“As in Popeye. I live with a gaggle of overprotective, domineering men who see me as the weak woman. A code word to tell them something might be up.” Using the electronic panel on the driver’s door, Melinda rolled Gwen’s window partway down. “And a phrase that wouldn’t seem odd coming from me.
“Good afternoon, there.” Melinda leaned over Gwen and called out to the male on the heels of her explanation.
“Do you need a hand?”
The man approached, though he remained a short distance from the SUV, as if not wanting to scare the women. It all seemed innocent and sincere, except too much had happened over the last couple of days for Gwen to take things at face value any more.
The man stuck his thumb over his shoulder. “Just overheated. I was on my way to Port St. Joe.”
“Oh. Well then you should know you’re going in the wrong way.” Melinda gave him the proper directions along with a healthy dose of friendly chatter, because one never knew who might turn into a future guest.
Though she’d pasted on a polite smile, Gwen’s eyes shifted from the side mirror to the man, the interior of the car, the trees on the far side of the sedan, and back again.
Her muscles started to ease when the stranger didn’t make any untoward advances and no other soul popped out from anywhere to yell boo.
It was a strange, loud ringing that made her look down, and as she did she caught movement from the other side of the SUV. Movement that hadn’t been there five seconds ago.
A tall, blonde male was reaching for the rear driver’s side door handle, a lecherous grin stretching across his face when he caught Gwen’s shocked expression. Brett, the same blonde she’d seen sporting a pair of fangs only days ago.
“GO!” Gwen screeched. “Go, go, go!”
Melinda was already stomping on the gas before Gwen had finished the first syllable, straightening from her position to grasp the steering wheel with both hands.
Gwen heard the brown-haired man let out a curse and jump into action as the SUV suddenly shot forward, fishtailing for a moment until Melinda got the vehicle under control, and on the right side of the road.
Andreas was cursing a blue streak, slamming them with questions as he yelled for someone to get the ef over there.
“We’re safe and only a few miles from home, darling, calm down.”
“Calm down? Calm down? How the fuck do you expect me to calm down when you were nearly car jacked?”
Gwen was pressed back in her seat, the fingers of her left hand digging into the leather console, her right hand wrapped tight around the jump bar as Melinda pushed the speedometer to seventy, and then higher. But the woman’s hands and voice were steady as a rock.
Well, it was obvious where Rome got his calm-in-acrisis attitude from. Not his father, that’s for sure.
Gwen dared a look out the back window to see the sedan, not in pursuit, but making a u-turn and heading in the opposite direction. When the SUV hit a dip and went air borne, Gwen swiveled her head forward, holding her breasts as they landed with a bouncing jolt. Melinda swerved to avoid one of the potholes large enough to swallow a car, only to catch the right side tires on another.
Not wanting to loose her tongue, or her lunch as her stomach jumped into her throat, Gwen clamped her lips around clenched teeth. A quick glance revealed the speedometer well over ninety.
“Sorry.” Melinda said as she plowed through another pothole that send them both out of their seats.
Gwen tried to reply positively, but she was pretty sure the sound she made was more of a moan than a noncommittal “that’s okay”.
As they made the final turn into the large lot in front of the Orchards, a large dark gray truck came barreling out of the drive right at them. Tires squealed as both drivers took measures to avoid a collision. Gwen was thrown forward, only to be caught by the tight band of her seatbelt and shoved back in her seat as Melinda stood on the brake, yanking the steering wheel to a hard left. Everything in the back of the SUV slammed against the interior wall and the back of the front seats at the sudden stop. Dust rose in every direction, surrounding them in a thick blanket, and out of that tan curtain, Santos’s red Dodge Ram sprang through, bounding over the curb as he steered around the two stopped vehicles blocking the entryway.
Melinda’s SUV was at an angle to the front of the house, but backwards. Gwen sucked in a lungful of air, only to choke on it as she spied Porter out the windshield, running with incredible speed across the side lawn. He vaulted the six-foot high chain-link fence without pause and jumped into the back of Santos’s truck with the same agility she’d seen him hop the back of one of his horses galloping past him at a dead run.
