She refused to lean the few millimeters that separated them. She wanted to be kissed, not do the kissing. It’d been too long since someone wanted her enough to be the aggressor. For once in her life she wanted to feel needed, craved. The feather-light touch of Ian’s mouth against hers was unbearably erotic. His warm exhale skimmed her cheek, raising goose bumps down her neck. One heartbeat slid to another and he hadn’t touched her. She opened her eyes and found him watching her. His stormy eyes almost glowed with tension. The look was enough to make her melt against his chest.
That must have been acceptance or incentive enough, because he finally closed the space between them, capturing her lips. His hands slid into her hair, wrapping strands around his fingers, holding her firmly in place as he slanted his mouth over hers. She sighed, giving him an invitation to deepen the kiss, but he didn’t invade her mouth the way she expected. His lips made love to hers, moving slowly, tasting and nibbling. His breath mingled with hers, sensual and intimate. She panted with arousal and all he’d done was touch his lips to hers.
Her hands wandered over his strong shoulders, pulling him closer. He was so warm under her hands, and hard, so hard. The shirt did little to cover his sculptured muscles and they moved under her hands as she raked her nails over his back. Anything to entice him to deepen the kiss, to twine his tongue with hers. She’d never craved an invasion as much as she did at that moment. She truly thought she’d die a painful, passion-induced death if he didn’t suck her tongue into his mouth.
Cammie was beyond caring that she was acting like a wanton woman. She wanted to taste him, to have his flavor imbedded in her memory. Finally, after a lifetime of waiting, his mouth slid open and time stood still. Nothing had prepared her for what it would be like to be possessed, mind and body, by a man like Ian. He didn’t make her wait, didn’t take his time. His tongue invaded like he was storming the gates of a castle, fast and with reckless abandon. A growl vibrated in his chest as he tightened his grip in her hair and overtook her mouth. A tickle started in her toes, distracting her slightly from the kiss. She tried to ignore it, but the feeling started intensifying. Pushing on his chest caught his attention enough for him to pull back. They were both gasping for air. The look in his eyes told her exactly how close his animal was. The gray had changed to beautiful amber. He scowled slightly.
“You’re waking up. Damn, I’d hoped for a little more time.” The whispered words barely registered in her mind. The woods had faded and were starting to look foggy. He tugged her chin until she was staring into those gorgeous eyes. “I will see you again, I promise.”
Once his words were uttered, he stood her up and, before she could respond, he vanished. Just like that, he was gone. She looked around and sighed, muttering to herself. “Shit. I give in, and this is what I get. One fantastic kiss that is going to haunt me forever.”
The next moment she was rolling over in her bed and found herself snuggled against a large, warm body. A screech bubbled up into her throat and her eyes popped open. Adrenaline rushed through her system, speeding her breath and heart rate. Her brain registered the fact that it was just the wolf on her bed before the rest of her could. She struggled to calm her breathing as she scrambled off the bed, clutching the sheet to her naked chest.
“What the hell? Titan, get down. Bad pup. What are you doing up here?” She knew her voice was too loud and shrill, but she was still dealing with her body’s ‘fight or flight’ response. She watched the animal slowly raise his head and stare at her. His look was so close to a smirk she was ready to throw him outside. With a glare, pointed finger, and a deeper voice she gave him a stern order. “Get. Down.”
Chapter Six
Ian couldn’t help the smile that pulled up his lip. She was so adorable. She stood, like a pixie, wrapped in a cream colored sheet. Pink cheeks and heaving breasts drew him as a male and as a predator. A slight coating of fear tainted the air, but it was tempered by the sleepy warmth still radiating from the bed. He wanted to roll on the sheet to cover himself with her scent, embed it into his fur so it would linger for days.
There was something about this female that drew his animal as much as she drew the man. Sleeping on her bed had been heavenly. The floor, even with a throw rug, had been hard on his body. His back leg throbbed while it healed and his ribs ached with each breath. After she’d fallen asleep he’d slowly climbed onto the bed with her. She hadn’t even moved. When he was settled and just about to fall asleep she started whimpering.
