by Julia Talbot
Jenny grinned, nodding, finally feeling a little better. Maybe it was the smoothie. Myra swore by them. “No privates, right.”
All she said back was, “You got a deal.”
* * *
Her hair was up in a pretty bun. She had a dress on. A shawl. Heels, for fuck’s sake. Where Sasha brought out the tomboy in her, Liam brought out the lady a little. Just a little, because she couldn’t help snorting into her wine and calling him on his latest bullshit.
“No,” she said, waving one hand, almost burning the shit out of it when she hit the candle on the table. “I will not go to Vegas and marry you tonight.”
“Why not?”
Liam’s voice always fascinated her, with its hint of an accent. He’d been born in Ireland, had come to the States as a teenager or something, joining the Colorado Springs packs as a young man. It always showed in his speech. The man could sing too. It had to be like genetic. Irish people sang. Liam didn’t seem terribly worried about her refusal, cutting into his lamb chop and chewing almost meditatively.
“Because I have other stuff. The clinic -- a life -- a roommate.”
“Yeah, but you and Myra aren’t sleeping together, darlin’.” His green eyes twinkled at her, his smile wide and easy.
Her mouth opened and closed for a moment before she laughed out loud, toasting him with her drink. “It would serve you right if we were, you arrogant prick.”
His expression went completely innocent. She didn’t believe it for a second. Her disbelief proved well founded when he asked, “Are you sleeping with someone else?”
So much for thinking he had no clue. He’d never sniffed at her like Sasha did, but hell, maybe tonight he didn’t have to after the way Sasha had turned her every which way but loose. She sipped her wine again and took a few bites of crispy chicken before answering.
“What makes you think that?” she asked.
“Oh, just the fact that you only give me a few nights a week. You’re secretive. You occasionally smell like another man.”
Gaping, her fork suspended halfway to her mouth, Jenny stared, stunned at his calm acceptance of it all. “If you think I am,” she said, watching her asparagus spear drop back to her plate. “Why are you still dating me?”
“Because I love you, of course.” So matter of fact. So completely honest. That much she could see in his eyes.
It made her feel guilty as hell.
“And you know I adore you. It’s just… I… Well…” She stuttered to a stop, giving him an apologetic shrug. “I’m just not sure.”
“I can wait.” He grinned, only the tiniest hint of sadness in his eyes. “What do you want for dessert?”
Her stomach was kinda churning, but Jenny looked at the dessert menu. The fancy hotel they were eating at had a ton to choose from. He liked cheesecake, so did she. “How about the turtle cheesecake?”
“Oh, that sounds good.” He gave her a shrewd look. “How about we get it to go?”
“No!” Jenny stopped and breathed. She and Sasha had gotten dessert to go, and she didn’t want to think of Sasha now. “I mean, you never have coffee that’s worth a damn and I can get an espresso here. Imagine that. Sugar… caffeine.”
His eyes went dark for her, his smile going predatory. “That sounds good. Cheesecake then, and some coffee.”
There, that was better, she thought. That was the expression Liam should always wear. Jenny let out asigh of relief, and they maneuvered through coffee and dessert without any further mishap. As long as he stayed off the subject of what might be happening when they weren’t together, she’d be cool. She even licked her fork at the end, teasing him a little. Maybe a lot, from the way he growled.
“You ready to go?” he asked, his chair rocking as he stood up. His whole body vibrated like a wolf about to pounce on a rabbit.
“I am.” Leaving a little extra something for the waitress, Jenny joined him. Liam wasn’t cheap or anything, but Jenny knew their waitress, Carla Montoya. She knew Carla’s son and his best friend had just been in a bad car accident. Carla would need the money.
His big hand all but swallowed hers as he tugged her out to his truck. God, he was built like a brick shit house. She could admire those long legs and that high, tight ass for a good long while. She really could. Heck, if she went home with him she could see them naked. That was a damned good thing. Jenny trailed along behind, her arm pulled all the way out as she chuckled at his eagerness.
“You’re in a hurry,” she said, letting her free hand get a nice feel of his butt when he stopped to unlock the door.
