Fleeting Passions: Forbidden Passions, Book 3

by Crystal Jordan

  Still holding her hand in his, he sucked in a deep breath and caught Cleo’s sweet smell. Some small pressure let loose in his chest. More than the blind rage he’d felt when he found out she ran was the terror he couldn’t stop. Zander was the one who’d told him, and he’d seen her trashed bungalow. A cold chill ran over his skin at the memory. Trevor could have killed her, kidnapped her, and Adrian couldn’t have stopped it. He would never allow that to happen again. Never.

  Whether he liked it or not, wanted it or not, she was vital to him. And he’d damn sure keep her safe. No more running. He pulled in another breath, waiting for the reality of her safety to sink in. Nico had tracked down the cab company she’d used, and they’d been following her ever since. And following Trevor while he tracked her.

  He turned the car down the long gravel drive that led to the lake house, the bumpy ride waking Cleo up. She jolted up right, startled to wake in an unfamiliar place. Panic flashed over her face. He squeezed her hand tight. “We’re almost there, angel. Everything is fine.”

  She pushed the soft fall of her hair out of her eyes and glanced around just as they broke into the clearing in front of the lake. “It’s beautiful.”

  “It is at that.” He peered up at the house through the windshield and pulled the car up to the front to park. The big place had been built just before he was born and looked like a classic hacienda surrounded by palm trees.

  He’d had the house stocked with enough dry goods that they’d be comfortable, but not so much that it was obvious to Cleo that he’d planned this. He was positive she would never agree to him using them as bait or waiting for Trevor to come to them. She’d gone to a lot of trouble to get away from the werebear and, if Adrian had his way, she’d never have to see the man again. If Nico and Zander’s plan worked out, Cleo might not ever know that they were bait. And that would be just fine for Adrian.

  “Stay here and let me check things out.”

  “You don’t think—”

  “No. But I won’t take a risk with you.” He took her chin in his hand and pressed a fast, hard kiss to her lips. Damn, but he wanted more. That little taste wasn’t nearly enough. Later, he promised himself. Later he would have her. Over and over until he burned off the fear that had sat like an anvil on his chest for the past two weeks.

  Grabbing an umbrella from the backseat, he handed it to Cleo. Flipping his collar up, he tugged his own overnight bag from behind the passenger seat, popped open the door, and jogged to the house. His key slid into the lock, and the knob turned in his hand. He took a breath and found only the musty scent of age, and the newer smell of himself. He hoped Cleo couldn’t tell the difference between the scent of him here yesterday to drop off supplies and the scent of him here now. He made a quick tour of the house to spread his smell everywhere.

  Then he stepped out onto the porch and waved her in. She hopped out of the car, opened the umbrella, and hurried up the steps. He wrapped her in his arms, wanting the feel of her soft curves against him. She laid her cheek on his chest. “How far are we from other people? I smell others.”

  “Not too far. There are cabins nearby, people who live here year round.” And a team of security experts who were patrolling behind the scrub brush and rocky hills to try and catch Trevor, but he kept that information to himself.

  He pushed her into the house and shut the door firmly behind him. She dropped her bag beside the door and went exploring. He watched the slow sway of her hips as he followed her into his old bedroom. His cock hardened, straining the fly of his jeans. That bed needed to be put to good use. He’d have to check in with their security detail after nightfall, which was soon, thank God. And then she was his. All night.

  Anticipation clenched his gut. He’d missed her so much. It was insane, and he didn’t give a good damn at this point. He’d had two weeks of hell to know that he wouldn’t let her leave his side for the rest of her life. And he intended to see that it was a long, long life.

  She looked back over her shoulder at him, the heat building in his body reflecting in her eyes. That was all it took. He reached for her. To hell with it, he wasn’t willing to wait. He had to have her now. She made a small noise and spun into his arms. Then her tongue was in his mouth and his hands were buried in her soft, soft hair. He backed her up against the nearest wall, and they both groaned when their bodies made full contact, her sweet curves fitting to his harder angles. Need made his dick ache. It had been so long since he’d fucked her. Weeks.

