My Heart's Passion

by Elizabeth Lapthorne

  Driving as fast as she dared, she headed back down to the main freeway, as far away as possible from the strange sensations that Samuel and that wolf had invoked in the forest.

  Chapter Two

  Samuel stared at the retreating car. Strangely, he felt relieved and sad at the same time. Since first catching sight of Chloe Dennison at her cousin and his brother’s wedding, she had been invading his thoughts and his mind.

  This unnerved him on a number of levels. His gut screamed in warning that she was his One, his mate. No matter how hard he tried to push that thought away, it crept back to haunt him at the most unusual times, mostly just before he closed his eyes to sleep at night.

  It also unnerved him from the knowledge that she alone could change his well-structured world. Samuel freely admitted he loved his life. He had his freedom in his own small cabin, yet with the vibrancy and love of his family so close at hand when needed. Largely he lived as he pleased, and while he worked hard and well, he still retained plenty of time to party just as hard and still do the things that pleased him.

  If his three brothers were any indication, when one mated and fell in love, one became a blindsided sap. Samuel loved his brothers, and liked and respected their respective mates. Yet surrounded by so much mush and happiness, he couldn’t help but wonder if they had all lost their minds.

  Any woman who could mess with his well-ordered and much loved world posed a problem. Yet even knowing this, Samuel still found himself entranced with Chloe, wondering what it would be like to have her wild in his arms, to scream for him and arch into his body…

  Musing so long on his human thoughts, the wolf instincts of Samuel’s current form finally kicked in.

  He raised his head to the full moon, drawn in by her glow and beauty. The scents of the forest seemed to suddenly come back to life, and his mind was easily, thankfully diverted.

  Contemplation could come later. Right now he simply had to follow the rabbit as it darted across his peripheral vision and chase it down.

  Bounding off, Samuel felt relieved to let his wolf side take over his human one. Mooning over Chloe Dennison was not how he wanted to spend his evening.

  * * * * *

  Chloe pulled up to Dominic and Mary’s small cabin. After drinking the last of the herbal tea in her thermos and eating her last granola bar, she had come to her senses.

  She had been a moron.

  Sure, it had taken her the best part of forty minutes hell-for-leather driving, twenty minutes of munching and drinking almost-cold tea, and another hour driving back, but at three a.m., who the hell was counting?

  Deep inside herself, she had known since her conversation with Mary that the Rutledge men were…different. Seeing it up close and personal wasn’t a cakewalk, but neither was she a swooning southern belle from some cheesy, cheap novel. She was a mature twenty-six, had held any number of jobs, and was a capable, efficient modern woman.

  What was a little fur between friends? It wasn’t as if she would be seeing much of any of the Rutledge brothers. She was here for some quiet contemplation. She needed to make some goals, sketch out some plans.

  Like most other women, she had always assumed she would graduate from school, get a job, meet some nice young man, get married, and have kids and work part-time to put them through a decent college.

  Instead, she had worked through a large number of jobs, unable to settle down in one area. Mary insisted it was because she hadn’t found her passion, hadn’t found her niche. Chloe, in return, insisted it was because she simply didn’t have a long attention span and got bored easily. What was the use of settling down in one job when so many had such appeal?

  Chloe knew she needed to reassess her goals, make some plans for the next five years. She needed to find where her passion lay, and find something she could happily settle on doing for the next few years.

  In any event, she couldn’t turn around and drive the long distance home, certainly not because she got a little scared seeing Samuel turning into a wolf. Mary would never have sent her here if the men were dangerous when they turned.

  A few howls and a bit of a shock was a small price to pay in return for a long weekend in seclusion, with nothing more stressful than reading and self-reflection on the menu.

  Chloe picked up her small backpack, with her necessities and a few half-read books, and opened the car door. A long, hot shower and a long night of sleep would restore her brain capacity. The following morning was soon enough to unpack the trunk and get her larger bag, also filled with books and a few changes of clothes. Mary had insisted on filling her fridge and cupboards with food, so she hadn’t bothered to bring more than her favorite chocolate bars with her.

