by Lia Davis
“What’s that?” The little furrow was back between Natalie’s brows.
“I’d like to ask you to stay with us for the rest of the summer. As our guest. You’ll have time to get to know us as a people. You can stay here in the ranch house. Ride the horses. Swim in the creeks. We have some lovely hot springs.” Anna smiled. “Maybe Luca could show you?”
“So you can keep an eye on me? Make sure I don’t tell?” Natalie’s scent grew more stressed and his wolf responded with a growl. “Maybe you’ll even make me disappear, like Yvette?” She headed for the door. “No way.”
Anna laughed. “No, my dear. So you can see we aren’t the bogeyman. And maybe, you could use the time to get to know Luca a little better.” A sly smile crossed her lips. “I think there’s more to you than meets the eye, Natalie Fisher. If you can turn the head of one of my loyal enforcers and make him hide things from his pack, I’d love to get to know you a little better too and see what that is.”
Luca held himself in his chair by sheer force of will. Would she stay? Could he have both worlds? The pack, and the opportunity to find out if what he felt for Natalie was real?
“How about it? Do we have a deal?” Anna held her hand out to Natalie. “The world is changing—the packs can’t hide forever. We need people like you, human people, who know who we are. So that when the government comes for us, we have friends.”
Natalie shot a questioning look at Luca. “Can I take a night to think about it? You’ll let me leave?”
Anna dropped her hand, looking disappointed. “You’re free to go, Natalie. I won’t keep you here. But I will ask you not to doom an entire group of people to what’s sure to be a horrific experience. Think about how government agencies treat people who are different. How the world treats people who are different. I’m asking you—please keep our secret.”
“I’ll keep your secret. For now. But I want updates. Frequent updates.”
“Of course.” Anna stood up and walked past Natalie to the door. “Thank you.” She reached out and the two women shook hands. Anna, looking cool and professional, but older than when she’d entered the room by at least ten years. And Natalie, suspicion making her face hard. “You’re free to go anytime. Luca, you’ll have to face Chief Howler, but she’s too busy to deal with you today. Make an appointment for tomorrow and you can drive Natalie to town.” She smiled and nodded at Natalie. “Nice meeting you, my dear. I hope you choose to stay.” And she left the room, closing the door behind her.
Natalie came back to the table and sat down into her chair. “Well, that was crazy.” She went to pick up her cup, but her hands were shaking and tea spilled all over her saucer. She put it back down and picked up her napkin instead, shredding the paper into strips.
“Natalie.” His voice was hoarse. He coughed, trying to clear it. “I need to know. Is it because of me that you don’t want to stay?”
“If it was just the vacation on a dude ranch, and time to get to know you, of course I’d stay. Who wouldn’t? But it’s not a vacation. And it’s not just you and me.” Her big brown eyes were serious. “I have to wonder, would I really be safe?”
“If she wanted to kill you, you’d be dead,” he said slowly. He wanted Natalie to stay because of him. He wanted it so badly, he had to push it aside and focus on what she was saying, what was really her concern. He had to see it from her side.
What would it be like to see the pack not as support, but as a danger?
She sank back into her chair, as if the weight of her decision pulled her down. “That’s not very reassuring.”
“Anna can’t just think about what I want. Or you want. Or what’s best for any one individual. She has the entire pack as her responsibility. I think she sees a time when we’re not going to be able to hide from the satellites and the internet and the drones. What happens when we’re caught on video and posted for everyone to see? And with the way the virus is being portrayed, she’s right. It will be a witch hunt.”
“So you want me to stay to be a friend to the pack?” She avoided his eyes, staring at the pile of napkin shreds as if it held all the answers.
“I want you to stay because I want to find out more about you. ”
He couldn’t stand not touching her anymore. The space between them was too far. He reached out, touching her arm, seeing if she’d let him do more. When she let his hand stay, he ran it up to her shoulder, then pushed a stray curl off of her face.
“I want to taste you, and kiss you, and show you how much I love your wild, crazy hair. I want to see you riding on your own horse across an open meadow. Take you camping under the stars.” He slid off of his chair and onto the floor, kneeling in front of her, showing her how he felt. Hoping she’d see. “You’re not pack. I can’t mate with you like I could with someone with the right DNA, but shifters take dormants as mates all the time. I want to find out more about us. I want to know you, Natalie. Please stay. Stay for me.”
“You’ve done everything for me, Luca. Even though we’ve just met, I feel like I’ve known you forever. I want the chance to see if I’m right. But not here.” She pulled him to his feet. “Let’s go.” She looped her fingers into his and waggled her eyebrows up and down. “I have a hotel room.”
Excitement, relief, and anticipation all poured through him, leaving him shaking.
“Does that mean you’re staying?”
“It means, let’s go back to my place and find out.” And she led him out the door.
Chapter 10
They’d headed back to the hotel room at the Super Nineteen, grabbing fast food on the way. Natalie unlocked the door and led the way in, sweeping her arm out in a wide arc. “It’s cheap and sleazy, but it’s all mine.” She winked at Luca and flopped on the bed. “Thanks for understanding and coming back here with me.”
“Hey, I get it. Being pack can be overwhelming at times.”
