Escaping Love

by Debra Smith

  He opened the pen leading to the larger pasture for Gus, then headed for the large barn where he stashed the picnic basket. His clothes were clinging to his body, making his skin itch but he had a solution. His Little Cat may not like his plan but the thought of its success made him downright giddy.

  He glanced over his shoulder and bit back a growl. She looked damn delectable. Her shirt gripped her breasts, showing off her hard nipples. He wanted to pluck them like ripe berries. His plan of seduction better work because if he didn’t have her soon, he would gladly give in to his wolf just to escape the torture.

  Giving into his animal wasn’t a joke and he shouldn’t be playing with the idea. Once you did you were lost. He’d only known one person who came back after the line was crossed. His Alpha had to give into his wolf to save his mate. Clint almost lost hope but Jenny brought Gryph back, and now the couple couldn’t be happier. Well, when they weren’t fighting or busy making up.

  He wanted that someday, to wake up next to someone and have to fight to get out of bed, because nothing seemed better than spending the day hiding from the world and just being together.

  Clint had never told anyone how much he wanted a family. The dream of a bunch of little cubs running around getting into trouble, driving him and their momma crazy, made him smile. His kind didn’t have a fated mate. But he believed that destiny or God brought that person into your life and it was up to you to keep them there.

  Gryph had told him that when he kissed Jenny the first time in his office he knew they were meant for each other. It was odd to hear such words coming from Gryph. The man never spoke about his feelings, so for him to even admit that much struck a chord with Clint.

  So after the kiss he used to distract Alex from her fear left a permanent mark on him, he knew he needed to do something. What? He didn’t know yet.

  “Wait here while I grab our lunch. I’m going to take you to my favorite place on the ranch.”

  She nodded and dug the toe of her boot into the loose dirt. She seemed out of sorts to him, but he didn’t know why. It didn’t matter, because soon she would only be thinking about him and how his touch brought her more pleasure than she ever dreamed possible.

  Once he got her beneath him she would never want to leave. She’d be his and he could finally have his dream of a family. With mixed breeds, the girls would take after their mother and the boys would take after their father. They would literally fight like cats and dogs. He couldn’t imagine anything better.

  He retrieved the basket full of food with a special treat for dessert. At the end, he would taste her on his lips. He quickened his pace, grabbing her hand as he passed to hurry his sullen Little Cat.

  “You sure are in a hurry. You must be starving.”

  “You could say that.”

  With his added height, one of his steps equaled about two of hers, so she ran to keep up. Though she tried it seemed as if they were moving at a snail’s pace.

  “Fuck it.”

  He stopped, slid the basket up his forearm, placed his hands around her tiny waist, and lifted a squealing Alex over his shoulder. He held her in place with one hands while his sure footing allowed for faster travel. The basket slid back down to his hand.

  “What do you think you’re doing? Put me down.”

  Little fists pummeled his back.

  “You were moving too slow.”

  “I was doing the best I could. It’s not easy to keep up to you. What’s gotten into you?”

  He grunted, happy because he could cover more ground with her and her bitable ass sat inches from his face.

  “Did you just grunt at me? You’ve gone caveman on me. I’ll have you know I’m not the type of girl to sit here and take this. This is a fair warning. Put me down.”

  Clint’s favorite spot came into view, making him ignore the protesting female dangling from his back. Underestimating her proved to be his first mistake when pain shot through his butt cheek. He stumbled a little but still kept going.

  “Did you just bite my ass?”

  “Of course not.”

  His ass was throbbing, and she had the nerve to sound offended.

  “I clawed it.”

  She clawed it. The little harpy knew he wouldn’t believe that excuse. They couldn’t shift only part of their body. It was all or nothing.

  As soon as he disarmed her he would feed her, bathe her, and then have her for dessert. Finally, he made it. Deciding to torture himself further, he slid her down his body then placed her on the ground. Her brows knit together and she kept searching his face as though she couldn’t figure him out. He made sure she couldn’t see what unfolded behind her.