  Crunching her way up to the front door of the cabin, she pulled out the spare keys Mary had lent her. Fiddling around in the moonlight, she found the correct key for the front door.

  Inserting it in the door, she was briefly surprised when it didn’t turn the lock. Remembering Mary’s warning of how the lock sometimes stuck, she jiggled the key around, leaning on it to give it more pressure.

  When neither maneuver budged the key even an inch, she swore under her breath. Chloe stepped back under the bright light of the full moon and checked the other two keys. Neither of them would open the door, so the first key must be correct.

  Trying once more, jiggling the key with as much force as she dared, she eventually pulled back in disgust. Staring at the lock, Chloe realized it had a dead bolt, effectively squashing her chances of being able to pick the lock open.

  Sighing heavily, Chloe pocketed the useless keys and walked around the side of the dark cabin to find an accessible window. It was cold, she was tired, and she refused to sleep the night away in her small car, even if she had thought about it earlier.

  All she wanted was a long, hot shower and a soft, warm bed. Chloe knew she was fairly proficient at picking locks, but surely some of the windows would be accessible?

  Finding the perfect window, Chloe peered in the room. The pale moonlight made shadows, but she thought this was the bedroom. Pulling her lock picks out of her backpack, grateful she always kept them handy for practice; she easily opened the small catch and raised the window.

  Muttering curses about Mary under her breath, Chloe threw her small backpack onto the floor wincing at the thud of it falling to the floor. Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she rested her hands on the windowsill.

  Thankful she had worn only her old black jeans and a light sweater for the long drive, she easily pulled her lithe frame up through the window. Panting with the exertion, dragging a bit of dust with her, she landed with a thud on the cabin floor next to her bag. Standing quickly and brushing the barely existent dust from her jeans, Chloe turned around to close and lock the window behind her, a tired but happy grin on her face.

  Just as she lowered the window, she felt thick, heavy arms trap her own arms at her side and lift her from the ground. Before she could even think of her self-defense moves, Chloe found herself being held firmly on a soft bed, a large, heavy body pressing her into the mattress.

  Desperately trying to push up against the wide shoulders, Chloe found the mattress made poor leverage.

  “Since when did you take up breaking and entering, little girl?”

  Chloe felt the tension seep out of her body. Samuel.

  “Since the keys Mary gave me didn’t fit her damned front door. Since when did you need to use brute force to get a little action?” Chloe felt her breath hitch as laughter rumbled through Samuel’s chest, still firmly pressed up against her breasts.

  “I don’t need force, little girl. I merely didn’t want you trying those silly self-defense moves on me, potentially giving me a bruise. Mary has been very vocal in her pride on your self-defense skills.”

  Chloe squirmed. If she could just get some sort of leverage…but with her entire lower body twined in Samuel’s and her arms caged in his huge embrace, she didn’t hold out much hope.

  “What are you d
oing here?” he breathed in her ear. The teasing puff of his breath made her heart beat accelerate wildly. Chloe couldn’t tell if she was annoyed or incredibly turned on by the situation.

  If the heated blood flowing through her system and the dampness in her panties were any indication, she had a sinking sensation she was more turned on than offended by the heavy press of Samuel’s body.

  Unfortunately, much as she would love to shed her clothes and inhibitions, she didn’t think simply having a fling with this man would work, certainly not in the long term. Mary had insisted on merely having one night with Dominic. Nearly a year later they were happily married and expecting their first child.

  So much for a one-night stand with a Rutledge man!

  Chloe took a deep breath, the one from the bottom of her diaphragm her Tai Chi instructor had taught her a number of years ago. A calming breath.

  “I needed a break. Mary offered me the use of her cabin, as she and Dominic are going away for the long weekend. I didn’t realize you’d be sitting inside it waiting for me. May I get up now?”

