by Tasha Black
Jana opened the door and once again, Fletcher was transported by the good smells and interesting possessions.
“What’s the surprise?” Jana asked, sitting on the sofa. “I need some cheering up. I can’t believe that whole thing was a bust.”
He sat down beside her. “You know how I can place an item in another dimension?” he asked.
“Yes, your inter-dimensional pocket,” Jana said.
He reached inside and grabbed hold of the item he had hidden earlier.
Jana’s eyes sparkled as she watched, so he pulled it out with a little flourish.
“The schedule book,” Jana breathed, accepting it from him and gazing down at it as if she couldn’t’ believe it was real. “How did you do it?”
“I was behind you when Officer West opened the door,” he said. “I put it in my… pocket as I moved to protect you.”
“I noticed that you moved in front of me,” Jana said. “You risked your life to do that. Is that part of the whole mate thing?”
She sounded almost hopeful, but that didn’t make sense.
“It is,” he explained. “But I would have done it anyway. I care about you, Jana, beyond the mating bond. You are my friend.”
Jana put the book on the coffee table and leaned forward.
Then everything seemed to move in slow motion.
He noticed the way her hair skimmed her shoulder as she moved, the slow close of her eyes, lashes kissing her cheeks just before she pressed her mouth to his.
Sensations of pain and ecstasy threatened to split him in half.
She wanted him, but she didn’t want him. Her touch awoke emotions in him that he hadn’t known existed.
He kissed her back, loving the taste of her lips, the scent of her hair. He cupped her cheek in his hand and deepened the kiss instinctively.
Jana pulled back, panting slightly.
“I am sorry,” he said, not remembering why he should be sorry, but knowing that something was amiss.
“Don’t be,” she said and kissed him again.
This time he knew what was coming and braced himself against the onslaught of sensation.
He was able to notice the sweet taste of her tongue, the tickle of her hair against his cheek, the warmth of her arms encircling his neck.
She seemed to melt into him, the softness of her small body becoming one with his larger one.
Desire licked at him like flames.
He knew he should pull back, slow down.
But the way she moved against him told him what she needed.
She was his mate, even if he could not claim her, he would not leave her wanting.
He wrapped his arms around her and carried her through the dining room and kitchen, back to the bedroom above his own.
Jana clung to him, pressing her lips to the place where his neck met his shoulder, sending shivers of need through him.
At last he reached her bed and placed her down gently and crawled in beside her.
“Fletcher,” she murmured, reaching for him.
“Jana Watson, I adore you,” he told her. “But I will not claim you if you do not crave our bond.”
“I-I don’t know what I want,” she murmured, unable to meet his eyes for a moment.
It nearly broke him to see his mate, usually so definite and impassioned, looking so confused.
“The strength of the bond makes it too difficult to resist our attraction,” he told her tenderly. “I will satisfy your need, but I will not claim you.”
He bent to press his lips to hers and all her uncertainty melted into passion.
She kissed him back like her life depended on it.
Waves of lust shook him to his core and he clung to her, begging a higher power for the strength to give her what she craved without breaking his resolve.
He fed on her lips for a long time, stroking her hair, her arm, her belly.
When she moaned and wiggled under his hand, he kissed his way down her throat and nuzzled her collarbone as he fought with the buttons on her shirt.
She slid her hands between them, unbuttoning her shirt easily, then unclasping her undergarment and exposing her breasts for him.
He pulled back slightly to take in the sight of her.
Jana gazed up at him, her eyes hazy with lust. Her breasts were exquisite, brown-tipped nipples pebbled as if pleading for his kisses.
He lowered his face and flicked one with his tongue.
Jana whimpered and arched her back slightly.
Fletcher felt his own body respond, a demand so fierce it nearly overwhelmed him.
He clasped one of her breasts gently in his hand as he lapped and suckled at the other, drowning out the scream of his own need by stoking hers.
10
Jana
Jana let her head fall back against the pillow.
Fletcher was setting her on fire with need.
The past and the future were gone, and she couldn’t remember a moment when her whole body wasn’t pulled toward him like a magnet, pulsing with need.
He ravished her breasts with abandon, seeming to understand instinctively the perfect pressure and suction that made her wild.
At last, he nuzzled her belly and unclasped her jeans.
She lifted her hips, helping him ease her jeans and panties down and off.
Jana was not a small woman, allowing someone to see her naked wasn’t always easy.
But Fletcher’s hungry gaze told her all she needed to know about how she looked to him. It was almost like she could feel his admiration and desire through the bond he had described.
My mate…
But he crawled lower, nudging her thighs apart before she could finish the thought. And then his mouth was on her, teasing and lavishing her, sending her halfway into madness.
“Please,” she whimpered, clutching the sheets.
He responded with a storm of feverish flicks and strokes of his tongue.
Suddenly she was flying, up, up out of her body and then crashing down in endless waves of ecstasy.
When at last it was over, he crawled up beside her and pulled her into his strong arms.
