by Avery Gale
“This sprayer is a very handy device.” He used it to rinse her hair again after conditioning it, knowing she had no idea how else he planned to utilize the pulsing spray. Taking his time, Trinity relished rinsing the long tresses he couldn’t wait to see spread over his thighs. “Let’s see how sensitive your pretty nipples are, baby.” Wrapping one arm around her torso lifting her breasts, so the nipples were presented as the gift he knew they’d be, Trinity used one hand to pinch the first tip into a tight peak before focusing the spray on the tender bud. Paris gasped, pressing back deeper into his embrace. He felt her knees tremble, threatening to fold out from under her and chuckled as he moved the spray nozzle back to the wall.
Everything about Paris Adler called to him. His determination to make her his own had kept him from playing with another woman for the past year. Other Doms at Club Isola had teased him when he’d made the long trip to D.C. then left without participating in a single scene.
“You’re so responsive. Damn, I want you.” Sliding his fingers through her slick folds before lifting his hand to hold the syrupy fingers close to his face, Trinity let her unique fragrance move through him. Inhaling her scent, he felt his cock flex against her lower back. The difference in their heights was significant—hell, Trin would have to be creative to have sex with her standing up, but he didn’t doubt for a second it would be worth the effort.
“Damn… why did you stop? Please don’t stop. Your fingers were creating magic, and I haven’t…” The airy quality of Paris’ quiet words was the hottest thing he’d ever heard—until she cut them off abruptly. Stiffening against him, he knew she was planning to pull away, but he wouldn’t let her unless she used a safe word.
Safeword. Fuck. They’d never finished their discussion of the basics. Paris Adler was going to make him lose his fucking mind.
Chapter Two
Fuck-a-dilly circus. Paris couldn’t believe she’d almost confessed how long it had been since she’d had sex. When she’d seen something on social media about born-again virgins, it seemed funny at the time, but now she was worried there might be some thread of truth to it. What if her pussy was past its prime? Fricking frackers, she probably should have paid more attention during that damned Human Sexuality class she’d been forced to take her freshman year.
Why, oh why, hadn’t she asked one of her sisters about this? Or one of her college friends? Fudgesicles, maybe if she’d dated more than once or twice a semester, she might have found out herself. Sighing, she reluctantly admitted she’d been too hung up this past year on Sheriff Stone to even look at another man. Ever since she’d met the bossiest man on the planet, the idea of any other man touching her sent ice racing through her veins.
“What was that thought, Paris?” Trinity’s fingers tightened on her tender nipples, making her yelp. “Answer me right now. Don’t edit, just tell the truth.” Confess she hadn’t had sex since the night she turned eighteen? No thanks… I’ll pass.
“I was just worrying whether or not you are going to fit because… well, you’re pretty big.” Pretty big? Good grief, I sound like a dork. By the time her brain registered his movement, Paris heard the sharp crack of a slap a split second before the cheek of her ass felt like it was on fire. “Fuck! That hurt. What the hell was that for?”
“Try again, baby. And let me remind you, you aren’t the only one with special skills.” His voice had dropped so low, the words sounded like they were being growled rather than spoken. Special skills? Shit. Could he read her mind? Paris knew Israel could hear Charlotte’s internal dialogue, and Austin was finally able to tune in to most of it as well. Damn, she felt sorry for her sweet sister-in-law; Charlotte was never going to have any peace. Another sharp crack and the other side of her ass felt like it was on fire as well.
“Fucking hellfire with no redemption. Knock that shit off.” When she turned to look up at him, the first thought to race through her mind was how much he looked like one of those cartoon characters whose head spins around on their shoulders as steam billows from their ears. Holy Hannah, he looked a heartbeat away from apocalyptic.
“Last chance, Paris. What were you thinking about, causing wave after wave of regret to pulse from your core?” Shit, he might not be reading her thoughts, but he was definitely tuned in to her emotions, and those were harder for her to control. “Do you know what a safe word is, Paris?” Oh damn.
