by Debra Smith
“I don’t know, darlin’. Gus is a bit ornery.”
She shrugged. “It’s not like he’s gonna try and kill me. Right?”
The group exchanged glances.
“Right?” she pushed.
“Well, I’m just not sure.”
“Listen, I have a way with animals. I’m sure I can handle it for the next few days. It’s the least I can do.”
“Yeah, come on, bro. She at least deserves a chance.”
“As entertaining as this conversation is, I must retire for the night. Miss Jesse, do you think I could catch a ride into town with you tomorrow?” Kane waited.
Alex had forgotten he was even in the room. He seemed to fade into the shadows cast by the firelight. She worried for the girl, but with Jesse being human, he wouldn’t risk breaking the one law no one could escape death for breaking. Never let a human know what you are.
“Sure. I’d be happy to.” Jesse winked at Clint, making him scowl at Kane.
“Thank you.” He rose and headed in the direction of one of the spare bedrooms.
Clint spoke immediately after the door shut. “No.”
Jesse stuck out her tongue. “When have I ever listened to you? Besides it’s not like anything is going to happen.”
A feeling of unease settled in Alex’s chest like fog drifting in on a coastal morning. Kane would be leaving with Jesse tomorrow. Alex would needed to thank him for warning her and Clint about the jackals. She may have already been captured if it wasn’t for his diversion. Needing to lighten her mood, she looked at the goofy picture of the sexy man she found herself liking a little more. She placed it carefully in her pocket, intent on keeping it and the feeling of being with this family, safe.
~****~
Clint’s gaze raked a trail along Alex’s body. She looked so breathtaking with her profile highlighted by firelight. Her long white-blonde hair fell in silk-like tendrils around her shoulders. An image of her hair splayed over his chest after a rigorous bout of lovemaking made his cock ache with a stifling hunger. She seemed to belong here in the home he grew up in, next to the woman he considered his family.
When she volunteered to help out around the ranch, he hid his surprise. It wasn’t that he doubted her ability—just her experience. He couldn’t really see her wearing high heels while mucking out the horse’s stalls. But hell, he knew people could surprise him, and she did constantly which was well—fascinating. Like a dog with a bone, he needed to figure Little Cat out.
He fought the need to pull the woman into his lap. He knew she would protest but he would just pet her until she calmed and started purring for him.
“Well I’m exhausted. Time for bed. Come on, Momma, let’s hit the hay.”
In the time it took him to blink his family vacated the room, leaving him with an equally surprised Alex.
“Goodnight,” she called down the hall.
His gaze followed the movement of her stirring her cinnamon stick in her almost empty cider.
He scratched his five o’clock shadow as he searched for things to talk about, but she beat him to it.
“Your family’s great. Clara’s really proud of you.”
“Thanks, but I am amazing so it’s not all that hard to believe.” He dodged the decorative pillow flying at his face. Only to completely miss the second one that immediately followed. Sneaky feline. The pillow fell to the floor, opening his view to her dazzling smile. He had a feeling it didn’t get used very often. So the fact she was sharing it with him made him feel honored. Then the awkwardness returned, and the smile left her face.
“Do it again.”
“Do what? Hit you in the face with another pillow, ’cause if it’s what you really want I would be happy to fulfill your request.”
“No, darlin’, your smile. Do it again please.”
She cocked her head to the side like an animal trying to figure out something it didn’t quite understand.
She must have decided he was completely serious, because she turned the pretty crimson he was so fond of. Testing her resolve, he rose slowly as not to spook her and moved closer to her. She scooted farther into the cushions of the couch.
“W-what are you doing?”
“Well the nice warm fire is speaking to my animal side, and I feel like cuddling.”
“Not with me.”
“Sure with you. It’s the least you could do. After all, it’s your fault.”
“How is it my fault you want to cuddle?”
He stepped closer as he kept her mind busy. “Near as I can figure, it must be the trauma of losing my cabin. It’s making me feel all needy. I hate feeling needy. It’s an affront to my canine nature.”
“Please, sell your crap to someone else. I’m not buying.”
“I’m beginning to think you don’t like me very much.”
“Well at least you’re right about something.”
“Don’t be nasty. How do you know you won’t like it?”
He fought the urge to kiss her as her little white teeth nibbled on her bottom lip.
“How about we try something simple like sitting next to each other and if that’s not too bad we can go a little further.”
Her eyebrows drew together. “You promise not to try anything?”
“We’ll only go as far as you want. That’s all, you tell me to leave or stop what I’m doing. I will. You have my word. One thing I’ll never do is break it.” He’d do his damnedest to convince her to explore the heat between them but not tonight. It wasn’t the right time. His Little Cat needed to be seduced. Truthfully, he enjoyed the chase. The only problem he could think of was if he would be strong enough to let her go when the time came. He didn’t want to think about that now. He soaked up her scent while he waited for her to decide. God he hoped she would say yes.
“Okay. I guess you can sit beside me.”
He turned and sat down beside her, lifting his arm over her shoulder, but carefully made sure he didn’t touch her. He made a big show of getting comfortable, giving her time to decide if she liked it. He could tell by the way her body leaned into his and the way her breath hitched when their bodies touched, she did at least a little.
