by Terry Spear
Keeping her eye on the woman, Brooke set her phone on the counter and pulled the security card out of the drawer and stuck it in the porcelain bowl on top. Then she slid the bowl across the top, and the shelf opened. Before she could grab the gun, Daisy glanced back out the glass door and cursed. She raced out the door. She couldn’t get away!
Brooke ran after her, gun in hand, not sure what she was going to do about it. She couldn’t shoot the woman in the back. Then Daisy grabbed the keys from a startled-looking Randy, jumped into the Ferrari, and nearly ran over Josh, who was running across the street to stop her.
As soon as Daisy peeled out of there, Josh jumped into the passenger’s side of the Corvette, and Maverick and he sped off after Daisy.
Police sirens were wailing in the distance. Brooke stood on the sidewalk, gun in hand, watching as Josh and Maverick chased after Josh’s Christmas present. She prayed no one would be injured or killed and the vintage cars wouldn’t be damaged. And that Daisy would be arrested and jailed this time!
* * *
“Hell,” Josh said, his heart racing, Maverick’s too, as they turned down another street, trying to keep up with his Ferrari. “If she destroys my Christmas present, she’d better get life.”
Maverick smiled darkly.
Josh asked, “What were you and Randy doing here with the cars anyway?”
“We were delivering your Christmas present. I was going to give Randy a ride to the mall for some last-minute Christmas shopping afterward. His wife was picking him up after that.”
“On Christmas Eve?”
“Yeah. Randy says that’s when the best early sales are.” Maverick took another hairpin turn to keep up with Daisy. Thankfully, traffic hadn’t been too bad, with a lot of the shops in the area closing early.
Then they saw a roadblock ahead.
Hell, would the woman give up or plow through the roadblock? They saw Adam and Ethan’s vehicles, along with three police cars, and three more were following Maverick.
“I hope they know you’re with me,” Maverick said. “I can see me getting tickets for speeding, reckless driving, failure to stop at stop signs, and half a dozen other reasons.”
“Adam will tell them we’re in the Corvette in pursuit of Daisy.” They had her blocked in, but would she wreck Josh’s car in one last senseless act of revenge?
Josh’s hands were fisted, his muscles tense as she slammed on her brakes—his car’s brakes, technically—and spun the car around. Hell. Then she stopped the car and fled on foot.
Josh knew he had to take chase, though he wanted to check out his car.
Maverick pulled the Corvette next to Josh’s car. “I’ll take care of the Ferrari. Go get her, Josh.”
Josh jumped out of the car and took off running. Adam soon joined him, other police officers in pursuit.
Daisy had disappeared into one of the shops, Josh figured. At least with their wolves’ sense of smell, they’d locate her before the officers did.
“In there,” Josh said and ran toward a stationery store. A sign said it was closing in fifteen minutes. He and Adam barged inside.
Wearing a green apron and a red Santa’s hat, the clerk was wringing her hands and said, “We’re closing in fifteen minutes.” She motioned with her head in the direction they thought Daisy had gone.
Josh and Adam had their guns out. “Leave the store,” Josh ordered the clerk, showing his badge.
The woman hurried out, and they began to search the premises for Daisy. It was easy to find her trail, using their sense of smell, and it led them to the women’s restroom.
Adam motioned for Josh to go first.
Josh sure the hell hoped he wasn’t going to take some bullets on this one when he was planning to have a lovely Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with Brooke.
He pushed open the door. There were no windows in the restroom, thankfully. He began shoving stall doors open and found one that was locked.
“You can come out now. You’re not going anywhere,” Josh said, he and Adam waiting for her to comply before he kicked in the door.
The lock clicked, and the door opened.
“Put the gun on the floor,” Josh said.
Red-faced, Daisy put the 9mm gun on the floor.
“Kick it away from yourself,” Josh said.
She did, and Adam retrieved it.
Then the police joined them while Adam was tying Daisy’s hands behind her back with a plastic tie. Josh read her rights to her, which reminded him of Brooke telling him what her rights were when he’d questioned her about Jingles.
