by Lori King
The word “mate” barely registered in Luke’s lust fogged brain. His inner voice was reminding him that he wasn’t ready for that, while his cock was screaming, fuck her! When Tavi led him out a back door just to the side of the kitchen he could feel anxiety mixed with lust rippling between them. The sweet scent of female rose on the heavy cold January air, and made his mouth water.
“Okay, you have two minutes before I need to get back to work, talk,” Tavi said, crossing her arms under her small breasts and lifting the tempting morsels.
“I want you,” Luke said simply.
She looked startled, and she took a wary step backward, shaking her head. “I–I, um, well thank you, I think. You’re a gorgeous guy, but like I said earlier I’m not looking for a relationship.”
“I’m not either, but I know I can’t walk away from you without tasting you once.” He knew he wasn’t seducing her with the most romantic lines, but there seemed to be a disconnect between his brain and his cock tonight and his desire was clearly leading the way.
“Tasting me?” she frowned in confusion and a small pucker appeared between her eyebrows. Luke let his eyes drift down her body to settle pointedly on the V between her legs, and she gasped. “Holy shit! You don’t mean…”
A smile broke on his face at her shock, and he nodded. “I mean exactly what you think I mean, but not just a taste of your sweetness. I want to touch you, and hold you, and feel you while you whimper and beg me to taste you.”
“You want to fuck me and get me out of your system then?”
In retrospect he should have heard the anger in her tone, or at least registered the callous way she said it, but instead his arrogance led him to nod and step closer to her.
“I’m not a craving you—you—asshole! You don’t pick and choose who you want like this is some sort of buffet. You think telling me you want me is going to make me spread my legs like a whore and take it?”
The word whore made him pause. “Don’t call yourself that, Tavi. You could never be a whore.”
“How do you know that, Luke? Do you think you know me? You just met me yesterday, and here you are tonight stalking me. Maybe I should have called the cops instead of letting you have a minute of my time.”
“Wait, Tavi, just a second. I didn’t mean it like that. Hell, I’ve really screwed this shit up.” He raked his hand through his black hair, and then came to a decision. “I’d never force a woman in my life, and I’d never fuck a whore. I’m not sure why you—”
He stopped speaking abruptly and held his hands out. “I’m not a bad guy, Tavi. I swear it. And normally I’m not even this forward with a woman. I don’t understand what’s happening between us, but I know you feel it, too. Look me in the eye and tell me you feel it.”
Tavi’s eyelids lowered and she fidgeted for a moment of indecision before she huffed back. “Fine, I feel it, too, but that doesn’t mean I’m in a place where I can deal with it right now. It’s physical attraction, Luke, that’s all. Give it a week and you won’t remember my name.”
Luke felt her words to his core, and he flinched. Reaching out, he took her hands in his, and pressed them against his chest. The motion brought her gaze up to meet his, and he felt like he’d been sucker punched. She really was exquisitely beautiful.
“I wish I believed that, baby, but something tells me that this thing that’s between us is going to burn for a long time to come.” Before she could respond or protest, Luke dropped his lips to steal a kiss from her.
Chapter 5
Nirvana. That’s what Tavi felt when Luke pressed his muscular body against hers, and captured her lips. The pressure was firm, but tender, as he sought entrance into her mouth with his tongue. She couldn’t have resisted if she’d wanted to. Her body was on fire, and her brain had melted away. Opening her lips to him, she moaned as his tongue invaded her mouth.
The taste of apple pie was on his tongue, and his big hands released hers to wrap around her back, pressing her closer. She stood between the spread of his legs, so she could feel every inch of the thick erection behind his zipper, and she wanted it. Her fingers against his chest, clenched at his T-shirt digging into the firm muscle under the cloth, and urging him on.
He mastered her mouth, and she teased and tempted him with her own tongue as seductively as she knew how. This moment, this kiss, changed everything. There was no stopping this explosion now that the fuse was lit.
