The Guardian (The Wolfe Series)

by Donna Oltrogge

  Laurie’s hair fell in soft waves around her face and shoulders. Her green eyes were huge in her heart-shaped face and her lips were parted as though waiting for a lover’s kiss as she stepped into Jake’s bedroom, closing the door softly behind her. She was surprised to find Jake still awake and standing at one of the windows looking out at the night. Fully clothed Jake was impressive, but unclothed he was simply unbelievable. He was large and strong, made up of muscle and flesh and a smattering of dark hair that narrowed until it disappeared into the boxers riding low on his hips.

  Jake’s heart seemed to stop when he saw Laurie enter his room. Has there ever been a more beautiful woman? She looked wanton with her hair flowing softly around her shoulders and she stood proudly before him allowing him to drink his fill of her glorious body.

  Jake couldn’t believe that Laurie had come to him. He tamped down the raging desire he felt and instead walked over and placed his hands gently on her shoulders, brushing his lips lightly against hers. Jake took in Laurie’s full breasts that were crested with rose-tipped nipples that fit perfectly into a man’s hands, her flat stomach, the beckoning flair of her hips and her impossibly long legs, the whole of her softness and curves.

  Laurie drank in the sight of Jake’s hard muscled body as she stood before him wearing nothing at all and watched Jake’s eyes fill with heat as they swept over her. In a single step his body was melded to hers and she inhaled the musky smell of soap and man as she raised her palms to the powerful corded muscles that defined his shoulders.

  Jake drank in the sight of Laurie knowing it was not just her beauty that drew him. He wanted her as he had never wanted any other woman, wanted her in every way. And now she’s mine.

  Moonlight shown through the bedroom windows and cast a silver glow over Laurie’s skin and hair and her impossibly full mouth, and over the full mounds of her breasts.

  The pads of Jake’s thumbs stroked her lower lip, his touch feather light across her face. “You are so beautiful.”

  “I feel beautiful when I’m with you.” Laurie placed her hands against Jake’s chest and felt his heart beating against her hand. Jake kissed her as he guided her to the center of the room and lowered her to the bed, pressing her into the soft mattress. Laurie gloried in the feel of Jake’s body against hers. They kissed and the kiss went on and on, life-giving, like the relentless onslaught of rain against a weathered rooftop. Laurie’s mouth opened taking Jake’s tongue and giving him hers.

  “I like how you make me feel,” she breathed against his lips knowing she was the cause of the tension she felt inside him. It was a heady feeling, this power she seemed to have over him.

  The heat of her words tore through Jake like liquid fire. His desire had reached proportions startling even to him, desire for this woman he was only just beginning to understand. His passion had slowly grown and fed upon itself, had awakened him at night when he had envisioned her touch, the scent and texture of her hair, the taste of her lips.

  He stroked the line of Laurie’s jaw and his other hand pulled her head back exposing her neck to his kisses, a slow sensual assault that left them both reeling. Laurie inhaled the masculine scent of him while Jake claimed her with a kiss that had her twining her body around his and letting him lead her to paradise.

  Laurie clung to Jake, running her fingers through his hair and holding his head against her breast, feeling his tongue rasp against her nipples as she gave herself up to his touch.

  His hand roamed down her back and over her backside to cup her buttocks and press her more intimately against him. She could feel heat pooling between her legs and as their kiss deepened, the sensation turned into a steady, aching throb. Every weave and tangle of their tongues sent tingles of pleasure down to Laurie’s toes. Jake’s lips were firm and confident, tempting her, urging her to respond and she did so without thought or reason or restraint.

  When Jake’s fingers found the wet warmth between Laurie’s legs he almost lost it. Knowing that she grew wet so easily for him had his own passions surging strongly. He needed to take time with her but it was becoming impossible. It was all new between them and he wanted to fill her with warmth and gentleness and memories that would last them a lifetime. “I don’t know how much longer I can hold out,” he groaned against her swollen lips.

  “I don’t want you to hold out. I want you Jake, I want you now.”

