by Siobhan Muir
Jeff hadn’t moved at all, but his eyes heated when he saw her, and she felt the same heat zing down her back and wet the place between her legs. Julianna damn near threw herself on top of him and began kissing him again, but she reminded herself she’d promised they wouldn’t have sex. Her hands fisted until her nails pressed into her palms, but she managed to walk slowly over to the bed, trying to ignore her screaming attraction.
“Come to bed, darlin’,” Jeff drawled with a tired, crooked smile. “Let’s tuck you in and let you get some rest.”
He held the bed sheets up, and she looked at him with raised eyebrows. The space he offered was against his body, between his legs. Granted, he still wore his clothes, but getting between his legs had been a dream of hers for so long she was momentarily confused at the opportunity to do so.
“You coming?”
“Are you sure it’s safe?”
Jeff laughed and nodded. “It is tonight. I promise.”
Rather than fight it, she slid into the bed between his muscular thighs and laid her back against his chest as he wrapped his arms loosely around her. His arousal reminded her of his very real attraction, but he made no move to force the issue.
“Thank you, Jeff,” she murmured, grateful for his warmth and scent around her. “I’ve been waiting forever to be right here.”
“Oh, my sweet, beautiful Lupine, it’s my pleasure,” he rumbled, tenderly kissing the top of her head. “Now, you get some rest, and I’ll be right here.”
“Okay.”
He reached up and turned off her beside lamp, snuggling her against him with a sigh. Julianna meant to stay awake and appreciate the comfort, the strength, and the immense contentment she felt being in his arms. But the events of the months she’d lived through caught up with her and dragged her beneath the edge of sleep within moments.
Chapter Eight:
Politics and Gossip
Jeff grimaced as he looked at his phone. Ten messages, eight texts, and two voicemails. Doesn’t anyone have anything better to do with their time?
He’d woken up to find Julianna snuggled up against him, her head on his chest, her left arm across his belly, and her left leg draped over his thighs. They still wore all their clothing, and his hands rested in PG places. Despite the discomfort of sleeping in his clothes, he rested content with his situation.
And then his phone beeped at him imperatively with a new voicemail.
Shit.
He hadn’t meant to fall asleep with Julianna, but his exhaustion– paired with her soft breathing and sweet scent–had overpowered him, sending him into dreamland. He’d intended to do as she asked— watch over her until she slept, then get up and leave her so his car wouldn’t be seen in her driveway the next morning.
That plan had been blown straight to hell.
He rose carefully out of the bed and softly kissed his Mate on the cheek, making her smile in her sleep. The smile tightened his chest, and he knew he’d lost his heart to this woman. The mating bond made him lust after her, but last night’s attack had brought home to him just how much he loved Julianna Morris. The thought of her hurt had damn near suffocated him, and he hadn’t calmed down until he saw her step out of her car. Even then he’d had to hold her.
The phone beeped again, and Jeff grunted in disgust.
“Yes, I know. I’m coming!” he whispered.
He gathered his phone and his keys and headed out the door, locking the bottom lock behind him. Once he sat in his car, he checked the voicemail and text messages before he started the engine. He drove to his father’s house like he faced the hangman, and probably to a lecture, given the messages he’d heard on the phone.
Most of the texts originated from Zach and the other bouncers who’d seen his car parked in the Morris driveway. The first voicemail came from Tawny. She’d noticed his car was missing when she got home and where the hell he was. The second voicemail was from his dad, telling him in a tight voice to get his ass home. They had to talk. Jeff suspected his father had heard about his location from someone and steeled himself. Why the hell did he feel like kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar?
Jeff parked the Camaro in its customary spot beneath the large cottonwood tree shading the driveway and got out. He took a deep breath before he walked to the kitchen door to let himself in.
He knew he was in the doghouse by the looks Felicia and Lindsey gave him. Felicia, their cook, had been mooning over his father for years since his mother died. Lindsey kept the household running like a Swiss watch, everything in its proper place and at its proper time, and he’d definitely been out of his proper place.
