by Jane Jamison
“Uh-uh. I don’t like aquariums. It feels wrong to lock a creature up.”
He glanced at her, an unexpected heat in his eyes. Without warning, the heat hit her, driving through her body and into her pussy.
“Then you should go whale watching while you’re here.”
She struggled to find her voice. “I’m only here for the night.”
“Just one night? Hell. That’s a damn shame.”
Those amazing eyes melted her again. She resisted the urge to fan herself. “Yeah. It is.”
“Then stay longer.”
She laughed and forced her gaze to the pasture again. “Maybe. If I can afford it.” Mr. Fox was paying for the one night since she couldn’t catch a ferry back to the mainland. If she stayed, she’d have to pay for the additional nights. Still, she had the time off, if she really wanted to stay.
“I bet the hotel will give you a deal since it’s off season.”
“Hmm.” Maybe I will stay.
“Plus, there’s the hiking and bicycle paths around the island. And the alpaca ranch, the wineries, and ranches like Wild Wind.”
Adopting a Southern accent, she quipped, “Why, Mr. Benedict, I do believe you’re trying to convince me to stay.”
“You’d be right, Ms. Anderson. And it’s Martin, remember?”
“And it’s Lilli.” Oh, she’d remember, all right. How could anyone ever forget a man like him?
* * * *
Martin had a difficult time keeping his attention on the road. Lilli was spectacular, and he wasn’t the kind of man to think in those superlative terms. She was just the right height for his six-foot-one-inch height so that he could look down into her ocean-blue eyes and get lost in them. She was curvy, leaning toward the plump side, but that just meant there was more of her to love. He liked a full-figured woman and liked Lilli’s obvious intellect even more. She’d caught on to his jokes and had played back. Her long, auburn hair sparkled with red highlights every time the sun struck. If he could’ve, he would’ve driven so that the sun would constantly shine on her hair. His palms itched to touch the silkiness.
She caught him watching her yet again, and he forced his gaze back to the road. Was he purposely hitting more of the potholes so that she’d bounce and make the swell of her breasts jiggle? Maybe. But then what man would’ve blamed him?
She’d be wonderful in bed. He just knew she would. As he drove along, instincts guiding his driving, his mind wandered.
“Put those sweet lips around my cock, babe.” He leaned back, resting on his elbows as Lilli settled onto her knees at the end of the bed. He sucked in a breath as she opened her mouth and slipped his cock inside.
He groaned as she bobbed her head, up and down, her tongue swirling around his length, her fingers playing a tune on his balls. Damn, but she was heavenly.
He sat up, needing to tunnel his fingers through her hair. Her breasts swayed back and forth, heavy yet firm. He scooted forward so he could catch a peek over her shoulder. Her round bottom enticed him, daring him to give up the blowjob and stick his cock inside her dark hole.
Pussy first, man.
Taking her by the arms, he tugged her off the floor and pulled her on top of him.
“Gotta have you.”
“Then have me,” she murmured, her sultry eyes pulling him in.
He couldn’t be gentle. There was no time for that. If he didn’t get inside her soon, he’d erupt outside. And wouldn’t that be a damn shame?
Groaning, he plunged into her, hard and fast, and felt her pussy walls enclose around him.
“Are you all right? Yo, Martin, do you hear me?”
What the fuck?
He jerked out of his fantasy, blinking and doing his best to hide his confusion. Somehow, probably from having driven the road so many times before, he’d managed to stay in his lane, part of his mind focused on the driving while the other had centered on his fantasy. “Uh, yeah. Sure. Why?”
“Because you were staring straight ahead.”
“I’m concentrating on the road.” He didn’t look at her. If he did, she’d be able to tell he was lying.
“Okay, but you were making sounds, too.”
Shit. “What kinds of sounds?” Inwardly, he cringed. Why had he asked?
“Like you were groaning.”
