by T. A. Grey
“She’s right you know. If not tonight, then you should come by room...anytime. I promise we’ll burn the sheets up together.”
Jacks sighed with and tossed her hand off his chest while touching her as little as possible. Then he stalked after Vera.
What the hell was it about her? She drove him nuts. Tied him up inside and dammit he hadn’t stopped thinking about kissing her since he met her. And that was months ago.
Making up his mind, he knew what he had to do and followed her to the bedroom.
Chapter Four
Vera slammed the bedroom door shut. Let the bastard have Ariss. Like she cared. She didn’t.
She just didn’t like perfectly beautiful women flirting with her guardian. That’s all.
The bastard burst into the bedroom and slammed the door shut behind him. That poor door was getting beat up for no reason.
She opened her mouth to yell at him—about what she wasn’t sure yet, anything at this point would work. But then he twisted the lock in the door and all words faded from her mind.
His eyes were dark again, smoldering with molten heat. His scent grew thick and luscious; it was male, sex, and something uniquely him all rolled together. The lykaen and woman in her wanted to roll around in that scent, nuzzle it, and hold it close.
Closer and closer he came until finally his body pressed lightly against hers. Her breaths came quicker and her nipples puckered against his chest. She licked her lips and looked up, up at him. His lips were pulled into a hard line. He looked like a man on edge. A man ready to explode.
Her mind was shutting down, her defenses deflating as quickly as a popped balloon. Where was the fire in her? The shield she’d erected around her body and her heart to keep something like this from happening. Was she forever doomed to face the same fate again and again? She couldn’t lose control. She had to be in control.
So she did the only thing she thought of in that chaotic moment and wrapped her arms around his neck, leaned into his strong body, and kissed him.
The world spun, the earth moved, shattering under her feet. He froze for half a second, and then slanted his head and took over the kiss with such skill, such force, that she had no choice but to succumb to it.
His lips were full, warm, and pliant against hers. His tongue slid into her mouth searching, plundering. She clung to him like a leaf to a tree in a storm. His hands stroked her back, reached down to cup her ass, then pressed her hard against him. Never had she felt this strong flush of desire.
She couldn’t get enough of his lips. How were they so soft? Why did he taste so good?
Groaning, she held him tighter uncaring of the soft, needy noises leaving her throat, or that her hips arched anxiously into his. The earth moved again as his tongue glided hot and wet into her mouth. The wet touch triggered and answering dampness inside her.
His tongue was raspy; it reminded her of sandpaper but not nearly so abrasive. Then there was a hard wall against her back.
He tore his mouth from hers and buried his face in her neck. “God you’re so beautiful. You drive me mad, Vera.”
She had the urge to tell him flattery wasn’t necessary that her body was fully on board with whatever he could dish out. But the reprieve from his kiss gave her a moment to think. As his mouth worked delicious magic against the soft skin of her throat, Vera thought frantically.
Jacks pulled away to glare down at her “Dammit, what’s wrong? I can feel the change.” He pressed his hips against her and let her feel the steel hard press of his cock. His touch burned her, fueled a wild fire inside her.
For a human he was observant. Did the man have to unnerve her so? She broke eye contact with him to stare at a point across the room.
“I just...don’t know where this is going. Don’t know if I want it to go there or anywhere. I don’t even think I like you.” Because you scare me deep inside. So much more than Dmetri ever did.
His hands gentled on her body and turned soft and caressing over her shoulders, arms, and back. If her body grew anymore soft, she’d be pudding on the floor.
“I may not be able to answer those first two questions, sugar, but I can answer the last. If there’s one thing I’ve learned as a soldier, it’s to trust your instincts. And both of ours are singing in perfect tune together.” He drew his lips up her neck and she arched to give him more room as she struggled to breathe.
“You like me, Vera. Your body likes me, wants me. I can feel the damp heat of your pussy through your tight little jeans as easily as if they were a clump on the floor.”
Her heart was pounding in her chest, her ears. When had she become baby to him? She’d be lying if she said she didn’t love the sound of it.
