by Vella Day
“Seems when they were installing the security system, Statler excused himself from the office and left his phone on the desk.”
“That never happened when I worked for him, but go on.”
“Let’s just say, that was about the time when I came to work for him.”
So, Connolly had caused a distraction. “Nice.”
“Bottom line, because of something they did to his phone, they were able to hack into his phone records.”
Fantastic. “What did they learn?”
“Statler received a call about an hour ago from a phone registered to a Norton Denmark. Since your cousin is on route back to Florida, I called the General who is having Chris look into that name. Most likely Denmark is an alias.”
“I agree.”
“The interesting part is that right after that call, Statler contacted a Dr. Gregory Elkhart.”
He ran the name in his head, but it didn’t sound familiar. “I take it the name means something to you?”
“You weren’t there when the buyer’s agent stopped by, but he was disgusted by the lack of care the women were receiving. I’m betting Statler was told in no uncertain terms that the women needed to be in better shape or the buyer would cancel the deal.”
Jay whistled. “Statler would go crazy if that happened. What do you know about Dr. Elkhart?”
“Chris is working on that, but Ford said Bailey thought that he was one of the doctors who’d been at the clinic. That’s why I’m calling. When you see Sarah tonight, could you ask her?”
Riley must have mentioned that Sarah would be staying with them. “Sure.”
“Let me know what you find out.”
“Will do.”
Once he disconnected, several thoughts raced through his head. One was that if the buyer had forced Statler’s hand by requiring the women to be taken care of, no one would be safe around him—especially Sarah. The second was that if Sarah did spot Jay following her, he could always say he needed some intel on Dr. Elkhart.
When he reached the park entrance and found her car, he smiled. Stepping out, he inhaled, but with the wind blowing, he couldn’t pick up her scent. There was only one path into the forest, so Jay jogged in until he was out of sight from the lot before shifting. Instantly, he caught her delicious signature that seemed to have been woven into the fabric of his being.
His goal was merely to keep her in sight and to make sure none of Statler’s men came after her. Jay wouldn’t be surprised if her boss gave Russ the go ahead to do what he wanted to her. Just the idea of anyone harming his woman caused a growl to almost escape, and the urge to go after Russ almost forced him to turn around. Doing so, though, would derail his mission, which was making sure Sarah remained safe.
As he cut through the forest along a ridge, he saw Sarah below and slowed. Her grace and strength appealed to him on so many levels, which was why he needed to be cautious around her. He was falling for her in part because of her ambition. Unfortunately, that might be the one thing that came between them.
For the next half hour, he kept at a good distance behind her. He could sense from her gait and the way she was always looking down that she was working hard to rid herself of demons.
As she neared a copse of trees, she stopped then planted her hands on her knees, her back heaving. Perhaps it was the rush of running water nearby that caused her to pause at this spot or else all of her worries had caught up with her. Sarah eased her way back up before glancing around.
Jay was a good two hundred feet downwind, so he doubted she would even notice him, especially since his coloring helped him blend in with the surrounding forest. She must not have sensed him or anyone else for she peeled apart the branches on a tall hedge and stepped behind it, blocking her from his view.
Jay didn’t like her being out of sight and moved closer, not caring if he made noise because the water crashing on the rocks would cover his approach. As he nudged his way through the leaves, he was treated to a fantastic sight, but it was immediately ruined when she turned around. Her eyes grew wide and she covered her naked body the best he could.
Oh, shit.
Chapter Fifteen
Don’t move!
A scream was on the tip of Sarah’s lips, but if she gave into her urge, the wolf might attack. She’d always recognized the possibility that Statler might send one of his men to take her out for failing to care for the women, but then she dismissed that idea when she believed he still needed her.
The wolf cocked his head then sat down, almost as if he were mocking her. He was mostly gray with dark patches of brown woven in his hindquarters, a contrast to Russ who was black and gray.
“Go away.” She made a shooing motion, hoping to scare the critter, but he opened his mouth and panted, as if he’d run a long distance.
As she stepped toward him, fur suddenly flew and the animal spun. Seconds later, Jay stood in front of her. Sarah didn’t know whether to cry for joy or beat him for scaring her. “What are you doing here?”
He held up his hands. “Don’t be mad. I need your help.”
“Bullshit.” She bent down, grabbed her clothes, and clasped them to her chest. It didn’t matter that she’d made love with him; being naked in the open didn’t seem right. “Is anyone else here?”
He rushed toward her, and she didn’t back up. “Fuck no. I would have made sure they left. I swear I didn’t mean to scare you.” The man did appear contrite. “To be honest, I was so taken by you that I forgot to shift back. I know our abilities might be amazing to you humans, but if I had one wish, it would be that I could be invisible when I wanted to be.”
Her shoulders relaxed. “Why’s that? So you could sneak up without me noticing?” She chuckled.
“Maybe.” He grinned.
“I forgive you, but what was so important that you had to follow me out here? You could have called.” His eyes turned dark for a moment, and she wondered if that was his body’s way of reacting when he was caught in a lie.
“I do have a question for you, but I also wanted to make sure you were safe.”
