“I have time.”
“You have to show me.”
“I can teach you.”
Taking off her blouse and throwing it to the side, she next divested him of his towel. “I need you to understand my fear.”
“I can listen.”
She eased his erect cock into her. They froze, two people becoming one. She leaned over him, her breasts brushing against the hairs on his chest. “I need you to love me again.”
His hands shot up, clutching her hips. “I might not show it, but I feel it.”
“I hope you can show it one day.” She ground against his erection, searching for the perfect angle.
He pushed up deeper. “I need you to be patient. It’s hard for me to show emotion.”
“I have time.” She repeated his words.
“You have to show me.”
Heat pooled in her belly. “I will teach you by example.”
“I need you to understand my emotions are buried deep.”
“I won’t give up.”
Finally, he reached up and cupped her face. His eyes searched hers and, within them, she saw a flicker of something she couldn’t read. “I need you to love me.”
“I think I already do, but I have never felt it before.”
His lips captured hers, informing her he was done with words. They both did better with action. For them, action was easier than words. He might not be able to express his need for her, but, boy, he was amazing at showing her. When she broke the kiss, they were both breathless. She rose up, forcing him deeper inside of her. It had taken her weeks to be able to take him like this when they first started having sex. And now, after so many years of celibacy, she took it slow, allowing her body to adjust.
“You okay?” He lifted up to take one nipple into his mouth. “I know this was never an easy position for you.”
“Let me try.” She bit her lip, but, as she eased lower, she hissed.
Knox cast her a disbelieving glance. He adjusted her legs around his waist. “Maybe another time you can lead, but this way….”
“Your big bad cock isn’t so deep?”
“You and that sassy mouth will one day get you into trouble.”
“I plan to show you all night long how sassy it can be.” She squeezed the walls of her pussy tight.
“Woman.”
“Your woman.”
He stopped “Say that again.”
“Knox, I’m your woman. Just like you’re my man.”
His eyes flared, and she remembered their last night together, so long ago, when his passion had been so strong it scared her. This was his wolf, his other side. Instead of scaring her, this time, it gave her hope. “Knox, you need something more, don’t you?”
He nodded.
“Take what you need,” she whispered.
One second, she was straddling his lap, the next, she was on all fours with him behind her, his breath hot and heavy in her ear. “Hold on.”
Hold on to what? But, eventually, she settled with one hand on the headboard and the other clutching the edge of the mattress. She assumed he would build up, but she was wrong. With his first thrust, he set a powerful pace. He rode her hard until she lay panting beneath him, her arms giving out. He slapped her bottom. “Get your ass up.”
She did without question, and his arm snaked around her hips until he could reach her clit. As soon as he circled the sensitive nub, she came so hard she couldn’t breathe, and still he didn’t give in or let up. He pushed so deep within her, she was sure he touched her womb. And then he howled, a noise so loud and passionate it talked to her soul. When he finally collapsed to the side, he kept her spooned within his embrace.
She gripped his forearm, loving the way the muscles contracted under her touch.
“Was I too rough?”
“Yes, but I have no complaints.” She wiggled, trying to get closer to him. “Is that what it’s like when the woman is…a wolf?” Saying the word wolf got easier every time.
“It’s rougher. Usually involves….”
She turned to better see his face. “Involves?”
“Nothing. Don’t worry about it.”
“Oh, now I am thinking all sorts of things. Involves a gang bang with the pack?”
“No, nothing like that. You aren’t going to give up, are you? Fine, it usually involves anal.”
“Oh.”
“That doesn’t mean we have to.”
“Okay.” She stayed quite for a second. “Would you want to?”
“What man doesn’t? But you aren’t ready for it any more than you are ready to ride me.” His kissed her nose before closing his eyes. “Try getting some sleep.”
“Tonight….”
He groaned, peaking at her through one eye, but he didn’t stop her from continuing.
“Tonight, you gave me a look. It was the same you gave me the last night we were together in Miami. Though, come to think of it, there was something less intense tonight.”
“Tonight’s not a full moon.”
“Does that affect you?”
He closed his eyes again. “Yes.”
“So having sex will be more intense under the full moon.”
“Yes, but not that intense.”
“Why?”
He breathed out so slowly she wondered what it was he didn’t want to say.
She kissed his knuckle, encouraging him.
“I should have told you. I should have warned you.”
“Warned me about what?”
He rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling. “I claimed you as my mate that night.”
“Like your life mate?”
“Yes.”
She needed to process this. She wasn’t sure how she felt or if she felt much about it at all. “Does this affect me? I mean, is that why I couldn’t sleep with anyone else?”
“I don’t think so. It affects me because I made the decision, but you didn’t.”
“So you can’t….”
“Can we please go to sleep?” He rubbed his face.
She smiled, reaching up and turning off the lamp on the nightstand. “I think it’s sort of sweet.”
His only response was a slight snore.
