The little hussy slid her hand up my thigh and tickled her fingers across my growing erection. “Oh, Deputy Thomas, you may have to make time for all the activities you have in mind. Play your cards right and you could be a very lucky man tonight.” She gave a gentle squeeze through my jeans.
I swallowed hard and began to think of anything except what she was suggesting. Baseball statistics, the Miranda rights, Rock McIntyre, anything to deter my erection from bursting the seams of my jeans.
She laughed as she pulled my arm around her. “You’re blushing, Adam.”
I smiled, “Well, if you could see what I’m thinking right now, you’d be blushing, too.”
Pulling into the Golden’s drive, I noticed the entire crew was present. Brady’s truck sat next to the garage. Colin’s car was parked in front of the house next to Callum’s truck. Ana and Bowie were in the garage monkeying with Bowie’s prized Camaro.
Ana came out of the garage to greet us. “Hey, Adam,” she said as she hugged Luna. “Going for a run?”
Luna smiled, “I had a pretty rough week.”
Ana laughed, “I heard something about that. Knocked the Alphas down a few pegs from what I understand.”
Luna shrugged, “I like to think I took my life back.”
The two women walked arm in arm to the edge of the woods.
Bowie was wiping the grease off his hands with an old rag. “Luna is looking a little wild around the edges,” he said to me.
“Yeah, I thought so, too. I wanted her to come out running with me Tuesday night, but she insisted on waiting until tonight. Of course, I also promised her a picnic of pasties and brown gravy. I called your mom and asked her to make me a picnic. Mama G. convinced me to spend some time with the family. Luna doesn’t know we are having dinner with the family. I don’t think it will matter though. She loves your mom’s pasties.”
Bowie chuckled. “The little wolf has always liked to eat.”
I took one look at her ample backside in her snug jeans and smiled, wolfishly, “Yes, she has.”
Bowie smacked me on the back, smiled, and called to Ana, who came running to him.
Luna was in the cover of the trees and half-naked by the time I got to her. My mouth began to water. Her body was beautiful and always had been. Her creamy skin glistened in the dying sunlight. “Are you ready to run?” she asked as I approached her.
“I’m ready. Just keep up,” I teased her as I began to strip down.
Her shift was slower than normal and looked more than a little painful. It’s what happens if a shifter waits too long between shifts. I folded my jeans and set them on the rock with Luna’s clothing.
In her wolf form, Luna is just as beautiful as when she’s in her human form. Her black fur glistened and her eyes really stood out against her fur. I shifted as quickly as I could. Luna stood and watched me. My fur rippled in the light breeze as I leapt into the air and ran. I could hear Luna behind me as I dodged the trees. She let out a couple of happy yips as she chased me. I slowed down slightly, letting her catch me. She got me by the back leg and I took a tumble through the dried pine needles. I rolled her onto her back and nipped her chin. We were simply in the moment when I felt something whiz by my head. I sprawled on top of her and nipped her again. The look in her eyes told me that she knew something was wrong. I sniffed the air and caught the scent of something which wasn’t a familiar element in this particular forest.
I stood up and nudged Luna up. I put myself between her and the danger. I waited until she had a head start and backed out of the clearing. Luna was getting dressed when I returned to the edge of the woods. Tears were streaming down her face. I shifted and pulled on my jeans. “What’s wrong, baby?”
She clung to me. “I was so afraid, Adam. I haven’t been that scared in a long time. What is going on in this town?”
I held her tight. “I don’t know, but, between the Goldens and I, we will figure it out. I can promise you.” I pulled on my shirt, and, taking her hand, carried our shoes to the porch of the big white farmhouse.
I opened the front door and walked in just as I had for years. This was my home. This was my family. The place where I was able to be myself, share my day, my fears and not be ashamed of anything. “Ah, the prodigal son has returned,” Bernie called from the living room.
I laughed, “Hey, Pops. Who’s winning?” I knew there was some sporting event on the television. Tonight was hockey. How Lorelai ever survived in the house with all those men, I never could figure out. I guess Ana really was the daughter she’d always needed.
