Vampires. She’d been imagining fire-breathing dragons and characters from fairy tales. Not blood-sucking vampires. Her heart sped up at the thought. Luca sighed.
“I won’t let anything happen to you,” he said, drawing her attention.
She nodded and took a steadying breath. When push came to shove, she didn’t doubt that Luca would do whatever it took to keep her safe, but at what cost?
“Fuck. I hate the smell of your fear.”
Before she could say anything, his phone vibrated on the desk next to his mouse. He didn’t bother looking at the screen before swiping to answer the call.
“Busy. What do you want?” Luca asked without preamble. Blood rushed into his cheeks, and he tore his gaze away from her. “Maple, I was expecting Niko. How are you today?”
Kaitlin heard the laughter at the other end of the line from where she sat. Seeing his discomfort tugged at her heartstrings.
“Yes, she’s well. Is Jaxon there? Can I speak with him?” He listened for a second, then his shoulders slumped. His gaze flicked back to her as he set the phone on the desk and hit a button. “Go ahead. You’re on speaker.”
“Hey, Kaitlin, this is Maple. I’ve got Rylee here with me.”
“Hi Maple. Hey Rylee.”
“Listen, I know you guys have a lot of work to do, and well… stuff, but I’m coming over with Rylee this afternoon. We won’t get in your hair, but as Alpha Bitch, I have to ensure my pack is safe.”
Luca’s throaty growl vibrated in the air.
“You can quit your rumbling right now, Luca Garcia. I can call myself that if I want. Makes me sound badass. Anyway, the reason I wanted to speak with you is that Luca won’t ask for help—not for himself, anyway. But for you, I’m willing to bet he’d do just about anything. Isn’t that right, Luca?”
Luca stiffened. “Yes,” he admitted through clenched teeth.
“Good. So I propose I come stay out at the farm for a few days. I’m going to ask Bonnie to join us, too.”
“What? Why?” Luca spoke up, his voice brisker than she’d ever heard it. “I don’t want any of you near here if anything goes south.”
Maple’s sigh came through the line. “Because, Luca, you’re an important part of this pack. And that makes Kaitlin equally as vital. We need to keep her safe.”
“We can do that without putting all of you at risk. Jaxon won’t approve of this. He can up the patrols in the area.” Luca stood and paced around his desk. His glare focused on his phone as though he wished it would burst into flames.
“I’ll deal with my mate,” Maple snapped.
“And if things go wrong? Then you’re all here and in the line of fire.”
“Is there anywhere safer for us? When the pack is together, we’re stronger. You know this,” Maple said, her impatience coming through with her words. “Think about it; we’ll all be there and able to defend your mate. She’s not a shifter, Luca. She’s vulnerable.”
Kaitlin didn’t like the fact that the Alpha manipulated the situation to get what she wanted, but before she’d deny the offer for added protection, she wanted the full story. Something in the way the woman spoke told her there was more to it than just wanting to keep an eye on things.
“What are you not telling us, Maple?” she asked point-blank, cutting into the unproductive conversation.
When Luca’s gaze flashed to her, his eyes rounded, she shrugged. If she was breaking the rules by speaking to the woman that way, too bad. They needed the information.
Kaitlin wondered if she’d heard her when the pause on the line lengthened for a few beats.
“Styx said he thought he saw something in town last night. And this morning, old man Briggs called to say that one of his boarders didn’t come home after his late shift.”
Luca scowled harder at the phone, both fists supporting his upper body weight as he leaned over the desk. “That doesn’t mean anything. The guy probably stopped at the bar and found someone to spend the night with,” he barked.
This time, it was Maple’s turn to growl, and Luca’s mouth snapped shut. Guilt flashed over his features.
“Briggs says the guy doesn’t drink. He keeps to himself and goes to work. Pays his rent on time. This is out of the ordinary for him. Don’t assume because I haven’t been a shifter for long that I don’t see the whole picture or take my role in this pack seriously.”
Now it was Kaitlin’s turn to gasp. Hadn’t been a shifter for long? She’d have to ask Luca about that once things settled down.
