Gently, Jack began to move in and out of her. He stroked deeply into her, massaging her most intimate and sensitive spot. Rose stretched her arms in front of her, loving the warm pleasure and sensation.
Jack rubbed her clit with his fingers, smearing her juices over the hard nub. He kept touching her as he took her from behind. He was gentle but firm, and he knew just how to tease and tantalize her.
Rose felt her nipples rubbing against the mattress as Jack increased the speed and force of his thrusts. As he pounded into her, her breasts bounced and rubbed deliciously against the mattress. Rose moaned and undulated her body, her pleasure surging and spiking uncontrollably.
Her climax was forceful and sudden. Her scream was cut off as another wave of explosive pleasure crashed over her. She felt Jack's teeth sink into her shoulder and grip her. The bite intensified her pleasure and she raised her head and screamed as Jack jerked and released his hot seed into her.
She loved the feel of him ejaculating deep inside her, and her entire body tightened and spasmed, greedily milking every drop of him.
At last, she collapsed facedown on the bed and slowly opened her eyes.
She felt Jack's strong arms around her waist as he gently gathered her up. He arranged a pillow under her head and kissed her.
Rose smiled up at him and whispered, “That was amazing.”
“You—are amazing,” he said, stroking her cheek.
She rested her head on his shoulder and traced lazy circles down his chest. When she walked her fingers down his abs and moved lower, he caught her hand and snarled, his green eyes gleaming wickedly.
She giggled. “I'm glad my first sexual experience was so awesome.”
Jack frowned at her. “Are you planning to go out and gain more experience after this?”
“Well...I've discovered that I like sex. A lot.”
He growled and gripped her wrists in one hand. He covered her body possessively with his and said through clenched teeth, “You are not having sex with any other male.”
“Oh?” Rose gave him a wide-eyed, innocent look. “Who will ease me when I go into heat then?”
Jack tightened his grip on her.
“Are you going to stay, Jack?” she asked softly. She felt the sudden sting of tears in her eyes. “Or will you forget me once you go home?”
Jack held her face and thumbed away her tears. “Rose.”
“You're leaving,” she mumbled, turning away sharply.
“No. I'm not leaving. You are my mate, Rose. I've found you, and I've come home,” he whispered.
“Home? But...”
“I will protect you and provide for you. I will never leave you and Nan. I promise.”
“But you promised your brothers that you'll go home. And you have your business to attend to. You can't stay in Redcape Grove. You...you don't belong here, Jack, in this tiny, quiet town...”
“I belong with you, Rose,” Jack answered simply.
When she frowned, he kissed her nose and grinned. “I'll get a job here. I'll earn my keep. Really! What are you looking at me like that for?” He began to tickle her. “You don't believe me? Well, I'll show you!”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
At the first light of dawn, Jack felt Rose stir in his arms. She disentangled herself carefully and swung her legs over the side of the bed.
Jack tried to pull her back under the covers but she giggled and swatted his hand away.
“I have to prepare breakfast for Nan,” she whispered.
Jack got up immediately. “Let me do it.”
But Rose was already dressed and on her way to the door. “I'm an early riser,” she smiled. “And I like pottering in the kitchen first thing in the morning. It's a great way to start the day.”
Jack threw on his clothes and followed her out of the room. The house was quiet, and the first slivers of faint sunlight were just filtering through the curtains.
Jack put the kettle to boil and started to make the sandwiches. Rose fried the sausages, eggs and bacon, and the whole kitchen was soon filled with the joyful sounds of sizzling food and easy chatter.
Rose talked while she cooked, telling Jack about the people and businesses in town. Redcape Grove was a typical small town, with its usual quirky characters and quaint shops and businesses.
Jack loved hearing Rose's voice and laughter. She spoke animatedly and passionately about the town she grew up in and she told him some funny stories about Nan and herself. Jack saw that Rose had indeed enjoyed a loving and happy childhood, and she had grown up to be a warm-hearted, secure, vivacious young woman.
