by Crissy Smith
She rose, leaving her mug and computer where they were to return to the bedroom. Luca’s bedroom door opened quietly as she pushed on it. He was still in bed but had rolled over onto his back. She had enjoyed the view of his muscular shoulders and tight ass when she’d left him but this sight was even better.
His cock was already half-hard and waiting. She stripped off the borrowed clothes before she crawled up from the end of the bed. She slid her hands over his lower legs and Luca started to move.
“I wondered where you went,” he said.
Grinning, she glanced up at him to find his eyes on her. “Did you miss me?” she asked.
“Oh yeah,” he replied. “Why don’t you come up here and I’ll show you how much.”
She had a better idea. She gently grasped his erection before running her hand up and down. His groan filled the quiet room while he bucked into her hold. She bent down to slowly tease the tip of his cock with her tongue.
“Jade,” his voice was hoarse when he called her name.
She hummed then lowered farther onto him. His unique flavor was strong as she licked and sucked. Jade enjoyed the taste of him. Boldly she wrapped her hand around the base of him before picking up her tempo. Luca pushed up into her but not forcefully. He buried his hand in her hair, gripping tight.
Perfect, she loved this.
Bobbing her head, she brought him close to release before she backed away and popped off his cock. He growled in frustration, reaching for her. She let him pull her up to his chest.
“That was good,” he complimented.
“Yeah?” she teased.
He lifted his head to kiss her softly. “This will be even better.”
In an instant she found herself flipped onto her stomach with him plastered to her back. She tried to rise to her knees but he easily held her down. “I love your strength,” she told him.
“I know.” He ran his mouth over the back of her neck. “You tremble when you’re under me. I could grow addicted to the way your body responds to me.”
She could, too. He was also right about how she reacted to him. Even now she shuddered with need. “Please,” she whined trying to move into him. She felt the tip of his cock at her entrance.
“This what you want?” he asked, still not entering but letting her feel how hard he was.
“Yessss,” she hissed. If she didn’t get him to make love to her again she was going to die.
“We didn’t talk about condoms last night. I lost my mind and didn’t even think to tell you we didn’t need them if you didn’t want to use them. I’m clean but I don’t get sick either. My body recovers from any illness and I can’t pass anything on to you. But that doesn’t include birth control,” he said.
He wanted to talk about this now? When she was going out of her mind for him? “I know. I know it all. And we’re good on the birth control,” she quickly assured him. “Just take me.” Okay, maybe she shouldn’t have let him know just how much she wanted him but she did. She wasn’t one for playing games and she wasn’t about to start now. If he wanted her to beg, she would.
He plunged inside, taking her with one strong solid thrust. Jade dropped her forehead onto the bed. He felt so good filling her up. Like he was built for her. He gripped her hips raising her lower body off the bed before he pulled out slowly. She didn’t have time to complain before he slammed back inside.
Just like the night before he took her hard and fast. Still she pleaded for more. Repeated the request over and over.
“I’ll give you all you need,” he promised as he continued to ride her.
Jade could feel her climax building. Her toes tingled. Her vision began to grow white. One more hard thrust and she let go. She let her body override her brain. Vaguely she could hear Luca’s roar as he joined her.
She dropped down onto the soft mattress when his hold loosened. He fell on top of her, both of them struggling to catch their breath. After what might have been an eternity or five minutes he slipped out of her and rolled onto his back. She turned her head to peer over at him. “That was awesome.”
He laughed. “Intense. I didn’t hurt you, did I?” He looked worried as he asked.
Jade had to smile at him. “Oh no, and I loved every minute of it.”
“Good.” He nodded. “I guess we have to get up to shower soon, though.”
She closed her eyes. “Just give me a minute. I’m not sure my legs will hold me up.”
Luca patted her ass. ‘I’ll grab your bag and start the shower. We can save time and take one together.”
Even though her face was hidden in the bed she grinned. “Save time? Yeah right.”
“I’m just trying to conserve water,” he said.
She didn’t believe him for a second. She felt the mattress move as he rose.
“Don’t fall asleep.”
“Hmm,” she managed, already giving in to the desire for a nap.
* * * *
“It’s your fault we’re late,” Luca told her as they pulled up in front of Zak’s house. There were already several vehicles parked in the drive and on the street. They had to park across and in front of a neighbor’s home.
“No way. You’re the one who joined me in the shower,” she argued.
“I wouldn’t have had to if you hadn’t taken a nap,” he pointed out.
“You wore me out,” she told him. “And you couldn’t keep your hands to yourself when I was trying to wash up.”
“You were naked and wet,” he claimed. “No man could resist that.”
Jade laughed while grabbing his hand as they reached Zak’s sidewalk. Luca was fun to be with even out of bed. She’d not had a serious relationship in years. Not since she’d first joined the FBI. Her boyfriend at the time hadn’t liked her hours or the fact that she worked on her research more than spending time with him.
Three months after making it to the agency she’d been alone. And she’d been okay with that. Her work kept her busy and she had good friends and a great partner. But now that she’d met Luca she found herself wishing she’d known him longer.