Luke nipped at her bottom lip, and she moaned and arched against him. Immediately his big hands dropped to cup her ass, lifting her so that her mouth was level with him, and her long legs could wrap around his lean hips. Locking her ankles, she rocked her aching pussy against the ridge of his dick, riding him as if there weren’t clothes between them. Her hands broke free of his shirt, so that she could grip his neck and shoulders, and keep him where she needed him.
They fought for control over the kiss, but ultimately he ravished her senses. His skin was scorching hot under her touch, and their bodies undulated against each other. This was the passion she’d never been exposed to, and when he finally pulled his lips away from hers, she heard herself moaning for more.
The backdoor slammed open and Fawn called out, startling them both so much that she swayed and nearly fell backward as she tried to get out of his grasp. Her eyes took in the other woman’s nasty smirk, and she inhaled sharply.
“I’ll be right in, Fawn. Luke was just leaving.” Her voice cracked as she spoke, and she could feel her body trembling with pent-up desire and embarrassment.
Fawn turned away with a bitchy laugh. “Take your time. It’s not like you’re working or anything.”
They remained there for a heartbeat, frozen in time. What was she supposed to say to him now? She’d just been climbing all over him, and now…
“Tavi,” he whispered breathlessly, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have kissed you here. I want you, but I don’t want to get you fired.”
He reached out for her and his touch shattered the moment, and she inhaled sharply, jerking away from him. If it hadn’t been for his quick reflexes she might have hit the ground, instead she just bobbled awkwardly, and whimpered.
“It’s okay, baby. You close up, and then I’ll follow you back to your place—”
“No!” she snapped, cutting him off. “You can’t come to my place.”
He frowned at her in confusion, and she could see the suspicion in his eyes. “Okay, well my brother is my roommate, but if you don’t care and want to come back to my place—”
She shook her head, unable to even speak as long as he held her against him. Pushing at his chest with her hands, she backed away from him toward the door.
“Tavi, what’s going on? Just a minute ago you were hot for anything.”
Tears stung her eyes, and a spear of self-disgust shot through her. She’d very nearly had sex with him against the building while she was at work. What was she thinking? And now, he thought she was easy.
“I didn’t mean for that to happen. You shouldn’t have kissed me.”
Luke snorted. “I’m sorry it happened here, but I’m definitely not sorry I kissed you. I’ve never had a kiss like that, and I damn well hope to do it again soon. Like in the next hour.”
“That can’t happen,” she murmured, reaching up to smooth her hair back into a fresh ponytail.
“Why the hell not?” he snapped, growling low in his throat. The rumble made her even more conscious of the dampness in her panties.
Finally, she met his angry eyes, and said shortly, “Because I have a ten-year-old daughter waiting at home for me, and I don’t bring men around her unless we’re in a serious relationship.”
“A daughter?” Luke looked shell-shocked. His long lean frame was frozen in place to the point that she wondered if he’d even notice if she slipped back into the building, and left him standing there.
Rolling her eyes, Tavi nodded. “Yes, Luke. A daughter. So now you see why this”—she gestured between the two of them—“can’t
happen. You’re probably only a dozen years older than she is for God sakes. That’s just plain wrong.”
“You have a daughter,” he repeated absently.
“Yep, ten years old. She’s beautiful and smart, too smart, she’d know in an instant that we weren’t serious, and I can’t risk hurting her.” Tavi waited for several more heartbeats in silence, before she shook her head, and moved to the door. “Go home, Luke. Don’t come back here. I know there’s something between us, but that doesn’t mean that it’s something good. Find a girl that doesn’t have baggage from her past.”
With that she opened the door and walked back inside, face flaming. Thankfully no one was in the kitchen, but a quick glance at the clock showed it was now closing time. Instead of facing the curiosity of her coworkers, Tavi made a beeline for the bathroom. Just as she pushed the door open, she heard Luke call her name. Ignoring him, she pushed the heavy door shut behind her and flipped the lock. She’d said all she was going to say.
