Chapter Fourteen
***Jordan***
Jordan was just standing up, finally satisfied with the fire she built when she heard a voice call, “Hey, Jordan.”
Turning, she saw Maggie headed her way with another woman, so she waved them over. She and Maggie had been planning the barn work party together, and she was the closest she had to a friend in Serendipity, so it was a relief to see her.
“Nice fire,” Maggie said, “I still have a hard time with that one.”
Marley laughed. “Not me; fire comes easy for me,” she said.
“Jordan, this is Marley, Jake’s wife and our own personal witch at Serendipity,” Maggie said, nudging her friend.
“I hate it when you introduce me that way,” Marley said, smiling at Jordan and holding out her hand.
Jordan shook Marley’s hand and felt a wave of comfort flow through her. “Oh,” she said, looking down at their hands.
Marley held her hand for a second longer than necessary, then looked over at Maggie and said, “She belongs here.”
They settled themselves around the little fire and talked while Jordan coaxed it into a proper cooking fire, knowing that she’d have fish to cook soon. At first, it was awkward, especially when her past came up, but she managed to answer their questions without lying. But when the conversation moved onto the camp, she was relieved to be out of the spotlight.
By the time Drew and Alex came back with another full stringer of fish, she felt a budding friendship blooming between the three of them and was more than happy to agree to eat with them that night. To her immense relief, Drew seemed to have come to his senses; she still didn’t know what to think about his jealousy but refused to let it ruin her night.
She had a feeling that something exciting was going to happen that night, could feel magic in the air, and for the first time in her life, she wanted to be a part of it. Deep inside her, the power that had always frightened her was stirring, responding to the freedom and openness of the mountains around her. Instinct she’d long ago learned to suppress was coming to life, and she was letting it, sure that here she could be who she truly was without fear of her father using her power against her.
Dinner was a rowdy affair around Nick’s fire, but Jordan was enjoying being a part of it, and even more pleased when it looked like Alex was making friends with the other kids his age. As soon as they were done eating, they took off in a pack that just got bigger and bigger as they went from fire to fire.
“What are they going to do?” Jordan asked when the group had assembled in the center of camp.
“They get an hour after dark to shift and run,” Nick explained, getting to his feet. “We have to supervise.”
Drew got to his feet. “I’ll be back in a little while,” he said to Jordan. “Be ready.”
She watched him walk away, a sinking feeling in her stomach. Finally, unable to stop herself, she asked, “What did he mean?”
“I think he wants you to go with him when he comes back,” Marley said, a look of surprise on her face. “All the adults go out after the kids and shift, usually in pairs; didn’t he tell you?”
“You mean like...” her words trailed off. “It’s not like that between us.”
Marley and Maggie exchanged a look she didn’t like. “I’ve never been myself; that’s just what I’ve heard. Nick and Jake will stick together, so I don’t think it’s just like that. I mean, it’s not only couples,” Maggie said, stumbling over her words.
Jordan didn’t say anything more, just stared into the fire, her anger at Drew ripening by the minute. Clearly, this was just one more ploy to get her to sleep with him, and she wasn’t going to fall for it, wasn’t going to shift in front of him. She knew how easy it was for animal instinct to take over when she shifted; it was one of the things that scared her most about shifting, and Drew was planning on using that against her.
Disappointment began to war with anger when she realized that again he’d fooled her, shown a side of himself that was soft and kind, then revered back to his old ways. When the men came back, a line of tired teenagers trailing behind them, she was ready for Drew.
When he held out his hand, she took it, preparing the speech she’d give him before going back to their camp and to bed. But when they stepped away from the campfire, a thrill of pleasure shot through her and stole her breath. She felt the power inside him throbbing and pulsing, and another thrill made her gasp.
“Look up at the stars,” he whispered, pulling her to a halt.