“You’re right. You’ve proven your worth, I’m sorry for stepping out of line, Alpha,” Luca conceded, his voice contrite.
“Jesus, let’s not start that again, okay? I get that you’re worried, but we’ll be safer as a group than we will be alone. Do you honestly think anyone, beast or otherwise, will get anywhere near us with our mates surrounding us? If you don’t want us in the house, we can stay in our wolf forms and sleep in the forest.”
“No,” came both Luca’s and Rylee’s instant replies.
“If Jaxon approves this plan, you can have my room. Bonnie can have the spare room across the hall, and the unmated males can sleep wherever the hell they want. I’ll find a spot for me and Kaitlin.”
Kaitlin lifted an eyebrow at him, and he shook his head, a small smile—one she’d missed for most of the day—playing at the corners of his lips. Looked like they’d be sharing sleeping quarters somewhere she hadn’t yet seen.
“Good, then we’re agreed. I have some things to do. I’ll be going to the Sugar Shack before coming over. You’ve got four hours to yourselves before any of us swoop in,” Maple added.
The call disconnected a moment later, and Luca let out a long, frustrated breath.
“Fuuuuuuck. This is going to be hell,” he muttered under his breath as he reached for his phone. A second later, he had the cell up to his ear, his knuckles white as he squeezed it. “Hi, Frank. Luca Garcia. Think you can have your crew deliver a bed out at the farm for me today? A queen would be great. Yeah, after closing is perfect. Have them bring it straight to the barn.”
Luca found her gaze with his, a grin spreading across his face, obliterating his earlier seriousness in an instant. “Yeah. You’re welcome, man.”
Kaitlin shook her head and laughed. The man did not just thank Luca for stirring up his mate the previous day.
When he ended the call, he placed the phone—amazingly, still intact—back on the desk. “Told you.”
Needing the connection, she went to where he was and wrapped her arms around his waist, tugging him closer. The tension had been so heavy since she’d gone down for breakfast that she missed the easy banter from the day before. “So, I take it you and I are staying here in the loft?”
“Is that okay? We have to spend most of our time in here, anyway. At least we can have some privacy. I’ll bring stuff up for snacks, and someone can supply us with meals while we work. The only thing missing is a shower. We’ll have to go to the house for those.”
She squeezed his waist tighter. Having so many people around could be annoying as hell for just about anyone, but for someone like Luca, she’d guess it would be torture. “That sounds perfect.”
Thirteen
Luca closed his eyes and breathed the scent of his mate into his lungs. Having her in his arms did more to calm the anxiety riding him than any amount of deep breathing and relaxation exercises ever could. Fuck. The whole farm would be swarming with packmates before long. Part of him wanted to take Kaitlin and run from the chaos that was sure to follow, but the other part, the one that needed to see her safe, knew the plan was sound.
He still had his doubts that Jaxon would let it happen, but then, he’d seen the man bend to his mate’s wishes before. Especially when she made a compelling argument. Which he had to admit, she had—to him anyway.
“You sure you don’t want me to take you home so you can be as far away from all this as you can be?” Even as the words left his lips, the thought of her leaving
had his wolf bristling. He could contact people at Howlers, Inc. and ask them to tail her wherever she went until everything blew over, but even that wouldn’t settle his beast. No, he had to keep her close so he could take charge of her safety himself. No one else would be as diligent.
“And be away from you? No, thanks. Besides, we have work to do,” she said.
Her voice, soft and warm, curled around him. If he were a cat shifter, he might purr at the sensuality of it seeping into him.
She stroked his back through his T-shirt, going slowly up and then down again. Each time she did, she brought those delicate fingers of hers lower until they brushed the edge of his jeans. She shifted her weight, sliding her body against him with the movement, and he had to swallow his groan. He wanted to give her however much time she needed to get used to them as a couple, but the way her curves hugged his body made it damned near impossible to keep his self-imposed promise.
Whether he tunneled his fingers through her silky hair to keep from kissing her or to tilt her face the right way so when he caved in, he could find her lips in an instant, he couldn’t tell.
