by E A Price
Carly sighed. As much as she would actually love to spend all day in bed with him there were more pressing matters to attend to. Like her murder charge...
Kicking back the covers she clambered over the bed. Time to find some clothes. She started rooting through his wardrobe for something suitable.
Pulling open a draw she was a little taken aback to find it half full of woman’s underwear. Damnit! She’d never thought to ask him if he had a girlfriend. Their time together had been brief and intense; there hadn’t really been that much time for small talk.
Well he can’t like his girlfriend that much considering how flirtatious he had been with Carly, not to mention what they did last night...
Carly huffed thinking about the kind of woman Jackson would date. Her claws sprung forth imagining her supposed love rival. She was probably six feet tall, blonde, stacked and most likely not currently under arrest for murder. Bitch. Her fox yowled crossly. Well let’s see what kind of underwear the skank wears.
She pawed through the draw. The underwear was a lot bigger than she expected. Not the slender model size she had assumed. Actually this was all in her size, and she had a bra just like the red one. And she had that red thong, and the green panties with daisies on and her blue pair with the lace had the same small tear in it as this pair. Right this was all hers. She was a little embarrassed it took her so long to realize that fact.
Jackson sauntered out of the bathroom naked towel drying his thick silky hair. ‘Little Jackson’ was already at half mast and began twitching when Jackson saw her. His face held an inane grin that faltered when he saw what she was holding. Uh oh.
Carly opened and closed her mouth like a goldfish. “Why... I don’t... why do you have my underwear?”
Red dusted his high cheek bones. He tried to shrug nonchalantly. “I thought I might need them...”
She didn’t really need to know that he had taken them because he just liked holding them; it calmed him down. And she definitely didn’t need to know that he’d had one pair of panties in his pocket back at her motel room. Unfortunately he was forced to leave them behind when he shifted and shredded his clothes. It was a pity as the turquoise thong had been his favorite.
Carly narrowed her eyes. “For what?”
Think fast. “In case I needed to scry for you... Alma who works at the agency is a witch...” Whew, well done.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa! You took six of my bras and ten pairs of panties, and brought them here and kept them in your own underwear draw because you thought you might need them to scry for me?”
“Well when you say it like that it sounds dumb.” And technically it was eleven pairs of panties. Maybe he could buy her a new pair of the turquoise; maybe she would model them for him.
Carly laughed in exasperation. “How on earth could you say it so it didn’t sound dumb?!”
“Well in my defense it’s not like I just broke into your apartment to take your underwear, I also took your purse, your cell phone, your mail, a box of sugar cookies and a quart of milk from your refrigerator.” That sounded better in his head.
She raised her eyebrows.
Jackson shrugged. “I was hungry and I was out of milk.” Chasing foxes was hungry work. Well chasing this one was.
“That’s not really much of a defense... You took my mail?”
“Yeah see, now the underwear thing doesn’t seem so bad.” Yep there was a bright side to everything.
“Yeah the underwear thing just makes you a perv but the mail thing makes you a felon.” She creased her brow and tried to look serious to keep herself from sniggering at the squirming wolf before her.
Carly folded her arms and his eyes immediately alighted on her breasts. He and his wolf were practically salivating. “So, moving on from your crimes, what are we going to do today? Do we have some kind of plan? I’m guessing you’re not too keen on letting me make a break for the Mexican border.”
Shaking his head to get rid of the fog of lust he tried to focus. “I spoke to Logan a buddy of mine; he’s going to get a copy of the full police report so we can take a look at it. And I got Alma doing a background check on your boyfriend Carlton.”
She stamped her foot as her fox yowled. “He was not my boyfriend!”
Jackson knew she’d already told him that, but it didn’t hurt to make sure. “There’s a Diner two blocks from here called the Blue Bull. I told Logan I’d meet him there in an hour.”
“Don’t you mean we’ll meet him there in an hour?”
Jackson’s expression became pained and his wolf snarled. “It’s not safe for you to go out. What if someone spotted you?”