“Yes, but I don’t need it… at least, not now. I was just thinking I probably should have gone out more in college. I haven’t had a lot of sexual experience.” Pulling in a deep breath, Paris pushed her shoulders back, refusing to show how insecure she felt about the disparity in their backgrounds. When Trinity didn’t respond, she wondered what he was waiting for. With five older brothers with varying degrees of dominant personalities, Paris was well-versed in their use of silence as an intimidation technique. Give it up, Copper—been there, done that.
“Did you just call me, Copper?” Holy hell, she’d said that out loud? Damn, Paris, you really have to get out more.
“It’s that intimidate with silence bullshit. You’re going to have to step up your game if that’s the best you’ve got. I learned to ignore that nonsense when I was in the third grade.” Shaking her head, Paris wondered how they’d gotten so far off track. Damn it all to hell, at this rate, she was never going to get laid again. “As the youngest of ten, I was subjected to all the usual intimidation methods siblings use. At this point, my immunity is probably off the fucking chart.”
Trinity didn’t respond for long seconds, making her wonder what was moving through his mind. She hadn’t spent much time with him one-on-one, but it was easy to see he was no one’s fool. She recognized his use of silence as a power play, but this was something entirely different… this time she swore he was listening to every emotion spinning wildly through her mind. When she finally took a calming breath, she realized his hands were tracing soothing caresses from her hips up over her ribs, his thumbs brushing the undersides of her breasts before his calloused palms moved back down to her hips. The move was an addictive combination of soothing and sensual.
“When was the last time you had sex, Paris?”
Damn… the one question she’d hoped he would be tactful enough to refrain from asking. Now her quandary was… should she confess or lie?
Trinity watched the play of emotions on Paris’ face and wondered which of the angels on her shoulders was going to win the age-old good vs evil argument. She wanted to lie, but he was certain she would opt for the truth in the end. Paris was too honest in her reactions for her to be deceitful about anything of significance. And he knew the question he’d asked her was definitely significant; her response had given her away. He let her agonize over the question for the better part of a full minute before finally moving his hands from beneath her ample breasts, pausing to bracket his calloused palms on either side of her face.
“It’s a simple question, Paris. You’re making this far more difficult than it needs to be.” He suspected she was more intimidated by him than she was willing to admit, but that was a discussion for another time. While he was unquestionably more sexually experienced than he knew her to be, he was also far older. The gap between their ages was even more substantial than she knew since shifters ordinarily live much longer than non-shifters. His family was what was commonly referred to as old blood, whereas hers was new blood. His pack and family had been around for centuries, their lifespans far beyond the norm.
“It’s a simple question with an embarrassing answer.” Paris screwed her face up into the most adorable scowl he’d ever seen. “Does it matter? I mean, it’s not like it’s something anyone forgets how to do. I hear it’s like riding a bike—it doesn’t matter how long it’s been, you can jump on and ride without any problem at all.”
When he quirked his brow at her, Trin nearly laughed out loud at the bright red flush racing over her cheeks when the unintentional innuendo dawned on her. Hell, as blonde as her hair was, he could see her blush
all the way to its roots.
“You know what I meant. I just don’t see why it’s important.”
“You stopped yourself before you spilled the beans earlier, and your responses since then have only served to make me more curious. I agree with you that, in theory, it wouldn’t ordinarily matter when either partner was last sexually active, but it seems to be important in this case. I’m not worried about you forgetting the mechanics of sex, Sprite—I’m more than capable of coaching you through it—but I am very concerned about hurting you.” Using his thumbs, Trinity stroked the bruised skin below her eyes. Damn, they needed to get this resolved so she could sleep. If Paris was struggling with what happened in California, he doubted she was getting enough rest. Her overreaction to answering his question was another sign she wasn’t functioning at her peak.
