Tall, Dark and Furry (The Elementals Book 1)

by Meredith Allen Conner

  “MIBs?”

  “Men in Black. You remember the crazy ones with the large guns who shot at you? And yet somehow missed completely even at point blank range?”

  Mac grunted. He cocked his head, twisting her slightly in his arms at the same time. He looked her in the eyes, “You want to know exactly what happened to those guys?”

  His tone more than implied otherwise. Sela thought it over for a second. Did she truly care about the bad guys who had chased her, caged her and kept her separated from her family? She’d lived her entire life on the run due to those whack jobs. Call her heartless, but she couldn’t find a tiny speck of concern anywhere.

  “They won’t be able to find me?” She needed to be certain.

  “Those guys won’t ever bother you again.” She probably should be bothered by the utter finality in his voice, but instead she felt . . . safe.

  What a concept.

  Her throat tightened. An odd warmth pushed into her chest. She squirmed slightly. What the heck is that?

  “Now it’s my turn to ask a question.”

  Sela scowled at him. She hadn’t felt safe in what seemed like forever. She wanted to enjoy this moment. She did not want to discuss the bad guys. She . . .

  “What’s your name?”

  Ah.

  She cleared her throat. “Sela.” She knew the feel of his hands on her ass. She’d writhed against his impressive erection. He was the one to make her mark finally glow, and now they were getting around to introductions.

  What the hell is the matter with me?

  She’d gone into the bar, hoping to find a guy she could use, someone who could provide her with food and shelter for one night.

  Almost from the minute she’d stepped foot inside, her entire plan had gone to shit.

  She pushed against his shoulders. What she needed right now was a little bit of space. The bad guys had been eliminated for the moment. She had time to try and figure out what just happened, why she responded the way she did and what to do next.

  Mac set her down next to one of the motorcycles in the parking lot. Her body immediately trembled from head to toe. She wanted to jump back in his arms. Cold and wet again. Just great. She grabbed the bottom of her shirt, twisting the material together. Water poured out.

  Ugh. Water. Of all the Elements, I get to control water.

  Fate sucked.

  Mac uttered a low curse. Sela dropped her shirt and turned, palms outward. She braced herself for another attack. She could soak the bad guys again.

  They were alone in the parking lot. She twisted back to Mac, brows knitted.

  Mac ran his hand over several long scratches on the seat of a motorcycle. Sela winced.

  “Damn it. How’d this happen? I just had this seat recovered.”

  She could use a few minute alone with Fate. Two would even work. Of course it would be his motorcycle.

  Sela peered down at the scratches. “Wow. That sucks. Looks like it was a beautiful seat. Expensive too.”

  Mac growled. He rubbed the scratches once more. His fingers left a wet trail. Large drops of water fell from his shirt, further marring the surface of the gorgeous leather.

  Sela had a sudden hunch that he only took his bike out in nice weather to prevent just this sort of damage.

  Sela tried to stomp down the flare of guilt flickering to life. This really wasn’t her fault. A few more driblets of water fell onto the seat. Actually, it was completely her fault.

  Fine time to run into her conscience. Blast it all, she was going to confess. Sela opened her mouth.

  “I could kill whoever did this. I love this bike.”

  Sela snapped her mouth closed. Confession wasn’t always that great for the soul. Or the body.

  Muttering under his breath, Mac reached into a sleek, dark, chrome studded pouch attached to the side of his bike. He pulled out a very large, black leather jacket. He shook it open and held it out for Sela.

  She eyed the proffered offering. If she took the jacket, she was accepting more than just a chance to get warm. Confident and very much in control, Mac obviously expected something more here. She’d planned to take advantage of someone, but Mac was more than she’d expected. More than she might be able to handle.

  “Take it.” He jostled the material in front of her. “You’re frozen. I’m not going to hurt you.”

  That was debatable. Still, having a jacket would keep her from hypothermia if she had to take off. Sela reached for the jacket. Mac jerked it back out of her reach.

  “What?” She glared at him. She wanted that covering.

