by J. H. Croix
Noah still couldn’t quite believe how stupid and greedy Callen’s plan had been. Outside of the northern portions of New England, where Catamount happened to be located, most of the Northeast was heavily populated with several large urban areas, New York City included. The plan would have brought gobs of money to Wallace and anyone involved because of the price to pay for the risk and the massive payoff of getting a direct connection to the East. Callen’s death hadn’t swayed Wallace. Theo may not have had much pull, but he’d danced along the edge of what was legal for so many years, he had connections. Without Wallace, the smuggling pipeline would shut down in Catamount. No one else in Catamount had the resources to pull it off. Noah had enough sense to know this would only be a temporary setback, but it would at least clear the air in Catamount for the time being.
With Hank’s and his police force in place for backup, Noah, Jake and Dane were out at the quarry waiting for a planned delivery. Derek had agreed to ostensibly cave in to Kirk’s demands to use the quarry, so they could hopefully catch Wallace and his crew in the act. This would be the first actual delivery from the shifters out West. Jake had hacked into Wallace’s email and phone accounts and tracked communications. Wallace had promised to be on site for this since it would be the first successful delivery if all went as planned.
Noah scented movement in the trees to the far side of the quarry. He glanced to the side and saw Jake and Dane with their eyes trained in the same direction. As they watched, a pair of mountain lions stepped out from the trees and moved quietly across the field to the edge of the quarry. What appeared to be an abandoned moving vehicle sat by one of the quarry walls. Tall cliffs surrounded the quarry, creating a natural shield. Noah, Jake and Dane had chosen this side because it was situated lower where they could see into the quarry. The lions waited in the cold. The sky was slate gray, the air damp and cold. The sound of tires on gravel broke through the quiet.
Brad’s truck appeared with Brad and Wallace inside. They parked nearby and climbed out. Conveniently, they parked in such a way that they shielded the view of the trees. After a shared glance, Noah, Jake and Dane stealthily climbed down from the trees. Once Brad and Wallace began unloading crates from the moving vehicle and examining them, they made their move. Bolting across the field, Noah exalted in the rush of power and strength. Running in lion form was an experience of pure power and exhilaration. He barreled straight forward, Jake and Dane on pace with him, until they separated when they reached the vehicles. Wallace and Brad, shockingly, hadn’t heard their approach. They were pre-occupied with prying open the crates to confirm the delivery. The two shifters who’d been waiting ahead swung in their direction.
As planned, Noah and Jake targeted Brad and Wallace while Dane distracted the other two. If they could overpower Brad and Wallace, they’d retain the advantage. If not, they were outnumbered. Noah dashed at Wallace who shifted at the last second, but not in time to stave off Noah’s attack. Noah knocked him to the ground. Wallace was swift and fought back viciously. The next few minutes were a blur of motion, snarls and growls. Brad didn’t share the fight his father had and was more easily dispatched. Jake briefly joined Noah’s battle with Wallace, but backed off when Noah managed to pin Wallace again. Dane had taken a swipe and dodge approach with the two shifters from out of town, leading them on weaving loops in and out of the trees. When he saw Jake headed his direction, he chased them back into the quarry with the help of Derek who’d been waiting at another vantage point deeper in the woods.
The plan had been for Hank and his crew to surround the quarry and prevent anyone from bolting the area, but preferably, they’d be able to stay in human form for the purposes of handling the arrests without getting caught up in lion fights. Once Derek joined them, Noah could ease his grip on Wallace’s neck. Wallace was a proud man and lion. Although he was injured, he stood before he shifted back into human form. Without a glance, he calmly gathered his torn clothing and put himself together. He moved with a pronounced limp. His eyes met Noah’s—they held anger, but a hint of respect. When Wallace glanced to Brad, his lip curled in a sneer. Brad was clearly not the son he’d expected. Brad ignored his father.
The next few hours passed rapidly. Hank led the police in to confiscate the deliveries and left with Wallace, Brad and their two accomplices in cuffs. Noah recognized one of them must be Carl Jasper because he looked so much like Theo, it was startling.
***
Late that night, Noah walked quietly into his mother’s house. Lily was waiting at her home for him to stop by. She’d called and texted every hour since he’d notified her Wallace had finally been arrested.
“Hey Mom,” he called softly as he closed the kitchen door behind him.
She sat at the kitchen table reading on the new tablet he’d gotten her. She loved to read, but often complained of the light, so he’d gotten her a tablet in the hopes she’d find it easier. After ignoring it for weeks, she finally tried it and hadn’t gone anywhere without it since. She looked up and smiled, standing when he reached her side.
She tugged him in for a hug and kissed him on the cheek, her palm stroking his face. “How come you didn’t go straight to Lily? I’ve already gotten the entire story from Roxanne. She called me once she heard the news.”
Noah chuckled. “Should’ve known. I just wanted to make sure you knew I was okay and see how you were feeling.”
Carol sat back down and grinned at him. “I’m feeling just fine. I’ve got a new book here, so there’s no need for you to worry. Get out of here and find your girl.” She waved him off and went back to reading.