Emerson awoke to the sound of someone pounding on Knox’s bedroom window. She rolled over to find his pillow not only empty but cold. At three in the morning, they had both been awakened by wolf howls. Knox had jumped out of bed immediately, saying his alpha needed him to check on something.
The pounding got louder. “Knox, are you in there?”
Rolling out of the bed, she located one of Knox’s shirts and threw it on. Rubbing her eyes, she crossed to the window. “What? Jesse?”
Though muffled, she could still understand his words. “Thank God you’re here. Can you let me in?”
“Go to the back door.” She yawned into the back of her hand before moving through the room, searching for a pair of pants before finally realizing that Knox’s shirt came to her knees and covered more than enough. Besides, this was Jesse.
Before she could get to the back door, he was pounding again. When she opened it, he pulled her into his embrace. “Thank God.”
“What the hell has gotten into you?” Jesse had always been like a big brother to her, but this was out of character for him.
“Where’s Knox?” He searched the empty room.
“Not here. What is going on?” Now she was worried. Where was Knox, and why was Jesse so concerned she was okay?
“Come over here.” He led her through the garage to the bay doors. He pointed southeast where a billow of black smoke rose into the sky.
She pressed her nose against the window to see better. “Is the swamp on fire?”
“Your whole property is on fire. The brush is so hot, fire and rescue couldn’t get close. I came straight over on the prayer and hope you were here.”
She threw open the door, the smell of brush fire assaulting her nostrils. “Is it just my land?”
“At leas
t for the moment. If the wind shifts, it could easily spread.”
“How did it start?” Unable to take her eyes off the smoke, she covered her mouth, unsure if she wanted to scream or throw up.
“I don’t think they know yet. But it’s been dry. Who knows what sparked it?”
Tears welled in her eyes. She hoped Jesse would buy it was from the smoke in the air. But, in fact, there were a few items she had to see again; a few things representing moments of happiness in a sad childhood. There wasn’t much else in the house as the Veteran’s Charity had taken everything not in her bedroom with them the day before. “I want to head over there.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“I want to see my house.” Her voice neared the edge of hysterics. “I can go with or without you. But I am going.”
“I’ll take you.”
Not going to happen. “So you can say you got a call and leave me at the station? I don’t think so.”
“Okay, get dressed and get your car. You follow me. When I pull off, you follow, got it?”
She nodded then ran back into the room and grabbed her keys. In the backseat of her car was the overnight bag she had packed the day before. She pulled out her jeans and a T-shirt then went to the bedroom to change before returning to the garage.
Jesse opened the garage bay door, waited while she pulled out, then shut it. “Ready?”
“Are you sure you don’t want Knox there with you?”
Of course she wanted him there, but he was probably out running. “I wish I knew where the hell he is, but he isn’t here, and if we wait, there might be nothing left for me to see.”
Jesse appeared ready to argue, but she was set on her plan. Even she didn’t know why. Where are you, Knox? I need you. She guessed that there wasn’t some psychic connection just because he was a werewolf. She glanced once more to the wooded area behind the building, hoping to see a glimpse of her wolf. Nothing.
Twenty minutes later, she pulled up behind Jesse on the side road to her house. The flames crackled in the distance as a fire truck raced past them. Jesse approached her. “This is as close as is safe. I called my friend in truck 4. He said they have it under control. But you know how the wind can pick up.”
She did. She also knew the firemen were putting themselves in danger to extinguish the blaze. Her being in the way would only make their job harder. “Are we a nuisance?”
“No, we should be fine here.” Jesse took a step in the direction of the fire but spun on his heel and returned to where she sat on the hood of her car, watching the smoke in the distance.
They sat in silence for a long time. Why she sat there she didn’t know, and why Jesse put up with it she couldn’t say, but he did. Finally, she slid off the car and approached Jesse who spoke with the fire captain who had come from the fire scene.
“Saul, this is Emerson. She’s the home owner.”
“Sorry about your house and property, ma’am.” The man wiped his hands then face with a blue bandana before replacing it in his pocket.
“Do you know what happened?” Emmy focused on the chief, trying to ignore the large billowing cloud of smoke behind him.
“We won’t know for sure until the investigator looks over all the evidence, but the smell of gasoline is so potent out there, it’s a pretty strong case for arson. Whether it was teenagers playing around in a house they thought was vacant or it was set on purpose we don’t know. But the accelerant we know for sure. Did your mother keep large containers of gasoline around her house?”
“I honestly wouldn’t know. There is, or was, a generator, so perhaps.”
“Well then, we will have to wait and see what the investigator comes up with.”
“Thank you, Captain.” Emerson crossed her arms and went back to staring at the dark smoke.
“Emerson.” Knox’s voice cut through her thoughts. She turned to find him jumping from his truck and running full speed in her direction. “I got here as soon as I heard.”
She threw herself into his arms then pulled back. The unmistakable odor of gasoline tainted his skin. Pushing away from him, she sniffed her hands. “Why do you smell like gas?”
