Surprising the hell out of her, he wrapped one arm around her waist, pulling her against him as he leaned down and kissed her, deep and long, leaving her gasping a little for breath. She pushed him away and frowned at the cheeky smile that crept over his face.
“You care to explain?”
“Simple, chere. No fireworks. I bet it would be the same if you lip-locked with Jerry, here. Yet you and Randy set each other off like a Fourth of July.”
He had a point—damn him. “So?”
Chad leaned down near her ear. “So brace yourself, babe, ‘cause it did the trick. The big bad wolf is on the warpath.”
She lifted her head in time to see a wink from him before her elbow was rudely tugged on, breaking her away from Chad and Jerry.
Randy. Glaring at her. At her! What a nerve!
Threading his way through the slow-moving couples, Chad flopped down in a spare black leather chair at Marcus’ table and sighed, a satisfied grin on his face. Reaching over, he grabbed his beer and took a long swig.
“Nice show. What, exactly, were you doing?” Marcus asked.
“Meaning?”
“Crissy. It should be obvious, even to you, that she is Randy’s mate.”
He saluted Marcus with his bottle. “Not quite yet, my curious friend. Let’s just say I’m making sure he doesn’t lose sight of the prize.”
“By making him mad enough to rip your fur out hair by hair? Interesting plan. Have I ever mentioned that you furries are really very strange?”
“I got a response, didn’t I?”
“Yes, and hopefully Luisa got a very clear message. Randy jumped up out of the seat so quickly she landed on her delectable bottom.”
Chad laughed. “It’s about time the old guy settled down. Left the field clear for the younger guys for a change.”
“Meaning you, I presume.”
“Exactly. You got any idea what it’s like being compared to another man by every woman you take to bed?”
“Can’t say I’ve ever had that problem, no.” Marcus glanced at Chad and grinned. “I take it there’s more method to this madness?”
“Not really. It’s a very simple plan.”
“No doubt when you do your best work,” he said dryly.
“Well, it’s working. Look at him.”
They both watched Randy as he hovered behind Crissy, holding her shoulders and trying to get her to listen to him. Just then, Crissy turned around, exasperation written all over her face, just in time to see Luisa sidle up and slip her arm inside Randy’s, trying very hard to drag him out for a dance.
“Shit,” said Chad.
“A small hiccup in the Grand Plan?”
“You could call it that. Why can’t that woman take a hint? Oh hell.”
“Yes, hell. Shall we go to the rescue? You could perhaps distract Miss Rampant Hormones with some of your dubious charm, and I could smooth things over between Randy and Crissy.” Marcus’ blue eyes twinkled with wicked delight.
“Not yet.” He turned back to his beer. “Give him a minute. He’ll work it out.”
“Or not.”
“What does that mean?”
“Interesting. Crissy is leaving with the other man, the one she works with. Yes, there she goes, cameras and all. Randy looks to be in danger of doing some serious vascular damage. To put it in your rather blunt vernacular, Chad, your plan sucks.”
“Fuck!”
“Crass, but quite an accurate description, nonetheless.”
* * * * *
Randy stormed into the house, dripping wet.
As if fighting with Crissy wasn’t bad enough, then his damn truck wouldn’t start, so he’d had to run all the way back. And to top it off, it started frickin’ raining!
He slammed the front door behind him. She’d better damn well be here. Personally, he’d had enough of this bullshit for one night.
Stripping off his soaked shirt as he went, he headed for the kitchen first. He found her there, hovering over the coffeepot, waiting while it dripped enough to fill the mug she held in her hand. Indescribable relief poured through him at finding her safe, lessening the anger somewhat to a low boil. All the way back, he couldn’t get out of his head the thought of someone here, waiting for her. How could she do that? Put herself in danger by leaving without him?
All he wanted was a chance to explain. Followed by a nice long night in bed wrapped around Crissy while he fucked both their brains out. Christ, what a mess!
“Don’t ever do that again, babe, or I swear to God I’ll put you over my knee and paddle that ass of yours until it’s bright red.”
She spun around to face him, her eyes blazing fire. “For a start, I’m not your babe. Got it? And secondly, you blew it, big guy. Totally. Your words are nice, but like you, they’re just so much crap. So do me a real big favor and leave me the hell alone. Go take care of Luisa. I can call Chad if I need someone to look after me.”
Chad? “Don’t fucking push me, Crissy,” he growled through clenched teeth. “You think I didn’t see that little display you and he put on at the club?”
“Oh, you mean you were able to drag your nose out of Luisa’s cleavage for two seconds?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You know exactly what I mean. If you two had gotten much closer, they would have had to pry you apart with a damn crowbar.”
“And you and Chad were any different? How come you snuggle up to him every chance you get? What’s with that? And you think I don’t see the way other guys look at you? How crazy insane it makes me?”
“Oh, and I should just sit by while every woman in town paws you like you’re her own personal property? I don’t think so.”
“But it’s not them I want, goddammit! It’s you!”
“Maybe you should let them know, then. Because there’s at least one woman in town who seems to think you’re hers, and honey, it ain’t me.”
