was obscured.

  After embarrassing herself in front of him twice, the last thing she wanted was to do it a third time. She felt herself sinking down within herself, pulling her hair down around her face, trying to make herself invisible. What were the chances of him walking into the same place as her when they had just collided with other in the middle of the street and she had been the ultimate airhead?

  Please don’t see me… she wished inside her head.

  But in reality, she knew there was little chance of that particular wish coming true. She was pretty much the only other person in there.

  She finally exhaled with nervousness and as soon as she moved, she was aware of his stare falling upon her. It was as if he could sense she was there, without him even having to lay eyes on her. Almost like he could taste her and it was drawing him in. Her stomach lurched as she battled with herself as to whether she should look up at him or pretend as if she hadn’t seen him. But it was too late.

  She couldn’t resist… Her eyes worked their way up and met his.

  She was about to shrug and smile sheepishly, but when he realized he had her attention, his face relaxed into a smile and he raised his hand to wave.

  Natalie smiled back.

  What the hell? she thought as she drummed her nails on the counter in front of her and tried to look busy, as if she was rooting through her purse to find something specific.

  She could still feel his eyes on her, and she could also tell he was trying to play it cool. But when she looked up again, he, again, caught her eye.

  “Hey,” he smiled as he took a step closer. “How’s the coat? Dried out?”

  His voice was deep and gruff, and it cut through her and made her spine tingle with excitement. He had an arm full of packages and he set them on the counter next to her. He smiled at her as his hair fell perfectly around his face, just as it had done when she had watched him drive away.

  Natalie couldn’t even find the words to respond. Her mind was blank.

  “The coat?” she asked with confusion.

  He laughed and rubbed the stubble on his chin with the back of his hand.

  “After I wrestled you to the ground,” he said with a wry smile.

  “Oh,” Natalie nodded. “Yeah, I mean, it’s fine…”

  He looked at her suspiciously and then he took a step back as if he felt unwelcome. But Natalie was so confused. How could he go from being so rude to so nice in a matter of seconds? Had he forgotten who she was when he saw her on the street and then had it clicked after he had walked away? That was the only explanation she could think of.

  “Thank you,” she said as he turned to make his way to the second counter at the other side of the room. “For yesterday, I mean.”

  He turned back to her and smiled a warm, genuine smile.

  “That’s no problem,” he said. “I’m just glad you’re all right.”

  She nodded and felt her face begin to blush again. His eyes were so incredibly enchanting… it was as if he was drinking in her soul when she stared into them.

  “I should thank you properly,” she blurted out before she even realized she was saying it.

  “Oh yeah?” he turned back to face her properly.

  Natalie had no idea what she was doing, especially when he had just dismissed her in the street, but her instinct was telling her to remain calm and just roll with it. She swallowed hard and smiled meekly, unsure of whether she had just done the right thing.

  “Yes, well… I mean, it’s not every day someone saves your life, right?”

  His faced cracked widely and his smile seemed to shine around the room. Natalie felt herself feeling hot under the collar. His skin was so perfectly tanned and golden, and his eyes were as bright as his teeth. He still, even then, looked like he had just stepped out of a commercial, but he was certainly more rugged than he had been the day before. He had a smattering of stubble all around his jawline and his hair was windswept from the winter chill. He looked wild and tired, as if he could have been running around the forests all night doing something illicit and bad in all the right ways. A heat rolled over her, something deep and overpowering. She didn’t know why, but when she looked into his eyes, she saw something that scared her. Natalie fanned her face.

  “You hot?” he asked cheekily.

  Natalie looked down at the floor and felt her cheeks burning red again.

  “What did you have in mind?” he asked as he leaned back onto the counter.

  When she finally worked up the nerve to face him again and their eyes locked in on each other’s, her heart was raging in her chest. He was making her nervous and ditsy, but he was also shaking something up in her that she had never felt, and was starting to think she didn’t possess…

  Desire.

  Her desire for him was growing with each passing second that they were in each other’s company… And she didn’t know what to do to turn it off. She was helpless.

  “A drink?” she managed to croak out with embarrassment.

  She had never asked a guy out before, and she couldn’t believe she had even had the nerve, even if it was disguised as a thank you for his heroic behavior.

  “Sure,” he said. “I’ll let you buy me a beer,” he winked.

  Natalie nodded and smiled meekly.

  “Tonight?” he asked as he brushed his hair behind his ear. When he did, she could really see how big his hands were, and the memory of what they felt like on
her waist came flooding back.

  “I have a meeting tonight,” she said. “At six, but I could after? Say seven?”

  He smiled and nodded.

  “Sounds perfect to me,” he said. “I’ll see you then. Meet me at Arlo’s?” he raised his eyebrow.

  Natalie nodded and watched as he walked away. His shoulders were broad and hidden underneath a big padded jacket that made him look even bigger. He nodded to the woman behind the counter and placed his packages down. She nodded and he waved as if there was some kind of understanding between them. And then he was gone.

  When he left the post office and the door closed with a ting behind him, Natalie took in a deep breath and leaned back into the wall, pressing her back right into it and letting it steady her.

  “Oh my God,” she whispered to herself. “What the fuck have I just done…? I have a date?”

  She had no idea what she had got herself into, but what she did know was she was beyond excited. For her first day back in town, she was certainly making waves. And she couldn’t wait to see where they led her to next.

  6.

  She successfully finished changing her address and headed for home. As she left the post office, her mind was spinning and she couldn’t keep one straight thought together. She had done so much and it was barely past noon. She had set up a meeting and potentially found somewhere to start her own business, and she had arranged to meet the most handsome guy she had ever laid eyes on.

  What a day! She smiled to herself as she began the slight climb back to her street.

  When she turned the corner and her parents’ home came into view, she felt warm inside all over again. It was so good to be back.

  Inside, her mom was busy cooking up a storm, just like she had said she would the previous day.

  “What’s today’s dish then?” Natalie asked with a beaming smile on her face, barely able to hide her excitement.

  “Chocolate fudge brownies,” her mom grinned. “But never mind that, aren’t you going to tell me how it went?”