“A friend, huh. Is this the friend you occasionally sleep with?”
Since their date in the fancy bar, Wulf had never asked about the other man in her life. She had figured he just didn't care. The tone of his voice right then, though, made her think that he actually cared very much.
“Yes. Sort of.”
“Again with this 'sort of'. He must have an awfully small dick for you to be so easily confused as to whether or not you're fucking him.”
“Shut up,” she laughed. “It's been a while.”
“Slacking off, huh?”
“More like stopped entirely. It just isn't … as fun as it used to be.”
“Hmmm, and I wonder why that is.”
They stared at each other for a long moment, and she willed him to say whatever it was that was bouncing around his head. She could see it behind his eyes. He was such a caged beast. Once again, she thought about how good Liam would probably be for him, and wondered if she should introduce them some day.
Then Wulf broke the spell by slapping her sharply on the thigh, hard enough to sting. She cried out, but then the sting was soothed when he leaned forward and kissed the same spot.
Dinner was nice, though she was still a little distracted, thinking about Liam. Hoping he was okay. She really did care about him, and she knew he cared about her. She didn't want to hurt him, and she worried that's where they were headed.
She wasn't the only one with problems, either. During dessert, she noticed Wulf glancing at his phone, then glaring at it like it had personally offended him.
“Bad news?” she asked. He shook his head and tucked the device into an inside pocket of his blazer.
“An investment that's gone bad. Nothing for you to worry about.”
But she did worry. He'd gone back to being silent-Wulf. They finished eating without another word, drove home in silence, and she was left to walk herself to her door. She couldn't help thinking that Liam would never treat her like that, not even when he was upset. Wulf was aggravating. So petulant, like a child. So infuriating, like an asshole.
Yet an hour later, when she heard the splash, Katya was at her window. Watching him swim all those laps. Wondering when, or if, he'd ever let out his demons.
Can't swim away forever, Wulf.
*
Katya went to sleep worrying that Wulf would still be grumpy the next day. But when she wandered downstairs in the morning, still in her pajamas, she was pleasantly surprised to find him in the kitchen.
“Katya, just in time. My mother is finally home.”
Wulf looked nothing like his mom. One wouldn't even think they were related. He was so tall and big and broad. Beautiful, with his dark brown hair and his striking blue eyes. Ms. Imelda Stone had fair hair, now liberally streaked with gray, that went well with her warm brown eyes. She was short, at least four inches shorter than Katya, which made her almost a foot shorter than her son, whom she quite literally seemed to look up to – there was so much love and awe in her gaze, it almost made Katya uncomfortable. It was as if the woman couldn't comprehend that she'd created such an amazing man.
He took care of her. He supported her. Still does – he owns the house she lives in, he pays for her daughters to go to college. He amazes me, even.
“Katya, it's been ages,” Ms. Stone sighed, leaning in to give her a hug.
“A very long time, ma'am. Please excuse the way I'm dressed, I didn't know we had company,” Katya prattled off automatically.
“Oh, don't worry about it at all. It's an ungodly hour to be visiting, but Wulfy insisted.”
Wulfy!?
Katya raised her eyebrows at the pet name, and there was no mistaking the look Wulf gave her from over his mother's head.
Don't you fucking dare.
“It's not too early at all.”
“So tell me, has my son been nice to you? I know he can be a little … abrupt. Heaven knows where he gets it from, his father and I, and even your father, certainly tried to teach him better,” Ms. Stone chuckled.
“Nice isn't exactly the word I'd use,” Katya replied, unable to contain her smile as Wulf's glare grew even worse.
“Oh, dear! Tell me everything.”
“Well, first he put in a huge order at my bakery, all while pretending not to know me, just to make me nervous. And then he took me to a fancy restaurant, the awful man. And you'll never believe this, but he even showed up at my apartment once, on my day off, and forced me to give him a manicure. Can you believe it?” Katya teased. She was pretty sure Wulf's glare had reached burn-to-a-crisp levels, but she just ignored him.
“Sounds terrible,” Ms. Stone laughed. “Just awful. Best to get rid of him while you can.”
“If only,” Wulf finally cut into the conversation, making all the women laugh.
Katya dashed upstairs to shower and change, and by the time she felt presentable, the Stones had already gone back to their own home. She discovered that the mothers had made plans for a barbecue. It was short notice, they weren't sure a lot of the neighbors would show up, but both had already started making some phone calls. Mrs. Tocci had their housekeeper dust off the grill and move it into the backyard, near a picnic table, and a grocery store delivered a ridiculous amount of food.
“Mom! Did you invite the neighborhood, or all of Carmel!?”
“Hush, it's not often my beautiful daughter comes to visit.”
“Oh, stop.”
“And even rarer that she brings home a man I actually approve of!”
“Hey! I did not 'bring home' Wulf, it is not like that. And I thought you loved Tony!”
“Because I thought you loved him. I always thought he was boring. I was dreading going to those PGA tournaments.”
The Toccis had always been popular in their neighborhood, and of course, Wulf was somewhat of a legend, so a lot of people turned out. The gate was opened between the Stone and Tocci properties, and people milled about, chatting while eating gourmet hot dogs.
Katya was sidelined by a neighbor's son. She felt awful, she couldn't remember his name, even though they'd gone to high school together. He was living in Carmel and his parents had invited him to the barbecue.
“Real estate, huh? I hear that's good business,” Katya mumbled, only half listening to him while her eyes scanned the yards, wondering where Wulf was – she hadn't spoken to him since that morning.
“Yeah, it is. Carmel has some great property values. I'm still kinda new, but I think I'll go far,” what's-his-name babbled.
“I'm sure you will.”
“I heard Wulfric Stone is here – isn't he into real estate?”
“Yeah, he owns his own agency in San Francisco.”
“Tough market. I should meet him, he could probably give me some good advice.”
“Don't hold you breath,” she muttered.
“What was that?”
“I said don't you like this bread?”
She took a huge bite of her hot dog and he went back to going on and on about his fascinating job. She was just about ready to excuse herself when her eyes finally locked onto Wulf, and for the first time ever in her life, Katya saw pure green.