Melinda’s door was thrown open and not a second later her own was wrenched wide. Rome unsnapped her seatbelt and hauled her to her feet. “Christ, woman! Are you okay?”
Gwen could only blink up at him, too stupefied to process the concern, fear and anger gleaming in deep brown eyes melding into yellowish-green, or the wounded growl of his voice. “Gwen. Say something, dammit.” Hands on her shoulder, he shook her.
Gwen opened her mouth, but nothing came out.
“What?” Rome ran his hands down her arms and up again, scanning her from head to toe. “What is it?”
She finally got her voice to function. “None of you should have been given a license to drive.”
Rome’s eyes widened, then he was laughing and kissing her, his tongue thrusting deep in her mouth, hard and hot and demanding. Her legs, already shaky at best, would have collapsed if not for his strong arms that wrapped around her, pulling her against his body until they touched from lips to thighs. Desire flared up at the physical onslaught and she thrust her fingers in his hair, kissing him back with everything she had. All fear and concern about him, about what he might or might not be, whether or not this thing between them was right or not, disappeared under the deluge of emotion that poured into her. She was safe in Rome’s arms. Safe and cherished and wanted.
And by the heavy ridge pressing along her pelvis, the wanting was a driving need. It matched her own. She wanted him now, deep inside her. Now. Filling her up, making her whole, reassuring her that she was alive and safe. And with Rome. Only Rome.
His hands cupped her ass, lifting her so that she instinctively flung her legs around his waist. Lips locked, he moved, heading towards the front door and, oh, please, her bedroom so they could strip their clothes and touch like this, naked flesh to naked flesh.
“Rome? What are you doing?”
Melinda’s voice sliced through Gwen’s urgency with the efficiency of a bucket of ice cold water. Gwen pulled back from Rome and stared wild-eyed into his face. Now she’d done it. There was no way to hide this, not when Gwen and Rome had been devouring each other, his hands a possessive hold on her butt, her wrapped around him like ivy.
Rome turned, keeping Gwen in his arms as she struggled to be set free. “What, mom?”
The thick impatience in his voice caused Gwen’s cheeks to flush with mortification. There was no mistaking what Rome intended, and he didn’t seem to give a damn who knew. Not even his parents.
“You can have alone time with Gwen later, but right now I need the groceries taken in.”
Gwen blinked. That was it? No shock, dismay or sharp disapproval? Just a temporary halt on play time?
“Fine.” Rome stayed where he was for a moment, eyes shut as he obviously struggled to bring himself under control. When he finally opened them again, he simply looked at Gwen for a moment. His head cocked. “Why do you look so surprised?”
Her jaw dropped. “You’re seriously asking me that when your parents just got an up-close-and-personal view of us making out, and all your mom has to say about it is take in the groceries first?”
His lips stretched into a broad grin. “You think they don’t know? They know. Santos, Porter, Annie, Bob. Hell, even Scott knows.”
Gwen’s eyes narrowed into slits. “Knows what, exactly?”
He laid his for
ehead against hers, his voice pitched low for her ears only. “Knows that you’re mine.”
Gwen leaned back, nearly toppling herself from his arms. “Put me down, Rome.”
Reluctantly, he did, making sure she slid the whole length of his hard form before setting her on feet. “I think it’s time we had a talk.”
Among other things. “We talk all the time.”
His mouth curved in a wicked smile. “Among other things.”
“Rome. Before the ice cream melts.” Andreas bellowed at his son from the open door of his truck as he backed into a proper parking spot.
She was so startled by Rome’s verbal comment which mirrored her mental one, as if they were that attuned to one another, that Gwen only stared as Rome pressed his lips to her frozen ones. Then she allowed herself to be led to the rear of the open SUV. A sneak peek at Melinda revealed swollen lips, flushed face and a dreamy gleam in her eyes.
