by Lee, Jessica
“The place looks nice,” she said, pivoting around. “You’ve added some more furniture since I was last here.”
“Yeah?” He closed the door and ran his fingers through his hair, pushing it back over his head. “Thanks. I picked up a couple more chairs, lamps, that kind of stuff.” He shoved his hands into the pockets of his sweats, not sure what else to do with them. Awkward much, Dalton?
“You still like it out here? It must be really quiet so far away from the rest of the pack.”
“I love it.” He nodded. And he did. Having grown up the youngest of three by more than five years, he’d always been kind of a loner. He liked his privacy, especially after living with two older sisters. It had been like growing up with three mothers.
Rosa smiled, her hands going for the deep pocket of her red hoodie. She looked as if she’d been out for a run or had recently left the gym in her soft white yoga pants.
“You want something to drink?” Kaleb headed toward the kitchen. “Water, coffee?”
“No. I’m good.” Rosa followed behind him but stopped short at the bar separating the breakfast area from the main galley. She leaned onto the faux stone surface, lacing her fingers.
Pressing the button on the automatic drip, Kaleb watched as Rosa dug her teeth into her lower lip, her telltale sign when she was worried about something.
“So, what’s going on?” Kaleb snagged a mug from the cupboard as the coffee pot gurgled. With all the crap going down with the Gregorsons, she had good reason to be preoccupied.
“Not one much for chit-chat anymore, huh, Kaleb?” She grinned.
Kaleb swapped out the pot for his mug, catching some of the fresh brew. A few seconds later, he yanked the cup free and replaced it with the glass carafe. Coffee in hand, he sauntered over to the alpha’s twin.
“You know I’ve always been the quiet one.” At least, that was the case when he wasn’t drinking. He leaned over, curling one corner of his mouth up and slid his forearms onto the cool surface, facing Rosa. “Tell me, what sort of favor do you want from me, angel?”
“Not the kind you’re thinking.” She smirked.
“A guy can always dream, right?” He winked. “We’re not in middle school anymore.” Kaleb eased further forward until his knuckles brushed her fingertips.
Rosa’s gaze drifted to where they touched. “No, you’re right. We’re not in school any longer. We’re all grown up, and I want you to teach me how to fight.” She looked up, her bright blue eyes locking with Kaleb’s.
“What?” Kaleb drew back and straightened. Mental images of him and Rosa sparing, her body wrapped around his—under his. Kaleb’s cock jerked. Shit.
“I want you to teach me how to defend myself. Hand-to-hand combat, mixed marital arts. Whatever it is you think would serve me best.”
Shaking his head, Kaleb retreated deeper into the kitchen. He needed another cup, maybe a half dozen more cups of coffee before he could deal with this. Putting his hands all over Rosa would drive him nuts. All that contact would only serve to drive to the forefront of his mind what he was working damn hard to ignore: his desire for Rosa went a hell of lot deeper than friendship. “Why?” Was about the only coherent thing he could utter at the moment.
“Why would I not want to learn?”
Pouring another mug full of his favorite Columbian roast, he glanced back over his shoulder. “Because you have an entire team of enforcers whose job is to protect, not only the pack in general, but especially the alpha family.”
“Come on, Kaleb.” Rosa rounded the bar, joining him within the narrow confines of the kitchen. “Tensions are higher than ever between our pack and the Gregorsons, and I think it’s wise for me to learn how to defend myself. If I’m attacked, my wolf will only get me so far.”
Kaleb turned, his back pressed to the sink, and Rosa closed the distance between.
She reached out and curled her fingers around his arm, the soft warmth of her hand charging his nervous system. “I’ve heard my brother and Landry speak of how good you are more than once. And if I’m going to learn, I want to learn from the best.”
This close, his brain was about two seconds from shorting out from her scent. “Rosa,” he rasped. “I-I…”
“You’re not afraid I’d kick your ass now, are you?” Her lashes lowered, and Rosa’s blue gaze flashed in challenge.