Carly pouted prettily and took a step forward to him. She placed a hand on his bicep and his body started humming. “But what will I do if those men from last night turn up here? What will happen to me without my big strong wolf to protect me?” She fluttered her eyelashes theatrically.
God she already knew him inside and out like a darn book. Well what could he expect when every chaptered started with ‘I’m horny’?
“Mmmmm maybe it would be better if you stayed close to me.” Jackson said dreamily as his eyes saturated with amber. Not to mention what was happening further south...
“Good then it’s settled.” She stepped back and he snapped out of his wistful reverie, thoroughly annoyed at himself for being so easily manipulated.
Carly fingered her bras and panties. “Well even though you are still a bit of a perv at least I have some underwear I guess, although I’ll need to borrow some of your clothes.” She slipped on the red bra and thong as he watched avidly, his hands tightly gripping the towel. “Well? How do I look?”
Jackson’s tongue felt like lead. “Nice, really, really nice.” He mumbled as his eyes feasted on the vision before him. His beast howled in enjoyment.
The hard buds of her nipples peeked out from the lace of her bra. Damn he bet they tasted delicious. In his haste to have her last night he had neglected to show any appreciation for her breasts and god were they glorious?!
Perhaps that could be remedied now. Smoothly he pulled her lush body against his. She shrieked in delight as he kissed her deeply. She ran her hands up his chest curling her fingers into the dusting of dark chest hair. His hands excitedly cupped her breasts lightly kneading them. Her fox moaned contentedly as his wolf bellowed passionately.
Pushing her back against the closet door he crushed his lips against hers as his hands freed the creamy globes of her breasts. He palmed them and rubbed her taut nipples as she moaned into his mouth. Carly gasped as he planted searching kisses over her jaw and neck before moving down her chest.
Moving his naked thigh between her legs he lifted her up, crushing her sex against his hard, toned muscles. Her legs dangled either side of his leg with her toes barely reaching the floor. Jackson moved his hands to her waist, balancing her as his mouth hungrily found her breasts and nipples.
Carly settled her hands on his broad shoulders as she groaned in delight. He lapped and nipped at her hard buds, first one and then the other. The pleasure she felt shot straight to her sex, the honey oozed from her. As her arousal grew she began rolling her hips against his leg, her nether lips rubbing against the fabric of her panties. With every whimper she emitted his cock jerked and grew.
As the pleasure within her bloomed her claws shot into his shoulders. Jackson growled as his fangs dropped and he scraped them across her tender nipples. She squealed in delight and rocked against him energetically. Her fox was giddy with excitement.
He reached a hand into her panties and flicked her clit. Carly screamed his name and her fox yelped animatedly as she came undone. She trembled furiously and clenched her thighs, rhythmically squeezing his leg.
Carly panted heavily watching the wolf through hooded eyes. Jackson released her breast grinning proudly at the fox.
She sighed. “Wow! That was lovely!” She slid her hands down and rubbed his magnificent chest. God he was toe-curlingly gorgeous! “But hadn’t w
e better get dressed and go?”
Jackson smirked and cupped her mound. He slid two fingers inside her throbbing entrance. “I think we have a few more minutes.”
Her eyes practically rolled into the back of her head. No arguments here, an hour was an awfully long time after all.
Chapter Ten
An hour and twenty four minutes, and three orgasms, later Jackson and Carly walked into the Blue Bull Diner. Jackson covertly looked round the Diner, scanning for potential threats. Carly sniggered at him and said it was like watching an episode of Get Smart.
She tried to push past him to inspect the pie counter but he held her hand tightly. He still didn’t entirely trust her not to just knee him in the crotch and run away at any given moment. No way was she getting away from him again. A sentiment his wolf agreed with whole heartedly.
Jackson nodded at the bear shifter Logan. He was sprawled in a booth at the back of the Diner. Logan nodded back and Jackson weaved his way toward him grumpily pulling Carly behind. “Come on agent 99.”
Before she could protest Jackson maneuvered her into the booth and sat next to her. Logan arched an eyebrow at Jackson but didn’t say anything. Thank god for Logan, he never asked too many questions. He just took life as it came.
