She raised her eyebrows but took it.
“Yes, Aunt Bess, I’m fine ...” Dani’s face turned pink. Her aunt must have been giving her an earful. After nearly a minute of silence, her lips tightened and she said, “Aunt Bess, where are you?” She grinned an evil grin and winked at Jace. “Amos never went home last night, did he?”
Jace had to turn away as he tried to smother his laughter.
“Yes, Aunt Bess, I will. I love you, too. Bye.”
“Remind me not to piss you off.” Jace chuckled as he took his phone back and tossed it dismissively onto the far counter where it clattered against the microwave. Then he slid between her legs and kissed her, long and deeply. “Goddess,” he breathed.
Dani shifted on the counter, wrapping her legs around his waist and causing Jace’s hardened shaft to press into her. It, like the rest of him, was acutely aware of the fact that she wore nothing beneath that cotton tee and that the height of the counter aligned her with him perfectly.
He groaned, deepening the kiss as his cock bobbed and strained for her. Her pull on him was so strong, driving him to such need.
He slid his hands up her thighs, lifting the shirt, as she slipped her soft hands into the waistband of his sweats and pushed them down over his hips. Effortlessly, he then slid into her, her body now well-acquainted with his. He pumped into her as desperately as he had earlier, if not more, because now he knew exactly what it was like to feel her climax around him, to feel her grab him and pull him deeper. He would never get enough of that.
Their lovemaking was quick and carnal, his thrusts fast and hard, as she panted against him, angling her hips to give him the deepest penetration. In mere minutes, she shattered around him, drawing forth his own orgasm.
Afterward, he leaned his forehead against hers, breathing heavily as he stayed imbedded within her. He had no words. I love you seemed grossly inadequate to describe what he was feeling.
“Mine,” he growled against her, holding her close.
With the pads of her fingers, she massaged the back of his head in tiny, petting strokes. Her sheath flexed around his cock, clamping down on him so hard his breath hitched.
“Mine,” she whispered back.
Jace reluctantly pulled away when the growl of his stomach became louder than his pounding heart.
Dani laughed and draped her arms around his shoulders, heaving a contented sigh. “Let’s get you fed. You are going to need your strength.”
Jace shook his head. “You really are the perfect woman.” He shifted ever so slightly to remind her that he was still seated deeply inside her. “I keep thinking I’m going to wake up any moment.”
Dani blushed. “I’m having a little trouble believing it myself,” she admitted. “I don’t do what we did often, you know. But with you, everything’s different.”
While he appreciated her words, they were unnecessary. As passionate as she had been, it was with an innocence and honesty that filled his heart. She wasn’t a virgin, he knew, but she wasn’t far from it, either. He saw it in her eyes. Felt it in her touch. Dani would have to care for someone deeply before she would have shared herself with them.
Jace’s wolf rose to the surface at that thought, the urge to hunt down and kill strong. His wolf was extremely possessive and couldn’t stand the thought that someone who had touched Dani so intimately still breathed. Plus, for Dani to walk away from someone she cared about meant that whoever it was must have hurt her deeply.
“I cannot comprehend how any man in his right mind would have let you get away.”
Dani’s eyes turned darker, and Jace instantly knew he had been right.
“I was a fool,” she said, her voice laced with regret. “I believed all of his lies, right up until he got my best friend pregnant.”
Jace couldn’t hide his disbelief. “He was sleeping with your best friend?”
“That’s the only way of getting a girl pregnant that I know of,” she said wryly.
Before he could stop himself, he blurted out, “Did you love him?”
Dani was silent for several long moments before she slowly said, “I thought I did. But as time went on, I realized that I missed my best friend more than I missed him. And honestly, what I felt for him is nothing compared to what I feel for you. Crazy, huh?” She added the last part shyly, looking up at him through shuttered eyes, as if worried her confession might make him run.
Clearly, they were going to have to sit down and have a discussion on what it meant to be mates. As far as he was concerned, everything was exactly as it should be.
