Desires of a Full Moon

by Jodi Vaughn

  He shook his head, shocked and repulsed at his loss of self-control. Shit, if Barrett found out, he’d kick his ass out of Arkansas faster than hell. Then where would he be?

  He sucked in a deep breath to clear his head and glanced down at the tent in his crotch. He was so fucking hard, any second his dick was going to rip through his zipper. She stirred up his body unlike any other female he’d ever been around. The problem was her age. She was twenty-four, for fuck’s sake. He never dated anyone that young before. He preferred his females knowledgeable when it came to sex. He didn’t have the patience to teach her how to pleasure him. Yet he couldn’t deny how quickly he’d gotten aroused from just being near her.

  He tightened his hold on the edge of the counter as blood pounded in his veins. Hell, he’d guess the only experience Haley had with sex was that dickhead boyfriend and then what that rogue wolf had done to her when she’d been kidnapped. She needed someone gentle, someone sweet.

  He rubbed the back of his neck, remembering the feel of vertebra cracking under his hand as he snapped the neck of the first wolf that tried to rape her. After that, Jayden had been captured and dragged out before he could kill the second wolf in the room.

  What he needed was to get laid. It had been months since he’d last had sex. Hell, it had been that long since he’d even had an erection. Until now.

  “I’m going to take a bath,” Haley called out as she made her way toward the bathroom.

  “Take your time.” Jayden closed his eyes as he heard a door shut and the water turn on. He imagined her sliding out of that sweatshirt and jeans. What color underwear and bra would she be wearing? Angel white? Or devil red?

  He opened his eyes as he stroked his erection through his jeans. His body came alive so fast it shocked him. He could almost hear her stepping into the water and sinking down into the warm bath.

  He reached for his zipper. He was a sick bastard. But damn, he needed some kind of relief before he went crazy. He’d never been this this hard in his entire life.

  Closing his hand around his cock, he slowly stroked, visualizing the naked image of Haley spreading her thighs for him like a present.

  He could imagine how she’d gasp when he tried to enter her tight heat. She’d tighten around him with delicious pleasure until he was all the way inside.

  He stroked himself harder and faster until he let out a groan, spilling his release onto the kitchen floor.

  Jayden shuddered, disgusted at himself. Something was wrong with him. He shouldn’t be fantasizing about someone he couldn’t have.

  He snatched up some paper towels and quickly cleaned up his mess. Shoving the paper towels and the evidence in the garbage can, he washed his hands. With his body under control, he made a mental note to call Barrett and update him on the situation.

  If his Pack Master knew what was best, then maybe he’d send someone to replace him. Before things got out of hand and boundaries were crossed.

  #

  “Haley.”

  “Go away.” She swatted the hand on her shoulder that was shaking her and interrupting her sleep.

  “Haley, wake up.” Jayden’s voice drifted over her.

  “What time is it?” She blinked and forced open her leaden eyes. Jayden sat on the edge of the bed, looming over her with his large presence.

  “Seven.” Jayden stared down at her.

  “Seven a.m.?” She bolted upright. She couldn’t afford to miss class. Her unblemished attendance was the only thing keeping her from failing out of college.

  “No. It’s seven o’clock at night. Dinner’s ready.” He chuckled.

  Haley pushed herself up on her elbows and hid a yawn behind her hand. “That bath must have made me sleepy.” She hadn’t slept that well since she’d moved to Arkansas. She eased off the bed and stood.

  “Have you been sleeping at night?” Jayden asked as they walked down the hall toward the kitchen.

  “Not really.” She shrugged. The fact was she hadn’t slept more than a few hours at a time. She was surprised that she could still function. It was probably all the adrenaline pumping through her body from being constantly on guard.

  He motioned for her to sit at the small kitchen island and placed a plate in front of her. Her mouth watered as the delicious aroma assaulted her senses.

  “I’m guessing you like steak.” Jayden shot her a grin. Her heart raced a little in her chest. Get over yourself, girl. He’s just here to do his job, not do you.

