by Unknown
“Seriously. I think I’d look good in purple chiffon.”
“Zachary.”
“Uh-oh, soon she’ll use my full name. Then I’ll be in trouble.”
She glared down at him. “Don’t make me strangle you in your sleep.” She held out her hand. “Gimme.”
“No.”
“Don’t make me take it from you.”
“It’s not like I’m chewing on it or anything.”
“Do I need to take away your hall pass?”
“I’m not sure I can hold it that long.”
Damn it, she was beginning to veer toward laughing. “Show me your fucking hand or I’ll tell Roland you want Ari to bear your babies.”
He held out his hand.
“The other one.”
He grimaced and gave her his injured hand.
Jo began to peel off the leather glove. She did her best to be careful, but his hand still twitched in hers. She could see sweat beading on his upper lip. “Sorry.”
He nodded but didn’t speak.
The glove came off, and she got her first good look at his hand. “Oh, Zach.” She carefully ran her finger down the reddened flesh, traced the line of a Hecate’s Wheel branded into his palm. His fingers were swollen, the joints enflamed, the flesh reddened and barely healed. None of the burns were open or weeping, but she didn’t think it had been all that long since they had.
It had to hurt like hell. She wanted to cry for him.
And he’d been in class like this? Trying to make people smile and laugh, fucking up and making Bambi eyes at her?
Shit. She wanted to kiss it and make it better. Then kiss him and make it all better.
“It’s not that bad.”
She looked into his eyes and knew he was lying. She marveled over the fact that he could cast spells at all while in this amount of pain. It said something about the inner core of strength he had. “Let me help.”
“Jo—”
“Please.”
Those blue eyes bored into her. It was like he could see all the way to her soul.
And she let him.
She didn’t know what he saw, but his lips compressed and he nodded.
She felt damn near dizzy with relief. She knew she couldn’t heal him completely, but she could take some of the pain away. “Can the wound be bathed?”
“Yes.”
“Good.” She sighed. “Gen?”
“Hmm?”
“You’d better come with us.” Because if she left the blonde here the Becketts would eat her.
Tempting, but, no.
Chapter Eight
Zach watched the two women dance around his brother’s kitchen. Lana pointed to things but stood back, muttering to herself while Jo and Gen gathered what they needed. Something about the looks Gen kept shooting his way was beginning to worry him. It was almost as if she was expecting something from him and was preparing herself for it.
When they were done gathering their items Zach had a rough idea of what they were planning, and a few ideas on how to improve it.
Jo faced them, her arms full of flower petals, herbs and a big wooden spoon. “Workroom?”
Zach blanched. He couldn’t let Jo see the workroom. “Sorry, there’s a spell in progress that can’t be disturbed.”
She shrugged. “So?”
Lana pointed before he could stop her. “This way.”
Zach groaned silently and followed the women. From the look on Lana’s face she wanted the two to see Zach’s spell. Why?
He studied Jo’s ass swaying beneath the dark denim of her jeans and almost moaned. Fuck, she looked good, despite the bandage on her head. And how vile was it that he was thinking all sorts of X-rated thoughts while she was hurt?
Come to think of it… “Should you be spellcasting with a concussion?”
Jo flipped her hair over her shoulder. “I know what I’m doing.”
“That’s what you thought when you tried to break into my house.”
“You tried to break into someone’s home?” Gen shook her head. “That’s wrong, Johra.”
Jo snarled.
Zach bit his lip to keep from laughing. Damn, Daniel was right about one thing, Genevieve was uptight, almost to the point of sainthood. “She prefers to be called Jo.”
Gen shrugged, the gesture odd on her elegant shoulders. “Very well.”
Lana opened the doors to the workroom. “Enter at your own risk.”
Jo didn’t even break stride. Gen was swift on her heels.
Zach hung back. “I’m not sure I’m willing to take that risk.”
Lana shoved him in and slammed the door shut.
“I love you too, sis!” he shouted through the door. He turned back to find the two women, so different yet equally beautiful, staring at him. “What?”
They exchanged one of those scary female looks that always made him want to hide under a bed. “Come here, Zach.”
Zach shuffled forward before he even knew what he was doing.
“Jo?” Gen’s tone was thoughtful, her head cocked as she studied the workroom altar through amused eyes.
“Hmm? Zach, give me your hand.”
“Have you seen this spell?”
Oh shit. “Here.” He shoved his hand practically up Jo’s nose.
“Thanks.” She frowned at him before putting it over the basin Gen had carried in. “I think…”
That was when she saw it. The two candles touching one another. The emerald ring. The ash in the bottom of the cauldron. And under it all the Hecate’s Wheel he’d painstakingly laid out. “What is this?”
“The spell I told you was active?”
Jo glared at him. He gave her his best innocent grin.
He could tell she wasn’t buying it, not for a minute.
“Excuse me for a moment. We forgot the rose petals.” Gen left the room on silent feet, amazing considering the four-inch heels she was wearing.
“Ow!” Zach rubbed his head with his good hand. “Why did you smack me upside the head?”
Jo shrugged. “Pay attention to the spellwork, not Gen’s ass.”
