She watched Billy from the corner of her eye, took in the casual way he slumped in his chair and leaned closer to her. Did it have something to do with her? It was not the wary watchful pose she’d come to expect from him at the diner. Come to think of it, she hadn’t seen much of that expression since she’d agreed to spend the week with him.
While she was lost in thought, the party broke up. She said goodbye to everyone, smiling vaguely at Summer’s suggestion they get together to shop soon, and let Billy lead her to the car. Inside, he cranked the engine, put it in gear, and reached for her hand. His thumb lightly traced her knuckles and warm tendrils of wellbeing unfurled in her stomach. She sighed, sank back in her seat, and closed her eyes.
Exhausted after the marathon week of socializing, sex, and emotion, she drifted between sleep and consciousness. She was aware of the car coming to a stop, of being lifted by strong arms, and of being carried inside. She tried to help Billy take off her clothes, but he pushed her clumsy fingers away and whispered nonsense about letting him take care of her. If she wasn’t so tired, she might have argued that she didn’t need a babysitter. He pulled the blankets back and she slid into the bed, smiling when he snuggled in behind her and wrapped her in a warm embrace.
Fourteen
Chloe woke feeling refreshed and stretched her arms over her head, arching her back a little to work out the kinks. Billy grunted when she hit his chin, and still asleep, moved out of her way. She turned her head on the pillow to watch him and trailed a finger along his jaw. He was gorgeous, and hers forever if she could only reach out and take that next step.
Slipping out of bed, she reached for his discarded shirt on the floor and pulled it over her head. She tiptoed from the room and went to the kitchen, setting water on the stove for tea. When it was ready she prepared a cup and carried it to the rocking chair on the front porch. It was still a couple of hours before dawn and the morning air was cool, the sky dark, and the stars bright.
He would be leaving today, and he hadn’t mentioned it once yesterday or last night. She was surprised at the hurt that arrowed through her heart at the thought. She would miss his quick smiles, the fluid way he moved, his gentle humor, the passion he stirred within her body, and the possessive way he held her through the night. She would miss the love she saw in his eyes.
Wiping angry tears from her cheeks, she stood and tried to reach a decision. She didn’t have to miss him. She’d already lost him once through Wyatt’s machinations. Was she going to risk losing him a second time because of her own stupidity? Was she going to let fear force her away from something pure and joyful?
She carried the mug inside, rinsed it, and left it in the sink, then walked slowly through the house. She would miss this place. It had provided a quiet refuge when she needed it most, had given her purpose when she’d needed it, but now it seemed to whisper to her that it was time to move on. Taking a deep breath, she entered the last room and approached the bed. Her heart swelled as she smiled down at Billy.
She loved him.
And he wasn’t leaving without her.
Her suitcase was in the hall closet. She got it out, leaving it open on the living room floor, and went back into the bedroom. Frowning, she looked around. The furniture, the knick-knacks, the dishes—almost none of them were hers. She’d pretended the place was home, but she hadn’t done much to make that claim a reality. The clothes were all new—Wyatt had destroyed hers—and she didn’t have a ton. She’d accumulated a lot of books over the last few months though, and there was no way those items would fit into one suitcase. She shrugged and started searching the closet. She’d pack what she could and get some boxes from Joanne for the rest.
She wasn’t in a big hurry, was she? Billy would be leaving today but he hadn’t said anything about her going with him, though Jackson had made it clear he wanted her to take over her father’s job. So she could take her time getting her things together and drive home when she felt like it. And maybe give Billy a bit a time to think about what he really wanted.
It took her an hour of trial and error to finally cram the suitcase full. She had to sit on it to get the snaps shut and in doing so, bit back a fit of giggles. It reminded her of her teenage years, when wearing her “party jeans” meant laying down flat on her bed and pulling the zipper up with a coat hanger. Her make-up bag took only a few minutes to throw together and she tossed it into a small bag she used as a carry-on, along with her laptop and a couple of paperback books she hadn’t yet read. Leaving both bags in the living room, she made more tea and went to the back deck to watch the sky lighten with dawn.
