by C. D. Gorri
Daniel inhaled as he brought his large hand up to caress her bruised cheek. Fuck. He closed his eyes, trying to tame the Bear that so wanted to strip her of her clothing and take her sweet body right then and there.
“Beautiful,” he growled softly, cupping her cheek. He was unable to stop his Bear from making himself known. Lacey dropped her eyes, some of her light going out at his words, and he stilled. Fuck. What did he do wrong?
“Not anymore,” she said, and he tilted her chin up, forcing her to meet his eyes.
“You couldn’t be anything but beautiful, Lacey. And I don’t mean because of this perfect face or your gorgeous body. I mean because of this. You’re most beautiful right here, sweetheart,” he traced his fingers down her cheek, to her collar bone, then further down to where her heart was pounding furiously in her chest.
His large hand rested there, and he felt the predator in him preen as the muscle raced beneath his palm. She wanted him. He could scent it in her heady musk, feel it in the way her pulse raced. Yes. Mine.
“Look, Daniel, about that kiss last night. I’m not an idiot. I know it didn’t mean anything to you, not with the way you feel about me and women in general,” she stepped back, and he allowed his hand to drop, but still, he followed her.
He simply couldn’t let her move away from him. Not even if his life depended on it. Then he realized she was talking, but her words weren’t making any sense. At least, not to his lust addled mind. The urge to mate was too strong for reason.
She smelled too fucking good, looked too sweet. He wanted her. Wait? What did she just say? The bulge in his pants was making it difficult for his actual brain to do any work.
“What are you talking about?” He cocked his head to the side and focused on her face.
“I don’t want your pity. I don’t need you feeling guilty over what happened. I get that some things are purely physical. I’m a model, or I was, but anyway, you don’t have to worry. I’m not going to read anything into it. It was just a kiss-”
“Lacey-”
“And I’m sorry your father gave you a hard time afterwards-”
“Wait. You heard that?”
“I wasn’t eavesdropping,” she said quickly, her emerald eyes darting up to his and he missed the fire he’d seen in them moments ago.
“I just wanted a glass of milk and the two of you weren’t exactly quiet. I know about your ex-fiancée, and I’m sorry that happened to you, but I won’t be a stand-in,” she shrugged and swallowed nervously.
Daniel followed the movement. Was it wrong he wanted to trace her throat with his lips and tongue? Maybe. Fuck. I want her so badly. But it was more than simple desire. He needed her like he needed air. His Bear agreed with a deep rumble that started in his chest. Lacey was quickly becoming necessary to him. And he had no idea how he was going to explain it.
“Daniel?” She was looking at him questioningly and he had to wonder if he’d missed something else, she said.
Fuck, did she mention Melinda? His Bear snarled thinking of the other woman. She was not his. No. Lacey is mine. Well, she would be. He knew they had some ways to go for her to trust him. Especially, after what she’d heard about him and his fucked up past relationship. Shit.
He wished for the millionth time he’d never asked Melinda to marry him. But it was in the past. It didn’t matter. Nothing mattered at that moment. Nothing, except the woman in front of him. He stalked her deeper into the room. Time to show her he meant business.
“What are you doing?” Emerald green eyes flashed up at him and he growled in response.
Mine.
“Showing you my ex means shit to me. I haven’t thought about her in months.”
“But everyone says-”
“Fuck what everyone says. I couldn’t care any less about her than I already do. You are all I think about.”
“Daniel, you don’t have to say that-”
“You had your turn to talk, sweetheart. Now I need you to listen. You have no idea how wrong you are thinking that kiss between us was nothing.”
“But I only meant-”
“Shhh, baby. I’m going to show you just how much it means to me,” Daniel reached out with his hands and took her by her indented waist.
Careful not to hurt his precious normal mate, he lifted her onto the granite countertop and wrapped his arms around her sleek body. She weighs nothing at all, he thought idly and made a note to see to it she always ate everything she wanted. She should never worry about her size or shape. Perfect. Mine.
