Wild About You Part 6

Very strange. Elsa exchanged another look with Alastair.

"We'll be fine, Shanna," he insisted. "We can post security guards here at night to watch over the supplies. We always do that when we work in metropolitan areas."

Shanna glanced at her watch and bit her lip. "I hope you didn't have any trouble finding the place. This is such a remote location. I'm afraid it could be terribly hard for you to get your supplies here."

Was the owner just nervous, or was she trying to back out? Elsa took a deep breath and smiled. "Please don't let that concern you. We don't think the location will be a problem. It will be a nice change for our show."

"I see." Instead of looking relieved, the owner looked more agitated.

"I sense you're having second thoughts," Elsa said gently. "That's a fairly common reaction once people realize that their house will actually be featured on our show. There are privacy and financial concerns."

Shanna sighed. "There is a problem. I didn't think about it when I first contacted you. I was just so excited about you coming here. But when I discussed it with my husband and his ... colleagues, they pointed out some serious security and privacy issues I'd forgotten to consider."

"We would do our best to comply with your needs," Elsa a.s.sured her.

"I appreciate that," Shanna said. "My husband and I work far away during the day, and we would never be able to do any interviews for your show. Our names would have to remain private, and we would have to use someone else to represent us."

"We've done that before," Alastair said. "To be perfectly honest, the focus of the show is the house, not the owner. As long as your representative can meet with us during the day and doesn't mind doing an occasional interview, then we're fine with that."

"Well, I'm not sure if he'll agree to it." Shanna glanced at her watch once again. "He was supposed to be here by now."

"If he agrees to represent you, will you let us do the house?" Alastair asked. "We can cover the cost of the renovation up to the amount of fifty thousand, and we won't go over that without consulting you."

"And we stand by all our work," Elsa added. "We have to. Everything we do is thoroughly doc.u.mented on the show."

"And we'll put it all in writing, of course," Alastair said. "We'll turn this house back into the masterpiece it deserves to be."

Shanna heaved a sigh. "It's so tempting. Believe me, I really want you to do it. I just haven't convinced-" Her eyes widened. "I hear a car coming."

She must have awfully good hearing, for Elsa didn't hear anything.

Shanna smiled at her. "Howard's coming. He doesn't know you're here, so he's going to be totally taken by surprise. He's a huge fan!" She dropped her flashlight in the basket by the door and hurried outside.

Alastair sidled up close to Elsa. "Are you getting strange vibes?"

She snorted. "Tell me about it." She'd been getting them since they'd entered the forest.

"Something odd about the owner," Alastair whispered. "But I really want to do this house. If the rep seems like a decent chap, I say we go for it."

Elsa nodded. "I agree." The house was very tempting, but the strange vibes were tempting, too. It was as if she'd caught a glimpse of a puzzle she was anxious to solve.

She finally heard the sound of a car engine. "Let's go." She returned her flashlight to the basket and peered outside.

Alastair turned his flashlight off and joined Elsa by the front door.

"Howard!" Shanna called out. "Thank you for coming."

"Is there a problem?" a masculine voice responded. "Toni told me to come here right away."

Elsa swallowed hard. Whoever this Howard was, he had a s.e.xy voice. Deep and powerful enough to make her insides quiver. She inched out onto the dark porch.

Shanna ran forward to meet the newcomer, who had parked an SUV down the driveway in a dark area beneath the trees. "We're thinking of renovating this house. You won't believe who's here!"

Howard emerged from the shadows, partially lit by a floodlight.

Elsa gasped.

"Blimey," Alastair whispered. "He's b.l.o.o.d.y huge."

Elsa pressed a hand to her chest as her heart thundered. He was tall, taller than her. And big, bigger than her. Solid as a boulder, yet he moved with a stealthy, fluid grace. She eased forward, waiting for him to enter fully into the light. Any second now.

There.

Her heart lurched up her throat. He was gorgeous. Strong, masculine face, beautiful blue eyes, and thick brown hair. His black T-s.h.i.+rt molded to a wide, muscular chest, and the sleeves stretched across biceps that made her mouth water.

Her skin tingled with goose b.u.mps. Was this what she had antic.i.p.ated ever since she'd entered the forest? Somehow, she had known something was waiting for her just around the bend. Something big.

He was definitely big. And having a big effect on her. She felt breathless, weak at the knees, and dazed, as if she were in a dream.

He halted suddenly at something Shanna had whispered to him. "What?"

"It's true," Shanna said. "She's here."

His eyes widened as he turned to stare at the house. His gaze found her on the dark porch, and his mouth fell open. Her heart leaped in response.

He closed his eyes, and his chest expanded as he took a deep breath. Was he trying to smell her? When his eyes opened, they gleamed a richer blue. He looked at her, and his gorgeous mouth curled slowly into a smile.

Alastair snorted. "I don't think he'll mind working with you."

She'd certainly like to work with him. She ventured out of the shadow and into the light.

Howard sprinted toward her, then skidded to a halt in the gravel in front of the porch. He gazed at her, an amazed expression on his face.