*
Billy found her there twenty minutes later, his eyes burning and his body vibrating with anger. He fought a smile when she didn’t cringe from his expression. She just cocked her eyebrows and waited. He was definitely making progress. He glared down at her and yanked out one of the empty chairs. Spinning it around, he sat it down in front of her, crossed his arms over the top, and tried to control the hammering in his heart.
When he woke up alone, he hadn’t worried too much. He figured she was either in the house or out on the deck. His worry grew when he realized the house was too still for her to be inside, but he’d assumed she was just outside. But when he’d walked out into the living room and seen her bags by the door, his concern quickly morphed into possessive rage. No way was she leaving him.
He found her outside, not sure if he should be happy that she’d at least waited for him to get up, or angry that she’d thought he would let her go. Then she smiled at him, without an ounce of fear in her eyes. Those eyes drank him in, lingering over his body as he moved towards her and aggressively pinned her. She didn’t look like a woman getting ready to run.
“You are not going anywhere,” he bit out between clenched teeth.
Her eyes widened, and hurt flashed through them, before they narrowed in anger. “Aren’t you going home today? And you expect me to stay here?”
She looked at her lap, and he followed her gaze, watching her fingers twist together. When she looked up, she was glaring at him. She took a deep breath, the action lifting her breasts under the thin cotton of his old t-shirt. He hadn’t even noticed she was wearing it until then. It looked better on her. Her nipples were hard in the cool morning air and he had to force his eyes up when she spoke again.
“I thought the whole point of this was to get me to go home. And now you’re acting like you don’t want me to go with you. What the fuck, Billy?”
His relief was so intense he was sure his heart skipped a few beats. She had packed to leave. To go home. With him.
“I thought you were trying to take off,” he whispered, not sure he could trust his voice not to crack.
They stared at each other a few minutes while his implication sunk in. She was choosing him, but she had one more step to take. He gripped the back of the chair as his purpose narrowed. Leaning forward, he made a show of looking at both sides of her neck.
She jerked back and cocked an eyebrow in response. “What are you doing?”
“Trying to figure out where you got your sudden change of heart. Nope. I didn’t bite you.”
She rolled her eyes. “Biting me wouldn’t have guaranteed that I’d go home with you.”
“I know that.” He nodded. “Glad you figured it out.”
Anger sparked in her eyes and she scraped her chair back, lunged out of it, and paced across the deck. She stalked back toward him, glaring at him as he rose to meet her. “What are you doing? Do you want me to come home or not?”
He lifted one hand to touch the side of her face, his knuckles tracing the line of her cheekbone. Then his hand slid down over her jaw, under her chin, and came to rest on the hollow between her neck and shoulder. Her pulse pounded and he rested the tip of his thumb over it, counting the beats.
“You know I do. There’s something else you have to ask for first, though. You’re skipping steps here, baby.”
With a gasp, she jerked back, but he
stopped her retreat with a quick arm around her waist. She glared at him and he smiled at her, hope a living thing inside his chest.
“I love you, Chloe.”
She stopped struggling and stared up at him as if he’d lost his mind. He sighed. That was not exactly the reaction he was hoping for.
“I do want you to come home with me, and Jackson gave me another week to convince you. And, of course, he wants you as the new historian.” He paused, his voice turning gruff with heat and need. “But if I take you home, it will be as my mate. And you haven’t made that choice yet, have you?”
“You actually expect me to ask you to bite me?” Her eyes widened. Disbelief and anger were heavy in her voice. “Are you crazy? Maybe this was a bad idea.”
“No. Actually, I think it’s the perfect way to go.” He laughed. “That way, I never have to worry about your staying with me because of the bond, and you’ll always have to admit you picked me.”
“No way,” she answered.
He stared down at her, wondering if he’d misread her, if she really didn’t care about him as much as he believed. “Then tell me why.”