Aw, double shit. “Nah. I was…” What the hell could he say that would make any sense? Thankfully, he saw the sign for the ranch up ahead. “We’re here.”
“Really?” She turned toward the sign. “Down the gravel road?”
He breathed a sigh of relief. “Yeah.” Slowing down, he drove the pickup up to the cattle guard.
And then put his foot on the brake and let the truck idle.
His mind shouted at him not to do it, but his need took charge.
“Martin, why are we stopping?”
His answer came when he reached over and grabbed her by the back of the neck. Her eyes widened the second before he pressed his mouth to hers. Lust roared to life, a primal instinct rising up to wipe away the internal warnings. His tongue swept into her mouth long enough to catch her sweet flavor. He took her lower lip between his teeth and tugged.
Amazing him, she didn’t resist.
He deepened the kiss, hating that the console kept their bodies apart. Delighting him, her tongue entered his mouth. He moaned, knowing the sound was like the ones she’d heard and not caring. He needed her, hungered for her as he had no other woman.
When at last she put her palms against his chest and pushed back, he almost didn’t let go. But what choice did he have? Although the last thing he wanted was to stop touching her, he had no choice. Forcing a woman was never an option, no matter how much his cock hurt against his jeans, no matter how much his body ached to explore every inch of her, no matter how much he yearned to drive his cock inside her wet sheath.
He jerked back, the act paining him. Her lips were still puckered, puffy from his kiss.
“What the hell?”
Although she challenged him, her tone lacked any real anger. Perhaps even a little breathiness.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.”
Her chest rose and fell, her breath punctuating the air. “Why did you kiss me?”
He’d expected her to cuss him out, to tell him to go to hell. He’d never expected her to ask him why. Wasn’t the answer as clear as a bell?
“Why?”
“Yeah. Why?”
Was she playing him? Surely she had to know. “Because you’re sexy as hell. Granted, it was the wrong thing to do, but I…”—God, I hate how this is going to sound—“couldn’t resist.”
“Bullshit.”
He sat back, leaning against the door and feeling like a scumbag. “You’re right. I had no right to kiss you. But you looked so fucking hot I had to. I’m sorry.” He shifted in his seat, painfully aware that his cock was still hard. More aware when her gaze dropped to his lap, lingered, then came back up to his face. Not knowing what else to do, he put the truck in gear and drove it over the cattle guard. The house at the end of the gravel road had never seemed so far away.
Neither of them spoke until he’d pulled the truck in front of the house. “Look, Lilli, I shouldn’t have kissed you. I mean I’m the fucking sheriff here. I’m the one who’s supposed to keep guys from harassing women, and then I haul off and kiss you.” He turned toward her. “Again, I’m sorry. I promise you it won’t happen again.”
She drew in a long, slow breath then opened the door before taking her package and sliding to the ground. “Never again, huh?”
“Nope. Never.” He felt his heart skip a beat as her incredible blue eyes met his.
A soft smile played on her delectable lips. “Well, that’d be a damn shame.”
He was still trying to comprehend by the time she’d marched up to the front door and started knocking.
Chapter Two
Rogan Legacy was in hell. If he couldn’t control his shifting, he’d be damned to a lifetime as a wolf.
He groaned as he caught his reflection in the hallway mirror. Fur skimmed along his jawline while the tips of his fangs peeked out over his bottom lip.
Why is this happening to me?
Two months earlier, he’d begun shifting without wanting to do so. Was his werewolf getting strong enough to take over at any time? The unexpected transformations were becoming more frequent with each passing day. If the trend continued, he’d shift one day and never turn back. As much as he loved being a werewolf and changing into a wolf, he had no desire to live full time as a wolf.
Closing his eyes, he concentrated as hard as he could to return to fully human. He tried so hard, in fact, that sweat popped out along his brow. Yet when he opened his eyes and checked his reflection again, even more fur covered his face. And now claws had replaced fingernails.
Fuck!