  She couldn’t see Samuel’s expression in the dark, but she could almost feel his puzzlement, the weight of his stare as he looked at her. She dug into her jeans pocket, withdrawing the keys Mary had lent her that had been so useless.

  “Here. Mary’s keys. Believe me now?”

  Suddenly, Samuel’s large, comforting weight was removed from her body and she simply lay on the bed.

  “My apologies. But obviously you got the directions incorrect. This is my cabin. Not Dom’s. You must have made a wrong turn at the fork in the road.”

  Chloe felt heat rise in her cheeks. What he must think of her! Panting after him like every other bimbo he encountered. Well, she would squash that rumor before it could truly begin.

  “I…umm…well! I must be off, lots of sleep to catch up on, and it is rather late. Sorry for intruding…”

  Wriggling off the bed, she stepped quickly over to where her backpack still lay by the window, scooped it up and turned in what she hoped was the direction of the door.

  Before she could take another step, Samuel’s large, lean body blocked her way.

  “Hmm…I haven’t been real hospitable, have I? Shame on me. Dom would be upset; and Artemais would shake his head in that arrogant way of his. Let me make this up to you for my earlier lack of manners.”

  “Oh no, no! Really. If the situations had been reversed and a strange man had crawled through my window I’d have done the same thing. Honestly! I’ll just head back down the road and crash at Mary’s.”

  Samuel took a step closer to her, causing her to step backwards. Another step, and she was backed up against the wall.

  “Uh, Samuel.”

  Very carefully, he leaned both hands against the wall, effectively caging her for the second time this evening.

  She could feel the heat in his body—feel it radiating to ensnare her, draw her closer to him. Despite herself, she closed her eyes and breathed the scent of him into her, enjoying the masculine warmth he emitted.

  She felt her legs tremble. The desire to give in to temptation and wrap her arms around him, to pull him closer, was immense.

  “Samuel, this really won’t work. I didn’t come out here to start some sort of sexual odyssey with you.”

  Chloe cringed as he began to nibble his way down her neck, right into that sensitive spot at the juncture of neck and shoulder. Hearing the breathiness in her voice, she cleared her throat and tried again.

  “Seriously. I’m here to look at my options. I need some personal time, personal space. I…uh…need to…ooh…make plans…”

  Chloe gave up trying to speak as Samuel ran his hands up and down her sides, fitting them into the groove of her curves. Just the lightest touch of his hands—even through her jeans and thin sweater—sent electric thrills racing through her.

  It was the most bizarre feeling, but she could swear she felt the electric attraction rush between them. It was as if they were connected somehow through their lust and mutual attraction.

  “I’ve been thinking of this since the wedding. You were always so careful to not get caught with me alone. Did you really think you could avoid this? Avoid me, little girl?”

  Chloe wanted to protest the endearment. Yet he didn’t say “little girl” with contempt or patronizingly. It was said caressingly, as an acknowledgement of the almost ten year difference between their ages.

  For a moment she considered pretending uneasiness at the large difference between their ages. From one gasp to the next she discarded the idea. She doubted she could carry off the outraged maiden act. He would undoubtedly know she was quite mature for her age and always preferred company of anyone, male or female, a number of years older than herself.

  “I would hardly call twenty-six ‘little’, Samuel.”

  “At almost thirty-seven it seems young enough.”

  Chloe shivered. His voice was so sexy! Mary had mentioned he sang vocals for their band. She could well understand that voice crooning, beckoning, to females everywhere. Thankfully, it was that thought more than any other that snapped her back to reality.

  The thought of the hundreds of other women who had fallen under his spell; the thought of that beautiful voice and sensually caressing hands being used on hordes of other women, was better than a bucket of cold water.

  Chloe pulled herself back. Samuel still retained hold of her body, but his lips were thankfully not connected anymore.

  “I need to be heading back to Dominic’s cabin. I have to call Mary, leave her a message to say I’ve arrived safely.”

  “Call her from here.”