Then they took Daisy away in one of the patrol cars. Josh immediately called Brooke while he and Adam headed back to where the Ferrari and Maverick were waiting for them.
Adam looked over the two cars, the Corvette and the Ferrari, while more of the officers joined them to admire them.
“You have all the luck,” Adam said and slapped Josh on the back.
Josh had to admit Adam was right.
On the phone, Brooke said to Josh, “Tell Adam he has to come for Christmas Eve dinner. Mr. Lee and Ethan are here babysitting me, and they have no other plans for tonight.”
“All right, honey. Are you okay?”
“Yeah, are you? Maverick said he rescued your Christmas present.”
Josh laughed. “Yeah, and Daisy’s now in custody. See you in a minute.” He turned to Adam, “We want you to join all of us for a salmon dinner.”
“I guess that means you’re retiring for good now,” Adam said to Josh. “The upside of all this is we caught all the bad guys, but the downside is—”
“We might not be working on cases together at the department, but you know I’ll always be there to consult for you. You’re free to visit us anytime you want to get together, wolf runs and otherwise,” Josh said.
“You’re right. I’ll certainly take you up on it.”
Josh got a call from Jefferson, and he put it on speakerphone. “What have you got for us?”
“We’ve got the guns from Ackerson’s luggage in his car. Ballistics prove the bullets he used are the same as some of the rounds fired in Ms. Cerise’s attic and some of the rounds fired in the jewelry-store robbery.”
“We need to find out if it was also used in Michael Lee’s murder,” Adam said.
“Yes, sir. The gun they confiscated from Ms. Gulliver will also be tested against the shell casings and rounds that killed her stepfather.”
“Thanks, Jefferson. Is there anything else?”
“Nothing at the moment, but I thought you’d want to know.”
“We sure did. Thanks again. And Merry Christmas to you.”
“You too, sir.”
When they ended the call, Josh told Adam they’d meet him for dinner at Brooke’s place.
“I’ll grab some more salmon steaks for dinner before I come,” Maverick said and drove off in his Corvette. Classy.
Josh headed home in his Ferrari. Brooke was waiting for him outside her shop, and he parked, jumped out of his car, and hurried to pull her into his arms to give her a hug. “I swear this better be the last time I’m away from you when you are in trouble.”
“Where are our sandwiches?”
Josh chuckled. “Sarah said she’d save them for us. She’d deliver them, but it’s kind of dangerous at your shop.”
“Not any longer.”
Chapter 29
That night, Brooke and Josh prepared the Christmas Eve salmon dinner, and after everyone ate, they had a special cake Sarah’s husband baked for Brooke as thanks for sending all the traffic their way when the reindeer visited and for buying so many treats from Sarah for her customers. After the meal, Brooke, Josh, and their guests watched A Christmas Story, which had Ethan, Mr. Lee, Josh, Maverick, and Adam all commenting on the “shoot your eye out” part because they’d all had BB guns
growing up.
Then they took a run in Forest Park later that night as wolves: red wolves and a Tibetan. That made for the best Christmas Eve ever—a celebration everyone would always remember. The culmination of solving some of the recent crimes they’d been investigating. Making a new wolf friend who was a Tibetan wolf from Maryland. Finding some closure in the case involving Brooke. Her neighbors would be happy about that. Since Ben Lee was from out of town and because the other guys were bachelors and had no real plans for Christmas lunch, Brooke invited them to eat with them, with the provision that they watch It’s a Wonderful Life with her.
Once everyone had finished their brandy eggnog and had left the house, it was Brooke and Josh’s time, and she was ready to make the most of it. “Ready for some Christmas Eve loving?” She pulled Josh into her arms and kissed his mouth, tonguing him. Even that simple action sparked a deeper need to possess, to claim him, to have him filling her wet, feminine sheath with his growing cock.
With the lights sparkling on the tree and the fire blazing in the fireplace, she was eager to enjoy her mate in every way possible.
