She’d never ridden in a limo before, and when confronted with something that resembled a living room sectional, she couldn’t figure out where to sit. The back seemed safest, because at least she’d be facing forward like in a normal car. She eased down on the black leather and gave an inadvertent hum of pleasure.
How embarrassing. She didn’t want Colin to know that she liked the luxury ride that he was providing, or George Trevelyan was providing because he and Colin had some sort of alpha-male mutual back-scratching thing. But she had to admit this was the nicest upholstery her tush had ever enjoyed.
She held her straw purse on her lap, because clutching it gave her something to hold onto in this cavernous space that held a scent of oiled leather and a light perfume that might be an air freshener. The driver seemed miles away.
Colin sat right next to her, of course, bringing with him his maddeningly sexy scent. She could have predicted that he’d plop down right where she was, his thigh touching her thigh.
She wasn’t about to put up with that. The brush of his pants leg against her dress was far too erotic to go on for even one minute. She moved a few inches to the right, and he didn’t follow. His pride probably wouldn’t allow him to chase her around the black leather.
If things had remained the same as they once were between her and Colin, she would have joked with him that until now, she’d also been a limo virgin. But she wasn’t in a joking mood, so she didn’t say anything and pretended she’d been chauffeured like this dozens of times.
The limo pulled out so smoothly that it took her a second to realize they were in traffic. “Don’t you have to tell him where to go?”
“George told him. George also alerted the sales staff that we were coming, and told them to give us their best price.”
“That George. What a guy.”
Colin glanced at her. “He asked if we’d come up to his office after we finish with the hot tub shopping. You should probably meet him. He’d be a valuable contact to have.”
“I suppose he would.” Colin was right. Geraldine might have prided herself on being totally self-sufficient, but Luna couldn’t afford to operate that way if she expected to make a success of Whittier House. “Then we should go to his office, and thank him for the limo while we’re at it.”
“I’m sure he’d appreciate that.”
“It’s the polite thing to do.” She gazed out the window at the bustling city and was swamped with memories of having to survive in such an environment on her own. Le Floret suited her so much better, and she hoped never to have to go back to the life she’d had before moving to the island.
“There’s something I want to talk to you about.”
She turned back to him, all her senses on high alert. “What’s that?”
“Have you heard about a secure website called Lupe?”
She shook her head. “From the name I’m guessing it’s for Weres?”
“Yes. It was activated a few months ago. My brother, who keeps up with such things, told me about it.”
She relaxed her guard. So this was about business. “If it would be a good place to advertise the inn, then I’ll check into it. I hadn’t heard of it, so I appreciate the tip.”
“It would be a good place to advertise, but that’s not why I mentioned it. I found something on there this morning that I thought you’d want to know about. Have you heard of the Byron Reynaud Foundation?”
She drew in a sharp breath. Hearing her father’s name was always a shock to her system. “No, I haven’t. What…what is it?”
“An organization to benefit orphaned and misplaced Weres. It’s funded and supervised by your grandparents.”
“Oh.” She put a hand to her heart, as if she could soothe its frantic pounding. “That’s…that’s…good, I guess.” And what about her? She was an orphaned and misplaced Were, and their granddaughter. But she couldn’t go to them for support, because if she told them Sophie was her mother, they would know she was a half-breed.
After taking a steadying breath, she met his gaze. “Thank y’all for telling me. I appreciate knowing.” Even if it did her no good. Then she had another thought. “If this foundation becomes well-known, then so will the name Reynaud.”
“Perhaps.”
“I should be prepared with an answer if someone asks if I’m related, since I live in the area. I don’t want to stammer and look as if I’m lying.”
“True.”
As the implications became clear, she groaned. “My name will become more well-known as the manager of the Whittier House Inn, especially if it’s as successful as I plan for it to be, so it could work the other way, too. Weres could ask my grandparents if they’re related to me.”
“I suppose, but I was thinking that—”
“This is not good, Colin.” She kept her voice low so the chauffeur couldn’t hear. “The whole story could come out, which could be bad for business, not to mention embarrassing for you. I need to change my last name.”
“Or you could consider meeting your grandparents and getting everything out in the open, so it won’t have the power to sabotage you later.”
She stared at him in astonishment. “No, I could not. No telling how they’d react if they find out they’re related to a half-breed. After your rant this morning, I’m more determined than ever to protect my secret.”
He flinched. “Point taken. But Luna, you’re their granddaughter, the only link to their dead son. I know telling them is risky, but…your mother and father are gone. Wouldn’t it be comforting to have family again?”
His tone of voice was what clued her in. She stopped focusing on the problem and looked more closely at those beautiful eyes. Sure enough, they were filled with sympathy…and a certain amount of guilt.
She had a flash of insight. “I don’t think y’all stumbled upon the Byron Reynaud Foundation by accident.”
“No. I went looking for information about your grandparents.”
“Why?”
“I think you need them, Luna.”
Anger boiled beneath the surface, but she forced herself not to scream at him. They were in a limo, after all. “Whether I need them or don’t need them is none of your business, Colin. I’m grateful for the information, so I won’t be caught unaware. The best course of action would be to change my name, so this will never become a problem.”
