"And if we don't?" their leader challenged.

"I took care of you the other night. Don't make me repeat myself," Hayley threatened.

"There's no need for that," Clare told her, showing the cell phone in her hand. "I've already called

9-1-1." The leader fixed his stare on Hayley. "I owe you, b.i.t.c.h, and Ialways pay my debts." Cursing them all with equal fervor, the man signaled his buddies and they left.

"What is it with that guy?" Hayley asked, shaken but determined to put on a brave face.

"His ego took a beating the other night and now he's out to prove something. He's trying to recover lost

ground," Bryn answered.

"So that's the guy Hayley took out that night at Morgan's?" Clare asked, wide-eyed with concern.

"Yeah. Did you really call 9-1-1?" Hayley asked.

"No, but honestly? Maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea if we notified the sheriff. That guy and his pals could be dangerous."

Bryn frowned. "I don't want to stir up a bunch of trouble. And I especially don't want Logan to know about this." She held up a hand, stilling Clare's protest. "If something else happens, we'll call the sheriff's office and report it. Okay?"

Grudgingly, Clare agreed.

"Now, about lunch. Hayley, is it all right if we order something in and eat here? Not that I think they'll be back, but I don't want to leave Clare here alone."

"You know, you guys go ahead. I'm not feeling so great," Hayley confessed.

"What's wrong?"

"Strained muscles. I've been trying to ignore them, but this little episode has got me tensed up. I think I pulled something when I threw that guy the other night."

Her confession brought a chorus of commiserative ahhs, and they sent her on her way with various snippets of advice on how to get relief. Clare's declaration that a good soak in a hot tub filled with Jace would help brought a chorus of laughter. Hayley left with a smile on her slightly flushed face. As she drove home, she didn't notice the nondescript car that followed her at a discreet distance.

When she parked in her driveway beside Jace's truck, the car drove by at a slow pace. Attracted by the movement, she glanced over, absently noting the darkened windows, but dismissed it as soon as she turned toward the house. All she wanted at that moment was to curl up in bed around her heating pad.

She walked around to the back for a quick peek at the roof, but there was no sign of Jace, except for the ladder that still leaned against the house. Walking up the back steps, she opened the door and entered the kitchen to find Jace standing at the stove, stirring something in a pot.

"Hey, sweetheart, I thought you were having lunch with Bryn."

The day was overcast and cool, so Jace had remained fully dressed. His clothes bore the evidence of his hard work and a smudge of dirt marred his stubbled jaw. Even in her current, less than optimum state, Hayley was still very aware of the raw masculinity he projected. Irrational irritation manifested itself at the sight of him.

"Change of plans," she answered shortly.

"Well good, you can have lunch with me."

Biting her tongue and fighting to remain civil, Hayley began to walk past him. "I'm not hungry."

Jace reached out, hooked an arm through hers and pulled her close. "You're not mad that I'm using the kitchen, are you?"

Her sharp retort died a quick death. Jace's eyes were shadowed by an expression she'd never seen before-vulnerability. She instinctively knew that at this moment, his guard was down. She could easily hurt him, something she didn't want to do.

She took a deep, steadying breath. "I'm not angry with you. I don't mind at all that you're using the kitchen. You're welcome to anything here."

"Anything?" he asked with a twinkle in his eyes as his usual teasing expression returned.

"Almostanything," she answered then grimaced as a particularly nasty pain chose that moment to imitate a fist squeezing her insides.

"Are you okay, Hayley?"

"No, I've got to go lie down."

"What's wrong?" Jace asked with concern as he trailed her to her bedroom.

Hayley rummaged through the closet until she found her heating pad. She walked to the bedside and bent to plug the cord into the wall socket by the headboard. "I guess I pulled some muscles the other night, all right? I'll be fine. Jace, please, just go back to your lunch or work or whatever, okay?" Her final words were a plea.

Concern lit his eyes. "Is there anything I can do? Maybe you should see a doctor."

Hayley couldn't help the smile that tugged at her lips. She toed her shoes off. "I don't need a doctor. Would you mind bringing me a gla.s.s of water?"

"Sure," he said and rushed from the room, clearly not thinking of the closer water source in the bathroom.

Hayley took advantage of his absence to quickly pull off her jeans and shirt. She exchanged them for a pale, lavender sleep shirt with matching shorts. When Jace returned with the water, she was settling herself under a blanket.

"I could use that bottle of ibuprofen from medicine cabinet. Please?"

Jace brought the bottle and watched as she opened it and shook two into the palm of her hand. He handed her the gla.s.s of water and Hayley swallowed them down. "Thanks," she said with a sigh and settled down on her side, her back toward Jace. She adjusted the heating pad. "I wish I had two of these things," she muttered. "My back is killing me."

"Would it help if I rubbed it?"

Hayley turned her head and gave him a silent perusal. "Maybe, but no funny stuff, Jace, I really don't feel very well, okay?"

"No funny stuff," he promised and sat down on the bed.

Jace folded the blanket over, exposing the long line of Hayley's back. "Where does it hurt? Here?" He touched her mid-back.

"A little higher."

He let his fingers trail upward.

"There."

"All right, just relax. I'm going to push your shirt up."

Suiting actions to words, Jace pushed the back of Hayley's shirt up, exposing smooth, pale skin. Hayley shifted slightly, rolling a bit farther forward to give him better access. Placing his hands on her back, he began an easy ma.s.sage and smiled at Hayley's groan of pleasure.

"Oh yeah, that feels goood."

"Glad you like it," he commented as he continued to work on her back.