“I was working on a fuel line when Charlie drove by the shop, saw me inside, and asked if I knew what had happened.” He took a step toward her but stopped when she backed up.
She didn’t want to think what was going through her head, didn’t want to think Knox was capable of doing something so destructive. But the fumes still burned her nostrils. “Didn’t you see the smoke?”
“Of course I did, but it never occurred to me it was here or that you were.” He took yet another step forward but stopped when she stumbled back, just barely regaining her balance. “Emmy?”
“Oh my God. Did you do it?”
“Do what?”
“Set the fire?” She tried to keep her voice down, but it was obvious in her view point everyone was watching. “You even suggested we burn the place to the ground not once but twice. Did you just decide last night the best way to keep me tied to you was to burn the only place in the world I had to go ground?”
“No, of course not.” He turned to Jesse who was looking at him with uncertainy, and the fire captain definitely had a keen interest on the man before them.
Now angry beyond words, she stormed up to Knox and pounded his chest “How could you? How could you take the only thing that woman ever gave me? Damn you, Knox. I am not yours to control.”
He grabbed her wrist in a strong grasp. “I would never do that. I can’t believe you would think I would.”
Jesse placed a hand on his shoulder. “Knox, I think you might want to come to the station.”
“Excuse me?” Knox released her and turned on Jesse.
Putting his hands up, Jesse spoke in a soothing manner. “Let’s eliminate you as a suspect.”
“Do I need to call someone out to get my wrecker, or can I drive to the station myself?”
“I’ll get a deputy to drive it to your shop.”
“I see.” He gave one long glance at Emerson, and the flame in his eyes died as if he had closed the door forever on his emotions. He didn’t argue as they put him in the back of Jesse’s car, the one he had repaired repeatedly.
“Emerson.” Jesse pulled her away from the car. “Do you really think Knox would or could do this?”
“Maybe, no, oh I don’t know.” She now wondered if she’d overreacted and jumped to conclusions. If so, would he ever be able to forgive her a second time?
Chapter Seven
The clock read two in the morning by the time they released Knox from custody with a strong suggestion not to leave town. Jesse handed over the case for two reasons. One, arson wasn’t his beat, and two, it was a serious conflict of interest. Two of his packmates, Kirk and Janson, had come to alibi him, but the police said they wouldn’t be convinced until they did tests to see if the gas on his shirt matched the accelerant at the fire. The guys used the same excuse they always did—a poker game that ran late. Janson won the kitty, but no one could remember the exact amount. And Knox ended up taking the drunk members home then staying on one of the couches.
A well-planned series of lies, but the truth never worked out well. Jesse and Charlie would believe them, but no one else. They had been out investigating another shifter pack moving into the area.
Not something they could write up in an arson report.
Kirk rose from his chair. Between the two of them, the waiting room of the police station shrunk. Knox, who towered over most, still stood two inches shorter than Kirk. “Why are you still here?”
“Thought you might want a ride home.”
The night air remained wet and heavy, storms were brewing in more than the sky. He waited for the door to close before asking, “Was it just a simple ride home, or did it have more to do with not leaving me alone?”
“They can’t find more fucking charges to pin on you if you aren’t ever alone.”
“You mean I can�
��t do anything to land myself back into jail.”
Kirk pulled the large SUV out of the parking lot. “I would have come and bailed you out regardless.”
“Again. You bailed me out before, too.”
Kirk had been the first to arrive at the jail when Knox landed in there after his night of drinking which put another man in the hospital and left a police officer with a bloody nose. Not a shining moment in his life. Though he never would assault a cop, the man had announced too late who he was. But the thirty days he spent in jail ultimately might have saved his life. If he landed in jail again, it would kill him.
“It might be best if you and the rest of the pack distanced yourself from me.”
“Best for who?”
“The pack.”
“You have already distanced yourself from us on your own. The only one who wants to separate is you. The current bet is how long before you simply run into the woods and never return.”
“I would never abandon the pack.”
Kirk slammed on the brakes “And yet you think we will fucking do it to you?”
“If I head back to prison, you need to keep your distance.”
“You aren’t going to prison for something you didn’t do.”
“You’re right about that. I’ll run first.”
“As you damned well know, I tried that and it didn’t work. You can isolate yourself in your own private hell, but if you think I will stand by and watch you run, you don’t know me. I will hunt your ass down, Knox.”
Confinement would be difficult under normal circumstances, but, as a shifter, it would be impossible, and should he expose who and what they were, the whole pack would be in danger. It would be better to go on the lam.
Knox hissed when he saw Emerson’s car parked outside the bay door. Even now, he wasn’t sure if he was glad or pissed she was there.
Kirk turned off the car and got out. He grabbed a bag from the backseat and his sleeping bag. “I don’t know how you did your time last time. None of us could imagine, but if you think for a moment any of us wouldn’t help you, you don’t know your pack. I’m damn well staying the night, so don’t argue with me.”
Second Chance Desire (Hot Moon Rising #8) Page 7