  She placed her hands on her hips. “Well you’ve got me here. Now what?”

  “We eat, but first turn around.”

  He wished he could read her thoughts when she saw his favorite place for the first time. When he found it while exploring in his youth he kept it for himself, private place for him to escape to. It helped a lot during his teens when Jesse got on his nerves or he nursed a broken heart. But he never shared it with anyone until today.

  Her sudden intake of breath clued him in on her reaction.

  “It’s like something from a dream.”

  He tried to see her through her eyes. Cottonwoods formed a large fence to one side while steep cliffs rose up from the other. A waterfall from a natural spring seemed to come from the face of the rock as if brought by magic. The mist from the water often caught the rays from the sun, forming rainbows.

  The banks of the crystal clear pool of water had smooth black boulders forming a nice area to sit and bask in the sun. He removed the lunch from the basket while she stood completely mesmerized by the sight. He took his time, giving her a visual massage while she seemed to memorize everything from the sound of the birds in the trees to the chirping of the squirrels, and the sweet smell of wildflowers mixed with sage.

  Some would call her view captivating, but his was downright hypnotizing.

  “I’m starving, darlin’. If we don’t start eating soon, I’m gonna have to find something else to keep me occupied.”

  She turned, a smile knocking his whole world off-balance.

  Chapter Nine

  She’d never met a man quite like Clint. His eyes held a hunger like nothing she’d ever witnessed. It scared her but thrilled her in a way she couldn’t comprehend. A shiver ran through her body.

  Her clothes were still damp from her earlier swim in the water trough. Clint’s clothes still molded to his body, giving him the appearance of a sexy wet dog. She tried to hide her snort. Her gaze left him and drifted to the lunch spread out before her.

  He really outdid himself. Fresh strawberries, grapes, and sliced apples sat in plastic containers on the left side of the blanket. On the right, several meaty sandwiches formed a pyramid of deliciousness. What surprised her most proved to be the bottle of white wine. He lifted a pair of plastic cups and grinned at her.

  Closing the distance between them, she sat down beside him, unable to hide her amusement while he poured the wine into the flimsy red cup. It couldn’t be more perfect.

  “It looks like today’s gonna be a scorcher.”

  “Yeah, I’m glad since I’m a little chilled.”

  She couldn’t believe they were talking about the weather. She took the offered cup of wine and sipped it, hoping she wouldn’t be greeted by bitterness. Pleasantly surprised by the sweetness, she drank more eagerly.

  “I wasn’t sure what you’d like to eat.”

  “Everything looks good. You did well.”

  He seemed to bask in her praise. She plucked a grape from the bowl and loved the way the juices quelled her thirst. He just kept staring at her as if he couldn’t wait to see what she would do next.

  “I’ve never brought anyone here before. It’s my sanctuary. I’m glad you like it.”

  “Like is an understatement. I think it’s beautiful. I love it.”

  He finished two sandwiches while s
he worked her way through the apple slices. She finished her cup of wine and gazed longingly at the water of the pool. Even though her clothes were only a little damp, she started to feel a little uncomfortable. The sun rested high in the sky beating warm rays down on them.

  Reaching for a strawberry, she stopped when he placed his hand on hers.

  “I would like to feed you, Alexandria. Will you allow it?”

  The request seemed odd to her and a bit intimate. She knew male predators took great pride in providing nourishment for their females, but she didn’t fall under the category of his.

  He must have taken her silence as acceptance because he found the reddest, most perfect strawberry in the bowl and raised it to her lips.

  “Close your eyes.”

  Deciding to trust him, she did as he wanted. Waiting proved to be the hardest with temptation begging her to peek, but she resisted.

  The scent of the fruit drifted closer. Then the tip of the berry traced a seductive path along her bottom lip. Her tongue slipped out to taste it, eliciting a growl from him.

  “Open.”

  Immediately she complied, lost in the sound of his drawl. She bit down, and the nectar filled her mouth. Never had anything tasted so decadent.

