Neha grinned. “I kind of had a feeling I was the first, going by how your family acted as if me being here was a big deal.” She paused. “And if you want to continue what we were interrupted in the middle of doing, I’d be more than willing.”
Kiel moved so fast she could barely track him. He closed the remaining space between them, hauled her into his arms and took her lips in a hard, thorough kiss. Neha was breathing hard once he released her mouth and rested his forehead on hers. Damn, the man knew how to kiss. Just like that, he had her pussy aching to be filled and her wanting to drag him to the bedroom, strip him naked and lick every inch of his hard body.
“We’d better stop here,” Kiel said. His voice had taken on a husky tone that made Neha’s toes curl. “My mom usually makes dinner kind of early so it wouldn’t surprise me if she comes by soon.” He pulled away and looked her in the face. “And just so you know, I won’t spend the night in the cabin with you.”
Neha didn’t normally do this, but Kiel made her want to throw caution to the wind and act on her baser instincts. “What if I want you to stay?”
Kiel groaned, the sound close to one of his animalistic growls. “My answer is no. Believe me, I want nothing more than to do that, but I don’t want to rush things along.”
She put her hands on the tops of his shoulders, went on tiptoe and kissed him lightly. “I’m only going to be here for a few days. Wouldn’t you like to make good use of all the time we do have to be together?”
Neha was rewarded with that delicious scent Kiel gave off. She briefly closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. Her pussy throbbed, and it took everything in her not to throw herself into his arms and hopefully knock him over so she could have her way with him on the floor. The idea of it was so appealing her leg muscles bunched as she came close to doing what she’d just fantasied about.
Kiel shook his head and stepped back to put distance between them. “I don’t want to screw this up. I won’t be sharing a bed with you tonight. We should get to know one another a little better before we do that.”
Neha was a little disappointed, but kept it out of her voice when she spoke. “All right. Then tomorrow night we’ll sleep together.”
He chuckled. “You don’t give up, do you?”
She smiled. “No. We’re both consenting adults and are attracted to one another. Why not act on it?”
“So you’d be happy with a fling rather than a relationship. Would you change your mind if the latter is something I would want from you?”
Hearing that Kiel would actually want to continue to see her past the time it took to complete the photo shoot gave Neha a warm feeling. “It wouldn’t be something I would be totally against, though long-distance relationships sometimes don’t work out.”
“Maybe I could convince you to stay in Canyon Creek and not go back to New York.”
Neha couldn’t hold back a burst of laughter. “That will never happen. I’d have to give up my modeling career, and I’m not ready to do that now.”
Kiel’s expression became blank. “I need to cut some wood for the wood stove. Even though it’s early summer, it can get a bit chilly at night.”
With that said he walked out of the cabin and shut the door behind him. Neha stood there looking at it, thinking she’d obviously said something wrong. There was no way Kiel could expect her to give up her life in New York and move in with him after only knowing him for a few hours. Maybe he was the first guy she’d met who only did relationships. If he was, then she’d just have to convince him a long-distance one was better than none at all.
* * * *
Kiel really didn’t need to chop any wood, but he went to the shed where he had cords of it stacked up the side and took an axe to some. Mostly in case Neha came looking for him. He didn’t want her to think he used it as an excuse to leave the cabin, when in actual fact, it had been.
Having her laugh and say there was no way she’d give up her life in New York only reaffirmed what he’d been thinking about Neha. His cabin couldn’t live up to the standards she was used to living with. And there was the fact she’d have to give up her career. He was pretty sure she made more money modeling than he did as a trapper, which he only did during the winter months. What cash he earned from that had to last him through the rest of the year until the snow returned.
Kiel really had a lot of doubt as to whether or not he’d be able to keep Neha with him even after he claimed her. Besides the mate brand that would appear on her skin after he did, there was nothing to tie her to him. Like true wild wolves, wolf shifters mated for life. For him, there would never be another woman. But Neha was human. She might not make the same connection with him as he would with her. And that concerned him. He wouldn’t have to worry about losing his humanity after he made her his, though his life would be a very lonely one.
