Buck Naked Read online

  Other than her trip to the Cougarville Chemist, her afternoon on the town had been a complete and total disaster. After leaving Fiona behind her counter, she’d decided to cross the street to visit Sweet Stems Florist shop.

  There was a nice-looking older man behind the counter with slightly stooped shoulders and a touch of silver at his temples. Sadie could see him through the plate-glass window, arranging a large vase of roses.

  She opened the door, causing a little bell to jingle, and he looked up.

  “Well, hello! Welcome to the . . .” His words trailed off and he just stared at Sadie. His eyes widened, his nostrils flared, and a hungry look came over his face.

  “Um . . . hello?” Sadie wasn’t sure what to say or why he had suddenly stopped talking and started staring. “I’m Sadie Becker, your new neighbor across the street.” She gestured in the direction of her office. “I’m a CPA and I—”

  “Sadie! What a lovely name.” The man’s paralysis suddenly broke and he rushed forward to greet her. His elbow caught the huge vase and it crashed to the floor, spraying glass, water, and roses everywhere. Yet, strangely, he barely seemed to notice.

  “Oh!” Sadie gasped, jumping back from the spreading puddle. “Your roses!”

  “They’re nothing—nothing, dear Sadie! Not nearly as beautiful as you.” He reached for her hand, as though to shake it but before he could, a woman about his age came out from the back room of the shop.

  “Buford! What in the world—” she began. Then she caught sight of Sadie. Her nostrils wrinkled and she glared. “What do you want in here?”

  Sadie was taken aback. “I-I just stopped in to say hello,” she stammered. “I’m new in town and I wanted to meet—”

  “Wanted to meet whatever eligible males you could before the full moon, did you? Well you can just cross this place right off your list, missy.” There was a spark of anger in the woman’s gray eyes. “My Buford isn’t even an Alpha, and besides, he’s taken.”

  Sadie couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Was the woman actually insinuating that Sadie was here to steal her elderly husband? What would make her think such a thing?

  “I just wanted to introduce myself,” she said. “But if this is a bad time—”

  “You know damn good and well it’s a bad time! We’re closed so I’ll thank you to go.” The woman glared at her.

  “All right.” Sadie stepped out of the shop and the woman bustled after her. She locked the door as though she thought Sadie might try to come back in. Then she flipped the sign hanging on the door from OPEN to CLOSED and pulled down a shade, covering the window.

  Feeling stunned, Sadie walked a little way down to the Friendly Bean. Well, at least she was sure of getting a good reception here. It was one of the few shops she’d already gone into—she had gotten herself a delicious mochaccino the day she moved in and signed the papers to rent her office.

  She stepped inside confidently enough and took a deep breath. The small, snug space was filled with the warm, delicious smell of freshly brewed coffee. Three couples sat sipping their beverages at the little round tables scattered around. There were faded vintage movie posters on the walls and a shelf of lending books with tattered covers in one corner. In the far rear of the establishment was a battered leather couch where you could sit and read or just drink coffee. Sadie couldn’t imagine a cozier spot.

  Standing at the counter was a vaguely familiar man. He was probably about Sadie’s age with broad shoulders and an open, honest face with kindly brown eyes.

  “Welcome to the Bean,” he called, just as he had the first time she’d come in. “Glad to . . .”

  He stopped talking, just as the man at Sweet Stems Florist had. At the same time, a hush fell over the three couples sitting around sipping their coffee. They all looked at Sadie, staring at her as though she’d grown a second head.

  What in the world are they staring at? She looked around uneasily. Nothing like this had happened the first time she had come into the Friendly Bean. Then the other customers had barely glanced up from their drinks and the counterman had served her with a pleasant smile. Now all their gazes were pinned on her and most of the expressions on their faces were anything but cordial.

  “Juvie,” the woman sitting in the table nearest to her hissed. She looked Sadie up and down, her lip curling as though what she saw disgusted her. “Come on, Jason!” She grabbed the hand of the man who was sitting with her—staring at Sadie with the same, strange hunger she’d seen on the florist’s face—and dragged him up. “We’re leaving.”

  She towed the man, who must have been her husband, out the door, shutting it hard behind her.

  As though the woman’s exit was some kind of signal, all the other patrons of the Friendly Bean got up and left too—the women pulling their men behind them just as the first one had. At last only the counterman was left.

  “I . . .” Sadie looked at him uncertainly. “I’m so sorry. I don’t . . . I’m not sure what just happened.”

  “Worry not, my lovely.” He came around the counter, holding out a hand to her. “Allow me to offer you a drink on the house. Any drink—or all the drinks. Just tell me what you want—everything I own and everything I am is at your complete disposal.”

  “Um, that’s very kind of you but maybe I should just go.” Feeling thoroughly confused and more than a little creeped out, Sadie started to back toward the exit.

  “No! You must stay!” The kindly coffee attendant wasn’t looking so kindly anymore. He caught Sadie’s hand and began to tug her to the back of the shop. “Stay with me,” he growled hungrily. “I want to get to know you better. Much better!”

  To Sadie’s horror, she realized he was dragging her over to the battered leather couch, clearly with less-than-honorable intentions.

  “Wait! No!” She tried to fight him but he was immensely strong—even stronger than he looked. “Let me go!” she gasped as he pushed her onto the couch. “What are you doing? I don’t even know you!”

  “Soon you will know me—all of me—as I will know all of you,” he promised, fumbling with the buttons of her navy peacoat.

  “Stop it! Stop!” Sadie batted his hands away but he wouldn’t stop. Before she knew it, he started to climb on top of her.

  “Help! Help me!” She couldn’t believe she was being assaulted by the nice counterman who had given her a mochaccino with a friendly smile the last time she’d seen him. What was wrong with him? With everyone in this town?

  Her cries for help brought someone from the back. There was a sound of footsteps and then, suddenly, an angry woman with short black hair came into view.

  “John!” she exclaimed, whacking the counterman on one broad shoulder. “What in the name of Lady Moon do you think you’re doing?”

  The counterman didn’t answer. He just continued pawing at Sadie’s clothing and trying to climb on top of her. The woman ran off and for a horrible moment Sadie thought she was just going to leave her to her fate. She came back, however, holding a steaming cup of coffee in one hand.

  “What are you going to do?” Sadie gasped, still fighting off the man’s advances.

  The woman didn’t answer. Instead she threw the hot cup of coffee straight into the counterman’s face.

  He howled in pain and scrambled back, clawing at his eyes and face.

  “Get up.” The woman with dark hair jerked her head at Sadie. “Get up and go, quick.”

  “I . . . I . . .” Sadie made herself stand on shaky legs. She tried to straighten her clothing, which was rumpled from the sudden unprovoked attack. “Thank you for saving me,” she offered at last.

  “I shoulda left you to it—serves you right coming in here like this. But my brother’s a good man even if he’s not an Alpha—he’d hate himself when his head cleared,” the woman said grimly.

  “Cleared from what? I don’t understand.” Sadie shook her head desperately.

  “Well, understand this—I don’t know where you’re from, Juvie,” the woman