The sound was pained and fearful. He hadn’t even thought about it before he drove himself into her dream. The alpha blood that flowed through his body, wanted or not, allowed him to dream-share. He hadn’t used the skill in a long time, but he just couldn’t sit by while she was frightened. When he’d stepped into that clearing and caught a look of her, silhouetted by the sunset, he was struck by her perfection. She was beautiful in the little sundress. It was like she wrapped a sunrise around her body and it clung sensually to her curves. He’d wanted to wrap around her as well, after stripping that dress over her head. She didn’t want anything to do with it, though. He would have laughed if the whole dream-walk hadn’t given him a set of blue balls.
Emotionally, he ached for this woman. She couldn’t give in and be intimate in her dreams because she was afraid it would plunge her into depression? What the hell was her supposed boyfriend doing with her if a simple kiss seemed so new to her? He wanted to rip the guy’s arms off and feed them to the coyotes. What kind of man beats his female and doesn’t even have the decency to make her feel wanted the rest of the time? He absolutely didn’t condone hitting a woman, not at all. The man deserved to have his bell rung a few times just for that. But to have a sensual woman like Cammie, and not treat her like the princess she was?
He was dragged from his thoughts by a feather pillow bouncing off the bed inches from him. He whipped his head around and found her standing at the foot of the bed, still clutching the sheet, but now carrying one of her pillows. She looked pissed. He so wanted to kiss her for being so cute.
“I said, get down. You are being so bad this morning. Titan, get down. I’ll bribe you with breakfast if you get off my bed.” Her voice changed to a coo. “Come on, big boy. Come on. I’ll make you more eggs if you come with me.”
He couldn’t stand it anymore. He slowly rose, stretching his aching muscles. He thumped onto the carpet when he jumped off her bed. He watched her back away a few paces. Shaking his head with the craziness of the situation he approached her, head down, submissive. He hated the fear that floated on the air. Ian thought she was adorable when angry, but seeing her fearful hurt his heart.
As slowly as he could he walked to her shaking form. When he was within touching distance he leaned forward and bumped her thigh with his head. A sigh of contentment whooshed from his parted lips when her fingers wound through his fur. Leaning a little heavier into her leg he shuddered when she chuckled deep in her chest. The sound was like an aphrodisiac, wrapping around his spine and pushing him to shift to human form. He kept the need under control, but he still suffered the burn, starting in his limbs.
All it would take was a single moment and he could have her in his arms. He sighed again. She’d run, screaming from him, though, if he shifted now. He needed to wait until he was fully healed and approach her in human form.
“Come on, sleepy. Let’s go get some breakfast.” She turned, running her hand over his head one more time and then heading for the bathroom. She dropped the sheet just before entering the room and he couldn’t stop his yelp of surprise. She turned, giving him a quizzical look and a full frontal view of her perfect breasts. His control nearly slipped. Her nipples were pink and contracted, pointing directly at him, begging to be licked. He groaned and dropped to the floor, burying his face under his paws. She was a temptress and didn’t even know it. He wasn’t sure he’d survive another day with her without doing something really stupid, like shifting and ravaging her.
“Oh, honey, are you
in pain?” He swore he wasn’t going to lift his head, wasn’t going to stare for another second at her round breasts or her ample thighs. Testosterone and other manly things overrode his brain. He found himself soaking in her body and wincing at the quick spike in arousal. Why was he torturing himself? Because you’re an idiot. He shook his head and tried to close his eyes, really he did, but it just wouldn’t happen. His optic nerves wanted to caress her, wanted to compare the amount of light shining from her beautiful skin with the softer light shining in her eyes. You, my dear boy, are besotted.