  “Mmm… thank you.”

  Opening her eyes, she found him finishing the remainder of his torture device. She wanted him to kiss her. Her breaths quickened while she fought her desire.

  “You’re welcome. You have a little something on your lip.”

  She’d heard of the trick before but if it meant he would kiss her, she’d play along.

  “Here?” Tracing her lip with her finger, she feigned innocence. “No, let me help you.”

  She wanted to shout in triumph but stayed still. Instead of his lips as she hoped, he brought his thumb up and brushed it against the corner of her mouth.

  Frowning, she bit her lip to stop the sensation of his touch from reaping any more havoc on her muddled mind.

  “What’s the matter, Little Cat?”

  “I wanted—never mind.”

  “Tell me what you want.”

  Did she dare tell him the truth? Would it shock him? A little hurt by his rejection, she decided to let the proverbial cat out of the bag.

  “Fine, you want to know what I want? I’ll tell you. I want you to quit playing games. I want to taste you on my lips after I make you come with only my mouth. I want you to fuck me so hard I forget my own name. I want to tremble while you tell me how good it feels to be inside me. I want to be yours, even if it’s just for little while.”

  There—she did it, surprising even herself. It felt good to have it all out in the open. But he said nothing. He didn’t do anything. He just sat there, fisting the blanket.

  Done being humiliated, she shifted and ran. The way the earth felt beneath her paws made everything seem okay. Like the world belonged to her. Nothing could catch her or hurt her. Being at the top of the food chain had its perks.

  She came to a fork on the trail. One way would lead back to main house but the other had too many unexplored possibilities. So she took the path less traveled.

  Letting her panther take the lead, she lost herself to her senses. The smells were crisp and soothing, the sounds of the birds and little creatures scurrying around the plains floor made her feel at peace. They could tell she wasn’t hunting. So they carried on about their business and she hers.

  The path led to a cabin with a porch swing. She recognized it from the photo of a younger Jesse and Clint. It looked small and wholesome a lot like the one Kane blew up. It called to her. She shifted and sat down, giving a little push to send it in motion. Bringing her legs to her chest, she rested her chin on her knees, feeling sorry for herself.

  She could smell Clint all over the swing. The scent was old, but he probably came here often. Curiosity got the best of her. She got up and went to the front door. She knocked, trying to be polite, but just as she suspected it was empty. Opening the door, she smiled at the simplicity of the space.

  A stone fireplace filled almost one whole side of the room, a galley kitchen with just the basics sat on the other. No TV, just books served as the only entertainment. She passed through the room and opened the door to what she expected to be a bedroom. She was right. A king-sized bed with a simple quilt filled the small bedroom.

  Emotionally chilled to the bone, she desperately wanted a shower. Hopefully the little shack would prove to answer her silent plea. Opening one last door, she found her treasure. A shower complete with clean, fluffy towels. She stripped without thinking and jumped in. The water proved to be hot and plentiful. Her thoughts stilled as she let the water wash away her worries.

  Stepping out of the shower, Clint’s scent hit her hard. A strong spice mixed with the normal essence. She didn’t know what she smelled until she opened the door and practically passed out from naked-sexy-wolf overload.

  A fully erect male specimen covered half of the king-sized bed. She had half the mind to drop her towel and make him howl at the moon, but her pride wouldn’t let her.

  Recovering from the sight of his corded muscle, washboard abs, and sex tattoos proved to be a daunting task. She managed, barely. She pretended he wasn’t there, no matter how much her mouth salivated from hunger or how her pussy wept for him. She would not give in. She told him what she wanted, and he didn’t say anything. Now he expected her to just be ready and willing like some horny goat for breeding. Not likely.

  She dug through the dresser, careful to keep her towel firmly in place. It formed a shield between them no matter how ridiculous it seemed. If she lost it she’d humiliate herself and beg him to take her over and over again.