  Chloe rolled her eyes and dodged out of his embrace. Samuel was a heady temptation, she needed the fresh air to cool her off.

  “Sure. Have your number come up on her cell phone’s caller ID. I don’t think so.”

  She could feel the weight of Samuel’s stare on her back as she crossed the room to pick up her backpack. Seeing the messed up bed sheets as she passed back by the bed made her blush.

  Even though he couldn’t have been asleep for that long, as it had only been less than two hours since she had last seen him, she felt that strange sensation of having woken the sleeping wolf in his lair.

  Maybe if she could simply get out of here and sort her screaming hormones out, she could start to relax again. Briefly, she wondered if she had packed her vibrator and spare batteries.

  As she scooped up her bag, mentally running through what she had packed, and then unpacked, it took a moment for Samuel pulling on a sweater and sneakers to register.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Putting on sneakers and a sweater. It’s a bit nippy outside.”

  “Don’t be stupid, you’re not coming with me.”

  Samuel raised an eyebrow cockily.

  “Of course I am. Dominic would have my head if I simply let you run wild outside alone. A gentleman always escorts his lady home, or so Artemais and William have always insisted.”

  “But—”

  “Besides, there’s a shortcut I can show you. It’s not precisely a track, but your car will get through it with no problems if I drive.”

  Chloe sighed. Arguing with him would only delay them longer. “And you can walk back by yourself?”

  Samuel grinned cheekily. Instead of answering yes or no, he simply stated, “It’s only a little over a mile.”

  Satisfied she could withstand any further seduction attempts, Chloe nodded and slung her backpack over her shoulder. She was tired and hated sleeping through the day. If she didn’t get to bed really soon, the dawn would crack before she crawled into bed and sleep would become impossible.

  “Then lead on, Macduff.”

  “Ooh, Shakespeare. Be careful, little girl, or you might just turn me on.”

  Chloe laughed and rolled her eyes, slamming the door shut behind them.

  Chapter Three

  Chloe cringed at how easily Mary’s keys turned the lock in her real f
ront door. Dominic must have fixed the lock after all. Chloe sighed; she could be such a moron sometimes. She must be more tired than she realized.

  Swinging the door open, she turned around, slightly breathless at the nearness of Samuel and his large body.

  “Thanks for the escort. I think I can take it from here.”

  Switching on the hall light, she illuminated the foyer and main room. From the front door, she could see the kitchen and living room, and the small hall that led into the bedrooms.

  Turning back with a firm smile planted on her face, she looked up to Samuel. He was studying her, his eyes roving over her face as if searching for something. She started mentally reciting French conjugation, determined not to let a speck of the lust she felt show in her eyes.

  His deep blue eyes glowed with a heat and hunger. Chloe wondered if French conjugation was enough to keep the insane feelings of lust out of her eyes and mind.

  Samuel leaned forward, and planted a soft kiss on her cheek. She felt heat swell up inside her again. How the hell does he do this to me? One tiny caress and I simply melt inside?

  Chloe pressed her lips together, determined not to moan or give herself away in any other way. As he pulled back, she could see the male amusement in his eyes.

  “I assume you’ll want to go on some long walks tomorrow morning, to aid your contemplation and search, right?”

  Frowning at the mental jumps needed to following his reasoning, Chloe simply nodded. “Probably, though not too early as it’s rather close to dawn right now. Why?”

  “I’ll come by around breakfast time, lead you around. An unwary little girl could get lost in these big woods. We wouldn’t want a big bad wolf to gobble you all up, now would we?”

  Chloe stepped back, so she stood fully inside the cabin.

  “The only big bad wolf around these parts is you, Mr. Rutledge. I’m not afraid of you, Samuel. Neither am I one of your stupid groupie girls, desperate to fall neatly into the palm of your hand. Sure. Come by tomorrow, or rather today, around nine. We can go on a nice long walk, and then you can leave me alone for the rest of the day. Deal?”