Wild On My Mind

by Laurel Kerr

  Dobby, however, didn’t seem convinced. His squeaks lengthened into long, demanding whines. As if to punctuate his displeasure, he writhed in Katie’s arms. She could feel his strong paws push against her stomach as he struggled.

  That’s when she felt it. The warm spray of liquid spreading across the front of her shirt. She lifted the cub and stared into his innocent blue eyes. “You did that on purpose. Didn’t you?”

  The cub squealed louder, and Katie shook her head. “You’re lucky you’re so cute.”

  Nestling Dobby in her arms, she grabbed his formula. Sitting cross-legged on the floor, she placed the bottle against his lips. Now that the cubs were a little older, she was able to feed them in her lap. Dobby’s pink mouth immediately closed around the rubber tip as he sucked greedily. His big paws reached up to wrap around the bottle, almost like a baby human’s. Katie sighed as she stroked the puma’s fur. “You are trouble.”

  Dobby ignored her and kept drinking. After he’d had his fill, he fell asleep. Katie gently laid him down against Sylvia. The capybara tiredly raised her head to check on her charge. Content that he was once again peacefully slumbering with his sisters, the rodent settled back down.

  Katie smiled at the sweet scene. Satisfied that the animals would be fine without her for a few minutes, she tiptoed out of the room. Thankfully, she’d brought spare clothes, and Bowie had pointed out a utilitarian shower in the building.

  Stripping down, she jumped quickly into the spray. As she reached for the soap, she thought she heard a sound. Glancing around, she didn’t notice anything. Since it was two in the morning, she doubted anyone was awake. With a shrug, she turned back and focused on finishing as quickly as possible.

  * * *

  Fluffy chittered softly.

  Tonight was already proving to be a success. He had broken out of his enclosure in record time, courtesy of the “enrichment” toys accidentally left in his pen. The Wee One had brought him a cardboard box earlier in the day and had forgotten to retrieve it. Fluffy wasn’t quite sure how the empty cube was supposed to enrich him. It was not honey-covered larvae. But he hadn’t minded pushing it around with his nose or tearing it with his teeth. It also made excellent building material for an escape.

  He’d roughhoused with Frida before heading to the animal hospital. He’d been watching the redheaded female closely, and now his vigilance had paid off. The biped had left a mound of scent-covered fabric in a messy heap. Although the human was momentarily distracted, he would need to work quickly. Fluffy grabbed the pieces with the strongest odor. They also happened to be the smallest articles, which made transport easier.

  First, he carried them to the bush outside the maintenance facility. At the moment, he didn’t dare risk the time it would take to properly deposit them. The redheaded female could leave the water box very soon, and he did not want her to catch him.

  He managed to steal four pieces in quick succession. When he scurried back for the last two, he found the biped standing in the middle of the room with a confused expression on her face as she swiveled her head back and forth. Fluffy backed away before she spied him. He had work to do.

  Returning to his ill-gotten gains, he pulled one piece of fabric from the pile at a time. Working rapidly, he created a trail that even a weak-nosed biped couldn’t miss that led straight to the redheaded female’s burrow. As Fluffy ran through the zoo, dragging the woman’s scent behind him, he was quite pleased with himself. If his mouth had not been full of fabric, he would have smiled.

  Chapter 6

  When Bowie started down the stairs from his back porch, he stopped. A piece of nude-colored fabric lay on the bottom step. Curious, he picked it up. It was a lady’s sock and too big to be Abby’s.

  Odd.

  About a yard later, he discovered its mate. Then a pair of black bikini bottoms. On the bush outside the animal hospital, he discovered a woman’s lacy black push-up bra hanging from the branches. What the hell?

  Suddenly, realization struck him. Only one creature in the zoo would leave a trail like this—Fluffy. The furry devil!

  Bowie glanced down at the clothing in his hands. Where would Fluffy have found them? Despite all the honey badger’s nocturnal adventures, he never strayed from the confines of the zoo. The little rascal probably knew how good he had it.

  A cold sensation slid through Bowie. It couldn’t be. Could it?

