by Wood, Vivian
“Tesla?” she prompted, reminding Lucas of her question.
Lucas looked up at her as he pulled on his jeans.
“You and Tesla are both coming downstairs with me,” he said, eyes flashing. He looked at the clothes she’d laid out on the bed.
“Wear the dress,” he suggested.
Once she was dress, Scarlett went into Lucas’s palatial bathroom to run her fingers through her messy hair and pinch her cheeks. Without any of her own grooming tools or makeup, it was the best she could do.
All I have to do is stand beside the female that Lucas wanted to take as a mate. No big deal, right?
Her stomach rumbled, part hunger and part nerves.
“Ready?” Lucas asked. Scarlett turned to find him leaning against the door frame, watching her as she primped. She felt her face flush as she nodded.
Lucas took her hand as they left the bedroom, squeezing her hand in his as he guided her down the stairs. Tesla ran down before them, and when they got downstairs he was already out the open door, no doubt ready for a good pee and a roll in the dirt.
When they entered the living room, it was chaos. Two dark-haired males were standing by the kitchen’s French doors: one massive, muscular male with dark eyes and a buzz cut, one more leanly built with shaggy-chic hair and bright blue eyes. Their body language was tense, making the fact that they were arguing apparent.
In the living room, two females were attempting to jam clothes into an already-overstuffed piece of luggage. A stunning redhead, strikingly dressed and covered with tattoos, was trying to push a hooded sweatshirt into the very top of a rolling suitcase. A tiny, elven-looking blonde perched on top of the suitcase, laughing as she tried to use her weight to keep the thing from busting open.
When Lucas and Scarlett stopped between the living room and the kitchen, four pairs of curious eyes turned toward them. Lucas cleared his throat.
“Scarlett,” he said, pointing out each person. “Walker, Ben, Aurelia, and Ella. Everyone, this is Scarlett.”
Silence reigned for half a minute before blonde Ella hopped up and came over. She offered Scarlett a handshake, the twinkle in her eyes giving away her mock somber expression.
“Nice to meet you,” Ella said. She turned to her mate, the bigger of the two males, and gave him a sharp look. He came over and introduced himself as well, though he seemed more than a little put out by her presence.
Scarlett quailed. Ben and Aurelia stood stock still, awkward beyond words. Scarlett felt like a fish out of water, and she couldn’t help but wonder if Lucas had brought her down just to show the couple that he was on the rebound already.
“We’re just on our way out,” Ben said, breaking his silence at last. The look that passed between Ben and Aurelia was heated; clearly they were arguing about something, too. Scarlett couldn’t help but feel a little bad for Ben, who seemed to be on the losing end of things today.
“That’s what I came down here to say,” Lucas said, clearing his throat again. He gave Aurelia and Ben each a measured glance before he continued. “I don’t want you to leave.”
Ben and Aurelia shared another private look, their stress evident.
“Lucas, it’s okay,” Aurelia said, dropping the sweatshirt with a sigh.
“This is your home,” Lucas said. “Where would you go?”
“We plan to rent a place in Atlanta, to be closer to work,” Ben said.
“You’re running away,” Lucas said, crossing his arms.
“Lucas,” Aurelia said, her tone growing exasperated.
“No. I’m not blind. I can see that there is a lot more between you two than Aurelia and I ever had. I don’t like how you handled things, but what’s done is done. I’m not driving two of my favorite people out of our house just because they made a mistake.”
Scarlett watched Lucas as he spoke, saw the determination on his face, in his posture.
“He’s giving you his blessing,” she spoke up, meeting Aurelia’s gaze head-on. Scarlett could feel Aurelia’s appraising look, and it seemed that whatever Aurelia saw satisfied her. Aurelia gave her a soft smile and a nod.
“Go unpack,” Lucas ordered, reaching out and taking Scarlett’s hand. “I think we’re going for a run now.”
Scarlett gave them all a wave as Lucas tugged her out the French doors, onto the back deck. He stopped for a moment, pulling her close for a long kiss before releasing her and walking down the back steps.