While he was out there, Kiel cleaned up the yard a bit after he finished chopping the wood. It wasn’t really messy, but he raked up some dead leaves from the previous fall that he hadn’t bothered to get around to once spring arrived. With a photo shoot taking place there, he didn’t want it to look uncared for.
The sound of someone hissing in pain had Kiel looking up from what he was doing. He saw Neha walking toward him in her bare feet. He dropped the rake and went to her. He scooped her up into his arms, then carried her over to the large stump he’d been using to chop the wood and sat her on it.
“Why aren’t you wearing shoes?” he asked as he straightened.
“I thought bare feet would be better than the heels, but I forgot there were rocks and pebbles around.” She shaded her eyes from the sun with her hand as she looked up at him. “I decided to come looking for you since you’ve been out here a while. I hope I didn’t drive you away.”
He shook his head. “No, you didn’t. I chopped the wood, then I thought I’d better clean up the yard a bit before tomorrow. I don’t know where your photographer will want to take pictures.”
Neha peered around. “It’s fine. Are you going to hang around tomorrow and watch me work?”
Kiel smiled. “Of course. And don’t be surprised if the rest of my family hangs around too.”
“That’s okay. We had a bigger audience than that while we worked at Yellowstone. There were other guests staying there as well, and they all had to come by and gawk. To be honest, when I’m in the middle of a shoot, I focus so much of my attention on the camera I rarely notice spectators.”
“So in other words, I can expect you to ignore me tomorrow while you work.”
Neha chuckled. “I don’t think so. I doubt I could, even if I tried. If anything I’ll have to beat Mia, the other female model, with a stick to get her to stay away from you. Or better yet, I might push her toward one of your brothers. All you boys are easy on the eyes.”
“Talon is the only one I’d be worried about. To put it nicely, he has a wandering eye. And if any female he’s attracted to shows interest in him, he’ll take her to bed, then move on to the next one afterward.”
“He’s one of those, is he? A lot of male models are like that, so don’t worry about Mia. She’s used to them and knows how to handle herself around guys like that.”
“What about you? Can you?”
Neha stood. She placed her hand on the center of Kiel’s chest and looked him in the eyes. “Of course I can, but the only man I want to be handling right now is you.”
Her statement and touch had Kiel’s cock suddenly rising to the occasion. He pushed aside thoughts of what he’d do if Neha refused to stay with him. There was no point stressing himself out about it. He’d do everything over the next few days to get her to change her mind, even if that meant he had to keep her in his bed and make love to her whenever she wasn’t busy with the photo shoot.
He covered her hand with his. “I have to admit I like how you do handle me.”
She looked at him coyly. “So does that mean you’ll spend the night with me tonight?”
Kiel shook his head. “No.”
Neha dragged her hand out from under his, trailed her fingers down his abs to the top of his jeans. She didn’t stop there, though. She continued her caresses until she was able to cup his cock. It jerked and she gave it a squeeze. The wolf part of him didn’t understand why he didn’t take her right then. She was more than willing. He pushed it down, determined to stay the course he’d set. He could wait until tomorrow to claim her. Maybe. Hopefully.
She didn’t seem willing to go along with his plan. Neha stroked his hard-on through his pants as she went on tiptoes and kissed him. Kiel weakened. He’d let it only go so far, then he’d stop. What she did to him felt too good to put an end to it just yet.
Kiel picked her up off her feet, which caused Neha to let go of him. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he walked the short distance to the shed. He went inside and blindly grabbed for the door before he tugged it mostly closed. To him, he felt the cabin was too far away, and with the chance of any one of his family arriving, he didn’t want them out in the open.