“No. I don’t think you do get it.” She reached for him and tugged him down next to her so they were face to face. “I had to leave. I had to make sure Anna would let me leave.”
“Did you think Anna would go back on her word?” He stared into her eyes, a look of confusion on his face. “I never thought of myself as naive, but this whole thing makes me wonder. It’s been so easy to keep to myself, just do my job. Maybe that was wrong?”
She hadn’t realized that first day the momentous decision he’d made hiding her from the pack, but now she was starting to get a handle on it.
“Hey, just because my track record with authority figures isn’t the best doesn’t mean there aren’t good people out there.” She reached up and pushed his hair back from his face. “Now that we’re here, and away from the ranch, let’s forget all that for now. I want to focus on what’s important.” She kissed him. “You.”
It started off as a thank you kiss for everything he’d done but as soon as she brushed her lips on his, desire flared.
And she wanted more.
She made a throaty sound and opened her mouth for him and he responded, kissing her back as if they’d never stopped kissing the day before. The day before the heat of passion and the emotion of her loss had driven her to push fast through the kiss, but today, this kiss was more exploratory. They had time and Natalie wanted to take it.
His tongue teased hers, soft and strong, almost curious, as they learned just what the other one liked. He sucked in her lower lip, the wet taste of his mouth taking her under and the slow pace of the kiss shifted into white-hot speed.
He rolled over onto his back, taking her with him and not breaking the kiss. Luca’s hands were everywhere, stroking her back, running under her tank top, stroking her waist. She felt like she couldn’t get enough air. But it didn’t matter. She didn’t need air—she had Luca to feed from, taking everything she needed from his mouth.
They finally broke off from the kiss, but Natalie couldn’t stop touching him. She stroked his straight hair, so different from her curls, off of his face. Ran her hands down his cheeks and int
o the neck of his t-shirt. She couldn’t even use words, just tugged at the shirt and he pulled it off. Then he tugged off her own shirt and bra and wrapped his big hands around her rib cage, his thumbs stroking the sides of her breasts.
“Your curves are amazing.”
She flushed, the heat making her skin even hotter. “It’s hot in here.”
“Yeah,” he said. But neither of them moved off of the bed to get to the air conditioner. Instead they stroked each other and kissed some more. When he tugged at the snap on her shorts, Natalie was more than ready to help him and she stood up and shimmied out of the cut-offs taking her snappy black thong right off along with them.
“Someday I’m going to have you leave that on, but for now, I have to taste you.” He took charge, ripping the hotel bed-cover back and rolling her on to her back on the sheets. He dove face first into her pussy. She arched back against the sheets, lacing her fingers into his hair as he went straight for her center, licking and tasting. He held her ass up with his hands and she marveled again at how strong he was. Was it from all the ranch work he did or was it something about being a wolf shifter?
She didn’t know, but she was beginning to think she wanted to find out.
He found her clit and she nearly shot off of the bed. “Luca,” was all she could get out as he took her to the center of her own pleasure, bringing her again and again to the brink—stopping before she tumbled over the edge.
There was so much she wanted to do. Take him in her mouth and suck on his cock while he licked her pussy. Have him put her on her knees and take her from behind, feel how deep he would sink in. See just what he thought she could take and then—she wanted to push that limit past her own boundaries.
But not now. Right now, she just wanted him inside her, taking her up and over.
She urged him up and on top of her. “Luca, I want you now.”
His breath was coming in fast pants, and she saw the need in his eyes. She knew he wanted to have sex with her just as much as she did, but he stopped, pulling back and asking, “Are you sure? You’ve been through a lot today.”
Even with his need, Luca still was putting her first.
He’d put her above his pack when he’d kept her secret. He’d come to her rescue. She hung on to him secure in the knowledge that, even if she was alone in this world, he’d be there for her.
Everything that had happened rushed over Natalie like a breaking wave. All the tension and fear and not knowing what was going to happen, was too much. She clung to Luca, using him as ballast in this weird world of wolves she’d tumbled into.
“I’m sure.”
At her words something raw and wild flared in his eyes. It was dangerous and scary, and as exciting as hell. She wanted this man. Wanted the strong quiet cowboy. Wanted the safety. Wanted the danger that lurked just under his skin.
He rolled on a condom and moved back over her. She used her fingers to guide him and he entered her. She shuddered as he stilled, letting her stretch to take him in. Then he began to move. Before she even had a chance to think her orgasm rolled through her.
It was blinding and she arched and held on as he shook and shuddered into her.
The lay together. Their skin was sticky with summer’s heat and she didn’t care. She buried her face in his shoulder, taking in everything about him.
“Ah, Natalie. Next time we’ll take our time.”
All of a sudden she knew, she definitely wanted a next time.“Yes. And the next, and the next one after that.”
She traced the white scars she’d seen earlier on his body, wondering at what must have caused them. “Someday I want to hear each and every story that’s carved into your skin.” He had so much in his life and she wanted to find out about it all. “What caused all of these?”
He gave her a quick kiss, pulled off, and went to clean up. “Does that mean you’ll hang around long enough to find out.” He called from the bathroom.
