Shelley wished she shared Alex’s surety.
Isaiah stood with his woman beside him. “Rach— I mean, Shelley. I want you to meet Meredith, my mate.”
“It’s a pleasure.” The tall, slender woman held out her hand. She was striking with her long black hair and blue eyes. She was dressed in slacks and a blouse, but she seemed sophisticated. Shelley felt like a poor relation next to her.
She rubbed her damp palm over the leg of her jeans before she took Meredith’s hand. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“Why don’t we go over to our house so we can talk?” Isaiah swept his arm around his wife. Shelley glanced at James and then away. She couldn’t depend on him for support. He had more important things to do than babysit her.
“Sure.” She walked toward the door with her family, but she could feel James’s eyes on her as she walked away.
Letting Shelley leave with her brother wasn’t easy. Every protective instinct inside James was urging him to sweep her into his arms and carry her to his bedroom. She belonged with him.
But she was still planning on leaving.
Her panic attack had caught him off-guard. He’d noted her loss of color and the way she’d stiffened and immediately known what was happening. Like a wild animal who’d tasted freedom, she panicked whenever she felt as though her freedom was being challenged.
Isaiah had almost blown it by insisting she stay.
Thankfully, he’d been able to smooth it over by reminding Shelley she’d promised him a week. Six days now. Not nearly long enough, but it would have to do. He had his work cut out for him to get Shelley to want to stay.
He would make it happen. Any other outcome was unacceptable.
James carried his mug to the sink and poured out his cold coffee. He hadn’t even managed a sip. He heard footsteps on the porch and knew Grady and the others had arrived.
It was time to deal with pack problems. He’d been too lenient and the Carlos family had once again threatened the safety of the pack. He set aside his mug, padded to the front door and swung it open. He stepped out onto the porch.
“Tell me what you’ve learned.” James waited patiently as Grady began to speak.
Chapter Sixteen
Shelley lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. It was going to be another long night. Since her escape last fall, she’d spent many sleepless nights worrying about how she was going to survive, if the hunters would find her and if she’d ever discover anything about her family or her roots.
The worst had happened and the hunters had found her. But that threat was now gone. She’d survived.
But the best had also happened. She’d found her family and now understood more about her heritage, about being a werewolf.
She sighed and flipped onto her side, tucking her hand beneath her pillow. It had been strange to spend time with her family. Family. The word itself was foreign to her. They’d made such an effort to accept her, but she was finding it difficult. She didn’t know how to act in social situations and it made her feel awkward.
Still, all her brothers and her sisters-in-laws had been very kind. They’d told stories from their childhood, allowing her to sit back and take it all in. Bits and pieces of disjointed memories were coming back to her and she was beginning to remember how much her brothers had loved her.
It still felt slightly removed from her, as if those events had happened to someone else. But they were helping her understand her brothers and herself much better.
Joshua had fired up an outdoor grill and barbecued steaks, while Alex had baked potatoes and whipped up a huge garden salad.
It was all so normal.
Shelley liked all of them. It had been a relief to see Simon seated in a comfortable chair, his arm in a sling to keep his shoulder immobile. He’d been pale but smiling as he participated in the conversation.
None of them seemed to hold a grudge or blame her for leading the bounty hunters to their door.
It was going to be hard to leave here. But she had to. Didn’t she?
Shelley flung back the covers in disgust and padded to the window. Standing there, she stared out over the night. The moon was bright, illuminating the few patches of snow hiding in the shade of the large fir trees. Spring was taking hold. It was a time for new beginnings.
What did she want out of life?
The freedom to choose. That was the biggest thing. After so many years of being a prisoner, she wanted to eat what she wanted to eat, wear what she wanted to wear. Beyond that, it was a blur. She’d honestly thought she wouldn’t live that long, not with the hunters on her tail.
Now that the threat was gone, she was left floundering.
A slight disturbance in the air told her she wasn’t alone. It was only when she sensed him that she freely admitted to herself that she’d been waiting for him. For James.
Strong arms banded around her from behind and his lips caressed the top of her head. Sighing, she leaned back against James’s bare chest. His thick erection pressed against her behind. He was naked and the barrier of her sleeping gown was so thin it might as well not exist.
“Can’t sleep?” His voice was rough and tender. He rocked her slowly back and forth.
She shook her head. “No. Too much to think about.”
His sigh fluffed her hair. “You don’t have to decide anything tonight or tomorrow or the day after that. Give yourself some time.”
She continued to stare out the window. She loved the view. It was so peaceful. So perfect. “I have to do something.” She had to make plans for her future. She knew her brothers wanted her to stay here. Had in fact pressured her to do so. Part of her wanted to run, but another part of her wanted to stay and see what it might be like to belong to an actual family.
James’s lips caressed the side of her jaw, working their way down her neck. “There’s plenty of time. No one is going to make you do anything you don’t want to.”
He’d hit on her main worry. She was afraid of giving in to her brothers’ demands in order to fit in. She hadn’t figured out if staying was what she wanted to do.
James continued nipping and sucking her neck, making it difficult to think. “James.” His name came out as a long moan. Her nipples were taut and the heavy pulse of arousal beat low in her belly.
