Autumn Sacrifice (2 page)

She’d been avoiding uncomfortable conversations all night. The guys, of course, wanted to know what was up with her father. Frankly, she was stunned that they didn’t seem to have a clue. After all, their abilities and her lack thereof were one of the main reasons she’d left in the first place. Was it possible they hadn’t figured it out?

It seemed unlikely that they hadn’t, but she’d never told them about the problems between her and her father. She didn’t want them to feel guilty for his interest in them. Especially, since their mother had had no clue what to do with a house full of shifters, and their dad had taken off when they were little. Maybe her father hadn’t mentioned the difficulties he had with her either. If that was the case, she certainly wasn’t going to tell them now.

As she continued walking, the sand and rocks beneath her feet gave way to sand and dying plant life as she moved closer to the tree line. Taking a deep breath, she let the damp lake air tinged with pine fill her. The scent almost brought tears to her eyes. Nothing in Southern California smelled like this. It was all saltwater, sunscreen and money.

When she’d left Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, she’d chosen the west coast because it had seemed like the farthest place she could go to get away from her father without actually leaving the country. It also ended up being a great place to launch her art career. Thanks to contacts she’d made, she’d broken into the children’s book market much quicker than she would have if she’d stayed here. Of course, if she’d stayed here, she might have ended up married to Caleb or one of his brothers and giving birth to the next generation of shifters. It was certainly what her father had been pushing her toward.

She wasn’t sure, but she suspected that most fathers would have been worried with three men showing an interest in their daughter. Nope. Not Joe Alten. He’d let her know that he’d approve of a union with any one of the men as long as she could provide a grandchild or two that inherited shifter abilities. The last thing she was about to do was give her father another misguided opportunity for wish fulfillment by sacrificing her dreams for his. Besides, she’d never been sure if they’d actually been interested in her or if they’d been encouraged to pursue her.

“I thought you were going to save me a dance.”

Heart in her throat, she whirled around at the sound of Caleb’s voice. Either she was completely oblivious to the world around her or he was too damn good at moving silently. She suspected the latter.

“You scared the hell out of me.”

His lips quirked upward, a secretive smile playing across his face. “Sorry.”

He didn’t look at all repentant.

“So were you planning on taking off without saying goodbye?” he asked.

“I wasn’t taking off. I just needed some air.”

“Uh-huh.”

“What?” she asked, unable to help the defensiveness in her tone.

“I think that you’ve been looking for an excuse to leave since you got here. It’s been even more apparent since we ran into your dad.” He leaned back against the trunk of a huge birch, and the nearly full moon showed through the trees, glinting off the inky black of his hair. Her fingers itched to run through it, but she pushed aside the urge.

He crossed his arms over his chest. “You wanna tell me what that was about?”

Her stomach knotted, and she smoothed her hands over her skirt. “Not particularly.”

“Funny. Your dad said the same thing.”

Maybe her father at least felt some guilt. Or maybe he just didn’t want to own up to subpar parenting. Either way, it looked as if he wasn’t any more interested in dragging Caleb and his brothers into their messed up father-daughter relationship than she was. That was just fine with her.

“Look, it’s no secret that your relationship sucks,” he said.

“Thank you, Dr. Phil.”

“But,” he added, clearly ignoring her. “It might help to talk about it.”

“I’m good.”

A comfortable silence stretched out between them, and she marveled at how easy it was to pick up where they’d left off. They’d always been pretty good friends in spite of everything. However, “friends” didn’t really cover the thoughts she’d been having about him since seeing him again that afternoon. She needed to get out of that mindset right now. As much as she might want to, she wasn’t about to have a fling with Caleb.

Shaking his head, Caleb pushed off the tree and prowled toward her. “You still owe me that dance.”

She laughed, the earlier nervousness returning. “Out here?”

“Why not? We can hear the music.” He snaked an arm around her waist and pulled her flush against him. Holding her closely, he swayed to the beat of the song. “Are you seeing someone in California?”

It was hard to think when she was pressed against a wall of hard muscle and wanted nothing more than to melt against him. And there was no mistaking the erection pushing against her. Her good intentions were fading fast. What would it hurt? She was leaving in a couple days, and Caleb didn’t do serious when it came to relationships. For as long as they’d known each other, he’d never had a relationship that lasted longer than a few weeks. She highly doubted that had changed in her absence. Finally, she managed to shake her head. “No. I’m not seeing anyone.”

The secretive smile was back, curving his lips ever so slightly as he peered down at her. “Good.”

Chapter Two

Caleb stared down at the woman in his embrace. Slowly, she lifted her arms to circle his neck and began to move with him. In the light of the nearly full moon, he could see the soft gray of her eyes as she watched him warily. If she had any idea what he was thinking right now, she’d be halfway across the country before he knew what hit him.

When he’d sat next to her at the wedding and caught a whiff of her scent, he’d known. He’d known she was his mate. He’d been surprised that he hadn’t realized it years ago. But he’d just been coming into his power and could barely control his shifts, let alone recognize a mate. There had been a few other shifters in the area, but none that he and his brothers had had any kind of personal relationship with. Luckily, he and his brothers had had her father to help them through the adjustment. Though Joe wasn’t a shifter, his father had been, and he was able to help them cope with all the difficult changes.