A short drive later, he pulled up at Lily’s house. She met him at the door and yanked him inside. He hadn’t had time to clean up, so she immediately exclaimed over his appearance and looked him over.
She nudged the edge of his collar out of the way, her finger following a scratch down. “Am I going to find you all torn up under this shirt?”
Her blue eyes snagged his, concerned and bright with tears. He caught her hand in his. “A few scratches, but I’m fine. No need to worry.”
He dipped his head down and caught her mouth in a kiss. Her breath came out in a sigh, and he delved into the warm sweetness of her mouth. Lust jolted through him. Adrenaline was still pumping through his veins from this afternoon. He tugged her roughly against him. Suddenly, all he needed was to be inside of her now. He tore at her shirt and shoved her jeans down. She matched his intensity, yanking his clothes off. Clothing was strewn about them on the floor. He hadn’t taken more than a step away from the door. He turned and backed her against it. His cock throbbed. Her soft skin gave under his touch. She gasped at his roughness, writhing and flexing in his embrace.
He hooked a hand under her thigh, lifting it high, and delved into her drenched folds. He groaned against her mouth and tore his lips away. He needed to see her face. Her cheeks were flushed, her hair a messy tangle. Her blue eyes were dark, her lips parted. Her pulse fluttered in her neck. He stroked a finger through her wetness, and she gasped. He stroked again…and again…and again. Her hips shifted restlessly against his touch. He finally plunged his fingers inside of her. She cried out, her eyes falling closed as her head rolled against the door.
He couldn’t wait anymore and dragged his fingers out, coasting across her clit. She arched into his touch. He stepped the cradle of her hips and rocked against her. Her eyes flew wide and slammed into his.
“Now,” he whispered.
He nudged the head of his cock into her folds and held still, forcing himself to wait. Her body vibrated in his arms, straining toward him. He surged into the creamy clench of her channel. His breath broke on a groan. Her eyes held his, their faces mere inches apart. He began to stroke into and out of the warm, silken pressure of her. Her breath hummed, her body tensed quickly and she cried out abruptly, his name falling from her lips in a broken chant. As she throbbed around him, he let loose, his orgasm crashing through him, on the edge of violence. The release
was so intense, his knees buckled for a moment. When he finally came to, it was to the feel of Lily’s breasts rising and falling against his chest in rhythm with his own breath.
Epilogue
Weeks later, Noah sat beside his mother in the waiting room at the hospital. She was on her way into another round of chemo. Today, she was barely paying attention to him. Lily had asked if she could join them. At the moment, she was busy talking with his mother. He leaned his head back against the wall and sighed. He couldn’t have fathomed that the simple act of her coming to this appointment with him would break down another wall for him, but his heart clenched so tight, he was on the verge of tears.
Later that afternoon, his mother looked across the kitchen table and shook her head. “Noah, I don’t want to move in with you and Lily. I’m perfectly comfortable here, and I truly enjoy the peace and quiet. You need to start your life with her.”
“Mom, I don’t want you to be alone. What if you need something? If you really want to stay here, I’ll talk to Lily and we can just wait.”
Carol angled her head to the side. “Stop trying to make up for what your father did and stop feeling guilty for moving away until after he died.”
“Mom…”
She put a hand up. “I know you. I know it’s been weighing on you, but let it go. I was so happy when you got out from under your father’s thumb. As awful as this mess with the drug smuggling has been for Catamount, I’m glad for what it gave you. You left here and climbed right through the ranks into the Special Forces, but whenever you were in Catamount, you acted like none of that mattered. The way you helped with everything gave you a chance to see no one here held your father against you. For that, I’m glad. As for where I stay, I’m staying right here, and I will not tolerate you trying to delay your time with Lily.”
He gave his mother a long look and sighed. A tension he hadn’t known he’d been holding left his body. He couldn’t change the past, but he could change the future and remember the past was only part of his story.
Later that evening, he watched Lily chop vegetables and stir them into a pan. He’d discovered she was quite the cook though she demurred. He slipped his hand in his pocket and tugged out a tiny box. In the spirit of looking forward, he decided he wouldn’t shy away from the one thing that still gave him a jolt of fear: marriage, or even thinking about marriage. When he’d said as much to his mother, she asked him how he’d feel if there was any question about his commitment to Lily. He’d started to argue with her when he realized that was precisely her point.
“If you dance around the idea of marriage because of your father, then you’re letting him still have power over you.”
His mother’s words echoed in his mind as he turned the tiny box in his hands. He’d finagled Roxanne’s company with him to Portland to find a ring for Lily. He removed the ring from the box, sliding the box back in his pocket. The ring sat like a burning coal in his palm. Lily wasn’t much for stones, so he’d gone with a simple platinum band with Roxanne’s firm approval. His heart was pounding as he looked over at Lily. She was preoccupied with tossing the stir-fry she was making. Her hair was tied in a loose ponytail, which hung haphazardly to the side. She must have sensed him looking her way because she glanced up.
“What?” she asked.