Damn. The little she-wolf knew how to press his buttons. A rumble set off deep in his throat, and from Rosa’s grin, the female knew she had him.
“Fine.” He sighed. “When do you want to start?”
“How about now?” She beamed, spun, and aimed for his back door.
“Now?” Absently, Kaleb plopped his cup onto the counter, coffee sloshing onto the surface. Shaking his hand free of the spill, he went after her.
She pulled a band from inside her pocket, then worked her hair into a thick ponytail. “Yes, now.” She peeked over her shoulder. “You don’t have to work today, right?”
Kaleb shook his head, air rushing in and out of his lungs. He would have preferred time to get used to the idea. Prepare himself for the day he’d meet her at the gym. Not right now, and in his backyard.
“Okay, then. Let’s get to it.” She nodded, then unlocked the door and headed outside.
He groaned, stabbed his fingers through his hair, and marched over the threshold. How the hell did he get himself in these situations?
Kaleb stepped onto the small landing and inhaled deep. Spring had just arrived, and the air was still crisp and cool. Thank goodness. He was going to need all the cold breezes Mother Nature could muster.
After pulling off his socks, Kaleb jogged down the steps and onto the thick green grass of his backyard. Rosa stood in the center, her stance wide, waiting on his approach. Spotting a twig on the ground, he grasped it in his palm before joining her.
“What are you going to do with that?” Her hands went to her hips. “Start a camp fire?”
He rolled the wood between his fingers. “This.” In one swift move, Kaleb was behind Rosa, her back to his chest, the twig at her throat. Her breath hitched, and Rosa’s fingernails dug into his forearm. “If this was a knife, you’d be dead already.”
“Point taken,” she breathed, then yanked down on his wrist, tucked her head, and ducked out of his hold, twisting his arm behind him in the process.
“Shit!” Kaleb hissed.
Rosa held onto his arm, his shoulder rebelling at the uncomfortable angle. She plucked the twig from his fingers. “How about that? This really does work.” She chuckled and let him go.
“Where did you learn to do that, Ms. I-Don’t-Know-How-to-Fight?” Kaleb rolled his shoulder, massaging the joint with his palm.
“I don’t.” She shrugged. “But that doesn’t mean I haven’t picked up a few things over the years watching you boys train.”
“So you’ve been watching us?” He braced his hands on his hips, enjoying the rush of pink filling Rosa’s cheeks. She really was adorable—an intoxicating mix of innocence and fire.
“Sometimes it could be very…” An innocent smile lifted the corners of her delectable mouth. “Educational,” she added.
He shook his head. “Yeah. Right. Educational.” Kaleb cleared his throat. “Okay, let’s move on to a few more advanced moves.” And quick, or he’d end up embarrassing himself if they stood there any longer staring at each other, because a certain part of his anatomy was becoming way too interested.
Half an hour later, both of them had worked up a good sweat. Kaleb yanked his T-shirt off and tossed it to the ground. Rosa pivoted, clutched the hem of her hoodie, and tugged it off over her head. She rotated back around, wearing only a white tank and her yoga pants. The thin white cotton dipped low at the neckline and stretched over her full breasts, the creamy tops of which rose and fell with each inhale and exhale.
Damn, what he wouldn’t give to bury his—Rosa bounced back and forth on the balls of her feet, her ponytail swinging. Dear God…save me.
“Come on,” she taunted him, both palms out and up, curling her fingers inward as if begging him to take her on. “What else you got, big boy?”
He blinked, swallowed hard, and jerked his gaze back up to her face. “What?”
“Come on…” she insisted. “I’m ready for you.” Rosa grinned.
“Okay, okay.” Kaleb smothered a laugh and eased a little closer. “Take a swing at me.”
“You want me to punch you?” One blonde brow arched. “In the face?”
“That’s right.” He nodded. “Go for it.”
“All right.” Rosa slipped into her fighting stance, drew back, and swung. Her fist came straight for his jaw.