Fingers curling into his back, she clung tight as his tongue laved at her lips then claimed them. His kiss was hard, demanding. He cornered her body against the wall, and his tongue shot into her mouth mimicking a primitive action that she wanted inside her where she was wet and painfully empty.
Somehow she managed to drag her mouth from his to rain kisses along his hard jaw and neck. His pulse leapt under her lips and she smiled faintly. The predator inside her relished his heat, his scent, his blood. She licked his pulse then bit over his skin. He growled a deep, pleasured sound and tightened his grip on her ass.
She continued her torture on the other side of his neck. God, he smelled so good. She licked at him like a kitten with milk as she ran her hands over the strong muscles of his back. This man was everything that was strong and masculine in the world, and her beast was whimpering inside.
Cool air on her ass brought her mind swerving hard back to reality. He’d managed to unbutton her pants and shove them down to her thighs, and she hadn’t even realized it. Now he groaned deep in his throat as he cupped, squeezed, and massaged the rounded globes of her ass.
“Ahh, baby. You’re fucking perfect.”
The first skin on skin contact was too much. She moaned high in her throat and panted as her mind tried to process all the sensations at once. He took advantage of her situation and dove down to clasp on her hard nipple through her shirt. His clever lips tugged and pulled on her, creating an answering lick of heat between her legs.
It was too good. Way too good.
His fingers curled around the bottom of her cheeks and teased the wet cream of her through her panties.
“Jacks,” she pleaded.
“I know baby, I know. I’ll take care of it.”
Those words sent her common sense slamming back into her. Control. She couldn’t lose control.
Growling with the beast in her throat, she grabbed him by the hair and yanked him back from her breast. When he looked up at her with startled passion on his face, she kicked out one of his legs and fell with him as they tumbled to the ground.
She didn’t waste any time but climbed over him, resting her aching core over the hard length of his cock. They both groaned and fought for each other like wild animals. If she wasn’t absolutely certain she’d bet he was a lykaen. No human had passion like this, could make her beast whimper for him.
Their mouths caught and fought against each other with tongues and teeth as she caught the hem of his shirt and started to tear it up. She had to know what he looked like finally.
Was he smooth, coiled with muscle, or hard and hairy? Her stomach clenched and she yanked up his shirt, pulled her mouth away to see a patch of dark skin dusted lightly with black hair.
A loud banging shattered her lust like an explosion. She pulled back so quickly from him she fell on her ass and skidded away, jerking up her pants and frantically looking down at her shirt where a wet spot was formed over her nipple. She looked from him, disheveled and sexy as hell on the floor--his cock tenting his cargos, his shirt rucked up to his tight stomach, his cheeks flushed with pleasure, back to the door in a double take.
Vera winced at the nasty snarl on Jackson’s face.
“I’m coming,” she hollered. She didn’t have time to find a new shirt so she was sure to
keep her breast hidden behind the door before she opened it. As she turned the door handle, she heard Jacks mutter behind her, yeah, you would have been coming too. Her body tightened at the sound of his gruff, sex-laced voice. Checking herself one more time, she took a deep breath and opened the door.
Dmetri scowled at her. Oh, shit. His nostrils flared and she knew he smelled everything in that moment--the lust, her body’s response, Jackson’s desire. There was no hiding it. So she licked her lips and plastered on a false smile, something she was always good at.
“May I help you, Dmetri?” His eyes held such anger, such raw emotion that she had to bite her cheek to keep from smacking him. Or of at least screaming in his face that he was the one that broke up with her. Well, all you got was one shot, buddy.
“I just came to bring you this. Your favorite, if I recall.” Vera saw the bottle of wine in his hand wrapped with a red ribbon tied into a bow around the neck of it. It was her favorite wine.
“Yes, um, thank you.” She took the bottle and was about to close the door when he spoke.
He sniffed the air again and tilted his head to the side. “Are you...breeding?” Her jaw clenched so hard and fast it was wonder she didn’t snap a damn muscle.
