by Anne Marsh
They’d rendered her boneless.
It had been perfect.
“Oh, my God.” She wasn’t going to win any prizes for articulate praise. Or poetry, compliments, or paeans to Luc and Jackson’s all-round awesomeness. She still wasn’t sure how she’d ended up in bed with these two men who made her feel so precious.
“Because you said yes,” Jackson said, as if he’d read her mind.
“And because you were meant for us,” Luc added.
“Or you were meant for me,” she said.
“True, honey.”
“I’ll settle for you being all mine.” Rough assurance filled Jackson’s voice.
“Should I be worried?” She could hear the laughter in her own. She wasn’t afraid of him. He wasn’t vanilla at all and he pushed her sexual boundaries but… he made her feel. With him. For him.
“Sleep,” he whispered gruffly. “Me and Luc will keep watch. There’s nothin’ gettin’ past us tonight.”
His fingers tangled with hers as she finally gave in to exhaustion and let sleep tug her down. He had to be tired too, she thought. Instead he was all fierce focus on what needed doing. Strong. Doing the right thing in his world, but playing by a rulebook she didn’t have or even get. A rulebook that says keeping her was okay.
As she drifted off, she would almost have sworn he whispered something.
Something that sounded a whole lot like I love you.
Chapter Eleven
When she woke up, it was just past dawn. The sun was coming up and the birds were going nuts in the tupelo trees, talking mating songs of their own. She slipped out of bed, leaving Jackson sprawled out on the sheets, and padded toward her porch. The open front door was her first clue that her quarry was out there. That, and the scent of coffee. Her coffee.
She stepped outside and the morning somehow managed to be pretty and peaceful and loud all at the same time. Welcome to the bayou. The werewolf lounging on her porch swing, however, didn’t look particularly surprised to see her. He smiled, though, and she was putting that gesture in the break-through column. He looked less Tall, Dark, and Grumpy and more Tall, Dark and Satiated. Less lonely. It was a good look for him.
She dropped down onto the swing beside him and snagged the mug from his hand.
“I might not have been done with that,” he protested mildly.
“My house,” she said mildly. “My coffee.”
Unfortunately, the coffee was pitch black and strong enough to put hair on her chest. Werewolves apparently didn’t know how to make coffee right.
“Oui. I’m a wolf. I understand possession.”
“Uh-huh.” God. He’d taught her a thing or two about possession last night. When she moved, she felt where he’d been deep inside her body.
He curved an arm around her shoulders, tugging her closer. “Yes or no. That’s all that matters in our world.”
He said our and she felt like she was part of that group.
“Last night?” With Luc, every conversation had undertones.
“Was somethin’ special,” he said. “I’d feel bad if you were havin’ regrets now.”
“No regrets.” To her surprise, she meant it.
“I’m glad you’ve decided to keep our Jackson.”
“We haven’t talked much about where we’re headed,” she admitted. Jackson had thrown out fated mate and forever, but those were just words.
Luc flicked her cheek gently. “You already decided to stay with us, and you’re definitely keepin’ him.”
She had no idea how the man managed to look lethal and sweet at the same time. It was a gift.
“Starting a relationship after just two days is crazy.”
“Some things are meant to be.” He got up and took the empty mug with him. When he came back, he handed her a fresh cup of hot coffee fixed the way she liked, laced with cream and sugar. Almost, she thought she spotted a smile in his eyes. He was way too serious. Maybe that came with the leader of the Pack title. Maybe it was just Luc.
“You really believe the blue moon picks out your brides.” It was the strangest dating service she’d ever heard of. On the other hand, Jackson’s brothers—with the notable exception of Luc—seemed happy with their women. More importantly, the women seemed happy. She was looking forward to getting to know them better.
“Oui.” He didn’t look unsure at all.
“So it’s your turn.”
“Not every wolf finds a mate,” he said.
“Why not?” That seemed unfair.
Luc shrugged. “Some of us are not destined for mates. Some of us look in the wrong places or are blind or…” A small smile curled the corners of his stern mouth. “Pig-headed asshole was the phrase you used. But I’ve already found my mate.”
“Oh, God.” She’d had sex with him—and he had a wife? Mate. Whatever.
“She left me.” Luc’s crooked smile made him look years younger. “So I’ve had my chance and you could argue that I’ve already blown it.”
She considered him over the rim of the mug. “You’ve never struck me as a quitter.”
“Nope. Not me.” He set the mug down and stood up. “Which why I’ll be doin’ some huntin’ now that the rest of the Pack is settled.”
She slipped back into the bedroom carrying two mugs of coffee. Unlike Luc, Jackson had a sweet tooth and he liked even more sugar in his coffee than she did. Or at least that was the way he’d taken his yesterday.
Two days and her entire life had changed.