“She’s nothing—”
“No, we’re nothing. I told you what I want, Randy. And obviously you don’t have the goods.” Putting the unused mug back on the hook, she turned to leave.
“Don’t go, Crissy. We aren’t finished.”
“You got it wrong, Randy. You can’t finish what never really started. ‘Night.”
She ran up the stairs and slammed the door of her room shut. The vibration of it reverberating along every wall in the house.
Once the house was silent, he flopped on the sofa and tried to figure out what the hell had just happened. Once he got past the anger and settled down, a few things became clear to him. And he smiled. She was so wrong. She was as jealous as hell. No, they’d more than started, all right. He just had to be patient and wait for her to realize it.
* * * * *
He woke with a start to the sound of a door closing. Shit, when had he fallen asleep? His body ached from his shoulders to his toes from his uncomfortable position on the sofa.
A glance up the stairs showed Crissy’s door open. He raced up, giving it a quick once over—enough to establish that she wasn’t there.
Hell.
Tearing downstairs, he yanked a T-shirt out of his bag, throwing it over his head as he grabbed his keys and took off after her.
The fact that it was barely light outside, dawn almost breaking, filtered through his foggy brain. Now where the hell was she going? And at this hour of the morning.
He caught sight of her jogging down the road, the blonde ponytail swinging, just as she turned the corner into North Peters Street. Tailing her wasn’t hard. The streets of the Quarter were deserted at this hour of the morning. A light breeze was blowing in off the water pushing the distinctive smell of the Quarter—stale beer and a few others he’d rather not think about—into his face. She kept up a steady pace, but after an hour he wondered when the hell she was going to turn for home. Running wasn’t the problem. He could go for hours. Running with a hard cock from watching that ass bounce was causing him some serious pain, though. He’d be lucky
if he hadn’t done some permanent damage.
Finally it looked like she was heading back. Thank God.
His phone rang and he recognized Chad’s number on the screen. “Yeah?” he panted.
“Shit, I didn’t catch you in the middle of something, did I, man?”
“Would I be answering the fucking phone if I was?” He wished!
“Okay, okay, no need to bite my head off.”
“Look, I’m busy. Crissy decided to go for an early morning jog. I’m tailing her, so unless you have something important to say…”
“She doesn’t know you’re there?”
“Obviously not.”
“So you and she aren’t talking, I take it.”
“Did you call for a reason, Chad, or just to piss me off, because I sure as hell haven’t forgotten about your little prank last night.”
“Prank, nothing. Just giving her something to think about. And you know, she tastes like heaven. Those lips are so soft and sweet—”
“You got a death wish, man?”
“You know, there’s a good cure for what’s ailing you. Of course, Crissy would have to go along with it, and it don’t look like that’s happening. Shame.”
“You’re a pain in the ass—you know that? Tell me what you called for or I’m hanging up now.”
“Fine. Fine. You know the name René Lamathe?”
“No. Should I?”
“You should now. He followed you home last night. We followed him. Marcus ID’d him.”
“He’s the vamp?”
“Looks like. Marcus and I kept watch. He hung around ‘til the lights went out in the house and then disappeared. Looks like a few pieces are starting to come together.”
“Look, can you come around later? I want to hear all about this guy. Just give me a few hours though, ‘til I get things sorted out with Crissy.”
“Only a few hours? Mr. Positive Thinking, aren’t we…” Chad laughed. “Sure. I’m heading to bed now. I’ll call in once I’ve had my beauty sleep.”
Shutting off his phone, Randy was relieved to see they were almost home. He wanted Crissy inside, away from harm where he could keep an eye on her.
So far they’d located two weres and a vamp. Hopefully for Crissy’s safety and his peace of mind, no more would be coming out of the woodwork.
Opening the door, he was met by a hiss from Fatso and he vented the frustration he was feeling and snarled back in response. Fatso fled. Good. He didn’t give a shit if the cat didn’t like him. If it came down to it and one of them had to go, it sure as hell wouldn’t be him, so the cat had better learn to be a bit more sociable.
He half expected to smell the coffee brewing—that seemed to be Crissy’s answer to a lot of her troubles, although from this morning’s effort, he’d better add very long runs to the list of remedies—for future reference.
No coffee, but the shower was running upstairs—he could hear it flowing through the pipes of the old house. Which gave him an idea…
The grin on his face was pure wolf.
Chapter Seven
Pulling the shower curtain closed, Crissy stepped under the stream of water, eyes closed, and let her mind wander as her body relaxed. The run had done her a world of good. The last of her aches were gone, and she’d really needed to clear her head.
Last night’s little altercation with Randy had her tossing and turning most of the night. Her initial anger over what had happened had petered out pretty quickly, especially after seeing him get so worked up and possessive. Over her. Amazing.
Of course she knew it wasn’t his fault at the club. Did she really look so dumb? She was tired of being taken for brainless just because she was blonde.
But Luisa… Oh, she had her number, all right. The woman thought she could rub her assets all over Randy and that made him hers. Huh! Crissy hadn’t missed the fact that Randy was trying his darnedest to get her away from him. Poor guy. Not! He was supposed to be guarding her. How on earth he thought he could do it with another woman trying to get inside his jeans in public beat the hell out of her.