Jeff nodded to the two women. “Where is he?”
“The office,” Lindsey replied, subdued.
Uh oh. If Lindsey’s walking on eggshells, I’m in real trouble.
He swallowed his unease and made his way through the house to his father’s office, the place where Julianna had met the “family” the night of the party. The door stood closed, and Jeff took a moment to shake his head and straighten his shoulders. Then he opened it.
Richard Lightfoot sat behind his desk, his attention drawn to the doorway, though his hands still rested on the keyboard of his computer as if he’d been working on emails or some other form of correspondence. Jeff met his eyes and strode over to the wet bar to pour some of the coffee from the silver coffee pot left on a tray. The door clicked closed behind him.
“Thanks for coming so quickly,” Richard remarked with heavy irony.
“I came as soon as I got the message.”
Richard nodded as he leaned back in his chair. “Where were you last night?”
“Come on, Dad! Let’s not pussyfoot around. Just be honest.”
“All right,” the Alpha drawled, and Jeff felt his guts clench in dread. “Why were you at the Morris place last night?”
“Tawny called me from Leland and told me Ms. Morris had been attacked by five men in the parking lot as she left the salon. I drove to her house to make sure she was all right. She arrived just after I got there.”
“And…?” his father prompted when he didn’t go on.
“And nothing. She asked me to stay to make sure she was okay. She didn’t throw herself at me, and I didn’t take advantage of her. I tucked her into bed, and that was that.”
“But you stayed all night, Jeff.”
“Yes, I did. I didn’t intend to, but I guess I was more tired than I thought.” Jeff shrugged and drank some coffee. “I fell asleep watching over her, and nothing happened. I’m still wearing my clothes and so was she when I left this morning.”
“Dammit, Jeff!” Richard growled as he rose to his feet. “The whole damn town knows you spent the night with Ms. Morris. I’m gonna have the families of the other Luna candidates all over my ass because of it. Couldn’t you just stay away from her a little longer?”
“That’s all I’ve been doing, Dad!” Jeff carefully set the coffee cup down to keep from throwing it against the wall. “I have been staying away from her, but when Tawny called, there was no way I could just let Julianna come home alone. Nothing happened, and I accidentally fell asleep. It wasn’t my intention, but there it is. We didn’t have sex.” He stomped to the window, trying to curb his anger.
“That’s not what people around here are going to think, especially the other Luna candidates. Hell, I’ve already had calls from the Winthrops and the Cutters about your car in her driveway.”
“It doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks!” Jeff growled as he shoved away from the window. “She’s a candidate for Luna, just like the others, except she doesn’t have anyone else to comfort her except her human mother, who doesn’t know what we are. Julianna was attacked! I couldn’t just leave her there alone all night. So I stayed and held her. Nothing else happened. We didn’t overstep our bounds.”
“But that’s not what people will think. Dammit, Jeff, this is a political thing now!” his father shouted at him. “You have to pretend you’re being objective, no matter how di
fficult it is.”
“I couldn’t stay away from her even if I wanted to,” Jeff admitted tiredly, shaking his head at his father’s wary expression. “She’s my Mate, Dad, and she was in distress. I couldn’t walk away from that. She needed me, and I was there. I didn’t do anything to consummate the bond, and you can smell that for yourself. But she begged me to stay until she slept, and I couldn’t say no. I was just too tired, and I fell asleep with her. I had to stay, Dad. Don’t you see?”
Richard stared at his son for a long time, his face hard as stone, but his expression softened, and he nodded. He dropped back into his chair and rubbed his hands over his face.
“Yeah, I do, Jeff. It was the same way with your mother. I couldn’t turn her down for anything.” He paused, thinking again. “You’re sure she’s your Mate?”
“Yeah. I knew it the minute I saw her at the funeral.”
“Dammit,” his father grumbled, but there was no heat in it. “That complicates things, but I’m glad you told me. I had a feeling she was when we interviewed her before the party. That’s why I gave her your mother’s pendant. So I was right?”