Years of training had honed Kaleb’s reflexes. He didn’t have to think. Only act. He blocked her punch with one arm, then dove for her waist, wrapping his arms around her. His leg went for the back of her knee, knocking her off balance. In one smooth action, Kaleb took her to the ground and onto her back. He rolled onto her, the weight of his body trapping her beneath him.
“Damn!” she spat. “I didn’t even see you move.”
Her gaze settled on his, and the jasmine and pine scent that was uniquely Rosa, morphed. Deepened. A smell so rich and decadent it could only be one thing—lust…arousal.
Fuck!
The pheromone arrowed to his cock, swelling him rock hard. Her mouth parted, and the pink tip of her tongue appeared, wetting her lips. An invitation that needed no words. And Kaleb couldn’t deny her—couldn’t deny himself any longer. Who moved first? He wasn’t sure, but suddenly they were kissing. Silky and raw. That was the only way to describe kissing Rosa. It was like gliding over the most luxurious fabric ever made, yet at the same time she left him ripped open and exposed for the taking.
Her fingers speared into his hair, tangling and tugging at the roots. The sting lit up his nerve endings, but he didn’t give a shit about the pain. Hell, at that moment, she could yank the stuff out by the handfuls, and he doubted he would care.
Rosa wiggled, then nudged him with her hip, and Kaleb rolled onto his back, taking her on top. Straddling his hips, she tore away from his lips on a groan.
“Oh, God,” she whispered. Rosa jumped up and marched toward the house.
What the hell?
Kaleb launched from his position on the ground and charged after her retreating form. Leaning in, he wrapped both of his arms around her waist, lifted, spun, and took Rosa to the ground on her side. She shrieked right before the air left her lungs with a humph. But the impact didn’t slow her down. With her legs scrambling for escape, Kaleb held on.
“Never turn your back on your opponent,” he murmured at her ear, his voice deep, hoarse. A product of the lingering arousal heating up his veins. Rosa’s movements slowed, calmed. Good. Surrender. That didn’t take as long as he’d thought.
He loosened his grip an inch or two. “Are you—” The rest of his question died a quick death from the blow delivered by an elbow to his diaphragm.
Rosa lunged free from his hold and onto all fours, making for a quick escape.
“You little…” Kaleb growled and sprang from his knees after her, managing to grab hold of her hips by his fingertips. But, it was enough to halt her progress.
Rosa cried out, collapsing onto her stomach.
“Got you!” Kaleb crawled over her prone form, pushed her ponytail aside, and hovered with his mouth inches above her flesh. “That was clever, but I…”
That’s when Kaleb saw it. And his limbs froze. Paralyzed by the appearance of a thin brown line embedded like a tattoo in Rosa’s flesh, its direction pointed north above the neckline of her tank.
“What are you doing?” Rosa squirmed. “Get off me!” she growled.
“Is that…is that what I think it is?” A tremor rocked his body.
“Kaleb, I swear…” Her voice cracked.
“How long?” He sucked in a shaky breath. “I mean, when did it start?” Christ. That would explain the sudden, intense arousal she’d experienced minutes ago. Rosa was going into heat—not that he wouldn’t have wanted her despite the pheromones. His desire for her had been growing, deepening ever since his senior year in high school.
“Four weeks,” she whispered, her forehead pressed against the thick grass. “Kaleb, you have to swear to me you’re not going to say anything about this to Evin or Landry.”
Four weeks? And none of them had picked up on a damn thing. She’d been hiding it well. Granted, it had been a little easier to push her buttons lately, but with the Gregorson’s uprising, Kaleb hadn’t given it much thought.
“You can’t ask me to keep this a secret, angel.”
Rosa jerked, but Kaleb wasn’t about to let her go yet. Not until he had a handle on what they were going to do with this new information.
“I can, and you have to!” she spat. “Landry—my brother—they’ll lock me up until this is over. And you know I’m not exaggerating.”
She was probably right. Scooping Rosa up and hiding her away, making sure no other man could get near her would be his next move as well. Pretty soon, she would be vulnerable to any male who wanted to claim the alpha’s sister. Once her heat was in full swing, whichever shifter she slept with would become her bonded mate. And from what he understood about females in full heat, the need to mate overtook them—it couldn’t be denied.
