by Kelly Hall
“And she’s a huntress, a young adult, and I need all the help and support I can get.” Rebekah hadn’t thought about Katie coming, but if she wanted to, she certainly could.
“Really?” Canter hadn’t thought about it, but he would love to have her with him, even if he wasn’t sure how to act.
“Yes,” said Jarreth. “Go get your girl. At least then, one of us will be happy.”
Canter got to his feet, and without another word, he left to go find her.
“So,” asked Brock. “What’s your plan for hunting Kayne?”
“I don’t have one. Not yet, anyway.” She didn’t think she’d tell him her plans anyway. He was attractive, and she had to admit that the very things that repulsed her when it came to his looks were also the very things that she found attractive enough to make her tingle in all the right places.
“It’s a shame. I’d love to talk strategy with you.” He gave her a flirty look, and she wasn’t sure what to think about it. “Do you want to go for a walk? I could show you to your cabin. I have a couple of our guest rooms being made up for you and your friend.”
“Thank you. But I’m not sure that’s a good idea.” She looked over, and Jarreth was uncomfortable with their exchange. He got up and walked out, and Brock barely noticed. He was too busy gawking at her tits.
“Come on,” he pushed. “I think we could have some fun.”
“I don’t know if Jarreth would appreciate that much.” Although it had been a while, Rebekah didn’t want to hook up with a random man, especially Jarreth’s father. It just wasn’t right.
“Just a walk? I could show you the camp?”
She looked at Ignis, who shook his head. “Drink another with me, Bexy.” He had already had about four or five.
She downed the last of her beer in one turn and then looked up at him. “I think another drink would be nice.”
“Anything you want, doll.” Brock waved to one of his men to refill their pitcher, and then he turned his attention back to her and put his arm around her chair.
Through the next several minutes, Rebekah could tell he was coming on strong, and as hot as he was, she knew nothing good could come of it. His hand had moved from the back of her chair to her back, and then much lower. When it landed on the small of her back, she felt a wave of longing, and then, when it went even lower, patting her bottom, she pounded the last of drink number two, and Brock was there to pour more.
If she and Ignis kept this up, neither would be fit to babysit the other.
Chapter 24
Canter had gone in the cabin and found the water running in the shower. Katie must have just gotten in because it was a good half hour before she opened the door to find him sitting there on the floor against the wall. “Hey, sorry. I think I used all the hot water.”
He couldn’t get over how pretty she was. Her all-American beauty, the blonde hair and tan, the round lips and perfect body, it was enough to make his body respond every single time he looked at her. “It’s okay.”
About that time, the door opened, and Jarreth walked in. “Sorry. You two can have our room. I’m taking the couch.”
Katie walked over to the couch where Jarreth stretched out. “Hey, I think you should go check on Delilah. I went in there earlier to get my clothes, and she was crying. I have a pretty good feeling that’s about you and her.”
“There is no me and her. She made that perfectly clear, and not only that, but which side she’s on. She’s staying here.”
“Well, unless she wants to be killed or banished, I’d say she better stop hating Rebekah so much.”
“She doesn’t hate her,” said Canter. “She’s just hurt. Rebekah knows the difference.”
“Trust me, go to her.” Katie gave him a look like she might actually care.
“Fine. But not right now. I’m going to see if you left me any hot water.”
“I didn’t.” Katie smiled and took Canter’s hand.
Once Canter followed her into the room he and Jarreth were supposed to be staying in, he shut the door, pulled off his shirt, and kicked off his shoes.
Katie had already gotten dressed from her shower, and while one of the oversized academy-issued T-shirts wasn’t the hottest thing she owned, she was the hottest he’d ever seen her in it. But when she met his eyes, it didn’t last long. She pulled it up over her head and tossed it on the floor, leaving her in nothing but her panties and bra.
Canter closed the space between them. “I suck at words. It’s why I’ve been so quiet.”
She reached up and brushed her fingers through his soft curls. “Then don’t talk. Speak to me in other ways.” She took his hand and led him over to the bed.
He had never been with anyone, but he knew he was ready with Katie. He would have already been with her if things had worked out the first time, but he had been so unsure of the two of them being together.
She laid back on the bed and met his eyes as if searching his soul for some kind of a reaction that would bring it all to a screeching stop, but it didn’t happen.
He unbuttoned his pants and slipped them off, kicking them off of his feet. Her eyes lit when she looked down, seeing his erection. This is really happening.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” Canter asked.
“Yes,” she said. “It’s all I’ve wanted. Me and you. I want us to be together.”
“Me too. I know I made a mistake, Katie.” He brushed her hair away from her face and stared deep into her eyes. “I know I made a huge, terrible fucking mistake. I should have never let you go. I just thought you deserved more than I could give.” He leaned in and kissed her, softly at first, as if he wanted to make sure she was okay with it. When her leg came up around his hips, pulling him closer, he knew it was right. He braced himself above her, taking the kiss deeper.
She nudged him down more with her feet, his body pressing hard against hers as she came up against him and moaned.
Despite the sound of pleasure, he was so big against her, so heavy. He whispered in her ear. “Are you sure I’m not hurting you?”