He watched her round ass sashay as she went into the bathroom and close the door. He’d never been so thankful that he couldn’t open doors in wolf form. He needed a moment to collect himself and separate the feelings of his wolf from those of the man. Both halves seemed to want her, but the wolf was starting to scare him. His furry side wanted to mark her, lick her, and treat her like his mate.
Those were bad things for his animal to be craving. Once the wolf found the one he wanted as a mate it was hard to change his mind. At least the man half of his personality understood that this was just a temporary situation. He knew they weren’t living with their mate, sharing the bed because they loved each other. His wolf, on the other hand, didn’t seem to understand that she wasn’t their mate. Yet. There wasn’t anything he could do about it right at the moment. He was stuck in wolf form for another few hours and, until he could shift and take control of his wolf again, they’d have to agree to disagree.
He wandered down the stairs, unsure he could handle seeing her naked again without acting very badly for a wolf. He took the opportunity to sniff around her other rooms. He wasn’t searching for the scent of her boyfriend, nope, wasn’t doing that at all. What surprised him was the total lack of any other scents. The vet’s smell was in the kitchen and the laundry room from the night before, but the rest of the house was clean. She either didn’t invite people into her home, or she didn’t have anyone to invite. He listened to her move around above him. He envisioned her dressing, covering that beautiful body with clothes. It didn’t take long for her to come clomping down the stairs. She looked around until she found him, then she smiled. God, he wanted that smile gracing her lips when he was in human form.
“I’m glad you made it down the stairs okay. Want to go out for a minute? Hmm? Then I’ll make breakfast.” She turned to wander toward the front door. She stopped and waited, grinning while he followed her. “You’re moving much better this morning. I’m really glad you’re okay. I was worried.
He waited for her to open the door and then rushed out, muzzle in the air, sniffing for danger. He couldn’t have her outside if there was something wrong. When there wasn’t a single smell out of place it eased his mind. He kept waiting for the coyotes to track him to her house, but perhaps they would stay away because she was human. Although if they weren’t drunk maybe they would see the stupidity in attacking him.
As quickly as he could, he headed into the woods behind her house. He needed to relieve himself and get his head in the game. As he wandered silently through the trees he thought about how stupid he’d been. He’d paid for his mistake by being kicked out of his pack. The price for a single night of sex with the wrong female had been steep, but he’d known the consequences if someone found out. Of course, he hadn’t thought about her using him against the Alpha.
The Alpha’s mate had seduced him, plied him with beer and naked breasts. Yes, he’d given in and fucked her. It hadn’t been nice, soft or romantic. They’d tripped over each other, pawing at clothes and stripping off only the important clothing for a quick coupling. He’d taken her in the bar’s bathroom, against the wall. When they were done she’d pulled her pants back on, patted him on the cheek and strutted out the door.
It had only taken two days for the Alpha’s visit. Two days of waiting, knowing that he had made one of the worst mistakes of his life. Being banished was supposed to be the end of the punishment. He should have known that pack members would follow his progress across the country and share his little misdeed with any shifters within driving distance of his new home. He’d felt like the harassment was acceptable, even if it was over the top. But to attempt to kill him was beyond the law. Yes, he’d fucked the pack’s Alpha-mate. It was the first time he’d ever lain with a mated female though, and he definitely wouldn’t be doing it again.
His thoughts came full circle and he worried once again about Cammie and her involvement with him. If he was targeted by the regional pack she was in danger. Perhaps it was time he stepped up and met with the Alpha of the area. He’d thought to avoid that meeting for a while, but it seemed fate was pushing his actions again. The Alpha could very well tell him he had to leave. Ian had hoped to have a decent business going by the time he needed to meet the coyote that ran the pack.
There wasn’t anything he could do about it now. He needed to heal, shift and get back to his own home before he could make any type of decisions. He walked back to Cammie’s house, winded and sore from his little wandering walk. The weakness he felt scared him, but if the injuries were as grave as he thought they’d been he was surprised he was doing so well already. He’d lie low today and hopefully would be able to shift later.