  But he had told Katie to bring an extra set of clothes. Working at a zoo, especially with baby animals, meant anything could happen. Animals made a variety of messes all the time. Or, he thought glumly, a honey badger could steal someone’s undergarments and deposit them throughout the zoo.

  Bowie groaned again. He was not looking forward to returning the clothing to Katie. Although he supposed it was better that he’d found her stuff before another staff member or volunteer did, she was going to think he was either a perv or back to his old prankster ways.

  He had to bring Fluffy along. Katie would never believe him otherwise. Even with the actual culprit in tow, Bowie had no idea how he’d explain the situation. Luckily, Abby had not left for school. Putting Katie’s stuff into a plastic grocery bag, Bowie left it in the maintenance facility and returned to the house where his daughter was finishing breakfast with Lou. It didn’t take her much time to catch Fluffy. The wild creature lay complacent in her arms, but as soon as Abby handed Bowie the mustelid, the little devil began to twist and snarl.

  Fortunately, Bowie knew how to dodge Fluffy’s sharp teeth and claws.

  He quickly carried the irate honey badger through the zoo and into the maintenance facility where he’d left Katie’s belongings. As he grabbed the bag of clothes, he glanced down at the struggling animal.

  “You wouldn’t know anything about this, would you?”

  Bowie swore the little devil grinned. Broadly.

  * * *

  Katie yawned and checked the time on her computer monitor. Bowie was late in relieving her from cub-watching duty, which was unusual for him. He was generally very prompt.

  She stretched, jerking her head from side to side to work out the kinks in her neck. Just as she was starting to debate whether she should call him, she heard his footsteps outside the room. She looked up to ask him if everything was okay, but the words got lost in her burst of laughter.

  Bowie stood with a contrite expression on his face. In one hand, he held a bag with one sock peeking out. Hooked under his other arm was a squirming tube of enraged mammal. Fluffy certainly wasn’t happy about getting caught.

  “Ah,” Katie said, “so that’s what happened to my clothes.”

  Bowie’s grin seemed a tad hesitant. “You’re not upset?”

  Katie shook her head as she reached for her camera. “Amused. A story of sock theft will be great for the website.”

  After she snapped a photo, Katie bent a little at the knees so that she was level with snarling Fluffy. She wanted to pet him, but she didn’t want to lose a finger…or a hand. “Hey, little guy. You’re still cute, even if you are kind of surly.”

  The honey badger did not appear to be impressed by her compliment. In fact, his upper lip curled more. Katie laughed. “I don’t think he likes being called cute.”

  “He prefers to intimidate,” Bowie said dryly.

  “So where’d you take my clothing?” Katie addressed the honey badger. At her question, she swore she saw a gleam spark in Fluffy’s dark eyes.

  Bowie coughed and seemed to shift uncomfortably. Katie even thought she spotted the faintest trace of red creeping up his neck. Who would have guessed that the high-school prankster could blush?

  “Well, where did you find it?” Katie asked him.

  Bowie cleared his throat again. “There was a trail. It led from my house to the animal hospital.”

  Katie blinked, nonplussed by his answer. Then, when she finally wrapped her head around the im
age, she erupted into laughter.

  “Oh my gosh,” she said between unstoppable guffaws, “now even a honey badger is trying to set us up.”

  Heat flared in Bowie’s gray eyes, threatening to sear Katie’s heart. In fact, it might have burned to a crisp, if not for the firewalls she’d set up around it years ago. She swallowed. Hard.

  It didn’t help. So she tried again. Still nothing.

  “Is that so bad?” Bowie asked, his voice sounding rich and thick. Like a milk shake made with Belgian chocolate. And she wanted what he was offering. Craved it even.

  “What?” Katie feigned ignorance, hating how her voice seemed sharper and maybe…just maybe…a tad breathless.

  “Us.”

  The word hung between them. Tempting. Intoxicating. Dangerous. Like a sweetly perfumed but deadly flower. And having experienced this particular poison’s aftereffects before, she had no desire to partake again. No matter how alluring.