When she lifted her head from where she’d rested her cheek against his chest, he didn’t release his hold. Pupils wide, she looked into his eyes and licked her lips. She stroked the hands she’d rested at the very top of his ass around and up toward his shoulders, steadying herself as she stretched against him. Fingers digging into his flesh, she pressed her mouth to his. She stroked his lip with a tentative swipe of her tongue.
With a moan, he took over, deepening their kiss. Kaitlin had made the first move, and he was more than willing to follow where she led. All too soon, she pulled back, nearly wrenching a whimper from him. She didn’t go far, maybe an inch away, but it was more space between them than he wanted.
“We have a little under four hours before this place turns into a zoo,” she said, her voice a husky whisper that sent shivers rushing over him.
“This area is ours. If you don’t want anyone in the loft, you say the word, and they’re gone,” Luca said, but his mind was already on other, more pleasurable things. His gaze dipped to her lips. She’d put cherry Chapstick on them and he was desperate for another taste.
“Good, but that’s not what I was getting at,” she said, trailing her fingers down the center of his chest.
With his blood pumping fast and loud in his ears, he waited, wanting to hear her say it. “Maybe you need to tell me what you meant. Just so I’m clear,” he said as her hand reached the snap of his jeans. His breath hitched, and he struggled against thrusting into her touch.
Leaning closer, she nipped his lower lip, tugging it between her teeth as she moved her palm to stroke against the length of his hard shaft.
***
Kaitlin released Luca’s mouth, relishing his sharp gasp as she cupped him through his jeans. She’d been kidding herself thinking she could take things slower with him. She’d been half in lust—maybe more than half—before she’d ever set eyes on him. Now, she knew what a caring man he was. Sexy wasn’t just an outward appearance, but a full package, and the more she got to know Luca, the harder she fell.
“I don’t want to worry about anyone being around when we make love for the first time,” she said, rubbing her palm up and down his sizeable length.
Luca stiffened, but he didn’t move away. “I want you to be as sure about this as I am.”
She licked the puffy spot on his lip where she’d bitten him. “I’ve never been surer about anything.”
With a sound that was more growl than moan, he crushed her to him. Hands under her ass, he lifted her so that she had no choice but to grab hold and wrap her legs around his waist. In a few quick and easy steps, he took her to the couch and sat with her straddling him. The new position lined her mouth with his, and she didn’t hesitate to plunge in and get what she wanted.
Like a starved man, Luca devoured her. His hands tugged at her hair, not enough to cause pain, but she felt a slight sting. He held her captive, drawing her deeper into the need already pulsing through her. Shifting her hips forward, she moaned as the friction of his jean-covered shaft rubbed against her. Her nipples pebbled beneath her bra, demanding attention.
“I need you, Luca,” she whispered into his ear when he finally released her. The throb between her legs pulsed hard. If they didn’t move things along, she’d have an orgasm before her pants came off.
His iron grip around her loosened. As soon as there was an inch of space between them, he grabbed hold of her shirt and peeled it up, then off her body. Even with her bra still on, he took her in with his gaze. She squirmed against him at the heat burning in his eyes. She needed more.
When Luca kissed the swell of her breasts, Kaitlin tossed her head back. Every inch of her was on fire. His lips on her body ratcheted up the coiling tension. Smoothing his hands up her sides, he pushed them together and lavished them both. He stroked her skin with his cheek, his chin, and even his nose. All of it made the throb inside her grow. When he finally lowered one side of her bra, exposing her aching nipple, she held her breath. She didn’t have to wait long before he swiped at the sensitive peak with the tip of his tongue, then sucked it between his lips.
“Yes, I like that,” she encouraged as she arched her back, giving him more. The steady sucks on her nipple matched the pulse in her clit, making her desperate for more, yet not wanting to rush to the finish line.
“I love your body, Kaitlin. Every gorgeous inch of it,” he mumbled against her flesh once he released it and before finding the other, giving it the same slow, torturous treatment.
