Only Mine (Honey Mountain #5)(18)

“You’re such a pompous ass,” I snarled, keeping my voice low and a fake smile plastered on my face as we approached the man who was looking down at his phone.

“Did you just check me with a shoulder bump? How very professional of you.”

“It’s game time. Try acting like a normal human,” I said, shoving myself in front of him. “Allen. Hello, I’m Dylan Thomas. We spoke on the phone.”

“Yes. Dylan. It’s great to meet you. And this must be Wolf Wayburn. Your father has spoken so highly of you over the years. My cousin is in the Navy, and when I said I was meeting with you tonight, he told me what a badass you are. Apparently, your reputation is one for the books. Did you know everyone worships this dude?” Allen asked me as we followed the hostess to the table.

Of course, I didn’t. I mean, I assumed just by what I’d seen of him that he was probably great in battle because he was perpetually pissed off. But the man was buttoned so tight, I didn’t have a clue what it meant to be a SEAL beyond what I’d seen in the movies.

“No. Apparently, if he tells me anything, he’d have to kill me.” I sat in the chair that Wolf pulled out for me, and he narrowed his gaze.

“I said you’d have to kill me if I talked. I took an oath.” He raised a brow. “Anyhow, thank you for meeting us, Allen. So, how do you like living here in Denver?” I asked.

Allen was very friendly, and the conversation flowed with ease. We ordered dinner and drinks, and Wolf got right down to business. The man was too damn smooth for his own good. I sipped my second glass of chardonnay when the server set down our plates and watched as he spoke to Allen about the Lions organization and what the future looked like.

“What I’m saying is, we’re a family-run business. We treat our players like family. That’s why we have the lowest turnover of any team in the league. Off the record, I’m sure my father has shared that we have some players that will be retiring after this year, and we need to fill those spots with guys that we think can lead us to the next Stanley Cup.” He brought up Donovan Brown’s name casually, as if it was just in passing and not the reason that we were here. Wolf’s jaw was chiseled, and his white dress shirt strained against his muscles. He glanced over at me a few times, and I swear I had to squeeze my thighs together because he looked at me with the same hunger that I was currently feeling.

Was it the wine talking?

How could I be so attracted to a man who I couldn’t stand most of the time?

But here he was, commanding the attention at the table, and Allen and I were both listening with bated breath.

“So, there it is, in a nutshell. I want you to enjoy your dinner, and I’ll be happy to answer any questions or get any info over to you in the next few months if you’re interested. Otherwise, just know that we are not afraid to pay for our players. We want the guys on our team to know that we want them, that we value them, and we’d prefer that they stay as part of the Lions family for the rest of their careers if they’re willing. If that’s a fit for any of your clients, we are open to discussions when the time comes.”

“Sign me up. I’m in.” The words left my mouth before I could stop them. Like I’d been in some sort of Wolf Wayburn trance and had forgotten where I was.

Allen barked out a laugh, and Wolf gaped at me like I had lost my mind.

“What? I’m just saying, that was an impressive pitch. Who wouldn’t want to be part of the Lions family?” I tried to cover my outburst and act like it had been intentional.

“You know, I think we’re very much on the same page. Not everyone enjoys being an unrestricted free agent, such as Donovan Brown, for example. He and his wife don’t want to keep moving, so finding a place to set down roots before their daughter starts school in two years while being part of a class-act organization will be music to his ears. Raising a family and being on the move year after year isn’t easy, so something long-term for their little girl would be very appealing.”

Wolf smiled and nodded. “I look forward to continued conversations with you and him.”

I went on to tell Allen all about my sister, Charlotte, who was a teacher, and the rest of the evening was small talk and laughter. Well, Allen and I both laughed several times. Wolf rarely allowed himself to laugh unless it was sarcastic and angry. He was a serious guy.

I could usually figure people out fairly quickly.

But this guy was a huge mystery.

Edgy and sexy and strong.

Rude and protective at the same freaking time.

The man made no sense.

Our server walked over to ask if we wanted dessert, and she set a new glass of wine down in front of me and bent down to speak close to my ear. “This is from Teak. He said he’s looking forward to chatting with you some more.”

Allen had to step away to take a call from his wife, and I looked up to see Wolf watching me with a murderous look on his face.

What was his deal?

I took a sip of my wine, and Allen returned to the table, telling us his son, Parker, wasn’t feeling well, so he needed to get going. Wolf waved over the server and handed her his card.

“You get home. We look forward to talking to you soon.” Wolf moved to his feet and shook Allen’s hand. “Just know, we’re hellbent on winning the Cup with the right team in place. We’re holding back no expense to make it happen, and adding a bonus to the players’ salaries to achieve that goal is not out of the question.”