“Detroit, of course,” Bernie said. “Hey, Luna! How are you today?”
“Good, Mr. G,” she replied attempting to hide the shaking in her voice.
The Golden’s twin sons, Colin and Callum, came thundering down the stairs. “Adam, I thought I smelled a little pus-,” Callum said, stopping short when he saw Luna standing beside me. “Luna, nice to see you,” he smoothly corrected.
“I’m going to see if Mrs. G needs some help with dinner,” Luna said, a mischievous glint in her eye.
I watched her walk away before grabbing Callum in a headlock. “I’ll show you who’s a pussy, firebreather.”
Colin came to aid his twin, which led to Brady jumping into help me. The commotion got Lorelai’s attention. “What in hell is going on in here?” she said. “Oh, Adam, it’s just you.”
I held one of her younger sons in a full Nelson hold as I kissed her cheek. “Run away with me, Mama G.,” I asked her.
“If the day comes when I leave Bernard, Adam, you’ll be the first to know,” she said. Looking at Callum, she said, “Are you bothering Adam?”
“No, ma’am,” Callum answered, grinning.
With a wink, she walked back into the kitchen.
“Let’s go watch the game,” Brady said as he dropped his younger brother to the floor.
“Alright,” I said as I let Callum go, “I want to talk to you anyway. There is someone in your woods.”
Brady looked concerned. “Let me call Bowie in and we’ll take this into Dad’s office.” He opened the front door and called out for Bowie, “Family meeting, Bo!”
Bowie came running with Ana tossed over his shoulder, giggling with delight. “What’s up, Brady?”
“Adam says there is someone in the woods.”
“Whoever it was had a gun and took a shot at me,” I said.
Bowie flipped Ana over to her feet. “You smelled anything out there lately?” he asked his wife.
“I haven’t seen anything out of the ordinary. It’s too early in the season to have some gun-happy tourist up here.”
With a smack on her backside, Bowie shooed Ana into the kitchen with the other women. I followed the Goldens into the living room and through to Bernard’s office. Maps of the area covered the wall. Bernard brought up the rear of the group and closed the door behind him.
“What’s up, son?” he asked.
“Someone took a shot at Adam and Luna,” Brady answered.
Bernard looked to me, “Tonight?”
“Yes, sir, we were taking a run and hit the clearing. While we were there, I felt something fly by my head. There was no sound whatsoever. Whoever took the shot meant business. They were out to kill.”
Bernard put his arm around me. “I’m sorry, son. Bowie, what are your thoughts?”
Bowie shrugged, “I really don’t know, Dad. I can’t imagine Rock trespassing in our woods. I mean he hates Adam, but I wouldn’t think he’d want him dead.”
Brady was studying the map of the woods surrounding the Goldens’ land. He was tracing his fingers over the various lines. “When you and Luna came in, did you notice a vehicle of any sort sitting alongside the road?”
“I didn’t see anything, Brady.” I turned to Bowie, “Are we heading for another massacre attempt?”
“I fuckin’ hope not,” Bowie replied. “We can’t handle this again.”
The twins stood against the wall with looks of silent terror on
their faces. They jumped when Lorelai knocked on the office door.
“Come and eat, boys. You can strategize after dinner,” she said.
We each stopped to kiss her soft cheek as we passed by. Bernard put his arm around her and followed us to the kitchen.
In this place where I felt the most comfortable, I took Luna in my arms and kissed her soundly. She melted against me. “Are you okay?” I asked.
“Hmmmm, I’m better than okay now,” she replied.
We pulled up chairs to the huge oak kitchen table and felt the arms of acceptance wrap around us. This would always be a place where the love we shared wouldn’t be judged.
Chapter Eleven- Luna
An evening with the Goldens is one you will never forget. There is such love within this family and it just sucks you right in. I have never felt that accepted, even in my own pack. Adam became the man I remembered him to be. He was relaxed and laughing with the Goldens. The food was amazing. Mrs. G’s pasties are flaky and melt-in-your-mouth delicious. I actually moaned in ecstasy when the first bite hit my tongue. Adam’s eyes grew wide with each moan, but lit up with humor as he watched me eat.