Jace’s gray-green eyes met her eyes head-on, looking more triumphant than anything, as he touched his forehead to hers and softly said, “No, not crazy at all.”
Her eyes softened. “I hear they’re married now. And you know what? I hope they are happy. I truly do. Because, if it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t be here with you.”
Chapter 8 – The Storm
Jace was still feeling pretty damn good a couple of hours later ... until he answered the door and came face to face with his uncle.
Amos had a look on his face that Jace had never seen before, at least not directed at him. A cross between anger and disappointment. Jace couldn’t fathom what was behind it. His day thus far had consisted of a lazy morning spent with Dani in his arms, snuggling and catching a few more hours of sleep. Amos couldn’t be pissed at that, not when Jace had confirmed that Dani was his mate.
“Is Dani home safe?” Amos asked gruffly, his words unnaturally clipped.
Jace nodded. “I took her home a little over an hour ago. Why? What’s going on?”
Amos’s jaw clenched. “Seen Amanda lately?”
Jace’s sense of Zen evaporated rapidly. “Not intentionally. I spotted her at the fair last night, but avoided her. Why?”
“Well, she saw you, Jace. You and Dani.”
“So?” he asked, a sense of dread pooling in his stomach. When Amanda’s name entered a conversation, it usually wasn’t a good thing.
“She came by earlier ... when Dani was still here.”
Jace’s face paled. “Amanda was here?”
Amos nodded. “I intercepted her before she made it all the way around back. Told her that you weren’t here; that I sent you up to Rockford to pick up some custom panels.”
“Thanks, Amos. Does she know who Dani is?” Making his life miserable was one thing, but he wouldn’t stand for Amanda targeting Dani or her aunt.
“Didn’t seem to. She was asking me a lot of questions about the woman you were with. I didn’t tell her anything, but it won’t take her long to find out. This town’s not that big, and Amanda is a woman on a mission.”
“I’ll go talk to her after I grab a quick shower. I will take care of this, Amos.”
“Ain’t gonna be that easy, son. Amanda’s saying she’s carrying your baby.”
“She’s what!”
Amos sighed a sad, weary sigh, suddenly looking ten years older. “She says you got her pregnant. Any chance that’s true?”
Jace shook his head in denial. They had only been together a few times, and he had used a condom each time. Except ... Except for the night three months ago when he had told her they were through. She had caused such a scene that he ended up going out and getting drunk, only to wake up naked in the back of his truck. He didn’t remember any of it, but she had told him they’d had epic breakup sex ...
Jace felt like he was going to be sick. He dropped into the nearest chair and held his head in his hands. “This can’t be happening.”
“I’ll take that as a yes.”
“Ah, fuck, Amos. I was drunk. She said we did, but I can’t remember ...”
Amos was so quiet that Jace thought he might have left. It startled him when the older man spoke, slowly and clearly. “So, she could be lying?”
Jace looked at him, stunned. Would she really stoop that low?
The answer was a sinking feeling in his gut. Yes, she would.
Amos sat d
own across from him. “Why don’t you tell me what you do remember from that night and maybe we can make some sense out of it together?”
His uncle’s words offered hope. In addition to being a hell of a good man, Amos was a cunning and clever wolf. There was no one Jace would rather have on his side if Amanda was orchestrating some elaborate deception, which unfortunately, was exactly something Amanda would do if she thought it would get her what she wanted.
Jace began by telling Amos how he had taken Amanda out to a quiet, out-of-the-way restaurant to end things between them. How she had gotten so upset she started causing a scene right there at the restaurant until they had been asked to leave.
“Did you take her home?”
“No, we drove separately. I got in the truck and took off the minute I saw she was safely inside her car. I drove up the mountain, went for a run, then ended up at Tommy’s.”
“Would she have known where to find you?”
Jace frowned. Tommy’s was a shifter bar, but not the kind of place Amanda would frequent. “Maybe.”
“Break it down for me.”