For the better. That was the kicker. She hadn’t realized that she had a Jackson-sized hole in her heart and her life until her bayou bad boy had insisted on having his chance.
“Hey,” she said, shutting the door behind her. He was awake and sitting up in the bed. Had he been about to come and find her? Part of her hoped so. The rest of her was plenty happy to find him still in bed. His hair was tousled, like someone had been running her fingers through it, and his eyes held a heated gleam that was pretty damn promising.
“Come over here, shug.” He shifted over, making room for her, and she went.
When she set the mugs down on the bedside table, he lifted her onto his lap with that little growly sound she loved so much.
“I want to ask you somethin’,” he said and her heart clenched.
“Okay.” God, she hoped he hadn’t changed his mind. That last night hadn’t made him look at her differently. No matter what he’d promised her, she knew that sometimes, when it was the morning after, things just looked different. Letting go of him wasn’t something she could imagine, however.
“Me? I’m an animal. Maybe, with you, I can be something more, oui? I wan’ us to date,” he said.
Wow. She hadn’t seen that coming. Sex, yes. Forever and ever and happily ever after, plus or minus a few vampires? Yeah. She’d had that in her planner as well. Dating? Not so much.
“I know I rushed things.” He wrapped his arms around her waist, dragging her closer. She could feel the thick ridge of his erection pressing against her butt, so there was hope for them after all. “I want another chance, a chance to get it right. I want more than two days, shug. I’ll court you right.”
His words got to her as much as the man did. He was gruff and blunt and earthy. He was also hers, according to what he himself had said and that damned blue moon of his.
“I’m not giving you back.” She needed to draw that line right now.
“Excuse me?” He growled the question in her ear, but she could hear the hope there. Yeah. He wasn’t on board with waiting and dating any more than she was. Not that she didn’t appreciate the sentiment, but they both knew what they wanted. Who they wanted.
“If you want to date, fine. We can have a trial period on our relationship.”
“Uh-huh.” He shifted her in his arms so he could kiss his way down her neck, licking the pulse point beating so rapidly at the base of her throat. “You have a plan for that?”
“Thirty years,” she said breathlessly. “With
an option to renew.”
He smiled against her throat. “I love you too.”
“Is that what I said?” Werewolves had selective hearing. Just to make sure he was really paying attention, she ran her hands down his shoulders and over his chest.
“Oui,” he said, all male confidence. “You love me, just like I love you.”
“Crazy,” she sighed, tugging his face down to hers. Kissing seemed like the best idea she’d had in a long time—right up there with keeping him. “Crazy but true.”
“Crazy good,” he whispered against her mouth and then he kissed her.
“Crazy perfect,” she said as he rolled her underneath him, clearly in agreement.
Series List
Contemporary Romance – Smoke Jumpers
BURNING UP (Smoke Jumpers, Book 1)
SLOW BURN (Smoke Jumpers, Book 2)
BURNS SO BAD (Smoke Jumpers, Book 3)
SMOKING HOT (Smoke Jumpers, Book 4)
SWEET BURN (Smoke Jumpers, Book 5)
Contemporary Romance – The Hotshots
REBURN (The Hotshots, 1)
HOT ZONE (The Hotshots, 2)
FIRED UP (The Hotshots, 3, in HOT SHOTS)
Contemporary Romance – Men of Discovery Island
WICKED SEXY (Men of Discovery Island, 1)
WICKED NIGHTS (Men of Discovery Island, 2)
WICKED SECRETS (Men of Discovery Island, 3 -- Winter 2015)
Paranormal Romance – Blue Moon Brides
TEMPTED BY THE PACK (Blue Moon Brides, Book 1)
PLEASURED BY THE PACK (Blue Moon Brides, Book 2)
CLAIMED BY THE PACK (Blue Moon Brides, Book 3)
TAKEN BY THE PACK (Blue Moon Brides, Book 4)
Paranormal Romance – The Fallen
BOND WITH ME (Fallen, Book 1)
HIS DARK BOND (Fallen, Book 2)
SAVAGE BOND (Fallen, Book 3)
Non-Series Books
ONE HOT COWBOY
THE HUNT
VIKING’S ORDERS
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About the Author
After ten years of graduate school and too many degrees, Anne Marsh escaped to become a technical writer. When not planted firmly in front of the laptop translating Engineer into English, Anne enjoys gardening, running (even if it’s just to the 7-11 for slurpees), and reading books curled up with her kids. The best part of writing romance, however, is finally being able to answer the question: “So… what do you do with a PhD in Slavic Languages and Literatures?” She lives in Northern California with her husband, two kids and four cats.
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Table of Contents
Taken by the Pack
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Series List
Join the Newsletter!
About the Author
Table of Contents
Title Page
Series List
Join the Newsletter!
Taken by the Pack
ANNE MARSH
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Series List
Want Free Books?
About the Author