  She found a flannel shirt long enough to serve as a dress. If she hung up her clothes, they would dry, and she could leave.

  “Alexandria.”

  The way he said her name made her toes curl. She fisted the shirt in her hands and spun, retreating to the bathroom. She wanted to cry from frustration. Confusion reared its ugly head, pissing her off even more. Why the hell couldn’t thing be simple? People could meet. Express their interest and then part ways like a business arrangement, both getting something out of the deal with all the boundaries firmly drawn.

  But real life wasn’t like that. It was complicated to the extreme. A woman’s mind would say one thing while her heart would say another. She hated that. She braced herself against the door, trying to wade through all of her feelings.

  She shouldn’t even be having feelings for Clint. They could never be anything permanent, not unless the queen showed up to save the day. That was another reason real life sucked. Happy endings were never given—they had to be earned through blood, sweat, and tears. Disney probably wouldn’t have sold so many movies if they used that as a slogan instead of Happily Ever After.

  The best anyone could hope for was the fleeting moment of bliss, something temporary and precious. Her moment waited on a bed, outside her door. So she made a choice. The practical girl she pictured as her mind just got gagged, tied up with duct tape, and shoved in the trunk of a car by the irrational girl she thought of as her heart.

  She opened the door and dropped her shield.

  “This is how this is going to go. We both are going to get our itch scratched in many ways, but then we are done. I can’t worry about us when I have no idea where I am. Okay?”

  His gaze trailed over her body, lingering on the apex of her thighs. She sauntered closer to the bed easily within his reach and waited.

  “Fine, but you will learn who’s in control here, darlin’. One way or the other.”

  She gasped when he pulled her onto the bed. He flipped her onto her back and pinned her beneath him. Leaning his head forward, he brushed his lips over hers. The touch was soft and gentle, but it shattered her. She dug her fingers into his sandy blond hair and pulled him closer. Her tongue forged its way past his lips to duel with his. She moaned at his addictive taste.

  Her breasts pressed against his chest, c
reating a delicious friction and making her nipples form hard peaks. She molded to his hardness. His hand explored the curve of her side while he ran one from her ribs to her hips around to her bottom. He pulled her up into him, rubbing his erection against her swollen clit.

  Breaking the kiss, he licked and nibbled a path down her jaw to the sensitive flesh of her neck. His teeth nipped at the skin, teasing her with his bite but not fulfilling her desire. She reveled in the feel of his muscular back. She fought her cat and its need to mark him with her claws.

  “I want to taste you.”

  She nodded, eagerly waiting for him to hurry the hell up. She tried to push his head down to where she wanted him most but he growled at her—the nerve of some people.

  “I will not be rushed, Alexandria. You are mine to do with as I will. Now be still.”

  His tongue circled her nipple, driving her lust higher. He nuzzled her breast before sucking her into the heat of his mouth. Her nails dug into his back as she teetered dangerously on the edge of release.

  “Not yet, Little Cat.”

  One more swipe of his wicked tongue would have pushed her over, but he stopped and took his attentions elsewhere. His mouth continued south, stopping to dip into her bellybutton. He nipped her on the dimple of her hip, sending shockwaves straight to her core. She could feel her juices pooling between her legs, readying for him.

  It had been a long time since she was intimate with anyone. The last was her father’s Beta, Carlos. The bastard was a selfish lover, nothing like Clint. She pushed the thoughts out of her head and focused on the effect he had on her body.

  Every muscle and nerve hummed with pleasure. Never had she felt so connected with another person. His broad shoulders pushed her legs open farther to accommodate his large frame. Instinctively she tried to squeeze her legs shut. Being so open to someone, so exposed, made her feel vulnerable. Being vulnerable was never a good thing when you faced a predator. Confession time.

  “I’ve never… I haven’t done this before.” Her face heated as his face seemed to become even more primal.

  “I’m the first to taste you—” he pressed kisses to her inner thighs, dangerously close to where she wanted him to go, “here,” he finished.