Love Her Better (Kaid Ranch Shifters Book 4) Read online

  She said it out loud. “Weeeere…wooooolf.”

  “What?” her student Marny asked from atop her horse on the other outer rail of the arena.

  “Huh? Oh nothing. Now turn her easy and follow that rail going the other direction. You know she has a tendency to drag you back to the middle of the arena, so I want you to keep her tight on that rail. Maintain control for two whole laps and we’ll try some trotting.

  “Okay!” Marny was an enthusiastic ten-year-old with a tendency to disappear into daydream land and let her horse wander wherever she wanted to. The horse, Briar, had learned early on that she was the boss of their relationship and did whatever she wanted. This entire lesson was dedicated to teaching Marny the importance of maintaining control of the horse. And it was also a little lesson to humble Briar, who was getting a little too big for her britches with the lessons with younger riders.

  He was a werewolf, and now he was a ghost, too, because that boy would never come back. She’d felt it in his stare. He’d showed his true self to her and said goodbye.

  She needed to rent all the werewolf movies on Netflix tonight. It was marathon and ice cream time and maybe some crying on the shower floor and more ice cream, but this time with crunched-up Oreos and—

  The sound of an engine roaring up the driveway perked her right up. That was a truck engine, and not just any truck engine. It was a Kaid truck. They all made them loud, and the blow-off valves always hissed with whatever they’d done to their exhaust system when they shifted gears.

  “Stay on the rails,” she instructed and shoved herself off the stool she’d been sitting on in the middle of the arena. She power-walked to the gate to look out into the yard.

  Holy hellballs, he was back. Probably to eat her. No. Eat her out? Yes. No.

  Something was wrong with her brain and ovaries.

  “To the rail,” she sang as she opened the gate and made her way out to where Marny’s mother, Tanya, was sitting on the tailgate of her truck, posting to social media and waiting for the last five minutes of Marny’s lesson to be over. “Who in Hades is that?” Tanya whispered to her as a towering, sexy-ass, messy-haired, tight-white-T-shirt-wearin’, powerful-legged, big-booted, perfect-bearded, grim-faced, bright-eyed, cowboy-hat-wearin’ Samuel MFing Kaid hopped out of the navy-blue Ford and strode her way.

  “Hi,” she said lamely as he walked right up to her and handed her a bouquet of dandelions.

  Half the seeds had already blown away when he’d whipped them through the wind as he strode with purpose, his arms pumping on either side on his sexy walk over here.

  Gruffly, he said, “I was gonna kill your coyotes for ya, but Fuckface Bryson said I need to do sweet things if I want to keep you. I thought about giving you flowers, but these are wishes. You get a wad of wishes instead.” He tipped his hat to Tanya and then looked a frozen Cassidy up and down with his smoldering eyes. He said, “I want to keep you,” before he turned on his boot heel and made his way to the tailgate of his truck.

  “He called a bouquet a wad,” Tanya whispered from where she still sat on her own tailgate with her hand over her heart. “He said he wants to keep you.” She sighed. “Who was that?”

  A werewolf.

  Tanya didn’t need to know such things, though, so Cassidy just said, “He’s…” She cleared her throat. “He’s apparently my…” He wanted to keep her? Like a pet? Like a future snack? “He’s my Sam.”

  Sam, with his motherfuckin’ werewolf hearing, poked his head from around the back of the truck and stared at her with an unreadable expression. Then he nodded once and pulled a giant tire from the back of the truck.

  “What’s that?” she asked.

  “Another present that doesn’t involve blood,” he answered as he made his way to her front yard.

  “Oh, he’s a strange one, but that’s okay,” Tanya whispered. “He’s hot.”

  “It is hot,” he muttered.

  Okay, his impeccable hearing was a little much.

  Cassidy still hadn’t moved because her body didn’t know what to do with this shock.

  “I’ve done two circles on the rail,” Marny called from inside the arena.

  “Do two more, honey. Miss Cassidy and Mommy are busy,” Tanya called.