After dinner, the men went out to search the clearing where someone had shot at Adam and me. Tire tracks showed whoever it was had come in on an ATV. Bowie was going to run the tracks to see if he could come up with a brand of either tire or ATV. If he could narrow down the make and model, he was hoping to have a suspect. They couldn’t find the bullet, but they did spot the mark on a birch tree where it hit. Mr. G was not happy at all about the fact that his family couldn’t feel safe in his woods.
On the way back to my apartment, Adam told me his suspicions. “I think it’s either Roman or your father. Probably not them personally, but I figure it has to be someone acting on their behalf. I want you to be extra careful, babe. We don’t know which one of us they’re after and until we figure it out, we are both targets.”
I snuggled in under his arm and drew comfort from him. This was the one place I felt safest…near Adam.
When we arrived at my apartment, I knew how I wanted this night to end, but I was afraid Adam had too much on his mind. He walked me to my door and unlocked it for me. “Do you want to come in? I could put on a pot of coffee,” I asked. For some reason, the dragonflies were dancing in my tummy. This was Adam. One of my dearest friends and the only lover I had ever had. He knew me better than I knew myself.
Adam leaned against the doorframe with his hands in his pockets. “Luna, if I come inside, I want you to understand I have no intention of leaving tonight.” His eyes grew dark and his eyelids heavy.
I could feel the blush creep into my cheeks. “Coffee or not, I have no intention of allowing you to leave tonight.”
His eyes darkened as I took his hand and drew him inside. His hand tightened on mine and I felt his pulse quicken. “Luna,” he whispered huskily.
I smiled at him and said, “It’s alright, Adam. We’re going to take it slow. How about a cup of coffee?”
Adam swallowed hard, “How about something stronger?”
I led him into the kitchen. “What exactly would you like? I have beer in the fridge. There’s vodka in the freezer. In the cupboard, I have Scotch, rum and tequila.”
Adam raised his eyebrows and smiled slowly.
“What?” I demanded, teasingly. “I make candy. Most of the alcohol in here is something I use for making new recipes. If you think this is bad, you should see the cabinet downstairs. It’s got even more in it.”
“Because I want to remember tonight, I’ll just take a beer.”
I opened the beer and handed it to him. He took a long draw on the bottle, all the while watching me with an intense look. I felt a little self-conscious as I went into the living room.
Adam followed me. We didn’t even make it to the sofa when he laid his hand on my shoulder. I turned to face him and he backed me up to the wall. His hand fisted in my hair and his lips began to devour mine. It was all I could do to not slide down the wall as I melted with desire. The only thing keeping me from sliding to the floor was Adam’s thigh between my legs. His mouth left mine and journeyed along my jawline down to my neck. I dropped my bottle of water to the floor and allowed my hands to roam over his back, pulling his shirt free as I went. I dug my nails in slightly as he sucked lightly on the sensitive spot below my ear. I could only sigh as I pulled his mouth back to mine.
Adam pulled back and looked at me. “My gods, Luna. I’ve missed you.”
Tears threatened to overflow my eyes. I had begun to think this day would never come. Adam had been home so long and had avoided me for that entire time. In a very short space of time, I had him back in my arms where he belonged.
“What’s wrong, babe?” he asked, noticing the tears beginning to roll down my cheeks.
I shook my head. “Nothing is wrong, babe. These are tears of joy because I’ve missed you as well.”
Adam set his beer on the bookshelf beside where we were standing and drew me close. “I’m sorry I’ve hurt you. By staying away, I thought maybe you would move on. You don’t want a wounded soldier with no visible wounds, darlin’. I’m a mess.”
I snorted. “You think you’re a mess? Look at me Adam! I lost you to a war and within a month of you leaving, I lost our baby, Adam. I figured if our baby was born, it would give you a reason to return to me.”
Adam laid his cheek against the top of my head. I realized he was hurting. I tried to move to look at him, but he just held me tighter.