But holy mama! When he walked in, all wet, no shirt, breathing fire out of those sexy eyes… She thought her heart might give out. And that bit about putting her over his knee. She smiled and fanned her face. She hadn’t thought she’d be into spankings, but she hadn’t expected her body’s reaction to it, either.
Just picturing it—lying across his lap, her skirt raised above the cheeks of her ass, the look in his eyes as he ran his hands over her curves before laying a sharp slap on the soft skin—made her pulse race. She slid a hand down between her legs, a quiet moan leaving her lips as a soapy finger slipped inside—
She squeaked when another hand came around from behind her and palmed a breast, the other one laying over hers and moving it so her finger slid in and out.
“If you wanna get real wet, maybe I can help…”
“Randy!” she gasped.
His body was flush up against hers, the heat pouring from him, warming her, the hard length of his erection sliding up and down the slick crevice between her buttocks.
“You gonna tell me what you were thinking about just then?” Randy asked, the husky sound at her ears sending goose bumps over her flesh.
She snorted in mock derision. “No. And what the hell are you doing in my shower?”
“I figure this is one place you can’t run away from me. Hope you have plenty of hot water, because you and I are going to have a little talk.”
“We don’t have anything to talk about, and while we’re at it, don’t you think you’re taking this bodyg—”
“Crissy, shut up!”
Luckily he couldn’t see the grin that spread across her face. “Okay, I’m listening.”
Gripping her hips, he spun her around to face him.
It was hard to miss the look of determination on his face. He had something to say and he wasn’t going to be distracted. But that was his problem. She had a different one altogether.
Okay, she’d known he’d be naked—he was in her shower, after all, but still… The chest…yes, she’d seen the chest last night—broad, great muscles, arms that looked like they could hold her up one-handed—but the rest of it. She just stared, blatantly. In her own defense, it was about time she got a look at the goods. He’d seen her twice already, so fair was fair. But his cock was sticking out and she just couldn’t drag her eyes away. Long, thick, with a ruddy, flared crown that made her lick her lips.
“I don’t suppose you’ve measured that, have you? Just for curiosity’s sake…”
“Does it matter?”
Strong fingers tightened on her flesh and she tossed a quick glance up at his exasperated expression. “Size? Definitely.” She nodded enthusiastically.
“Ten,” he growled at her and raised a light brown eyebrow. “Happy?”
“That depends.”
“On?”
“What you plan on doing with it.” It jerked at her words, bobbing up and down.
“Nothing until we talk,” he gruffed.
She raised her eyes to him, her look as innocent as she could make it. “So talk.” Fast, she added silently.
His hands skimmed up her body, resting finally on her shoulders, holding her still, a small shake ensuring her attention stayed up where the talking was happening. “Luisa and I are over, Crissy. Have been for a couple of weeks now.”
“Maybe for you, hot shot, but I don’t think your girlfriend got the message.”
“She knows. And she’s not nor ever was,” he gritted his teeth, “my goddamn girlfriend.”
“No?”
“No!”
“So that’s why she was climbing all over you last night?”
“She gets carried away.”
“Yes, I could see that. Except for the fact that you had your jeans on, she was fucking you in your chair.”
His grip on her shoulders tightened. “But I wasn’t fucking her,” he forced out through clenched teeth. “I only want
to fuck you,” he roared.
After she got over the initial shock, she closed her mouth and looked up at him, taking in the tense stance, the eyes that flashed exasperation at her before softening, the strong jaw… God, he turned her on.
“So,” she said softly, aware that she was crossing a line with Randy, a line she suspected represented more than a physical boundary, but an emotional one too, “what are you waiting for?”
His lips brushed against hers, the touch soft, reassuring, but she could feel the tension in his body. She gasped as he lifted her up, resting her ass and back against the cold tiles so that she shivered.
“Your legs. Wrap them around me, honey.”
His broad palms supported her ass and he positioned her easily, nudging the tip of his cock at her entrance, just slipping the head inside, and then stopped.
She wriggled, trying to slide down the shaft.
He half-smiled, but his eyes were searching, watching her expression closely. “Impatient?”
“Try needy. It’s been a long time.”
With each shallow thrust, she could feel the stretch and pop as the flared head of his cock slipped inside, before he withdrew it and repeated the movement.
“Now that I have your attention…”
His words washed over her as she closed her eyes, her head dropping back to rest against the tiles, as she savored every sensation.
“…let’s get a couple of things straight. Getting back to our earlier conversation…”
“Uh-huh.” He was too much in control. That wasn’t what she wanted or needed. She wanted him wild. Pounding into her as though he couldn’t get enough of her.
“Which one was that?” For the life of her, she couldn’t remember.
“Maybe this will help…”
Soft, so tender it almost made her want to cry, his mouth moved over hers. Lips hot against hers. Strangely comforting, reassuring, special… A lover’s touch.
“Randy—”
“This pussy is mine, Crissy honey. This cock…” he slipped in a little further and they both groaned at the exquisite feeling, “is yours. You with me now?”
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