“They’ll probably give us a hard time,” Luca told her as they made it to the front door. “Don’t let it bother you. Especially Zak. I gave him a hard time when he started up with Abilene.”
“That’s what friends do,” she replied.
“Yeah,” he agreed. “They can be annoying.”
She knew it didn’t really bother him. Before they knocked, the front door opened to show Jamie standing there with a huge shit-eating grin on his face.
“Did you bring the chips?” Jamie asked instead of greeting them. They both raised the grocery sacks. Luca had gone to his neighborhood grocery to pick up what they needed while he’d let her sleep.
“Damn, I bet you would have forgotten,” Jamie said as he allowed them in. “You know, since you were busy with other things.”
“Of course not. I know how you get when you don’t have your junk food,” Luca replied with a smirk.
“Glad you could join us,” Zak called out as they entered the hall.
“We’re ten minutes late and I don’t see Cody’s truck,” Luca yelled back.
“He’s got you there.” Jamie cackled. “I told you Cody would be the last one here.”
She followed Luca into the living room and handed the bags to Mitch as he held his hands out. She glanced around the room and spotted Sam. She let go of Luca and strolled over. “Hey, Sam.”
He seemed surprised but smiled back. “Hi.”
Jade felt for him. Luca had explained everything that Sam had told him and she could see how much Sam’s actions toward his ex-partner affected him. She wanted to offer him her friendship. “Where’s Patrick?”
“He’s back at the hotel. He doesn’t think this is a good idea. I tried to talk to him—Cole did too—but he just doesn’t want to get involved,” Sam informed her.
She frowned. How could anyone be against helping their fellow agents? “I’m sorry to hear that.”
>
Sam shrugged. “I don’t know that this is a good idea either. It’s not like anyone is going to listen to us.”
“Someone already is,” she told him. “With the Coalition and the ATF on our side we can help those who need it.”
“And if it’s already too late?” he asked.
Jade knew that in some of the shifter cases it was already too late. The ones that had been killed in the line of duty couldn’t be brought back. But they could get justice. “We help who we can.”
Sam shook his head. “That’s what I joined the agency for. I wanted to help people. My dad, uncle and grandfather were all part of it before me. Now I wish I’d just become a cop. I wouldn’t be mixed up in any of this.”
Since she wasn’t sure what to say she remained silent and let him vent.
“What kind of person am I? That I would turn my back on my partner? You think that makes me feel good? I know I’m an asshole!”
As his voice rose the others in the room started to pay attention.
“I don’t think you’re an asshole,” she said. “I also don’t think you don’t care. You’re here, right?”
He nodded. “I need some air.”
She let him stalk off, unsure how to help.
Abilene walked up to her. “He’s having a rough time. Your partner told me he thinks Patrick not coming is making Sam question the value of this meeting.”
Jade nodded. “I can understand that,” she admitted. “But we still have agents out there in danger. I can’t believe I didn’t pick up on the threat myself. To be honest I’ve been worried about Cole. But with my expertise I should have kept a better eye on the other shifters.” She was so damn frustrated.
“You kept your partner safe. If he’d been moved into another division he might not be here now. Which means you wouldn’t have wanted to join the task force. We’ll figure this out,” Abilene stated firmly.
“You’re right. We can’t change the past,” Jade said.
“Now”—Abilene linked her arm with Jade’s—“why don’t we go check on the fire?”
“Okay,” she agreed. She let Abilene lead her toward the door to get her alone, which is what she suspected Luca’s partner really wanted.
Abilene pulled her from the room. Jade glanced over her shoulder and saw Cole cornering Luca. Oh, this should be fun. “Did you and Cole plan this?” she had to ask.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I just want to make sure you feel welcome and we need to get the meeting started,” Abilene obviously lied.
Jade would just go with it, then. They strolled through the kitchen to the back door that led them to the deck. Zak was already in front of the pit.
Sam was across the yard staring out into space away from everyone. She spotted Ryder and Calvin filling ice chests with beer and soda.
“Want a beer?” Abilene offered.
“Sure.” While Abilene walked over to the drinks, she took a seat at the patio table. It was long, made out of solid wood, with an umbrella to shelter from the sun. In Lake Worth it was important to have plenty of shade. It was hot even in the winter time. Cole had once mentioned that was a big reason that so many shifters had chosen the city as their home. The birds and other shifters that needed water had the lake. The ones that were used to hot weather were comfortable in the dry heat. The north of town led back into caves and caverns hidden in the mountains. Perfect to run in their animal form.
Abilene returned with two cold bottles and handed her one. “So…”
Jade popped the top of her brew. “Yes?”
“What are your intentions toward my partner?” Abilene asked as she sat across from her.
“You mean besides the hot sex?” she responded with a straight face.
Abilene scowled at her.
“I like Luca. He’s smart and fun. I’m not sure where our relationship is going to go from here, but I would like to find out,” she admitted. She couldn’t blame Abilene for wanting to protect her partner. If it was Cole, she would do her own interrogation.
“That’s good. Luca hasn’t really dated seriously but I can tell he really likes you,” Abilene told her. “But he is different. Have you ever dated a shifter before?”