“No, not at all. It feels good. I want more.” She reached down, and with one quick movement between her breasts, her bra popped open, and her breasts heaved forward, her tiny nipples hard as pebbles, tight and pink.
Canter kissed his way there, then brought one into his mouth, his tongue circling it as she pulled his boxer briefs down over his ass.
Katie wasn’t about to slow down. She had waited too long already, and when Canter raised up, his fingers slipping into the elastic of her panties, she knew she wouldn’t have to wait much longer.
Canter’s gaze fixed on her honey-colored skin. Her tan was nearly as dark as his own brown flesh, and her smooth skin was not interrupted with lines or hair, just a pretty, bare cleft. Canter let his fingers explore her, and she moaned out even louder, the sound desperate on her lips as if she were longing for it.
He’d longed for it too and couldn’t wait any longer. He centered himself at her core and pushed inside of her, knowing that now there was no going back. He didn’t know where this would lead them, but he was certain that he never wanted to be without her again.
They moved together, their pleasure building, ebbing and flowing as they worked for each other’s ecstasy.
When it was done a half hour later, they lay stretched out in each other’s arms.
“I’m going to Ireland, Katie.” His words were final, and he hoped that by saying them, she wouldn’t be hurt.
“I know,” she said with a soft voice. “I didn’t expect this to change that, Canter. I don’t want to change who you are or what you do.” She loved every part of who he was.
Canter stroked her back as her fingers moved on his chest, drawing small circles through his light dusting of hair. “What do you want?”
“For us to be together. As a couple.” She wasn’t sure if she should even get her hopes up about Ireland. There was a chance Rebekah wouldn’t want her there. With her in charge of
the mission, she could choose who she wanted to go and who stayed behind. “I’m willing to wait if I have to. Even though I’d rather go with you.”
Canter met her eyes. “Then come with me.”
“Would you go with me to talk to Rebekah? It’s probably the only way she’ll say yes. I don’t want to impose on her. She has enough going on, and I don’t want to be in the way.”
“She has a castle in Ireland. I hardly think you’d be in the way with that much space.”
She giggled. “You know what I mean. She might not want me there.”
“She’s already said yes.”
Katie rose up on her elbow. “You mean, you already asked her?”
He sat up with her. “She insisted. But if you go, there’s a chance you’ll be called to fight.” He held her hand and stroked her knuckles. “That’s going to kill me. Whatever is going to happen with Kayne, it’s not like battling his vamps. He’s powerful.”
“I just want to be of use, Canter. If by fighting or serving another purpose, I want to help however I’m needed. I just want you to want me there, to need me.”
“I do.” He pulled her closer, wrapping his arms around her. “And I’m sorry for not being there before. I wanted to be, but you’d taken up with Grady again, and I didn’t know how to get back in after all the shit I said. I didn’t even mean any of it. It just seemed like the right thing to do.”
Katie hated that he thought that. “Grady pushed himself into the picture. He saw a way in and took it. And I don’t want you to think that by what I did earlier, I have any feelings for him. At least not romantic ones. It’s just, I’ve known him for so long. I know his family and his—believe it or not—his heart. He does have one somewhere under that thick shell of his. He just isn’t secure with himself enough to show it.”
“Are you okay with him being banished? He’ll have no other place to go but rogue, and not the 2K variety. He’s going to be the enemy.”
“I know. But he made his bed, Canter. He’ll just have to deal with it. And besides, maybe this will humble him. Maybe he will shock us all, and this will make him go a different path. I’m hoping his father will talk to him. He’s a good man.”
“That’s hard to believe,” mumbled Canter, though he knew he was nothing like his own father who had abandoned him to his uncle.
“I don’t want to talk about him anymore,” said Katie, rising up to kiss him. Their lips moved softly together as Katie’s hands slipped slowly down to stroke him.
When she had him gripped tightly, he hissed through his teeth. “Yeah, I don’t think that’s going to be a problem.”
Jarreth had taken a shower with what was left of the hot water and then sat in the tub until he began to shiver. He got out, wrapped a towel around his waist, ran a comb through his hair, and then gargled some mouthwash to kill time.
Just knowing that Delilah had been crying in the other room made him even more determined not to rush in and make it all better. He was hurting too, and she was a tough girl. She could tough it out. At least, that was what he kept telling himself.
It wasn’t that the urge to go into that room and pull her into his arms wasn’t there, quite the contrary, but she was the one who had made it clear how things were going to be, and he was damned well determined to honor that.
That was him, Mr. Fucking Honorable.
With the towel still tightly wrapped around his waist, he grabbed his clothes off the floor and opened the door. He had in mind to go to his dad’s room and look for a pair of shorts or something to cover his naked ass.
But as soon as he walked out of the bathroom, the steam billowing behind him, Delilah stepped out of her room.
“Sorry,” she said, seeing he had nothing on but a towel.
In the pale light that shone from over the bar in the nearby kitchen, he could see the stain of tears on her cheeks. “Is everything okay?”
“I’m fine.” She wiped her eyes and sniffled.
“Yeah, you look fine,” he said, turning to go into his dad’s room as Delilah went to the bathroom and shut the door. He grabbed a pair of shorts from his drawer and pulled them on. Then he grabbed an extra pillow off his bed and decided to go to the couch.