Evidently Gwen hadn’t been the only one kissed senseless.
“I don’t suppose either of you got the license plate.”
Rome said as he picked up one of the ice chests.
Without skipping a beat, Melinda rattled off the plate number as she headed for the house with one of the boxes in her arms.
“Jesus, mom. Why didn’t you tell me before?” Rome demanded.
“And just when would that have been, dear? When you were busy playing tonsil hockey with Gwen or when your father had my own mouth too busy to speak?”
Rome let out a gargling sound. “Ack. Do you have to?”
“One of the perks of being a mother.” Melinda sent a wink to Gwen. “I think this day calls for hot fudge sundaes, don’t you?”
Gwen only nodded as Melinda nonchalantly sailed in the house. Andreas followed with one of the coolers, his bluetooth in place as he said in an authoritative tone, “I’d like to speak to Detective Loewry.”
In a daze, Gwen reached in the back of the SUV still parked haphazardly in the lot. “Oh. Rome.” She turned to see him waiting on her, biceps bulging from the weight of the cooler, making her forget for a moment what she was about to say and simply admire the view.
“Yeah?” She ripped her gaze from the masculine display to see a smug expression on his face.
Beast. “It was the blonde vampire.” The male satisfaction died a quick death, replaced by a slow creep of malevolence. “God. I still feel like an idiot for saying that word out loud, but he was there. One second the driver’s side was clear, then suddenly he was there. Some darkhaired guy kept us distracted out the passenger side. The only reason I saw him...” She paused. “Hey. My new phone.
It rang. That’s probably what saved us.”
They headed up the walkway. “Then I’ll kiss the caller later. But for now, I want you to tell me everything. Dad’s calling the cops and the boys are out trying to hunt the assholes down, but they’re probably long gone.”
Gwen looked over her shoulder as she preceded him through the front door. “Won’t having the plate help?”
“Only if it’s real. What I’m concerned about is that this vampire not only has your scent, he now knows what you look like.”
A steel ball of lead weighed in her chest. “You think he’ll try to come after me?”
Rome’s face was a grim countenance, a stark reminder of what he was. Former military, ex-ATF. And one badass shifter. “And then I’ll have to kill him.”
Chapter Nineteen
Rome was pissed. Pissed, frustrated, impatient and horny as hell, and holding it all in was getting harder by the minute. He stayed and helped in the kitchen, unwilling to leave Gwen alone for a second. Unfortunately, the longer he remained the more his control neared the snapping point. If it wasn’t the creamy strip of skin revealed every time she stretched up high, then it was the tight pull of her jean shorts across her sweet ass when she bent over. Add in the aphrodisiac scent of her arousal and he was damn near delirious with need.
He tried to find comfort in the fact she was safely home, here with him, where she belonged, but both and man and beast wanted more. Dragging her off to some secret lair where he could ensure her protection, and have the privacy to sate the raging hunger of the mating heat, was a driving hunger that kept his dick hard and his chest aching. Wanting to slice and dice the bastards that would have hurt her was a close second.
Unable to do either at the moment was seriously straining his selfcontrol.
“Give me that before you puncture it.” Melinda yanked the large can of tomatoes from Rome, who stood blindly in front of the walk-in pantry. “Maybe you need to take a breather.” Her voice was barely above a whisper so Gwen, who was re-organizing the contents of the freezer to make room for the additional food, wouldn’t overhear.
Rome glared down at his mom as they tussled briefly over the can before he released it. “A breather is not what I need.” Melinda turned from placing the can on a shelf, pointed one finger at him and then moved it to a spot right in front of her.
What was he? Seven? “Mom.”
“No.” She snapped at him. “You need to calm down before you loose it, or did you not realize your claws are out?”
Surprised, Rome raised his hands and sure enough, his claws were out. Long, sharp and deadly. Aiming for that calm his mom spoke of, he closed his eyes and simply breathed. “I want her.” His voice was too close to a guttural growl, his cat snarling and snapping at its cage, trying to break free and claim what it craved.