He hesitated, giving her the chance to really see him, to recognize it was him touching her. She blinked those big, bright eyes up at him. Lust glazing the warm emerald depths.
Still, he moved slowly, not wanting her to feel forced. Daniel gave her one more moment to draw back, to slap him, to do something that would tell him she didn’t want this. But then she did something amazing. She stayed.
He couldn’t hold back any longer. Ducking his head, he captured her lips with his. Fuck. Yes. He growled as her honeysuckle flavor burst on his tongue. Then she moaned and moved with him. Lips merged, tongues tangled, hips flexed.
Holy shit. The whole fucking world exploded with that one kiss. Daniel tilted her head back, deepening his possession. He needed to prolong the contact that would change his entire fucking life. Mine.
Her flavor was sharp and pleasing against his tongue. She was a complex mixture of everything he knew about her and so much more. All woman. His woman.
His Bear growled as Daniel stepped between her thighs and pulled her flush against his hard body. She sat on the counter with her long legs splayed around his impressive width. He was big, even for a Shifter.
Lacey was tall for a woman. Had to be in order to make it in the modeling industry. But even up on that counter, she was shorter than him. He liked that just fine. Liked her just fine. Loved her? He didn’t want to think about that right then.
He lost himself to the kiss but managed to keep his Bear in check. It was touch and go for a minute or two. Especially when she responded so fully and eagerly to him. She opened for him like a ripened peach, bursting at the slightest of touches.
Her arms snug around his neck and waist. She was kissing him back for all she was worth. His cock hardened in his jeans, pressing against the constricting fabric, throbbing with need as he tried to get nearer to her heat.
Fuck. If they weren’t in the kitchen, he’d have stripped her by now. His heart thudded wildly inside his chest as he did his best to kiss the hell out of her. Lacey needed to be kissed, to be thoroughly laved at and worshipped. By him. Only him.
Images of her naked beneath his lips and tongue made him growl. Yes. He could almost taste her. He grunted as she pressed herself closer to him, moaning softly as her tongue wrestled with his.
Lacey sighed his name as he nibbled her chin and neck, loving the way she sounded all breathy and dazed with desire. She willingly pressed into his touch. So soft. So ripe. Daniel wanted her with every fiber of his being. The need to claim her, to mark her with his bite filled him.
He licked that tender spot between her neck and shoulder, every inch of him aching with need. Mine, the Bear growled inside his mind’s eye.
“Um, you all may want to stop that before Clary comes inside. She’s pulling in the driveway now, you know.”
Daniel’s Bear roared at the interruption. But the man was still in charge. He slowed their kiss. Bringing them both down carefully, he maintained eye contact with Lacey before he turned around to meet his brother. Subconsciously or not, not, he blocked her from view.
Her eyes were still dark with lust. She was still trying to catch her breath. So soft, so beautiful. No one else should see her like this. Only me. Mine.
Nate, his half-brother, was leaning against the doorjamb. His ever-present tablet and stylus gripped tightly in his hands as he fine-tuned whatever graphic design he was working on just then. Good for him. No really, it was very good for him. If he had been eyeing Danie
l’s mate in the heat of their shared passion, he’d be out cold right about now.
Hell, Daniel still wasn’t sure he could keep his Bear in check at the moment. The Beast wanted to keep his mate away from other males at all cost. Primitive? Yes. Necessary? Fuck yes.
“Thanks. You can leave now,” Daniel grunted and was thanked with a sharp poke in the back.
“Daniel,” Lacey hissed from behind him. She was trying to push herself off the counter, but he wasn’t budging.
“Um, bro, I think your girl wants to get down,” Nate smirked at him. Daniel loosed a long, slow growl in his brother’s direction.
“Hey, don’t shoot the messenger, man. Lacey, you know I was thinking, maybe you can model for me, you see I design characters-”
Daniel growled louder, bearing a fang in his direction. The younger man raised his eyebrows. Nate shrugged. Hands raised in surrender, he walked over to the side door and went to meet Clary to empty her car.
