by Keri Arthur
A quiver that was all desire, all need, ran through him, flowing from his fingertips and echoing across her skin. He brushed a kiss across one bare shoulder, running his tongue over her skin, tasting the familiar, tangy richness of the soap she used, combined with the saltiness of sweat. Sweat that was all lust, all longing.
"How do you want me?” he whispered, and lightly nipped her ear.
Another shudder ran through her, and the tempo of her breathing became ragged. “Fast. Hard."
He was pulsing against her, aching for release, but he fought the need pounding through his veins, wanting to prove to her that while it might be fast and furious between them, it was never going to be without passion or complete and utter readiness.
Though readiness was never going to be a problem for him. Never had been when it came to her.
"How fast?"
"Very fast.” Her voice was little more than a pant of air.
"Good.” Because fast was really the only option this first time—she'd made very sure of that.
He pressed her forward over the back of the sofa and gently kicked her feet apart. As she braced herself, he slid a hand over her back and rump, enjoying the feel of her soft skin under his rougher fingertips. Then he was delving into the warm, wet part of her that he ached to become a part of. He caressed her, toyed with her, for several minutes. Then he slid his touch into her, stretching her, readying her, as her muscles pulsed around one finger, then two. She pushed back against him, riding his hand with increasing urgency. Her skin was feverish, flushed with desire and need, and the smell of her arousal tested his strength, his will, until he was all but shaking with the need to drive himself into her.
He pressed his thumb against her clit, stroking her, teasing her, inside and out, until her breathing was little more than gasps of pleasure. As the tremors of her orgasm assaulted her body, he grabbed her hips, holding her still as he thrust deep inside her. She groaned, a rich sound of gratification he could only echo. But as much as he wanted to, he didn't immediately move, just enjoyed the moment of being deep within her, her flesh pulsing around his, her scent filling his every breath. Then the urgency of moon bloomed, and he began to rock, gently at first, then harder, faster. He claimed every inch of her, delving so deep her whole body shuddered with the force of his movements.
She was moaning, twitching, and the sounds of her pleasure had the red tide rising, until it became a wall of pleasure he could not deny. He came, a hot, torrential release whose force tore a groan from his throat and made his body rigid.
But the moon and he weren't finished yet. Not by a long shot. When he regained his breath, he withdrew and tugged her around to face him. Her eyes were afire with a mix of hunger and annoyance, though what she was annoyed with he had no idea. Before she could say anything, he claimed her lips. He kissed her, caressed her, licked every inch of her, until her scent and her taste were once more imprinted on every fiber of his being, inside and out. He made love to her, over and over, until the long hours of the night began to fade into the dawn of a new day.
Then he left her, but only because she demanded it.
Chapter Four
Savannah woke to the shrill, annoying, and very consistent sound of ringing. She muttered an obscenity and hugged her pillow over her ears, willing the noise away so she could get more sleep.
But it didn't stop. She tossed the pillow aside in frustration and groped for the offending noisemaker.
"Hello?” she said, voice as groggy as she felt.
"You forgot to set your alarm again, didn't you?” Kel said, her tone far too chipper for the early hour.
She squinted at the clock. So okay, it wasn't actually as early as she'd presumed, but considering she'd crawled into bed at five, it meant she'd only managed four and a half hours sleep.
And that was nowhere near enough. Not after all the energy she'd spent over the long, and admittedly glorious, night. Cade might be many things, but a bad lover certainly wasn't one of them.
She yawned and then realized Kel was saying something else. “What?"
Kel sighed dramatically. “I said, Ronan's been drafted into helping that caramel-eyed floozy collect names, and that starched boss of hers is sitting in your office demanding to know where you are."
Cade was up already? Good God, the man had stamina. She blew out a breath and threw the bed covers off. “Tell him I'll be there in ten. And have a cup of coffee ready for me."
"Will do."
She replaced the receiver and padded down to the bathroom for a quick shower. It was only when she was getting dressed that she realized Cade still had her mauve bra. In the rush to get home before the town started waking, she'd forgotten to ask for it back. Then she remembered the way he'd raised her underwear to his nose, remembered his expression that suggested her scent was the sweetest aroma he'd ever discovered. Heat tingled across her skin, and deep down, longing pulsed.
Last night had been as hard and as fast and as detached as she'd hoped it would be—and the best darn sex she'd had in a very long time. She and Ronan were good together, but there wasn't that spark, that vital something that made the sex between her and Cade so very intense. She and Ronan were just good friends, and that's exactly how they made love.
And I can hear you purring all the way from my side of town. Neva's amused thoughts whisked into her mind. I'm gathering last night went well?
Very well. Unfortunately, though, I'm not going to make it for breakfast. I've been called into the office.
You're the boss. Can't you make them wait?
Amusement ran through Savannah. In this case, no.
Well, damn. I wanted to hear all the juicy details.
And there'd been plenty of those last night. In that small bedroom, and later, in the communal room. Her juices, his juices ... She pulled her thoughts away from the enticing images of his naked, sweating body, and said, I'll come into the diner tonight for dinner. You can pick my brain then.
