by Kate Douglas
The power flowed through him as he shifted. Roni took off toward the woods that surrounded his house. Jay hurried to catch up. He ran next to her, their strides in sync, until they were deep in the woods with nothing surrounding them but trees and the sound of the night creatures.
She got ahead of him, her bushy tail high. A wolf’s natural urge to dominate, to mate, gripped Jay. He ran faster until he caught up to Roni again and nipped at her shoulder. She nipped back, catching his ear. He tried to circle her, but she kept moving, dodging him, avoiding his paw when he tried to hold her in place.
He would swear there was a smile on her face.
She took off again, bounding over downed trees and through low bushes. Jay ran full out to catch her. He finally cornered her in a patch of ferns. Growling softly, he approached her. She stood with her head high, her mouth open as she panted. He pawed at the ground, then moved closer. Her position in the trees wouldn’t let him get behind her the way he wanted to.
Jay moved a bit closer, released a low bark. He tensed, ready to stop her if she tried to run away. She surprised him by turning around and moving her tail to the side.
Offering her complete surrender.
He placed his paws on her back and mounted her. She spread her legs wide, taking all of his weight as he thrust into her. The knot to tie them together passed from him to her. She whimpered softly, lowered her head. He could feel the ripple of her sheath around his cock, signaling her climax. Holding the back of her neck in his teeth, he followed her over the edge.
Minutes passed while they lay bound together on the ground. Jay slowly pulled away from Roni and stood. She stood, too, and faced him. He nuzzled her neck, rubbed his muzzle against hers. She growled low in her throat, a sound of happiness and satisfaction.
Turning, she broke into a run toward Jay’s house. Race you!
He started forward, stumbled to a stop when he clearly heard Roni’s voice in his head. Legend said that once mated, wolves could talk to each other. He’d never been sure whether to believe that.
Now he did.
Wait! He took off after her. Roni, wait.
Her laughter rang in his mind. Reaching her side, he ran with her all the way to his patio. He shifted as she did, drew her in his arms for a long, deep kiss.
“I love you,” he whispered in her ear.
“I love you, too.”
He drew back enough to see her face. Her eyes reflected her declaration of love, as did the smile that curved her lips ... lips he couldn’t resist tasting again.
“Shower?” he asked after kissing her once more.
She nodded.
Scooping up their robes from a chaise lounge, Jay took Roni’s hand and led her back into the house.
8
Roni gripped Jay’s buttocks and threw back her head as the orgasm flowed through her body. She hadn’t uncurled her toes yet from the powerful sensations when Jay flipped her to her stomach. Drawing her up to her knees, he rammed his cock into her pussy.
Just like that, her body was on fire for him again. Roni spread her knees to balance herself for Jay’s hard thrusts. She had no idea how many times they’d made love the last two days, but she’d already learned some of his habits and quirks. On top of her, he was more tender and loving. When she was on top, he let her lead them on the path to orgasm at whatever speed she wanted to go. No pushing, no urging her to ride him faster. She set the pace and he followed.
His wolf came out in this position. He liked it hard and fast, almost animalistic. So did Roni. Clutching a pillow, she spread her legs even farther apart.
“Oh yeah. You like me fucking you this way, don’t you?”
“I like you fucking me any way.” She arched her back, trying to take him even deeper. “Harder.”
She moaned when he reached under her and cradled her breasts, pinched her nipples. Another twist of the hard peaks sent her tumbling again. He pumped once, twice, then trembled and moaned. His warm breath brushed her nape, sending little fingers of desire up and down her spine.
Wolves were naturally sexual creatures, but Roni had never craved anyone the way she craved Jay. Even once a year when she was in heat for two weeks, the desire to fuck didn’t overwhelm her the way a simple look from Jay did.
She didn’t know she could love so fiercely.
Gently, he pulled out of her and helped her roll to her back. Once she’d gotten into a comfortable position, he lay on top of her and smiled. “Good morning.”