He jumped, another one of those happy, low growls sounding as he turned and twirled her as neatly as if they were dancing, pulling her in for a kiss. Oh, that warmed her right up. So much that she didn’t even notice the cold night air anymore.
Fighting to free her hand, she put her arms up around Liam’s neck and kissed right back, her mouth opening to let him in, let him taste her. Caramel and coffee and just a hint of Irish whiskey. That was Liam to the ground.
They broke apart when a car door slammed, a couple laughing and hurrying into the hotel, their winter coats flaring behind them. Liam panted, his chest heaving, his cheeks fiery red. God, that look was fucking hot.
“My place?” he asked, stroking her lips with one finger.
“Yeah. Myra is doing some kind of circle.”
He laughed. “Lord, then we sure don’t want to go there. Come on.”
They headed back to Liam’s place which was out of town a bit, kind of like her clinic. Not at all like Sasha’s citified apartment. She liked them both, enjoyed the class of Sasha’s leather furniture and chrome, but she also liked the rough charm of Liam’s willow branch chairs and knotty pine bed.
She landed on that bed and bounced as Liam picked her up and tossed her, laughing at him, watching him strip with definite interest.
He was a glorious male animal, he really was. Pale, freckled skin covered heavy muscles, and small patches of red hair trailed down his chest to bloom into a thick pelt around the base of his cock. His prick stood straight out for her, heavy, wet at the tip. Jenny licked her lips as she stared at it, tearing at her own clothes, her fancy dress ripping at the shoulder. Damn. But she needed… Yeah.
He crawled up on the big bed with her, the mattress dipping under his weight. Jenny reached for him but he pushed her back, his thighs sliding up her legs to spread them so far that the muscles sang. Delicious. Then he bent and nuzzled her belly, sliding his cheek along the tender skin just below her navel, scenting her. She could smell him too, his heat and musk. It made her mouth water as she reached down to stroke his hair, the rough curls twining around her fingers.
He touched her curls too, one finger sliding down between the lips of her cunt, spreading her there. His thumb came up to rub at her, and her clit throbbed as she arched up, her heels digging into the heavy down comforter. When Liam bent and put his tongue to her, circling where his thumb had just been, she shuddered, crying out.
Fuck. Sasha never did that for her.
And Myra wondered why she wanted to keep Liam too.
His mouth worked her over, his tongue pushing inside her again and again, catching her juices and pulling them out, his lips clamped down on her. Jenny wiggled and moaned, tried to pet him, and threatened him with death if he stopped.
He didn’t stop.
Liam just kept on going, his hands clutching her thighs, his own noises matching hers as he feasted on her, his tongue driving her higher and higher. She clutched at him with one hand, her other coming up so she could pinch her own nipples. The tiny bright flare of added sensation was all it took to send her over the edge, screaming out as she came.
Liam stayed with her all the way, his mouth hot on the tingling skin of her inner thigh. When the last shiver faded, he rose up over her and pressed the head of his cock against her pussy. It felt blunt and heavy. God, it was good as he pushed inside, seating himself inside her wet cunt with a single, hard thrust.
> “Oh! Liam…” Jenny wrapped around him, her heels digging into the backs of his thighs, her hands sliding up his back to curl against his shoulders. “More.”
“Demanding woman,” Liam said, those green eyes laughing down at her as he moved in and out, his hips rolling against hers. Sweat ran along his skin and his scent went all musky, all pure, male sex.
God, she loved that smell.
Liam pushed harder, his skin slapping against hers while his eyes rolled back. His head went back, his throat becoming a long, tense line of muscle and tendon. Jenny leaned up and bit him, tasting salt and heat and Liam. Her tongue flicked out to ease the bite before her teeth sank in again, harder this time.
Shouting, Liam filled her deep, his come wet and good inside her. Jenny shivered, echoes of her earlier pleasure coming back to her, running through her like an electric current. She stroked his hair as he flopped down on top of her, his chest heaving.
“I do love you, honey,” Jenny said. “You know that.”
Liam only nodded, not raising his head. He sighed. “I know, darlin’. I know. Just not enough.”