  “I’m a Were, aren’t I?” She eyed the plate with appreciation. “Did you make all this?”

  “It doesn’t take much skill to make a salad and bake a potato. Grilling a steak is something all guys know how to do.”

  Haley snorted. “You should tell that to my ex-boyfriend.”

  His eyes narrowed at the mention of her ex. He turned and opened the refrigerator.

  “All I got is beer.” He held up a long neck bottle that he pulled from the fridge.

  “Beer works for me.” She smirked as his eyebrow shot up. “Jayden, I have been drinking since long before I was legal. My parents practically raised me on wine.” That wasn’t entirely true, but there wasn’t a night at the Guthrie house that wine wasn’t served. When she turned fifteen her parents had let her have a glass with her dinner.

  She could sense that even though she was well over legal age, Jayden thought she wasn’t as mature as the girls he normally dated.

  He finally handed her a beer. She took a drink, letting the icy beverage slide down her parched throat.

  She might not be his type, but she certainly was far more mature than he was giving her credit for. And the only way for him to realize that was to see for himself.

  #

  Jayden sat across the kitchen island from Haley. He couldn’t stop himself from watching as she ate her first bite of meat.

  “Mmmm. That’s really good.” She sighed. “I haven’t had steak in months.”

  “I hear there are some good steak restaurants here in Fayetteville.”

  “Really? I guess I haven’t had the opportunity to find out.”

  Jayden frowned. College was supposed to be an experience of a lifetime and some asshole was taking those moments away from her, keeping her living in fear and isolation.

  “How long have you been getting the notes?” Jayden took a long drink and studied her.

  She brushed her blonde hair out of her eyes and set her fork down. “The first note came a few weeks after I transferred here.” She shrugged. “I didn’t think anything about it because it was so generic and innocent. I actually thought it was Dana’s boyfriend, Mark, leaving her notes. When I asked Dana about them she said that Mark hadn’t written them.”

  “Mark Boulland is enrolled in the medical program, right?”

  “Yeah. How’d you know that?” Haley gave him a surprised look.

  “I had to research everyone who might be a potential suspect. Usually stalkers have a personal relationship with their victims.” He tried to keep his tone casual, so as not to scare her. She needed to know that he would do whatever it took to keep her safe. He wouldn’t fail her again.

  Haley shook her head. “I don’t think it’s anyone I know. At least not any of my friends.”

  Jayden shrugged. “You could be right.” But he wasn’t taking any chances. While she had been asleep, he’d called Barrett and told him he had moved Haley into the house to keep her safe. His commander wasn’t exactly pleased, but Jayden didn’t apologize for it. He had also updated his Pack Master about the note she’d gotten and shipped it to Barrett so he could check it for prints.

  Haley gazed longingly out the kitchen window.

  She looked so sad, like she was caught between her fear of what might happen and wanting to live her life.

  “You want to go sit out back? It’s pretty private and the fence is secure. No one can see you or get in.”

  “I’d love to.” Her eyes sparkled like he’d just given her a present. She’d lost the simple joy of e
njoying a spring night.

  It fueled his rage at the asshole that was stalking Haley. She didn’t deserve this.

  When Jayden caught him, and he would catch him, he was going to make sure he paid with his life.

  After dinner, they stepped out onto the wooden deck with their beers and were greeted with the heavy scent of jasmine and azaleas hanging in the air. They sat in the Adirondack lounge chairs, both silently appreciating the peacefulness. The sun dipped below the horizon leaving only the faint purple light of twilight in its wake. The gentle evening breeze caressed her blonde hair and Jayden caught her scent on the wind. He wanted to dig his fingers through the silky strands and bury his face in her neck and breathe her in.

  “I’ve missed this. Being able to sit outside, especially now that it’s warm.” She stared up into the sky, a soft smile on her lips.

  “There’s an outdoor concert Saturday at the park. It’s supposed to be perfect weather. We could take a cooler of beer and a blanket.” Jayden watched Haley’s face light up for the briefest of seconds before her expression sobered.

