by Keri Arthur
all she could feel was the pounding of his heart through
her breasts and the pulsing of his need against her belly.
“Tell me what you want, Neva. Admit it.”
She could do little else. Not when his gaze was so
intense, his body so close, and her need so high. “I want
to feel you deep inside.”
Her voice was little more than a croak of sound, but a
fierce and victorious look shone in his eyes. Then she was
in his arms, and he was inside of her, thrusting so deep,
enveloping her in a heat that was basic. Pure. So very
powerful, and so very, very right.
His mouth found hers again, and their tongues
caressed as the pressure built. His powerful body stroked
fast and hard into hers, driving her insane with need. She
writhed against him, matching his rhythm, matching his
urgency. The sweet pressure built until it felt as if she
would explode.
Then she did, and the force of her climax damn near
blew her mind. He came with her, his roar echoing across
the silence, sounding as if he was howling her name to
the moon. As their orgasms ebbed and sanity returned,
he claimed her mouth and kissed her hard.
When he allowed her to breathe again, she opened
her eyes and stared into the ebony recesses of his. The
shutters were down, and what she saw there scared her.
Because what she saw was caring. Deep caring.
It had to be wishful thinking. It couldn’t be anything
else, not with a wolf who had once sworn never to share
his life or his heart with another.
He kissed her again, soft and lingering. “I think—” He
stopped, his gaze hardening as he glanced toward the door.
In that instant, there was a sharp rap against the wood.
She jumped, grabbing the edges of her gown and quickly
tying them together.
“Who’s there?” she called.
“Me. Open up, Neva.”
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Of all the
people she didn’t want to see right now, her father had to
top the list.
The confrontation she didn’t want, and wasn’t really
ready for, was about to happen.
Twelve
Duncan swore softly. Neva’s father couldn’t have
chosen a worse time to come visiting. The smell of lust
and sex sat heavily on the warm air, and Neva’s warm
skin still glowed with the aftermath of their lovemaking.
It wasn’t something either of them could deny and would
only further fuel the old man’s anger.
Not that Duncan was worried about himself—just
Neva. She loved her parents, and he didn’t want the
situation to get any messier than it already was, but he
had a feeling it would.
She whirled and grabbed his jeans and shorts,
thrusting them into his hands. Go into the kitchen and get
dressed, she ordered. Sit at the table and make like nothing
is happening.
He gently brushed a sweaty strand of hair from her
cheek. He’s not stupid. It’s very evident what we’ve been
doing.
Her eyes flashed at him. I know, but I don’t intend to
rub his face in it.
Neither did he. Not this time. But he didn’t intend to
leave her alone to face her father’s wrath, either. Especially
when that wrath was mostly his making. He threw on his
clothes but didn’t retreat, and she made an exasperated
sound before moving to turn on the light and open the
door.
“So it’s true.” Though Levon’s voice was soft, it was
filled with anger. Rich with contempt. “You didn’t leave
Ripple Creek after all. You lied to me, and you lied to your
mother.”
Her hurt swirled through Duncan, as bright as a flame.
Yet none of it showed in her voice as she said, “Would you
have felt any better if I’d told the truth?” She stepped back,
opening the door wider. “Are you coming in, or are we
going to discuss this on the doorstop for all the neighbors
to hear?”
Levon’s gaze ran past her, meeting Duncan’s. “Oh, I’m
coming in all right.” He stepped inside and thrust a hand
deep into his pocket.
Duncan saw the bulge. Knew a weapon was hidden
there. And while he had the strength to wrest the gun
from the older wolf’s grip, he wasn’t about to risk it with
Neva standing so close. Accidents happened, and he didn’t
want it happening to her.
He crossed his arms and leaned against the wall,
feigning indifference as she closed the door. “I never figured
you for a man of violence, Levon.”
She shot him a quick, confused look, then her gaze
darted to her father, and she made an exasperated sound.
“Do you really think he’s worth going to jail over?”
Even though Duncan had half expected her to say
something like that, her words still cut. But declarations
of caring, after everything he’d done to her, weren’t in the
cards right now. Maybe they never would be.
“I’d keep that gun in your pocket,” he drawled softly.
“Because I know from experience you wouldn’t enjoy jail.”
A muscle in the old man’s jaw throbbed. “Do you know
what they’re saying about her in the hospital?”
“Don’t talk about me like I’m not here,” she cut in.
“And what does it matter what people are saying about
me?”
Levon shot her a furious look. “It matters to me. It
matters to your mother.”
