Animal Attraction: Buckhorn Ever AfterImagine Me and YouGimme ShelterPartner in Crime

by Lori Foster

  The rumbling purrs started to sound like a broken truck engine. Eyes closed, Louie continued to rub against him.

  “Take it easy, buddy.” Shohn managed to get the cat away from his face and settled more on his chest. “Ah, that’s better.”

  Nadine smiled.

  “Now I can kiss you.” Her smile froze, but Shohn took her mouth too quickly for her to object.

  Only she didn’t. She kissed him back. Awkwardly because, yeah, they had a big old rumbling tomcat between them, but still, it was pretty hot the way she turned her head, how she willingly parted her lips.

  How she accepted his tongue.

  She tasted even better than he remembered, hotter and sweeter. She made a small sound that he took for encouragement. He answered with a low groan, his thoughts already on getting her naked and under him.

  Suddenly Louie butted his head up between theirs, and Shohn pulled away with a “Bleh.”

  Breathing fast, Nadine asked, “What?”

  “I had cat ear in my mouth.” He used a shoulder to wipe his face.

  She snickered then took his arm. “I’m sorry. Why don’t we sit down for a bit? Are you hungry?”

  Was that nervousness that had her talking so fast? “Not this time, thanks.” Shohn dropped onto her couch and again tried to rearrange the big cat. Louie was so muscular and rangy at the same time that doing anything he didn’t fully approve was damn difficult. “I grabbed some fast food to eat on the way here.”

  “I wouldn’t have minded fixing you something.”

  “Thanks, but it wasn’t food I had in mind.”

  “Oh...well, a drink, then? I’m out of Coke, but maybe some iced tea?”

  Shohn grinned over the way she avoided his innuendo. “With you looking like that, yeah, iced tea with plenty of ice would be great.”

  She smoothed her hands over the shirt then tucked her hair behind one ear. “I took a really quick shower just before you got here.”

  Damn, he was sorry he’d missed that. “If you’d waited, I could have showered with you.” To keep her from reacting to that too much, he went on in a casual tone. “It was one hell of a day and I’m grimier than usual. Not that Louie seems to mind, do you buddy?” He tickled under the cat’s chin.

  Eyes widening, Nadine opened her mouth twice before she finally said anything. “You, ah, found the missing camper?”

  “Yeah. The drunken dumbass had completely left the trails. I found him snagged up in a briar bush, sniveling and ready to wet himself. Apparently he fell in there and then kept getting scratched worse every time he tried to free himself.”

  “Serves him right for getting drunk.” Nadine headed into the kitchen to get the drinks. “Will he be fined?”

  “Who knows? I turned him over to the local authorities. He’s their problem now.” Shohn liked watching Nadine move in the kitchen, seeing the way she turned this way and that in the shorty-shorts and clinging T-shirt. She had supershapely legs and her bare feet made it all more intimate somehow. “Love the new outfit.”

  She ducked her face, letting her hair hide her profile. “It’s just an old shirt and shorts.”

  No, it was a sexier shirt and shorter shorts that she’d put on for him. “I like your hair loose like that, too.”

  She dropped an ice cube on the floor. “Thanks.” She accidentally kicked it when she went to pick it up, then had to chase it before it went under the fridge.

  “Nadine?”

  “Hmm?” Face flushed, she tossed the ice in the sink and, with trembling hands, poured the tea.

  Shohn understood, because he felt a little shaky himself. Lust had never hit him so hard. “You have a kickin’ body with killer curves, honey. I hope you know that.”

  She twisted her mouth then squared her shoulders as she faced him with the glasses of tea. “I’m satisfied with it.”

  Leering a little, Shohn said, “I’d be more satisfied with it if you were naked. But this display is great for starters.”

  She stumbled over nothing.

  Shohn bolted forward in his seat, ready to grab for her. “Easy.”

  Face flaming, Nadine managed to catch herself without spilling the tea. “Sorry.”

  “I should be the one apologizing.”

  “You do tease a lot,” she agreed.