“Hmmm,” he answered, the vibration cascading down her neck to her breasts and lower.
She covered his hands with hers and lifted them until they touched her breasts. He flicked his thumbs, caressing her tight nipples, and she leaned forward, pressing them more firmly against his questing fingers.
James slowly lifted the gown, pulling it over her head and whisking it away. Naked, she turned and linked her hands around his neck.
“Are you sure?” James cupped her face in his hands, his gaze solemn. “You’ve been through a lot today. I don’t want to take advantage of you.”
Her heart thudded wildly as she went up on her toes and kissed his hard jaw. She tunneled her fingers through his hair and pulled his face down to hers. She wanted this. Wanted to experience the wild sensations that shot through her whenever James touched her. He made her feel alive. Like she belonged.
It was dangerous to trust those emotions, but she couldn’t help herself. After facing death today, seeing him face death, she needed to touch him, to have his hands on her body.
His kiss was gentle, as though he was afraid of frightening her. As much as she appreciated what he was doing, she wanted him wild, out of control, caught up in the heat that exploded whenever they touched.
Shelley rubbed her breasts against his chest. The wiry hair felt good against her swollen nipples. Her belly slid over his hard shaft and she could feel it pulsing against her, vibrantly alive and ready to pleasure her.
An answering throb began deep in her core. The lips of her sex swelled and dampened with growing need. She wanted to feel his cock sliding in and out of her slick channel. Filling her. Completing her.
Tongues tangled and breathing quickened as she
deepened their kiss. She ate at his lips, desperately trying to imprint his taste so she’d never forget it.
He grabbed her hips, holding her steady. She felt him quiver as if he was uncertain whether or not to push her away or pull her closer.
She took the decision out of his hands by pulling away. His chest was heaving and his eyes were smoldering as she took his hand and led him toward the bed.
He followed but dug in his heels when they stood beside it. “I can’t go slow, can’t give you what you need. Not tonight. I’m too close to the edge.” James dragged a hand through his hair and took a step away.
She followed him. “I don’t want you to go slow. Not tonight.”
His nostrils flared, and for a second she thought she saw his wolf semi-imposed on his face. She blinked and it was gone. The female wolf inside her rubbed sensuously against Shelley’s skin, whining to be released. She wanted James’s wolf as much as Shelley wanted James. No, they were one and the same, part of the whole.
“Shelley.”
She heard the warning in his voice and ignored it. “No. All my life I’ve had to accept whatever males took me. This is my choice. I want you.”
She felt the change in the atmosphere. James seemed to grow larger, more imposing. The muscles in his arms and legs grew rigid as his cock bobbed in front of him. Testosterone and pheromones pulsed through the air, surrounding her in their potent mix. Cream slid from her core in answer. Oh yes, she wanted him.
James’s golden eyes narrowed. “After tonight, you won’t remember those other men.” He growled the possessive words. Instead of frightening her, they sent a shiver of desire skating over her bare skin.
He pounced, taking her down onto the bed. Panic threatened until he rolled so he was flat on his back and she was lying on top of him. He cupped the back of her head in his large hand and pulled her down so he could kiss her. He angled her face so he could deepen it.
Their breath mingled, their tongues twined together, their teeth clinked as they struggled to get closer. Shelley rubbed her body against his, wanting to feel his hardness, his maleness. He was so strong, so commanding, yet she had no fear.
It was a heady experience.
James tugged her back and stared at her. “Sit up.”
She did and that brought her pussy snug against his erection. They both groaned as she experimented with sliding back and forth over his hard shaft.
“Fuck, yes,” he moaned. His eyes were half closed, but she could still see the smoldering gleam in them. He reached up and cupped her breasts, teasing her red, puckered nipples between his thumbs and forefingers.
She panted hard and continued to work herself over his cock. Each stroke stimulated her clit until she thought she’d explode.
“Take what you need,” he gritted out from between clenched teeth. He looked feral, primal and tapped into the same wild feelings that existed inside her.
Her skin was flush with pleasure. Each time he gently pinched her nipples, her pussy spasmed. He arched his hips, bringing her clit and slick folds in closer contact with his thick shaft.
Her orgasm struck hard and fast. She cried out as her inner muscles contracted. Her sheath clutched and grabbed, but found nothing but air. Her entire body shook and she collapsed against James. He banded his thickly muscled arms around her and held her tight.
When she could finally breathe again, Shelley pushed upright. The motion pressed her mound against his throbbing erection. He hadn’t come. Was still hard.
And she still wasn’t fulfilled. It wasn’t going to be enough for her to just have an orgasm. She wanted to feel James deep inside, a part of her.
Sweat covered his torso. His breathing was labored, his chest expanding and contracting with each gasp of air he sucked into his lungs. He watched her, demanding nothing. And that made her want to give him everything. He was unlike any other man she’d ever met. Controlled. Strong. Sure of himself.
“Shelley, you have to stop.” His voice was low. Guttural. He wasn’t as in control as he seemed.
“No, I don’t,” she countered.