“We had fun, didn’t we?” Josh slid his hands over her shoulders and gently massaged them, kissing her mouth again, hot passion igniting her blood as his hard body grew harder and pressed against her softness.
“Yeah,” she said. “I had to invite the guys for Christmas Eve for all their help and because they didn’t have anywhere to really be.”
He nuzzled her jaw, his eyes closed, breathing in her scent. “We’re wolves. A pack. It was great. And we have time for this. Tomorrow will be fun, and once everyone leaves, we’ll be back to this again.” He smiled. “I can guarantee it.”
“Good. That’s that I wanted to hear.” She thought they were going to the bedroom until Josh pulled the wolf blanket off the couch. Individual wolf squares bordered the main wolf couple in the center—the alpha pair—and he turned it over on the carpet near the fireplace, facedown so they wouldn’t see the wolves watching them. She smiled.
He slid his hands up her sweater and over her breasts, his face slanting over hers to capture her lips. The twinkling Christmas lights and fire reflecting off their skin made the setting feel fairylike, magical. His dark-brown eyes gazed down into her green ones before he gave her another searing kiss. Her heart—and his—were pounding furiously. Aroused. Excited.
Their lips still pressing together, he pulled her black lace bra down, exposing her breasts to the inside of her sweater, the fabric soft and caressing, his touch on her breasts tantalizing.
She breathed in the heavenly scent of him, all man and wolf, raw and primal, and she was ready to give in to the lust consuming her. She ached for him in all the sensitive, feminine places.
He tasted sweet and creamy from the brandy eggnog they’d had, almost floral, lively, delicious.
“Hmm, you taste so good,” he murmured against her mouth.
“So do you.” And then she tasted him again, rubbing her body against his, ready to strip and do this, finish off the night with a hot-blooded climax, climb into bed, snuggle with her loving mate, and listen for Santa and his reindeer high above the rooftops.
He moved his hands to her jeans skirt and unfastened it, pulling it down her hips and letting it slide the rest of the way to puddle at her feet. “Have I ever told you I love your lace undergarments?” He ran his hands over her breasts, his palms doing a teasing number on her sensitive nipples.
“Hmm, no, but I suspected so.” She ran her hand over his arousal pressing against the zipper of his jeans, and he groaned. “Did I ever tell you I love the way you fill out your boxer briefs?”
He chuckled. She smiled, then unfastened his jeans and pulled them down over his lean hips.
Before they tackled their boots, he slid her sweater over her head, her breasts exposed, her bra still fastened. He leaned down and kissed a breast, his hands cupping both of them under her bra, and she was in heaven.
“Beautiful,” he said.
“Hmm, so are you.” She pulled his sweater over his head, dropped it next to hers on the floor near the blanket, and ran her hands up his abs, loving the feel of his hard chest and soft skin against the palms of her hands.
He sat down on the chair, intending to remove his boots, but she did it for him while he combed his fingers through her hair. It felt good, and she wanted him to keep it up, but she wanted them naked even more. She slid his pants off the rest of the way.
Then he pulled her onto his lap and removed her boots and unfastened her bra. His hands on her breasts, he kissed her neck and shoulder, sliding one of his hands down her panties. He found her clit and began to stroke. She leaned back against him and spread her legs. He kept up the strokes, kissing her neck, her ear, his free hand caressing her breast. She felt exposed and sexy and loved.
“Oh, Josh,” she moaned as her blood heated and she craved completion. A euphoric jolt coursed through her, and she moaned with ecstasy, the climax hitting her with a rush of exquisite contractions.
Her breathing ragged, she arched her back against him. He kissed her shoulder, her neck, her ear. His erection nudged at her buttocks, provocative and clearly ready for more action. She was on top of the world and then falling in a cloak of warmth and serenity.
* * *
Josh moved her off his lap and rose to his feet, pulling off her wet black lace panties as she pulled off his boxer briefs. And then they were on the blanket by the fire. She spread her legs for him. He centered himself between her legs, his cock throbbing with need. He kissed her with deliberate, measured kisses, wanting the moment to last, their first Christmas together.