“Daniel!” Lacey hissed again and he finally relented and moved.
He turned her to face him despite her reddening cheeks and brushed his lips tenderly across hers. So beautiful.
“You’re not modeling for my brother.”
“But I need the work and if he’s paying-”
“Lacey,” he struggled to keep the Bear in check. He knew he was being a jerk, but he couldn’t help it. His Bear would be overly possessive of her until he claimed her as his mate. Fuck. He’d have to explain, and he would, but not now. Later.
“Hey, you still wanna go to the mall?” He figured he’d better change the subject before shit went south again.
“Yes, please. I need to stop at a Universal Trust Bank first,” she began.
“Don’t worry about it,” he said and bit back his smile as she narrowed her eyes at him. She was so cute when she was all riled up.
“I do need to worry about it. I’m not a charity case, Daniel, I work for a living-”
“Hey, easy there, Lacey. I know you work hard, but in case you forgot, you don’t have your wallet. No ID, no debit card, you won’t be able to get a thing from the bank.”
“Oh my God, you’re right! I have to call the bank and cancel my credit cards!”
“It’s already done.”
“What?”
“The first night I went to get you, after I learned of the fire, I took care of everything. I figured you would need a few days to get back on your feet and I didn’t want anyone messing with your accounts in the meanwhile.”
“You did?” She asked, and he noted she still hadn’t moved out of his embrace. A fact that thrilled him and his Bear.
“I am the Clan Enforcer. It’s my job, and that of the Bear Shifters who work for me, to keep the Clan safe.”
“I’m not Clan,” she said.
Her eyes went wide, and her pert mouth hung open at his answering growl. The Bear did not like that one bit. She was Clan, she was his. Mine.
“Bro, you have to stop growling at her, you do know that, right?” Nate walked back inside with a dozen grocery bags in his hands. He shook snowflakes off his head and smirked at the pair of them.
“Shut up, Nate,” said Daniel, but he did cut off the growl. Lacey giggled. If Nate made her laugh, Daniel supposed he didn’t have to pummel him. For now. Still, he was happy she seemed less tense.
“You ready?”
She nodded and he let go of her, missing her warmth immediately. He grabbed his keys off the rack and flipped his brother the bird before taking her hand.
“You need a coat,” he stated and walked her over to the closet, frowning when he realized any of his were going to be way too big.
The thought of her wearing anyone else’s coat made him want to roar. What was he supposed to do though? He couldn’t let her freeze. Fuck.
“It’s okay. I’ll just wear this,” she grabbed a freshly laundered throw blanket from the basket in the hall and folded it in half like a wrap.
He cocked his head as he watched her create a stylish wrap from a hand-crocheted afghan. Wow. It was almost as if she knew what was making him tense.
“See, I’m warm enough. Besides, I can pick up a coat there, but I insist on paying you back.”
“Of course,” he smiled widely.
He had no intention of allowing her to pay him back, but whatever made her happy. And he did want her to be happy, he realized with a shock.
It had been a long time since he cared about anyone’s happiness. He liked the feeling. It made his Bear roar with pride. Without a doubt, this woman was his fated mate. He just needed to find the right time and place to tell her.
Chapter 7
Christmas music swelled in the background of the parking lot outside the very crowded South Jersey mall. Lacey pulled the hat she’d grabbed from Daniel’s SUV down on her head. She didn’t want to be recognized she’d realized belatedly.
It was funny, she hadn’t worried about how she looked the entire time she was at the Den. But she didn’t want the kind of crowd she typically drew when she went out in public. Not now anyway.
She frowned as Daniel growled from his place next to her. The crowd was probably getting to the big guy. And they hadn’t even gone inside yet. Well, it looked like that little bit of Shifter info gotten from her books seemed accurate.
She placed her hand inside of his and watched his reaction. The contact seemed to soothe him as they navigated through the lot to the large sliding doors. He squeezed her hand in his, keeping them firmly locked together as they walked side by side.