She gripped his shaft in her hand and pumped up and down. It was wet from her juices. Blood pulsed through his hard length, keeping it thick and hard. The bulbous head was darker, almost purple, and fluid seeped from the slit at the top. She licked her lips, remembering his salty, masculine taste.
A low growl filled the air and James’s hips arched off the mattress. “You’re killing me.”
She shook her head. There were so many things she wanted to say, to tell him. She’d never expected to want a man, to trust one. He’d given her back hope, shown her that not all men were alike. He’d brought her into his home, helped her understand her culture and find her family. He’d protected her, was still protecting her from himself.
But words wouldn’t come, so she showed him instead. Going up on her knees, she angled the head of his cock toward her opening.
He stilled. “Are you sure?”
Shelley answered with action, not words, lowering herself over the thick head of his cock. The muscles at the opening of her sheath were swollen and tight, but she pressed down until the broad tip was in. Her channel pulsed and rippled.
James groaned and grabbed her hips. “I can’t wait.” That was all the warning she got. He surged up as he pulled her down. His thick shaft forged inward, stretching her to the limits. Filling her. She squirmed, trying to get comfortable. James was a big man in every way.
He held her steady. “Don’t move.” A bead of sweat rolled down his temple, disappearing into his hair. She loved the shock of silver mixed with the many shades of brown. It was sexy.
She tried to do as he asked. Really, she did. But it was impossible. She had to move.
Raising herself a couple of inches, she slowly came back down. A low moan broke from deep within her. Her body stretched to accommodate him. She could feel the pulsing of his cock deep inside her. He was truly a part of her.
She lifted up and came down, again and again. Never more than a few inches at a time.
“Shelley,” he growled her name.
She didn’t know what to do. Her breasts ached, her pussy throbbed and each movement was almost painful. It wasn’t enough. She stared hopelessly down at him. “Help me.”
He banded his arm around her waist and flipped them so she was flat on her back and he loomed large above her. The motion sent his cock deeper. She pulled her legs up, desperately trying to make more room for him.
James shoved his arms beneath her legs and planted his hands by her head. The change in position left her legs wide open. She was unable to move, unable to control the depth of his thrust. She should have been scared to be at the mercy of a male. Instead, she couldn’t get him deep enough.
He started slow but quickly picked up the pace. He hammered his cock into her, angling his body so he stroked her clit each time he drove deep.
Her mouth fell open on a silent scream. Her head fell back and she closed her eyes, trying to understand the sensations rocketing through her. Her body was on fire. Her skin about to burst into flames.
“Look at me,” he commanded. “Watch me take you.”
She opened her eyes, unable to do anything else. He was so big and strong. All alpha male as he drilled into her over and over. With his hair falling around his face and his eyes gleaming, he looked fierce. She could see the wolf inside him, desperately clamoring to get out. But the man was in charge. In control.
Each stroke of his cock stretched her channel. She felt the pulse of his shaft against the slick walls, felt him touch her womb. They were both covered in a sheen of sweat as he took her.
Her breasts ached so she covered them with her hands.
“Fuck, yes. Touch yourself.”
She plumped up the sensitive mounds and rubbed her thumbs over the hard tips. She moaned and her inner muscles clenched, drawing a gasp from James.
“Now, Shelley. Now.” He pumped harder. She felt his cock swelling, getting even la
rger, the burst of fluid deep inside her as he filled her with his essence.
He stroked again and pushed her over the edge. This time when her orgasm struck, her pussy clamped down hard on his shaft. He didn’t stop moving, but continued to pump hard and deep. She cried out again, her entire body jerking and spasming.
Her thighs quivered and her arms shook. She clutched at James’s shoulders, needing something solid to hold on to. He gave a final shudder and groan and fell to the mattress, angling his body away from her torso.
They were still intimately joined and the occasional aftershock shook them both as they recovered. Shelley didn’t think she’d ever be able to move again. Every preconceived notion she’d ever had about sex had been shot out the window.
She’d had sex during heat, been caught up in a mindless biological sensation she couldn’t control. She’d also been taken against her will. But never had she experienced anything like this. She felt closer to James than she ever had to another person.
She decided not to think about it but to simply enjoy it.
James lifted his head and kissed her. A quick peck on the lips before he pulled out and collapsed beside her. He reached out his arm and pulled her into the curve of his body and kissed the top of her head. “Sleep. You can worry in the morning.”
Strangely enough, his words made sense. She didn’t have to decide anything right now. Content in a way she’d never been before, she snuggled close, rubbing her butt against his semi-erect cock.
He laughed and tightened his arms around her.
The smell of sex, of their joining, permeated the air around her. Her skin was sticky and hot. She should get up and go to the bathroom and get cleaned up.
Instead, she savored the smells, the sensations of making love with James. She stilled as she considered her choice of words. Making love.
Because it was more than just sex. She respected James. Cared for him. That didn’t mean it was necessarily love. It couldn’t be. They hadn’t known each other long enough.
“Stop thinking. You’re keeping me awake.” James kissed her temple and covered one of her breasts with his palm, squeezing gently. “Sleep.”
Legacy Found: Legacy, Book 3 Page 19