I'm not going into the diner today. My feet are balloons, and Duncan has commanded me to stay home with my feet up. She gave an unladylike snort. Normally I'd tell him where to shove such a command, but unfortunately, he's right.
Savannah grinned. Duncan was often heard saying that the sweet woman he'd sworn his love to had turned into a harpy with a sharp tongue. Yet the whole town knew how much he adored her. Savannah plopped down onto the bed and shoved on her boots. It had to be wonderful to be loved like that, she thought wistfully. To have a man who loved you so much that he'd lay his life on the line for you.
Your turn will come, Sav. It's only a matter of time.
Yeah, so she kept telling herself. Only, she had a horrible suspicion that fate had already given her one chance, and that maybe there were no more chances left in the barrel for her.
I'll drop by after dinner then, and bring along the foot spa for your poor feet.
Cool. Thanks.
Savannah cut the connection, grabbed her keys and ID off the dresser, and snagged her handbag off the back of the door as she headed for the stairs. She lived above the florist shop at the western end of the main shopping strip. Most days she walked to work, except for the week it was her turn to take night call. But with two murders in the last week, she'd begun taking a truck home. Just in case.
She breathed deep the lush scents drifting from the shop, but she didn't bother to head in there to say hello to Anni, the latest in a long line of managers—and probably the least successful. Mainly because Anni loved to chat and often forgot to charge customers for the flowers they walked out with. As much as Savannah enjoyed the older woman's company, with Cade waiting for her, wasting time was the one thing she couldn't afford today. She buzzed open the back door and stepped out, wincing a little as the bright sunshine hit her tired eyes. She raised a hand to shade them and saw a piece of paper flapping under the truck's wiper blade.
"Goddamn them, not again.” She'd warned the local pizza joint three times now about coming onto private property
to shove their fliers under car wipers. As much as she understood that they were new and needed to advertise, they were technically breaking the law by doing what they were doing.
She ripped the paper from under the blade, hit the remote to open the truck and climbed in. She gave a cursory glance at the paper as she threw her bag onto the passenger seat and froze, shock running through her.
It wasn't an ad for the local pizza place.
It was a threat.
Against her.
You'll pay for your part in Rosehall's death.
Several words immediately came to mind, and none of them could be said in polite company. Or with Anni hanging out the back window of her shop, trying to catch her attention.
She ignored the old woman and stared at the note, letting the implications sink in, feeling fear stirring in the pit of her stomach.
Ronan was right. They were coming after her as well as Cade. And while in the back of her mind she'd always figured as much, she'd been hoping she was wrong. She'd loved Rosehall and hadn't wanted it destroyed—at least until she'd become aware of the true reason behind Rosehall's existence. That it wasn't a celebration of life as everyone had been told, but rather a temple to death and vengeance.
She dropped the note on the seat and climbed back out of the truck. She grabbed her phone out of her bag, calling the station as she knelt and took a careful look under her truck.
"Kel,” she said, as soon as the call was answered. “You want to get Steve over to my place straight away with a fingerprint kit?"
She had one in her vehicle, but she wasn't touching the truck any more than necessary right now. The fact that she'd already jumped into it and nothing had happened suggested she was being overly cautious, but as the old saying went, it was better safe than sorry.
"Trouble?” Kel asked, concern in her voice.
"Yeah. You'd better tell him to grab Mr. Jones and bring him along."
"Will do."
Savannah hung up and glanced across to the frantically waving Anni. With a sigh of resignation, she walked across. “Sorry Anni. I really haven't got time to talk today."
"It's all right, dear. I just wanted to tell you that the Jackson kid was sneaking about your truck this morning. I chased him off, but I thought you'd like to know."
There were definite benefits to living above the town busybody. “You're talking about Honor Jackson's kid, Denny?"
Anni nodded, sending her long gray curls into a frenzy of bobbing. “It was about six. Not all that long after you'd come in."
Uh-oh. News of the head ranger's late arrival home would soon race across the town if she didn't stomp the flames out immediately. “Call-out from the county sheriff's department. Sorry if I woke you coming in, Anni."
As excuses went, it was pretty good. Reservation rangers were often called in to assist in the recovery of missing hikers or skiers—though now that Ripple Creek had a fully functioning rescue team, most of those calls now went to them.
Amusement glimmered in Anni's brown eyes. Savannah had a horrible feeling her excuse wasn't fooling anyone.
"I was awake anyway, dear, so it doesn't matter."
Meaning the old sweetie had been listening for her. “Did Denny do anything to my car?"
"He was shoving a note under the wiper. Squealed like the baby brat he is when I yelled at him."
And she'd slept through all of it. Some ranger she was. She glanced around at the sound of a car pulling up and saw it was Steve and Cade. “I have to go. Thanks for the help, Anni."
The older woman nodded and made a show of retreating. But Savannah knew the old girl's nose would be well and truly glued to the events unfolding in the small parking lot.
She spun around and walked across to the gate. Steve had gone to the back of his car, probably to retrieve the fingerprinting kit, but Cade stalked towards her, all grace and power.