“I’m not a small man, Sprite. And you’re a tiny woman. Under the best circumstances, I’d stretch you. If you haven’t had sex in a while, I’ll need to be particularly careful, and as badly as I want you, it would be easy to lose control. Shoving myself deep if you haven’t been properly prepared would be damned painful and could potentially do permanent damage. Torn vaginal tissues aren’t anything to scoff at and certainly not anything I want you to experience, Paris.”
“Not since the night I turned eighteen.”
She’d blurted the words out so quickly, Trin blinked twice before his brain processed the information. He could feel the humiliation pulsing through her, so he carefully schooled his features. Before he gathered his thoughts enough to respond, the little imp’s entire body language shifted—it was the damnedest thing he’d ever seen. Hell, she seemed to have pulled energy into herself from thin air. Stiffening her spine and pulling her shoulders back, the air around her crackled as she gathered her wits about her.
“I understand. You’ve changed your mind. You are right, you’re a big man, and I appreciate the fact you don’t want to risk hurting me. How very gallant. After all, how would it look to have the Sheriff injure a woman with his ginormous cock?”
He didn’t interrupt her speech, better to let her dig herself all the way to the rock-solid bottom before calling bullshit.
“Look, I’m tired. I haven’t been sleeping all that great… you know how it is, a new place, a different bed, and all that. I think I’ll just turn in now.”
Does she really think I’m going to let her blow all that smoke up my ass, then simply allow her to turn her back on me? Maybe she isn’t as attracted to me as I thought? Or she thinks I’m a fucking fool. No sooner had the thought run through his mind than he saw the first tear breach the lower lid of her bright blue eyes. Growling under his breath, Trinity grabbed the condom from atop the shower wall then scooped her up in his arms.
“That was quite the speech, Sprite. You missed your calling; you’d make a great speechwriter for some blowhard politician, but since you rocked your job interview a couple of days ago, I’d say any political aspirations will have to wait.” She stared up at him, her mouth gaping open. Tossing her onto the bed, he crawled over her before she could scramble away. In five seconds flat, he’d shackled both wrists in his large hand and anchored them over her head.
When she started to speak, he cut off any potential protest by sealing his lips over hers in a kiss that started off as seduction but moved quickly to demanding. Her body was stiff beneath him, but he knew it wouldn’t last. A desperate need, unlike any he’d ever felt from a woman, radiated from the deepest part of her core—she wanted him as much as he wanted her. Nipping her bottom lip, Trinity took full advantage of her gasp to push his tongue into her mouth. Exploring every recess of her sweet mouth was fogging his brain and stretching his control to the breaking point. Rocking his throbbing erection against her, he felt her shudder and the scent of her cream filled the air around him.
“Fucking hell, I want you until my brain is starting to melt.” Any notion Paris had about him rejecting her could be negated by the heated, steel length of his cock pressing against her. Lifting until he could look into her eyes, Trinity tried to gauge whether to continue what was rapidly becoming a slippery slope or pull back, settle Paris in his arms, and let her sleep. When her eyes glazed over and her long lashes fluttered closer and closer to the dark circles under her eyes, he pressed a soft kiss to her forehead and smiled. Guess she answered the question for me.
Sleep well, Sprite, because I’ve got some wicked ideas about how to rouse you in a couple of hours.
Chapter Three
Cleveland Adler leaned back in the seat, watching the gauges spike each time his booted foot brushed against the accelerator of the most technologically advanced race car he’d ever tested. Hell, he was usually over-the-top excited about any new gadget, and this car was loaded with them. Ordinarily, Cleveland would have spent weeks studying the operating manuals rather than the cursory glance he’d given them last night. Leaning his head back against the seat, he wondered when he’d lost the passion he’d once felt for racing.
He’d always imagined retiring from racing after he’d socked away enough money to create his own team. After the wild events during his sister, London’s wedding, Cleveland had started questioning his long-range plan. Maybe it was time to change directions. Sitting under the stars on the beach after the rest of the family finally drifted off to bed, Cleveland had stared at the rolling surf as his brother, Israel, did the same. They’d talked about everything and nothing before finally getting around to discussing business.