  Shoving his leg between hers, his forced her to spread for him. Her hips rocked, grinding herself against his thigh. He flexed the muscles, and she whimpered into his mouth. He thrust his tongue between her lips to a rhythm that matched the movements of their bodies. She twisted to get closer. Her fingers balled in his shirt as she worked her pelvis faster and faster.

  She broke her lips from his and her head fell back against the wall. “Hurry. I want you inside me, Adrian.”

  The words made every coherent thought slip from his mind. “Yes. Right now. Yes.”

  Fire licked over his skin as he wrestled with her zipper. He popped the button and jerked her pants open, shoving them to the floor so she could step out of them and her shoes. He laid his palm against her belly, sliding his fingers down into the soaking curls between her legs, stroking over her hard little clit. He dipped into her heated pussy, filling her with one, two, three digits.

  She cried out, her movements becoming frantic as she reached for his belt. In moments his throbbing cock was in her stroking fingers. He hissed. That felt too good. If she didn’t stop he was going to come before he ever got inside her. Damn, he needed to regain control of this situation. He pulled her hand away, freeing himself from her grip.

  “Adrian, please.” She panted for breath, her pupils dilating with desire. The musky scent of her need was heady.

  He bracketed her waist with his hands, lifting her against the smooth wall. Cupping his palms under her thighs, he held her in place. She snapped her legs around his waist and arched her body in offering. The head of his cock rubbed against her hot, damp lips. Sinking into her until he could go no further, he had to clench his jaw to keep from groaning at the exquisite agony of finally joining with her again. Her wet channel gripped him in little spasms.

  He heard a sob catch in her chest, and a single tear slid down her cheek. “So long. It’s been so long.”

  “My mate.” He kissed the tear away, but he couldn’t find it in him to be gentle. Not this time. Later…much later, he could savor her slowly. Later he would make her swear never to be parted from him again. Now, he needed this carnal connection with her. He jerked her thighs wide so he could thrust deeper and began a hard, punishing rhythm that drove them both to the edge in moments. God, it was so good with her.

  Whimpering little cries poured from her mouth each time he filled her. He pushed himself to go harder, faster. More…he always craved more with her. Sweat formed on his forehead and back, sealing his shirt to his body. His muscles tightened as he hammered his cock into her slick pussy. The fire inside him reached a flashpoint, and he held on to his control by a thread. He buried his face in her neck and bit deep into the soft flesh there.

  “Adrian.” She screamed, convulsing in his arms. Her pussy fisted tight around his cock, and it was more than enough to send orgasm running through him. He closed his eyes tight and jetted into her damp sex, emptying all the fear and pain of the last few weeks into her.

  “Cleo,” he breathed her name. Everything else he thought or felt or needed to say tangled inside him. “Cleo.”

  They stayed where they were for a long time, his cock filling her, his mouth sucking lightly at the bite he’d left on her neck. She shivered and pushed at his shoulders until he released her. He watched her gather up her jeans and slide them back on. It was a damn shame to watch her cover all that pretty skin, but it just meant he could strip her again later. The thought almost made him purr.

  She finished fastening her jeans, and her sto
mach gurgled loud enough for him to hear it. He chuckled.

  “Built up an appetite, huh?” A satiated smile tugged at his lips.

  She blushed and slapped a hand over her flat belly. She’d lost weight in the last two weeks, he noted. Just like that, the sweet afterglow of orgasm vanished. It made him angry all over again, knowing that she’d suffered even that small amount. He bit back a snarl as harsh reality returned with a sharp snap.

  “Follow me.” He spun on a heel and led the way into the kitchen. He pulled soup out of the pantry, opened the cans, and dumped it into a pot on the stove. “Should be done in a few minutes.”

  She sat on one of the stools at the kitchen island and eyed him warily. “So…are we going to talk about it?”

  Neither of them needed to specify which it she was talking about. Her leaving him. The rage lingering like a bitter taste on his tongue. He clenched his fists tight. He opened his mouth and then snapped it closed. “No. No, we’re not. I’m pissed as hell at you, and anything I say will only make it worse. So let’s get you fed and then go twelve rounds about how stupid it was for you to run.”