“It’s not going to be a problem.”
“Of course it is. There’s the potential for Weres to learn I’m a half-breed and shun me. Whittier House could lose business because of it. I could become a liability instead of an asset.”
“Give Weres some credit, Luna. They won’t blame you for something that wasn’t your fault.”
“Don’t y’all?” She put all the hurt from this morning into that one question.
“No! That’s what I’ve been trying to say ever since this blew up. Your parents’ choices wouldn’t have been my choices, but that doesn’t change the fact that you’re wonderful, no matter who your mother and father were. I didn’t tell you about your grandparents because I was afraid it might hurt business at some time in the future. I told you because I want the best for you.”
She gazed at him and tried to make sense of it all. He still wanted her to manage the inn, despite her heritage, and she was extremely grateful for that. He probably also wanted her back in his bed, despite her heritage. But it would be no more than a fling.
Considering the way he felt about human-Were unions, the Much Honored Colin MacDowell, Laird of Glenbarra, would certainly seek a full-blooded Were as his mate. That female Were probably would have to be born and bred in the Highlands, too, and hail from a respectable pack with a coat of arms and such other trappings as they had over in Scotland.
Luna had known from the beginning that Colin couldn’t be more than a passing lover in the night. Still, she had to admit that was more than she’d had before he’d arrived on the scene, relieved her of the burden of her virginity, and taught her that she wouldn’t shift
or explode during an orgasm.
Colin definitely had some pluses on his side. If he had a strong prejudice against Weres mating with humans, that really had nothing to do with her, or their extremely temporary relationship. He was an outstanding lover, or so she supposed, having so little experience in the matter.
By denying him sex, she was also denying herself. Her mother would have said that was cutting off her nose to spite her face. She’d just discovered that orgasms were extremely pleasurable. Why not take advantage of what this virile Were had to offer, on her terms?
Colin cleared his throat. “So?”
She looked into those damnably attractive blue eyes. “I’ll think about the whole grandparent angle. No promises, but I’ll give it some thought.”
“Good.”
“And much as I’d love to have Knox point out the wonders of flying over the Sound at night, I’d rather not go back at midnight.”
Colin sighed. “All right. I’ll cancel the restaurant reservations and call Knox. What time would you like to leave?”
She had a hard time controlling her smile, but she wanted to shock him. He deserved to be shocked, and a smile might tip him off that something unexpected was coming. “How about late tomorrow morning?”
He looked as if she’d hit him with a two-by-four.
Chapter Thirteen
Luna had rendered him speechless, and that didn’t happen often to Colin MacDowell, pack alpha and Laird of Glenbarra. When he finally spoke, it was with a disconcerting stammer. “T-tomorrow?”
“Unless y’all have plans.” Triumph danced in her green eyes. She’d gained the upper hand, and she knew it.
“No, I just…”
“Didn’t come prepared. Neither did I. No extra clothes. Although for some of the time, we won’t need any.”
He couldn’t believe she’d said that. He hoped the limo driver was discreet, although he’d have to count on Knox’s discretion, too, because once he called Knox, the helicopter pilot would know…bloody hell, the entire staff at Whittier House would know, too! Not a soul would believe he and Luna had spent the night in separate hotel rooms.
He swallowed. “I assume you’ve thought this through?”
“As a matter of fact, I have. When we get back to the city for our book shopping, we can stop by a department store and pick up a few things. I’ll be happy with some jeans, a blouse, and a change of underwear. I can still wear my sandals, and I can go without makeup for a day. I have lipstick in my purse.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
“Are you worried about toiletries? If we’re staying in a luxury hotel, which seems to be the way y’all roll, then it should have everything else—shampoo, toothpaste, things like that.” She shrugged. “Easy.”
“I’m not worried about any of that.” For a chance to spend the whole night with her, he’d sacrifice any number of grooming essentials. “I’m thinking of…” It sounded old-fashioned, but he’d say it, anyway. “Your reputation.”
“My reputation?” She placed a hand dramatically on her chest. “This can only improve it. Everyone thinks of me as a shy and boring virgin, and now they’ll know I’ve finally taken the leap, and with a fine specimen, too.”
“Thanks for that, but I wouldn’t say that I’m such a fine—”
“Don’t be modest. Every female at Whittier House is in agreement on that score. You’re gorgeous. Fact is, you should be worrying about your reputation.”
“I should?”
“Important laird, pack alpha, consorting with the help, a female Were who doesn’t even belong to a pack and has a very murky history. How will that play in Glenbarra?”
“So long as I’m not mated, and it’s consensual, nobody cares.”
“In that case, I need to get while the getting’s good, before Colin MacDowell is all mated up with a bonny lass and a pack of wee MacDowells.”
“You sound mighty cheerful about that prospect.”
“Why shouldn’t I be? Isn’t that what y’all want?”
It wasn’t a question he cared to answer at the moment, because with Luna sitting inches away, her scent teasing him as much as her saucy words and outrageous suggestion to chuck everything and openly spend the night together, he couldn’t seem to think about anything else, and certainly not about a life without her in it.
