To Tempt the Wolf hotw-3

by Terry Spear

  With the blanket wrapped around her shoulders, Tessa drew the chair over to the bed. "Rourke's upset with you for biting him. I told him you didn't mean it."

  Hunter grunted. "He shouldn't have had his finger in my mouth."

  "He was trying to help you. Would you have bitten me?"

  "If I had, you'd have given me hell for it."

  Looking wiped out, but as beautiful as ever with her long red hair in tangles around her face, she sat in the chair. "Do you know that nurse?"

  "No."

  "But you both seemed to recognize each other."

  He noted a hint of jealousy, but he didn't want her believing he knew the woman when he didn't--just that she was a lupus garou. "I thought she seemed familiar, but I've never met her before."

  "What about Meara? Who's she?"

  "Meara?" He frowned. The name sounded familiar, but he couldn't recall.

  "You said her name when you were delirious with fever. Is she your sister maybe?"

  "Maybe, I can't remember."

  Tessa reached her hand out to him. "Hunter, don't get mad at me, but Rourke realized our cover story wasn't true. I don't know what made him suspicious, but now he knows about your amnesia and how I found you on the beach. About the fact someone may have tried to murder you, too. He won't tell anyone. He's promised."

  Rourke would know a hell of a lot more in a little while. "I figured he'd learn of it before long."

  Her posture relaxed a little. "What about Ashton?"

  "Not a word to him. I don't want to shatter his image of me."

  Tessa smiled and rested her head on Hunter's lap, pressing against his groin and instantly he hardened. Despite the way his shoulder felt, she stirred his loins. Not only that, but her scent and the feel of her set his blood on fire.

  "I wish we could snuggle together."

  Just what the doctor ordered. Hunter patted the mattress. "It's small, but if we get really close, we should be able to manage."

  She raised her head and looked at him. "But I don't want to hurt you."

  "I'm feeling much better."

  "If we get caught--"

  "They can throw us out of here." He gave her a devilish smile.

  "Yeah, but you need their help."

  "I need you--more."

  The smile on her lips said he won. She climbed onto the bed, one knee posed on the right side of him before she raised her other leg to cross over his waist. "Are you sure?"

  "The anticipation is killing me, Tessa." With his good arm, he helped her get settled, groaning when her sweet body sank on top of his rigid erection.

  "Oh, oh, I'm sorry. Did I hurt you?"

  Hunter wrapped his arm securely around her, holding her hot little body tightly against his before she bolted from the bed. "Pure torture, but not in the way you mean."

  She chuckled softly against his chest and relaxed.

  Feeling Tessa's heated body against his, he had the overwhelming desire to screw convention and turn her, claim her. Had he ever felt this way toward a woman? He couldn't remember.

  But he wondered how he could ever give up the minx. And yet he knew he had to. No woman in her right mind would willingly become a lupus garou. He wasn't sure how he was going to cope with Rourke's change, let alone a female he'd make his mate. It wouldn't be fair to her, any more than it was to Rourke. But the deed was done and there was no going back.

  She took in a deep breath and kissed his chest covered in the thin hospital gown. Her lithe body pressed against his heavy groin. He moaned inwardly. Already, he wanted her again, when he had no business coveting her. But everything about her made him desire her, the way her soft body felt against him, her fragrance, the way she cared so about his welfare.

  Her breathing soon grew shallow, and he sensed she had fallen asleep.

  Maybe he could take her to Rourke's place for a while. At least until he healed up sufficiently. The stalker's wound wasn't as severe, and he would be back to Tessa's house soon, probably with the brother who wasn't injured badly either.

  Knowing sleep would help his body to heal more than anything else, Hunter willed himself to shut down his concerns.

  But he didn't realize he had even fallen asleep until sometime later the sound of footsteps entered the room, waking him. Hunter opened his eyes and stared at the man dressed in scrubs, his dark hair curling down to his shoulders, his face covered in a shadow of a beard. He looked way too scruffy to be a male nurse. Hunter expected him to come closer, to make a comment about the sleepy redheaded goddess in Hunter's arms, to check his vital signs. But this wasn't a medical call.