He, Martin, and his wizard friend Travis Fox had tried everything. Travis had consulted other wizards and even witches, hoping one of them would know what was going on. Simply knowing why he was shifting would’ve been something. Maybe then they could find an answer. Yet although they’d tried different spells and concoctions, nothing had worked. No one had ever heard of a werewolf that couldn’t control when he shifted. Something had happened to him, and he didn’t know what it was. Had he been cursed without his knowing it? Doubtful. Did he have some strange and rare form of werewolf illness? If so, no one could pinpoint what the illness was.
But Travis wasn’t giving up. He’d sent for some exotic herbs and plants in hopes of trying yet another spell. If that one didn’t work, Rogan was ready to give up and face a future stuck in his wolf’s body.
The sound of wheels hitting gravel tore his attention away from the mirror. Hurrying over to the door, he peeked out the side panel to see Martin’s pickup parked in front of the house.
Who is that?
Her auburn hair, shining with red streaks, caught his attention first. Then it was her generous, voluptuous body. Even with the big box she carried hiding some of her body from view, he saw enough to know she was hot. Curvy, average height, and with a bounce to her step. Something she’d said to Martin had left him with his mouth parted and staring after her.
Inside, his wolf howled, telling him she was special. Prodding him to open the door and take a good whiff of her. She’d smell sweet. He had no doubt. His hand took hold of the doorknob just as she lifted her hand to knock.
No. Don’t. You can’t let her see you.
Once more, he closed his eyes and concentrated. And once more, failed.
Hell and damnation.
He couldn’t answer the door. Not in the state he was in.
Martin strode to the door and stopped right behind her. In only a minute, he’d open the unlocked door and walk inside.
Uttering a low growl, Rogan did the only thing he could do. He turned and ran.
He’d just disappeared around the corner and was in the kitchen when he heard them come inside.
“I don’t know where Travis is right now. Give me a sec to find him.”
“Can you call him?”
Shit. Her voice was as sweet as he knew her scent would be.
“I’ll try, but he’s not great at hearing it. Half the time he forgets to take his phone with him. Stay here. I’ll check upstairs.”
Martin’s feet pounded on the stairs, going up to check in Travis’s bedroom and then in his workroom, a room they’d set aside for him to work on whatever wizardly things he wanted to work on. Although Martin didn’t live on the ranch, he and Travis considered him part of their team. Martin could come and go as he pleased. They’d offered several times to have him join them as a third partner and move in, but so far, he’d opted to stick to being the sheriff and staying in his small home on the outskirts of town.
Where is she?
He dared to peek around the corner. She stood in the hallway, studying family photos and still holding the box. He ducked back as she turned his way.
Damn it. How am I going to get close with this damn fur raging on?
Instead of going to her as he wanted to, as his wolf was demanding he do, he headed out the kitchen door leading to the backyard. Taking care to be quiet, he hurried around the side of the house then stopped when he came to the porch.
He was being stupid. Yet something inside him had clicked on the moment he’d seen her. If he couldn’t meet her in his human form, then he’d get to know her the only way he could. As his wolf. He gave into the shift, feeling it taking over. In less than a minute, he was on all fours and padding over to the pickup.
She’d left her passenger side door open. Maybe she’d expected Martin to close it or maybe she hadn’t given it a thought in her haste to get to the house. Martin hadn’t taken time to close it because he’d wanted to keep up with her. His friend’s urgency had shown in his hurried walk and his intense expression.
Lifting up onto his hind legs, he stretched out his neck and put his nose to work. His nostrils flared with the first whiff of her.
He whined, loving the fragrance. The aroma of roses mixed with a spiciness he knew came from her personality. The roses, of course, meant she was sweet, just as he’d known she would be. The spicy edge meant she was both intelligent and spunky. Exactly the kind of woman he liked.
He could’ve jumped into the pickup to be near her scent for a lot longer, but even the wolf part of him knew he had to get out of sight. Crouching down, he padded back to the side of the house and sat under an opened window.