“And my feelings and needs don’t?”
“You’re my daughter,” Levon said fiercely. “And I will
not have your reputation sullied by a man like this.”
Neva’s expression was an endearing mix of anger and
amusement. “Duncan’s not the first man I’ve danced with,
Dad, and he probably won’t be the last.”
“He will be if I have anything to say about it.” Levon
drew the gun out of his pocket and, with a trembling hand,
pointed it at Duncan.
Duncan didn’t move. Just tensed, ready to dive away
should the older man’s finger so much as twitch on the
trigger.
Neva swore and stepped between them. “Don’t be so
damned ridiculous.” She hesitated, sniffing the air. “You’ve
been drinking.”
Damn it, Neva, Duncan said. Step out of the line of
fire.
No. He won’t shoot me.
That was a risk Duncan wasn’t willing to let her take.
He reached for the power of the binding. I order you to
step away.
She shot him a furious look and clenched her fists,
her whole body trembling. But she didn’t move. Duncan
wasn’t sure whether to admire her courage or be angry at
her stubbornness.
“I’m not drunk,” Levon said into the silence
“No, you’re just insane. How’s threatening Duncan
going to help me or my reputation?”
For someone who wanted to avoid this confrontation
at all costs, she was doing a fine job of fighting it without
help
. He very much suspected this battle had been building
for some time now, and his actions had just made it
happen sooner rather than later.
“He leaves.” Levon’s voice was sharp. “Now. Tonight.”
“And as I asked before, how is that supposed to help
my reputation?”
“One moon dance is an aberration that will quickly be
forgotten, as long as he leaves quickly.”
Neva raised an eyebrow. “And if it’s not an aberration?”
Levon shot her a furious look. “It is. You deserve far
better than a man of his ilk.”
“Yeah, right,” Neva said, voice flat. “It’s not for me
you’re demanding this, is it? You’re here to protect your
reputation and your image.”
Levon glared at her. “I’m not—”
“Aren’t you? So why haven’t you stopped to ask if this
is what I want? Why haven’t you bothered to ask how I
feel about Duncan? Did you ever stop to consider that
this might be more than just a dance?”
Levon’s gaze darted between the two of them, and his
face went pale. Duncan wasn’t sure if it was the shock of
having his daughter finally standing up to him or the
horror of possibly having him as a permanent member of
the pack.
“You can’t be serious,” Levon muttered. “Surely you
know what sort of reputation—”
“I do. And right now, I don’t care.”
“But...but...” Levon stopped and scrubbed a hand
across his rough jaw. “You can’t be serious about a man
like him.”
She reached out, wrapping a hand around the barrel
of the gun and wresting it easily from her father’s grip.
“Right now, I’m not sure that I am. But I have the right to
discover what I do and don’t feel. I’m not a teenager any
more, so please don’t treat me like one.”
“I’m only trying to protect you.”
“I know, but right now, you’re smothering me.”
Levon’s gaze met Duncan’s again, and in the rich green
depths he saw both anger and fear. “You deserve better
than scum like—”
Even from where he stood, Duncan felt the flash of
her fury. “You will not call him scum in my house,” she
said, her voice soft but shaking with anger. “Get out.”
“I’m only trying-”
“Until you—and Mom—are willing to listen to what I
have to say, I don’t want to talk to you.” She strode past
him and opened the door. “I said get out.”
“Your sister—”
“Was willing to listen to me and understands what
I’ve done. You and Mom aren’t even willing to listen.”
“It’s just that we’re disappointed—”
“Yeah? Well, so am I. In you. Where are all those pretty
words of tolerance now?” She waved her hand at the open
door. “I mean it, Dad. If you want to stay, you apologize to
Duncan. If not, leave.”
Levon turned around and walked to the door. There
he hesitated, meeting Neva’s gaze for several seconds.
Duncan saw her face go pale and found himself clenching
his fists again, ready to step in and defend her even though
he had no idea what Levon had just said to her.
“I mean it, Neva,” Levon said out loud.
“I know you do,” she replied and slammed the door
shut behind her father. It was a sound that echoed through
the sudden silence.
She remained where she was, staring at the door and
breathing deeply. He wanted to go to her and wrap his
arms around her, but he knew she wouldn’t appreciate it.
“What did he say to you?”
“Nothing.” Though her voice was carefully controlled,
he could feel the pain in her.
“Then why are you so upset?”
“It’s pack business,” she shot back. “And none of your
concern.”
