“I agree that we might as well pack it all up while we have more muscle.” She had been surprised that Travis had included her as part of the equation. Like Chet, once the mission was taken care of, it was time for her to move on. But she really didn’t want to move on.
“You don’t want to have supper with us?” she asked Chet.
“No. I really need to get moving. Besides, I want to get as far away from here as I can and then put in the call tomorrow about the van in the frozen pond,” Chet said.
“If you ever are down in my area, drop by and see me,” Travis said as they loaded the boxes into the back of the Durango.
“I sure will. Got another case that’s going to take me up north after the holidays though.” Chet shook his hand and then offered his hand to Bridget.
She smiled and pulled him in for a warm hug. “Take care and be safe.”
“You too, Bridget. I’ll be seeing you around.” Chet glanced at Travis. “Keep her safe.”
Travis laughed. “It’s a toss-up. Fifty-fifty.”
Chet laughed, then headed out.
Travis pulled Bridget into his arms.
“Fifty-fifty,” she said.
“Well, if we don’t count you rescuing me from the Christmas Tree Shoppe. Do you want me to make supper?”
“My grandma always said life was too short. Eat dessert first.” Bridget tilted her chin up, waiting for a kiss.
“Hell, I love your grandma. Mine always said to eat our vegetables before we could have dessert.”
Bridget laughed and he leaned down and kissed her. His kiss was slow and deep and possessive. But her answering kiss was every bit as much as she licked and nipped at his mouth, then drew in a breath and kissed him deeply.
His hands slid down her side to her hips, pulling them against his, pressing his steel erection against her belly, proving the attraction between them was again escalating.
She’d never known a cougar like him where she couldn’t read his thoughts, yet his actions revealed just what he was thinking, just where he wanted to go. As long as she was willing. And she was very willing.
It wasn’t just a primal lust between them either. It went deeper than that. The need to share the same space, to be with each other, to love and hold and talk to each other.
He slipped her sweater over her head and tossed it on top of the chest of drawers. She pulled up his shirt then, his hands molding to her breasts, the form-fitting silk the skimpiest of barriers, and she felt the heat of his hands searing her though the bra.
He was beautiful with his smattering of black chest hair trailing down to his jeans, his eyes darkened with desire, his sensuous mouth glistening from where she’d licked there. His hands slid up her arms and took hold of her bra straps. Then he slid them down her arms and kissed her mouth again. His voice was low and warm as he said, “You’re a remarkable woman, Bridget Sinclair.”
“You’re not so bad yourself, Travis MacKay.” Her blood was hot, her heart rate kicked up to triple time as he released her bra and slid it off her. Then his warm mouth trailed kisses down her throat to her right breast, and he licked and kissed the nipple.
She sucked in her breath, her hands in his hair, her body melting against his. He was solid muscle and hot, his mouth returning to hers before he began removing her jeans, and she worked on his belt. Before long, she was wearing just her purple leopard panties, and he was wearing a pair of white boxers. He removed hers and then his own and swept her up in his arms. Then he placed her gently onto the bed. He prowled over her like a sleek, male cat until his naked body was covering hers.
“You want this? Me? Here? Now?” he asked.
She reached between them and cupped his balls. “What do you think?”
He smiled, his heated gaze taking in her very serious expression. “Good, because I was getting ready to beg, and I hate to beg.”
They smiled and they kissed again.
He slid his finger in her tight sheath, and she purred in a growly, needy big cat way, loving the intrusion, craving more. Their pheromones were flaring, kicking up the heat between them.
She couldn’t have been gladder that she’d rescued the hot cougar, never imagining he’d be making the moves on her like this. Or that she would have been encouraging it.
His finger began to stroke her sensitive spot, tantalizing, drawing her up higher into a fever pitch of delicious torment.
“Need protection,” he growled, his face a mask of barely controlled craving.
“We’re covered,” she said, breathlessly, concentrating on his strokes, the way he could lift her up to the heavens.”Ohmigod, faster.” Before he could rub her G-spot faster, she splintered into a million pieces, the climax washing over her in a state of bliss.
“Okay?” he asked, his voice rough and desperate.
She nodded. “Yes, yes. Go. Come. Do it.”
He smiled, though his expression was tight with need. He inserted the head of his glorious cock between her feminine folds, pushing with restraint until he was all the way in and began to kiss her mouth again, his kiss gentle, loving.
“Oh, Travis,” she said, kissing him back, her contractions stroking his erection, “so good. And so wickedly bad.”
Travis smiled against Bridget’s mouth, then thrust his tongue between her lips, and he stoked her tongue with his. She was beautiful as he began to pump into her, unable to just concentrate on the act of sex, but wanting more than just this with her. Her heels rested against his legs, her pelvis rising to meet this thrusts, and he came, driving into her until he was spent.
He rested against her for a moment. The cool air felt good against his hot body, and he just wanted to stay there claiming her like a male cat would a she-cat in his territory.
“Hmm,” she said, wrapping her arms around him as if she were perfectly comfortable with him pinning her to the mattress.
“It’s probably too soon to mention this, but, I sure don’t want this to be a one-night deal with us.”