“I’m so sorry, Luna. I can’t say anything other than I’m sorry. I should have fought for you. I should have stayed behind and fought. I took the coward’s way out and ran off to war. I didn’t even try to write to you to see how you were.”
I was shocked. “Adam! You didn’t run away. Dad and Roman didn’t really give you a choice. It was either that or a battle to the death. To be honest, I think they were both hoping you would die over there. Then, there would be no blood on their hands.”
It was Adam’s turn to snort. “Yeah, I know. Roman fears me because he thinks I want to become Alpha. As if I need any more bullshit. Rock is pissed off because I spoiled his precious pup. Maybe it would have been easier to die in the Middle East, but it would have made them two of the happiest men ever. I’m just not in that particular business.”
I smiled against Adam’s firm chest and he took my hand in his.
“I also would have missed the chance at this if I hadn’t come home.” He took my face in his hand and tilted it so I was looking into his teary eyes. “I came home for you, Luna. I don’t want you to ever forget that. I may not have realized it when I stepped off the plane, but you’re the reason I fought to live. You’re the reason I came back to Cedar River. Luna, you are my home.”
My heart caught in my throat with that final proclamation. I was his home? Gods, this man had a way with words. I took his hand, picked up my bottle of water, and led him to the sofa. He sat down against the arm and pulled me into his lap.
“Do you know you’ve always smelled like chocolate to me?”
I smiled broadly. “You’ve always smelled like moonlight through the red cedars. It’s the smell of darkness and light combined with the smell of the cedar trees.”
Adam stroked his hands through my hair. “You still smell like chocolate, but there is something more there now.”
“It’s called Bitten By Chocolate. It’s the perfume I wear.”
“That’s not it. You haven’t always worn the perfume. You have always smelled like the most decadent chocolate in the world.”
I smiled as he nibbled on my neck. “In order to keep your smell with me, I used to walk into the deepest heart of the forest and close my eyes. In that place and in that moment, I felt closer to you.”
Adam sighed deeply as he pulled my lips to his. “Kiss me, Luna. Welcome home a soldier.”
I took his face in my hands and looked deep into his passion-darkened eyes. “Welcome home, Adam,” I whispered a
s I brushed my lips across his.
Chapter Twelve-Adam
Holding Luna in my arms was something I’d only dreamed of since I’d left. Her mouth on mine was exactly as I remembered, yet it had changed in a way. My Luna had changed while I had been away and her ruby red lips were attempting to prove just how much she’d changed. The bite to my shoulder drew me back to the present and her warm body began to slide down mine. She straddled my lap and settled her luscious backside against my growing erection. I leaned my head back and let her do whatever damage she could do to me. She unbuttoned my shirt and laid my chest bare. She growled in a way I’d never heard before. Then, I felt something warm and wet hit my chest. I looked into her eyes and saw the tears falling down her cheeks.
“Adam, who did this to you?” she said as she stroked her fingers over the scars on my chest.
“It’s nothing, baby. Stop crying, please,” I begged.
“This is something. These wounds were deep,” she said.
I couldn’t tell her that I’d been beaten by my pride before I left for the military. I didn’t want her to know that I’d been jumped by the pack, too. I had joined the military, almost hoping I would die over there. I took the suicide missions, but, for some reason, I lived through them. As far as I could tell, the reason was called Luna.
Her fingers softly touched each of the wounds. “These are claw marks, aren’t they?”
I took her hands and kissed her fingers, nipping lightly at her thumb. She growled softly.
“Forget the scars, babe,” I said as I buried my hands in her hair and drew her head to mine. I kissed the tear tracks, then each of her eyes.
She pulled her shirt over her head and I could see she bore a few of the same marks I carried. Her scars were lighter than mine, but on her creamy skin, they showed. Tears fell from my eyes with no shame.
“Show me where your bedroom is, Luna,” I said before claiming her mouth.
She climbed off my lap and took my hand to lead me to her sanctuary.
Natural Born Enemies (Cedar River Series) Page 5