Coldcocked with the knowledge that the woman he and his wolf desired was not only human, but a mother already, Luke didn’t try to follow Tavi into the bathroom. He wasn’t sure there was anything else to discuss.
She was right. He wasn’t ready for a family. He hadn’t even considered having kids in the near future, much less starting with a ten-year-old. Maybe he’d have been better off listening when Tavi said she wasn’t interested?
The quiet snarl of his wolf in his head reminded him that he didn’t have all of the decision-making power. It was the ultimate showdown in human logic versus his animalistic nature, and he really didn’t know which side would win. As much as he wanted Tavi with every fiber of his physical being, he couldn’t take her as a mate—especially now that he knew she had a child.
Swallowing back the disappointment he could feel in his wolf, he forced his feet to carry him out the door of the diner, determined not to return for another round of rejection.
Este Codger was sipping a cup of tea at the kitchen table when Tavi let herself in the back door. “There you are, dear. I was beginning to wonder if that boss of yours was going to keep you tonight.”
Tavi laughed. “He would if he thought there was something in it for him. Any troubles with Sonny tonight?”
“Of course not. She was a perfect angel as usual,” Este said with a wink.
Snorting a laugh Tavi helped herself to the hot water in the tea kettle and fixed a cup of tea for herself. “Yeah, I’m sure.”
“She finished her science project, and just in the nick of time. It’s due tomorrow morning.”
“That girl is such a procrastinator,” Tavi said, kicking her shoes off under the table.
Este shook her head and smiled. “No, more like she’s a perfectionist. She had it done a week ago, but then she decided that the lines weren’t straight enough on her graph so she redid it. And when that was done she realized that she had some of the planets painted the wrong color, so she repainted them all.”
“The wrong color? How would she know what color they are?” Tavi asked.
“Google of course! She’s a child of technology! She sat down at the computer and her fingers flew for a second and then the next thing I knew she had all kinds of information in front of her about each planet in our solar system. Did you know Pluto isn’t a planet anymore?”
Tavi grinned. “I did hear that.”
“I had no idea they could take back planetship from a planet. I wonder if that’s anything like taking back the crown from a conquered royal. They’ll still always be known as King Whatzzit who got kicked off the throne by King Whozzit.”
The two women laughed together, and once again Tavi was reminded of how lucky she was to have found the older woman. In her late sixties, Este was a widowed mother of four grown children, and eight grandchildren. Her family was spread out all over the world, and she’d been rattling around in a house that was really just an oversized museum to her past when Tavi put an advertisement online looking for a live-in housemate and nanny.
The two women had clicked instantly, and Sonny had fallen in love with Este, so for the last two years they’d had a pleasant arrangement. During the evenings that Tavi worked, Este took care of Sonny, and helped with the housework and cooking. The three of them got along beautifully, but lately Este’s oldest daughter had been voicing her desire to have her mother closer. Tavi was terrified she’d lose the terrific arrangement, but she couldn’t very well dissuade the woman from being with her own family.
“You look dead on your feet, dear. You’d better get to bed. Morning comes early around here,” Este said, collecting their empty cups and placing them in the sink.
Yawning, Tavi nodded. “Yes it does, unfortunately. Thank you again, Este. You have no idea how important you’ve become to Sonny and me. We couldn’t make do without you.”
Collecting her shoes, she said goodnight to Este and headed for Sonny’s room. Sonny was sleeping soundly with her long blonde hair in disarray around her head, and her lips slightly parted. She looked so young and sweet that it stole Tavi’s breath. She yearned for a time when she was the one tucking her daughter in each night instead of relying on Este to do so. With a soft kiss on her daughter’s forehead she tucked her blankets in tight, and made her way into her own room.