  He wasn’t teasing, but no reason to tell her that. She was already looking very unsure of herself. Because he’d jostled the cat, he said, “You okay, Louie?”

  Head tipped back over Shohn’s arm, Louie watched Nadine, still purring.

  She set the tea on the end table. “I think Louie’s content as long as you’re holding him close and stroking him.”

  If only Nadine had the same preferences. Another thought to keep to himself, at least for now. Shohn patted the seat beside him. “So tell me how he did today.”

  “He owned the place.” Nadine sat by him, close, but not quite touching. “He could be a sheepherder, only for the dogs.” She ran one finger over Louie’s big block head. “Everywhere he went, the dogs followed.”

  “So it wasn’t a problem having him here?”

  “Not at all.”

  Perfect. Then she could continue to watch the cat, which would give him a reason to keep coming back. “I’ll hold him a little longer, okay?”

  She stared at Louie instead of meeting his gaze. “Before you leave, you mean?”

  “Before I kiss you again.”

  An expectant stillness fell over her. She licked her lips, slowly turned to put her tea on the end table and finally looked up at him. Their gazes met, held, as his heart beat a little faster.

  “I was hoping you would.”

  Damn. Her honesty put him on a low simmer. “To hell with waiting.” Keeping Louie relaxed in his arms, Shohn leaned down to take her mouth.

  Meeting him halfway, Nadine put one small hand to his neck, the other flat to his chest. He meant to keep things easy—after all, he had Louie sprawled in his arms—but he couldn’t hold back, not from Nadine.

  Her tongue touched his, and he groaned low. He leaned closer, kissed her deeper—and Louie put his claws to his thigh.

  Shohn jumped so fast that he and Nadine bumped heads.

  “Ow, damn it, cat. That hurt!”

  He rubbed his inner thigh where Louie had gotten him.

  Nadine rubbed her forehead where they’d bumped and rushed to the cat’s defense. “Maybe you squeezed him.”

  “Or maybe he’s just too damned possessive!”

  She laughed, tried to muffle it, and ended up making a ridiculous sound.

  “You find it funny that he scratched me?”

  She said, “No,” but she was still snickering.

  Shohn had to smile, too. He stroked his fingers through her hair, turned on despite Louie’s look of disgust. “You should wear your hair loose more often. It’s really pretty.”

  The compliment killed her hilarity. “It’s a mousy-brown.”

  “Says who?”

  She shrugged.

  “It’s long and thick and so damn soft.” He brought her hair forward over her shoulder, then deliberately stroked to the end so that the backs of his fingers moved over her breast. Voice going gruff, he whispered, “Very pretty.”

  With a loud, “Meowrrr,” Louie high-stepped between them, turning so his tail hit Nadine in the face while he purred and pawed at Shohn’s abdomen.

  “Ah, no, Louie, I don’t trust you.” Shohn moved the cat away from his abs and instead sat him on the sofa at his side.

  Louie came right back.

  Feeling a little helpless, Shohn looked at Nadine.

  She winced. “I think he needs more reassurance.”

  Yeah, he knew that. Poor Louie had come from a shelter, and now he wanted t
o know he was loved. Mind made up, Shohn asked, “Are you in a rush to go to bed?”

  “No,” she assured him hastily.

  On track so far. “Mind if I stay for a while?”

  She shook her head. “I’d like that.”

  “And once Louie is feeling more secure?” He traced a fingertip over her collarbone, slowly down to the top of each plump breast. His voice went gravelly with need. “Then I’d like to show you how sexy you are, okay?”

  “I was sort of counting on it.”

  Shohn stood, which wasn’t easy since Louie kept trying to climb him like a tree. “How about I go wash up before appeasing this demanding beast?”

  She twisted to look up at him. “Wash up?”

  “Yeah. I always carry a spare set of clothes, so you don’t have to worry about me hanging around naked.”

  Eyes wide, she said in a faint whisper, “I wasn’t worried.”

  Then again, Shohn thought, hearing how husky her voice got and the way her eyes darkened, maybe stripping down was the way to go.

  Louie disabused him of that notion real quick by attempting to climb him again.