Delilah finished up in the bathroom and walked out to see him there. “Why aren’t you in your room?”
“Canter and Katie are in there. I thought I’d give them some privacy.”
Delilah’s eyes lit with surprise. “Wow, I guess he’s really going for it.” She couldn’t believe that he’d finally made the decision and lost his virginity, but she was happy for him. “Good for him. They’re cute together.”
“Yeah, they are. It’s nice when two people love each other enough to take a chance on each other and make shit work out.” The bitterness in his tone was like sandpaper against her heart.
Delilah sighed. She could tell by his sarcastic tone that he was pissed off at her. She walked over to sit across from him. “Something on your mind? You want to yell at me? Get it out of your system.”
“Nah, I’m good. You can go back to bed.” Jarreth fluffed his pillow and pretended not to care.
Delilah sighed and then got to her feet. “Fine. Whatever.” She started past him, and he felt his heart sink, knowing he didn’t want her to go back to the room alone.
He got to his feet, leaving his pillow behind. “Was something on your mind?”
Delilah stopped at the door. “No, I’m good.” She started to close the door, but Jarreth held out his hand to stop it.
“Liar.” Jarreth hoped to push her buttons and at least keep her talking to him. He wasn’t sure if he was just a glutton for punishment, but it was better than returning to the couch alone.
“Fuck you!” She pushed him. “I tried to talk to you, but you’d rather be an asshole.”
“Don’t make me the asshole, sweetheart. I asked you to marry me, and you said no. You not only said no, but you pretty much said no chance in hell. So, don’t make it like you’re the victim.”
He was about to walk away, but she grabbed his arm. He had her right where he wanted her. He spun around and moved on her quickly, picking her up against him, her legs wrapping around his waist. He took her to the bed and laid her down, grinding his hips hard against her.
She knew she should resist, that this wasn’t going to solve all their problems or be a quick fix for her emotions. In fact, it might make them worse. But she didn’t want to stop. She didn’t ever want to stop.
Her fingers slipped through his hair, gripping a handful and pulling it hard until he hissed. “You want to take out your anger on me? Because I’d be careful, baby. I’m a lot more hurt than you are.”
He moved his hand down and slipped it into her shorts, carefully feeling for the elastic of her panties to get inside of them and cup her mound. He parted her lips with two fingers and pushed them deep inside of her.
Delilah whimpered, tears springing to her eyes as the pleasure built between them. She knew he was angry with her, and while she knew she was playing a dangerous game, there was no better way for him to take it out on her. She tugged down his shorts and spread her legs wider.
When she was good and wet, he pulled his hand away and gripped his erect cock. He moved inside of her so quickly, she hissed out a breath and dug her nails into his back.
He growled, grinding deep inside of her, rutting harder and faster until his hips worked her steadily.
As she found her release, she knew she would never love anyone more than him, but it didn’t change the fact that she needed to find herself. She couldn’t do that by going with him.
Once their pleasure ebbed and they’d both found their release, Jarreth collapsed beside her. He already knew it was all for naught. “You’re not changing your mind, are you?”
She shook her head. “I’m sorry, but it doesn’t have to be goodbye, Jarreth. I love you, and you’ll always be a part of my life, and if we take time apart, who knows? Maybe we’ll love each other even more when we do
finally find each other again.”
“No, I’m not moving on just to walk a circle. I know I love you enough for forever right now. So, if that’s what you want, then you go for it, Del. Be happy. But this has to be now or never. I love you, but once I leave for Ireland, I’m not looking back.”
She rolled over and kissed his shoulder. “Then let’s make the most of right now. Stay the night?”
Jarreth didn’t want to go back to the couch all alone. “Yeah, why not?” He wasn’t going to hurt any worse. “Let me go get my pillow.”
“Will you get me a glass of water?”
“Sure.” He got up and pulled on his shorts. Then he walked out of the room, pulling the door shut behind him. Before he got to the couch, he saw movement on the porch. His dad was back from the recreation center. Jarreth got his pillow and headed to the kitchen.
Brock opened the door and stumbled in. He snickered. “Watch that first step,” he said quietly.
Jarreth poured Delilah’s drink and took a sip as he looked up, and when he saw his father wasn’t alone, he thought for a split second that he should sneak back to the room. But then he heard Rebekah’s voice.
“You’ve had too much to drink, Brock. I think I should tuck you in and leave.”
Brock moved on Rebekah, pulling her close, the two kissing like it wasn’t the first time.
Jarreth’s mouth fell open in horror as he froze. What the fuck?
Rebekah pulled away. She knew that nothing good would come of her accepting his invitation, and she was sure there was already some hot and heavy action in the cabin. “I should leave,” she whispered in his ear.
Brock was gorgeous, and when he looked up into her eyes, she felt herself growing weak, wanting him. It had been a long time for her. Too long. And while she wanted nothing more than to be reckless with him, she cared too much about his son and her other friends.
“Nonsense. We’re both adults. Tell me you don’t want me as much as I want you.” He pressed his hard cock against her hip, sending waves of need through her.