“I do have a job. Sort of.” She hated her job. It was a means to an end and without Yvette in Denver, she wasn’t even sure what that end was anymore.
“I never found out, what it is you do?”
“I’m the manager at a small gift shop.”
“So, if you decide to take a month off and hang out here with us wolves, what’s your boss going to say?”
“He’ll fire me.”
“Do you care?” He went to the air conditioner and turned it on.
“No. Not anymore.” The blast of air skimmed over her heated skin and she stretched, reveling in the sweet coolness. “Without Yvette, our apartment is so empty I almost can’t stand it. That’s really why I came up here. I needed to fill the space.”
“I won’t be your best friend.”
“I don’t want you to be.”
“What do you want?” He came and stood by the side of the bed.
“I don’t know.” She reached up to him, and he took her hand. Their fingers laced together and she tugged him down next to her. “But I have decided, I’m going to take Anna up on her offer. I’m going to pack up my apartment and come up here and see where it takes me.”
He pulled her closer to him, as if he couldn’t get enough of her. “I like the sound of that.”
“So do I, cowboy. So do I.”
About the Author
Jessica Aspen always wanted to be spirited away to a world inhabited by elves, were-wolves and sexy men who walk on the dark side of the knife. Luckily, she’s able to explore her fantasy side and delve into new worlds by writing spicy paranormal romance. She loves indulging in dark chocolate, reading eclectic novels, and dreaming of ocean vacations, but instead spends most of her time, writing, walking the dog, and hiking in the Colorado Rockies. To get your exclusive Jessica Aspen free paranormal romance, Rogue Enforcer, please go to: http://eepurl.com/zs4Sj
jessicaaspen.com
Delia & The Werewolf
Jordan K. Rose
Chapter 1
Delia sat at a high top table in the corner of Seductions. Waiting. Watching. She ordered one drink. Bourbon. Neat. And sipped it slowly, savoring each swallow and noting every detail as it hit her tongue. Sweet, then spicy followed by a hint of oak.
She placed the glass onto a cocktail napkin and checked her watch. Eleven-twenty-seven. Three more minutes. That’s all she was willing to wait.
At this time of the night she was tired. By all rights she should have been in bed ninety-three minutes ago. Instead she sat clicking her index finger on the glass. Waiting.
As usual she started the day at ten after four with a five-mile run followed by a forty-five-minute work out with free weights in her basement. After a shower and a light breakfast she spent the next ten plus hours at work.
After the morning run-in at the job site, she returned to her office to meditate in hopes of forgetting about Luke. But then an unexpected afternoon meeting with Luke Ravenwood sent her back to the company-sponsored gym she installed for her employees for a long workout. After nearly an hour of listening to the man yet again try to convince her to sell portions of her land to him she’d needed to burn off a great deal of frustration.
If she were honest, she knew it wasn’t the discussion that had her frustrated. The mere sight of the man had been the bane of her sanity for more than a year and a half.
He was all muscle, dark hair, brown eyes like rich chocolate and always impeccably dressed. He wore a business suit like he was wearing a million dollars. He wore jeans and T-shirts the same way.
Delia was sure there wasn’t an article of clothing that ever made him look sloppy or weak. If he stood in a pair of boxer shorts, she was certain he’d be able to command a room.
He had a feral, driven presence. He was sharp and patient, and Delia had to stay focused whenever he spoke. She’d already lost one piece of property to him, accidentally agreeing to some damn clause that effectively tied her hands.
That would never happen again.
Still, the man could melt butter with his gaze. H
e literally gave off heat when he entered a room. Every woman felt it. A call.
“The call of the wild,” she muttered into her glass, allowing a few more drops of the delicious liquor to bathe her tongue.
An hour with him in her office practically required a cold shower. His heated gaze. His purposeful positioning. He always knew where to stand, how to look, how long to touch. Every damn thing the man did was calculated to get him what he wanted.
The bun at the back of her head ached, having been pulled up a little too tightly after her afternoon shower. She tucked a perfectly manicured finger beneath the blonde tresses, lifting the neat wad away from her scalp to relieve the pain.
What she wouldn’t give to yank out those bobby pins and scrub her hand over her head. But that relief wouldn’t come until she got home.
Alone. That’s when she’d let her hair down. As soon as she walked through the kitchen door she would kick off her pointy heels. Then she’d march upstairs and strip off her navy blue skirt-suit and starched white blouse. If it wasn’t so damn late she’d sink into a hot bath.
She checked her gold watch once again and sighed. Tonight she’d be lucky to make it into the bed before collapsing into a deep sleep. At least that’s what she kept telling herself.
The bouncer at the interior door to the club stood from his stool and nodded to whomever waited at the entrance.
Delia’s finger froze. Her back stiffened. She swallowed hard, waiting to see who would step across the threshold. Was Luke finally here?
The large, yet impossibly graceful bouncer bent to move the velvet rope aside. Apparently becoming a vampire could make even the most hulking beings agile.
Delia’s heart sped. With anticipation she squeezed her thighs together. She rose at least a full inch in her chair when a ripple of excitement caused every muscle below her waist to clench.
With another nod the bouncer stepped back, his attention angled downward.