Chapter 3
Liam was, well, horny. The next full moon was on its way, but still far enough off that he didn’t need to worry about changing. He was just edgy. Itchy. Needing.
So he got in his truck and headed out to see Jenny. He’d called her and she’d turned him down flat, but Liam figured if he showed up he might change her mind. Working late at the clinic or not, she had to be as restless as he was. Maybe he could convince her to take a break. A wee one.
The long curve out of town and down through the flats toward Jenny’s clinic flashed by as he pushed the truck to the limit, feeling the same sense of exhilaration he did when he ran under the moon. He didn’t like to think of himself as reckless, just a man who enjoyed the wilder side of life.
The clinic looked pretty quiet. Only one car sat out front beside Jenny’s truck, a vintage Mustang that he didn’t recognize. Of course, she had a lot of clients and Liam hardly knew them all. He didn’t even think about it while he locked up and headed in the front door. The animals started to make a ruckus when they either sensed him or heard the door. The receptionist was gone, only a little bell on the counter showing that the door was indeed supposed to be unlocked. Liam ignored it, hopping the counter and letting himself into the clinic area without a qualm.
Until he saw Jenny and some guy in a clinch up against the counter, her legs around the guy’s waist as they kissed like crazy.
Liam growled, the sound bursting out of him as his hands clenched into fists, and he bared his teeth. No. Jenny was his. Knowing she was two-timing him and seeing it in person were two very different things. This, he couldn’t be reasonable about. He fucking loved her, goddamn it.
His hackles rose and Liam lunged, intending to rip the guy to shreds. An alpha defended what was his. Time to prove he had the right stuff.
Somehow he missed, ending up on the other side of the room. When he looked back, Jenny stood with her arms crossed over her chest. The other guy, who was bigger than any man had a right to be and full of muscles besides, stood maybe three feet away from Jenny. His own snarl was just as impressive as Liam’s.
Liam’s mouth fell open. “Sasha?”
“Oh, great. You two know each other?” Jenny asked, her nose wrinkling up.
Sasha Leonovid raised an eyebrow, half smiling at him in the most annoying fucking way. “It’s hard not to when you’re part of a pack in a town this size, love.”
“But I didn’t know either of you…” Jenny trailed off, looking from one of them to another.
“You’re not a bachelor male,” Sasha said, baring his teeth again.
That was true enough, and Liam could see it dawn on Jenny what that meant. “Oh. Right. You all run together until…”
“Until we find a mate. Not that Sasha and I are friends.” Liam couldn’t help it. The last part came out as a deep growl. They had been friends once, before they both got too high up in the pack. Now they were rivals.
Sasha growled back, bristling visibly. “Don’t fuck with me, Irish. I’m bigger than you.”
That was it. Liam snapped, lunging again, and this time he connected, hitting Sasha hard and taking him down. They rolled, teeth and nails slashing, until something cold and foamy hit them, stinging against every cut, getting in Liam’s mouth and eyes. He and Sasha separated, both of them blinking up at Jenny. She stood there in front of them holding a fire extinguisher.
“Take it outside,” Jenny snapped, bright color flying high in her cheeks. “You’re scaring the animals.”
“But, Jenny,” Liam said, holding out a hand.
“No.” Growling, she turned to Sasha who was trying to scramble up and make a grab for her. The extinguisher hit his shins with a dull clang, making Sasha yelp. “Both of you. Out. Out! Get the fuck out.”
A man couldn’t reason with anyone who had that expression on their face, let alone a woman. Liam took the coward’s way out and slunk away. If he’d had his tail, it would be firmly tucked between his legs. He’d come back when Sasha had gone and try to make it up to Jenny. Liam figured they should have known better; Jenny didn’t hold with anything that upset her precious babies.
He heard a few more snaps and growls behind him, and before he knew it, Sasha came staggering out of the clinic behind him, a set of bright scratches on his face Liam knew he hadn’t inflicted.
“Looks like she told you, then,” Liam crowed. Go Jenny.
“Oh, fuck off, O’Meara,” Sasha rumbled. “You ruined my night.”