“She’s my Luna, Dad.” Jeff nodded firmly. “Whether any of the others pass the tests or not. Julianna’s well on her way to passing all of them anyway, but no matter what, she’ll be my Luna. I can’t stand to touch or be around any of the others.”
“I know, son,” his father agreed solemnly.
He was silent for a while, a thoughtful expression on his face. Jeff had the feeling there was a lot going through his father’s mind, but the old man had always been good at keeping a poker face.
“Here’s the thing,” Richard said at last. “You can’t be with her unless she passes the tests. However, she is your Mate, and there’s no denying the Lady’s grace on that count. It has been long enough that you can narrow the field of candidates you’re considering.”
“Meaning?”
“Meaning, you don’t have to pay court to all of them. You can pick one or two besides Ms. Morris to offer your attention. Mistress Cutter’s behavior is just this side of immature and Mistress Wolensky doesn’t interact well with the packmembers.”
“But, Dad, even the others just—”
His father held up a hand. “I know, Jeff, but we’re still in a political game here, and you have to keep up appearances until the time’s right and Ms. Morris passes the tests.”
“Dammit!”
“I concur. Still, the reports I’ve been getting indicate Ms. Morris has passed Courage, Generosity, Strength, Calm, and Secrecy. She only has to demonstrate Tolerance, Respect/Humility, and Honor/Diplomacy.”
“She’ll do it, Dad.”
“I know she will, Jeff. Still…”
Jeff looked up at his father with a raised eyebrow.
“While you can’t influence how she reacts to things, you can always put her into situations that’ll allow her to pass the last few tests so you don’t have to struggle so much.”
“What are you saying?” Jeff asked suspiciously. “Are you saying I should set her up?”
“Not at all. I’m just saying when a situation occurs where she can demonstrate her skills, you can always encourage her to take the lead.”
“That smacks of interference, Dad.”
To Jeff’s immense surprise, his father made a noncommittal sound and tossed his head from side to side slowly.
“Holy crap! You’re serious!”
“How badly do you want her, Jeff?”
Jeff laughed in disbelief, but he felt like he’d choke.
“Bad enough to let her get this on her own,” he confessed. “If I do this for her, she’ll never know if it was her merits or my pull. She’ll pass, but I gotta let her pass without my help. She’s my Mate. I can’t take this from her.”
Richard didn’t say a word. He just looked at his son thoughtfully, and Jeff slowly realized that he, too, had just passed a test. How could his father do something so underhanded? But in a game this serious, Richard had to be certain of all parties. He had to be certain the future leaders would play by the rules and keep everything fair.
“Crap.” Jeff rubbed the back of his head. “It’s killing me not touching her, but I haven’t, and won’t, do anything to jeopardize either of our positions until she’s passed the tests. I swear I did nothing more than a friend would’ve done in my place last night.”
Richard snorted with derision. “And it was so easy to resist her.”
Jeff laughed humorlessly. “Hell no. It was excruciating and damn near impossible. But she made us honorable. She did nothing to provoke either of us to break the rules.”
Well, mostly. Dad probably wouldn’t agree about that kiss we shared.
“Not this time,” Richard admonished with a knowing look. “But it might not be the same next time, and the moon approaches full again. You’ll have to be a hundred times more careful when both of you are full to bursting with Her Song.”
“I know,” Jeff admitted glumly. “I just hope she’ll have passed the tests by then. Otherwise, I’ll have to leave town for a few days.”
“You can’t.”
“I’ll have to. My control is good, but not when my Mate is there in all her Lupine glory and baying for the Lady Moon. I won’t be able to stop myself. We’ll have the choosing ceremony that night, like it or not. I can’t be around Julianna in her Sister form and stay away from her. I just don’t have the strength.”
“She wasn’t here last month. Sebrina took her out of town.”
“Yeah, I know.” He’d missed her so much he’d had to fight the urge to search for her.
“Well, hopefully it won’t come to that.” Jeff had his doubts. “So with which of the others are you going to keep up pretences?”
Jeff wrestled his mind back to the discussion at hand.