Rotating her hips, she undulated over his shaft, drawing a sexy moan from him. As much as she loved what he was doing to her, she needed more. “Please, Luca,” she begged, grinding against him harder, slamming her point home.
Releasing her nipple, he peppered her chest and neck with little biting kisses that left her breathless as he made his way to her lips. “Stand up so I can take your jeans off, babe,” he ordered.
That, she could get behind one hundred percent. Squirming in Luca’s grasp, she tried to do as he had commanded, but he held her against him. “Right here. Stand on the couch, not the floor.” The gravelly tone in his voice would not be denied. It sent pleasure shooting into every part of her.
Bracing herself on the wall behind the couch, she did as he’d asked. Luca’s eyelids drooped, and he breathed deeply. He brought his hands up from her knees to her hips, holding her in place as he leaned closer. When he looked at her again, gold flecks in his dark brown eyes gave them a bronzed color that had her heart racing. He didn’t have to say anything for her to know that his wolf stared back at her.
“You smell so good.” With trembling hands that betrayed his outer calm, he reached for the snap, popping it in one quick move. Her zipper came down with a rasp, and her knees shook. The slide of denim over her hips and legs stopped at her knees, immobilizing her. He brought her panties to meet her jeans, leaving her exposed to his gaze.
His warm breath reached her first. “Luca.” His name came out as a desperate plea. Rather than respond, he closed the distance between them with a grunt.
The first swipe of his tongue tore a gasp from her. “Luca,” she pleaded again. From the position he’d put her in, with her legs all but bound, there was nothing she could do but take what he gave her. With his hands on her ass, he pulled her hard against his face as he licked and sucked at her sensitive flesh, skirting around her throbbing clit, giving it only enough attention to make her whimper at the need pounding through her. Unable to stop, she tilted her pelvis and writhed against him, seeking the coming release. Pure pleasure shot through her as she pressed her clit onto him just how she needed.
“That’s right,” he growled into her pussy, “take what you want.”
Every cell in her body quivered at the roughness of his words and the magic of his lips and tongue. Hands clenched against the cool wall and eyes screwed tight, Kaitlin let the sensation consume her. Spasm
s tightened and released in her core, rendering her boneless as waves of sensual bliss overtook her.
By the time she was able to breathe, Luca had already slipped one leg of her jeans down to her ankle. She lifted her foot, and he took it the rest of the way off. Never had she had such an intense orgasm in her life, yet the need inside her hadn’t abated. If anything, she wanted Luca more than she had before they’d started. Maybe it was a wolf thing—or a Luca thing. Either way, she wasn’t done.
“Take yours off, too. And your shirt,” Kaitlin whispered as she straightened and gave Luca room to maneuver. Getting off the couch wasn’t happening. Not if she had her way. “I need you inside me.”
Luca licked his lips, those copper eyes of his flashing lust with every gaze. In one smooth motion, he had his T-shirt up and over his head. Bunching it in his fist, Luca tossed it aside. She probably should return the favor of undressing him as he’d done her, but she was too needy—too desperate.
Reaching behind her, she undid the clasp of her bra, releasing it and letting it fall from her arms. Luca groaned and went to reach for her, but she leaned back and shook her head. “Jeans off. Condom,” she demanded.
His lips twitched up at the corners, but he did as she’d asked. Wasting no time, he popped the snap, lowered his zipper and shimmied out of his jeans in less time than it took her to take in the sight of him. His cock, long and hard, bounced up to meet his belly. A glistening drop of pre-cum tipped the head, making her want to have a taste, but that would have to wait until the next time. He plucked a foil packet from his jeans pocket before tossing them aside and sheathing himself.
Kaitlin straddled the chiseled columns of his thighs. She wasn’t just eager to have him inside her, she craved it. Maybe another woman might be self-conscious about the fluffy curves she possessed when compared to all his hard lines and muscles, but she wasn’t. The hunger in his gaze didn’t lie. His cock, hard and ready for her didn’t, either.
Hacking That Sass: Sassy Ever After Page 7