  Hunter got a whiff of the man's scent. One of the stalker's brothers. The one who hadn't been injured too badly, probably now completely healed. If he'd thought to slip in and steal Tessa away while Hunter was drugged and asleep, he was going to have a fight on his hands.

  "Why does your brother want her so bad?" Hunter hoped to learn more about these men before he had to eliminate them. Maybe he could still convince the brothers to give up the deadly quest.

  "You have to ask?" The man snorted. "She's as close to one of us as we can find, and my brother, Yoloff, will have her. If I'd seen her first, she would've been mine."

  "Had he followed her to California?"

  The man's grim face brightened a little. "He almost had her there. Several times he's nearly taken her. The hunt is as appealing as the mating. Then you came along and he had to solicit our help."

  Hunter could envision how frustrated the lupus garou was, but the previous comment stuck in his craw. "What do you mean by she's nearly one of us?"

  "Hell, you can smell her pheromones."

  Which didn't make sense, but there wasn't any way she was one of them. "She's not a lupus garou."

  "Say what you will, but she's garnering a lot of lupus garous' attention in any event. Only she'll be my brother's mate. You can either give her up nice and easy or we'll take her the hard way. You don't want her in any event or you would have already turned her, so you might as well just let us have her."

  "Then there's only one way this is going down." Hunter reached for the nurse's call button.

  Before he pressed the button, a female nurse suddenly entered the room. "Who are you?" she asked the faux male nurse.

  "I work on another floor." He gave Hunter a sinister smirk. "Just checking on my buddy here."

  She glanced at Hunter, her eyes rounding when she saw Tessa asleep with Hunter. "What... you can't--"

  The stalker's brother gave Tessa another long look. "Just remember what I said." Then he left.

  "She can't sleep with you in the bed. I can get another bed for her."

  "The man who just left has been stalking Tessa. He'd planned on grabbing her while I was knocked out on pain medication. She's not moving from here."

  The woman's face paled. "I'll call security and report him." She whipped out of the room and shut the door.

  Hunter must have fallen asleep after that because the next thing he heard was Ashton's chuckle near the doorway. Hunter opened his eyes, his arm still wrapped securely around a sleeping Tessa. His shoulder was stiff, but not half as painful. Although the medication dripping into his veins could have had something to do with that.

  "You have style, Hunter. Real style."

  "Where's Rourke?"

  "He's still sleeping at his apartment down the road. He was pretty wiped out, but before I left, I checked and his fever was gone. We were going to take Tessa with us, but found the two of you like this before we left. Guess Nurse Godzilla didn't bother you any longer. I asked about her schedule and she's gone home, but she comes back on duty tonight."

  Tessa stirred. Her eyes opened and she would have jumped from the bed if Hunter hadn't held on tight. He kissed her good morning on the lips and wanted more, but she was squirming in an attempt to bolt, stirring him to high heaven, and he released her.

  He gave her a smile, then said to Ashton, "I'm starving. When do they serve food around here?"

/>   Tessa climbed off the bed, her cheeks blushing beautifully.

  Ashton cast her a conceited smirk. "Never knew you had it in you to break the rules, Tessa."

  She glowered at him and headed for the bathroom.

  "My breakfast?" Hunter asked Ashton, before he ripped off the I.V. and wiped the smirk off his face.

  "Food's on its way."

  "I want sausage, bacon, and a mess of scrambled eggs. Biscuits, too. And three pints of milk."

  "I'm not sure what they ordered for you last night," Ashton said.

  "Tessa told me you were a real prankster in school. I'm starving. I need solid food to build up my strength. Go get me--"

  Rourke poked his head in the door, his eyes blurry, his hair mussed up, dark whiskers covering his chin, not the look of a reporter on his way to work. "You could have woken me, Ashton."

  "You needed your sleep."

  "I'll get your breakfast," Rourke said to Hunter, and he headed down the hall.

  "Wait up, Rourke! I've got to see this." Ashton rushed after him.

  Tessa stepped out of the bathroom. "I'm taking a hot shower. Don't let anyone in the bathroom."

  "I'll join you."