He gave her a teasing look as he shucked his shirt, preparing to shift into his wolf form. Scarlett grinned as she followed, heart brimming with joy. She didn’t know where he would lead, but damn if she wasn’t excited to follow him wherever he chose to go.
Forever With The Wolf
Chapter Twenty-Five
Garrett Kiern shot back a fifth measure of tequila, grimacing as it burned all the way into his stomach. He slammed the shot glass onto the rough wooden bar, mouth down. He turned from the bar, leaning back on his elbows as he surveyed the place. It was an unpolished, dark affair, not much more than a simple bar on one side and a few booths on the other. The bar was located on the west side of San Juan, and it drew regulars from all over the Costa Rican capitol for one reason alone: the dance floor. There was a live band on stage, playing a lively merengue tune, and couples packed the broad dance floor below.
All in all, not Garrett’s kind of place. Garrett preferred Irish pubs, the kinds of places a man could be alone with his thoughts and his whisky. Still, he watched the crowd, expectant. It was a Saturday night, and everyone was well-turned out. The men wore simple but clean clothes, dark slacks and white shirts. The women were colorful flowers, dressed in all manner of bright dresses, their lips and eyes lined with carefully-applied makeup. The couples moved to the music, pressed together, hips pulsing against their partners’ bodies.
Garrett sucked in a deep breath. There. Among the crowd. A flash of chestnut hair, the simple lilac dress he’d seen her wearing.
Kiley Russell moved in perfect rhythm, peering up at her handsome, dark-haired fiancée. Brad Hurst, the luckiest bastard alive, though Garrett was sure Brad didn’t know it. As Garrett watched Brad spun Kiley out, a spontaneous move. Brad took it a little too fast, didn’t hold her quite tight enough, and she stumbled. Kiley slowed and shook her head, the sin already forgiven, but Brad said something harsh to her and she paled.
Breaking from her fiancée’s hold, she fled the dance floor, making a bee line for Garrett. And damn if the sight of her coming his way didn’t make his traitorous heart skip a beat. He couldn’t help it, though. This is how it was with them, how it had been between them since Kiley and Brad had signed on with Luna Security almost a year ago.
He watched her as she approached, unable to stop himself from admiring her. She was just over five and a half feet, with long, loose dark curls that tumbled to her waist. She was fair-skinned with huge green eyes, perfectly pale pink lips, and a smile that could knock any man into next week. She always wore dresses, usually pastel-colored and to the knee, clinging to her curves in an intoxicating way.
Though she was slim and appeared delicate, she was actually at her best when she was angry. The female could rage and fling barbs like no other, her tongue sharp enough to flay any opponent alive. It was just one of many little surprises, one of many amazing things about Kiley that made Garrett’s stomach churn when he looked at her.
For twelve missions, the eight-person team had been jammed together for job after job, staying in tight quarters, working to rescue kidnapping victims, block illegal arms transfers, and defuse hostage situations. They’d worked in Thailand, New Zealand, twice in Iran, twice here in Costa Rica, once in Brazil…. Shit, they’d even done a job in South Dakota, working on behalf of a group of Native Americans being forced off the land they’d lived on for two hundred years.
Garrett and his business partner Elijah took a variety of special para-military jobs, anything that required delicate handling by a small team of highly skilled operatives. Kiley
had joined the team at Brad’s insistence, and they’d needed Brad’s medical field and combat pilot experience for a specific mission. Kiley had come onto the team to be their base command person, doing anything related to communications, research, and tech.
There’d been more to Kiley than just answering phones, though. Kiley’s true worth was in her contacts; she’d been with the CIA for years, recruiting and grooming intelligence assets all over the world. For Kiley, it was as simple as making a new friend. Everywhere she went, she talked to people, learned their stories, asked about their children. Kiley had contacts in every country, from beggars to state ministers, all eager to share a few minutes of small talk with her. When she needed a bit of information, it was as simple as calling an old friend.