Not that she minded. In fact, she found herself fighting back a blush whenever he glanced down at her with those sinfully expressive blue eyes.
That steamy interlude in the kitchen had been a surprise to say the least. Not that she was shocked about the way she reacted to his overtures. Lacey was in serious lust, or well, something for the man. Had been for about a year now.
It was eye opening to recall how she’d responded to him. She’d wholeheartedly welcomed the big sexy Bear into her arms. A Bear. She had the serious hots for a guy who turned into a Bear. Nope, the irony of her situation wasn’t lost on her.
She was only back in Barvale because a man who turned out to be a Wolf Shifter had gone batshit crazy on her. Now she had her very own Enforcer protecting her! Did she mention the way he kissed her back? It was obvious he desired her every bit as much as she wanted him. Dayum!
She could still feel Daniel against her lips. How could she not? He’d kissed the very breath out of her. Everything she’d heard his father say the night before had flown right out of her head the second his lips came crashing down on hers.
The man was sex on legs. The stern expression he always wore belied the heat that lay just under the surface. She worried her lower lip, allowing him to gently tug her along to her service provider’s kiosk that sat in the center of the first floor.
There was a bit of the line, but it was as if one of the men behind the counter knew them. A big, dark haired man nodded and signaled them to come over. She gaped as Daniel lead the way, ignoring the other customers and sat at the man’s desk.
“Hello Enforc-, I mean, Mr. Devlin, what can I do for you today?” The younger man blushed furiously as he listened, then began typing her information into his computer.
“Okay, Ms. Alain, I have your information here. It says here that, oh wow, your Esme Alain? The Esme? Wow! You’re like a world-famous supermodel!”
“Um, about that, I’m trying to lay low,” Lacey nodded uncomfortably at the young man.
She felt a little embarrassed to be recognized in front of Daniel. He had never brought up her past fame, so she assumed he just didn’t know or care.
“Wow! My sister is a huge fan!”
“Please, lower your voice,” Lacey looked around, but no one else seemed to have heard him and she exhaled.
She could do without the sudden admiration of a crowd of strangers. A threatening growl sounded from beside her. From Daniel’s throat actually. The yo
ung man blanched.
“Sorry, Mr. Devlin, sir. Um okay, let’s see what we have here,” the sales rep clacked away at the keyboard and frowned, “Es- um, I mean, Ms. Alain your account is, um, past due and I’m afraid you are too early for an upgrade. Looks like you never got the insurance plan either-”
“Oh, um, how much is a new phone then?”
“I am afraid the full price of the phone is $1,289. Then there is your balance of $327, and of course, the reconnection fee and tax,” he paused and gulped as Daniel narrowed his eyes, another growl leaving his lips. He cut it off and handed the young man a platinum card.
“Add the premium plan and full insurance to her account. I want the newest model cell phone, fully loaded, and get her a damn case for the thing, cub,” he growled.
“Daniel, no, I can’t afford,” she whispered, but his blue eyes met hers and she closed her mouth.
She knew she looked mulishly at him, but he just raised his eyebrows and proceeded to sign the credit card slip as if it was nothing. Probably was to him. Well, fine then. Let him waste his damn money. I’ll call and cancel everything later.
“Um, what color phone case would you like?” The young man, whom she now realized must be a younger member of the Barvale Clan, asked.
“Uh, it really doesn’t matter,” she began.
“How about this one? It’s the same shade of green as your eyes,” he blushed as he spoke. Poor man almost jumped out of his skin when Daniel bared his teeth at him and snarled.
“That will be fine,” she nodded at him as he ran off to the back room to set up her new phone.
“Daniel,” she admonished the big Bear Shifter sitting next to her and was shocked to see him frown.
“Sorry, sweetheart. I just don’t like him drooling all over you,” his ears turned pink as he spoke, and she realized he was embarrassed. He’s jealous. OMG.
“Daniel, he’s just a boy,” she started, only to see his eyes whip from the tall, well-muscled salesman to her again.