“There now, this isn’t so bad.”
She shivered.
“You cold?”
“Er—not really.”
“I’m here for your cuddling pleasure. If you’re a little chilled you could lean into me a bit more.” Her scent made his mouth water, reminding him of her sweet taste. Would the flavor of her skin be just as consuming?
She never met his gaze, but she stared into the flames and finally after what felt like hours, leaned into his body. She fit perfectly beside him. Her cheek pressed against his chest right above his heart. He did his best to breathe evenly. She would know if he was getting excited. Her hair sparkled and despite everything he promised he could barely contain the urge to run his fingers through it.
“This is nice. I’ve never cuddled before.”
His riotous heart pounded beneath her ear. “Really? I never would have known. You’re great at it.”
She locked her gaze with his. “Thanks.” Then she returned her cheek to his chest.
“Would it be okay if I played with your hair a little?”
“I guess. Just don’t pull it, I hate that.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it, darlin’.”
Finally, he gently let the beams of moonlight slip between his fingers, over and over. The softness couldn’t be compared to anything earthly. A soft vibration ticked his chest. She relaxed into his hold and purred.
He tried to control his mind and his body, but with her smell invading his every intake of air and the feeling of her softness against his hardness. It was enough to drive any normal male to the brink of insanity. Being a predator male in his prime holding onto his sanity proved impossible.
“I’m sorry, Little Cat, but if you want me to keep my promise we need to stop.”
“No.”
“I’m trying to
do the right thing here.”
He started to slide out from under her but as swiftly as panthers in the wild, she trapped him under her body. She pushed him back into the couch while she straddled his legs.
“I’m not finished, yet. I like it. A lot.”
Shock and curiosity held him in place. Could he move her? Yeah. But he didn’t want to. He wanted to see what she would do next, and he wasn’t disappointed. She wiggled in closer to his body and put her core right on top of his swollen length.
He didn’t dare move. She continued to fascinate him when she nuzzled his neck in the way of a feline.
“You smell good.”
“Thanks.”
He gripped the back of the couch, threatening to tear the fabric with the force. She leaned back and stared at his mouth while licking her lips. She had to be messing with him, testing his resolve or something.
“You keep looking at me like you want to eat me alive and we will have a dilemma.”
“So.” She leaned in and kissed him. It wasn’t innocent or tentative in anyway. Her lips caressed his with firm strokes. She didn’t rush but took her time playing with him. Then when he sat on the brink of his control, she dipped her tongue into the heat of his mouth. Her hands burrowed through his hair as she melded to his body. Her hips seemed to move of their own inclination, performing slow strokes against his straining cock. She moaned into the kiss as she sucked on his tongue.
His eyes crossed from the delicious pleasure she created. His hands fell to her ass as he encouraged her movement. Her pointed nipples pushed into the fabric of his cotton shirt. In a fog of primordial lust, he wondered what they would look like.
He could have sworn he felt her claws nick his scalp but he didn’t care. After fifteen plus years of sexual experience, he was ready to come in his pants. The worst thing about it, he was happy about it— actually happy.
The thought helped him gain enough control to pull back from her mouth.
“Stop.” He couldn’t believe he was saying it. He pressed his forehead against hers while their harsh breaths mingled.
She blinked, coming from the haze. That’s when he noticed her over-dilated eyes.
“Shit, you’ve been drugged.”
“Impossible. More kisses now.”
Damn, she was sexy when she was being demanding.
“No, I’m serious.”
Obviously ignoring him she leaned forward, tipped his head to the side, and licked his neck from collar to the base of his ear.
“Mmm…you are scrumptious.”
“You sure aren’t making this easy on me.” Keeping his concentration while she tickled his fancy took nerves of steel but he managed to pick up her cup and cast for a scent.
“Why aren’t you touching me? I want your hands on my body.”
He thought about baseball and all sorts of sports. “Listen Little Cat, smell your cup. It’s spiked with catnip.”
“Fine,” she snapped. “I’ll smell the damn cup.”
She brought it to her nose and took a deep breath.
“See? It’s covered by the lemon.”
She shook her head. “How could this happen here?”
“I don’t know, but I will find out.”
He had a sneaking suspicion it was Kane. Tomorrow they would have a face to knuckle moment.
“I’m sorry.”
She nodded and slipped off his body. Immediately the space between them seemed cavernous. The last thing his body wanted was to let her walk away, but he wasn’t the type of guy to take advantage of anyone.
Chapter Seven
Alex risked a glance around the room. Damn it, last night wasn’t a dream as she hoped. She peeked under the dark blue sheet to view her body clad in only an oversized T-shirt. Although she remembered begging Clint to practically fuck her brains out, he didn’t. The most disturbing thing at the moment was the largely muscled arm currently draped possessively over her breasts.
Double Damn. She remembered demanding that Clint had to cuddle her. Trapped in bed with a possibly naked wolf both reminded her of the passion she felt for him last night and her embarrassment. Scratch that, he was most definitely naked, because his morning erection stood at full attention at the cleft of her ass.