Carly’s eyes widened at the array of food in front of the bear shifter. There were three kinds of eggs, bacon, whole-wheat toast, a fruit plate, pancakes, French toast, granola, yogurt and compote.
“Who else is coming to breakfast?” Asked Carly of the hard looking bear shifter. She was trying to break the ice.
Her fox had whimpered the moment she scented the bear. Jackson had told her they were going to meet his friend and fellow bounty hunter. He neglected to mention said friend was a seven foot Kodiak bear shifter.
She’d had one or two bad experiences with bear shifters in high school. Bears tended to be bullies. One incident that particularly rankled was when a particularly bitchy bear called Genevieve had stolen all her clothes while she was showering after gym. Genevieve had kindly left her a pair of gym shorts two sizes too small and an itchy t-shirt with a picture of a pig on. Okay so Carly was a little heavy, big whoop! She wasn’t actually a pig! Going home on the bus had not been pleasant that day. Leggy bitch.
This bear seemed a little different though. Waves of calmness rolled off him. He gave her a lopsided smile and damn did it make a difference. He went from being remorseless predator to cuddly teddy bear in the blink of an eye. He was pretty darn gorgeous. He didn’t quite have the dangerous and inescapable charms that Jackson possessed, but she could see how a girl could fall hard for him. If she weren’t already so taken with Jackson...
Carly giggled at the bear and Jackson, at his wolf’s insistence, gave a low warning growl. He rested his arm on the back of the booth, lightly touching her shoulders. He was making it clear that she belonged to him. Mine.
Logan’s massive chest heaved as he struggled to control the laughter bubbling inside him. Seeing Jackson smitten was priceless.
Logan’s deep bass voice rumbled through the busy Diner. “Sorry, I was hungry so I ordered without you.”
Carly’s stomach growled angrily. God she was starving. She hadn’t eaten in about eighteen hours. She was pretty sure that was the longest she had ever gone without food. She really wasn’t the type of woman to miss meals. She hated people who say they just forget to eat. To her that was unthinkable.
“No worries, I wouldn’t have waited either. And we were late.” She cut her eyes to Jackson, letting Logan know it wasn’t her fault they were late. She had been all set to leave but he had insisted on ravishing her body one more time. Insatiable beast.
Jackson tutted. “Logan this is Carly. A total pain in the ass. Carly this is Logan.”
“Nice to meet you.” She said cheerfully. She didn’t even bat an eyelid anymore at Jackson’s barbed comments.
“You too.” Logan waved a massive paw and a simpering waitress came running over.
Carly groaned as the young auburn haired beauty gushed over both Logan and Jackson. Jackson couldn’t help but feel a little pleased at Carly’s annoyance over the waitress. Naughtily he asked the waitress to recommend something off the menu. To Carly’s displeasure the waitress placed a hand on Jackson’s arm and leaned over him, her face inches from his.
Normally Carly wasn’t given to feeling jealousy over a man, or being openly rude to someone. But apparently these were hitherto unknown qualities that Jackson had awakened. Impatiently Carly snapped her fingers. “Hey cupcake! We’ll have two breakfast specials, he’ll have extra bacon and I’ll have pancakes instead of toast.”
The waitress jumped back startled at the irate fox shifter before her. She jotted down their order and scurried away. Jackson chuckled at Carly and she snorted in return.
Jackson turned to Logan. “Well?”
Logan swallowed a mouthful of fruit before placing a thick, grey file on the table. He tapped his fingers against it. “This was hard to get.”
Jackson grunted his thanks before eagerly grabbing the file. Carly pressed herself against him so she could read it too. As much as he was enjoying that he needed to focus.
A look of outrage stole over Carly’s face. “Hey, that’s not true!” She jabbed her finger into the file. “That’s not true either!”
The notes in the file indicated that Carly and Carlton had been engaged in a sexual relationship. It noted that the relationship had ended badly when Carlton became involved with another woman and left Carly for her. It went on to detail some of the ‘stalker like’ behavior Carly had displayed after the end of the relationship.
