by Selena Blake
He told himself to stop looking at her, stop memorizing the way she looked in his bed, but he couldn’t help himself. She was the first woman in a very long time to hold his interest.
There was something so genuine about her and he found her babbling refreshing. She wasn’t like the polished women that flaunted themselves in front of him. And she wasn’t at all like the brash shewolves that let him know in no uncertain terms what they wanted and how much they wanted it.
No, Kendall was in a league all her own. And only twenty-one years old. And human.
But she’d endured so much.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” she asked, her voice soft but not sleepy.
“Just wondering who you are and where you came from.”
“You already know who I am and where I came from.”
That he did. But the way she said those words made him feel like he’d known her much longer. Without knowing all the details of her life, he felt like he knew the important ones. The ones that made her who she was. The fact that she had a less than stellar father. The fact that she’d lashed out softly by dying her hair and piercing her nose. And when that hadn’t worked she’d taken control of her situation and escaped her old life.
“I meant things like hobbies, interests.”
“Oh.” She chewed her bottom lip for a moment. “Well. Ugh…”
“I like to read,” he offered, hoping if he opened up first she’d follow.
“Me too. I would love one of those e-reader things.” The corners of his lips curved upward. “I like my books old school. There’s something about the scent of paper and ink.” Plus his fingers were too big for tiny buttons.
“They’ll do in a pinch. My mom used to have hundreds of books. The collection drove my father crazy.”
There was a glimmer of sadness in her eyes when she spoke of her mother. It was obvious that she’d not had a perfect relationship with either parent, but he sensed that she would have liked to have been closer to her mom.
“Is that why you collect lip gloss?”
She didn’t answer him for a long moment. Then she nodded. One quick jerk of the head that had the pink/purple strip of hair falling forward. She tucked it behind her ear. “It was a silly love that my mom and I shared before she died. She wasn’t really into cosmetics.” Or me, her eyes seemed to say. “But she loved her lip gloss. I still have her favorite tube even though there’s not enough gloss left to cover a lady bug, much less my lips. But it reminds me of her.” His gaze dropped to the bottom drawer of his nightstand. He’d kept a similar memento to remind him of Annabelle. Mostly of what he’d loved and lost, but also of her betrayal. And her death. He might as well have killed her himself. It was his fault she was dead. His fault that she’d been forced to betray him.
“Ever since then,” she continued, pulling him from the past, “I’ve just kept collecting them. They’re cheap, small, ultra portable. And my father never bothered looking in my purse.”
“We really should see about getting you a new curling iron. I’m afraid yours is a fire hazard.”
She laughed. The sound washed over him, through him, like a soothing balm on an aching sunburn. How surreal that the flash of red that had caught him so unaware on the road had contained this beautiful, sweet woman.
If there was ever a woman who deserved the right to be bitter and jaded, it was Kendall Carver. And yet, she was the epitome of optimism and persistence.
He felt a pang in his heart. Though their paths had crossed, bringing them together, he couldn’t keep her in his life. The sooner he got that through his skull the better.
“Do you have any family?” she asked.
He nodded. “I have a brother and three cousins I’m close to.”
“You’ve obviously done well for yourselves.” She glanced around the spacious room.
He looked for the usual signs of a woman on the make. There’d been plenty in the past decade or so. Women, beautiful women, who wanted a wealthy husband. Sebastian had let himself be sucked into their beauty and wicked ways, more than the rest of them.
But then, Burke wasn’t surprised. His cousin had been so painfully in love with Amanda that her disappearance had crushed him for a time. Burke knew the feeling, the numbness, the loss of hope and even the will to go on.
Years ago he’d dealt with the same emotions. His weakness had almost destroyed him.
And yet, he couldn’t change his heart. He couldn’t help the softening he felt inside when he looked at the blonde, blue-eyed beauty staring back at him.
“We’ve done all right,” he agreed. Would she make another comment? Press him further about his wealth?
A cold chill went over him.
Could she possibly know who he was? Who the Deverauxs were?
“Parents?”
She continued the conversation so easily, so smoothly. There wasn’t a hint of mirth in her eyes. Not a drop of greed in her voice. Surely she would never allow herself to be shot and almost drive off a mountain to get his attention. And how would she have known he was coming to his cabin anyway? It’d been a last minute decision.
“Burke?”
Her sweet voice pulled him from his contemplation.
“Sorry,” he muttered, trying to remember her question. Parents…she’d asked about his parents.
“No. My parents are gone.” At least that’s how he preferred to think of them.
“I miss my mom.”
“But not your dad,” he concluded.
She shook her head. “Not at all. That probably sounds bad.”
“Petit, if there’s one thing I know it’s that not all parents are cut out to be parents.” She seemed to soak that in for a moment and then gave another quick nod. “Tell me about your brother.”
He thought for a moment, trying to decide how to encompass everything his brother was into words. There weren’t many words to describe such a loyal, noble man. He would never be able to adequately thank him for helping Burke hold it together after losing Annabelle.
And that was just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. Burke was the eldest, but Laurent had saved his hide many times.