  Ignoring his question, she broke their gaze and jerked her chin at the honey badger still squirming in Bowie’s grasp. “Well, at least he’s given us a great story to tell.”

  Katie thought she sensed a flicker of disappointment from Bowie’s corner before he turned his attention back to Fluffy. “Yeah, well, we’re not going to be short on those. Fluffy thinks he owns the zoo, and this won’t be his last misadventure.”

  Katie laughed. She bent at her knees again to stare into the honey badger’s surprisingly sweet face. “Is that true?”

  The honey badger chose that moment to sniff and toss its head. Katie laughed. “Well, aren’t you clever!”

  Fluffy appeared to grin. Katie clasped her hands, impossibly charmed by the little guy. “He’s adorable.”

  Bowie grunted. “Not the word I would choose, but I have to admit there’s something about him that sucks you in. Lou says it’s the bit of the devil in him. Abby claims it’s because he’s a big softy underneath all his snarls.”

  “What’s your theory?”

  Bowie lifted the animal to regard it thoughtfully. Fluffy hissed in protest at the undignified treatment. Lowering Fluffy, Bowie shrugged. “Everyone deserves a home. Even those with the nastiest of temperaments.”

  Something in his tone struck Katie. She sensed that she stood at the edge of an uncharted ocean. He wasn’t just talking about animals, but she wasn’t interested in diving into his waters. Not when the undertow could threaten to drown her. She’d survived the whirlpool of attraction once, and she wasn’t about to attempt another exploration. At least not an emotional one. A physical one, though… The thought might be starting to appeal to her. As long as she didn’t get attached, would an affair really make leaving Sagebrush that much harder?

  * * *

  “So how do I look?” With a sheepish expression on his face, Bowie stood in the center of his office as he modeled the pirate costume.

  Katie’s twin brothers had always loved Halloween, and they spared no expense on their costumes. This one was no exception. It had everything—bandanna, eye patch, knee-high boots, and fake cutlass.

  Not many men could pull off the ridiculous ensemble, but, oh, could Bowie. The cotton poet shirt clung to his broad shoulders, highlighting them, while the flowing sleeves provided a perfect foil for his muscles. The result was at once romantic and undeniably masculine. There was something alluring about a swashbuckling pirate, especially one with a face like Bowie’s.

  “You look like you’re ready to sail the high seas.”

  Bowie tugged at the front of his shirt, causing the material to pull taut across his biceps. “Did I tie this right? I didn’t want to leave too much of a gap.”

  Katie studied the placket. “I think you may have laced it a little tight. The ruffle isn’t lying flat.”

  He groaned and started fiddling with it. She watched in interest as the sides of the collar fell away. Unfortunately, the V-neck opening wasn’t that large. She had only the slightest glimpse of taut skin before Bowie pulled the fabric together. This time, he secured it too loosely.

  “Why did men ever wear shirts like this?” he grumbled as he tried again.

  “Buttons were more expensive and hard to come by?” Katie wagered a guess.

  Bowie grunted, and she could hear his frustration. He yanked too hard, and the material puckered even worse than the first time. His bow hung lopsided, one side twice as long as the other.

  “It would help if it wasn’t surrounded by frills. The cuffs keep getting in my way.”

  Katie laughed. Bowie shot her a glare, and she sobered. “Would you like me to help?”

  “Yes.” He practically growled out the word, and she had to smother another chuckle.

  “Here, let me.” She stepped forward and reached for the lacing. Her fingers brushed against his, and awareness immediately sizzled through her nerve endings. Biting her lip hard, she tried to concentrate on the task, but she couldn’t turn off her senses. Heat radiated from his body, and his unique scent—spicy and masculine—washed over her. Her breathing grew irregular, but she managed to tie the shirt properly. She stepped back and patted his chest.

  “There,” she said, her voice strained. “All done.”

  Then she made a critical mistake. She looked up.

  Bowie’s eyes had turned a molten gray. Katie hadn’t realized the smoky color could burn, but his gaze practically seared her.