  “You don’t understand what he’s like.”

  He arched an eyebrow. “You think that makes this all right?”

  “No.”

  “Good.” He turned and grabbed some bowls from a cupboard, rinsing them out in the sink before dishing them up a generous helping of soup. They ate in silence, and she constantly glanced up at him.

  He swung wildly between wanting to shake her for running and wanting to bend her over the island and claim her until she knew she was his and could never leave him again. He was already uncomfortably hard…taking her once hadn’t been enough, would never be enough.

  She pushed back her empty bowl and met his gaze. “Okay, I’m fed. Let me have it.”

  He chuckled. She was the perfect woman for him. He was never letting her go. Ever.

  “I know about Trevor. I know he used to beat you. I’m guessing he had something to do with the baby you lost, and I cannot believe that you’d be foolish enough to throw yourself in his path alone by running. You should have come to me, damn it. I would have taken care of you.”

  “I can take care of myself. But, you know, it’s funny. Trevor used to say the exact same thing to me.” Her amber eyes narrowed to dangerous slits.

  A low snarl ripped from his throat, and his hand slapped down on the countertop. “Do not ever compare me to him. I would never hurt you.”

  “I know.” She didn’t flinch away from him, even though he was bigger than her, stronger than her and obviously angry.

  Good. She was learning to trust him. As she should.

  Still, he tilted his head and asked, “Do you?”

  She sucked in a breath, but never looked away from him. “Yes. I know not every man is like my ex. My father wasn’t.”

  He let the comment about her ex go for the moment and latched on to the information about her family. “Tell me about him.”

  “Who?” Confusion shone in her eyes, and she looked at him for a few moments, obviously trying to determine what his angle was.

  He smiled to throw her off even further. “Your father. Your family. Tell me about them. How the hell did they let you end up with Trevor?”

  “They didn’t.” She shrugged and looked down at her folded hands on the counter.

  “No?”

  She shook her head. “My parents were both only children, and we were never close to the rest of their families. So…it was just the three of us. They died my freshman year of college in a horrible car accident. A ten-car pile up with a semi hauling gasoline. It exploded. No one survived.”

  “And Trevor?” How had someone like her, beautiful, smart, and sweet, ended up with an asshole who abused her? His hands fisted at the thought.

  She sighed. “He was a mistake. I thought he was like my father. But Trevor was a selfish bastard. My dad was just a dominant man—he would never have done the things to my mom or me that Trevor did. That I knew he would do to my child. My dad would have died to protect his family, would have done anything to make us happy. And we knew it. We always knew he loved us.” Tears welled up in her eyes when she looked up at him, and it ripped his heart out. “It’s just…when they died I was so lost, so lonely. I would have sold my soul to have someone care.” She choked on a sob. “Isn’t that pathetic?”

  “Not pathetic.” His voice came out as a gritty rasp. His hand actually shook when he reached to push her hair back from her face. “I’m sorry, my mate. Sorry for what you went through. Sorry I didn’t know you then, and sorry I couldn’t save you. But I can promise you this—I am nothing like Trevor, and you’ll never be alone again.”

  He opened his arms, and she dove for him, wrapping her arms tight around his waist. He breathed in her scent, savored the softness of her hair under his chin. He closed his eyes and just held her.

  She snuffled against his T-shirt. “Don’t let go. Just—just for a little while.”

  “For as long as you need.” For the rest of her life.

  His. All his.

  He sat back on his stool and pulled her into his lap. She curled against him and cried. It killed him a little, every one of her sobs stabbing into his chest. He hugged her tighter, helpless to do anything to erase the horror she had known.

  Her sobs quieted to low hiccups. He stroked her hair, ran his fingers through the silken locks, and massaged the back of her neck.

  She sighed and purred softly in pleasure. “Thank you.”

  “Any time.” But night had fallen while they sat in the kitchen.