“Lilli, Travis isn’t here.”
Lilli. Makes sense. Although, judging by her scent, she should’ve been called Rose.
“Do you think I should wait for him?”
Hell yeah. Make her stay, Martin, until I can shift back.
“Sure. I can fix us a drink if you like.”
That a boy, Martin.
“I don’t think we should have any alcohol.”
Why not?
“You’re probably right. Again, I’m sorry about what I did.”
What the hell did he do? A flash of anger hit him. But why would he be angry at Martin? His friend would never have done anything wrong. Especially toward a woman.
“Don’t worry about it.”
Rogan listened hard, waiting during the long pause.
“Besides, I told you. I didn’t mind.”
He tilted his head, trying to hear even better.
“Then how about something else? Water? Coffee?”
“Do you think it’ll be long before he’s back?”
“You never know with Travis. He kind of gets to wandering at times, looking for special plants and the like. But why don’t you put the box down and rest awhile? I promise I won’t try and take it from you.”
Her laugh was light and airy, perfect for her. “You know what? Maybe it’s better if I head back into town. You could ask him to give me a call. Or if you want to give me his number, then I can call him.”
“Why not stay a bit? I’d hate to have you miss him.”
Good boy, Martin. Make her comfortable.
“No. I think I’ll go on back to the hotel. I don’t want to waste any more of your time. You probably have sheriff things to do, right?”
“Nothing that can’t wait. I really don’t want you to leave.”
Hell and damnation, man. Don’t push too hard.
“Oh.”
She was thinking about leaving. He heard the uncertainty in her tone.
“Besides, if you stay, I can fill you in on the island and its stories.”
“Stories? Like the ones on the Internet?”
“More than likely. Those and more.”
Rogan’s wolfish grin spread his lips. Martin had caught her curiosity. He pricked up his ears and listened as Martin told her the tales that regularly circulated through the town. Like the stories about aliens in Roswell, New Mexico, West End had its own set of myths. The difference, of course, was that the stories about West End were true.
“Werewolves. S
eriously. You’re saying there are men who can change into wolves right here on this small island.”
Rogan didn’t mind her skepticism. If he’d been born human, he wouldn’t have believed it, either.
“And vampires. And werebirds, along with witches and wizards.”
“You’re kidding. Those are just stories you natives tell to the tourists. Like Bigfoot and other wild myths. I’ll bet the tourists eat this stuff up, don’t they?”
“Yeah, they do. But the stories are true. I swear it.”
Martin had, as all the residents at one time or another did, told her the absolute truth, making the stories seem like legends to excite visitors.
“Uh-huh. I think it’s time for me to leave.”
“No, please. Stay.”
You’re pushing again, Martin. But then again, how else could he make her stay?
“No. I think I need to get to the hotel. Travis can give me a call then come and pick up his package.”
“You can leave it with me.”
“Nope. Like I said before, I have to give it to him. And he has to show me some ID and sign for it.”
“Then you’ll have to stay.”
What’s wrong with him? He usually knows how to get people to do what he wants without making it sound like he’s strong-arming them. Come on, man. Get your shit together.
“Okay, look. I was willing to overlook the kiss in the pickup—”
He kissed her?
“—especially since I kind of liked it—”
She liked it!
“—but this is feeling a little strange now. If you don’t want to drive me back to my hotel, then I’ll hitch.”
“Believe the stories or not, Lilli, but no one, especially not a beautiful woman, should be walking after dark around here.”
Rogan hadn’t noticed the setting sun. Darkness would set in before she could make it back to town. He couldn’t let her leave without meeting her. Not if he had any say in it.
One more time, he closed his eyes and concentrated.
Shift back, damn it. Now.
Much to his surprise and his relief, the transformation swept over him. Fur disappeared, as did fangs and claws. Bones broke and reformed. Soon, he was human again and crouched below the window.