When she asked, Jack gradually opened up about his son. As he talked about Alex and recalled every memory, every detail about his beautiful little boy, he found to his surprise that he could smile, and even laugh, when he recounted Alex's pranks and antics. The tot might be tiny, but he was bursting with life and energy.
“I was the same when I was his age,” Jack grinned. “Unstoppable and uncontrollable.”
Rose's eyes sparkled. “I bet you were adorable.”
“My youngest brother, Derek, was the adorable one. He was so chubby and cheerful. Hans was rather quiet as a kid, but he was a feisty little thing. When we were cubs, he almost bit my tail off once when we were fighting.”
Rose laughed. “I'd love to meet your brothers.”
“You will.” Jack pulled out his phone suddenly. “In fact, I'm going to call them right now. I promised to let them know where I am.”
Jack dialed Hans's number. His brother picked up on the second ring.
“Jack!” Hans yelled into his ear.
“Woah.” Jack rubbed his ear. “You almost burst my eardrums.”
“Where the hell are you, Jack?” Hans demanded.
“In Redcape Grove. It's a real nice town. I think you and Derek will like it here,” Jack said, winking at Rose.
“Where are you putting up? At an inn or hotel? What's the name of the hotel?” Hans rattled off the questions.
Jack quirked a smile. No wonder his brother was the Chief Operating Officer. Hans was meticulous and organized and he was great at logistics. He zeroed in on the details and he had a photographic memory.
“I'm staying with a very beautiful, special woman and her equally amazing great-grandmother. They have so kindly opened their home and their hearts to a stray, broken bear.”
“What…?” Hans began.
“Her name is Rose,” Jack said.
His brother must have heard something in Jack's voice. There was a long pause.
“So...when will Derek and I get the chance to meet Rose and her amazing great-grandmother?” Hans spoke calmly but Jack heard the barely contained excitement in his brother's voice.
“I...”
“Jack, you old scoundrel. You've found her!” Jack could picture Hans grinning from ear to ear. “I'm going to call Derek now.”
“And he'll call me right away,” Jack groaned.
“Of course. In fact, we might just drive down to Redcape Grove straightaway. We want to meet your mate!” Hans said gleefully.
Jack laughed. “I promise you you'll meet Rose and Nan. Don't drop everything and come roaring out here in your fancy suits and cars.”
“We won't embarrass you,” Hans huffed.
Jack chatted for a while more with his brother. He knew his brother was relieved and happy to hear him laughing and joking again.
Finally, he ended the call and turned to see Nan coming into the kitchen.
“Your brothers are coming?” Nan asked.
She'd obviously heard everything. “Not right now.” Jack chuckled. “But they are excited to meet you and Rose.”
Nan poured the coffee into three mugs and said, “Rose doesn't have any siblings. I'm so glad that now she has two caring, protective brothers.”
“Nan!” Rose's brows shot up and she flushed a deep red.
“Oh, did I say brothers? I meant brothers-in-law.” Nan ignored
Rose's gasp and dug into her breakfast with gusto.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Rose glanced up and her heart almost burst with love and pride at the sight of Jack bending solicitously over a harried single mother and her two noisy young children to get their orders. He recommended new dishes to the customers and took orders efficiently. He was the perfect waiter, friendly, hardworking and observant.
Jack had driven them to the restaurant after breakfast and insisted on working at The Cottage In The Woods to earn his keep.
“You gave me food and lodgings. The least you can let me do is work in your restaurant,” Jack declared. Nan and Rose had clapped their hands over their mouths to stopper their gasps and giggles when Jack nonchalantly plucked a red apron from the hook on the wall and tied it around his waist.
“I have to wear your uniform. How will the customers know that I'm one of your staff if I don't?” Jack reasoned.
Rose and Nan wore similar red aprons, but on Jack, the apron looked exceeding tiny. Rose hid a smile as she watched Jack hurry in and out of the kitchen with trays of food to serve the customers.