“His name’s Laurent. He’s shorter than me,” he said, keeping things light. She grinned.
“He was recently reunited with the love of his life and now they spend all their time making eyes at each other.”
Her smile grew and her eyes sparkled. “You miss him,” she said.
“A little. But we still see each other every day.”
“I don’t think I could stand seeing my family every day. I try to stay as far away from them as I can,” she said, gazing up at the ceiling.
“I guess it’s different when you’re close to them.” Burke had known a family life like hers. Luckily, he and his cousins had escaped that poisonous life.
Now he couldn’t imagine not seeing his family all the time. They were his friends, his confidants. He depended on him and they, him.
Of course, this whole matchmaking thing was pushing the limits, but he knew they just wanted him to know the same kind of happiness they’d found. The kind of breathless, lifelong love that would complete him.
He saw the way the women had changed his brother and cousins, the way their love had unleashed them, soothed them. Lately, he’d wondered if he’d really known that sort of love with Annabelle. Perhaps he’d just imagined it? Maybe he’d told himself that true love didn’t happen twice in a lifetime so he wouldn’t have to face the potential hurt again.
And if all of that was true why did he still yearn for a relationship as incredible and fulfilling as Laurent and Violet’s? And if true love could strike twice, what was he going to do about it?
“Don’t you fight all the time?”
Burke tried to remember the last serious fight they’d had. It’d been ages. Almost ten years. The result of that quarrel had caused Amanda to leave the bayou but ultimately it’d made Sebastian, André and Jules closer.
“No. We get along pretty well.” Which
was saying something. That many werewolves under one roof, that much testosterone, should have been a suicide pact.
“That’s nice. I always dreamed of having a family like that.” She fell silent for a moment. “Instead, I’m running away from the crazy family I was born into.”
“Every family’s crazy, petit.”
“Some more than others,” she murmured.
“Just because my brother and cousins have all found the woman of their dreams they think I should be next.”
“Something’s definitely in the water down there.” She smiled. “Maybe I should take a trip down there and drink some. Do you think it’d help me find the man of my dreams?” He thought of her in the bayou, a handsome Cajun smiling at her, whispering racy words and French endearments. The image made him want to punch the guy.
Knowing jealousy was a bad sign he pulled himself together. “You should try to get some sleep. It’ll help you heal.”
She put on a brave face but he could see she didn’t want to have another nightmare. He didn’t blame her.
“I’ll be here to wake you up if things get bad.”
She turned one of those heart melting smiles on him then. “Thank you,” she whispered and it struck him that it had probably been ages, if ever, that someone had looked after her.
Soothed her.
Damn he wanted to kiss her again. Curl up beside her, wrap his arms around her and promise her that everything would be okay.
Can’t do that Deveraux. Don’t forget the portrait of Annabelle. Don’t forget her screams.
Chapter Six
Darkness would soon claim the cabin again but Burke could see the silhouette of snow falling against the baby blue sky. Kendall moaned as she sipped her coffee. Burke cleared the table, pleased that he’d been able to come up with a suitable dinner for the herbivore. But she sounded like she was making love to her coffee cup and those throaty little sighs were causing his blood pressure to surge, undoing what the cold shower had managed to accomplish forty five minutes earlier.
Though the wind had died down, it would be a cold night. He’d plugged in his cell phone before dinner, hoping that the cell towers would work tomorrow. It was so hit or miss on the mountain.
There was another message from Laurent teasing him about running away from the mate-hunt. Burke could find his own mate thank-you-very-much.
Ignoring the yearning, he turned to his house guest.
“Can I get you anything else? An apple?” He’d noticed her glee upon finding a refrigerator drawer full of apples after breakfast. Had that really been this morning? It seemed like she’d been here a week already.
“You’re such a good host. I’m sorry I crashed your vacation.”
“Don’t worry about it.”
“I think I’ll try reading a book. Maybe it’ll take my mind off things,” she said, turning toward the bedroom.
Burke nodded. “I’ll clean up here and come check on the fire.” Give it up, Deveraux. You want to check on her. You can’t stay away from her.
Man-oh-man was he in trouble. Stranded in a remote cabin with a beautiful woman.
One he could not have any sort of relationship with.
Yep. Serious trouble.
Louisiana, early the next morning
Laurent Deveraux held his mate in his lap, enjoying the way she squirmed against him, her eyes flashing with purple fury…and the promise of retaliation.
Later, chéri.
Amanda waddled, though he’d never use that verb in front of her, into the living room, her hand at the small of her back. The petite blonde huffed out a sigh and furrowed her brow.
Violet leapt up and he let her go, knowing she’d be back soon.
She helped Amanda into an easy chair and asked her if she needed anything.
Amanda shook her head, wincing in pain. “Little fighter won’t quit kicking me. I’m blaming his daddy for that.”
“Him?” Violet asked, sharing a glance with Laurent.
Amanda had been adamant about not knowing the sex of the baby until it arrived.
Something about doing it old school.
Laurent thought she was just being stubborn, as she had a tendency to do.
