Impulse sa-5

by Moira Rogers

Julio growled as he slicked one finger over her clit. “Pull my hair, Sera. Let me know you feel it too.”

  Her fingers were already clutching the back of his head, and she didn’t remember moving them. But she didn’t care because he’d given her permission. She needed something to cling to as her body pulsed with his next slippery touch, and she was almost embarrassed to be so wet when he’d barely touched her.

  Then he eased inside. Deeper, his tongue in her mouth and two fingers working into her like he had a fucking roadmap with a giant X over her G-spot, and now she really was going to follow him around like a lovesick puppy for the rest of her life, because men didn’t-Her eyes shot open and she cried out, the sound lost to his mouth. She twisted her head just enough to draw in a breath. “Right there, right there—oh my God, Julio, please—” He groaned and bit her earlobe, then leaned his head against hers. “Fuck, yes. You’re gorgeous when you come.”

  “I haven’t—” His fingers twisted just right, and pleasure fractured so fast she cried out. Not a pretty noise, and she didn’t give a damn. Her whole body throbbed with this orgasm, the release of days of slow-burning tension, and she didn’t realize she was smacking her head against the cabinet with each cresting wave until Julio cupped the back of her head and drew her face into the crook of his shoulder.

  Sera shuddered and closed her eyes, shivering every time a lazy aftershock tightened her body around the broad fingers still deep inside her. Gasping for air only dragged the scent of him into her, the human smells of aftershave and cologne and the wild something that meant wolf.

  She was in so far over her head. “You’re a dirty bastard.”

  “Are you complaining?”

  “No.” She took advantage of the proximity of his throat and licked his skin. “Are you using your psychic powers to scramble my brain?”

  He tilted back his head. “They don’t scramble other people’s brains. Just mine, and only when I have a particularly intense vision.”

  Even with his hand between her legs, the thought of being in his head was a thousand times more intoxicating. She licked her way to his pulse and bit softly. “Did you have a vision of this?”

  “Only the highlights.” He brushed her hair back and smiled. “I told you—you’re beautiful when you come.”

  Sera let her head fall back and shifted her hips enough to set off wild sparks where his fingers stroked inside her. “If you stay like that, you’re going to get a lot more highlights.”

  “Oops.” Julio bit her chin and eased his hand away. “I forgot.”

  Teasing play, and it melted her. Sera wrapped herself around him, knees hooked over his hips and arms locked around his back. Nuzzling her face into his neck felt natural, like she belonged there. “I’m touching you,” she whispered. “Please don’t make me stop.”

  His voice dropped to a low rumble. “What about that swim you wanted?”

  Her coyote yearned for it. Not as satisfying as shedding her human skin and running, but it was still a game.

  Then again, there was a very human game to be played inside. Sera edged her fingers under his shirt with a questioning noise. “No sex?”

  He freed her grip on his shirt. “Maybe not right now. At some point, though—hell yeah, sex.”

  Sera huffed out a laugh and eased away to study his face. “For a legendary seducer, your pants are seriously hard to get into.”

  Julio tugged her off the counter, holding her upright when she would have fallen. “I know the value of timing. Is that so bad?”

  “No.” Not when her knees were this wobbly. She’d let him throw her onto whatever surface he wanted for as many limb-melting orgasms as made him happy. “Let’s go swimming.”

  His fingers skimmed her nipple. “Like this? Naked?”

  A tiny shift of her hip rubbed her up against his erection, and fuck. Impressive might not do his dick justice. “Holy hell, Julio. If you pull that thing out, you’re gonna need to handcuff me to something to keep my hands off it.”

  He slapped her hand playfully. “Fine. I’ll wear trunks.”

  Pity. Leaning in, she nuzzled his throat with a laugh. “If you want to distract me, slap my ass.”

  He slid his hand down over her hip to her ass, but he offered her a squeeze instead of a slap.

  “Plenty of time, sweetheart.”

  Plenty of time, and if he gave her enough of it, she’d scare him off with just how bent she could be. She was, after all, a freak, so much of one that even the mating frenzy couldn’t keep Josh from eyeing her with barely masked disdain.