  Yeah, being naked around the cat was not an option.

  “Be right back.” He went out the door before Louie could follow. In his Jeep he grabbed his duffel bag with clean shorts, a fresh uniform and his survival kit. With his job, he never knew when he might get soaked with mud, creek water or poison ivy. It made sense to be prepared.

  The survival kit was a small pack of necessities that he carried whenever he had to be in the woods for long. On top of basic medical supplies and a few granola bars, it held a toothbrush razor and soap.

  The condoms he kept in his wallet.

  With any luck, he’d get to spend the night with Nadine. It always paid to be prepared.

  * * *

  Nadine made a quick trip over to Animal House while Shohn showered in her small bathroom. She was such an animal lover that she felt positively evil for scrounging up the repellent spray and an old canister of catnip. Hopefully if one didn’t work, the other would.

  She managed to sneak in and out without disturbing too many dogs, which wasn’t easy with so much anticipation making her clumsy.

  At this very moment, Shohn was naked, wet and soapy in her bathroom.

  It was enough to rattle any red-blooded woman.

  Did he make himself at home with every woman he planned to sleep with? He carried all the necessities, even a change of clothes, so she had to assume...yes.

  Having her status as “just one of many” reaffirmed so blatantly didn’t exactly thrill her. But neither did it put her off enough to want to send him packing. Yet.

  Not until she got the payoff.

  Rushing, Nadine got back in her cabin just as the water shut off. That’s when she heard the racket. Louie carried on something awful, and there was a terrible scratching sound.

  Clutching her stash of cat-necessities, Nadine peered down the short hall and saw Louie stretched out on his belly, trying to peek under the door, one paw wedged under. At first she thought he’d gotten his paw caught and it nearly stopped her heart. But when he pulled away from the door, peered under it from a different angle and again tried to reach in, she realized he only wanted to get in to Shohn.

  She could sympathize with that idea, but really, so much caterwauling was overkill. “For heaven’s sake,” she told Louie. “You won’t fit under the door, so you may as well give it up.”

  Instead, the cat doubled his efforts.

  She heard Shohn laugh.

  From inside the bathroom, he said, “He’s feeling around, trying to get hold of me.”

  Not a bad idea. If she could get Louie to rest, she wanted to feel around and try to get hold of him, too. She cleared her throat. “Are you dressed?”

  There was a pause before he cracked the door open. “Not yet.”

  Oh, whoa. No, he wasn’t dressed, and the snowy-white towel he had around his hips did little to cover him. She had no words. She could barely swallow. She did manage to stare just fine, though.

  Louie used the opportunity to squeeze into the bathroom. Shohn looked alarmed until Louie jumped up to the sink.

  Cautiously Shohn took his gaze off the cat. “You want to join us? I’m only going to shave.”

  Squeeze into the small bathroom next to Shohn while he wore no more than his irresistible scent, a wicked smile and a small towel? Of course she did. “I...ah...”

  “C’mon.” He reached out for her, took her arm and pulled her in. “What do you have there?”

  Guilt flushed her face. Or maybe it was his mostly naked body, still damp and hot and heart-stoppingly bare. “Catnip and repellent.”

  “Kinky.”

  “What? No. It’s to hopefully entice Louie into chilling a little. I mean, you can’t...we can’t...” She wasn’t about to spell it out like that. “It’s for Louie,” she said again.

  “Ah, I think I get it.” He crossed his arms and leaned on the sink.

  The towel parted over one muscular thigh. She stared, stared some more, but everything vital stayed covered. Walking along the edge of the sink, Louie brushed against his arm and left behind clumpy white hair sticking to Shohn’s still-damp skin.

  Lip curled, he brushed at the hair. “I need to get him a brush.”

  “Yeah, maybe.” Mesmerized, paying little attention to what she said, Nadine watched the flex of muscle in Shohn’s chest and arms, how his abs pulled tighter.