* * * * *
Cammie sat on the steps just as she’d done the night before. She leaned back until she was resting her elbows on the deck. The morning was beautiful and soothed her mind, but she was still tired and anxious. Being up with the critter now wandering around her yard had broken into her sleep. At least the bruising around her eye looked a lot better this morning. There would still be discolored areas, but the swelling had gone down. She could use makeup to cover the ugly skin, but there wouldn’t have been anything she could do about the swelling. Her lip was better and only pulled a little if she smiled. The ache in her ribs was slightly better, but each breath still hurt. She’d be tender for a few days, but all in all she’d come out of the fight with minimal damage.
She just needed to decide what she was going to do now. She couldn’t go back to him, that was for sure. The loneliness was already starting to creep into her mind. What was she going to do without someone to see each night? You need to get out and find some girlfriends, Cammie-girl. She sighed. Friends meant putting roots down, opening up, talking about herself. Perhaps that was why she’d stayed with Ron for so long. He was needy and didn’t ask questions. She could be with him and know he was never going to pry about her father, her past, nothing. Yes, he’d held her when she cried, but he’d not really been into talking about why she cried.
Her mind crept back to the man in her dream. She knew that he was just a dream, knew he wasn’t real, but she could have sworn she smelled him in the sheet she’d wrapped around herself earlier. Her lips still tingled from the touch of his. Nothing she’d ever dreamed was this clear and close to the surface. Dreams tended to be smoky and hazy for her, fading quickly once she woke. Not this one. This dream had her all twisted up inside, hot and wet. Ian. She sighed.
She scoffed at herself and rose from the steps. She had things to do today and she couldn’t sit around waiting for her wounded wolf to come wandering back. She’d leave the door open and he could come in when he was ready. She brushed imaginary dirt from her jeans as she strode up the steps.
When she entered the laundry room she noticed a bandana laying on the floor next to the blanket bed she’d made for him. She’d totally forgotten that he’d been wearing the bandana last night. Perhaps there would be owner information on it. A twinge of regret coursed through her. Stupid. You know he has an owner. It’s not like you can keep him. She’d fallen so quickly into enjoying the animal’s company that she really didn’t want to give him up. He gave her someone to talk to, to keep the loneliness at bay. She flipped the blood-stained rag around, checking the seams for a tag or permanent marker. Nothing. She tried to keep the grin off her face. You aren’t supposed to get attached.
She agreed with her internal thoughts, but it meant she could keep him
another day, maybe more. If an owner didn’t come forward she definitely would be keeping him, even if he did scare her sometimes. He was just so big, and those intelligent eyes reacted so differently than a dog would to things. She would swear that he grinned earlier when she was trying to get him off her bed.
She left the door open and quickly cleaned up the laundry room floor. There was still blood and dirt everywhere. A mop and some bleach-water did the trick, washing away the gore from the night before. She looked at the bed and figured she’d leave it in case he wanted to nap there. He’d end up in her room again, she was sure, for the night.
Before heading into the kitchen she peeked outside to see if he was hanging around the porch, but she didn’t see the wolf. She shrugged and went to make breakfast. Maybe the smell of eggs and bacon would draw him back home. Home? Oh, Cammie-girl, don’t get attached or you’ll be heartbroken when the owners come to get him.
Chapter Seven
Cammie looked out the window for the millionth time, searching her yard for a sign of her wolfy friend. Did he run off now that he was better? Perhaps he could sniff his way back home. She felt conflicted. Should she go looking for him or just let nature takes its course and let him go? With a sigh she turned from the window and started plating her breakfast. If he came back there would be food for him and if not she had something to warm up later for lunch. Sitting at her table felt strange without someone else there with her. She usually ate in the living room, on her favorite chair, but she didn’t want the wolf to come in and not find her. She snorted and mumbled under her breath.
Accidentally Yours (Coyote Bluff Series Book 1) Page 6