Page 9 of Virgin for Next Door Wolf Daddy
“Can you cook?” he asked.
“Relatively well. I don’t starve, as you can see.”
“Then I’ll be happy to stay for dinner.”
She told him where the plates and silverware were, and he set the table. He poured them some sweet iced tea and put a paper towel next to each plate. Talia put a trivet on the table and then put the casserole dish on the table.
He took a bite and said, “This is delicious.”
“Thank you. It’s one of my favorites,” Talia said.
It must have been good because he ate a lot of it. Talia was amused and thought, I guess I’m going to have to make something else for my lunches for the rest of the week.
While they ate, he told her some of the places that he and the Griffins had seen during their rides. “The mountains are my favorite, though. There is something spiritual about being on a mountain. Of course, it’s especially true when I shift and run in the mountains. It’s almost like I become one with the trees, animals, and the rest of nature.”
“I feel the same way,” Talia said.
After dinner, he thanked her and helped her load the dishwasher. He gave her a quick hug and said, “I have a big day tomorrow. I’ll see you.”
“Good night,” she said, closing the door behind him and setting the alarm.
She got out her construction paper and markers to create the mini-posters she would hang on her classroom walls. Her mind wasn’t on the quotes she wrote, though. Images of Sebastian danced in her mind. She could hear his voice and laughter and feel the touch from the brief hug. More than anything, his scent of cedar and his essence lingered in the air and seemed to permeate her entire body.
“I guess the old childhood crush just exploded,” she muttered to herself.
4
Sebastian
Sebastian smiled as he walked away from Talia’s house. He had thoroughly enjoyed his time with her. The hug had been impromptu and quick, but a surge of warmth had flooded through his body.
He checked his watch and realized that he needed to get going. The Griffins were meeting at their clubhouse in half an hour. He walked in a few minutes late.
Rory said, “I was beginning to wonder. What kept you, Bruh?”
“I installed an alarm system for Talia and then she invited me to stay for dinner. I didn’t want to be rude and say ‘no.’”
“I’m sure that was the real reason you stayed. It has nothing to do with the fact that the little girl next door turned into a gorgeous woman,” Rory said.
“Absolutely nothing,” Sebastian said. “I’m just trying to be a good neighbor.”
“Yeah, uh-huh. I’m sure you are,” he said.
The rest of the stragglers from their sister club, The Horsemen, managed to drag themselves into the Griffins’ clubhouse.
Rory put two fingers in his mouth and let out a shrill whistle.
“Alright, folks, settle down. We have our annual charity ride coming up. The entry fee this year is either fifty dollars or the equivalent in new toys. If you choose to donate the money, we will have Savvy, Rory’s wife, purchase the toys, with his children’s help. They will make sure and get a variety of things while trying to make them universal, so that they can be distributed to the homeless kids for Christmas,” Sebastian said.
“Sebastian and I have worked with five businesses along the ride where we can pick up food and drinks for a discount,” Rory said. “Drinking and riding will not be tolerated. You can drink when you get to Albuquerque if you intend to stay the night, or you can wait until you get back here.”
There were some grumbles, but it wasn’t anything that they hadn’t heard before. Even though they were motorcycle clubs, certain behaviors were expected, which included no drinking and riding and absolutely no drug use.
Sebastian and Rory fielded a few questions and then the partying began.
“Don’t look now, but your girl is coming,” Rory said to Sebastian as he handed him a beer.
“Lord, have mercy,” Sebastian said.