Her brows drew together in confusion. “Why what?”
“Why you decided to come home with me. Without the bond. With our history, it just can’t happen. I would never feel like you were safe and that would make me very dangerous, Chloe.”
Her jaw tightened. “I didn’t expect to go without your biting me. I just didn’t think I’d have to ask.”
Well, at least she’d given him half an answer.
“And you’ve decided you can live with that? I need to know why.” Damn his pride. Did he really want her to answer that? What if he was wrong?
“Oh, well,” she answered airily. “I love you. I wouldn’t agree to go anywhere with you if I didn’t.”
His heart soared and his arm tightened possessively around her waist. He felt his incisors lengthen, and knowing the time to tie her to him was finally near, he didn’t fight it. Leaning down, he whispered in her ear.
“I love you too, Chloe. All you have to do to make it permanent is ask.” His breath feathered over her skin and tiny goose bumps rose in its wake. Her breath caught on a low moan, and his teeth itched.
“Damn it,” she whispered. “Just get it over with Billy, okay?”
He kissed her on her pulse point, sucking at her skin lightly enough not to mark her delicate skin. Her pulse raced in response. Then he slid his free hand down her side to cup her breast. God, she felt good. Her responding moan was loud in the morning air, and he shoved the edge of the shirt up to explore her curves unhindered.
“Two little words, Chloe,” he said in a gruff voice.
He picked her up and turned to set her on the porch railing, pulling the shirt over her head and leaving her breasts exposed at eye level. His cock throbbed and his inner wolf demanded he claim her now, mark her here.
“What’s it going to be, Chloe?”
He leaned forward, caught one jeweled, speared nipple in his mouth and tugged on it. This game wasn’t fair, but he was beyond caring. Reaching between them, he popped the snap on his jeans and freed his cock, relieved she’d skipped underwear this morning. He found her pussy wet and warm, and pushed into her folds, quickly building a fast, driving rhythm.
She groaned, wrapped her legs around his waist, and raised her arms to cradle his head. He let the hard tip of her breast pop out of his mouth, and trailed his tongue up the gentle curve of the inside of her breast. His teeth lightly scraped her soft skin, and his inner wolf howled. Here!
“Yes,” she hissed.
“Ask,” he grunted, not sure if he could hold out much longer and determined that she would choose. Her body shivered, and her pussy was slick around him. He knew she was close to climax, so he slowed his thrusts.
She choked on a sob. “Finish it, Billy.”
His teeth teased her sensitive skin and his cock stroked over her G-spot.
“Bite me,” she cried. “Now. There.”
It was the invitation he’d been waiting for, and he pierced the delicate skin on the inside of her breast with his incisors at the same moment his cock hammered its way home. It was the most erotic experience of his life as they came together in a loud, screaming rush. They clung together at the railing, breathing hard with their hearts racing. He felt the bond grow and stretch between them and smiled as he took his first clear breath in months. It was done.
She sighed and nestled closer to him, her breaths coming at a steadier rate. After a moment, she lifted her head and met his gaze with a languid expression.
“Can we please go home now?”
He laughed and carried her into the house. “Yeah, baby. Let’s go home.”
Christmas Moon
Lunar Mates Five
Blurb
Delilah Anderson is a woman with secrets. Always moving, her identity known to a very small few, she escapes a rogue and seeks assistance from the one werewolf she knows absolutely would never betray her. His strategy of hide-in-plain-sight would have worked fine if she hadn’t gone to a strange pack posing as an innocent human and run smack into not one but two mates.
Cooper and Aaron Williamson, both retired hunters, are eager to claim Delilah. She’s smart, beautiful, psychically talented. As her secrets unravel, their fascination with her and dedication to her grows. But when her true nature is revealed will they accept her or let her walk away?
This book has been revised and expanded.