  For a moment, they just stared. She didn’t think she had ever experienced such a sexually charged moment. Never had a mere glance carried such impact. She could feel herself grow wet as his heart thudded beneath her hand.

  She didn’t know who shifted first. Maybe they both moved. All she knew was that suddenly their bodies were pressed flush against each other. Bowie’s mouth crushed down on hers, his lips moving in a hungry, almost abrading slide. Through the tight fabric of his breeches, she could feel his erection jerk against her already-sensitive flesh. Unable to resist, she pressed against the demanding ridge of his body.

  At the contact, Katie moaned into Bowie’s mouth. He grabbed her bottom and pulled her even closer. When she gasped, he moved his mouth to trail hot kisses across the vulnerable skin near her jaw and down her throat. Just as she’d yearned to do for years, she dug her hands in the soft waves of his hair.

  There was no finesse in their embrace—just blistering, wild, urgent need. She reveled in it. She wanted this, craved it even. Obviously, Bowie did too.

  And why not? Why not indulge?

  She wasn’t sixteen and in puppy love. As long as she recognized this for what it was—two adults with a healthy attraction enjoying each other—she wouldn’t get hurt. She would make sure she protected herself this time.

  Sex with Bowie would be fun, explosive, and playful. The perfect summer fling. What it wouldn’t be—and never could be—was serious. If she never lost sight of that, she was going to have a good time hooking up with him.

  It was time to start the party.

  Quirking her lips ever so slightly upward, she hooked her finger in the waistband of his breeches. Then she lifted one eyebrow in a silent question.

  Bowie swallowed noticeably and gave a firm nod. She grabbed the fabric with both hands and pulled down his pants and underwear in one smooth, flawless move. His erection bobbed free. Not satisfied, Katie undid the lacing she’d just tied moments before and removed the poet shirt.

  Only then did she step back to admire. Oh, he looked good. All lean, athletic muscle to match his handsome face. The Greeks could have used him as a model for one of their famed statutes.

  Yes, she had definitely made the right choice.

  * * *

  Bowie had lost all capacity to think coherently.

  Even if he could cobble together more than a fleeting thought, he doubted he could unravel exactly how he ended up stark naked in front of Katie Underwood. Oh, he’d certainly fantasized about
having sex with her over the past two weeks, but he’d never believed it would happen.

  But it was happening, and the foreplay was already more erotically intense than his imagination. Even with Katie standing a few feet from him, his body hummed with energy. He could practically feel her gaze caress him as it swept slowly over his body. Maybe he should have felt objectified, but he didn’t. Her blatant appreciation stirred something hot, deep, and primal.

  He wanted to see her naked too.

  “My turn.” His words came out in a hoarse growl, but Katie didn’t balk at his demand.

  Instead, she stared him straight in the eye and, with unhurried deliberation, peeled off her T-shirt. His body tightened even more as he caught sight of her plump breasts clad in black lace demi cups. Then Katie slowly wiggled out of her jeans, causing her boobs to bounce seductively.

  His cock jerked in response.

  Damn, he wanted to be inside her.

  A triumphantly sexy smile lit Katie’s face as she unhooked the front of her bra. He felt her steady gaze as he hungrily watched the fabric drop away. She had the kind of breasts guys idealized. Full and heavy—and perfect for cupping in a man’s hand. He itched to feel their weight against his palms.

  A movement caught his eyes and dragged his gaze downward. A pair of silky black bikini bottoms slipped slowly down Katie’s legs. She had soft, round hips to match her breasts. Katie probably saw her slightly extra padding as weight to battle. Bowie never could understand why women didn’t realize that a man liked to sink into softness when he made love.

  “So,” Katie asked in a conversational tone that impressed the hell out of him, “where do you keep condoms around here?”

  Condom. Right.

  “Uh,” Bowie floundered as tried to push through the lust filling his mind to find a coherent thought. It had been a while since he’d seen any action. He’d certainly never had any in his office. Maybe he had a condom in his wallet, but he didn’t know how old it would be.