  “Ah, Laurie,” he whispered against her mouth. He knew that his life had been changed when he’d found Laurie, whether by chance or fate. He held in his arms what he wanted most in the world, her touch like a lovely sunset, coloring his heart and his soul. There were many faces of love, love was limitless, having no beginning and no end. It was shadows and light, joy and sorrow, ever changing, yet eternally the same.

  Laurie’s breasts seemed to swell and cool air touched her breasts a moment before Jake’s lips did. He pleasured her with his mouth, taking her nipple between his teeth and lips, shifting from one breast to another. His five o’clock shadow teased her skin, stirring amazing feelings. He ran his hand across her hip and carefully spread her legs, his hand touching the most intimate part of her. His lips covered hers effectively absorbing her moans as he slipped two of his fingers inside her.

  Laurie’s body tightened and she twined her fingers through Jake’s silky hair, an enthusiastic slave to the playing of her body by a maestro. She had no words to communicate how she was feeling. Need filled her and she sighed in pleasure when he slipped out of his boxers and entered her, feeling only a moment’s pain when her maidenhead was pierced. She wrapped her legs around his hips, wanting all of him, every last pulsing inch of his manhood. Then they were moving together and her moan was lost in the roar of their blood racing through their veins.

  Their releases when they came were simultaneous and a mind shattering experience that left them both gasping for breath.

  It took several minutes for Laurie to catch her breath. She turned her head toward where Jake lay on his back, his head turned toward her with a masculine, possessive look in his eyes. “Jake,” she whispered as she traced the firm line of his jaw with her fingertip, spellbound by what had just happened between them, reluctant to have it end.

  Jake caught her much smaller hand in his and nibbled on her fingertips. “Are you okay? He hadn’t realized she was a virgin. “I didn’t hurt you, did I?” His heart swelled at the realization that he was the first man to make love to Laurie and that he would be the last.

  “It was amazing.” She smiled at the pleased look on his face and knew she loved this man, more than she had thought possible. She’d had no idea how wonderful it could be between a man and a woman.

  “Yes, it was, wasn’t it?” Jake grinned as he slipped off the bed and headed for the bathroom. Moments later Laurie could hear the bathtub filling with water.

  “Your bath awaits, my lady,” Jake said as he walked back out of the bathroom and toward were Laurie still lay in bed. Shrieking in surprise she grabbed Jake around the neck when he lifted her into his arms and carried her into the bathroom.

  As he lowered her into the warm bathwater Laurie closed her eyes and sighed. She leaned her head back against the edge of the tub, her body a sensual feast for Jake’s eyes. His body hardened yet again with desire and he looked at her breasts which were barely covered by the water and her legs that were smooth and bent at the knees. Without further hesitation he joined her in the bathtub, sliding easily down into the water behind her and drawing her back against his hard chest.

  “This is heavenly,” Laurie sighed as Jake cupped her breasts and rolled her nipples between his thumbs and forefingers.

  Grabbing a bar of soap he lathered his hands and gently rubbed the fragrant soap over her shoulders, her breasts and stomach.

  “My turn,” Laurie said and took the soap from his hand. She turned to face him and straddling his hips slowly and methodically ran her lathered hands over his muscular chest and shoulders. “You are delicious,” she whispered into his ear.
Longing to explore his body, she ran her hand down over his stomach and took his erection into her hand. Running her hand up and down the satiny length of him, she was encouraged when she heard a groan rumbling deep in his chest. With sensual purpose she threw her head back, exposing her breasts to the ministration of his lips and hands.

  “You’re killing me,” Jake breathed. He suckled first one nipple and then the other before taking his hand and guiding his shaft toward the gate to her femaleness.

  Laurie gasped as she lowered herself onto his throbbing erection, her back arched as Jake continued to suckle her breast which caused flames of desire to leap in her lower regions. When he began to move, she clasped her hands around the back of his neck, her fingers entwined in his silky hair as she kissed him with all the love that was in her heart.

  Neither of them noticed the water that splashed over the sides of the bath tub as fire arched between them and they felt desire so breathtaking that all they could think about was their passion for one another. And after they reached for and found passion’s ultimate peak they drifted on a heavenly mist until it finally dissolved into utter fulfillment.