She stroked his chest, and felt him respond with a restrained shudder.
He took her hand and kissed the palm. “Go to sleep, my love,” he whispered.
“But…”
“I will not claim you until it is what you choose,” he told her. “But I will hold and protect you.”
She wanted to protest, to insist on giving him some taste of the pleasure he had sated her with.
But he held her close and stroked her back so gently that she felt sleep stealing her away in spite of herself.
11
Fletcher
Fletcher awoke to the sound of Jana singing in the shower.
He closed his eyes again and summoned up a memory of last night.
It was hard to believe that he had been permitted to touch her, to give her such pleasure, to sleep with her wrapped in his arms.
Jana’s lovely voice echoed on the tiles of the bathroom. She was happy too, he could tell by the sound. Though singing in the shower was a common human occurrence, according to the movies, Jana was skilled at singing and the beauty of her voice combined with the joy of her expression brought tears to Fletcher’s eyes.
He had known of “happy crying,” but never experienced it before.
Suddenly, she was emerging from the bathroom.
He noticed sadly that she was dressed. But she was smiling at him, which was a consolation.
“Hey, I’m glad you’re up,” she said. “Vi and Hannibal are back. We’re meeting them at the diner in half an hour.”
“Breakfast sounds great,” he replied, stretching.
Her lips parted slightly, and he realized she was appreciating his muscular form.
He showboated just a little, stretching and flexing his muscles as she watched, looking hypnotized.
“I’ll go tell Spenser,” he said, getting up.
“Okay,” she replied.
There was a moment of electric anticipation as he approached.
Fletcher restrained himself from acting, forcing her to make the first move, and only if she wanted to. Maybe last night he had merely been helping her soothe a need.
She moved toward him, went up on her toes, and kissed him gently but firmly on the mouth.
He pulled her close, kissing her patiently, thoroughly.
“Mm,” he said, pulling back at last. “I’ll see you in a few minutes.”
She blinked at him and then smiled. “Yes, okay. Sure.”
He headed down to his apartment with a spring in his step.
“We’re going to the diner for breakfast with Vi and Hannibal in twenty-five minutes,” he told Spenser, who was sitting at the table, scowling at another crossword puzzle.
“Really?” Spenser said. “That’s all you want to tell me?”
Fletcher grinned.
“So, did she accept you, brother?” Spenser asked.
“No,” Fletcher shook his head. “But I did not ask her to.”
“So what were you doing all night?” Spenser asked.
“Bringing her pleasure,” Fletcher said dreamily. “But mostly just holding her.”
“Then she will accept you soon enough,” Spenser said wisely. “But you have to ask her, or nothing will happen.”
“Thank you, brother,” Fletcher said politely. “You are right, of course. I just want to give her space and time to be at peace with her decision. She had seemed so sure that she did not want the bond. I don’t want to push her now that she seems to be considering it.”
Spenser nodded and Fletcher dashed off to shower.
When he emerged a few minutes later, Spenser was already dressed and ready to go. They headed out of the apartment and met Jana in the hallway.
“Perfect timing,” she said.
They all went downstairs together and out into the bright sunshine of the morning.
Stargazer was so cheerful at this time of day. Golden sunlight dappled the sidewalks through the changing leaves of the street trees.
A neighbor waved as she walked by with her dog. Shopkeepers tended to their storefronts, and kids with brightly colored backpacks waited for their bus at the corner. At one point, a group of older kids on skateboards nearly knocked them over, but they were all in good spirits, so no one seemed to mind.
When they arrived at the diner, Vi and Hannibal were already there and waved to them through the window.
“How did it go?” Jana asked Vi as they all sat down.
“It was a wild goose chase,” Vi said, shaking her head.
“It was a what?” Spenser asked worriedly. He and his brothers had learned the hard way that the geese that visited the lake near the lab were not to be trifled with.
“That’s an expression,” Vi explained. “It means we didn’t learn anything new. It was all for nothing.”
“What are the chances of another antique purple Corvette Stingray popping up for sale at exactly the same time?” Jana wondered.
“Well, this wasn’t exactly the same car,” Vi said.
Jana looked at her quizzically.
“It was a toy,” Hannibal explained.
“Yeah, he kept saying it was a miniature,” Vi said. “Which is definitely a toy, not a real car. But it’s why he posted about it in a way that made us think it was an actual car.”
“He wanted to talk about his little cars a lot,” Hannibal said.
“Yeah, we had to hear about them for hours,” Vi said.
“We bought only one,” Hannibal told them.
“You bought one?” Jana asked.
“Yes,” Hannibal said, pulling something out of his coat pocket.
It was a very small and detailed purple car in a plastic display box.
“Amazing,” Fletcher said, taking it and studying the little vehicle.
“Hang onto it for me?” Hannibal asked him.
“Sure,” Fletcher said, tucking it away.
“Did you guys find anything?” Vi asked.
“The recon mission was a bust, too,” Jana admitted.
“That’s too bad,” Vi said.