  Mac nodded at her chest. “Shirt off first,” he grinned, slightly wolfish and all male anticipation.

  Sela stared at him. She could see his point. She didn’t want to, but she could all the same. Her shirt was completely drenched. If she put the leather jacket on over her top she risked ruining it, plus she’d never be able to warm up completely. She’d already destroyed the seat of his bike. He didn’t know that, but her new and irritating conscience did.

  Squash the guilt, squash the guilt.

  Damn it. The guilt wouldn’t go away. Neither would the knowledge that she couldn’t warm up wearing a wet shirt. The shirt was coming off.

  “Fine. Turn around.”

  “Not. A. Chance. In. Hell.”

  A fire started in the pit of her stomach at the low, slowly uttered words. What was it about this man? Granted his body was amazing – totally built. She could lick chocolate off that body for hours. But there was something else . . . something much deeper and slightly scary, something she could not put her finger on.

  Mac waved the dark leather slowly, like a matador. “Don’t you want it?”

  She did, but it was the taunt that pushed her over. Sela did not back away from a challenge.

  Holding his gaze, she reached down and grasped the bottom of her wet top. Sela inched the damp material up. Desire flared in his eyes. Sela raised the shirt higher, exposing more skin to the chilly air and his hot gaze.

  She paused with the fabric just below her breasts. She savored the moment. She might be totally confused by her response to this man, but Sela understood power. She’d been born with it, hated for it and hunted for it. She knew how to use it.

  The night air washed over her exposed body. Her nipples tightened. Is that the cold or the desire in his eyes?

  She tingled all over. She felt like a cat, anticipating a day’s play with catnip. She’d used her Element for the first time tonight and now she was filled with a different but equally intoxicating power. Female power. She loved it. Suddenly the warmth his jacket offered wasn’t quite as enticing as the rush of control over this dark stranger.

  He wants me.

  Mac’s knuckles whitened where he clenched the leather. He really, really wants me.

  What the heck, they might be outside in a public parking lot, but it was also deserted. Besides it wasn’t as if they were really going to do anything. Mac would just get a good look.

  Play him right into my hands.

  Mac jerked his head impatiently. “Off. Take it all the way off.”

  Sela ran the tip of her finger along the edge of her shirt. She shivered. He shuddered.

  She wanted to laugh. She licked her lips and smiled.

  Mac growled. He dropped the jacket and stalked forward. Whoops, a little too much provocation.

  Sela released the wet material. She held her hands up in front of her.

  “Okay, I’ll take it . . . oh.” She ended on a gasp as he grabbed her wrists and yanked her hard against him.

  I may have gone just a little too far.

  The hard heat of his body could be her undoing. The fires of hell couldn’t be this hot. He grasped her waist. Electric tingles pulsed from his hands into her skin. She stifled a moan.

  He slowly pushed upwards, following the curve of her body. Her shirt rose higher and higher. Warmth trailed along in the wake of his grip. She gasped and arched into him, aware that she was over-reactin
g to a simple touch, but unable to stop.

  He rested his hands along the outside of her breasts. She waited, breathless. Touch me. He eased inward. His thumbs traced the bottom of her plain bra.

  Sela looked down, wanting to see his hands on her. In between their bodies, her bra appeared stark white and oddly delicate, framed by his large dark hands. Water pooled below the crumpled weight of her shirt and ran down the cups of her bra. The damp material turned totally transparent, her nipples peeked proudly through.

  Mac groaned, the sound rumbled its way through his chest. He cupped her with one hand between her legs and lifted her to his mouth. Sela screamed the moment his tongue touched her.

  He pulled her nipple encased in the soaked cotton deep into his mouth, sucking hard. Her stomach clenched in response. She arched her hips, completely ignoring her precarious perch. Mac simply tightened his grip between her legs slightly. Sela thrust harder into his hand.

  He pressed firmly against her back, pushing her breast deeper into his mouth. Sela grasped his damp hair, moaning and writhing against him.

  Holy Hannah.

  He pulled his head back. “No! Don’t stop,” she shrieked. He gripped the bottom of her bra in strong white teeth and pulled it up and over her breasts.