“You think I don’t know that?” His mom poked his chest with a sharp finger.
He grimaced. “Not like that. Well. Yes like that. But more. I want her by my side, every day. For always.”
Pausing, he looked away, swallowed the lump in his throat and turned back to look into his mother’s knowing eyes. “I think I love her.”
Melinda’s face soften with his words, then she wrinkled her nose and poked him again. “Of course you love her. But if you don’t reign in this hormonal, cave man, dominating attitude, you’re going to piss her off and loose her.”
Easy for his mom to say. “It’s...difficult.”
Melinda went to poke him a third time but he caught her finger before she could abuse his chest anymore. “Suck it up. You’re a man, not a little boy to have a tantrum when he can’t have what he wants when he wants.”
“I know that,” Rome muttered.
“Hmm.” Melinda reached up and placed her palms on either side of her son’s face. “I love you Rome, and your father and I are thrilled Gwen’s your mate. We’ve come to adore her like one of our own. ” Her lips curved. “Andreas already thinks of her as his girl.” Her smile disappeared and her eyes narrowed into slits. She squeezed his cheeks, hard. “So don’t screw this up because you’re impatient to get in her pants. I don’t want to lose a potential daughter and a most excellent ranger because you can’t control your libido.”
His lips pressed into a thin line of aggravation. “You don’t have a clue...”
“Don’t tell me what I don’t have. I know exactly how you feel because I went through this with your father long before any of you were born. But do you know how Gwen feels?
Hmm? How confused she must be? In the last week she’s been flattened by you, chased by armed men, tumbled into a tunnel, nearly kidnapped, seen a vampire, and she’s dealing with the overwhelming physical reactions to you caused by the mating heat that she has no clue about. So maybe you need to be a little more concerned with her emotional state rather than your physical one.”
Well, hell. Hadn’t he already known that? Already told himself to do that? The whole go slow and establish trust route? Hadn’t he held back last night, told her that what was between them was more than sex? But he had yet to tell her the truth, was in fact still leery at losing her once he explained who and what he was.
So how could he establish trust when he retained a pretty big secret? The answer. He couldn’t.
He was an ass. “Yes, ma’am.”
Melinda searched his guilty exp
ression for a moment before pressing her lips to his in motherly affection. “Now that your eyes are back to normal, I’m going to suggest a spring wedding.”
Rome rolled those eyes toward the ceiling just as several male voices sounded from the kitchen. They hurried out of the pantry to find a disgusted trio in the forms of Santos, Porter and Scott who were talking with Gwen.
Despite his mom’s caution, Rome didn’t hesitate to head straight toward Gwen, who was leaning against the counter. He mirrored her stance and not so subtly reached up under her braid to cup the back of her neck.
It was an unmistakeably possessive hold, a clear warning to every other male in the room. A risky move, but one he couldn’t have stopped to save his life. Gwen was an unclaimed female in heat and with so many single males in close proximity, Rome couldn’t backpedal now. It didn’t matter that two of the three were his brothers, because until Gwen was his in every way, the jaguar would see them all as a threat.
Gwen stiffened at his touch, her eyes showing her discomfort at the blatant display. Slowly, he began to massage her neck, easing her down as he worked the tense muscles under his hand. He hid a satisfied smile as she melted, drifting closer, angling her head forward to give him better access. The physical contact and her acquiescence soothed the savage beast as only the mate of a dominant predatory shifter could have.
“Bastards got away,” Porter said, picking up an apple and taking a large bite.
“We drove all over, but yeah, they were gone.” Santos headed toward the kitchen door. “I’ve got work to finish now, but we can discuss what to do later.”
“Do? About what?” Gwen raised her eyes to Rome’s.
“About keeping you and mom safe.”
Suspicion glinted in her eyes. “Uh-huh. Why do I not think that’s what you plan on talking about?”
Maybe because of his earlier comment about killing the vampire if he came after her again. “Uh...”
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