“They would only be protecting you from yourself,” he stated.
“Dear God! I don’t need protection. I need time.” She shoved back. “Let me go!”
“What the fuck is going on here!” It was Landry.
Before Kaleb could glance over his shoulder toward his partner, a heavy blow slammed into his torso, knocking him over and off Rosa.
“Kaleb, have you lost your mind?” Landry stood over Rosa, offering her his hand, but his glare was fixated on Kaleb.
“It’s okay,” Rosa said, pulling herself up off the ground. She dusted the loose grass off her front side. “It’s not what you think.”
“Yeah,” Kaleb added and rolled onto his feet. “And if you’d given me a second before blasting into me, you would have known that.”
“All I know is that I walked around here, heard Rosa yelling at you to let her go, and then saw you on top of her.” Landry crossed his arms. “What was I to think?”
“Man, you know me better than that.” Kaleb shook his head, his gaze falling to Rosa. Her eyes were wide—pleading—and the desperation on her face punched every soft spot around his heart. “Rosa asked me to teach her a few fighting skills. That’s all we were doing.” Kaleb didn’t miss her long exhale. He just wished he felt as relieved as her about aiding and abetting her attempt to hide her rising heat from the alpha and his partner.
“Is that right, Rosa? The moves he was showing you had to do with fighting?”
“Damn, Landry…” Kaleb swung his attention to the other male. “Are you serious with this? Do you really think I would try to hurt her?”
“That’s all it was,” Rosa interjected. “Come on, you guys.” She stepped between them.
Landry lowered his glare and shook his head. “No. You’re right. I know you would never hurt her.”
“Damn, right,” Kaleb said.
“I apologize. It’s just when I saw you on top of her, and Rosa sounded upset…” His palms went up in a show of surrender. “I overreacted.”
Kaleb grunted. “What are you doing here any way? I’m off duty this morning.”
“The alpha’s called a mandatory meeting. Stefan Gregorson has responded.”
Chapter Five
He’d come off like a complete ass.
Landry was surprised Kaleb hadn’t decked him earlier that morning for insinuating the male had been trying to hurt Rosa. But after Kaleb hadn’t answered his door, and Landry had picked up on Rosa’s distressed voice coming from the back of the house, throw in what he’d found when he’d gotten there… Every protective instinct inside him had fired. And at that moment, he didn’t see his best friend, only a male L
andry had to eradicate from Rosa’s body.
Hours later, after his head had cleared, he’d cringed over the memory of his action. God, he was a jerk. He’d known Kaleb for too long and shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions. Landry scrubbed the day’s worth of beard growth along his jaw. He was sure his appearance looked about as rough as he felt.
Pulling up alongside Rosa’s Jeep in front of her home, Landry shoved his SUV into park and cut the engine. The day had already been a long one spent meeting with the alpha and his team of enforcers about the Gregorsons. According to Evin, Stefan’s couriered written response had been heated. A litany of rants about their alpha’s lack of respect toward the other male and his lateral position as leader. Gregorson had stated he would definitely make a personal appearance soon to retrieve his misguided pack member, but he hadn’t said when. Of course not. He’d rather keep them all in suspense and the KinKaid pack on constant alert.
More fun that way for the bastard.
As a result, Landry’s day had sucked. So why the hell he thought ending it by adding a confrontation with Rosa was going to make things any better eluded him.
Landry exited the vehicle and made his way up her sidewalk, worrying the set of keys between his fingers, the metal clinking in time with the dull thump of his boot heels on the concrete. But he couldn’t go home without checking on her first and getting a couple of things off his chest. Like why she’d gone to Kaleb and not him about this sudden urge of hers to learn how to fight? Yeah…he and Rosa had a few things to talk about.
At her door, Landry pressed the illuminated button of her doorbell. It didn’t take long before the sound of her feet padding across her wood floors came from the other side. The lock clicked, then the door swung open.