Stripping down, she climbed into a hot shower all the while trying not to think about Luke and that epic kiss. Her pussy lips were still swollen and damp, and her breasts felt hot and heavy. It was like he’d given her a taste of an addictive drug that she was already having withdrawals from.
Pushing a finger through her slick folds, she circled her opening gathering cream on her fingertip before she moved it back to her clit. While she fingered herself she thought about the hard shaft of Luke’s erection, and the firm muscles under his clothes. The way he’d held her up had made her feel dainty and delicate, and increased the eroticism of the fantasy.
Honestly, she wasn’t even sure she would have been able to stop him if he’d stripped her clothes off while their lips were still fused and sunk his cock deep inside of her. She’d have ridden him hard, begging for the release she needed like a crack whore.
Her body reacted to the stimulation of her finger and before she knew it she was coming all over her hand, crying out Luke’s name softly as she found her release. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she realized that once again, her past had ruined whatever possible future might have been. Who knew what could have been with Luke if she’d been a single woman with unlimited options? Instead, she was masturbating in the shower, while she had a pity party.
Self-doubt filled her as she crawled into bed, and drifted off to sleep. Even before the darkness overwhelmed her busy mind, she was already creating a dream world where she and Luke could be happy together with Sonny at their side.
Chapter 6
Luke spent the entire day spinning Tavi’s words around in his brain until he was driving himself crazy with it. As much as he wanted to walk away and pretend like he’d never met her, his wolf just wasn’t having it. He was so consumed in his own thoughts that he nearly missed a radio call while he was on shift, and his boss chewed his ass before he left for the day. Then he’d arrived at the Alpha cabin to report for his shift running the perimeter of pack lands to find the place full of women and children all singing some mindless tune about a bus with wheels. He’d barely escaped with his life, only to be paired with his brother for the night.
It wasn’t that he didn’t like Noah, but they were very different people. Years ago they’d been best friends, and he would have never dreamed that they would be avoiding each other, but times had changed. They had changed. Noah wanted to travel but felt like he couldn’t because of his obligations to the pack. It was true, they were committed as Betas of the Gray Pack to serve their Alpha family and protect the entire pack, but many wolves had left for one reason or another to find their future elsewhere, so Luke didn’t completely understand his brother’s logic. The way he wasted all of his time over
his guitar or his school books drove Luke nuts. Life should be lived, and he couldn’t understand how Noah thought he was going to put forth anything good into the world cooped up with a book all day.
The entire four hours they scouted the pack lands the two brothers remained in wolf form and communicated using their animals’ natural growls and grunts—which basically meant they didn’t communicate much at all. Figuring it was probably best that way, Luke didn’t say anything to Noah as they shifted back into their skin and entered the back door of the Alpha cabin to dress and make their report.
When his brother stopped him with a hand on his elbow, he nearly jumped out of his skin. “Luke, did Mom get ahold of you about next week?”
Pulling away from Noah, he frowned. “No, I don’t call her and she doesn’t call me. You know that.”
Noah’s eyes darkened with irritation. “Yeah, I know, but this is important. She wants us to come to dinner next week. She has something she needs to talk to us about.”
Luke sighed and rolled his eyes. “Is this another attempt to bring me back into the fold?”
With a growl, Noah glared at him. “You know your arrogance is going to come back to bite you in the ass sometime.”
“I’d rather be arrogant than boring,” Luke quipped.
His brother’s mouth fell open for a moment, but no words came out. When Luke turned to walk away, Noah said softly, “I think something is wrong with her, Luke. You need to clear the air with her. She misses you.”
“Well she has Nathan to keep her company. I’m sure she’ll be fine.” Luke marched in the direction of Devin’s office, relieved to see the hoard of mini-humans and females had cleared out. It wasn’t that he disliked little children, he just really wasn’t sure how to behave around them. They reacted emotionally to everything. They weren’t logical.
“Hey, Luke,” Devin said as he entered the Alpha’s office. “Have a seat.”