Under Kiley’s attentions, their team had flourished. She’d kept up whichever large house they were currently using as their base of operations, the team had become attached to her straight away. It was hard to resist someone who met you at the door with a fresh set of clothes, or made you grilled cheese the way your mom used to make it, or remembered your birthday and got you something meaningful. Those little touches followed them as they globe-trotted, and Garrett knew that the team was going to be sad to see Kiley go, even if the tension between Garrett and Kiley was more than obvious.
Garrett had lived through a full year of watching her on-again off-again relationship with Brad flourish, falter, and blossom, over and over. At some safe houses, Kiley and Brad shared a room. At some, barely a civil word. Watching from afar was all the harder in the times that the two seemed destined to fail, because it gave Garrett hope for something that would never be.
Last night, as the team reconvened at the safe house and closed everything down after their latest foray into the Costa Rican rainforest, Brad had dropped to one knee and proposed. Kiley’s expression had been stricken rather than overjoyed, and every male but Brad looked horrified. They’d had a particularly bad fight the night before, complete with screaming, slamming doors, and some very nasty words coming from Brad’s side.
Still, Kiley had stood there in the kitchen, letting him put the ring on her finger. Just now, at the dimly lit bar the team had come to favor on this mission, was the first time Garrett had laid eyes on her since he’d slammed out of the kitchen last night, unable to stomach her acceptance.
Garrett watched her approach, devouring her with his gaze. He spotted Brad a few steps behind her, and then the rest of the team followed. Elijah’s tall, dark form appeared just behind Brad; with his red-gold hair and beard, Scottish accent, and Highlander build, the man was hard to miss.
Kiley reached the bar, meeting Garrett’s gaze for only the briefest moment before turning away. Brad swooped in, pulling her into his arms, and she laughed. Elijah stepped between Garrett and the happy couple, his dark blue eyes intent on Garrett.
“This is the last mission of theirs,” Elijah said, his thick brogue a familiar and calming sound to Garrett’s ears. “I’m not letting them re-up, no matter what you say. They’re making you miserable.”
Tomas, a tall Brazilian wolf who’d signed on with them three months ago, stepped up and clapped Garrett on the shoulder, nodding at Elijah’s declaration. The sympathy on Tomas’s face made Garrett’s fists clench. He liked the male as much as anyone else, but he didn’t want Tomas’s pity any more than he wanted Elijah’s. Though Garrett desperately wanted Kiley, Kiley had chosen Brad. There it was, plain and simple.
“Tequila!” Tomas shouted to the bartender, holding up three fingers.
“No, eight! This round’s on me, to celebrate!” Brad broke in, dragging Kiley over into the circle where Garrett and Elijah stood.
Garrett crossed his arms, his back ramrod straight, as he stared across the room. When he chanced a look over, he found Elijah in much the same position, which made his lips twitch. His longtime best friend’s solidarity was heartening, he supposed.
The shots were delivered and passed out. Brad raised his high, and the rest of the team slowly mimicked his movement. Brad remained blissfully unaware that the team loathed him, though Garrett had never spoken of his issues to any of them. Still, Brad had a huge grin plastered on his face, and he began to make a toast.
“As you all know, my Kiley has agreed to be my mate. Perfect timing, as our contract is up. It’s been a hell of a year with you all, of course. Kiley, anything to add?”
Brad looked over to Kiley, who blushed and gave her head a sharp shake, frowning.
“All right. Well, bottom’s up then. Here’s to getting what you work for!” Brad declared.
They all took the shots, slamming them down on the bar when they were through.
The warmth of the tequila filled Garrett’s chest, making him feel less lovelorn. Perhaps, with enough tequila and pretty females, this would all be behind him soon. Once he didn’t have Kiley in his space every day, giving him sad looks while she held Brad’s hand, looking miserable while cooing over some minor accomplishment of Brad’s, volunteering to sit closest to Garrett in the car, letting her hand brush his…
Garrett shook his head.
“I’m done,” he told Elijah. “I’m going back to the safe house.”
“Good man. Want me to come along?” Elijah asked, rubbing a big hand over the back of his own neck, looking uncomfortable. Garrett shot him a look, knowing just what he was up to.