  She wasn’t ready to look into Julio’s eyes and find disdain instead of warm affection. She wasn’t ready for this magical vacation from her life to be over before it had really started. So she smiled and kissed his chin, then spun away and bolted for the open back door. “Meet you in the water.”

  Chapter Seven

  The big guy in town wasn’t hard to spot. He wasn’t actually particularly big, but he surveyed everything in the small roadside bar as if he owned it, a dead giveaway.

  “Time to play nice,” Julio murmured to Sera and began to lead her across the dim, smoky room.

  The Lost Highway was a damn far cry from most of the other bars in Panama City Beach, laser-lit dance clubs where college students went to get drunk and laid. This place seemed to cater to a slightly older crowd, the kind with black tattoos faded to blue and Harleys instead of Honda Civics.

  And Sydney Rowe was at the middle of it all.

  During Alec’s tour of the Southeast region the previous summer, Sydney had been reserved and cool. Things were fine, he’d said. Never better. Carmen had been sure he was hiding something, but it turned out to be more of a pattern than an isolated occurrence. No one trusted them, so no one opened up.

  Part of the reason for Julio’s visit. He stopped at the table and stretched out his hand. “I’m Mendoza. Thanks for meeting me.”

  The wolf’s gaze flicked over him before shifting to Sera. His eyes narrowed in confusion as his nostrils flared, and Sera stiffened.

  But Sydney didn’t say anything, just thrust out his own hand and clasped Julio’s with enough strength to be a warning, but not a challenge. “Last time a council member rolled through here, he was looking for increased tithes.”

  Alec had done nothing of the sort, and Julio knew it. He shook his head. “Not me. I’m on vacation.”

  “In Panama City Beach?” Both of Sydney’s eyebrows swept up, as if he were waiting for the punch line. “Thought your kind went to Greece. Aren’t we kinda tacky for you?”

  Sera bristled. “I think you’re confusing tacky and rude.”

  Julio kept his gaze on Sydney. “He’s wondering what the hell we’re doing here, that’s all.”

  The corner of the man’s mouth twitched up. “Your coyote looks like she’ll bite my balls off if I don’t invite you to sit.” A jerk of his head, and the two men on the opposite side of the table cleared out. “Snarly subs are fucking adorable, huh? Who can say no to them?”

  Julio didn’t answer. Instead, he held Sera’s chair and then took his own. “We didn’t want to blow through your town without letting you know we were just here for a visit. Nothing permanent, and nothing ominous.”

  Sydney’s gaze flicked to Sera again. “Nothing permanent for either of you?”

  It took Julio a moment to pick up the unspoken threads and weave them together. “She’s not my dirty coyote secret, Rowe. Sera’s a friend.”

  She bared her teeth at Sydney. “Yeah, everyone knows his kind keep their barely legal mistresses in Switzerland.”

  “By the dozen,” Sydney replied easily. “Damn, Mendoza. They weren’t lying when they said Alec Jacobson and his crew roll sideways. You’re not much like your uncle, are you?”

  “Not a damn bit. Relieved?”

  “More than a little. No offense, brother, but your uncle’s a nasty motherfucker.” Sydney lifted one hand and flagged down an exasperated waitress who tucked her blonde hair behind her ear
as she stopped next to the table. “Get ’em whatever they want,” Sydney said.

  “Beer,” Sera said without hesitation. “Thanks.”

  “Make that two.” Julio gestured at the bar. “This your place?”

  “Yeah, it is.” Sydney sent the blonde on her way with a shooing gesture that earned him an irritated growl in return. “Lynn there keeps it running for us. I’ll tell her to open a tab for the two of you while you’re here, if you want a safe place to drink. Most of the pack hangs out here.”

  The air was heavy with the scent of wolf, but it was impossible to estimate how many. “What kind of numbers do you have around here?”

  “Fifty, give or take. That’s counting most of the panhandle as mine, though. Which I do.” He grinned. “A lot of ’em live on a few acres of land I’ve got northwest of here. Easier, since we don’t have all those fancy clinics and bought cops that you lucky bastards in New Orleans enjoy.”