He blinked. He hadn’t been staring at Gen’s ass, fine work of art though it was. He’d much rather stare at Jo’s.
She stroked her finger once more across the Wheel burned into his flesh. He shuddered, need racking him once more. The pain receded, to be replaced by a different kind of pain.
Fuck, he needed her. His wolf howled its approval of their mate.
Zach’s eyes widened. Oh no. He had to keep his wolf from claiming Jo or all hell would break loose. He still wasn’t sure he hadn’t cast a love spell on her.
Hell. Maybe he’d cast one on himself, too. Was his heart supposed to beat this hard just because she’d touched him so gently?
“What’s this?”
Her free hand reached out to touch the emerald ring.
“No!” Zach grabbed it just as she touched it.
Warmth flowed up his arm, twining around them both like a sleek silken rope, binding them together. He could feel the spell settle inside himself, knew by her indrawn breath that she felt the same. His cock was so hard he felt like he would burst with the slightest breath.
Shit. Definitely not a love spell. He was ensnared just as much as she was now. The spell recognized the one person meant to be his love, twined his essence with hers, leaving him open and vulnerable to anything she cared to do to him. If she left him, he would die.
He was so fucking screwed it wasn’t even funny.
“What the hell is that?” He watched her lick her lips and fucking moaned. “Zach?”
She was looking up at him, lust blazing across her face. He knew what he was going to do, what the consequences would more than likely be. But he couldn’t leave either of them like this. “I’m so sorry, Jo.”
Her eyes went wide as his lips slammed down across hers.
He tried to be gentle with her, the gods knew he did, but he’d been dying inside without her. The feel of her in h
is arms, her mouth on his, her breasts against his chest, was too much for him.
He was going to have her, right here, right now.
He lifted her up until her ass rested on the edge of the worktable. He stepped between her spread legs and buried his hand in her hair. Without thought he pulled, tilting her until her mouth was at the perfect angle for his kiss.
Her nails dug into his shoulders and he waited for the shove he knew was coming.
It didn’t. Instead she shocked the hell out of him and pulled him closer.
That was it. That was all she wrote for one Zachary Beckett. He was a doomed man, and he knew it.
He reached down to feel the weight of her breast in his palm. The soft mound was more than enough to please him, the nipple hard against his fingers. He tore his mouth from hers and began tugging at her shirt. “Jo.”
“Yes.”
He shivered. He never thought he’d hear her say that.
When she yanked her shirt off and dropped it to the floor he nearly followed it. She was magnificent, all bronzed skin covered in green satin. He was dying to see her out of the green bra, to free her breasts and feast on their bounty. “Fuck, Jo. You’re exquisite.”
She bit her lip, her look uncertain. “What are we doing?”
He lifted his gaze from her breasts and met her worried eyes. “What do you think?”
If she asked him to stop, if she wanted him to walk away, he would. He’d die once he was out the door, but he’d do it for her.
He’d do anything for her.
She sat up and tugged at the edges of his shirt. “You’re younger than me.”
His eyebrows rose. “My father is three years younger than my mother.”
“You’re my student.”
No way in hell was she using that as an excuse. “Consider yourself fired.”
She glared at him. “I’m a damn good teacher.”
He nodded. She was. She truly cared about her students, even him. “You’re the best.”
That seemed to mollify her.
He cupped her cheek with his good hand. “I need you, Jo. You have no idea how badly I need you.”
She closed her eyes and nuzzled her cheek into his palm. “This is so hard, to know the right thing to do.”
The right thing would be to put her shirt back on her and shove her out the door. The right thing would be to curl up in the corner and let himself go. He was going to die, he knew that now. There was no way Jo would accept someone like him long-term, and without that, the spell would never be complete. Zach’s life would be forfeit, the curse fulfilled.
“Be with me.” If he could have her just once, it would make letting her go all the harder, but he’d have a sweet memory to carry into the dark with him.
At least he’d remembered not to ask for her love.
She was biting that full lip of hers again. Zach gently removed it from between her teeth and kissed the minute hurt.
“Yes.”
Zach closed his eyes and thanked the Gods for small mercies. “Thank you.”
“Zach?”
He could hear the uncertainty in her voice still, and it was driving him insane. “I’ll take care of you, Jo.”
“What…?” She was watching him with an unnerved expression as he stalked to the workroom door and locked it.
“We don’t want to be interrupted, right?”
She bit her lip, but he doubted she was upset. Not when she removed her bra, tossing it on the floor with a scorching look. All that he could see was Jo, her eyes hot, her breasts begging for his touch. “You’ll never regret this.”
She smiled, and he did melt for her. “I know.”
He reached out and plucked one dusky nipple, earning himself the sweetest moan. “You have no idea what this means to me.” And she never would. He would keep it from her and swear his brothers to secrecy.
She would never know she was his mate.
Jo reached behind her, propping herself up and pushing her breasts up for the amazing man in front of her. She could hear the low growls in his throat, see the feral heat in his eyes, and knew he was holding back the animal inside him with difficulty. She kicked her shoes off and tried to hide the grin trying to break free.