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea.” She looked away and wrapped her arms around herself.

  “I think it’s a perfect idea. I’ll be there. You’ll be safe.” He knew she needed this, needed to get out of the house and start living again.

  Her brow creased as she contemplated his promise of safety. He could tell she was thinking too much about her safety.

  “I’ll be right back.” Jayden stood and walked in the house. He came out with his phone and portable speaker. “How about some music?”

  “Sure.” She smiled.

  He connected the speaker to the phone and turned on his playlist. Easing into the chair, he pillowed his hands behind his head to stare up at the sky.

  “Did you go to college?” She turned and looked at him.

  “Yep. LSU.” He cut a glance at her. “I majored in partying and minored in getting laid.”

  She laughed and for the first time, Jayden saw real joy in her eyes. No fear, no worry, just joy.

  “No, really. I flunked out.” He took a drink of his beer. “Do you miss LSU?”

  “I don’t know.” She shrugged. “Both my parents went there so it was always expected of me to go there as well. Didn’t really have a choice.”

  “Is that where you met your boyfriend, at LSU?” Jayden swallowed. The word boyfriend left a bitter taste in his mouth.

  “Anthony? Yep. He was older so we were only at college together for a year.” She took a sip and stared up at the sky.

  “Do you miss him?” Why the hell did he ask that? “Never mind. I didn’t mean to get too personal.” He scrubbed his hand across his face. Thank God it was dark so she couldn’t see him blushing like a pussy.

  “It’s okay. When I first moved I missed him. But not now.” Her expression hardened.

  “Haley do you think, he could be having someone leave the notes? Maybe he is upset because you transferred?”

  Haley snorted and took a long drink. “He’s the one that broke up with me. I assure you Anthony isn’t the stalker.”

  Jayden shook his head. He knew that Barrett was keeping tabs on the ex to see if Anthony had attempted to contact someone in Fayetteville to do his dirty work. It wouldn’t be that hard to stalk someone long distance. Jayden also knew the ex was filthy rich and could afford to pay a lackey to keep his mouth shut and continue harassing Haley.

  “Usually females are stalked by their ex-boyfriend. If he regrets letting you go and you refused to get back together, then that sets up the perfect scenario for stalking. It’s almost textbook.” No one would be stupid enough to let her go.

  Haley stood and glared at Jayden.

  “It’s not him.”

  “Haley, I’m looking at this from all angles.” Jayden stood and held up his hands. Women had a tendency to protect and that’s exactly what she was doing. She needed to be objective about this.

  “I’m not trying to protect that asshole,” Haley snarled.

  “Then give me one reason it’s not him. Just one good reason why he’s not doing this to pay you back for rejecting him”

  Her breasts heaved under the tight white tee shirt she had slipped on after her bath. She was mad, that was evident. But there was something else, something more behind those jewel-toned eyes.

  She shot him a glare. “I know it’s not him. He broke up with me after I was kidnapped because he said I was ruined. Even my parents said I was damaged goods. He said he couldn’t stay with me because I was beneath him because some other man had touched me.” She curled her fingers into her palms as the words continued to spill. “Don’t you see? To him, I’m not worth the trouble of being stalked.”

  CHAPTER THREE

  Haley quickly disappeared into the house.

  Jayden stood paralyzed as his stomach heaved in disgust at what she’d just said.

  They called her damaged goods. What kind of sadistic animals had she been raised by? Who the fuck does that to their own daughter, their own flesh and blood?

  A growl tore from his mouth as his thoughts turned to the ex-boyfriend. If he ever came across that piece of shit, he was going to kill him and tear his fucking heart out with his teeth.

  He hurried into the house and rounded the corner into the kitchen. It was empty. He strode toward the bedroom and stopped at the closed door. It was obvious that she wanted to be left alone.

  Good thing he didn’t take hints. He tried the knob. Locked.

  Shit.

  “Haley. Let me in.”