  Louie made the attempt to climb up Shohn’s back, but he told the cat, “No.” Big yellow eyes defiant, the cat put a paw on his arm. Shohn lifted him away. Louie tried again and again. One paw here, testing, a paw there testing... Shohn laughed and stepped away. “You are determined, aren’t you? But sorry, my man, it isn’t happening. I value my hide too much.”

  It was a really nice hide, Nadine thought.

  Temporarily thwarted, Louie leaped into the bathtub, licked up a few drops of water here and there, then got out and pawed through Shohn’s discarded clothes on the floor.

  “Nadine?”

  Seeing those clothes drove home yet again that he’d come prepared. “Hmm?”

  “The catnip is to give him something else to think about. Cats love that stuff, right?”

  “Right. I thought I’d put some by the bed I made for him.” She nodded toward his dirty uniform. “We could maybe put your shirt by his bed, too. It’ll get cat hair on it, but I don’t think he’d tear it up or anything. And that way your scent might soothe him.” Even though it had the opposite reaction on her. Breathing in his scent made her nearly frantic with need.

  Shohn picked up a razor. “And the repellent? You’re not planning to spray me with it, are you?”

  Nadine shook her head. Would Shohn lose interest once he appeased his curiosity? No way to know unless she did some appeasing.

  As he put the razor to his jaw, she drew in a breath, tried not to blush and said, “I was going to spray it outside my door.”

  He went still, then slowly lowered the razor. “Your door?”

  With him looking at her, it was even more difficult to say it. More difficult to breathe, too. And it was almost impossible not to look at his body. “My bedroom door.”

  He put the razor back in the sink. In a low growl, he asked, “Mind if I don’t shave?”

  She took a step toward him. “Not at all.”

  “Then let’s go try out the catnip so I can get you alone.”

  * * *

  Shohn watched as Louie rolled to his back, purring like a kitten, then back to his belly, flattened out like a rug so he could rub his body in the catnip. At first Louie hadn’t been that interested, but once Nadine put the catnip on his uniform shirt, the combo worked.

  “You’re a
genius. Hopefully he doesn’t become an addict.”

  A little breathlessly, Nadine whispered, “I had selfish incentive.”

  Shohn glanced at her. The whole half hour that he’d been watching the cat, he’d felt Nadine watching him. Thank God he’d pulled on his clean shorts and slacks otherwise his boner would be all the more obvious. Not that Nadine hadn’t already noticed.

  That’s where she stared.

  Her intent focus wasn’t helping him to keep it together. Her big dark eyes were so expressive that she made him feel her thoughts. Hot, hungry thoughts.

  Added to the stiffened nipples outlined by the soft cotton of her T-shirt and he was a goner.

  Please, Louie, Shohn thought, give me at least an hour. He took a cautious step back, but Louie paid him no mind.

  Another step and Louie noticed, but didn’t care enough to give up wallowing in kitty bliss.

  Touching his fingertips to Nadine’s chin, Shohn lifted her face. “Should we try escaping to your room now?”

  She hugged herself, nodded and turned in a fast walk to precede him down the hall and into the bedroom. Nice that she was in such a hurry.

  Not exactly the romantic segue he’d planned, but it’d do.

  Nadine had already secured the front door, so Shohn glanced over to make sure Louie had food and water in his dish, then he snatched up the repellent spray, just in case, and went after Nadine.

  He found her pacing on the opposite side of the bed, her dark eyes huge and her beautiful breasts rising with her fast breaths.

  Shohn quietly closed her bedroom door. Her bed was only full-size, made up with a fluffy comforter and half a dozen pillows. She’d drawn blinds over the only window. A lamp on the nightstand illuminated the room, leaving soft shadows.

  He set the repellent on the nightstand. It was by far the weirdest accoutrement he’d ever brought to the bedroom.

  With some anomalous emotion leaving her dark eyes mysterious, Nadine tracked his every move.

  She’d been anxious for him, yet now the span of the mattress separated them. “Are you nervous, honey?”

  “A little, yes, sure.” Suddenly she flung out her arms and blurted like an accusation, “You spent years not wanting me and now all of a sudden you do and I do, too, of course, but it’s a surprise and it might take me a little time to get used to it.”