  "Ha! You can't get those bandages wet."

  "We could manage." He started to climb out of bed.

  "Don't you dare or I'll call a nurse." Tessa ducked back into the bathroom, shut the door, and started the water.

  Hell, wet bandages wouldn't bother him. He was about to remove the I.V. when Rourke and Ashton walked back in the room, each carrying a covered dish.

  "Ashton said you wanted both sausages and bacon. They came with one or the other. So we had to procure a couple of dishes to accommodate you." Rourke glanced at the bathroom and sniffed. He smiled and then frowned. "Surprised you're not in there with her."

  "I would have been if the two of you hadn't returned with the food."

  "You shouldn't get those bandages wet anyway," Ashton said.

  Rourke gave him a get-real look. "You think that would have stopped Hunter?"

  "Probably not." Ashton uncovered the dish of eggs and sausage. "Two poor patients will be without breakfast."

  "The kitchen staff can make them more," Rourke said. "Come on, Ashton. Let's go to the cafeteria."

  "What about Tessa?"

  "She probably won't leave Hunter's side." Rourke gave him a pointed look.

  Enough with the innuendos. Hunter knew she was becoming way too attached to him. But what could he do about it? He had to stay with her until he got rid of the gray threat and helped free her brother. Of course, his human side said to cool it with her. His wolf instincts told him she was the one for him. But those were deeper, more primal needs. They didn't take in account the horror she would most likely feel if he changed her. She could hate him. Probably would. She was close to her brother. How could she not tell him what had happened to her? Why she had to become a wolf for a jaunt in the woods sometimes during the moon's appearance, how she aged so slowly? Yet, if she were changed, she couldn't tell a human soul.

  The shower shut off and Rourke grabbed Ashton's arm. "Let's get something to eat before anyone catches us in here with the stolen food and blames us for it."

  Ashton laughed. "Hell, I thought you were as straight-laced as Tessa."

  The two hurried back down the hall.

  Tessa came out of the bathroom, wearing a towel on her head.

  "Come," Hunter said, patting the bed. "Share breakfast with me."

  "How'd you get two breakfasts?"

  "Courtesy of Rourke and Ashton."

  "Oh, brother." She peered down the hall. "Here come the food trays. Now you're in for it."

  "It's your show." He grinned at her.

  "Oh, great, so I have to explain this? The two Stooges left me with the evidence? I should leave you alone here to explain it yourself."

  "I'm the innocent patient. I couldn't have left the bed." He shook his I.V.

  She whipped the towel off her head, tossed it on the bathroom floor, and then stepped into the hall. "Here, I'll take Mr. Grey's breakfast for him."

  Hunter smiled with satisfaction. If the circumstances had been different, they would all have made pretty decent pack members.

  Tessa closed the door and carried the tray in to Hunter. He sniffed the air. "Do you like pancakes?"

  "Sure."

  "Why don't you eat them then."

  She opened the lid. "How did you know?"

  "Excellent sense of smell. Did the doctor talk to you about my condition last night?"

  "Yes, he said it might take months of therapy to recover the full use of your shoulder."

  "Won't take that long. What did he say about my release?"

  "You just got here."

  "I'm ready to leave."

  She poured syrup on her pancakes. "You're not going anywhere, Hunter. You were in terrible shape when we brought you in. Even the doctor said so."

  "All I need is you to take care of me. I'll heal ten times faster. Fever's all gone even."

  She looked up from her pancakes and frowned. "Your face is still flushed."

  "Nearly all gone then. I was thinking we ought to go to Rourke's place until I'm healed."

  "He's got a studio apartment. No bedroom, couch makes into a bed. Kind of cramped."

  "Oh. What about Ashton's place?"

  Tessa licked the syrup off her lips and laughed. "He lives with his dad. Big house, but somehow I don't believe he'd appreciate it if we moved in with him."

  "Still lives at home?" Hunter shook his head. "He does need to join the Navy."

  "He's never held a job long enough that he could afford to live on his own."

  "I wish I could remember where I live. That would solve the problem." Footsteps sounded down the hall headed in their direction. "Someone's coming. Probably the nurse."