“Good,” she said, sleepily, smiling, her look tussled and sexy. “Because I was hoping you had more where that came from.”
He moved off her and laid on his side, his hand stroking her soft belly, his expression serious. “Most assuredly. But I mean more than that.”
They cuddled in bed, supper forgotten as he rubbed her arm, listening to the wind howling about the house when Travis got a text and smiled. “Chet’s at a hotel, had supper, and wished us well.”
“He’s sweet. But he’s not you.”
“For which I’m truly thankful. And by the way, I accept your application to work with our field office in Yuma Town.”
She smiled at him. “Oh yeah? When did I apply?”
“When you rescued me from the Christmas Tree Shoppe. It was the perfect test to see if you were cut out for the job. The on-the-job part of the application process had a perfect score.”
“Ahh.”
“We make a good team, undercover and otherwise.”
She smiled.
“We needed to hire more agents for the field office. And you’d be perfect. Better than perfect.”
“Even though I’m a woman.”
“That’s what makes you so perfect.”
She raised a brow, her mouth curving up a hint.
He tightened his hold on her and let out his breath. He wasn’t about to let her go.
“So you want me to come work with your field office.”
“With me. As a couple. An agent couple.”
“All benefits?”
He smiled and kissed her. “The best benefits.”
“So I keep you safe and you…”
“Keep you satisfied.”
She laughed. “Ready for supper?”
When they went into the kitchen, they saw a sprig of mistletoe hanging in the entryway, the fragrance like the woodsy scent of pine trees. Bridget looked at Travis. “Did you—”
“Not me.”
“Chet,” they both said at the same time.<
br />
Bridget pulled Travis into her arms and said, “It’s bad luck not to give in to tradition.”
“I would never want to risk that. And I’m all for tradition.”
They kissed, long and hard, then pulled away. “We’ll have to thank Chet for his Christmas gift,” she said.
“Agreed.”
They cooked steaks, baked potatoes, and broccoli, and Travis poured wine into wine glasses.
“Yes, I left them out just to celebrate completing our mission.” She could tell he was pondering why she didn’t leave three glasses unpacked.
“You figured Chet would leave?” Travis asked.
“Let’s just say I read his mind.”
“You’re good then. I was clueless.”
She knew someday she’d have to tell Travis the truth if they continued to be close like this. She hoped it wouldn’t be a problem between them. She was certain Chet had revealed his intentions to her on purpose because he kept thinking about how he was going to leave that night so she and Travis could have the time alone to get to know each other. She appreciated Chet for it. “So if I took the job, what would the living arrangements be?” She began cutting into her juicy steak, glad Travis liked his just as tender.
“We have an office-combo agent’s house, two-story with three bedrooms, kitchen, two and a half baths, all newly renovated. Leyton Hill, the field office director, bought it. But for a time, if we want to stay there, we can. We have our offices in the main living area, kitchen, patio and gardens, the three bedrooms and two full baths upstairs. Leyton married Dr. Kate Parker and moved in with her this summer. Right now, he and I are the only two working there. He’s the boss, so he hands out assignments, but he goes on just as many missions. Since I already closed on this house, we can buy our own place.”
“Don’t you think this is going a little too fast?”
“Hell, no. So will you take the job?”
She smiled. “I can ask if Chuck will give me a leave of absence to test it out. See if I’d like working for Leyton.”
“You’ll love working with him and with me.”
She smiled. “No pressure, right? Okay, I’ll do it. As for the house arrangement, we’ll see. I have a home in Ely and—”
“Minnesota?”
“Yeah. Why?”
“One of our deputy sheriffs is from there. Stryker Hill. Do you know him?”
“Yeah. We dated. I can’t believe he’s in Yuma Town. A deputy sheriff? I figured he’d be in jail someday, not running it though.”
Travis didn’t look real happy about it.
“Don’t worry. We dated, broke up, and—”
“You were going steady?”
She laughed. “As steady as fifteen-year-olds could be. He was wild, a cougar, and I liked that about him. But only when I was fifteen.”
“He has a puppy,” Travis said, morosely.
Bridget smiled. “I love puppies, but I doubt that would make me change my mind about him. We were two different people back then.”
She mashed up her baked potato and topped it with butter, sour cream, and chives. She couldn’t believe that Travis would worry about her with an old flame, even if that old flame was her heartthrob when she was only a teen. “So, what makes you think I might want to hook up with him?”
“He’s a nice guy. He might have been wild in his youth, but he’s a great deputy. And Leyton, our boss, should you decide to take the job with the field office in Yuma Town, is his twin brother. They only just learned of the connection.”
“Omigod, that’s so wonderful. I bet they’re both thrilled.”
“They’re working on it. Stryker was kind of hopeful something might work out between him and Kate, the doc, but Leyton stole her heart.”
“Oh. Poor Stryker.” Bridget poked at her broccoli. “Well, I like the idea of working with you some more on covert operations. We’ll just have to see how it will all work out.”
They finished supper, cleaned up, and then headed for bed.
“So when will we leave here?” she asked.
“After the rental shop picks up the furniture.”