She knew that Jack was the CEO of the Grimm Group. He dealt in the high-stakes, high-flying world of corporate acquisitions and mergers. The Grimm Group owned chains of resorts, theme parks and restaurants. Jack definitely knew a lot about the food and beverage business. He knew how to market and expand a business, how to read profit and loss statements at a glance, and how to keep ahead of the competition.
Never in her wildest dreams did Rose imagine that she would have the CEO of one of the largest corporate groups in the country waiting tables in her restaurant.
Jack was good-natured, humble and unassuming. He had no airs or hang-ups. Rose heard Jack telling some of the customers that he was on probation but if he performed well, his two lady bosses might consider offering him a permanent position.
Rose snorted out a laugh when she saw that many of the customers had left Jack very generous tips for his excellent service.
The three of them worked steadily and seamlessly together. Jack made himself useful in the restaurant and in the kitchen. He helped Nan chop and pound the spices, and carried big pots and pans around for her.
“Let's have dinner here,” Nan told them. “We'll close the restaurant early this evening, and I'll cook us a nice, sumptuous dinner here. I'm thinking of adding a new dish to the menu, so you can be my guinea pig, Jack.”
Jack grinned. “I'll drive out and get a bottle of good wine. We'll have a lovely, relaxing evening right here in The Cottage.”
As it turned out, there were fewer customers at dinner time and they could close early without having to turn anyone away.
Jack gave Rose a quick kiss at the corner of her lips as he pushed out the door. “I won't be long.”
“Okay. Just drive straight down the road until you see Everson Emporium. You can get a decent bottle of wine there,” Rose told him.
Jack nodded. Then he pulled her in for a long, deep, searing kiss.
Rose leaned towards him, needing to feel his body against hers. She would always want him and hunger for him, she realized. He could set her body alight with just one scorching kiss. And the way he looked at her made her heart tighten with lust and longing.
She loved the way he made her feel. But she also loved the way he took care of her and Nan. He was protective but he wasn't overbearing. He had a natural, genuine charm, and he was a hit with the ladies. But he didn't flirt with them. He was polite and professional, and he gave every customer his full attention.
“You're a good man, Jack,” she whispered.
“I hope to be deserving of the love of a good woman,” Jack answered, looking straight into her eyes. “I want to be the kind of man a woman like you would love.”
Rose gasped. “Oh Jack...”
Jack touched her cheek softly and jogged to his car. Rose waved as she watched his car disappear down the road.
She wrapped her arms tightly around herself and shivered in the evening breeze. It was twilight, and the sky was darkening rapidly.
Glancing over her shoulder, Rose hurried back into the restaurant. Why did she get the feeling that she was being watched?
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Rose was wiping down the counter when Nan walked out of the kitchen and stretched.
“All done,” Nan announced. “Dinner's ready. Where's Jack?”
“He went to get the wine.”
“Oh, I thought he'd be back by now. Ah, I think I'll go wait for him out front. I've been in the kitchen the whole day. Some fresh air will do me good.”
“I'll come with you,” Rose said, unconsciously reaching for her shotgun.
“I may be old, but I'm not infirm,” Nan chided. “I'll just take a stroll in front of the restaurant and stretch my legs.”
With that, Nan yanked the door open and sauntered out.
The musical tinkle of the door chime echoed round the empty restaurant. Rose threw down the rag and picked up the gun.
She just had a niggling feeling that danger was lurking somewhere around the shadows outside. The hairs on her neck were standing on end and she felt increasingly uneasy and anxious.
Rose scrambled out the door and skidded to a stop at the front step.
“Nan!”
She raised her gun and pointed it at the man who was holding Nan by the throat.
“Let her go!” Rose yelled. “You, it's you again!”
It was the same yellow-eyed wolf who had harassed her in the restaurant the day before.
“Let my Nan go,” Rose said, taking a step forward.
The wolf shifter ignored Rose and whistled over his shoulder. Rose's heart hammered wildly as she watched the shadows move behind him.