She flared her nostrils, drawing in the wild scent of him, letting it fill her as his body had filled her last night. Heat flicked through her veins, a warning that the moon's call had not eased with the coming of day. Desire sparked deep in his eye's navy depths when her gaze met his, telling her he was more than aware of what she was feeling. Then the flicker was gone, his expression that of a slate wiped clean.
He was keeping his end of their deal. She had to wonder if she could do the same.
"What's happened?” He stopped in front of her, swamping her senses with his tangerine scent and overwhelming masculinity.
"Someone left me a note."
"Where?"
"Under the wiper. I didn't read it until I was in the truck. That's where I left it."
He nodded, his gaze sweeping her, leaving her tingling. “They left nothing else?"
"I had a quick look under the truck, but that's about it."
He nodded. “I called Anton. He was on the bomb squad before he transferred over."
She raised an eyebrow. Going from the bomb squad to the IIS was an unusual sideways step. “I don't really think this person wants to blow me up."
"No,” he agreed. “They seem to be enjoying throwing a few taunts our way first. Any idea when the note was left?"
"The lady who runs the flower shop caught a local kid doing it this morning. You want to come question him, or would you prefer to stay here?"
"A kid delivered the note?"
She nodded. “The local hoodlum who's into scaring human visitors and swiping their cars for joy rides."
"Sounds like a charmer."
"Oh, he is.” All leather and attitude but little true toughness.
Cade glanced around as a second car pulled up. “Anton's here now. I'll just go talk to him, and then I'll come with you.” His navy eyes seemed to gleam briefly with amusement. His voice dropped as he added, “It's always such a pleasure."
"Don't play on words,” she warned softly. “Not here."
His lips twisted. Whether it was a smile or a grimace, she wasn't entirely sure.
"That wasn't in the rules we agreed on,” he said.
"But keeping this thing a secret was.” She crossed her arms. “I hate what I'm forced to do with you, Cade."
Which was nothing but the truth, and at the same time a lie, because she didn't actually hate being with him. Couldn't, when his very presence seemed to bring her senses and her body alive in a way no other wolf ever had. But her senses and her hormones weren't the total sum of her, and her head and her heart had no intention of being fooled a second time by this man.
"I don't care if you hate it or not.” Though his voice was even, there was a gleam in his eyes that suggested annoyance, and the force of it was a tidal wave that seared her skin. “There's no escaping the moon this time. Or me."
"So you've said.” She stepped back from his overwhelming presence, and suddenly the air seemed so much cooler. So much more breathable. “I'll just go get the keys from Steve."
"I'll meet you at the car.” He spun away, every step radiating anger.
Over what she'd said, she knew. Well, that was just too bad. He was here to catch a killer, nothing more. The fact that he had the bonus of sex with her was a quirk of fate neither of them could do anything about. And yeah, even if she didn't like the fact that the moon gave her no choice, she'd enjoy the sex because she always had. But if he was expecting anything more than sex, expecting the physical and emotional depths they'd so lost themselves in last time, then he needed his head checked.
Steve was walking through the gates, fingerprinting kit and notebooks in hand. She went over.
"What's up, boss?” His deep voice was more gravelly than usual, and his speckled hair looked as if it hadn't seen a comb in a month.
Too many cigarettes and beer last night, she thought, and wondered when he was going to start taking his health seriously. “Someone left a threatening note on my car this morning. After Anton checks the truck for devices, I want you to go over it with a fine tooth comb."
He nodded. “I dare say the IIS will, too."
"Don't tell me that stupid little punk is caught up in it?"
"He delivered the note."
"Idiot.” He handed her the keys and coughed heavily as he walked away.
She resisted the urge to order him to the doctor and headed over to the car. Cade joined her a few minutes later. “So tell me about this Denny,” he said, as he buckled the seat belt.
She shifted gears and headed off. “His dad died in a car accident about eight years ago. His mom has since doted on the kid and believes he can do no wrong. Denny, of course, now figures he can do whatever he wants and get away with it."
"A brat, in other words."
She nodded. “And not the brightest of kids."
"Will he be at home?"
"Unlikely. His usual daytime haunt is the basketball courts over on Monarch Street."
"He doesn't do school, either?"
"Left when he was sixteen.” She glanced at him. “He's now eighteen, but looks at least early twenties."
He fell silent for a few moments, but his gaze was something she could feel, a heat that slid through her veins as smoothly as his hands had slid over her skin last night. And it stirred her just as easily, just as quickly.
Why hadn't the moon fever faded with daylight? Was that the price she had to pay for running before the promise had ended? Or was it was simply a matter of being close to the one man who had gotten to her in ways no other man ever had? Either way, it was going to present problems. Could she really do her job and hunt down a murderer when her hormones had her as jumpy as a bitch in heat?
She really didn't know, and that was the major problem—not the unfulfilled moon promise.
"What?” she said, when she couldn't stand the growing silence any longer.
"Have you kept in contact with any of your friends from Rosehall?"