Any lingering anger disappeared. “I’m fine.”
“For now, maybe, but Connolly called and gave me some information.” He told her about Statler receiving a call and then him calling a Dr. Elkhart. “What do you know about him?”
“He’s a shifter, but I don’t think he’s enhanced—or rather, I assumed he wasn’t since I didn’t think he’d have a need to be. He used to work at the lab taking care of the women, if doing experiments on them is considered taking care.”
“That’s what we figured. Because Statler is probably pissed about having to shell out more money for these women, I wanted to come here to make sure you were okay.”
A shiver tripped up her spine. “Do you think he’d target me?” She was barely able to say those last few words.
Jay clasped her shoulders and then drew her to his chest, his warmth bringing comfort. “I wish I knew, but I’ll do everything in my power to make certain he doesn’t.”
“Thank you.” Sarah dropped her clothes in order to hug him but then leaned back. “I probably smell. I was just about to take a dip in the cold waterfall. Want to join me?”
Sarah loved to challenge men. Growing up, she’d dare her friends to go swimming in the winter—if only for a few minutes. There must have been something different about her body chemistry because the cold rarely had an effect on her.
“You couldn’t keep me away.”
From the way his smile dimpled his cheeks and his eyes lightened, he appeared interested in something other than getting clean. She wagged a finger at him. “Behave.”
“Don’t I always?”
Sarah laughed and hurried into the water while Jay undressed. If she’d helped take off his clothes, she might never have made it to the eight-foot high falls. Barefoot, she carefully walked across the smooth rocks, scooped up the rushing water in her hands, and splashed it on her face. Brrr. That was colder than she’d anticip
ated.
“How is it?” he asked.
“Wonderful.” At the moment his cock was pointing upward, but she bet that condition would change as soon as he stepped in with her.
Naked, Jay moved behind her and wove his hands between her arms and her body. He wet them and then plastered his palms on her chest. Whoa. Her nipples stood up straight.
He plucked the hardened crests and then continued to play with her breasts, igniting her passions. “I do love these,” he whispered against her cheek.
She twisted in his arms. “No playing until I’m clean.”
Jay saluted, stepped under the heavy flow, and washed, whistling some cheerful ditty, not seemingly affected by the temperature a bit.
“Come on in.” Jay held out his hand. As soon as she took hold, his tug propelled her under the freezing stream. Yikes. “I’ll rub your body to keep you warm.” He chuckled, acting as if he’d bested her.
“Be my guest.” She lifted her arms.
His cold hands started under her arms, traveled across her chest and then landed between her legs, ticking her when she least expected it. She was laughing too hard to stop him until he slipped a finger into her hot sex. She sobered and clamped down on him to keep him there.
“You ready to get out?” he asked.
He wanted to stop now after he’d heated her up? She wouldn’t let on how much he’d turned her on. “Not yet.”
His eyes lightened as his scruff darkened. The roar of the water disappeared as lust consumed her. She couldn’t stay there forever, nor did she want to, but another minute with Jay would be nice. Besides, she had other activities on her mind. Sarah ran her hands over his muscled chest and down his corded abs. Nice.
He grabbed her wrists. “No fair. It’s too rocky for the type of activity I have in mind.”
Yes!
As she took her first steps across the slippery rocks, Jay swept her up in his arms. She might have been self-conscious about being naked in the open had the trees surrounding them not blocked the view of the trail. Furthermore, werewolves had an amazing sense of hearing, and she was confident he’d let her know if anyone was near—especially another shifter.
He set her down. “Stay right here.” His voice came out low and dripped with promise. Jay snatched her clothes and spread them on a low-lying branch. Aw. That was so considerate of him. He then picked up his clothes and placed his pants on the ground in front of her. “Stand on this.”
She didn’t want to ruin his jeans, but her body couldn’t help but obey his command. It was as if he’d somehow drugged her and had taken over her mind.
Jay then slipped his shirt over her shoulders, perhaps because he thought she was cold. “I can’t stay away from you.”
She couldn’t keep from touching him either. As his hands slid around her waist, his lips descended. While she’d loved being with Riley and Jay together, having this wonderful man to herself was equally alluring. She wanted to stop and tell him that making love in the open where anyone could happen upon them was crazy dangerous, but she couldn’t, not with the way his mouth was possessing her.
Needing him closer, Sarah wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her chest against his. His heat seeped into her, and it seemed as if his cock had found its purpose again. Jay’s hands trailed down her back, rubbing and kneading all her sore spots. When his fingers reached her rear, for that split second, she wished Riley had been there.
“I want you,” Jay said after breaking the kiss.
“Me, too. Want you, that is.” The man clouded her mind, making words difficult to form.
Nipping at her lip, his eyes were so close it was as if she could see right down to his soul. Jay was a wonderful man and one who knew exactly where to touch to make her beg for more.
“Wrap your legs around me,” he said lifting her up.
She didn’t hesitate. He pressed her back against the tree for support and only then did she understand why he’d placed his shirt on her shoulders. That one action made her lose another bit of her soul. She didn’t want to feel this much for him, but she couldn’t help it. Perhaps it was all the tension of what might happen between them and to the women that had her more emotional than usual, but right now she wanted to push everything aside and get lost in Jay.