  Tessa flew into action. He hadn't planned on hiding the evidence, but Tessa took his empty dishes and stuffed them in the clothes cabinet. She sat back down on the chair, her face crimson.

  "Good morning, Mr. Grey. I'm here to take your vital signs," the nurse said, smiling broadly at him, her long, dark curls bouncing as she walked with a spring to her step.

  "I'm ready to leave."

  She gave a breathy little laugh. "We try to get patients out of the hospital as quickly as we can, but--"

  "Good. I'm ready. Just sign the papers."

  "I'm sure you'll be here a couple of more days at least."

  Hunter wasn't waiting that long. Not with the lupus garou nurse itching to destroy his relationship with Tessa and the rest of the grays still a real problem.

  "The fever's come down quite a bit. The doctor will be here after a while to check on you. Do you need anything?"

  "Just the release papers."

  She chuckled. "We need more male patients like you. Just push the button if you need me." She wiggled her butt a little too much as she left the room.

  "You can't leave until the doctor says so. Enjoy all the pampering. You deserve it," Tessa said.

  Hunter was surprised she wouldn't be upset with the way the nurses were making fools of themselves over him. "Food's not as good as yours."

  "Yeah, but you get three times as many dishes here." She motioned to the leftover pancakes.

  Ashton and Rourke returned looking well fed. Rourke sniffed the air. "When did you get pancakes?"

  Ashton laughed.

  "Yeah, very funny, guys. I had to hide the other dishes," Tessa said.

  Hunter pointed to the clothes cabinet. "I'm ready to go. I was trying to come up with a safe place to stay, but..."

  "Snow's melting off the roadway," Rourke said. "Temperature rose to forty-five degrees."

  Tessa shook her head. "He has to stay here until the doctor says."

  Ashton folded his arms. "Yeah, I agree."

  "My place is kind of small." Rourke rubbed the back of his head. "But you and Tessa could stay there for the time being. Place is well stocked. The electricity's back
on all over the county. And phone service has been restored."

  "What about the stalker?" Ashton sounded disappointed.

  "Hunter can't mess with him for a while," Tessa said.

  Hunter considered his options. But only one seemed viable. "All right. We return to Tessa's house. We need new locks, a window, and lots of food."

  "And medical supplies. Bandages, tape, gauze, antibiotics. But you're not leaving here until the doctor releases you." Tessa gave Hunter a hard look.

  "You've got your mission," Hunter said to Rourke.

  Ashton's face brightened. "You've got it!"

  The two vacated the premises pronto. Hunter took Tessa's hand and kissed it. "Want to snuggle some more? All that food made me sleepy."

  She rolled her eyes. "I can just see the doctor catching us."

  "Now there's an idea. Then he would release me, figuring I was well enough after all." But when she didn't make a move to join him, Hunter smiled and let go of her hand. "Wake me when he comes, if I don't get up before then."

  Although it didn't matter if he got the doctor's permission or not. He couldn't stay much longer before someone discovered he was healing too fast for it to be normal and wonder why.

  * * *

  Wake Hunter when the doctor came? No way. Tessa was determined to keep him right where he was. Rourke should have had better sense. Ashton was being Ashton, impulsive, devious, loving to go against the rules whenever he could.

  The time dragged on and she knew if the doctor didn't hurry, Hunter would wake. She didn't want Rourke or Ashton returning either and trying to convince the doctor to let Hunter go. Then again, she figured at least someone on the medical staff would say no.

  When the doctor arrived, she wanted to shove him into the hall and talk to him privately. The blond-haired man looked like he had barely finished high school.

  "Hi, I'm Tessa Anderson," she whispered. "Hunter wants to leave, but he needs to stay for a couple of more days, don't you think?"

  "After being torn up by that Rottweiler? I'd say so."

  "Rottweiler?"

  "Yeah. His friend said the dog had attacked Mr. Grey, but that they were so close to the edge of the cliff, the dog fell to its death. Tide washed him out or we would have been able to run tests on him to see if he had rabies. But Mr. Grey and Mr. Thornburg are receiving the rabies shots anyway as a precaution."