  Cassidy snorted and hid her laugh by clasping her hand over her mouth and swallowing the sound down. None of this was funny. There was a werewolf on the premises and, yes, she was going to keep saying that in her mind to remind herself that he could turn into a wolf and pee on trees, snap at flies, shed his fur, and bite people.

  He walked straight over to the old frayed rope that had snapped years ago, hanging from a low branch on the gnarled old oak tree beside the house. He carried the big old tire like it weighed nothing. In fact, the massive thing was thrown over his shoulder like a knap sack, and he didn’t even struggle to walk. Looked like he’d thrown a strand of one-ply toilet paper over his shoulder and gone for a stroll and—oh, my God, it hit her what he was doing. He was replacing the old tire swing Dad had hung all those years ago. He had a new rope dangling from the middle of the tire.

  “If he wants to keep you, he should hang that tire shirtless,” Tanya murmured.

  The werewolf must have heard her because he tossed a confused look back over his shoulder, but set the tire down and pulled off his shirt to reveal his perfect six pack, impeccably symmetrical man-nipples, a delicious line between his defined pecs, sexy hip muscles, and cut arms. Big shoulders. Perfect. Lick.

  “This is the best day of my life,” Tanya whispered.

  Was that a smirk on Sam’s face before he turned away to do work? Oh, dear goodness, his back was all flexed up and sexy, too. It was as good as his front.

  “I’m gonna knock ten dollars off your lesson,” Cassidy said distractedly as she watched him toss the new rope over the branch. Perfect aim. Shocking. “Since I didn’t pay attention the last five minutes.

  “You’ll do no such thing,” Tanya murmured. Had the woman even blinked yet? “This is well worth that ten dollars.”

  She had to pry her gaze off Sam and force herself to go back into the arena to help Marny unsaddle Briar and put her away. By the time she said goodbye to Tanya and Marny, the tire swing was hung and swaying gently in the breeze, and the werewolf was under the front of the Chevelle, his body jerking as he loosened something with a socket wrench. A bunch of old, greasy parts were scattered around him. She had yet to put down her “wad of dandelions,” and now there were only a few seeds left on them.

  She stood by the car and stared at his legs. How was every single thing about him so sexy to her? “So, you’re a werewolf,” she said casually. “I think I need a beer for this conversation.”

  He rolled out from under the car on one of those creepers with wheels. He had grease smears on his cheeks and the top part of his chest, which was still gloriously bare. His nipples were her favorite nipples in the world.

  She cleared her throat. “I’ll go get some beer.”

  “You look all pale and sweaty.”

  “Thank you?”

  “I mean, maybe you need whiskey.”

  “I think I need whiskey. Okay. Bye bye.”

  When he frowned, she turned and took her dandelion stalks into the house. And just before she closed the door like the awkward mess that she was, he muttered, “Bye bye.”

  One shot of Jameson later, and she brought out two newly filled shot glasses. He was sitting on the creeper, his knees bent, still covered in grease, his arms dangling over his knees as he watched her approach.

  She handed him a tiny glass that said Everything is bigger in Texas. Hers read I like big bucks and I cannot lie with an outline of Montana on it. “I used to collect these with each state I traveled to with my dad. This is my second shot. It’s been an illuminating day. You’re terrifying. But I like the color of your fur. Cheers.”

  He cracked a tiny smile and huffed a laugh, then tossed it back easy-as-you-like. “That was a good toast.”

  “T
hat is one thing I’ve never been accused of…making a good toast.”

  “I meant to scare you,” he said low, dropping his gaze to the shot glass that dangled from his fingertips. “I meant to test you. See if you still believe in the man I am when you saw the man I’m not.”

  “You could’ve given me a little heads up, Sam.”

  “Would you have believed me if I told you?”

  She huffed a sigh and sat down on the cracked pavement in front of him. “No. Do your brothers know?”

  He chuckled a dark sound and just kept staring at the dangling shot glass he swayed back and forth like a little pendulum. “My brothers are just like me. But none of us chose to be like this.”

  “Were you born like this? Born a werewolf?”

  “You gonna tell anybody?” he asked suddenly, locking her up with his gold gaze. “You gonna get me and my brothers killed? Get the town after us with their pitch forks? Get the media on us?”