One
She was so screwed and not in the fun way. Delilah paused in front of a display window and carefully checked around her, but it just confirmed what she already knew. Yep that was definitely the creep behind her. She’d met him a couple of weeks ago at the coffee shop near where she was staying. He’d introduced himself as Gage Rylon and he’d watched her closely for a reaction, but she’d been trained better than this idiot could ever have imagined. Her grandfather had made sure that she was as excellent fighter and as paranoid as he was, which was good, because the asshole following her was not Gage Rylon. They hadn’t seen each other since they were kids, but she’d know Gage, her Regis and cousin, anywhere. That recognition was in her fucking DNA.
The guy could just happen to have the same name. Stranger things had happened. It wasn’t like the future werewolf king had a trademark on his name. Her name was a fake too. There were maybe four werewolves alive who knew she was, or who should know. Gage too, for that matter. So she’d hoped at first it was a weird coincidence, but after the third time the creep had ‘run’ into her she’d changed her routine and her morning stop.
She was in regular contact with Gage—he was just about her only living family—and had considered going to him and his pack. He’d protect her without a lot of questions, but she had reasons to stay off his radar too. Reasons why she needed to deal with this on her own if she could and as quietly as possible. It was better to walk into a trap she knew existed, on her terms. She had advantages no one else knew about.
She hadn’t seen the imposter again until yesterday and she hadn’t been positive then. There was no doubting it now. It was time to get out of Orlando and disappear. She should have listened to her gut when she met him, but maybe it was better this way. If she’d vanished he wouldn’t have given up. He would have kept following her.
She was pretty sure he was Society. She’d received a warning that the group of rogue werewolves and werefelines, who believed humans were prey and should be fair game, were hunting women without the protection of a pack, especially from the old Atlanta pack. The last ruling Regis’s pack. Women they believed were werewolves. As far as most people in their small world were aware there were no female shifters. Somehow the Society had figured out otherwise. Lucky her. But how had they found out about her? No one ever had known except her grandfather and the only people he trusted. Pop had been gone for years. So were all but one of his friends, and he would never betray her. She was careful, and her family’s name had been changed
before she was born. What had given her away?
She’d lingered too long. She scented him inching forward so she slipped into a group of teenagers, chatting and laughing as they walked down the sidewalk, moved into another clump of strangers as soon as a place opened up, but she could feel him behind her. Stalking her. She should be afraid but she was too pissed off, mostly at herself for getting into this mess. What the fuck had she been thinking?
Now she had to figure out how to eliminate the threat on Black freaking Friday in a packed shopping area. Hey, no big deal, and she realized when she looked around to get her bearings, she’d lucked out. She wasn’t just a female shifter. Her mother had been a witch and Delilah had inherited her ability to communicate with animals. Not Dr. Doolittle communicate but a weird kind of telepathy of images and feelings. And she was coming up to a pet store she knew well. The owner was a friend, and he usually brought his dogs to work with him and gave them free run of the place.
She didn’t make it three feet through the door before a big husky called Rocky had glued himself to her side. He was a pretty black and gray with pale blue eyes and was quickly joined by Lucy, an energetic beagle and his constant companion. She got a worried vibe from them. Lucy licked her hand, turned and trotted off towards the back of the store. Despite her dire situation she grinned. Delilah recognized an order when she saw one, even if it came from a dog. She ducked behind a large shelf and headed towards the back.
“Delilah?” David Praul asked softly. “You okay?”
She backed into one of the visiting alcoves and Rocky and Lucy piled onto the loveseat with her, Lucy in her lap. She faked a smile for David. “I thought I would visit my favorite friends. And I thought, maybe some creep was following me.”
She was working him and she really hated that, but he reacted the way she expected him to. He stiffened for just a second, so short she almost missed it and she was good. He nodded, jaw clenched.
“Why don’t you take Rocky and Lucy home with you? I’ll get them after work.” He handed her his keys. “My car is out back. I’ll deal with anyone who comes in looking for you.”
Lunar Mates Volume Two: Books 4-6 Page 8