He sat her on the cleared space on the worktable, his mouth never leaving hers. Their kiss became more erotic, with lips, tongues and teeth coming into play. Neha kept her legs around his waist, and Kiel stepped closer so his cock came in contact with her panty-clad pussy. He rocked into her and held on to her hips to keep her where he wanted her.
Neha moaned and gasped. The scent of her arousal quickly filled the small space. Kiel growled low in his throat. Having his mate in his arms was like no encounter he’d experienced before. He’d never wanted a woman as much as he wanted Neha. His gums burned as his teeth shifted to that of a wolf’s. The need to bite her and was just about as strong as his need to sink his cock into her and claim her.
To distract himself from doing it, Kiel reached up and thumbed Neha’s taut nipple through her dress. She arched her back and pressed her upper body closer. He played with her breast for a few seconds more before he reached between them and dragged a finger along her panties. He growled again at the moisture he felt through the silky material.
He’d be pushing the limits of his control, but Kiel needed more. He ran a finger along the waistband of Neha’s panties, then pushed down inside the front of them. She moaned as he inched back to give himself room and dipped into the wetness he found between her thighs. He eased the digit inside, then pumped it in and out. At her passionate cries, he soon added a second, plunging faster and harder. She was so wet he ached to be inside her, but this wasn’t the place where he wanted to claim her as his. This would only be for her pleasure, a start to bring them closer together.
Neha clutched the tops of his shoulders as she lifted her hips to ride the fingers he stroked in and out of her. Her inner muscles squeezed around them. Kiel growled low as he tore his mouth away from hers and kissed a trail down the side of her neck. He avoided the spot where it met her shoulder, not wanting to tempt fate.
His cock jerked at the sound of her breathy moans. Kiel stroked his thumb across Neha’s clit with each pass into her pussy. She panted, her fingers digging into his muscles.
“Let go,” he said against her soft skin. “Come.”
Neha groaned. “I will. So damn close.”
He worked her faster, giving her no mercy. He dragged his mouth back up to hers and took her lips in a searing kiss. Her movements became uneven, and then she was there. A keening moan left her as her pussy clutched and released his fingers as her orgasm overtook her.
Once it was over, he released her lips and rested his forehead against hers. They were both breathing heavily. Kiel fought back the urge to undo his jeans and free his cock, then sink it deep inside Neha. It was a battle he won, and his teeth shifted as he pushed back his need to bite her.
Kiel pulled out of her, took a step back and looked at Neha. She met his gaze, her eyes slumberous-looking. He held her gaze and licked his fingers clean. He groaned. Once he had her in bed, he’d get a better taste of her essence. The small amount he’d just had wasn’t nearly enough.
“After that,” Neha said, “you can’t leave me waiting until tomorrow to get to the really good stuff.”
He was saved from having to turn her down again by the sound of a vehicle driving up to the cabin. “That has to be my parents with our dinner.”
Kiel lifted Neha down from the workbench, then took her hand and led her out of the shed.
Chapter Six
Neha sat on the cabin’s porch, enjoying the sunset. She had to admit it looked a whole lot nicer in Canyon Creek than it did in New York. A lot of the buildings blocked it. She’d bet the stars would be a lot brighter and seem more abundant without any street lights to dim them.
She was alone. Kiel had left about a half hour ago. No matter how many times she’d asked him to stay, he’d refused. She’d tried everything to entice him into bed, short of performing a striptease in front of him. Neha had thought for sure he’d break, especially after what they’d shared in the shed.
The thought of that made her cheeks heat with embarrassment. Not from what they’d done, but having to see Kiel’s parents before she’d had enough time to recover from the great orgasm he’d given her. The bottom of her dress had been badly wrinkled since it’d been bunched up to her hips. And her lips had been puffy from his kisses. Neha was pretty sure his mom had known exactly what they’d been up to in the small building. Selina had smiled at them knowingly.