It didn’t help that he smelled amazing, and she want to rub herself up and down his body marking him as hers. Shit shit shit. She needed coffee, a cold shower, and to kill whomever spiked her cider last night. It was just plain mean.
She lifted the sheet a little more and began to slip out of bed, careful not to disturb him. She almost made it when his lecherous hand gently squeezed her boob. She tried to pretend her traitorous body didn’t respond by heating several degrees or that her nipple pearled beneath his palm. Her breaths quickened, betraying her further.
He rubbed his cock against her bottom, drawing a moan from her lips. She bit the sheet to muffle it. Warm air fanned across her skin as he burrowed into her neck.
“Are you awake?” That couldn’t be her voice it sounded—needy.
His hand drifted from her breast down her stomach to the hem of her shirt. He played with the bare skin at the edge, bringing her to a painful awareness. Her head spun. She wanted to push him away and run to somewhere else, but she didn’t. Then his hand slipped under the shirt and made a trail over her hip, took a detour to circle her bellybutton, then went higher to her breast. The heat left by his exploring felt like a brand against her flesh.
He had to be awake. Anger about last night and guilt fueled her next move.
She bolted.
Slipping from his grasp, she fled from the room. She wasn’t proud, but sometimes you needed to regroup before you planned your next move. Alex could swear she heard the darn wolf laughing as her lily-white cheeks flashed down the hallway, but maybe it was her inner shame snickering.
She made her way to her room and locked the door behind her. Jesse had given her some clothes to borrow. A package of brand new cotton undies sat on top of the dresser. Needing to gather her wits, she hopped into the shower in the adjoining bathroom.
She tried to think about anything else but last night and this morning. Her room was on the second floor and the bathroom was painted in a creamy white. The skylight let in rays from the sun, making the room seem larger. Hand-painted vines with light pink roses circled the room. The shower itself was encased in glass. The humid air reminded her of home, of her jungle.
She wondered what Clint would think of the trees and how the ground never seemed to dry out. It rained all the time but even without the sun filtering down to the ground it was still beautiful. Would she ever be able to go back? Time was running out. She expected to find the queen the first day. Now, it had been almost a week since she left home on her mission.
The Presentation took place in a week from today. Despite everything she couldn’t let her family face the consequences of her desertion alone. Something had to be decided before then or she would have to go back.
The water started to turn cold so she vacated her haven for the moment. She needed to find out why her cup of cider had been laced with catnip. If it had happened to anyone else it might have been funny but not when she became the victim.
After slipping on clean clothes and sighing when she had to yet again roll the bottoms of her pants, she headed downstairs. She paused when everyone but the man she thought would be waiting for looked up from around the table. The smell of blueberry muffins and citrus tickled her nose. She practically floated to the empty chair next to Jesse. Plates of fresh fruit decorated the table like a tropical feast. Every color known to man seemed to be represented by a selection of fruit.
Her stomach voiced its excitement. Oh sweet ambrosia, sliced papaya sat not mere inches from her. She filled her plate and smiled when Jesse handed her slices of lime. Her cider incident slipped away as her taste buds danced in ecstasy.
“This really hits the spot.”
“It is good, isn’t it? I’m glad I’m not the only one that likes to e
at healthy.”
“Meat’s healthy. We even raise everything ourselves.”
Alex and Jesse exchanged glances. “Sure it is, Momma, and you’re an excellent cook.”
Clara seemed unconvinced by their sweetness. The girls smiled at each other then blanched when the thunderous stomps sounded down the stairs.
“Sounds like someone’s grumpy this mornin’.”
“Crap.” Alex meant to deal with the whole catnip thing before Clint made an appearance.
Too Late.
“You.” He stalked toward Kane. “What the hell were you thinking last night?”
“As entertaining as this is, I have no idea what you are talking about.”
“Don’t play coy with me, you devil’s hound. I know you spiked her cider last night. You caused a lot of trouble.”
“Again, I have no idea what you are talking about.”
“Bull. Let’s take this outside. I wouldn’t want to be responsible for breaking anything in the house.”
Kane shrugged, cracked his neck, and rose from the table. He looked at Clara.
“Thank you for breakfast.”
Then he walked outside followed by a fuming Clint. Alex had never seen him that angry. Not that she’d know him that long but even when the cabin got blown up he didn’t act this angry. He reminded her of one of those cartoon people turning red with steam coming out of their ears, ready to pop their top.
She started to get up from the table when Clara shook her head. “No use gettin’ up, sugar. The boys are gonna fight out whatever is bothering them no matter how much we try to intercede.”
Jesse snorted. “What put a spur in his side?”
“Come again?” Alex hated all the weird turns of phrase.
“What is Clint so pissed about?”
“Someone put catnip in my cider last night. It had some less than desirable effects on me. Clint thinks Kane is responsible.”
“Oh shit, that wasn’t Kane, sugar—that was me.”
Both girls blinked at Clara while the words sunk in.
“It was you? Why would you drug me?”
“I didn’t mean to drug you. The catnip was for me. It helps me relax before bed. The cups must have gotten switched around.”