  It had taken sheer strength of will and determination for Laurie to leave Jake. She had been nearly overwhelmed with guilt when she’d left him snoring softly before slipping carefully from beneath his arm and tiptoeing out of the bedroom. She had walked back to her own bedroom, stopping more than once when her heart had tried to tell her she was making a terrible mistake. Once in her bedroom Laurie quickly grabbed the knap sack that she had stuffed with food and water earlier and slipped into her jeans and a clean shirt. Sliding her feet into the soft leather moccasins that Jake had provided Laurie felt guilty all over again. Jake wouldn’t agree to her leaving and she didn’t have any more time to try and convince him that it was for the best. She felt that time was running out and that Enrique and his minions were closing in on her. Jake definitely wouldn’t understand her risking her life to rescue a horse from Luzaro’s compound, but that’s how Laurie was built. It wasn’t Aragon’s fault that he had fallen into Enrique’s hands and Laurie was determined not to leave him there suffering who knew what at the hands of such a vicious sociopath. Thoughts of a reunion with her beloved horse strengthening her resolve, Laurie penned a short note to Jake and propped it against one of the pillows on her bed before heading out the door.

  “I’ll make sure I get you back to Jake,” Laurie crooned to Sugar as she led the mare from her stall and clipped her to the cross ties. Grabbing a saddle and blanket from a nearby saddle rack she quickly saddled the mare and tied her knap sack behind the cantle. She was about to slip a bit into Sugar’s mouth when she saw a movement out of the corner of her eye.

  Laurie almost jumped out of her skin when she saw a man enter the stables and start walking toward Sugar’s stall. She was grateful for her enhanced vision when Anthony Pluta’ s aging face slowly came into focus.

  “I find it hard to sleep sometimes, you too Miss?” Anthony took the bridle from Laurie’s hands and slipped the bit into the mare’s soft mouth. “It’s a little late for a ride, don’t you think?”

  Laurie wasn’t about to lie to the little man nor to allow him to interfere with her plans. “I’m leaving, Anthony, so please don’t try to stop me.”

  “I wouldn’t think of it,” Anthony said as he followed her and her mount out of the stables. “The desert is very dangerous at the best of times but even more so at night. Night is when the predators hunt.”

  The old man’s softly spoken words or warning caused needles of fear to skitter down Laurie’s spine.

  “It’s something I have to do, Anthony. I can’t stay here and continue to put all of your lives in danger.” She couldn’t seem to stop the tears that were filling her eyes.

  “You should have more faith in those of us here being able to protect you, especially Jake and his brothers. They are formidable adversaries and you do them an injustice by not honoring their courage and their desire to do the right thing where you are concerned.”

  “They don’t know who they are dealing with,” Laurie said trying to convince the old man that what she was doing was for the best.

  “They do know, perhaps even better than you.” Anthony sighed knowing he was not going to be able to get the young woman to change her mind. “You know that I have to tell Jake that you’ve gone.”

  Laurie was sorry she had put Anthony in such a position. She vaulted into the saddle and turned back toward the old man. “Tell Jake . . . tell him . . .” Laurie’s eyes were drenched in tears and she found she couldn’t get the rest of what she wanted to say past the huge lump that had formed in her throat.

  Anthony watched as Laurie kneed the mare into a soft lope and the pair disappeared into the darkness.

  When Jake heard the pounding on his bedroom door he growled and rolled over onto his back. He couldn’t remember where he was for a moment and then the memory of the last several hours flooded his body with heat and he reached out for Laurie.

  “What?” Jake growled when the knocking continued, surprised that anyone would be knocking on his bedroom door at this time of night and concerned as to why Laurie wasn’t still in his bed. A deep foreboding caused his muscles to clench as he jumped out of bed and stalked to the door. “What is it?” he said, opening the door much more forcefully than was necessary.

  “I’m sorry to disturb you, Mister Jake,” Anthony said, his hat in his hands.