Sifting through the file there were a couple of sworn statements from her co-workers describing her fictitious obsessive behavior. This was ridiculous! No wonder her lawyer had asked her over and over about her relationship with Carlton. Why didn’t he tell her that her so called work friends had made these statements?
Reading through, Carly’s line manager Joanne described how Carlton said Carly had broken into his house, stripped down to her underwear and hidden in his closet until he came home. As if she would! Although she was kind of tempted to do that to Jackson; it would pay him back for breaking into her apartment and she imagined he would be delighted to find her half naked in his home. Okay, she was getting off track...
In another statement Carlton’s best friend Dr Harper Smith noted that Carly had been sending Carlton death threats. She had allegedly told him that unless he came back to her she would kill him. It was madness! There were even a few of the alleged death threats in the file. Her heart sank as she realized they looked to be in her handwriting.
Someone was framing her for killing him, and doing a fairly thorough job too. Crap, she was screwed!
Jackson’s heart sank as he read the file. Either Carly was lying to him. And that would mean that he was having sex and falling in love with a murderous, lying nutjob. Or else someone was doing a good job of framing Carly. Neither option appealed to him.
His wolf snarled at the thought that she was lying, she could do no wrong in the animal’s eyes. Which meant that someone was deliberately doing this to her, her future was hanging in the balance. The possibility of them having a future together was at stake. Jackson didn’t usually think beyond the end of the week with a woman but with Carly it was different. The idea of being apart from her was excruciating.
Jackson looked at her pretty face and immediately his insides warmed. She scowled. “None of this is true! These people are all lying!”
He tugged on a lock of her hair. “I know foxy. We’re going to figure this out.” He spoke with more confidence than he felt; at that moment he was actually leaning toward her ‘run away to Mexico’ plan.
Logan almost choked on the pancake he was eating. The sudden change in his friend was starting to unnerve him now. Dozens of skips had protested their innocence to Jackson, dozens had tried to bribe him into letting them go and dozens had tried to outsmart him. All to no avail.
&nb
sp; As a wolf shifter Jackson was stone cold and single minded when it came to hunting people. If it weren’t for their aggressive tempers Marcus would solely hire wolf shifters as bounty hunters. More than any other species of shifter wolves loved the chase. They could care less what happened to the person after they were caught. Usually Jackson could not be swayed. Period.
Yet this somewhat unremarkable fox shifter had managed to escape him twice, had apparently seduced him and now despite evidence to the contrary Jackson was championing her innocence. Sure she seemed like a sweet little thing but then so did a number of people he had chased, and he hadn’t batted an eyelid about handing them over.
Damn the wolf shifter had it bad. Maybe the fox was his mate. When the issue of mates had arisen before Jackson had angrily dismissed it as hokum and romantic drivel. The idea that there was a person meant to be with him, and who he would fall in love with whether he wanted to or not, was ludicrous to him. If she was his mate Logan couldn’t wait to tell him ‘I told you so’.
The waitress brought over Carly and Jackson’s food. She gave Jackson an adoring look before catching Carly’s deadly glower and scampered away.
They began digging in with gusto. In between mouthfuls Carly asked what they were going to do next.
Jackson wiped his mouth and looked pensive. “Someone’s framing you for murder, which means someone is out there who actually did murder him. We need to find out why someone would want him dead.” Yeah, easy peasy.
Carly fidgeted uneasily. “Maybe we could go to the cops with this. The lion shifter who arrested me seemed like a nice guy...”
Jackson huffed thinking of Detective Leeman. The guy was a couple of inches taller than Jackson, a couple of inches wider and a couple of years younger. His blonde, blue eyed features sent many a woman into a tailspin. Jackson thought he looked like a sausage stuffed in a suit. He certainly didn’t like the idea of his little fox going to him for help.
“No!” Said Jackson fiercely. A few customer looked round so he lowered his voice. “If he didn’t listen to you when he arrested you he’s not going to listen to you now. It’s not like we actually have any new evidence.”