Her teeth grazed his lips, and he licked hers back, tasting, teasing, and then devouring them. Desire welled up in him, the need to claim her as strong as it was the first time they’d mated, as if the wolf connection they made would never get old. Hungry for her, he pushed into her, joining her, mate to mate.
His breathing husky, he began to thrust. He lifted her buttocks so she was pressed against him, and he drove in deeper. She incited him to take his fill and to pleasure her just as much. She was soft, willing; he was hard, eager.
Their pheromones were at an all-time high, and he felt the ending coming. He tried to stop it, tried to control it, but there was no stopping the intensity of the orgasm that hit, filling her. He continued to thrust, and her body milked him dry. For a moment, he rested on her, not believing their initial meeting would have led to this.
“You are exquisite.” He kissed her nose and then her mouth.
“Hmm, so are you.”
He smiled and helped her up, intending to take her to the bedroom, when she glanced at the clock and smiled. “It’s time for bed.”
“Then you’ll be ready for some more of this.” She kissed his nipples before she pulled away to grab their clothes.
“I am always ready for more of this.” He kissed her nipples, licking and sucking. “Always.” A promise he meant to keep.
* * *
Christmas morning arrived way too soon. They woke late and scrambled to get showers and dress because Maverick would be arriving momentarily.
The doorbell rang, and Josh gave Brooke a hug and a kiss. “Merry Christmas, honey.”
“Merry Christmas.” She gave him a big hug back.
Then he hurried to open the door for his brother. “Merry Christmas, Brother. The Corvette looks good.”
“All revved up and raring to go,” Maverick told Josh, then saw Brooke and gave her a hug.
“I’d say we found our own treasure in Brooke joining our family,” Josh said.
Brooke smiled and fixed everyone eggnog. “The cars will win the guys over every time.” She handed Maverick a big Christmas card.
When he opened it, he found the title to the car. He couldn’t have looked any more thrilled and gave her another hug.
Brooke ha
nded a Christmas card to Josh, and he found the title to the Ferrari inside.
“Hot damn, honey. Thanks so much.” He gave her a hot, steamy kiss, and she wanted to take this to the bedroom.
“I’m glad Daisy didn’t wreck it before you got to enjoy driving it.” She gave him another present.
“I haven’t given you yours yet.”
“This goes with the car.”
He opened the package and found a vintage-washed baseball cap with a Ferrari embroidered on it. He quickly put it on and smiled at her, and she led him into the garage so she could take a picture of him at the steering wheel, looking as though he was ready to take it for a spin.
“You can take me for a ride in it later to see the Christmas lights.”
“You’ve got a deal.”
They went back into the house, and Maverick handed her a package. Inside was a sign for her shop, beautifully hand-carved with two wolves sitting together, and another: SOME OF MY BEST FRIENDS ARE WOLVES.
“I love this. Thanks so much! You’re going to have to make some of the best friends are wolves signs for other wolves, because any who visit the shop are sure to want one. They’re not getting mine.” She gave Maverick a hug and pointed to a red and green package under the tree. “That’s yours. You need to open it now.”
Maverick did and found his very own reindeer sweater.
“You’ve got to put it on.”
“I’m glad to.” Maverick pulled off his sweatshirt and pulled on his sweater.
She snapped a shot of him. “Looks great on you.”
Maverick laughed and handed her a reindeer Christmas card, naturally. Inside it had a gift certificate for any and all reindeer she wanted to showcase at her place anytime of the year.
She laughed. “This is precious. I will be taking you up on it.”
“I sure hope so. You have been the best thing yet for business.”
Then Josh gave her gifts: a beautiful scarf in blues, a cashmere cardigan poncho, slipper boots, and a blanket for the couch to wrap themselves in on cold nights while they cuddled and watched a movie with a fire crackling in the fireplace. He even got them travel thermoses engraved with His/Hers and red wolves.
