Werewolf in the North Woods by Vicki Lewis Thompson Read Free Book Online

be out combing those woods. A brilliant scientist like you wouldn’t be able to resist.” Earl’s shoulders slumped.
    “It’s a great story,” Roarke said. “But my scientific training tells me—”
    “You can’t rely solely on your training. ‘To know is nothing at all; to imagine is everything.’ Einstein.”
    “I’ve heard that,” Roarke said.
    “But . . . I can’t force you to go out there and look.” Earl stood and held out his hand. “Thanks for coming, Roarke. It was worth a shot trying to convince you.”
    Roarke stood and gripped Earl’s hand. “I wish I could say you changed my mind.” He wished he could say a lot of things, including that.
    “I wish you could, too.”
    Glancing at his watch, Roarke grimaced. “Sorry to cut this short, but I need to take off.”
    “That’s some watch you have there.” Earl peered at it. “Doesn’t look like a Rolex. Judging from that fancy car outside, I’d expect you to wear a Rolex. What is it?”
    “A Louis Moinet Magistalis.”
    “ Huh . Never heard of that before.”
    Abby got up. “I’ll walk you to the door, Roarke.”
    “Which is my cue to let you two young people have a private conversation,” Earl said. “Thanks for listening to an old coot.”
    “It was a pleasure.”
    “And tell Cameron Gentry I will see him in hell before I’ll let him have this land.”
    Roarke couldn’t help smiling. The guy had spunk. “I’ll tell him. Take care, Dr. Dooley.”
    “You, too, Dr. Wallace.”
    Still smiling, Roarke walked with Abby to the front door. He wouldn’t mind continuing a friendship with Earl, but that would be impossible given the situation.
    “I watched your face during Grandpa Earl’s story,” Abby said when they reached the door. “You were digging it.”
    Roarke glanced down at her. “Of course I was. You were absolutely right. Nobody can tell a story like an Irishman.”
    “Yes, but I think it was more than that. I can’t shake the feeling that a part of you believes in Bigfoot.”
    Gazing at her, Roarke longed to give her the satisfaction of knowing he’d changed his mind. But because he’d never doubted her grandfather in the first place, he couldn’t claim an about-face. “Let it go, Abby.”
    “I can’t. He’s so frustrated.”
    “Then tell him this.” Roarke pictured Gentry’s fury at this decision, but he didn’t much care. “I haven’t changed my mind, but I’ll cancel the rest of my talks. He can spin that information any way he wants to.”
    Abby’s eyes glowed. “Thank you, Roarke.” Placing both hands lightly on his shoulders, she stood on tiptoe and kissed him.
    Her kiss was quick but potent. Her lips tasted like warm coffee, and the imprint of her velvet touch lingered long after she’d pulled away. It took all of Roarke’s willpower not to kiss her back. Somehow he managed to get out the door and into his car, but he had no memory of the drive back to the Gentry estate.
    No doubt about it, Abby was big medicine. He remembered the way his brother, Aidan, had behaved after meeting Emma, and Roarke had a really bad feeling he was heading down that same path. He needed to find the mated pair and get the hell out of Portland before he did something really stupid.

Chapter 4
     
    After Roarke left, a customer came in for some crackers and a couple packs of gum. Abby gave them too much change for their twenty and didn’t realize it until they’d driven away. That’s what she got for kissing Roarke Wallace. Now her brain was mush.
    Worse yet, he hadn’t kissed her back. Instead he’d stood there like a bump on a log. Then he’d left in a hurry, as if he couldn’t wait to get away from her. How demoralizing.
    Yesterday he’d seemed interested, but yesterday she’d been wearing a killer outfit. Maybe he was just that shallow. Now she was embarrassed for choosing to wear her Kiss me, I’m Irish sweatshirt. She’d thought doing that would be flirty and fun, when in fact it had only added to