“Well, that just means there’s some justice in the world. As you’re fucking my girlfriend and all.” There, let the man suck on that one. Asshole.
“I am not. You’re fucking mine.” The challenge rang loud and clear, Sasha taunting him with his voice and body language, posturing so bloody confidently that it was all Liam could do not to take a swing at the man.
“Watch it, Liam. I’m not in a good mood,” Sasha said, hands clenching into fists.
“And I am? I was looking forward to blowing off some steam,” he said. Then he thought about that and found a smile he couldn’t hold back crossing his face. “Or having Jenny blow it off.”
That did it. Sasha lunged at him this time and Liam laughed, taking off running, doing a little taunting himself now. Fucker. How dare he act like he had Jenny bagged and tagged. If he did, she wouldn’t be sleeping around, would she?
He looked back over his shoulder to see where Sasha was and saw nothing but the clinic a surprising distance away and a light dusting of snow on the ground, the sinking sun turning it pink.
Where the hell was Sasha?
The flying tackle caught Liam completely off guard, coming from the side like it did. Fucking bastard was fast. They went down hard, Sasha’s heavy body pinning him to the ground.
Liam knew he was the bigger of the two, but Sasha had always been so strong. He struggled, but made no headway, managing instead to get himself pinned harder under Sasha, every inch of his body rubbing against Sasha’s as he heaved and bucked, trying to get away.
It wasn’t until he felt Sasha’s hard-on against his hip that he went completely still. “Get off me,” Liam snarled, holding himself motionless.
“No. You ruined my chances with Jenny for the night. The least you can do is let me have a little fun,” Sasha said, sounding breathless and amused.
Damn his eyes.
“I don’t do that anymore, Sasha. I’m not a pup.” It was one thing to find release with another male when you were all together, playing rough and tumble. It was another entirely when you were a full grown male pack member who was ready to get hitched.
“Bullshit. You just don’t want to do it with me since that time I beat you in the spring games and made you show me your throat and belly. I want you, Liam.” As if to prove the point, Sasha rubbed against him again, the graphic evidence right there, digging into Liam’s ass through their clothes.
“Do you really think,” Sasha whispered against Liam’s ear when Liam quieted again. “That I would let you have her if I didn’t want you too? I could smell you on her, Liam. Could scent you every damned time I was with her. Made me crazy in the best way.”
“You’re crazy, all right.” Once upon a time it had been fun, but he and Sasha, they’d fallen out. And, yeah, it had been Liam’s doing… Oh, man. “You’re serious.”
Nuzzling the back of his neck, Sasha hummed an affirmative, hips starting to roll against Liam’s ass. “I am. You think you met her by accident?”
“You -- I… Jesus Christ, Sasha.” He couldn’t even think that maybe Jenny was in on this. “You two enjoy planning this?”
“She doesn’t know. She really can’t choose between us, Liam.”
The way Sasha said it, so smugly satisfied, had him grinding his teeth. “Well, yay for her.”
His body had started to respond to the stimulus, and Liam growled, trying once more to unseat Sasha from his perch, putting all of his effort into one last struggle. And failing.
“Stop fighting me,” Sasha said, nibbling Liam’s ear. “Come on, man. Let me.”
“I…” He wavered, his cock starting to throb in his jeans as Sasha pushed him down just the right way, giving him some amazing damned friction. Liam moved back and forth experimentally.
“Yeah. Just like that.” Moving harder against him, Sasha gave him more sensation, the fly of his jeans digging into his cock to make him gasp and wiggle.
“I don’t want you,” he said. It sounded weak, even to his own ears.
“Yes, you do. At least right here and right now.” Sasha lifted up, pulling Liam to his hands and knees so he could reach beneath him and cup him through his jeans. “You’re hard for me. Come on, Liam. Come home with me.”
“No. Here.” God, what was he agreeing to? Still, that hand on him had him humping, panting, feeling something he hadn’t in a long time, and if they left, if he had time to calm down, it would be over. He’d never get what he’d been needing since before he got in his truck to come see Jenny.