  “Why would I do that?” she whispered. “Why would I ruin a life by spilling secrets?”

  The corner of his mouth curved up just slightly. God, he was beautiful. “I got a theory about you.”

  “If you have me figured out, I’m all ears. I haven’t even figured me out yet.”

  “Yes, you have. You know who you are and who you aren’t. I think you were born with this moral compass that points due north, and that needle don’t stray.”

  Huh. Good guess. “Which way does your moral compass point?”

  “Whichever way it needs to,” he answered simply.

  Danger.

  “What do you mean?” she asked.

  “Take your shot,” he said softly, and she did.

  The amber liquor burned all the way down her throat. “What do you mean?” she repeated.

  “You were built for good, but I was built different. I was built for survival.”

  “I’m a survivor, too.”

  “Yes, but at the end of your life, on your tombstone, you will have an angel etched there. On mine, there’ll be a devil.”

  Chills rippled up her arms and crept up her back.

  “Were you born like this?” she asked.

  “No. I was turned into this three years ago. My brothers, too. They went on to teach their wolves how to be good. They’re good men. Have good mates. They deserve good things.”

  “And you? What do you deserve?”

  “Bad, but the selfish parts of me want what I haven’t earned.”

  “The selfish parts of you want good?”

  He nodded.

  “Then earn the good, Sam.”

  He stared at the ground. “Will you eat food at the Kaid Ranch? My brothers are both dumb fucks, and their mates think I’m psychotic. Bryson is probably the only one who don’t think I’m a disaster, but he don’t really count because he’s not even blood-related so he don’t know any better, but—”

  “Yes,” she said fast to stop his rambling. “I’ll eat food there. With you. And your…family? Pack?”

  “I don’t have a pack anymore,” he said. “Also…” He seemed lost for words, so she just sat there with him while he spun the little shot glass with his fingertips. “Also, I’m not like other men.”

  “You mean you don’t fuck like a man?”

  Sam’s eyes went wide. “Woman, where did you learn to talk like that?”

  “Well, I’ve seen werewolf movies before and I just thought… Well, I thought that’s what you were talking about. I mean, it’s not okay for a wolf to sleep with a human.”

  He looked utterly scandalized. “No, Cassidy. I fuck like a man just fine.”

  “Oh.” She cleared her throat and plastered a smile on her blushing face. “Carry on then.” She mimed zipping her lips.

  “I don’t know what kinda werewolf porn you been watching, but delete that shit off your TV. That ain’t how it is. I meant I have bigger animal instincts than my brothers, so you’re gonna notice a difference, and I didn’t want you thinking I was messed up or something.”

  She grinned. “Well you are kinda messed up. I saw you turn into a dog. That’s weird.” His cheeks reddened slightly, so she leaned forward and knocked her boot into his. “Joke.”

  He dropped the glass in the dirt suddenly and blurred to her. His lips crashed onto hers before she even registered that he’d moved. He snarled, and the sound vibrated through her whole body. It was a second, and then he pulled back in a rush and backed five yards away. So fast. So breathtakingly fast.

  Her lips hurt from the unexpected, rough kiss. Chest heaving, she lifted her fingers to her throbbing lips. “You’re really fast,” she whispered.

  “I just wanted to see what it was like.”

  “What a kiss was like?”

  He nodded and ran his hand through his hair. “I’m sorry.”

  Utterly stunned, she stood slowly and dusted off the seat of her pants. “Sam Kaid, here is a lesson on girls. If you do something like a kiss, you don’t apologize unless they’re mad about it.”

  “Are you mad?” he asked, eyes on the ground.

  “No.” But she was confused as hell, and she needed a second to breathe because she honestly didn’t know if she had liked it or not. He was so abrupt and almost violent with his kiss.

  She had made it to the stairs of the house before she felt his hand on hers. He was gentle as he pulled her to a stop and turned her. His hands went to her waist, and then she was trapped there in his crystal-clear gaze, the color of whiskey. He searched her eyes so intently, his brow furrowed slightly with a frown. He released her waist and cupped her cheek. “I have to learn how fragile you are,” he murmured, his hand barely touching her skin, like the wings of the butterflies that were flapping around in her middle. “I don’t remember any kiss but that one.”