“You probably could have found the evidence you needed from a safe distance with a pair of binoculars,” Jana said.
“Maybe not,” Vi told her modestly.
“Anyway, Fletcher and I thought of another way to look for clues,” Jana said. “And Spenser helped.”
Spenser smiled and looked down at his hands.
Jana explained their plan to hide in the ice cream truck and get it towed to the shop while they were inside.
“A Trojan horse scheme,” Vi said, nodding. “Nice. I don’t think I’ve ever actually seen that done in real life.”
Then Jana explained what happened next.
Fletcher noticed that she refrained from telling Vi about his special gift.
Though he would not have minded his brother’s mate knowing his secret, he felt a warm gratitude that Jana was ready to protect it.
“Holy cow,” Vi said when the story was finished. “Guys, what an amazing mission. Do you have the schedule with you?”
“I thought I’d better leave it home since it’s important,” Jana said. “We can look at it after breakfast - see if you can make anything of it. We certainly couldn’t.”
“Great job,” Vi said, clapping her hands together delightedly.
“Well, we may be in even more hot water with Officer West than we were before,” Jana said.
“Worth it,” Vi declared.
Three waitresses appeared, carrying trays practically groaning with waffles, eggs, fruit, and toast.
“Thank you,” Spenser said politely to each of them.
The table ate in friendly silence for a while.
Then Spenser looked up suddenly.
Fletcher followed his eyes.
At the register, Officer West waited for a table.
“Oh,” Fletcher said.
“Holy crap,” Jana said. “It’s like we summoned her by talking about her.”
Officer West looked over at just that moment. She almost did a double take.
“I guess we should go anyway,” Vi said. “I’d like to get a look at that schedule.”
“I’m just going to say hello to her,” Spenser said, getting up from the table. “To be polite.”
Vi and Jana exchanged a look.
Jana shrugged.
Fletcher laughed and Hannibal winked at him.
“No way,” Jana whispered in awe.
“Wow,” Vi said.
“Are you guys sure?” Jana asked.
“Well, no,” Fletcher said. “But…”
They all looked at Spenser, who was leaning on the counter in a debonair manner, smiling at Officer West, who gazed up at him, looking both embarrassed and intrigued.
A waitress came and signaled for Officer West to follow.
As she walked away, Spenser got a sad look on his face.
“I guess we’d better put him out of his misery,” Vi said drily. “Let’s go.”
12
Jana
Jana took a deep breath of the crisp fall air as they all stepped outside of the diner.
“Do you want to run a quick errand with me before we look at that ledger?” Vi asked.
“Sure,” Jana said. “Where are we headed?”
“Town hall,” Vi told her. “I have to submit my business name application for the next meeting.”
“Great,” Jana said.
“We’re running an errand,” Vi yelled back to the men. “We’ll see you guys later.”
They had all grouped around Spenser.
Hannibal gave them a little wave and Fletcher looked up at Jana as if he were a little disappointed to see her go. She gave him a little wave, and he grinned at her and waved back.
“Geez, get a room,” Vi teased.
Jana laughed and wondered if Vi was going to ask her about Fletcher.
Vi was usually pretty busi
nesslike. She was a great friend, but she was always way more interested in asking Jana about her auditions than her dates.
“Have you heard from your agent yet?” Vi asked, as if she had heard Jana’s thoughts.
“Not yet,” Jana said.
“Is it driving you crazy?” Vi asked sympathetically.
“Not as much as I would have thought,” Jana admitted.
“Well, you’ve got a fun distraction,” Vi noted.
Jana glanced over at her.
“I mean our case, of course,” Vi said.
“Your case,” Jana corrected.
“You’re the one who camped out in enemy territory trying to get evidence,” Vi said. “It’s not just my case.”
“Do you have any guesses yet about who’s behind it all?” Jana asked.
Vi shook her head. “This is a weird one. Hopefully, the ledger will give us some idea.”
They reached Stargazer’s town hall and Vi headed up the steps with Jana at her heels.
“How may I help you?” a receptionist asked them as they stepped inside.
Vi explained what she needed, and the woman pointed them down the hallway. They entered a small room with a counter and a few seats. The woman behind the counter smiled and asked them how she could help.
“I need to file my fictitious name petition,” Vi said. “It’s for my new business. I’m going to pay the ten dollars to expedite.”
“I’m so sorry,” the lady said. “But you should hold onto your ten dollars for a bit. The council isn’t meeting this Tuesday.”
“Why not?” Vi asked. “It’s not a holiday.”
“The Macro Foods people are here that day,” the woman explained. “Town council wants to accompany them on their site tour.”
“That tracks,” Vi said. “I guess I can wait an extra week.”
Jana waited while Vi wrote a new check and turned in her form.
They were just walking out when a woman in a green suit saw them and smiled ear to ear.
“Oh my goodness, Violet Locke and Jana Watson,” she exclaimed. “You found my little Fluffernutter. How can I ever repay you?”
Jana smiled back, realizing this must be one of the people whose dog they had found.