Moving closer, he slid his hand under her silky hair to cup the back of her neck. “Right now, all I want to do is kiss you.”
“Right here in the limo?”
“No, right here on the mouth.” Leaning forward, he made good on that statement, and he couldn’t remember a sweeter kiss than this one, because he’d given up all hope of ever doing it again.
He kissed her with gratitude for her plump lips that tasted like raspberries, and for her nimble tongue that gave him such pleasure during this kiss, and would, if he was very lucky, give him pleasure elsewhere on his body later tonight. That prospect made his cock swell in anticipation. Reluctantly he concluded that unless he planned to take her here in the back of the limo in broad daylight, thus providing a peep show for the driver in his rearview mirror, he’d better stop kissing her.
He pulled back, and was gratified to notice that her pupils were huge and her breathing as jerky as his. “I don’t mind if the world knows we’re lovers,” he said in a low voice. “But I’m not willing to put on a public demonstration to prove it.”
“Are we in public? I totally forgot.”
He smiled. “What a nice compliment. As I said, you’re very good for my ego.”
“No matter what our differences may be, Colin, you’re the best kisser I’ve ever known.”
“And my competition is who? The cretin who backed you up against a wall without asking and stuck his tongue down your throat? Face it, Luna, you don’t know if I can kiss worth a damn. I’m just better than the Neanderthal who grabbed you years ago.”
“I may not have kissed very many males in my life, but when someone can make me dizzy with only the pressure of his mouth, then I’ll bet he’s a good kisser.” She leaned toward him and lowered her voice. “And besides being dizzy, my panties are wet.”
Colin groaned softly. “You shouldn’t have told me that.”
“I’m only trying to prove my point,” she murmured.
“Yes, but…” He put his mouth close to her ear. “We just pulled into the parking lot of the hot tub dealership, and I’m not sure I can get out of the car.”
Her glance flicked to his lap and her smile was pure female. “Want to carry my purse?”
“No, lass, I do not.” He closed his eyes and ran through a few football stats to get his penis under control. By the time he opened his eyes again, the limo driver was leaning in through the passenger door staring at him.
“Motion sickness,” Colin said. “I’m fine, now.”
“Yes, sir.” The driver ducked his head, but not before Colin saw his knowing grin.
No matter. Colin was Luna Reynaud’s lover and didn’t care who knew it, including, no, especially, Knox Trevelyan.
Luna was so glad she’d decided to put aside her grievances and enjoy being Colin’s temporary lover. Shopping for a hot tub was way more fun when she could subtly taunt him with how they could make use of it. They actually might do those things, too, because the salesman promised delivery by motor launch the following afternoon. She and Colin chose an above-ground model, so it could be installed in a few hours.
While the salesman drew up the paperwork, Colin pulled Luna aside. “You’re a devil. You do know that, right?”
“Me?” She batted her eyelashes at him. “I simply wanted to make sure the benches would be the right height and the jets were positioned well. And we needed a demonstration of the pulsing action. That’s very important.”
“I’m sure it is for what you have in mind. You don’t play fair, Luna Reynaud.”
“Poor Colin. Bless your heart, that vein popped out on your temple when our salesman was explaining the pulsing action.”
“I hope you realize that we’re obligated to test that hot tub tomorrow night. I wouldn’t feel right letting a guest use it until we’re…completely satisfied.”
“As they say down in the French Quarter, touché.” Now she was the one feeling hot and bothered as she imagined them both naked in the hot tub.
He’d agreed with her that it should be positioned beyond the croquet area on the edge of the bluff. Anyone sitting in it would have a view of the sea but be screened from the house by a row of tall hedges. Yet when she envisioned enjoying the tub with Colin, she wondered if they’d even care about the view. They’d have to make sure they tested it long after everyone else went to bed.
Colin signed the papers and wrote a check out of Geraldine’s retirement account. She’d made him the beneficiary of that, too. If he’d sold the island and everything on it, he would have ended up with a sizable amount of money. Instead he was spending money to make Whittier House more attractive to guests.
Luna thought about that as they climbed inside the limo. “I’ll make this venture profitable,” she said. “In the long run, y’all will make more money this way than by selling.”
He reached over and took her hand. “Don’t worry.” He stroked her palm with his thumb. “I won’t regret hanging onto the place.”
“I hope not.” The languid movement of his thumb reminded her of how he’d caressed her so intimately the last time they’d made love, when he refused to risk chafing her. She dropped her voice to a murmur. “I’m not sore, by the way.”
His thumb stopped in mid-motion. “You have the damnedest timing. Just when I was beginning to establish some control, you wreck it.”
“I thought you’d want to know before we…do anything.”
“Oh, I do want to know. Believe me. It’s been on my mind ever since you mentioned staying overnight in Seattle.” He squeezed her hand and released it. “Which reminds me that I need to call Knox and let him know our change of plans.”
“You sound quite pleased about that.”
“I am.” He pulled his cell phone from an inside pocket of his jacket and punched in a number. “It will give me great pleasure to inform Knox that you and I will be spending the night together.”
Werewolf in Seattle Page 13