Israel’s security business was growing faster than he could hire people he trusted, and without the unique skills of a shifter, anyone he hired was already working at a distinct disadvantage as far as Israel was concerned. The longer they talked, the more the seed of change had taken root. Cleveland had invested heavily in his brother, Bronx’s car dealerships but had no interest in selling cars. Hell, at this point, he was having trouble being interested in driving.
A disembodied voice speaking in his ear pulled him back to the moment. Shaking his head, Cleveland cursed under his breath… damn it, he knew better than to become distracted on the track—that’s how accidents happen. Slip-ups, especially when you’re traveling two hundred miles per hour, are often deadly. Making a mental note to call Bronx, Cleveland hoped his brother had changed his mind about further expanding his string of car dealerships. It didn’t matter how often Cleveland told his brother he had no interest in stalking customers in a car lot, Bronx never seemed to hear him.
Bronx Adler had spent his entire adult life building a business around his brother’s racing success—using Cleveland’s picture as well as his money. If Bronx had applied his killer business skills at Adler Oil, the company would have gone public years ago. Before leaving for the track, Cleveland sent out a text to all his siblings, letting them know where he’d be racing that weekend. He’d started the group texts after London attended a race with him several months earlier.
As much as the Adler brothers and sisters traveled, he never knew when one of them might be close, and the older he got, the more he enjoyed their company. If you’d told him ten years ago, he would intentionally spend time with his siblings, he’d have assumed you’d lost your mind… Go figure.
Hitting the accelerator, Cleveland pushed all thoughts of his family and their various businesses out of his mind as the car rocketed away from the starting line.
Asia stared out the window, the full moon calling to her. She hadn’t run for weeks, and her agitation was growing by the minute. She’d shifted for the first time shortly after her thirteenth birthday and remembered how terrifying that first night had been. She’d walked out the back door of her family home, unsure what was happening to her out-of-control body. Stepping onto the slate patio into the moonlight, she’d begun changing in ways she’d never imagined possible. Panic seized her chest, making it almost impossible for her to breathe. Thank Goddess, her older brother had heard her through a telepathic link she hadn’t known existed and doubled back from his own run.
“Cara, go for a walk in the moonlight if it will help you sleep. I would join you, but I suspect I’ll sleep quite soundly as soon as the bed stops bouncing with your heavy sighs. I have an important conference call in a few hours, and I’d prefer to conduct it well rested.” It was impossible to miss the unspoken message—you’re keeping me awake, and I’d appreciate it if you would walk it off so I can get some damned sleep. Laughing to herself, she sent up a silent prayer of thanks to the Great Goddess for the save. Leaning over, she kissed his cheek before rolling to the edge of the enormous bed.
“I’d prefer you didn’t go as you are. I tend to be a bit possessive with what I consider mine.”
She paused, turning to look back at him over her shoulder, wondering why he was suddenly concerned with her nudity. After all, he’d rarely allowed her to wear anything since her family left the island. Giving her wrist a quick yank, Franklin pulled her back until she was sprawled over his chest.
“Make no mistake, Cara, you are mine.”
It wasn’t the first time he’d referred to her as his, but there was something different this time. Asia wasn’t sure what had changed, but with her wolf pushing to run, she didn’t have time to worry about it.
Franklin was grateful he’d been able to find a shadowed spot downwind to watch the most beautiful creature he’d ever seen run on the beach, graceful strides skirting along the water’s edge. The moonlight highlighted the wolf’s sun-streaked sable coat as Asia Adler raced from one end of the sandy shore to the other. He’d watched from the bedroom window as she slipped out the French doors of their villa and into the dense foliage of the landscaped gardens surrounding their small slice of paradise. Asia had disappeared into the thick shrubs, but it was her wolf that emerged seconds later. Franklin held the clothes he found discarded among the dense cover; it was going to be interesting to see how she reacted when she discovered she would have to reenter the villa naked.