“No, I’m not breeding.” He pulled back and scowled.
“So then you’re willing...with the human?” Her mouth opened and closed. She wasn’t sure what the hell was going on with her and the human, but there was nothing wrong with him.
Leaning forward, she let her eyes drop to a flirty mask. “Oh yeah, he makes me feel...” She bit her lip, fluttered her hand over her neck and down her stomach, and then stopped with her hand a scant inch above her still aching pussy. “Wild and delicious.”
He took a step back and scowled. She whispered a goodbye and shut the door.
# # #
When she spun around the silly smile on her face faltered to a stop. Jacks was standing much closer than she realized. His arms were crossed across his big chest, and she knew he was angry about something, yet all she could seem to focus on was how big his biceps were when he did that.
“Are you ready to tell me about the two of you yet?”
She licked her lips and slowly brought her eyes back up to his face. A good-looking face too with dark, rounded eyebrows and lashes framed a pair of beautiful— albeit angry — blue eyes.
“Nope,” she said and skirted around him to grab a glass off the side table. She unscrewed the bottle of wine and sniffed the contents. Her favorite expensive goodness—she signed heavily and downed the first glass. She was glad for Dmetri’s interruption; it was a sign for sure.
“Better take it easy with that stuff,” Jacks warned.
Rolling her eyes, Vera pressed her fingers to her lips to keep from laughing and poured another glass. The dark red liquid was her favorite color and it tasted like sweet cherries and earth. She tossed back another two glasses and was finally starting to feel warm again.
“Why don’t you tell me about yourself,” Vera asked and perched herself, and her bottle of wine, in the windowsill. She’d always wanted a window like this. It was big enough for her to curl up in and look outside. She once thought she’d be living here and using this very same window to read and gaze out at the night. Bitter memories. Old thoughts. She took another swig, this time straight from the bottle.
“I don’t have anything to say.” She lolled her heavy head to the side to look at him.
“Of course you do, we all do,” she said in a duh voice. She lifted the bottle, waved it towards him, and nearly spilled some.
Jacks shook his head at her and took a seat in a high-backed chair across the room. Vera pouted at the distance. She almost laughed at how out of place he looked. He looked so uncomfortable, and he glanced at the bedroom door as if wishing for an escape. How cute the human was.
“Tell me about your family.” She didn’t think it was possible, but his body stiffened even further.
“No,” he said curtly. O-kay.
“Tell me about how you met my brother.” He sighed and looked at her, then her bottle of half-empty wine and shook his head miserably.
“I joined the marines when I was 18. Couldn’t wait to get the hell out of there. It was better at first then at home but not for long. I met Rome my second year in. I was in a hurry and already pissed off because I’d had a fight with my bunkmate earlier. We had a confrontation, and when it was done...well, you know the rest.”
Vera nibbled on her lip and stared at him with soft eyes. He stared off in the distance as if he was reliving that moment right now. He was so big for a human—and strong too. She wanted to curl up to him and let him pet her until she fell asleep. She wanted to ask him if he would, but a frown marred his hard face.
Vera gasped as a flash of pleasure surged through her. Oh, yes. The ache in her from before was flooding back in with obstinate force. Must be the wine, she thought. Her breasts ached heavily, needed to be squeezed to relieve the pain, and her core was growing wet. Her hand started to creep down her stomach to do just that, but she stopped just short.
“Rome.” Her whisper was so husky that she barely recognized it. His eyes snapped to hers and she watched as his eyes widened then narrowed on her. A predator. No, no, he’s only human.
He unwrapped his body from that chair, making the act look sexy as hell, and strode to her with his long-legged steps. He snatched the bottle of wine out of her hands, sniffed it with a grimace, then set it aside.
“I don’t know how your brothers ever tolerated you. You don’t even listen to the basic of advice.” Vera’s headed slid back to stare up at him. Her lips formed into a wide smile. She was trying to go for sexy, but was afraid she was coming off more as a loose, drunken slut. Hmm, maybe he was into loose-drunken sluts though.
