One day, after her shift at the family restaurant, her mother stopped her at the door. “Red, I need you to run this over to your grandmother’s house.”

“Mom,” Red huffed in frustration. “Why can’t you do it? I have a date tonight.”

“Because,” her mother held the delivery bag out to her, “It’s her birthday, she’s your grandmother, and it’s on your way home.”

“Alright. I’ll drop it by.” She pulled on her jacket and slammed a leather biker’s cap on her head. Her mother smiled and kissed her cheek before pushing her out the door.

Halfway to her grandmother’s place, Red happened upon a wolf.

“Hello there Red,” he said calmly as he leaned against a tree. “Nice hat.”

“Hey Joe, whatta ya know?” she replied, not afraid of him at all.

The wolf eyed Red up and down. ‘What a tender young thing’ he thought to himself. ‘I’d love to find out if she tastes as good as she looks.’ He licked his lips and flashed a wicked grin. “Where you headed to, all by yourself?”

“Gran’s,” she replied innocently. “Today’s her birthday. Mom sent her a cake and a bottle of wine.”

The wolf lifted a brow. Even in the twilight, Red could see how green his eyes were. “What, no gift? Surely you wouldn’t forget to give your Grandmother a card or small token on her birthday.”

“Oh my God,” Red raised her hand to her lips. “I forgot all about that.” She glanced at her watch and then looked around for what shops were open nearby. There was a gift shop on the corner, about a block back the way she came. “Great! They’re still open. They have a champagne scented candle that she just loves.”

“Sounds perfect,” the wolf agreed. “You’d better hurry. They’ll be locking up shortly.”

“Thanks Joe,” Red smiled to him before skipping back to the store.

He watched her until she entered the shop, then himself hurried off to her Grandmother’s place.

He walked up to the door and was just about to knock when he noticed a small scrap of paper. “What have we here?” He plucked it from its spot and read the scribbled handwriting.

Red ~
Off to the coast for the weekend.
Don’t forget to feed the cat!
Love Gran

“Even better,” he smiled slyly to himself. The wolf looked around the portico for a place where she would hide the key. He quickly spotted a cement figurine of Little Red Riding Hood, the storybook character. “Fitting,” he uttered as he pulled the spare from the hollow figure and let himself in.

A short time later, Red entered the darkened house. “That’s odd,” she muttered as she looked about. Her grandmother wasn’t normally in bed so early in the evening.

She made her way to the kitchen where she unpackaged the wine and cake. As she went to the pantry to retrieve a tray and china, she found Leo sitting beside his bowl. When he saw her, he came over to rub against her ankles and purred loudly. Red knelt to rub the cat behind his ears. “What’s wrong fella? Didn’t Gran feed you before turning in?” She checked his bowl, finding it empty. She grabbed a tin of food from the cupboard. “Here you go,” she told him as he ate his dinner.

Red added two flutes to the arrangement. “That should do it, plates, silver, glasses, linens,” she listed off the items. Pleased with everything, she hooked the gift bag with her finger and headed upstairs to surprise her grandmother.

Balancing the tray with one hand, she knocked on the bedroom door. “Gran? It’s Red. ” She opened it just a crack when there was no answer. “You in here?”

The wolf watched silently from behind the heavy curtains on Gran’s four-poster bed as Red entered the room.

“Geez, it’s dark enough in here,” Red muttered as she set the tray on the table beside the door. She tried the switch, to no avail. “Fuse must have blown.” (Little did she know the wolf had removed the bulb from the fixture overhead.)

Red removed the candles she had bought for her grandmother from the small sack and lit them. “Better,” she said as they began to throw a faint glow around her. She placed them onto the tray, shut the door with her foot, and then walked over to the edge of her grandmother’s bed.

“Gran?” she called a little louder, noticing the light reflect off the damask fabric.

Knowing Red would spot him as soon as she saw his face, he decided to play along. In the best ‘old lady’ voice he could muster, he replied, “Yes, luv.”

Red sighed, relieved that she was okay. “Mom sent a cake for you.” She placed the tray carefully onto the nightstand. “It’s your favorite, Black Forest.”

The wolf picked up on the tempting tone in her voice. “That was very thoughtful of her.” Then thought to add, “Please thank her for me, won’t you?”

Red reached for the edge of the curtain to pull it back. Without thinking, the wolf grabbed her hand to stop her. “Don’t!” He cleared his throat quickly and repeated in his granny voice, “Don’t.” He hurried to think up an excuse. “I’m not dressed...with all the heat this summer, I decided it would be cooler.”

She giggled. “Then you should try changing this upholstery,” she tugged on the curtain, “to something more sheer. It’ll let the breeze in from the windows.”

“I’ll remember that,” he said under his breath.

Red flipped the stemware upright and poured them each a glass of white merlot. “This one’s yours,” she held it just outside the drapes. The wolf had no choice but to reach out to take it.

She placed her free hand on his forearm, causing the wolf to freeze. Red studied the long, slender fingers with short, square nails wrapped around the glass. “Why, Gran...what large, masculine hands you have.”

He remembered the flowerbeds surrounding the house outside. “The better for working in my garden, luv.”

Red nodded to herself. Releasing her grip, the glass disappeared behind the curtain. She fixed them each a slice of cake and held out the plate in the same manor she’d offered the wine. Out came the hand again, quickly snatching it away.

Several minutes passed in silence as Red waited on her ‘grandmother’.

“This is wonderful.” The plate re-appeared in her view. “Might I have more?”

“Of course,” Red replied, shaking her head. “It is your birthday.”

She cut another piece, then paused a moment. ‘I know this Joe thinks he’s pulling one over on me’ she thought. ‘I know how to turn the tables on him.’ “Gran, remember how you used to share your piece of cake with me when I was little?”

Naturally, the wolf had no clue what she was talking about. “Yes.”

“Would you?” She pushed back the curtain enough that he could see her in the glow of the candles. “For old-time’s-sake?”

He pushed himself up, further into the shadows. “Of course,” he said, knowing he had no choice.

Red hopped up onto the bed, scooting herself back far enough that he felt her bum against his leg. He watched as she sliced the fork sideways through the chocolate and cherry confection then stab the tines into the smaller piece. She held a mere inch from his lips. The wolf leaned ever so slightly forward and took a bite.

“Oh my,” she feigned a sigh. “Gran, what a sexy mouth you have.”

What could he say to that? “Really? I’ve never noticed.”

Red shocked him by leaning forward and kissing him. “Very soft, too,” she whispered. Then, as if it never happened, she held the fork and plate in front of him. “My turn.”

Shaking his head, he took the utensil from her. Guessing at what to do next, he repeated her action and offered the morsel to her.

Red sat back further, requiring the wolf to move into the light. There was no mistaking those eyes.

She slowly licked the fork before taking it into her mouth. She felt him shift position under the bedcovers. She smiled at him as she swallowed. “You have lovely green eyes,” she purred.

“Thank you,” he replied, still using his ‘grandma’ voice.

Red leaned into him, close enough he could feel her breath on his skin. “Gran’s eyes are blue, same as mine.”

‘Oh shit’ he thought as she moved to face him again. “Uh...I...”

The grin that spread across her face immediately set him at ease. “I knew it was you Joe,” she told him. His brow raised and he was about to ask how when her fingers settled against his lips. “Gran would never forget to feed Leo before calling it a night.”

Giving a growl as she laughed, the wolf wrapped his arms around her waist and rolled over, silencing her with a kiss.