“No, I haven’t,” she replied. “But I don’t think of Luca as a shifter first. He’s just a guy I’m interested in who happens to have that ability.”
“Okay, I was worried you were using him. Cole said you wouldn’t do that and got really pissed off when I suggested it but I had to make sure,” Abilene said.
“Using him?” Jade didn’t see where that would have come from.
“You’re a shifter behaviorist. What better way to get your research than hooking up with a shifter? Luca happens to be one and finds you attractive,” Abilene said.
Jade opened her mouth, but Abilene shook her head. “I realize it sounds stupid and insulting but I just don’t want to see Luca hurt. I spoke to Cole and the other wolf shifters. I’ll admit I didn’t know if I could believe your partner but everyone else loves you.”
She was insulted. Abilene had basically called her a slut who would sleep with Luca for her work.
“I told you not to say anything,” Zak said as he joined them. He sat next to Abilene before draping an arm over her shoulder. “Abilene really doesn’t mean any offense but thinks it’s her job to watch over Luca since his family isn’t here.”
“Luca is a grown ass man. And not only does it question my integrity but also his. I think you should trust him to know what he wants,” Jade spat.
“I agree,” Luca said as he stepped up behind her.
Jade glanced over her shoulder. He was frowning at his partner. “Like I just told Cole, no one needs to worry about what’s going on between Jade and me. I’ll take the teasing but I won’t stand for anyone grilling either of us. We’re adults.”
Jade smiled at him before offering her hand. He accepted her gesture, taking a seat beside her before lifting her fingers to his mouth and kissing them. Jade turned back to Abilene and Zak. She raised an eyebrow, daring either to comment. Zak smiled while Abilene nodded.
“Okay.” Abilene lifted both hands. “I’m sorry. I won’t say anything else. Good luck keeping Sal from butting in, though.”
Luca was in the middle of stealing a drink of her beer. He slowly lowered the bottle from his lips. “Sal?”
“He couldn’t get hold of you earlier so he called my cell. He asked me to tell you that he’ll be here tomorrow morning with the information you requested.”
“He’s coming here?” Luca sounded weird.
Jade looked over at him. Luca had paled considerably. It was all she could do not to jump up and yell. Was he embarrassed by her? Why would he have a problem with his brother meeting her?
Just as she was about to excuse herself, Luca turned and grabbed her hand. “Marry me. Let’s run away together, right now!”
“What?” she shrieked.
Zak and Abilene started to laugh loudly.
“I mean it,” Luca pleaded. “After you meet Sal you won’t want anything to do with me and my screwed-up brother. I like you and I don’t want you to be scared away.”
Completely confused, she looked from him to the others at the table. Zak was wiping tears from his eyes while Abilene grinned. She didn’t understand what was happening. “What are you talking about? Are you nuts?” How had they gone from her thinking he was ashamed to a marriage proposal?
“Okay, it’s a little soon to get married, I’ll give you that. Let’s just go away instead.” Luca was squeezing her hands.
“Umm.” She wasn’t sure what to say.
The back door opened and the rest of the group started to trickle outside. They all looked at Zak and Abilene trying to get control of themselves, back to her and Luca.
“Cody’s here,” Jamie told them. “What’d I miss?”
“Luca just proposed to Jade so they could run away together and she wouldn’t have to meet Sal,” Zak told everyone.
&
nbsp; “What?” Cole shouted. His question was drowned out by everyone else’s mirth at what was happening.
“I’ve entered The Twilight Zone,” Jade said.
“Nah,” Jamie stated as he sat on her right. “Luca just doesn’t want his big bro to scare you away.”
Luca dropped his head onto the table and banged it a couple of times. “I knew this was too good to be true.”
Jade shared a confused look with her partner before placing her hand on the back of Luca’s neck. “Are you okay?”
He turned his head to stare up at her. “We really should go on a long vacation.”
Chapter Eight
Luca passed Jade another beer before he sat back down next to her. Once he’d explained how Sal loved to order him around and that he took his job as the elder brother too seriously, Jade stopped looking at him like he’d grown a second head or something. Okay, so he shouldn’t have actually asked her to marry him but he’d panicked. He knew his brother, and Sal would give Jade the third degree. He just wanted to spare her. Well, that and he really wanted to get laid again. If Sal scared Jade off his chances weren’t good. He hadn’t been attracted to anyone before in the way he was to Jade.
Cole was still glaring at him but Jade had relaxed against his side. He’d taken a lot of ribbing during lunch but now that they’d settled around the living room and were discussing the case, everyone had seemingly remembered what they were there for.
He glanced over at Sam who was across from him sitting against the wall. Sam hadn’t said much and that worried Luca. He was doing this for him, and now Sam was having second thoughts. Luca had overheard what Sam had said to Jade earlier, and he could understand Sam’s fear, but Luca could not leave shifters in danger.
Jade had started the meeting by telling them about the reports she’d uncovered and the agents in her office who had been killed or were missing. She wanted to look into the three shifters who might still be alive. One female fox shifter, a leopard shifter and a deer shifter. Since their bodies hadn’t been found and no one in the FBI was currently looking into their disappearances, Luca didn’t see why they shouldn’t try to find them.