  She ran her hand up his forearm to his wrist and pressed his hand more firmly against her cheek, leaned into it. “I can teach you to be softer.”

  He lifted his chin slightly and gave the smallest smile. The sun was bright behind him, saturating everything in highlights and shadows. So. Damn. Beautiful. “You already are,” he whispered, leaning forward.

  His lips pressed to hers and ignited a fire in her that she’d never felt before. The wind lifted her hair and tickled her cheeks, and she smiled into his kiss before she wrapped her arms around his neck and pushed up onto her tiptoes.

  He angled his face and wrapped his free arm around her, and this was it—safety. Safety with a man who wasn’t even safe. Who was dangerous, but not to her. Not to her. She could feel his goodness. No matter what he said about devils and tombstones, he wasn’t bad.

  He pulled her in closer until she was pressed against his bare chest, and she reveled in his warmth. He pushed his tongue past her lips slightly, and there was the growl again. Only this time, it didn’t scare her. It was a hello from his animal—an “I exist in this moment,” and she was okay with it. Maybe she should be running for the hills screaming, but animals she understood. No matter what this one had done, he wasn’t bad. He’d been scared. Hurt. Used, perhaps.

  But none of that mattered here since she could feel it. Like that wild horse he’d brought to her to train, Sam was starting to trust her. Starting to lose the tension. Starting to draw her in closer. Starting to open up. It was glorious to witness. And it wasn’t her eyes that witnessed the opening, but her body. Her lips. He was a pro at this, at kissing her. His lips were soft, moving with hers so easily, and he tasted so good when he pressed his tongue against hers.

  Maybe they stood like that for a minute, or an hour, she didn’t know. All she knew is that this could last forever, and it would still end too soon.

  As he pulled away gently, with the softest smack of their lips, he kept his eyes closed for a few seconds more, but smiled when he opened them. Stunning gold. The growl was still there. She traced the curve of his lips with her fingers and then pressed her fingertips against his Adams apple where the growl was vibrating his neck. She pushed back up on her tiptoes and kis
sed his neck. You’re okay with me, wolf.

  The growl disappeared, and Sam leaned forward and rested his cheek against hers. The scruff on his face tickled her as he rubbed one side of her face and then the other. Gently, he placed a kiss on her cheek, then pulled her hand to his lips and kissed there, too.

  His cheeks were red as he grinned at her. He licked his lips and walked backward. There were no words between them. There didn’t need to be. She spoke to him with her smile, and he answered with his.

  He turned as he reached the Chevelle and scratched his scruff with his thumbnail as he got back to his work.

  Hot boy. Did he even know how charming he was? She didn’t think so.

  That right there…

  That was exactly how a first kiss should feel.

  Chapter Nine

  Wes slapped the envelope into Sam’s hand.

  “You pay me too much,” Sam murmured.

  “I pay you the same as everyone else here.”

  “He’s actually jipping you,” Hunter said with a grin. “We are worth way more than these paychecks.”

  Wes reached over and whacked Hunter upside the head. “The way you work? I should pay you half. Or better yet, you should pay me since you fuck up all the time.”

  “I would be offended, but deep down I know you love me.”

  “Deeeep, deeeeeeep,” Bryson murmured as he shoved his paycheck into his back pocket. “Deeep deep down.”

  “Unkind,” Hunter grumbled. “Sam, you could ask for a raise and Wes would give it to you.”

  “What?” Wes asked, pulling his hat down over his frown.

  “Yeah,” Bryson agreed. “Wes would do anything to win your love. Use that shit.”

  Sam huffed a laugh that surprised him just as much as it seemed to surprise his brothers and Bryson. He cleared his throat. “I don’t want a raise. I want to be paid fair for the work I do.”

  “Can I have his raise?” Hunter asked.

  “Jump off a cliff,” Wes growled.

  “Don’t actually jump off a cliff,” Hunter’s mate, Sadey, called from the couch where she and Bryson and Wes’s mates, Maris and Summer, were looking at something on Sadey’s phone.