He could feel the tension easing from Hayley's muscles as he worked. With one hand continuing its ma.s.sage on the target area, he let his other hand wander farther up her back to her shoulders and the back of her neck. His touch was firm, his movements smooth, rhythmic, hypnotic. Enjoying the feel of Hayley's body under his hands, it took him a while to notice that she'd drifted off to sleep.

He continued to ma.s.sage her lightly, gently easing his touch, then stopped. He pulled her shirt down and carefully tucked the blanket at her back. Jace sat quietly and let his gaze wander her profile as she slept. Her scent had changed. It was stronger, vibrantly ripe and compelling. He thought about it and realized that his strong reactions a few nights before had been due not only to the fact that Hayley was his mate but also that she was ovulating. If they'd had s.e.x that night without some kind of protection, she'd be carrying his child.

The thought stirred something inside him, a welling of desire for something he'd never really thought about. Children. He'd never had much contact with them. His beta, Cade, led the young ones in the pack, teaching them etiquette, manners and what it meant to be part of the pack. Jace just looked on with amused tolerance.

He'd grown up with two sisters and, after his father died, spent years feeling responsible for their wellbeing. Perhaps that was why he'd never thought about fatherhood. When his mother remarried, the family responsibility went to someone else. He'd been free to behave as other young men did, wildly. For a long time he'd wanted no one depending on him.

In all his adventures with women he'd been very careful. Even though it would have been impossible for him to father a child with anyone other than his true mate, he took no unnecessary chances. He always used condoms, if only to send the message that the time he was spending with them was just fun and games. Nothing serious, no expectations.

Of course, he'd eventually grown up enough to realize that being responsible had its own rewards. He was a born leader. No one could lead properly without taking on a mantle of responsibility.

It struck him that he'd come full circle. He gone from the boy who'd been burdened with too much, to a young man who'd worked to unburden himself completely. Now he was a man, tough enough and strong enough that he sought out the responsibilities he'd once run from. His gaze refocused on Hayley and he pictured her pregnant, carrying their child. Unbidden, his c.o.c.k began to rise.Down, boy, now is not the time, he thought to himself. He realized that the timewould come and when it did, he was ready. He was ready for Hayley and everything that having her in his life would bring. A warm wave of antic.i.p.ation and satisfaction washed over him. He leaned over and kissed her gently on the temple. She stirred and mumbled.

"Shh, baby, sleep," he whispered, stood and quietly left the room.

Hayley stretched and yawned as she slowly awakened. She took in a deep breath and smiled. Jace was

still here. She could smell his distinctive, masculine aroma as she took another deep breath and held it inside for a moment before letting it go. A slight frown marred her brow. How was it she could smell his scent so distinctly? She dismissed the question in spite of a niggling sliver of disquiet. It must have just lingered from when he was in her bedroom earlier.

She could hear the faint murmur of the television and smell a delicious aroma wafting into her room. Jace had obviously cooked something. Her stomach rumbled as she rolled over and sat up. She turned off the heating pad and set it aside. Standing, she waited a second for any sign of muscle aches, but they were gone. A sigh of relief pa.s.sed her lips and she walked into the bathroom to wash her hands, splash her face with water and run a brush through her hair.

Shrugging into a short robe, she wandered down the hall and entered the living room just as Jace emerged from the kitchen. He'd obviously gone home and cleaned up. Gone was the dirt-smudged face. He was freshly shaved and wore a clean pair of jeans, a white b.u.t.ton-down shirt with the tails tucked in and white athletic shoes.

"I heard you get up. Dinner's ready. You hungry?" he asked with an inquiring smile.

"Starving. Did you actually cook?"

"Sort of."

"Sort of?"

"It's my shortcut ca.s.serole."

Hayley grinned. "What's that?"

"I buy a baked chicken from the deli, cut it up and lay it out in a pan, pour broccoli-cheese and rice

soup over it, shove it in the oven along with some heat-and-serve dinner rolls and twenty minutes later, dinner is served," he explained proudly.

"Very clever," she chuckled. "It smells delicious."

"It is," he a.s.serted confidently. "Right this way, sweetheart."

Jace ushered her into the kitchen and pulled a chair out for her. He'd already set the table with plates, silverware and gla.s.ses. In addition, there was a nice tablecloth and even a lit candle in a jar placed in the

center.

"Wow, this is really nice, Jace," Hayley complimented as she took her seat.

With a flourish, Jace placed the serving dish with his ca.s.serole on the table and added a covered basket containing the rolls. "Didn't figure you'd feel like cooking, and since you missed lunch, I decided I'd better feed you before I go. You were lookin' a mite pale, sweetheart."

Hayley lowered her eyes suddenly feeling a bit bashful. "Thank you for earlier, you really made me feel better."

"You're welcome," he replied. "I could tell by the way you were snoring."

"I do not snore!"

Jace laughed. "Just teasing. Now here, try this."

She directed a quelling frown his way as he placed a healthy helping of ca.s.serole on her plate. Hayley picked up her fork, brought a small bite to her mouth and took a tentative taste.

She smiled. "You didn't lie-itis good."

"Of course."

Jace filled their gla.s.ses from a frosty pitcher of lemonade then seated himself. They pa.s.sed the dinner rolls and b.u.t.ter. He'd also heated up some canned sweet corn, which Hayley confessed was her favorite vegetable. They enjoyed a relaxed meal and chatted easily. Hayley asked Jace about his work and he reciprocated.

The time pa.s.sed pleasantly and more quickly than either thought possible. There was something homey and welcoming about the whole thing that both of them were enjoying immensely.

Jace looked at his watch. "I'm going to start cleaning up. I have to get going soon. I have a business meeting this evening."

"With Gracie Stevens?" Hayley blurted out, and then wished she'd bitten her tongue at the expression on Jace's face.