“Ms. Winthrop and Ms. Solaris. Since they’re the only viable contenders, anyway.”
Maybe for the pack, but they make me sick to my stomach every time I’m near them. How the hell am I going to pretend I’m still interested in either of them?
“Good enough.” Richard wasn’t fooled by Jeff’s cool façade.
“Great.”
“Don’t worry, Jeff. This will all get resolved soon, and we’ll be able to make a decision.”
He wasn’t worried. He’d made his decision. The question remained whether or not the pack could accept it. Because he knew one thing for certain: his Luna would be Julianna or no one.
* * * *
Julianna slipped into the bar later that afternoon and tried to ignore the stares peeling the clothes off her back. She sighed as she stowed her purse and keys in the office.
You gotta love small towns. Everyone knows everybody’s business, and if they don’t, they’ll just make up a story to make sense of it.
She knew Jeff had spent the entire night, and elation rippled through her. He’d said he’d stay only until she fell asleep, but he’d been there in the morning to kiss her good-bye before stepping out the door.
Julianna wanted more of that, though she doubted she’d get her wish. Now tongues would wag about why he’d stayed and what they’d done together. She suspected the patrons believed they’d had sex, but neither her nor Jeff’s scents had changed at all, despite their kiss.
I guess Sebrina was wrong. His kiss didn’t start the bond.
Everyone should know they hadn’t mated, but some folks just didn’t heed the facts. Julianna tightened her lips before she screamed in irritation. It was no one’s business but her own whether or not they’d had sex.
Small town politics suck.
Squaring her shoulders, she stepped out of the office and made her way to the main room of the bar. Sink or swim, Morris. Once again, she walked amongst the wolves. Julianna hoped her calm poise would dissuade the gossips.
When she returned to the main room, she smiled and greeted Zach behind the bar. He studied her intently and scented her then frowned. She raised her eyebrows at him, waiting for
his appraisal.
“Afternoon, Zach,” she challenged when he said nothing to her. “How’s it going?”
“Good, Ms. Morris,” he replied carefully, then he lowered his voice and added, “You don’t smell like him.”
“Like who?”
“Like Jeff.”
“No, should I?”
He hesitated, and she tried to curb her disgust.
“Do you have a real question for me, Zach?”
“We know he stayed there all night, Ms. Morris,” Zach admonished her mildly.
“That wasn’t a question, but I’ll answer it anyway,” she remarked tersely “Yes, Jefferson stayed at my house all night. It’s not really anyone’s business, but he came to make sure I was okay. I guess he fell asleep when the night went too late. I do know he didn’t intend to stay.”
“That’s not what the rumors are saying.” Zach wiped down the bar, his eyes on the few patrons in the taproom. “Rumor has it he’s chosen you over the others because you’re the newest candidate in the pack, and we can smell his interest every time you’re around.”
Julianna snorted as she unloaded the dishwasher beneath the bar.
“And who’s the source of these rumors? Certainly not me or Jeff. It’s no secret we care about each other, but neither of us would jeopardize the tests before they’ve concluded. As for whom he’s chosen, you’ll have to ask him. I’m not privy to that information as of yet. But”—she leaned closer to him and gave him a conspiratorial smile—“if he does choose me, you’ll be the first to know.” Then she winked.
Zach snorted with humor, and his lips quirked into a small smile.
“You know, you should smile more often,” she mused as she kept working. “You’re pretty handsome when you smile. I know Tawny has noticed the few times you do. I think she keeps a running total in a notebook.”
“She told you that?”
“No, but I’ve caught her scoping you out every time she comes into the bar. I know she thinks you’re fascinating and your smile’s a rare treasure, indeed. Just thought I’d mention it.”
She shrugged and retreated to the pool tables, checking on the chalk cubes and the condition of the pool cues. Julianna didn’t have to look. She could feel Zach watching her progress through the bar. She hoped she hadn’t gotten either of her friends in trouble, but she knew Tawny only had eyes for Jeff’s head bouncer and Zach stood straighter and taller when Tawny came to the bar.