“Good morning,” she said, returning his smile. “Although I think it’s technically afternoon.”
“Details.” He pressed a soft kiss on her lips. “Sex is such a wonderful way to start the day.”
Since they’d also started Friday morning with sex, Roni had to agree. “We haven’t done much but eat, sleep, and have sex.”
“I know.” He grinned. “Ain’t it grand?”
She laughed at the smug expression on his face. She had to admit he was right. Everything had been grand so far.
Jay rose up to his knees between her legs. He cradled her breasts, thumbed her nipples. “Want to go for a run before breakfast?”
They’d never run in daylight, only under cover of night. “Now?”
“Sure.” Her concern must have shown on her face, for he smiled and tapped the end of her nose. “As humans, Roni.”
“Oh.” While she loved running as a wolf, running as a human didn’t appeal to her at all. She wrinkled her nose. “Not really.”
He shrugged as if it didn’t matter. “Then what do you want to do today? It’s Saturday. There’s no limit to what we can find to do in the city.”
His thumbs made a pass over her nipples again. Each touch sent that little zing to her clit. “Keep that up and we’ll never get out of bed.”
He flashed that boyish grin at her. “Works for me.”
Jay’s cell phone on the nightstand belted out an old Doobie Brothers song. “That’s Troy.” He squeezed her breasts and lightly pinched her nipples. “I hate to let go of you to answer it.”
“I’m not going anywhere.”
Leaving one hand on her breast, Jay reached over and snatched up his cell phone. “Hey, man.”
Roni watched Jay’s eyebrows draw together. “Today?” He looked at her. “I have plans today... . Well, yeah, I know I said that, but ... Okay, sure.... Give me an hour or so. I haven’t showered yet.... Bye.”
“Is something wrong?” Roni asked as he replaced the phone on the nightstand.
“Troy’s run into a problem and wants to talk to me about it. He said it can’t wait until Monday.”
“He works Saturdays?”
“Sometimes, when we’re pushing a deadline. We’re introducing our new computer line in August and still have some bugs to fix.” He stretched out on top of her. “That’s a secret, so you can’t tell anyone.”
She made a motion over her lips, like turning a key in a lock. “I won’t tell a soul.”
“I’m sorry to mess up our weekend. Troy wouldn’t bother me unless it was really important.”
“You aren’t messing up anything.” She wrapped her arms around his neck. “You can drop me at a mall or shopping center, go do your business, then pick me up when you’re through.”
Jay smiled. “Sounds like a plan. Then I’ll take you to dinner on the waterfront.”
Roni cradled his face and kissed him. “Perfect.”
Jay found Troy in the dungeon, a half-full mug of coffee at his elbow and a scowl on his face. He slapped his cousin on the shoulder. “You’re supposed to play on Saturday, not work.”
“Yeah, well, you’ll be glad I’m so dedicated when I tell you what I found.” He swiveled his chair around to face Jay. “We have a hacker, cuz.”
Instead of the panic Jay knew his cousin would expect, he shrugged. “We track a lot of hackers, Troy. It’s usually just kids trying to show off to their friends. No one ever actually gets past our firewall.”
“They did this time.”
Shocked at his cousin’s statement, Jay sank down into the chair next to Troy’s desk. “What?”
“I discovered it early this morning. But get this. Now there’s no sign anyone was ever in our system. All traces I found right before I called you are gone.” Troy tapped one fingertip against his monitor. “Whoever did this is very, very good.”
Jay looked at Troy’s monitor. He saw nothing but code for their operating system. “Are you sure? Maybe you only thought you saw something.”
“I managed to get a couple of screen shots before everything disappeared. There’s no doubt someone got past our firewall.”
Jay rubbed his forehead. In the eight years since he and Troy had formed JEMATAR, no one had managed to get into their system. “We need to get our security team on this.”
“Already on their way. I called them right after I called you.”
“Good.”
Troy leaned back in his chair, laced his hands over his stomach. “So, where’s your lady friend?”