He took a deep breath and released it slowly. “Neva,
I’m sorry if I caused—”
She rounded on him, green eyes blazing. “If you ever
try to make me do something against my will again, I’ll fry
your brains so badly you won’t be able to shit without
help.”
While he had no doubt she meant what she said, he
couldn’t help the slight smile tugging his lips. She was so
damned beautiful, even when angry. He let his gaze drift
downwards, watching the rise and fall of her breasts as
she breathed. Watching her nipples peak with renewed
awareness. “I was only trying—”
“To control me. The same way my damn parents have
been trying to control me. I won’t stand it from them
anymore, and I certainly won’t take it from you.“
He pushed away from the wall and walked towards
her. “I was only trying to protect you.”
She licked her lips and backed away from him. With
the door behind her, she couldn’t go far. “Well, how about
trusting me instead? The damn gun wasn’t loaded. It never
has been.”
Her back hit the door, and she stopped. Desire widened
her pupils, darkened her green eyes, and he was so
damned hard for her it was painful.
“You can’t know that for certain,” he said, reaching
again for the silk tie around her waist.
She swallowed heavily. “The firing mechanism is
stuffed. Dad bought the weapon ages ago when there was
a rash of break-ins. He figured he could use it to scare
intruders away.”
And had obviously figured it would scare him away,
too. Which would have been a fair assumption in his
younger years, when all he’d wanted was a good time with
no strings and no problems. But that wasn’t the case with
Neva. The tie came loose and the silk fell away, once more
revealing her golden curves and luscious triangle of soft
hair. A triangle he couldn’t wait to lose himself in again.
He took the gun from her and dropped it into the pocket
of one the coats on the coat rack near the door. “Why
didn’t you just tell me that?”
“Because I didn’t want you taking it off him. He
deserved a little more dignity than that.”
“Even after what he said?” He slid a finger under the
silk and skimmed it up to her shoulder, gently dislodging
the gown.
She quivered under his touch, her breathing quick,
uneven. “Even after. He’s still my dad.”
He slid his finger across her warm flesh to her other
shoulder, sliding the rest of the gown off. It shimmied to
the floor, puddling around her feet. Her desire spun around
him, a warm rich scent that stirred his senses and
thrummed through his blood.
The moon was rising. And so was his need to bury
himself deep inside her.
“You can’t,” she denied, voice soft, husky. “We have to
get to Betise’s.”
“We have at least half an hour to fill in, if not more.”
He stripped off his clothes, tossing them on the floor next
to her gown. “And I intend to spend that time dancing
with you.”
The pulse at
her neck was little more than a wild flutter,
her nipples so hard they were pebbles pressing into his
chest. Her gaze searched his for a moment, then a teasing,
sensuous smile touched her lips. “How?”
He kissed her sweet mouth—softly, seductively. “What
I intend,” he whispered, his lips so close to hers he could
taste every quick breath, “is to turn you around and spread
you against the door, caressing your entire body as I take
you from behind until the heat overcomes us and we howl
our pleasure to the moon.”
Anticipation flared in her eyes, and the scent of her
arousal got stronger. She opened her mouth, panting
softly, as if she couldn’t suck in enough air.
“And then?” Her voice was a husky whisper that damn
near exploded his control.
“Then I intend to carry you upstairs and continue with
a more leisurely seduction in the shower as we wash the
smell of sex and lust from our skins.”
“The moon certainly has a strong effect on you
Sinclairs, doesn’t it?”
It did, but right now it wasn’t the moon, it was the
woman. “I want you,” he whispered against her lips.
“Then take me.”
He did.
***
Neva shivered and wished she’d taken the time to put
on her extra coat. Even though the wind had dropped,
the night was still bitterly cold. Her breath fogged, hanging
on the air, mingling with the silvery snowflakes that danced
through the night.
Through the hush of darkness, music throbbed, a
bass-heavy beat that stirred her blood almost as much as
the man standing in front of her. The Blue Moon was only
a couple of blocks away, and she half-wished she and
Duncan were there now, laughing and drinking with the
other patrons. Doing ordinary things, enjoying themselves
in ordinary ways. Being an ordinary couple.
Only they weren’t a couple and were never likely to
be. Especially if her father had his way.
She smiled grimly. While her father’s edict that she
leave Duncan after the full moon or she’d no longer be
considered part of his pack made her madder than hell,
in many ways it was also ironic. Especially considering
her time with Duncan was limited to this moon phase
anyway.
She crossed her arms and shifted her weight from one
foot to the other. How long does it take to open a damn