When she lifted her face to the sky, it was full of glittering spots of light, and a moon so bright, it almost hurt to look at it, and she felt some of her aggravation fade. “It’s beautiful,” she whispered, feeling something beginning to stir deep inside her.
Drew looked down at her; she could feel his eyes on her. “Yes, very beautiful.”
She looked over at him, saw the desire in his eyes, and remembered her plan, but some of the steam had gone out of her anger. “I’m not going to shift in front of you,” she said, pulling her hand out of his and stepping away from him.
He followed her. “Why not? I just want to show you around the mountain,” he said, a confused look on his face.
Jordan hesitated a second, then said, “Don’t play innocent with me; I know what you’re up to.”
The confusion disappeared from his face, replaced by hurt. “And what exactly do you think I’m up to?”
“You know exactly what I think,” she said.
“No, I don’t, Jordan,” he said. “Why don’t you spell it out for me, or are you afraid to say it out loud?”
“I think you’re trying to seduce me. You’ve been trying to since the first time we met,” she said, just saying it made a thrill go through her. “You and I both know what happens when we shift.”
***Drew***
Drew could only stare at Jordan because her words had caused his body to go wild. Desire made his groin tighten, and he had to resist the urge to grab her and prove to her that she couldn’t resist him. Instead, he backed away a couple of steps and took a deep breath.
“I promise you that wasn’t what I had in mind,” he said, which was the truth. “You can go back to your tent whenever you want.”
Until she’d brought it up, he’d never even thought of using her animal instinct against her, wouldn’t have dreamed of doing something like that. The truth was he’d never had to, had never had a woman resist him the way Jordan was, but he was nowhere near that desperate.
Her face relaxed just a little. “Okay, then I’m going back to my tent,” she said, turning to walk away.
He chased after her, caught her arm, and said, “Shift with me, Jordan; this is a beautiful and magical place. You don’t want to miss it.”
She shook her head. “I don’t want to.”
“I promise nothing will happen except we’ll run in the most beautiful country you’ve ever seen,” he said, searching her face.
She looked down, breaking eye contact, and said, “I’m afraid to shift, Drew. Can I go back now?”
He tilted her chin up and looked into her eyes. “Why are you afraid to shift, Jordan?” he asked. When she didn’t answer, “If you tell me why, I’ll let you go back to the tent and never bring it up again.”
She took a deep breath and said, “Because I’m afraid I’ll do something terrible. My father’s not a very nice shifter, and I’m afraid I’ll act like him when I shift.”
Drew reached up and stroked her cheek with his thumb. “I seriously doubt that’s going to happen. You’re not your father, Jordan.”
Jordan shivered as his words washed over her and her power began to stir. “Promise me that you won’t laugh at me or something,” she said.
Drew’s heart leaped with joy; he didn’t know why it was so important that they shift together tonight, but he knew that it was. “I promise,” he said, stepping back from her and giving her some space. “I’ll go first.”
Shifting only took a second once h
e let his magic begin to flow, and then he was looking at Jordan through different eyes. She was just as beautiful as before, but now all his senses were aware of her, not just how she looked, but how she smelled. He could hear her breath rushing through her lungs and feel the power, buried deep inside her, straining to get out.
Jordan looked frightened for a second, then took a deep breath, and the air around her began to shimmer. Then standing where she’d been, a beautiful golden wolf appeared; her fur was the color of the sunset over the mountains, and her eyes looked out at him full of a mixture of fear and excitement. Desire raced through him, but he blocked it and took a few steps toward the woods, hoping she’d follow.
Her legs shook as she took her first few steps, but then she began to lope through the meadow towards the trees, and he knew she’d be just fine. When he caught up with her, he nudged her until she stopped running, then lifted his head and howled. She looked at him confused for a second, then copied the howl, jumping when it was answered not far away.
For the next hour, they ran, up the steep slopes, over the rocks, and through the dense woods, slipping past other shifters soundlessly or greeting them when necessary. The moon was high in the night sky when Drew changed course and headed back down the mountain, something deep inside him leading him to an unknown destination.
