Page 54 of Tracking Wolfe

“Not at all,” I admitted. “I’m happy right where I am.”

Wolfe’s eyes flicked to mine, the mossy green looking striated in the shifting light from the fire. “You always did like camping.”

I laughed. “I’ve just spent the past six weeks living in a tent in subzero temperatures. Believe me, it’s not the camping I’m here for.”

His cheeks darkened, but before he could say anything, a woman about his age snuck up behind him and put her hands over his eyes. She looked familiar, and the only reason I was able to place her was because I’d seen the brightly colored school bus pull in a half hour ago.

“Guess who, babydoll,” she said with a big grin.

Wolfe had frozen at her touch, but the sound of her voice must have been familiar. “Lena!” He stood up and gave her a hug before moving to the woman next to her. “Good to have you back.”

They chatted happily with him before shooting me a curious look.

Wolfe stammered, “Oh, uh, this is Trace. A friend from home. Trace, this is Lena and Imani. They’re in that skoolie over there.”

I gave them a smile and a little wave. “Nice to meet you.”

After they chatted for a few more minutes, the women moved around the ring to settle into their own chairs.

Wolfe leaned over and lowered his voice. “Everyone here knows me as Will. You probably picked up on that, but…”

“No problem. I understand,” I murmured. It was no secret he’d been uncomfortable with being recognized, and it made sense he’d want to be anything other than Jude Marian’s son while on this trip.

He met my eye and smiled. “Thanks.”

I sucked in a breath. Fuck, what that sweet face did to me.

Until now, I hadn’t realized just how much the distance between Montana and California had protected me from temptation. Every time Wolfe and I had been around each other in the past six years had been in the presence of Jude and Derek, which had made it very easy to shove my attraction to their son into the deepest, darkest corner of my mind.

But now that they weren’t here? It was impossible. My attraction to Wolfe Marian flared bright and hot. There was no escaping it…

And I was beginning to realize I might not want to anyway.

“Will!” Brennan called from across the fire, where a large folding table was set with various dishes and a portable grill. “Settle a dispute between me and Thierry about how long to cook this salmon fillet for.”

Wolfe stood to join him when I noticed a new vehicle pull into Wolfe’s own campsite. The pickup’s driver door opened, and the man from the bar stepped out.

I watched Jake’s eyes find Wolfe immediately. There was no trace of a smile on his face, only a look of pure calculation.

Stop being a jealous asshole.

I blinked and tried not to assess the man from a place of significant bias. He was good-looking. Very. And he strode toward the group with confidence.

Jake walked directly over to Wolfe and leaned in to press his lips to Wolfe’s cheek in a greeting that lasted several beats past polite. The stiff canvas of my camp chair creaked as I shifted my weight forward.

I knew better than to get involved in Wolfe’s friendships, but I still didn’t like this guy. My own jealousy aside, Wolfe had only been in Hush for a few days. Whatever territorial claim this guy thought he had on Wolfe was inappropriate and lightning-fast.

Wolfe’s cheeks turned a deeper pink as he introduced Jake to the people around him. Brennan looked happy to see Jake, and the two older men by the grill seemed pleased also.

Great. Everyone is happy. Excellent.

I forced myself to remain seated. To not do exactly what I was annoyed at Jake for doing by going over there to piss in a circle around my… around Wolfe.

Instead, I turned to the woman sitting next to me and struck up a conversation. Claudia Reynoso turned out to be a lovely woman, happily telling me about juggling homeschooling with running an accounting firm with her husband from the road.

It was easy to lose myself in the interesting story of their lives as digital nomads, prioritizing adventures and travel with their kids over the comfort and stability of living in one place.

By the time she was called away to help one of her kids with their hamburger, Wolfe was standing in front of me with a plate in an outstretched hand. “Hope you don’t mind. I made you a plate.”