He pushed away from the counter. Stopping in front of her, where she stood with a spatula in one hand and her blue eyes bright, he took a breath. He tried to form words, but he couldn’t. Instead, he simply held his palm out. Her eyes canted down and immediately flew up to his again. His lack of speech was mirrored by hers. A sheen of tears glimmered in her eyes.
She finally spoke. “Oh my. Does this mean…?”
The capacity for speech returned. “It means I want everything. That includes making sure you know I’m one hundred percent committed to you.”
The spatula clattered to the floor when Lily threw her arms around him. He caught her in his grip and held her close, breathing in the soft scents of her—a hint of vanilla and honey. When she pulled back, her smile trembled. She bit her lip, a tinge of shyness in her eyes. When she didn’t say anything, his heart tightened, worrying he’d moved too fast.
“It’s okay if…”
“Yes. That’s all. Yes.”
Relief followed by a hard, bright joy flashed through him.
***
Lily looked out across the room. She’d decided it was time to have a gathering for friends now that she and Noah were officially together. Noah had moved in a few weeks ago. He insisted on stopping by to check on his mother every day, one of the many reasons Lily loved him. Noah stood by the kitchen counter, his hips resting against it while he talked with Jake and Dane.
His dark curls were messy, as usual. She still couldn’t quite believe Noah Jasper was hers. Her wildest youthful fantasies couldn’t have prepared her for what the real man was like. Tall, dark, handsome, and so sexy he brought her to her knees. She started toward him when Phoebe caught her elbow. “Is Shana coming tonight?”
Lily glanced around the room. “She said she would be here.” A thread of worry formed. “Have you heard from her today?”
Phoebe shook her head. “Ever since they finally finished the investigation in Catamount, she’s been, I don’t know, off. I think she’s relieved it’s over, but now she doesn’t have anything to focus on. The way Callen died and what he left behind hasn’t been easy for her.”
Lily sighed. “I know. All we can do is be there for her.”
As she looked over the room, Noah’s eyes caught hers. A current arced to life between them. Phoebe shook her head and smiled wryly. “I’ll check on Shana later. In the meantime, you better get over there. You two are the worst.”
“The worst at what?”
“At looking like you’re about to go up in flames just by looking at each other.”
Phoebe nudged her with her shoulder, and Lily crossed the room to Noah’s side. In the weeks since Wallace was arrested, along with the rest of his local accomplices, things had started to settle in town, but the remaining concern came from Montana. According to Jake and Noah, Jake’s contact out there had confirmed the network remained strong in that area. As far as they could tell, the Catamount end had been shut down. Lily couldn’t bring herself to think past the moment, but worry lingered. Thinking of Shana brought it to the fore.
When she reached Noah’s side, he slid his arm around her waist and tugged her close. Her body tingled all over, a warm current buzzing to life inside. Her brother had the sense to gracefully depart the conversation with Dane following. She looked up at Noah, colliding with his amber gaze, which sent sparks skittering through her, igniting the embers of the fire that never died.
“So…” he said, arching a brow.
“So, what?”
“Have we been social long enough? I need you. Now. It’s not too convenient with a house full of people.”
Lily’s belly clenched and moisture pooled between her thighs. It was that bad with him. She bit her lip and nodded. He dipped his head and brushed his lips across her quickly.
“So which one of us has a headache?” he asked.
She giggled and flushed straight through.
An hour or so later, she fell against him. His skin was damp, as was hers. Their breathing echoed through the bedroom. Her body felt liquid, sated beyond pliancy. Noah’s palm stroked in circles on her back. Moonlight fell through the windows onto the bed, making the space feel magical, suspended in time. The last thing she remembered was the feel of his lips pressed against the curve of her neck before she fell asleep.
~The End~
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Please enjoy the following excerpt from Destined Mate, the next book in the Catamount Lion Shifters Series!
(Excerpt fro
m DESTINED MATE by J.H. Croix; all rights reserved)
Chapter 1
Shana Ashworth gritted her teeth as her feet slipped out from under her and she skidded onto the icy road. When her hip crashed against the pavement, she couldn’t hold back her grunt. The pain seared through her. She unceremoniously came to a stop in the bramble of a bush beside the road. A bush that just happened to be wild rose with plenty of thorns on its bare branches. The early spring morning had tempted her for a run, and now she was paying a small price.
Her breath misted in the cool air. She remained where she was for the moment. The bare ground peeked out from the lingering snow cover. She leaned back on her hands, the icy pavement cold through her gloves. With a sigh, she glanced around. She was blessedly alone at the moment, although she was almost in the center of town. She tilted her face skyward and savored the warm sun. Buds were showing on the trees and birds were chattering like mad. Spring was technically here, but it would be another few weeks before the last of the snow as gone. Winter held onto Maine usually. Once it released its grip, the transition into spring was glorious in its contrast.
She gingerly shifted her weight and straightened her legs. Thorny branches clung to the fabric of her running tights. She tore them free and gathered her energy to stand. She was within a block of Roxanne’s Country Store. Once she managed to get to her feet, she considered perhaps she should take a break at Roxanne’s before trying to run home.