Three men stepped forward and came towards Rose.
“It's her, Lucien,” the wolf said, nodding at the tallest of the three men.
Lucien smiled. “Well done, Trenton. You did good.”
“I smelled your blood in her, Lucien,” Trenton replied with a smirk. “Her scent was unmistakable.”
Rose gripped her gun tighter as Lucien kept walking towards her. “Step back!” she yelled.
Lucien stopped and arched a thick brow. He was taller and leaner than the other three wolves. Rose knew that all the four men in front of her were wolf shifters. Their glowing yellow eyes were locked on her, and Rose ground her teeth in defiance.
They might think they had their prey cornered, but she was nobody's prey.
Lucien sniffed the air repeatedly and smiled at Rose. “You do indeed have my blood in you. I don't know which bitch gave birth to you. I fucked so many of them. But—the cunt was human.” Lucien's face twisted in disgust. “You're only half wolf. What's your name, girl?”
“None of your fucking business,” Rose spat.
“Her name is Rose,” Trenton offered helpfully. He swore viciously when Nan kicked him in the nuts. Trenton gripped Nan tighter around the neck and shook her.
“Let her go! Don't touch her,” Rose screamed at Trenton. “I will kill you!”
Lucien looked amused and impressed at Rose's outburst. “Wow. My girl has fight,” he laughed.
“I am not your girl!”
“But you are,” Lucien said. The smile was still on his face but Rose saw how cruel and cunning his eyes were. She shuddered and backed away.
No.
No. He couldn't be.
“No, you're not,” Rose said in a strangled voice. She shook her head. “You're not...”
Lucien spread his arms wide. “I am your father, Rose.” He moved his eyes down her body, and rubbed his chin slowly. “I think I know who your mother is. A delicious, horny human with flaming red hair and the juiciest, most succulent tits and ass. Her pussy...” He shrugged. “I can't remember what her pussy was like. Pussies all taste the same.”
“Shut up! Don't talk about my mother like that!” Rose shrieked. “You just shut your filthy m
outh!”
Lucien's smile vanished. He jerked his head and his minions stepped forward.
“You'll come with me now,” he said to Rose in a hard voice.
“I'm not going anywhere with you!”
Lucien grabbed the barrel of her gun and tried to pull her forward, but Rose resisted. “I am the Alpha of the Westclaw Wolves. You are the Alpha's daughter. You will do your duty as the Alpha's mongrel daughter.”
“What duty?” she snarled.
Lucien's eyes flicked to her neck and he let out a derisive laugh. “You are a whore just like your mother. You will service the pack.”
“S-service?”
“Yes,” he drawled. “There are only a few she-wolves in the pack.”
Rose reeled back. He wanted to capture her and drag her back to the pack as a sex slave for his wolves.
“Go. To. Hell!” Rose spat.
“I thought you'd be more pliant and biddable,” Lucien said, stepping back with a scowl. “The tough ones always break first. You'd be taught how to behave properly in the pack.”
Lucien gave the signal and his two minions shifted into wolf form. Rose faced the two snarling black wolves and gulped. Her eyes darted to Nan. Trenton was still holding her by the neck but Nan had stopped struggling and was acting like the obedient, submissive hostage. But her hands were curled into claws at her sides and her eyes were glinting with pure fury.
Rose's gun wavered between the two approaching wolves. She hoped she could fire quickly and accurately.
The wolves crouched, and Rose saw that they were getting ready to pounce. She wasn't afraid of dying but she knew that they would not kill her. Not yet.
They would knock her out, mutilate her to teach her a lesson, and drag her back to the pack.
Rose muttered Jack's name under her breath and tightened her finger on the trigger.
She screamed as the wolves leaped towards her, fangs and claws arching towards her face.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Jack exploded from his car, shifting into bear form as he threw himself in front of Rose. He swore at himself for leaving Rose and Nan alone, even for a little while.
Red And The Bear (Grimm Bears 1) Page 4