“Uh ... let’s see. I needed to blow off some steam, so I went to the trails and let my wolf take over. I ran for an hour or so, I guess. Then I drove up to Tommy’s, ordered a beer and a shot, and told him to keep them coming. It was during March Madness. I remember watching some of the Sweet Sixteen on the flat screen.” His expression grew darker. “Next thing I remember, I was waking up in the back of the truck with Amanda.”
Amos nodded, as if it was what he had expected. “Do you remember who bartended that night?”
“Yeah, it was Tommy, the owner. We were talking about our Harleys during the commercials. He got his about the same time I got mine.”
“Do you happen to have a picture of Amanda?”
Jace shook his head. “No. But I bet she has plenty of selfies on her social media accounts.”
Amos stood up. “Go grab a shower. You smell like coconuts, for shit’s sake. Then you and I are going to pay a visit to Tommy Saunders.”
“What are you thinking? That Amanda followed me up there and set me up?”
Amos’s face was grim. “That’s exactly what I think.”
* * *
Dani hummed to herself as she cleaned, the happiness bubbling inside spilling out. She polished, swept, and vacuumed with a grin on her face.
She felt bad about making her aunt worry. Bess couldn’t stay upset with her for long, though, once she saw how happy Dani was.
It was late afternoon when the doorbell rang. Bess was out back, planting more flowers around her new gazebo, while Dani was in the now sparkling kitchen, cutting up fresh fruit from the local farmer’s market for a salad.
Grabbing a towel to wipe the juice from her hands, she went to answer the door.
“Can I help you?” Dani asked.
The woman at the door wore a designer summer dress and had a matching wide brimmed hat, shoes, and bag. She was several inches taller than Dani with dark hair cut into a stylish pixie.
The visitor studied her for a minute before answering, “I am looking for Danielle Evans.” She spoke the name like it left a bad taste in her mouth.
“I’m Dani Evans.”
The woman reached up to push her designer sunglasses down her nose, making her eyes visible over the top.
If the lean, toned muscles hadn’t tipped Dani off, the predatory eyes would have. This woman was a shifter. But, unlike most of the preternaturals Dani had met, there was nothing warm or friendly about her. In fact, this woman had some of the coldest eyes Dani had ever seen.
However, that was no excuse to forget her manners.
“Please, won’t you come in?”
The woman took a few steps forward, while Dani closed the door behind her.
“Can I offer you some iced tea or something?”
The woman spun around as if she were walking a catwalk. “Let’s get right to it, shall we?” She gave a little smile, revealing sharp, white teeth. “Stay away from Jace Stevens.”
Dani blinked, all vestige of polite propriety evaporating quickly. “I beg your pardon?”
“Are you deaf, as well as stupid?”
What! “I’m sorry. You are ...?”
“Amanda Gianelli, Jace’s fiancée. His pregnant fiancée.”
To her credit, Dani kept her expression relatively neutral. Inside, her heart stuttered, and her lungs had trouble inflating. The roar in her ears sounded like a freight train was barreling through her mind. This couldn’t be happening. Not again.
“That’s right,” Amanda said with an evil smile. “Guess Jace forgot to mention that last night, didn’t he? Well, let me fill you in, sweetheart. He’s mine.”
“Dani, did I hear the doorbell?” Bess came in from the backyard. She took one look at Dani’s face, then turned to Amanda. Her normally friendly features hardened.
“What are you doing here, Amanda?” Bess asked, her voice frosty.
“Leaving,” Amanda answered with a smirk. “I’ve said all I have to say. I’ll see myself out.” Pausing by Dani, she said cruelly, “Don’t feel too bad. You’re not the only one he’s played with. But he always comes back to me.”
Dani held back the urge to beat that condescending tone right out of her. Instead, she said, “Hmm. I guess you’re not enough woman for him if he has to keep going elsewhere.”