Since JEMATAR was so close to announcing the new line of computers, Jay would normally never take any time off. He’d told Troy that Roni was coming for a visit when he decided to take off Thursday and Friday. “I dropped her off at Fisherman’s Wharf so she could do some shopping while I came here.”
“Everything going smoothly?”
“Better than smoothly.” Jay smiled. “She’s the one, Troy. My mate. We bonded as wolves Thursday night.”
Jay didn’t receive the smile or the “that’s great” he expected from his cousin. Instead, Troy’s scowl returned. “You bonded and yet you know nothing about her.”
“Troy—”
“It’s the female’s decision when to mate. How interesting that she was willing to move her tail the first time you met.”
Jay scowled at Troy’s crudeness. “Look—”
“Where does she work? Do you even know that?”
“Will you let me finish a sentence?”
Troy waved a hand in Jay’s direction, as if to give him permission to speak.
“She works for her family’s business in Dallas.”
“What kind of business?”
Jay didn’t know, nor did he care. “It doesn’t matter to me.”
“It matters to me.” Gripping the arms of his chair, Troy leaned forward. “Your father is our Alpha. You’re next in line to lead our pack. Not only do I love you and swear to protect you because you’re my cousin and business partner, but because you’ll lead us someday. I won’t let anyone hurt you, Jay ... not even the wolf you think is your mate.”
“She is my mate, Troy.”
“How do you know she isn’t a spy from a competitor? Or someone out to trap you? You’re worth a lot of money, cuz.”
“She isn’t interested in my money. She may not have as much as I do, but she isn’t hurting. She lives in Highland Park. That’s a very ritzy part of Dallas. Besides, a wolf can’t fake the call of its mate. As soon as I heard her voice, I knew we belong together.”
Troy stared at him long enough that Jay was about to snap at him when he tapped his monitor again. “You’re thinking with your dick, Jay, not your brain. I’m not satisfied with the little bit you know about Veronica St. James. As soon as I get this security situation straightened out, I’ll do that investigation on her.”
Whatever Troy thought he might find about Roni wouldn’t make any difference in the way Jay felt about her. He knew she had nothing to hide. “Fine. Investigate away. You won’t find anything wrong with Roni. I know that for a fact.”
Roni could tell something bothered Jay, something he hadn’t told her. He’d seemed fine when he’d met her on Fisherman’s Wharf. He’d even gone through some of the souvenir shops with her and helped her pick out T-shirts for her sisters. But he’d been quiet and withdrawn ever since they arrived at the restaurant.
She reached across the table and covered his hand with hers. “What’s wrong? You haven’t said three words since we sat down to eat.”
He laid his fork on his plate next to his barely touched steak. “I’m sorry. I’m thinking about the mess at JEMATAR. Troy is going nuts with this hacker thing.”
Roni wondered if she should offer Clint’s services. If someone had tried to hack into Jay’s company, she had no doubt her brother could find him. Clint could not only find a needle in a haystack, he could find a needle in the whole hayfield.
Jay continued before she could make the offer. “Troy called in our security team. They’ll work nonstop to plug the leak, if there is one.”
“Is your security team good?”
“The best.” His gaze turned sharper. “Why do you ask?”
“Because I can recommend someone if you need help.”
“Who?”
“My brother.”
Jay slowly sat back in his chair. “Your brother.”
Roni didn’t understand the flat tone of Jay’s voice. “Yes. That’s what our family business is—computer security. I’m here to finalize the contract with Parks Bank. They’re our newest client.”
When he said nothing, but continued to stare at her, Roni squirmed in her chair. Tension seeped off Jay, a tension she didn’t understand. She had no idea why he would be upset at the mention of her brother. “Did I say something wrong?”
He smiled, but Roni thought it seemed forced. “Of course not.” He reached across the table and laid his hand over hers. “I’m letting business get in the way of our time together. Troy will take care of the hacker problem. I want to concentrate on you for the rest of the time you’re here.”