“That means spending Christmas here.” Bridget sighed. “I hadn’t really thought much about where I’d be spending Christmas.”
“Kind of sucks, doesn’t it? No tree. No lights. No Christmas decorations. No presents to open.”
They both glanced at the naughty elves and angels on the counter and the mistletoe in the kitchen entryway.
“You know, Christmas is all about the joy of sharing. That’s it. You share your bed with me, since I packed your stuff in the bedding from the guestrooms and that works for me.”
“You got me presents. I didn’t get you anything,” he said, kissing her all over again.
“We’re good. Unless you insist on making it up to me later.”
“I insist.” He swept her up in his arms and carried her off to bed, and she knew the kind of present she wanted from him all over again.
It was dark and snowing, the wind still howling as Travis set her on the mattress. He flicked on the brass lamp next to the bed, but the light immediately went out and the room was plunged into blackness again.
Chapter 6
The ice and wind might have taken down electric lines and knocked out the power. Or it could be something more ominous.
“Guns or fur?” Bridget asked in a hushed voice, bolting from the bed and heading for the hallway. Normally, she wouldn’t have asked. But since she had a veteran partner, she wanted to know which way he thought they should go.
“Guns,” he whispered back. “If we have trouble, they’ll be human. Most likely.” He was leading the way.
She “listened” intently for any signs that anyone was thinking something close by. They’d have to be right outside, or she couldn’t hear their thoughts, if anyone was out there. The wind was whipping about so wildly, it was wreaking havoc with their sensitive cougar hearing. She figured the only way to pinpoint if anyone was truly out there was to use her psychic senses.
Then she touched Travis’s shoulder. “What if the lightbulb just burned out?”
He paused. “Shit.”
She smiled, hoping that’s all that had happened. But they couldn’t risk it if someone had come to take them out. Maybe whoever ran down Travis’s license plate numbers?
He moved away from her and whispered, “Flipping a switch on in the dining room to see if the electric is really on in the house. Stay back.”
She hesitated then, her gun ready.
She could barely make him out with her cat’s night vision. If humans tried to break in and kill them in the dark, they’d have to use flashlights or night vision gear.
The sound of the light switch being flipped up caught her attention. No light.
“Moving to the front window to see if any security lights are on,” he said, his voice hushed. “Stay where you are.”
“Wait.” She thought she caught the thoughts of someone by the front window.
Better be a big damn Christmas bonus for this, the man thought.
“One by the living room window,” she whispered to Travis.
Thankfully, Travis didn’t ask her how come she believed that.
Someone crunched on ice on the back patio. “Back patio too. Do you have the castle doctrine in Wyoming?” With the cougars, they just had to terminate them. But with humans, they had to do this by the law.
“Yeah. We may use deadly force on intruders in defense of our person, property, or abode or to prevent injury to another.”
“This should count. Too bad we have to let them break-in first. I hate to have to clean up all over again.”
“You and me both. We don’t need to shoot to kill. Just disable them nicely and then call the cops. As long as they’re human, no problem.”
“Okay, sounds good. What if we call the wrong cops? Or, what if these are the bad cops working for Rambo?” She still wished they could take care of this outside of the home.
“No one’s warning us they’re cops. They won’t have a warrant.”
The window broke in the back door and one of the front window panes at the same time.
“Damn it,” Travis said under his breath.
Bridget was thinking Travis might forgo the use of subduing force and go for deadly now that he was going to have to replace windows.
The lock clicked open on the back door. “Getting him,” she said to Travis.
“Got the one out front when he moves inside.”
More glass breaking and then the two men rushed into the house, another following behind the one coming in the door.
She fired shots at both of them and both shouted curses and then she jumped behind the wall for cover.
Travis fired three shots in rapid succession in the direction of the front window and someone hit the floor with a grunt.
Travis moved back toward her, the other men breathing heavily, one holding his stomach, remaining in the dining room, the other starting to move into the living room.
No one said a word, but she listened to their thoughts. The man near the front window was thinking: I’m going to die, damn it. I’m going to die.
He repeated it as a mantra while the one man was in pain and was thinking: Got to finish this before he kills me.
She wondered if he meant them or Rambo, if he was the one who hired them for the hit.
A cell phone vibrated in the man’s pocket as he moved toward them. Humans wouldn’t be able to hear the vibrating noise, but she and Travis did. Both fired at the sound, and the man cried out and went down.
The other stumbled toward the back door.
“Let him go or detain him?” She wasn’t sure if they shot him inside, but if he died outside they’d still be all right.
“I’ll take care of him. Be right back.”
A smack, a man cried out, and a thud sounded as someone hit the floor.
She waited for Travis to return, not about to reveal her position if someone was still hoping to gun them down.
Someone was moving around and she remained quiet. Then someone started to move toward her. “Still there?” Travis asked.
Relief filled her. “Yeah. What do we do now?” Normally, she would have called her boss, but with a bunch of wounded men in the place, she couldn’t tell him they’d taken down a bunch of humans.
Alphas Unwrapped: 21 New Steamy Paranormal Tales of Shifters, Vampires, Werewolves, Dragons, Witches, Angels, Demons, Fey, and More Page 123