Luckily Kiel’s parents only stayed long enough to drop off their meals. Neha had to remember to thank Selina the next time she saw her. The food had been great, and it’d been the first time she’d eaten venison. The steaks had been grilled same with the mixed veggies. Roasted potatoes had gone along with it. Neha had eaten a small amount of them, even though they weren’t on her diet since they’d smelled too good to pass up.
A wolf’s howl had Neha pulling herself up straighter on the chair she sat. It came again, sounding as if the animal was close by. Kiel had reminded her before he’d left about his “friendly” wolf that possibly would come by. He’d told her wolves were mostly nocturnal so she more than likely would get company once it started to get dark.
Neha scanned the area in front of the cabin, but didn’t see anything. Then something caught her attention out of the corner of her eye. She turned her head in that direction as a streak of black came loping out of the trees at the side of the property. It was a wolf. A huge freaking wolf. She imagined if it stood at her side its back would be at her waist. She’d never known they could grow so large.
She shot to her feet as the wolf headed toward her. Even though Kiel had said she had nothing to fear from this animal, the sheer size of him had her about ready to run inside the cabin. As he climbed the three steps that brought him to the porch, Neha walked backward until her back hit the closed door.
“Nice boy,” she said, her nervousness coming through in her voice. “I think that’s far enough.”
He, of course, didn’t listen to her since he wouldn’t have understood a word she’d said. The wolf stepped closer. He sniffed her fingers and then licked them. Neha resisted the urge to yank her hand away. There was no telling if the sudden movement would cause him to bite.
The wolf licked her a second time, then sat and stared up at her with his head cocked to the side. He opened his mouth and his tongue lolled out. In no way did he look as if he wanted to take a chunk out of her. If anything, he appeared as friendly as Kiel had said he was. The tail sweeping the porch as he wagged it just reinforced that fact.
“You have to be the wolf Kiel told me about,” Neha said slowly. His tail wagged faster. “I guess you recognize Kiel’s name, huh?”
He stood, stepped in front of her and turned so he could press his side against her. She’d been close with her estimation of his size. His back reached her hip. He brought his head up and nudged her. Neha figured it was his way of showing he wanted her to pet him. She slowly lifted her hand, then scratched behind his ear. She had to quietly chuckle as he
closed his eyes and leaned even more of his weight against her. His fur was soft under her fingertips. Her nervousness left her the longer she petted him. He didn’t give off any kind of aggression, and seemed content to have her touch him.
She gave him one last scratch before she dropped her hand at her side. “Well, boy, it was nice meeting you, but I think I’m going to go inside now. It’s starting to cool off a bit.”
The wolf pulled away, then stepped closer to the door. He lightly ran his claws down it before he turned his head to look at her. If she wasn’t mistaken, he showed her he wanted into the cabin.
Neha shook her head. “Oh no. I’m not going to let you in, even though Kiel said he allows it. I’m a city girl who isn’t used to having wild animals hanging around.”
Before she realized what he was up to, he’d jumped up and used his nose to lift the latch that kept the door closed. He used his weight to push it open and walked in as if he owned the place. If there had been a regular doorknob, he wouldn’t have been able to accomplish that.
She followed him in. “Didn’t anyone ever tell you it’s rude to just walk into someone’s home?” She snorted. “Of course not. You’re a wolf.” Neha shook her head as he went to the couch and jumped on it, almost taking up all the entire length of it. “Hey, maybe I’d like to sit there too, you know.”
He shifted over enough to leave her one section of the cushion to sit on. At least he was considerate, but that didn’t mean she was prepared to have him in the cabin with her all night.
She crossed over to the couch and stood in front of him. “All right, buddy. I think you have to go.”
Neha took hold of him by the scruff of his neck and tried with all her might to pull him off the sofa. That utterly failed. He didn’t so much as budge an inch. She tried again, this time using both hands and leaning back. All that ended up doing was him throwing her off balance as he shook his head and she landed on her butt.
Wild Craving Page 5