His words should’ve relieved her, yet they didn’t. Something bothered Jay that he couldn’t—or wouldn’t—tell her. “I want that, too.”
“Then that’s what we’ll do. No more talk of work or problems. We’ll just concentrate on us.” He picked up his fork again and stabbed a piece of steak. “We can go to the movies after dinner, or go back to my house and watch a DVD.”
It sounded like an ordinary thing to do, but Roni still suspected something wasn’t quite right with Jay. For now, she decided to go along with him and hope he would confide in her later. “Do you have popcorn at home?”
“Absolutely. A movie isn’t complete without popcorn.”
“Then I vote for the DVD. Your father and Flora can watch it with us.”
“Deal.”
Jay stood at the window to his office, looking out at the softly falling rain. The weather matched his mood. He’d been down and depressed ever since Roni left Sunday morning.
He’d thrown himself into work the last two days, working with Troy and the design team to be sure all would be ready for the August first release. The few bugs Troy had mentioned had been resolved. Everything looked good for their newest babies to be released on time.
The fact that things had come together so smoothly made him happy, but didn’t satisfy him. Nothing would satisfy Jay until he could be with Roni again.
It had to be a coincidence that she came into his life when JEMATAR started having hacker problems. Just because her family worked in computer security didn’t mean she had anything to do with the attempted assault on JEMATAR’s system. She would never do anything to hurt him.
He’d bet his life on that.
Warning bells had gone off in his head when Roni told him her family’s business had to do with computer security. Who better to get into a computer than someone who knew how to keep people out of it? He’d soon realized he’d let Troy’s suspicions put doubts in his mind ... doubts that he had no right to feel. No matter what Troy believed, Jay knew better. His mate wouldn’t betray him.
He’d spoken with her every night on the phone since she’d left Sunday. Not wanting to wait until tonight to hear Roni’s voice, Jay unclipped his cell phone from his belt and entered Roni’s number. She answered after the second ring.
“Hi.”
As always, the sound of her voice went straight to his cock. “Am I interrupting anything?”
; “Never.”
He smiled at the pleased sound in her voice. “That’s good to know.”
“You’re calling earlier than you usually do. Is something wrong?”
“No. I just wanted to hear your voice. I miss you.”
“I miss you, too,” she said softly.
His wolf pawed and growled. It wanted its mate now. “I can’t stand being away from you. Come back.” He hurried on before she could argue with him. “It’s Memorial Day weekend. You could fly back here Friday and stay until Monday. I’ll make the flight arrangements and pick you up at the airport.” He gripped his phone tighter. “Please, Roni. I need you.”
“Buying a ticket only two days before the flight will be very expensive.”
“I don’t care about the cost. Hell, I’ll go buy a private plane and come for you if that will get you here.”
She laughed, low and throaty. “I’m flattered you would go to so much expense for me.”
“There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for you. Will you come?”
“I’m sure I will as soon as you put your hands on me.”
Jay groaned and his cock twitched. “You’re evil, do you know that?”
“You left yourself wide open with that question.”
“Guilty as charged.” Her giggle made him smile. “So is that a yes?”
“Yes.”
The smile spread across Jay’s face. He stopped himself before he pumped his fist in the air. “I’ll make the reservation right now and call you back with the details.”
“I don’t mind taking the red-eye Thursday night.”
It pleased him that she was as eager to see him as he was to see her. “I’ll do my best. I’ll call you tonight.”
“Okay. Bye.”
Still smiling, Jay disconnected the call. He crossed his office and stuck his head out the door. April looked up from her desk at him.
“I need you to make a flight reservation for me. DFW to SFO. Tomorrow night or early Friday morning.” His smile widened. “My mate is coming back.”
Malcolm removed the earphones and took the sound amplifier from his dash. With his contacts, he was always able to get the latest and greatest toys. This particular toy let him hear through glass as clearly as if the person stood right next to him. He only had to point the amplifier at Jamieson Millington and he heard every bit of his conversation.