“And make you miss your last chance with that dark-haired number?” Garrett asked, tilting his head at the woman at the end of the bar. She was clearly leering at Elijah, and she was a knockout. Though his friend didn’t partake in women often, some remnant of his old guilt, he clearly intended to tonight. Far be it for Garrett to stop him.
“I can come back. Probably should, I want to catch the first flight out…” Elijah started talking himself out of it.
“Come on,” Garrett said, grabbing him by the arm. Dragging Elijah over to the woman, he pushed his friend straight into her, making them embrace rather than tumble to the ground.
Whistling to the bartender, Garrett bought two bottles of locally made tequila. One for Elijah and his new lady friend, one to accompany Garrett back to the house. Tomas caught up with him at the door, and they headed back to the safe house.
Once inside the spacious living room, they parted ways.
“Garrett,” Tomas said, stopping him before he headed up to his bedroom.
“Yeah?” Garrett asked, feeling weary. He wasn’t even sad, really. Just worn out and in need of a break before their next operation.
“It’ll get better, you know? Today isn’t forever,” Tomas said.
“I’m fine. I just need to sleep,” Garrett mumbled, turning and taking the stairs two at a time. He stripped down to his boxer briefs and turned out the light before he laid on his bed, enjoying the welcome embrace. He brought his own sheets and comforter to every safe house, a single simple comfort that he allowed himself.
His wolf stirred, unhappy about being alone in the big bed. Garrett grabbed the bottle of tequila and took a long pull before recapping it and laying it aside. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, wincing when he realized that he found Kiley’s scent in the air. For some reason, she insisted on being on the same floor as he was in every safe house. She’d been allotted her own room here, but that just made their shared hallway all the more painful. Sometimes Garrett thought that maybe he was crazy, and she didn’t know how he felt. Or worse, she considered him as something more like a brother, and just liked being close to a good friend…
“Bullshit,” he sighed. Over the last year, especially the past month, every time he looked up he found Kiley’s eyes on his face, searching. But for what? She always gave him these desperate, pained, longing looks, but then she fled before he could open his mouth. Even if she’d ever stayed, he didn’t know what he was supposed to say.
Choose me, or perhaps, What can I give you?
Garrett groaned and threw an arm over his face, trying to let the ceiling fan cool off his overheated
body. He kept thinking of Kiley, of her lips, of the way her ass looked in those sexy tight dresses she wore, of the way he imagined her tits would bounce when she rode him cowboy style…
His hand was on his cock before he even knew it. When she’d first joined the team Garrett had resisted fantasizing about her, thinking himself creepy. In the last few months, though, he’d been unable to help himself. If Kiley had any idea how many times he’d come in his own hand, gasping her name, she’d probably faint.
Pushing down and kicking off his boxer briefs, Garrett fisted his cock in his hand, running his thumb along the sensitive underside while he imagined Kiley stripping for him. Peeling away that lilac dress, showing him her filmy white garter belt, thin stockings against her long legs, her sheer panties, and a lacy bra. He imagined her taking off her panties first, leaving her bare when she knelt on the bed next to him, knees braced apart so he could see her pretty pink pussy.
She pulled down the straps of her bra next, pushing the cups down to reveal her firm, full breasts, her small nipples the softest pink that made his mouth water. She teased her breasts, squeezing and pinching, throwing her head back and letting her lips part on a gasp. One hand cupped a breast as the other dipped down past her flat stomach, two fingers sliding down to brush over her wet, petal-pink slit.
The mere thought of her taut, throbbing clit, of her plunging two fingers into her own tight core pushed Garrett right to the edge. He pumped his hand up and down the thick length of his cock, gasping as his balls tightened with the need to come. He let himself think of Kiley straddling him, of her hot little hand guiding his big cock to her entrance, of the way it would feel when he pressed inside her, inch by inch…
Crying out, Garrett came so hard that he couldn’t breathe. His body convulsed as he shot long, hot streams of cum straight up, heedless that they came back to cover him moments later. He released himself with a shudder, grabbing a t-shirt to wipe himself down before he crawled under his comforter and passed out.