  “Go away, Jayden, I don’t feel like talking.” Her voice held a weariness that tugged within his chest.

  “Haley, if you don’t unlock this goddamn door right now, I’m kicking it in.”

  No response.

  “Have it your way.” Jayden raised his hands above his head and grabbed the top of the doorframe. He jumped, kicking the door in as he growled. The door gave, breaking away from the frame and crashing to the floor.

  Startled, Haley sat up on her knees in the middle of the bed and gasped.

  Jayden planted himself at the foot of the bed in her direct line of vision. He wanted her to hear every fucking word of what he had to say.

  “You are not damaged goods. I don’t ever want to hear you say that again. Ever.” His heart raced from the adrenaline that buzzed through his body as his breathing grew faster. His gaze drifted down to Haley’s bare legs. She had changed clothes. Gone were the jeans and T-shirt. She was now wearing tight shorts that barely covered her ass and a short shirt that showed off her flat stomach.

  She was practically naked.

  Haley recovered her shock and propped her hands on her hips as she narrowed her gaze at him.

  “Jayden, I’m not a child.”

  Hell no, not with a body like that. She was all woman.

  “And I don’t need you to try to make me feel better by some beautiful lies. I know what I am. What Were male is going to want me now?” She glared.

  His nostrils flared as her feminine scent hit him. She smelled spicy and sweet, like pastries in a coffee shop.

  Mine.

  The word slipped from his brain into his veins, until it merged with his soul.

  Mine.

  A possessive growl left his body. He grabbed her by her arms and tugged her against him. The heat from her sweet nipples pressed into his chest scorching him with heat. Without thinking, he slammed his mouth down across hers, with a fiery heat that threatened to consume them both

  #

  Haley moaned and parted her lips under Jayden’s demanding mouth.

  She’d certainly been kissed before by her ex. But never like this. Never with such intensity and hunger. Since the kidnapping, she refused to let anyone touch her. She built up her walls by distancing herself from people and wearing baggy clothes. If she were invisible to guys, then no would notice her. If no one noticed her, no one could hurt her.

  Now, in this moment, with Jayden’s mouth devo
uring hers, all she wanted to do was rip every stitch of clothing off their bodies. She wanted to feel his body against hers, flesh against flesh.

  Jayden’s hands slid down to cup her ass. She snaked her arms around his neck, their tongues sliding against and tasting each other in an erotic game of desire.

  Lust ached in her lower stomach as she pressed against his rock-hard body to soothe her need. Her fingers found the bottom of his T-shirt and dipped underneath. She ran her hands up and down each silky, well-defined ab, eliciting a rugged groan from his lips.

  She felt herself go wet. Her desire for him was so overwhelming it scorched her skin.

  She reached for his T-shirt and tugged it up. He dipped his head, allowing her to strip the clothing off his body. Their lips met again in a feverous kiss as his fingers slipped up her shirt.

  The chirp of his cell phone made him tense. He growled as he reluctantly pulled out of her embrace.

  Haley swallowed as he watched her with a thirst that had not been satisfied. He pulled out the phone, his gaze still locked on her.

  “Hello.” Jayden blinked and then looked away, running his hand through his blond hair.

  Just like that, their moment was lost.

  She eased back onto the bed, sitting on her heels. She pulled the comforter over her bare legs, and for the first time in a long time felt naked and vulnerable. She hated those feelings. She’d done everything in her power to keep them at bay. One kiss with Jayden had left her emotionally exposed. It was the one thing she’d sworn she’d never let happen again.

  It just cut too deep.

  #

  Jayden stepped over the broken bedroom door and grimaced. He wondered how Barrett would react to him damaging his property. Knowing the Were, he wouldn’t be pleased. He walked out into the hallway deciding now was not the time to get all confessional with his Pack Master.

  “I ran the envelope and letter for prints,” Barrett said.

  “You already got it?” Jayden frowned and looked at his watch. The deliver guy had only picked up the package less than four hours ago.

  “The delivery company knows I have top priority,” Barrett groused.