"Elsa," he whispered.

His voice went through her like a delicious s.h.i.+ver. "Hi," she breathed.

He continued to stare at her. "Hi."

"How do you do?" Alastair stepped forward, extending a hand. "I'm Alastair Whitfield."

"Howard Barr." He glanced at Alastair, then focused once again on Elsa, forgetting to shake hands. "It's really you."

"Yes." She licked her lips, suddenly as nervous as a schoolgirl.

His gaze dropped to her mouth, then back to her eyes. "Do you know how beautiful you are?"

Her heart melted.

"Too bad we don't have a camera rolling," Alastair muttered.

"I knew it," Shanna whispered, her eyes glistening with tears.

"So do we have a deal?" Alastair asked. "We can renovate this house?"

"Perhaps," Shanna answered. "If I can convince my husband. And if Howard will agree to oversee the project-"

"I will," he said, never taking his eyes off Elsa. He stretched a hand toward her. "I'm very happy to meet you."

Her heart fluttered. "Howard." She placed her hand in his.

An instant frisson of electricity shot up her arm. She gasped and stepped back, stumbling on the porch steps. Howard grabbed her by the upper arms to steady her.

She cried out as a flame of heat seared the birthmark on her right shoulder.

"Are you all right?" Howard leaned close to her, his eyes worried.

She scrambled out of his reach, grasping her shoulder. The heat from her birthmark scorched her left hand, forcing her to let go. "Agh." Her palm was red. Burned.

Oh G.o.d, no. She curled her injured hand into a fist. It couldn't be real. Her aunt had always warned her this could happen, but she'd never believed it. She curled her injured hand into a fist. It couldn't be real. Her aunt had always warned her this could happen, but she'd never believed it.

She glanced at Howard, who was watching her with a confused look. Oh G.o.d, no! Oh G.o.d, no! Not him. Not him.

He'd activated the curse.

Chapter Six

What the h.e.l.l had happened? He could have sworn she liked him, but now she was recoiling in horror.

"Elsa?" Howard reached out to her, and she jumped back.

Her handbag slipped off her shoulder and she grabbed it, wincing as if in pain.

"Are you hurt?" He could still feel the heat stinging his left hand from when he'd touched her.

"I ... excuse me." She gave Shanna and Alastair an apologetic look. "I need to make a personal call." She rushed down the steps, giving Howard a wide berth, then dashed to her car and climbed into the driver's seat.

Alastair plastered a wide grin on his face. "The poor girl is exhausted. We started the day in London, don't you know. It's been a dreadfully long day."

Shanna nodded with a sympathetic smile, then glanced toward the car. "I hope she'll be all right."

Howard eased a little closer to the car. With his superior senses, he might be able to hear her phone conversation. It was wrong to invade her privacy, but dammit, he had to know what had happened. He couldn't strategize his next move without more information.

"Shanna, I do hope you'll allow us to renovate this house," Alastair said. "It would be perfect for our show."

Howard turned his head toward Alastair and Shanna so it would look like he was focused on their conversation.

"Aunt Greta," Elsa whispered urgently into her phone. "I-I think it happened. You told me to call you immediately if my birthmark ever-"

Howard strained but couldn't catch what the aunt was saying. If only Elsa wasn't closed up in a car.

"Yes, it's burning," Elsa said. "Something terrible."

He flexed his left hand. It was still sore from touching her. Apparently, the mysteriously hot birthmark was on her right shoulder.

"I'll discuss it with my husband," Shanna distracted him as she continued her conversation with Alastair. "We'll give you an answer tomorrow night."

"Excellent," Alastair replied.

"Our biggest concern is the school down the road," Shanna added. "We can't allow any mention of it, and none of your employees can go anywhere near it."

Alastair nodded. "Understood."

Howard knew Roman and Angus wouldn't be pleased to have a production crew so close to the academy. It was a definite security risk, but the prospect of having Elsa so close was too tempting to resist. He refocused his attention on her.

"Yes," she whispered in the car. "I did touch someone. We shook hands."

He tensed, waiting for more.

"No, he was a perfect gentleman." Elsa gasped. "Greta! I don't believe it. There was nothing wild or crazy about him."

He winced.

"I can't go home," Elsa insisted. "I'm working here." A pause. "No. You don't need to come here. Really, Greta, I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself."

"We'll be staying at the inn in Cranville," Alastair told Shanna. "I'll have a contract ready tomorrow night and hope for the best."

Shanna nodded and gave Howard a questioning look. "You're all right with representing Roman and me?"

"Sure. No problem." He caught the end of Elsa's line.

"I told you I don't believe in that nonsense!"

He gritted his teeth. What nonsense?

"Do we really have to make such a big deal out of this?" Elsa asked. "He seemed perfectly safe to me. And normal."

Howard groaned inwardly. The truth was he wasn't normal. And if he pursued Elsa, he'd eventually have to tell her he was a were-bear. Would she be able to handle it? Maybe, if she liked him enough. He could have sworn she had felt an attraction before his touch had caused her to burn. What the h.e.l.l was that about?