Jordan ran next to him, her legs carrying her soundlessly over the ground, her power pulsing in the night. He had no idea where he was leading her, only that something bigger than him was driving him forward through the darkness. When they arrived at the old mill, he was as surprised as Jordan and quickly shifted back into his human form, remembering the kiss they shared.
Jordan shifted back, her chest still rising and falling from the run, and looked at him suspiciously for only a second before launching herself into his arms and kissing him. Shocked, he stumbled back, and they fell onto the soft moss. He was so surprised, he didn’t kiss her back at first, but she drove her tongue into his mouth and desire exploded inside him.
Rolling her onto her back, he drove his tongue into her mouth, answering each thrust of hers with one of his own. She was squirming under him, little moans of pleasure escaping between their joined mouths, and he knew that things were moving too fast, that even though she’d started this, he had to stop it.
Chapter Fifteen
***Jordan***
Jordan knew what was wrong with her and didn’t care; she wanted Drew in a way she’d never wanted another man and wasn’t going to fight it any longer. When he pulled away from her, she said, “I want you, Drew. I don’t care what happens tomorrow; I just want tonight.”
He looked down at her, and for a second, she was sure that he was going to refuse. But he lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her, his tongue thrusting into her mouth, his hands roaming over her body. Jordan no longer cared that Drew had done this a hundred times, that she was only one of his many women; she’d fallen under his spell, and nothing could have stopped her.
She began tearing at his shirt, desperate to feel his bare skin under her palms, and in only few minutes, they were lying naked in each other’s arm, their clothes strew around them. The moon shone down through the trees, casting shadows around them, but lighting up their little patch of moss, as Drew slid his hand between her legs, and gently parted them.
Jordan closed her eyes and goosebumps erupted on her skin, and he gently traced a path up and between her legs. When he gently parted her folds and slid his finger over her swollen nib, she dug her fingernails into his shoulders and spread her legs even farther as pleasure raced through her. With each stroke of his finger, the pleasure grew, until gasping, she broke the kiss between them and arched her back, exposing her breasts to Drew’s greedy eyes.
He leaned down and sucked one stiff peak into his mouth, and Jordan couldn’t help but cry out as her body was filled with pleasure so intense, she was sure she’d burst. He switched to the other nipple, then slid his finger deep inside her, groaning when her body clenched around him. Drew’s groan sent a new wave of pleasure rocketing through her. It only took a few deep thrusts of his finger to send her toppling over the edge.
Pleasure filled her, reaching every nerve in her body, and all she could do was hold onto Drew’s shoulders as the world momentarily went dark. But then he slid between her legs, rubbed the tip of his throbbing erection over her still sensitive button, and her body began to throb, anticipation making her breathless. Opening her eyes, she met his as he slowly slid inside her, taking his time, letting her body adjust to his, then thrusting his hips and filling her fully.
Deep inside her, a hard knot of pleasure unlike anything she’d ever felt before began to form and with each thrust of Drew’s powerful hips it grew until it had consumed her. Crying out, she opened her legs further and thrust her hips up to meet his, making him growl deep in his throat and grind his hips into her. When he swung her ankles up to his shoulders and drove himself deeper, she felt the pleasure begin to spread through her body in waves that took her breath away.
Nothing could have prepared her for the pleasure she felt when he reached between them and began to stroke her swollen nib as he filled her over and over. When she tumbled over the edge this time, Drew followed her, the feeling of his throbbing member buried so deeply inside her only making the pleasure that much sweeter.
When he collapsed on top of her, she never wanted him to move but was very aware that they were lying naked in the middle of the forest. But he didn’t seem to be in any rush. Instead, he rolled over and pulled her close to his side, sighed deeply, and closed his eyes. They lay in silence, looking up at the stars, neither sure what to say, when they heard the sound of breaking branches.