  “What is it, Anthony? What’s gotten you out of bed at this ungodly hour.” Jake’s senses were suddenly on high alert and he dreaded hearing what the old man was about to tell him.

  “It’s the young lady, sir, Miss Laurie, she’s gone.”

  “She’s what?” Jake gaped at the old man. “Gone where?”

  “She did not say, sir, she just took Sugar and rode off into the desert. She seemed concerned about the safety of everyone on the ranch and said we would all be safer once she’s gone.”

  Jake stormed past Anthony. Heading toward Laurie’s bedroom he opened the door with such force that it slammed back against the wall. He immediately spotted the note Laurie had left propped against one of the pillows on the bed and tore open the envelope, quickly scanning the contents.

  My Dearest Jake:

  It is with the greatest regret that I leave Kingdom Ranch. I will not jeopardize you or your brother’s lives any further so please do not try to find me.

  Know that I grieve for what might have been.

  Laurie

  “Damn it!” Jake snarled as he tossed the note back on the bed and rushed out of the bedroom. “How long ago did she leave?” he questioned Anthony as he stomped down the hallway. He didn’t understand how she could have left after what they’d just shared.

  “Only a few minutes. She can’t have gotten far.” The old man hurried to keep up.

  “Call my brothers and tell them what’s up. Tell them I don’t think I’ll need their help but to come looking if I haven’t returned by sunup.”

  “I will do as you say.” The old man was breathing hard as he struggled to keep up. They had almost reached the barn when he said, “She did not want to leave. I believe it was tearing her heart out to do so.”

  Anthony’s last words stopped Jake dead in his tracks. “What makes you say that?”

  “Perhaps it was the tears flowing freely down her cheeks?”

  “I’ll find her,” Jake said confidently as he began tearing off his clothes. He’d planned to take Cloud and ride Laurie down but decided against it at the last minute. “It’ll be faster this way. Anything could happen to her, damn it.” He quickly shifted into his wolf form, his blue eyes brilliant in the moonlight.

  Anthony had seen the change many times but each time it still amazed him. One moment a man, the next a wolf, the change happening so fast that it would be missed if you glanced away for a moment. He, himself, had not Changed in many years and wasn’t sure his old bones could handle the Change. He sighed, remembering his younger days
with fondness, the mate he had loved and lost the year before and the children who were now grown and living on the ranch near Yellowstone.

  “Good luck, Mister Jake.”

  Anthony turned and walked back toward the main house to inform Taggert and Rand of this latest development.

  The MC-1 Global was a professional mirror compass made of durable materials that could withstand extreme temperature ranges and was sapphire-jeweled to ensure accuracy. Laurie had taken the costly compass from the desk in Jake’s office the previous day promising herself that she would return it and the horse she intended to borrow after she had rescued Aragon. Laurie flipped open the compass’ protective lid and pointed it toward where she thought Luzaro’s estancia would be. Unless Aragon had been moved, he would hopefully still be in the same paddock that he’d been in when she’d left, which was located some distance from the main house. If she could get close enough without anyone seeing her, all it would take would be a whistle from her and Aragon would jump the fence and come to her. After that, she didn’t know what she was going to do. Ride until she saw a welcoming light? What if she were found during the rescue attempt or followed by Luzaro’s men or ran out of food and water? What if the Change came upon her? Quite the plan, Laurie, quite the plan! Not! It’s not too late to stop this nonsense!

  Sugar shifted restlessly beneath her as though sensing danger. The mare’s sensitive ears flicked forward, her nostrils flaring as she danced in place, eager to be gone from whatever threat she was sensing.

  Laurie sniffed the air, her heightened sense of smell detecting an unfamiliar scent on the wind. Musky. Feral. And the way Sugar was dancing around was beginning to make Laurie nervous. Had Jake found her note? She knew Anthony would have wasted no time and would have gone directly to Jake and told him that she’d left. It wouldn’t take Jake long to overtake her if he chose to do so in his wolf form. Was that what she was smelling? Was Jake coming for her as a wolf? Laurie began to panic when she felt heat sifting into her muscles, the urge to Change becoming stronger and stronger as she struggled to control the horse beneath her.