  “Sera’s dad and my sister are traveling around, setting up more clinics,” Julio told him. “I can’t help you with the cops personally, but a friend of mine got his criminal justice degree from FSU. I’ll ask Jackson if he knows anyone.”

  Sydney tapped his fingers against the table. “Just like that, huh?”

  Here we go. “In case you haven’t heard, it’s my job. Some people don’t care so much about that, but I plan to do it.”

  “Uh-huh.” Sydney sat back as Lynn returned with three beers. She set them on the table without a word, and Sydney drained half of his before meeting Julio’s gaze. “My wife and I have held this pack longer than your girlfriend here’s been alive, kid, and the only thing the Southeast council’s ever offered us is an open hand, waiting for our money. Having it go the other way could take some getting used to.”

  Julio expected nothing less. “Take your time, so long as you’re civil about it.”

  Sydney rose, retrieved his wallet and pulled out a business card. “It’s for the bar, but if you call Lynn, she can put you through to me, day or night. I’ve got to head out on business for a couple hours, but you two are welcome to stick around. They fry up some mean hot wings.”

  “I think Sera had her eye on one of the pool tables.” Julio stood and took the card. “I appreciate your time.”

  Sydney nodded, then tilted his head. “Walk me to the door, huh? Lynn’ll keep an eye on your girl.”

  Some things couldn’t be said in front of someone who wasn’t alpha. Julio squeezed Sera’s hand and followed Sydney toward the door. “What’s wrong?”

  “Your uncle…” Sydney rubbed at his beard. “I can’t say if he started the rumor, or if he’s letting it linger. But Bobby down in Miami told me he’d heard this whole coup you and Alec Jacobson pulled was just a front. That Cesar Mendoza is still calling all the shots.”

  “Goddamn it.” It sounded like the sort of thing Cesar would do, to save face if nothing else.

  “John Peyton witnessed the challenge himself. Do you really think he’d stand for that?”

  “No.” Sydney shrugged. “Just saying, it looks awful cozy from the outside. Alec marries your sister, the two of you take over, he ends up on the Conclave. All in the family.”

  “Uh-huh, and where does Andrew Callaghan fit into that?”

  “He owns a business with the Alpha’s son-in-law. And his girlfriend was Jacobson’s little pet psychic for years, everyone knows it.” Sydney shrugged again, looking uncomfortable. “Listen, man. I’m not saying it’s true, but it’s out there.”

  The wolves had started to circle Sera, though she was steadfastly ignoring them. “Thanks for the warning,” Julio murmured.

  “Thanks for telling me it’s not true. I’d take you over him any day.”

  “I hope most people would.” He shook Sydney’s hand. “If you need anything, let us know.”

  Sydney smiled and headed for the door. “Will do. And call Lynn if the two of you want to go for a run. I’ve got plenty of land that’s safe enough. No trigger-happy rednecks with rifles.”

  “We’ll do that.”

  Back at the pool table, the wolves eased away when Julio approached and slid his arm around Sera. “How’re you holding up?”

  She rubbed her thumb up and down the side of the pool cue as she leaned into him. “Peachy.

  You ready to get your ass handed to you at pool?”

  He settled her hips closer to his. “I’ve seen you play, doll. You’re not that good.”

  Sera just smiled. “What’ll you bet?”

  Anything for another one of those smiles. “Money’s no good. How about kisses?”

  “Mmm, as long as the winner gets to decide where.” She handed him the cue and circled the table. “Eight ball? Nine ball? What’s your poison?”

  “Straight pool. And don’t forget to call your shots, sweet thing.”

  Sera bent over to rack the balls. “How many points are we playing to? Because we’re saving the kisses for later. You’re hot, babe, but I’m not making out with you while frat-boy wolf back there is ogling my ass.”

  “Fifty, then. We’ll make it a short night.”

  She settled the balls into place and grinned at him. “You can break. Run ten and I’ll throw in a bonus.”

  When she pulled away the triangle, Julio lined up and broke. The six ball immediately tumbled into one of the corner pockets, and he groaned. “I think I’m getting my pool games mixed up again. That’s a foul, right?”