“Hurry,” she panted, her need escalating as he nibbled on her chin and then her throat.
“I want to spend hours exploring the soft curves of your body and attempting to drive you wild with need.” He gently bit her shoulder but didn’t puncture the skin.
“We don’t have hours.” They might only have minutes. With the sound from the water blocking any footsteps, someone could sneak up on them. While he had super hearing, for all she knew, Jay’s raging hormones might prevent his senses from detecting someone.
He grunted, slipped a hand between them, and grabbed his cock. “I have to agree. Every cell in my body is begging me to take you, but I didn’t want to rush you.”
Was the man insane? Even though she’d just rinsed, even she could smell her arousal. Hell, liquid was dripping down her leg. “You aren’t. Trust me.”
He grinned then pressed the head of his dick against her opening. She dropped down on him, but the angle wasn’t working. “Come from behind me, okay?” she asked.
“My pleasure. It’s one of my favorite positions. I can play with your tits that way.” Unwrapping her legs, he carefully set her down on his pants then spun her around. She planted her palms on the trunk of the tree for support.
He leaned over her, cupped her tits, and then placed his dick against her clit. Holy hell. She caught fire. Jay twirled her nipples and plucked them, acting as if he wasn’t in a hurry to impale her. Needing to do something about that, Sarah reached between them, grabbed his hard shaft, and pressed the tip against her opening again. Excitement spread like wildfire across her body and her heart was beating so fast, the sounds of the forest had dimmed.
Jay growled then tossed the shirt to the ground. “I can’t stand to have anything in my way.” He pressed his muscled chest against her back and streaks of pleasure zeroed in between her legs. He lifted a lock of her hair and inhaled audibly.
Why was he taking his time? She glanced down at his arm wrapped around her waist and spotted the hair on the back of his hands. “Ah, Jay?”
“I know. Give me a sec to gain some control.”
Sarah had planned to count to ten, but when she reached five, her inner beast took over. One didn’t have to be a werewolf to be driven by lust, passion, and desire. This man was worming his way into her heart, and she seemed unable to stop it.
She jammed her hips back, causing his hands to shoot to her waist. “Fuck, you feel good.”
The first two inches had her soaring, and she squeezed his dick with her inner walls for more friction. His sharpened nails dug into her side and then all hell broke loose. Jay filled her to the hilt, and bolts of electricity sizzled along her spine and robbed her of breath. When she pushed back again, he thrust into her all the way.
Like a well-oiled piston engine, he pummeled and drove into her while she gave as good as she took. Stars filled her vision and rimmed them with a bright light.
“You’re mine,” he grunted a second before his teeth sank into her neck.
Her fingers gripped the tree trunk so hard she feared she’d hurt it. The slight pain from the bite, coupled with the amazing connection set her orgasm into motion. Waves of pure ecstasy washed over her and time seemed to stand still.
He howled and held her close as his hot seed filled her with warmth. A minute later, the skin-to-skin contact ended and he withdrew. Jay turned her around and dragged a finger over the area where he’d sunk his teeth into her. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bite you, but you are mine—or rather you’re mine and Riley’s.”
The independent woman in her was about to say she could never belong to any man, but then she clamped her mouth shut. Jay and Riley had been able to fulfill her every dream, not only in the bedroo
m—closet and forest not withstanding—but also with the way they treated her.
Did that mean she was ready to quit her job, move in with them, and wait for them to return from an assignment? Not right now, but she was a big proponent of never saying never. For now, she’d take it one day at a time, but heaven help her, she was falling for both men.
“I’m good.” Sarah wasn’t sure how to respond to the bite or his comment. Perhaps he’d been carried away with passion, but so had she. Hell, if she’d been facing the other way, she might have bitten him!
“Ready to go?” He glanced upward. “It’s getting late.”
Jeez. “I hadn’t even noticed. I guess that’s because we were distracted.”
He planted his naked body against hers again and cupped her chin. “Is that was this was? A distraction.”
Shit. While he was smiling, his eyes had darkened. “No, Jay, it was a lot more than that, but I’m not ready to discuss just what it is.”
He stepped back. “No rush.”
Disappointing him made her insides squeeze tight, but she needed to regroup, as she didn’t want to say something she’d regret later. Once they both dressed, she nodded to the path. “Jog back?”
The exercise would take her mind off how much she’d enjoyed his touch. Falling in love, though, was something she could ill afford. It was too soon to know exactly what this jittery feeling was called, but she hoped it was just lust.
She let Jay lead, in part because she liked watching his ass. He was a strong runner and she had to work to keep up.
When they reached the parking lot, Jay faced her. “You hungry?”
“Starving.” As he held open her car door, his cell rang. She looked up at him. “You can answer it. It’s probably important.”
He pulled out his phone. “It’s Riley,” he said to her. “Yeah? What’s up?” Jay stepped away from her car and kept his back to her. That couldn’t be good. After a short conversation, he walked back to her, his cell still against his ear. “Are you okay with pizza?”