Scrambling to their feet, they dressed quickly, then stood looking at each other, waiting as the crashing through the trees grew louder. When Jake and Nick stepped through the trees, Jordan wanted to sink into the ground, especially when she saw the grins on their faces.
“We didn’t expect to find you two here,” Nick said, grinning at Drew in a knowing way.
“Umm, I was just showing Jordan the old mill,” Drew said, stepping away from her.
Jordan was even more embarrassed than she’d been and felt her cheeks getting hot. “I think it’s time to go back,” she said, starting for the trail.
She couldn’t hear what Drew said to his friends, but the laughter that followed made her cringe. When he finally joined her, she asked, “What did you say to them?”
“Nothing, I didn’t tell them anything,” he said.
“Then why were they laughing?” she asked, not sure she wanted to hear the answer.
Drew shrugged. “When we were kids, we never brought girls to the old mill unless we were serious about them,” he said. “I tried to tell them it wasn’t like that between us, but they wouldn’t believe me.”
Jordan’s heart sank, and she knew that she’d made a mistake; she never should have shifted, never should have had sex with Drew. “Well, I’m glad you set them straight about us,” she said, unable to hide the hurt in her voice. “I’m going home.”
She shifted and ran off before Drew could, and was far ahead of him before he started after her. When she got back to camp, she went straight to her tent and crawled into her sleeping bag before she let herself cry silently into her pillow. It was her own fault, she knew that, but that didn’t make it hurt any less, and she promised herself that she’d never let her body rule her mind again.
***Drew***
Drew stood staring after Jordan, wondering what he’d said, then he remembered his words and swore. “Thanks a lot, guys,” he said when Nick and Jake walked up behind him.
“We didn’t mean any harm,” Nick said, clearly feeling bad.
“We were just teasing,” Jake said. “Sorry.”
Drew sighed. “She thinks I’m a playboy that uses women and throws them away and I just proved her right,” he said, then explained what he’d said to Jordan.
“You’d better go after her if
you want to salvage this,” Nick said. “But you’d better be sure that’s what you want before you do. You’re playing with fire if you string her along; you two have to work together, so maybe you should just let it go, stop it now before it goes too far.”
Drew thought about that; he could just go back and pretend nothing had happened but knew that was impossible. Just thinking about Jordan stirred him, sent a thrill shooting through him, and he knew now that he’d sampled what was possible between them, he wasn’t going to walk away. But there was more to it than just that; he liked Jordan, admired her strong spirit and willingness to take risks, respected her determination.
Then it hit him; she was nothing like the rich girl he’d imagined. She was a strong, capable woman, the kind of woman he could grow to love. Realizing that he might have just made the biggest mistake of his life, he looked over at Nick and Jake.
“It’s too late to stop it. I can’t,” he said, a sense of wonder descending over him. “It’s already started, and I don’t think I want it to stop.”
Nick and Jake burst into laughter. “I’m so glad I didn’t miss this,” Jake said. “I never thought I’d see the day that a woman got the better of Drew.”
“You’d better go after her before it’s too late,” Nick said, slapping him on the back. “Good luck; this isn’t going to be easy. You screwed up big time.”
Drew shifted and took off into the darkness, pushing himself, hoping he’d get back before Jordan, but when he ran into camp, there was a light in her tent. He was tempted to approach the tent and try to talk to her, but then the light went out, and he lost his nerve. Now that he was here, faced with trying to explain himself, it didn’t seem so easy, and it was easy to convince himself to wait until the morning.
But when he woke the next morning, Jordan was already up and making breakfast. She silently handed him a cup of coffee, then went back to the fire to finish cooking breakfast. He walked over to the fire, and sat down close to her, searching for the right words, but then Alex came out of his tent, walked over, and collapsed next to him.
Mountain Wolf Playboy (Daddy Wolves 0f The Wild Series Book 3) Page 9