Amanda’s eyes hardened into spheres of black glass, before she grinned again and spoke low enough for only Dani to hear. “Cute. The human has teeth. But don’t believe for one second a man like Jace is going to choose a pathetic human over his own kind, especially not when he’s giving the pack Alpha his first grandchild.”
Before she could respond, Bess stepped in front of Dani. “If you are having trouble finding the door, I’ll be glad to help you.”
Amanda’s eyes flashed in warning, but she lifted her chin and left without another word.
The minute Amanda was out of the house, Dani exhaled with a whoosh and grabbed the counter when her knees felt like they were going to give out.
Bess was at her side in a minute. “That is the nastiest piece of work I’ve ever come across, no matter how pretty the packaging. What did she say to you?”
Dani couldn’t answer at first; her brain was railing against the words. She took a few deep breaths, waving away the glass of ice water Bess held out to her. If she put anything in her stomach right now, it would make a sudden reappearance.
“She said ... She said that she was Jace’s fiancée.”
“Oh, honey, don’t listen to her. It’s just sour grapes. Jace ended things with her months ago, but she doesn’t want to let go.” Bess snorted. “Just because her daddy’s the local Alpha, she thinks she’s entitled to whatever she wants. And she’s made it no secret that she wants Jace. She’s not going to get him, though,” Bess said firmly.
Dani looked at her aunt as the tears started to fall. She wiped them away impatiently. “She also said she’s carrying Jace’s baby.”
Bess’s fierce look of determination faded into a blank expression as she sank down onto the counter stool next to Dani. “Oh, my.”
The spacious, airy kitchen suddenly felt claustrophobic. Dani felt if she didn’t get up and get out right now, she was going to throw up, pass out, or both.
“I’m going for a walk.”
“Good idea. Some fresh air will help. I’ll go with you.”
“No, Aunt Bess, I need some time alone to process this, okay?”
Bess smoothed the hair away from Dani’s face in a motherly gesture. “Sure, hon, I understand. Take your cell phone this time, okay?”
“Okay, I will. Thanks.”
“Dani, you have to talk to Jace about this.”
Dani nodded. She would, but she needed to get herself together first. Memories of a similar situation not all that long ago rushed forward, flooding her thoughts: Her best friend’s face when she broke down and confessed she was pregnant with Todd’s baby. Todd�
�s guilty but unrepentant expression when Dani confronted him. The complete shock and embarrassment she had felt when she realized they had been having an affair right under her nose. The shame of discovering that, not long after she had given Todd her virginity, he had turned to Gina.
She felt that same dizzy, hollow feeling right now.
“I will, but I can’t right now, Aunt Bess.” Dani pushed through the back screen door before Bess could say any more.
Chapter 9 – What a Tangled Web
Tommy recognized the picture of Amanda immediately. “Yeah, she’s the Alpha’s brat. Came in a couple of months ago. A woman like that sticks out, you know?”
“Did she say anything? Do anything?”
Tommy’s face became thoughtful. “She walked around like she was looking for someone. You must’ve hit the head or something, because you weren’t around. I asked if she was lost, and she just smiled and said she guessed she was.”
“And then what?”
“Then nothing. She left.”
“Did you happen to notice if she was anywhere near where I was sitting?”
“Yeah, now that you mention it. Plenty of empty seats at the bar that night, but she seemed interested in the one where you’d left your jacket.”
“What about me? Do you remember me saying or doing anything out of the ordinary?”
“You were pissed-off, I knew that. Worked your way through more shots than usual. Don’t think I’ve ever seen you that wasted. After a while, you handed me your keys and said you were going to sleep it off in the back of your truck.”
“Thanks, Tom.”
“Don’t mention it.”
“This whole thing smells like a setup,” Amos said as they headed back toward town, pulling out his cell phone. “Amanda could have easily slipped something into your drink, then waited for you in your truck. Ah, dammit, I forgot to turn this damn thing on. Uh-oh, Bess left me a couple of messages.”
Falling for the Werewolf: A Wolf Shifter Romance Page 6