  He sucked in a breath. “You’re beautiful.” He nuzzled her with his cheek. “Mine.”

  Sela jerked on his hair. Very sweet, but she wanted, no, she needed his mouth on her again. Like immediately.

  Mac resisted her pull. White teeth and dark eyes flashed wickedly in the moonlight. “Impatient for me, are you?” He nipped the upper slope of her left breast. “I like that.”

  “Stop talking,” she panted and tugged hard on his hair. “Kiss me. Lick me. Just do something.” She didn’t know how she lost control of the power and frankly she didn’t care. She’d never felt anything like the need coursing through her. Not even the pull of her Elemental power.

  Mac shifted his hand between her legs. Long fingers cupped and rubbed. His thumb found the exact spot and pressed. Her wet jeans dragged over her tender skin. The added friction almost sent her over right then.

  “Mac.” She moaned, voice catching.

  He licked her nipple, swirling his tongue around the peak. Once. Twice. Three times. “Say my name again,” he rasped. “Want to hear my name on your tongue.”

  “Mac. Mac. Mac.” Each whisper of his name, its own moan. Pleasure spiraled and built. Electricity pulsed and ebbed.

  He sucked her nipple in, pressing it to the roof of his mouth. He tugged. She cupped his jaw in one hand, loving the feel of his strong muscles working her flesh. Pleasuring her.

  She wanted to touch him too, to feel his body arching and shuddering under her touch.

  Sela wiggled in his hold. The pleasure, the insane pleasure. She froze. She tried to catch her breath. If this kept up she was really going to . . .

  Mac pulled harder on her, he used the edge of his teeth to scrape her sensitive skin. He tightened his hand between her legs.

  Warning ripples tickled her toes. “Mac, I’m going to . . .” She shuddered, desperate to both escape and to find relief. She didn’t know him. They were in a parking lot. The pleasure, ahh, the incredible pleasure.

  Mac pulled back, flicking her nipple with his tongue. “Almost there, Lupa, almost there.”

  “Damn, man. You need to get a room. I’m not kidding. Find a room.”

  Just a few more seconds and she would not care about anything. She . . . wait, he’d removed his hand from between her legs and set her down. He was hugging her? Sela punched his shoulder. He tugged her shirt down, reached under and smoothed her bra over her breasts.

  Did he honestly think that he could get her so riled up? Right on the freaking verge and then . . . Was he talking to someone?

  Sela lifted her head. Mac threaded his fingers through her hair. He rubbed and massaged, soothing her.

  “Just keep your damned back turned,” he growled over her head.

  Someone had seen them? Of course they had. They were in the middle of a parking lot. Sela shifted restlessly in his hold. Mac tightened his arms.

  A motorcycle started, rumbled in the night air then slowly faded as the person drove away.

  “It’s all right. He didn’t see a thing,” Mac uttered in her ear. “Roc has the worst timing of anyone I know, but he’s a good friend.”

  Should that reassure her? Roc might be his friend, but she didn’t know him at all. Sheesh, she didn’t even know Mac that well and she’d almost . . . Deep red speared her cheeks. The thing about living a life on the run, she didn’t really get to know a lot of people. And yet, just minutes after meeting Mac she’d . . .

  Great, she couldn’t even finish her own thoughts. Her response to this man was out of control. She’d somehow given up control, something she valued, considered essential, to a stranger. And now her entire thought process was complete mush.

  She wouldn’t survive for long if she kept this up.

  As crazy and exhilarating as this night was turning out, she needed to stick to her plan. Warmth, food and some rest. She could manage to get that with Mac and not risk anything else. She’d been doing this long enough to have some security in that at least.

  Her instincts were good. She’d go home with him, plead exhaustion and then sneak out after a meal and a few hours sleep. Mac wouldn’t take advantage. And then she could put this crazy night and her weird feelings behind her.

  Sela leaned back in Mac’s embrace. He allowed her a few inches of space. His broad frame shielded her completely, if anyone else walked out of the bar they wouldn’t even know she stood in front of Mac.