  Damn it. He hated to leave her alone even for a few minutes, but he needed to check in with Nico, make sure everything was going smoothly, and that Trevor hadn’t shown yet. It should be at least another day before he did, but Adrian wasn’t willing to take that chance. Not that Cleo would really be alone. There was a security team surrounding the house, camping out in the brush.

  “I need to make a run around the property. Just to make sure everything is safe for the night. Will you be all right by yourself?”

  She tensed, and the fear came back into her face. He cursed himself for putting it there, but he didn’t have a choice. Nico and Zander wouldn’t hesitate to come in, guns blazing, if he didn’t keep to their schedule. They’d assume something was wrong. She gave a tight nod.

  “Hurry. The storm is getting worse.”

  He stroked his thumb over her cheekbone. “A little rain never hurt anybody, angel. I’m locking the door behind me. Do not open it for any reason. I’ll be back in a few minutes. Don’t worry.”

  Chapter Five

  Lightning streaked across the night sky and rain poured down in pounding torrents. This was freakish weather for Nevada. Cleo paced in front of the window. Where was he? Adrian had been gone for fifteen minutes already. Anxiety knotted her belly. Where was he?

  Fifteen minutes wasn’t that long, was it? Her hands trembled as she shoved them through her hair and gripped the long strands. Another jolt of terror shot through her. God, he mattered too much to her. Already. She wanted to blame it on the automatic connection of mating, but she couldn’t. It was everything. The sex, the way he came after her and refused to let her disappear into oblivion, the way he protected her, the gruff way he cared. She was brutally honest with herself, didn’t allow her to cop out of what her heart knew.

  She was in love with him. Her chest tightened, and tears pricked at her eyes. It was the worst possible timing, but she couldn’t deny it. Not what he meant to her and not her own feelings. The wonder of it wrapped her in sweet warmth.

  What she wouldn’t give to survive this and have fifty years with him—her mate. Her body had known him the moment they’d met in the bar. He was meant to be hers, and she was his.

  Yes.

  But being with her was going to get him killed. Her stomach turned, and a tear slid down her cheek.

  Hopeless. It was all so hopeless.

  She wanted to stay wit
h him forever, but it could be a death sentence for him. And she didn’t think she could survive losing him that way. But what could she do? He’d already found her once. And the hours since had only drawn them closer, made the connection deeper. He’d find her, no matter where she ran. And Trevor would be right on his heels. She pressed shaking fingers to her eyes.

  She loved Adrian so much. The sweet pain of it flooded her. Sucking in a deep breath, his scent filled her nose. Adrian. She ran the few steps to the door and threw it open.

  The tawny and black spotted leopard materialized from the dark. He shook his coat off on the porch and walked in. Predatory grace reflected in his every movement, and his eyes tracked her like succulent prey. His body stretched and flowed as he shifted back into his human form. His naked human form. His cock curved up in a long, thick erection.

  “I told you not to open the door.”

  Eyes locked on his cock, she shut the door and felt coherent thought spinning out of her grasp. “I knew it was you. I could smell you.”

  “Look at me.” Her gaze snapped up to his face, and a flush heated her cheeks. A slow, hot smile curved his lips and lit his pale green eyes as he leaned back on the dining room table. His arms folded across his wide, muscular chest. “I told you not to open the door.”

  She swallowed, excitement exploding in her veins. Her body ached with a need so deep it made her shake. Fucking him earlier hadn’t even begun to take the edge off of the weeks without him. “I—”

  “Come here.” His voice purred in a guttural order.

  Her heart hammered so loud she could hear it. Wetness slicked the lips of her pussy, and she squeezed her thighs together to ease the burn between them. “I don’t—”

  “Now, Cleo. Come here.”

  Her legs shook as she stepped toward him.

  He didn’t move from his relaxed stance against the table. “Strip.”

  What would he do to her? She wasn’t afraid of him. She knew deep in her bones that he would never harm her. Anticipation of whatever he had planned to pleasure her with hummed through her. She shimmied out of her jeans. Her fingers shook as she slipped the buttons from her shirt. Shrugging, she let it drop to the floor. She wasn’t wearing a bra, and Adrian’s eyes flared at the sight of her naked breasts. Her nipples hardened almost painfully.