“I’ve never been good at taking advice. It drives my brothers wild,” she whispered loudly. “Do me a favor and take me to bed.” He looked relieved and bent down to scoop her into her arms.
He was so strong, lifting her effortlessly. This close his scent and heat were irresistible. He set her on the bed, and when he went to pull away, she leaned forward and licked a hot path up his neck. He groaned, and she felt his neck spasm under her tongue.
Moaning, she wrapped her arms around his neck and brought his mouth down to hers. He hesitated the barest of moments before crashing his delectable human mouth against hers.
She moaned at his taste; it was heady, masculine, and sexy. She licked his tongue and sucked on its thick length like she wanted to his cock.
“Christ,” he muttered tearing his mouth away. “You’re drunk. I can’t do this, Vera.”
She made a mewling sound and grabbed him by the shirt. Didn’t he understand that her body was on fire for him? She hadn’t had a man in so very long.
“I’m not drunk, just relaxed,” she argued. She grabbed handfuls of his shirt and pulled him back down to her. He came but with a glower. She had a feeling that even with her lykaen strength, she couldn’t force him to do what she wanted.
“Baby, you drank at least half a bottle of wine in under an hour. You’re completely foxed.” Vera wiggled her hips, trying to get his attention where she needed him. When that didn’t work, tried maneuvering herself under his chest.
“I’m not nearly as drunk as you think I am. Okay maybe I am drunk but I’m fully aware of what I’m doing and what I want. Look at me and see the truth.” He looked away and she could tell that he was probably counting to ten before he looked back down at her. He studied her as if one would assess a painting or scrutinize cells under a microscope.
“Kiss me.” He was shaking his head, but he let her pull him back down to her.
“Baby, I don’t think this is a good idea.” Since when had he started calling her baby? She liked the sound of it—no, she loved it.
“No, it’s a wonderful idea,” she said then she kissed him. This time they both moaned as their lips met. She held back none of her need but gave him every burning bite o
f pleasure in that kiss.
His hands curled into her hair and tilted her head further into the kiss. The man consumed her; kissed as if he would die if he didn’t kiss her now. She had no choice but to hold on to him for the ride.
His heat was intoxicating and soon she needed more. She tore her mouth away to press kisses along that sexy stubble he had and down his thick neck.
“Christ woman,” he growled. Vera almost cried out at his voice. Her pussy was wet and needy, and it wanted him. She laid back and shimmied out of her shirt, baring her freed breasts to him. His eyes darkened, and then he was touching her. Mouth to nipple, tongue to breast, his hands covered them, molded them, and shaped them to his liking. Vera clawed at his back, wracking his shirt up so she could feel the hot heat of his skin beneath her fingers. So good.
His hand tightened in her hair and pulled her neck to the side, opening her to him. The gesture was so dominating--so wonderful--that it brought her back to reality.
“Jacks,” she breathed, then wrapped her legs around his waist and flipped him all the way onto the bed. She quickly rolled on top of him and started pushing his shirt up. Too many clothes. Needed skin.
“Help me,” she growled when he only stared at her bobbing breasts above him. He shook his head as if to clear it then took his shirt off. He licked his lips and settled his hands softly over her breasts, tracing lines down to her belly button then back up.
“Oh, God,” she moaned and arched into his touch. His touch grew bolder, stronger, cupping her breasts and pulling her nipples.
She wiggled her hips and fit herself against his cock. Her head fell back and she gasped as the hard, hot press of him against her sex.
That’s it; she was gone.
She scooted down to sit on his massive, powerful thighs and deftly unbuttoned and zipped his black cargo pants. She had them down to his knees before he started to protest.
Vera moaned as his cock popped free; it was hard and thick, it’s tip leaking white semen and pointing at a hard curve. Vera’s beast surfaced, consumed her, and she knew in that moment that her eyes glowed amber. With only one thought in her mind, she tore her clothes from her body and threw them across the room. The fire burned hard inside her, driving her.