Who knew being mauled by a werewolf would be so hot?
“Fuck, Jo.”
She nodded. Yes. Fuck Jo.
She fucking whimpered when he pulled her nipple into his hot mouth, the suction so strong she felt it between her thighs. “Oh God, Zach.” His erection throbbed behind the zipper of his jeans, hard enough that she could feel it through her own.
She reached up and wrapped one hand around the back of his neck, needing to feel skin beneath her palm.
Her heart stopped. Her big, bad werewolf trembled under her touch. She’d never had anyone quiver from such a simple stroke. But Zach wasn’t like anyone she’d ever met before in her life.
I am so screwed. There was no way she could go back to keeping him out of her life, her heart, after this.
She had a lot of things to make up for, starting now.
“Hold on.”
The low growl reverberated through her. She clasped both hands around his neck.
Zach lifted her up off the table, ripped her jeans down her legs and tossed them over his shoulder.
“Eep.”
He lifted his head from the valley of her breasts. Very little of the human she knew was left in Zach’s blue eyes. They practically glowed with desperate need, incalculable want.
With…
Nah. No way was she seeing that. Not after the way she’d treated him.
She’d have to work on that. If what she was feeling was real, if she wanted to keep Zachary Beckett, she’d have to make sure he needed her as much as she now knew she needed him.
“Kiss me, Zach.” Okay, so it was a cop-out. She didn’t want to have to look in his eyes and see something she was sure wasn’t really there.
He did, storming her mouth like a conquering invader, taking it, making it his own. His hand fisted once more in her hair, holding her, giving her the oddest sense that, no matter what, she was protected.
And how fucked up was that? She’d never had that particular kink before. No other man had ever been allowed to do that.
But with Zach, she already craved it, knew he wouldn’t abuse it as so many others might.
His hand slipped under the edge of her panties, stroking her slit, making her gasp into his mouth. He hummed in approval, the sound sending a shudder through her.
She let go of the nape of his neck and reached for the zipper of his jeans. She needed to feel him in her hands, know how hot and hard he was for her. She wanted to know if he was cut or not. She wanted to feel him slipping between her fingers, slick with want. She wanted him inside her so badly she could taste it.
And still he kissed her, fucking her with his tongue, letting her fumble with his zipper. He moaned, thrusting into her palm before she had his pants completely down.
When he finally popped out of them she sighed with relief. Then she got her first good feel of Zachary Beckett’s cock.
Oh. My. God.
Hard, hot, soft and silky smooth, he felt like heaven. Her fingers could barely close over his girth. She jerked him up and down, testing his length, more than pleased by the response she got.
One hard finger thrust inside her, fucking into her, his palm grinding against her clit while his ravishing kiss went on and on.
She wanted to beg, to plead with him yes, please, but he refused to let her mouth free, forced her to accept what he gave her.
Jo relaxed, spread her thighs and let him have what he wanted, knowing he would keep her safe.
Dear God, he was going to die. Right here, right now. His hand was buried between her thighs, her legs spread, her mouth his to take, to do with as he wished. He wanted to feel her come on his hand, in his mouth, on his cock. The feel of her sweet flesh beneath him, writhing with pleasure, damn near had him in a puddle at her feet.
Her hand tightened around his cock. Her thighs trembled. She was close.
He strummed his thumb across her clit, over and over again, swallowing her cries as she damn near squeezed his finger off. The pain was barely noticeable, the leather drenched with her need.
He needed to be inside her, to feel that on his cock.
“Jo.”
“God. Yes.”
He smiled, knowing it looked less human than wolf. “Let me fuck you.”
She nodded, whimpering, and he felt like a god. Jo might not know it, but she’d become his world.
He’d keep her safe until the end of his days. Even from him. He let her go long enough to pull a condom from his wallet and prayed it hadn’t gone past its expiration date. It had been a while since he’d gotten laid, and he’d hate to think he’d forced Jo to carry a tiny Beckett without her consent.
She held out her hand, her brows raised, commanding him to turn the condom over to her. He grinned and handed it over. He’d take any excuse to get her hands on him.
She sheathed him slowly, toying with him, bringing him to the edge of giving in to the beast inside him. The wolf wanted in her now, wanted to pound into her, make her feel them for days, long past the time when they’d left her.
His wolf howled its displeasure, but Zach ignored it. First things first. “Done yet?”
She looked up at him through her lashes. “No.”
Her thighs were trembling once more. She was getting off on this, maybe as much as he was. He took hold of her wrist, pushing the condom the last inch down his cock. “Now you are.”
She bit that full lip, driving him crazy. Her cheeks flushed. Her dark hair was plastered to her forehead.
She looked like a debauched angel.
“Lean back.”
She leaned, holding herself up again with her hands.
“Good girl.” He tugged off her panties, more than ready to sink inside his mate. Halfway down he was forced to stop, staring at the beauty before him. “Lord have mercy.”
She shaved. She was completely bare, the hood of her clit visible between the pink folds of her pussy lips. Without thought he sucked her into his mouth.
“Oh. Oh God, yes.”