“Him. Her. Whatever.”
She was also reaching the point in her pregnancy where she just wanted the baby out of her. She said so on a daily basis.
“Has anyone heard from Burke?” she asked, glancing at no one in particular.
“Non,” he answered.
“I’m starting to get worried. It’s not like him not to call…” She sucked in a sharp breath.
“He’s so responsible.”
Amanda was right. It’d been over forty-eight hours since they’d last heard from his brother. Between their lives as wealthy bachelors and the constant threat from any non-human species, he and his cousins had always kept in fairly close contact. They’d managed to successfully thwart a kidnapping attempt several years ago thanks to that closeness.
But it could just be the blizzard blazing its way across New England.
“If we haven’t heard from him by tomorrow, I’ll go check on him myself.” That seemed to satisfy his Alpha female.
“Are you sure I can’t get you anything?” Violet asked, hovering at Amanda’s side.
“A scalpel?”
Laurent frowned. Where the hell was Sebastian? This was his woman and she needed him.
“Perhaps you should see your doctor,” he offered, uneasy.
“Four more weeks. I can make it.”
He glanced from her pinched face to Violet’s and back. Then they all started laughing.
The fluffy white blanket of snow outside the tall window beckoned her. What a fairy-land. Kendall never saw snow back home. Here, tiny snowflakes shimmered down like glitter from the wispy clouds above.
Wow. The mountains in the distance, covered in white, stole her breath as the morning sun turned everything pink and orange. She’d never in her life seen anything more beautiful.
Anything more worthy of awe and reverence.
She stepped closer, aches and fears forgotten. She’d slept well last night, renewing her energy. Obviously, Burke had a soothing presence. And luckily, she was healing on her own, powers or not. But she’d woken up alone, hot and aching for his touch. Yesterday’s kiss hadn’t been nearly enough.
Burke was a very lucky man to be able to enjoy a view like this every day. Did he know that? She got the impression that something was haunting him. Keeping him from enjoying life to the fullest.
What had the power to haunt a man who seemed to have everything? Wealth. Looks.
Personality. Compassion.
She opened the bedroom door and saw his feet dangling over the end of the sofa. The large piece of leather furniture looked small and uncomfortable when Burke filled it to overflowing. Decorative throw pillows dotted the floor around him and Gin took up residence in the space between the couch and the coffee table.
The big black dog lifted his head as she stepped forward, her heart beating faster as she watched Burke sleep. A deep frown marred his handsome face. What was he dreaming about?
The thing that haunted him?
She knew she shouldn’t be concerned about him. Heavens knew, she had her own issues to work out. But she’d always been a sensitive soul or so her mother had said. Her father considered her weak.
She wanted to erase those frown lines and turn them into laugh lines. Such a kind man deserved all the happiness in the world.
He must come from an incredible family. He spoke with so much pride about his brother and cousins. She glanced around the living room to see if he kept pictures of them, but the mantle and tabletops were void of picture frames.
Kendall rubbed her arms, trying to not jar her shoulder. It was cold in here. Why wasn’t he in a bed with a warm body? Not body. Blanket! A warm blanket.
Cause you’re in his bed. The thought sent a sharp stab of guilt through her.
Gin stood up and stretched then
padded his way over to the patio door. She didn’t see any harm in letting him out.
When she made her way back to the spot that Gin had vacated, the floor was warm beneath her feet. There was no sense in Burke being cold on top of uncomfortable. She tugged the chenille throw from around her shoulders and draped it over him. It didn’t cover much.
He was a big man. Big and so handsome.
Tucking the blanket around him, she gasped when a steely hand snapped out and captured her wrist. Golden brown eyes met hers. Second after second ticked away as they stared at each other, an invisible force pulling them closer.
What would it be like to curl up next to this magnificent man, to feel his strong arms wrapped around her? Something in his eyes told her she had but to lay down to find out. But there was something about him, something that held her in check. A longing. A loneliness etched from years of holding himself aloof.
Making the decision for her, he gave her hand a tug and she toppled forward. He caught her easily against him, his hands wrapping around her waist as if they belonged there.
His heat seeped through the thin cotton dress shirt she wore – his dress shirt – and she was reminded of how naked she was underneath. In fact, the shirt provided hardly any barrier at all.
Perhaps he didn’t need a blanket to stay warm. She let out the breath she’d been holding, acutely aware of each solid muscle beneath her, and the quickly blossoming ridge behind the fly of his jeans. His heart thumped against her palm.
She had her answer. Being in his arms was the closest thing to heaven she’d ever experienced. Quiet. Secure. Warm. And she was oh-so-tempted to close her eyes and soak it in. But she couldn’t tear her gaze from his. He watched her so steadily, as if he hadn’t a care in the world.
“How’s your shoulder?” he murmured, his gaze flicking to the left.
“Better,” she replied in the same quiet tone, afraid that words would break the spell.
“You should be resting,” he said, but his words didn’t hold any censure.
“I was. But then…I thought you might be cold.”
“Not anymore.” Something in his eyes told her he was laughing inside and holding back at the same time.