  “Only because you didn’t call it.” Sera moved past him, dragging her fingers over his back in a teasing caress. “You’re down two, and I’m sinking the fifteen in the side pocket.”

  She made the shot and seemed to use the opportunity to flash her mouthwatering cleavage at him. “You play dirty, Sinclaire.”

  “I play to win.” She ignored the wolves watching her from the corner table and circled to study her next shot. “Things don’t seem too bad here. They’re staring at me, but no one’s come over to ask how much I charge yet.”

  And if anyone did, he’d find himself on the losing end of a quick, painful fight. “No, it’s not so bad.”

  “It seems like there’s a lot of them. I always forget how many wolves there are, even outside of New Orleans.” She gestured with the cue stick. “Ten ball, corner pocket.”

  She was going to run the board, and Julio didn’t care. Win or lose, he’d still be touching Sera.

  “Not like the others, huh? The coyotes and the cats?”

  She called and sank two more shots before she answered, her voice too casual to be natural. “I’ve only met three other coyotes in my life. My parents and my ex. My dad worked pretty hard to avoid them.”

  “Wouldn’t be hard to miss them without trying, but…I get it.” How bad had things been for Carmen, or for his cousin Veronica? A female coyote was even rarer—and at a greater disadvantage.

  Sera’s fingers tightened around the cue as she called her next shot, but the cue ball spun wide and knocked the three ball across the table. “Shit. Your turn.”

  Instead of lining up another shot, Julio took the cue from her hand. “Why don’t we go take a walk on the beach and talk?”

  She glanced at the wolves busily pretending they weren’t staring and jerked her head in an unsteady nod. “Okay.”

  “You sure?”

  Sera slipped her hand into his, and even that quiet contact seemed to steady her. “If you’re done being Mr. Council, I wouldn’t mind having you to myself.”

  He tugged her closer and settled his free hand at the small of her back. “We can take a walk and come back for dinner.”

  It made her smile, and the smile lasted out the door and into the parking lot. As they skirted a pair of Harleys, she sighed. “I’m sorry I snapped at him. I might be feeling a little protective.”

  “Don’t sweat it.” Any alpha worth the title would have expected as much from someone who felt threatened. “You didn’t hurt his feelings.”

  “So I saw.” She slipped her arm under his and around
his waist, nestling close to his side.

  “It’s good. The shifters who have to slap the submissives down? Those aren’t the ones who should be in charge.”

  “No, they’re not.” The night was clear, with stars dotting the dark blue of the sky, and a soft salty breeze ruffled his hair. “I can’t imagine trying to do his job without any resources.”

  “But you can give him that, can’t you?”

  “Yeah.” Noah Coleman should have been doing it before his death, and the other council members should have picked it up afterward. “I wonder how many alphas like Rowe won’t come to the council now because they think everything’s the same?”

  “Probably most of them.” Sera tucked her head against his shoulder. “I don’t know what it’s like for the wolves, but you have the chance to make things better. Only not just for the wolves, because you and Alec and Andrew are including the rest of us.”

  “Yeah.” Julio cut across the cracked parking lot and headed for the deserted stretch of beach behind the bar. “It might be worse other places. It probably will be.”

  Her fingers stroked over his waist, soft and soothing. “Then you’ll deal with them. There’s nothing they can say to me that I can’t shake off. I’ve been hearing it since I turned fifteen and grew into a C cup.”

  No matter what she said, the sexual innuendo had to hurt. “I don’t like it, and I won’t be able to hang on to my temper forever.”

  “I know.” She shivered, even cuddled close to the heat of his body. “It’s the ones who want to drive me out of their territory that scare me. It’s usually the turned wolves. They can’t control their instincts.”

  He tightened his hand on her hip. “That’s why I’m here.”

  She kicked off her sandals as soon as they hit the beach, and seemed entertained by tracing her toes through the sand. “You’re easy to talk to,” she said finally. “You’re not like everyone else. You don’t push.”

  Her hair draped over her bare shoulder, caressing pale skin silvered by the moonlight. “I’m the last person who’d make you talk it all out when you’d rather not, sweetheart. I know what that’s like.”