  “Uh . . .” nothing came to mind. She couldn’t form a single coherent thought. Her mind swirled with a thousand different things to say, but she couldn’t separate one thought from another. Wow, drawing a complete blank.

  Mac did not seem to be suffering from the same inability to function. He tugged gently on her shirt. “Let’s get this off.”

  Sela blinked. He couldn’t possibly want to continue what they’d been doing. She was positive she’d read him correctly.

  “You need to get warm. My jacket will keep you comfortable enough until we get home.” He kissed the top of her head and pulled her top off.

  Why would he do that? He didn’t expect a response to that kiss so why bother?

  He wrapped his jacket around her, threading her arms through the sleeves like a child. Sela stared at him in pause mode.

  Mac picked her up and set her on the bike. He plunked a helmet on her head. Bending down to adjust the strap, he grinned, “Wolf’s got your tongue, huh?”

  Wolf? Didn’t the saying go “Cat’s got your tongue”?

  His teeth gleamed brightly in the moonlight.

  No, wolf definitely fit.

  Chapter Five

  Mac watched Sela wander his living room. She held the top of his jacket closed with one hand. Even fully zippered she obviously felt the need to enforce her modesty. She practically screamed, do not touch. A complete one eighty from the parking lot. He didn’t blame her, although he wished otherwise. She might be his mate, but he was still a stranger to her.

  From the way she’d responded to his touch he didn’t think she was very experienced. Exquisitely sensitive, but not experienced. He repressed a shudder at the thought of teaching her to respond to him. His cock twitched. He took a deep breath. Plenty of time to explore that thought. Right now he needed to see to her comfort.

  She’d had a rough night all around. He could give her a little bit of time to get used to him and his touch. Now that he finally had his mate here in his home, he could afford to be generous. He had a few questions that needed answering. He’d give her an hour or so before he took her to bed.

  She trailed her hand over a brown suede pillow on the couch. She stopped next to a table with a rough earthenware bowl. She picked the bowl up, bringing it to eye level to study it.

  “You want to tell me about those men c
hasing you?”

  Sela dropped the bowl. It shattered on the wood floor. Mac kept his gaze steady on her, ignoring the ancient bowl in tiny pieces on the floor.

  Her cheeks flushed red again. His cock immediately responded. His beast loved that hint of vulnerability. He’d been born to protect his mate and to fight for his clan. Any sign of weakness or softness and he went on full alert, ready to defend, protect or take advantage.

  She stepped back from the broken bowl, her fingers tightened on the collar of his jacket.

  “Sorry, I uh . . .” she stuttered.

  Mac shook his head. “Ignore it. Tell me about the men.”

  She thrust her shoulders back. “No.”

  His cock swelled further. Shit, he responded to her every mood. Vulnerable, defiant – it didn’t matter. Everything about her appealed to him. Every part of him. Mine. His beast rumbled.

  He had to take her to bed soon. Once he mated with her, these feelings should ease a bit - at least he sincerely hoped so. He wasn’t going to be worth a damn to anyone if he continued to walk around with an erection that wouldn’t quit.

  He stalked slowly toward her. “Yes.”

  She immediately countered his steps, taking one step back for his every step forward. She shook her head, her damp hair catching briefly on her cheeks before sliding to her shoulders.

  Mac kept his pace slow. He didn’t want to spook her. His beast purred in delight. Very much the predator, he thoroughly enjoyed stalking his mate. Soon he would have his paws . . . his hands on her again.

  He eyed the distance between her and the wall behind her. He subtly lengthened his stride. Just a few more steps.

  She hit the wall mid-stride. In the span of time it took her to assimilate what happened, he was on her. He placed both hands on either side of her head and pinned her lower body with his. He knew by the widening of her eyes she could feel his erection. He wanted her to feel it, to know what she did to him. His mate. He wanted to howl at the moon.

  He leaned down until he looked her in the eyes. “Tell me.” Mac deliberately let his beast into his voice.

  To his shock, she remained adamant. “I said no and I mean no.”