A slight breeze blew Brenna’s hair, and he caught the scent of vanilla and spice. It took almost all the control he possessed not to bury his fingers in the long, dark auburn strands and hold her head steady as he devoured her mouth. He managed to restrain himself, though. Barely. The restraint vanished as soon as she dragged her fingers through his hair and down the back of his neck. It was the tiniest caress, and yet, it sent need racing through his blood.

Any pretense of dancing ended as he slid his hand up her back and fisted his fingers in her hair at the base of her skull. The action drew a surprised gasp from her parted lips. Her gaze dropped to his mouth. For a moment, he thought she was about to close the distance between them, but her eyes flitted up to meet his then darted away as if she’d lost her nerve.

“Bren…” It was all he could choke out. He wanted her so badly. The scent of her arousal mixed with the warmth of her skin and her light perfume. Combined, it nearly swamped his senses.

At the sound of her name, her tongue darted out to moisten her lips, and she lifted her eyes to his, making contact. She continued to hold his gaze as he lowered his head, finally closing her eyes as he claimed her mouth. He’d intended to make the kiss gentle, to tease her lips open so he could taste her. But the road to hell was paved with good intentions, and he just tossed down another paving stone. Slanting his lips over hers, he delved inside her mouth. Wine and her sweet flavor assailed him as he deepened the kiss.

Hunger, sharp and needy, twisted his gut as he backed her against the trunk of a huge tree. A soft moan slipped from her mouth to his as he fitted her curves against his body. She gripped his hair and angled his head, kissing him as if she wanted him as fiercely as he wanted her. He needed to slow down, to tell her she was his mate, but he couldn’t find the words. When she slid her hands across his back and slipped her hands beneath the fabric of his shirt, stroking his overheated skin, he was lost to her touch. He groaned as her cool fingers moved, skimming over his stomach, brushing the button on his waistband, making him wish she’d just unfasten the damn thing already and take him in her hand.

Instead, she smoothed her touch upward and slowly unknotted his tie before tugging his shirt buttons free from their holes. Breaking the kiss, she leaned forward and pressed her lips to his chest. The feel of her hot breath on his skin tightened his balls, and his hips jerked against hers. Her breathing turned ragged, coming out in strangled little bursts as the flesh of his nipple tightened against her lips. Trailing her fingers around the waistband of his pants, she drove his need higher. She flicked her tongue over the sensitive nub then scraped her teeth across it as he stifled a groan. His frayed control nearly snapped.

In a move so fast, Brenna felt rather than saw it, Caleb grabbed her wrists and pinned her arms to the tree above her head. Breathing heavily, he stood back and stared at her. In the light of the moon, she saw that his eyes were no longer dark brown but shot through with gold as his wolf rose to the surface.

That realization should have terrified her, but it didn’t. Inexplicably, it aroused her even more to know that his primitive nature had bled that close to release. She half-heartedly tugged at his hold on her, but she could tell it was pointless. He’d let her go when he was good and ready. Or, she suspected, if she asked. But she wasn’t about to do that. She didn’t understand it, but the prospect of being at his mercy was a huge turn on. She’d never wanted to be helpless before.

Caleb leaned in close and nuzzled her neck, inhaling in a way that sent shivers down her spine. “I can smell your arousal,” he murmured against her ear.

She clenched her thighs together instinctively at his words.

“I can feel the heat rising off your skin.” He nipped at the side of her neck. “I can tell how wet you are even without touching you.”

Straightening, he stared down at her, his eyes slowly traveling the lines of her body. With his free hand, he traced the outline of her mouth with his fingertip. When he ran it across the seam, she parted her lips and drew the tip into her mouth, holding his gaze while she sucked. She couldn’t help the smile that curved her lips when he shuddered and closed his eyes.

Pulling his finger from her mouth, he dragged it down the center of her sternum, his hand coming to rest between her breasts. Her nipples hardened in anticipation of his touch. Even in the falling darkness, he seemed to notice, his gaze focused on her chest.

“I need to see you,” he murmured, his voice rough. He quickly undid the buttons of her blouse, pushing the fabric aside until her lace-covered breasts were bared.

She felt his sharp inhalation deep in the pit of her stomach and her pussy clenched—empty and aching. Pressing against her, pelvis to pelvis, he held her tightly to the tree. The solid ridge of his cock pressed into her cleft. It was impossible not to rub against him. She couldn’t ever remember wanting a man as badly as she wanted Caleb. And so far, the reality was shooting her adolescent fantasies all to hell.

He drew her hands down below her head and guided them to wrap behind her, around the tree. “Keep them here.” He trailed hot kisses along her collarbone.

Unable to help herself, she lifted her arms and buried her fingers in his hair. Raising his head, he met her gaze, his eyes bright with mischief. “Such a naughty little brat.”

The childhood nickname should have sounded all wrong in this context, but with the desire coursing through her body and the rough need evident in his voice, it didn’t. Oh God, it
really
didn’t. At all.

Yanking his tie free from his shirt, he quickly bound one of her wrists with it, moving around the tree to secure her other one. He stood back and stared at her. She tugged at her arms, feeling the sudden need to cover herself, but there was no getting loose.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a prettier sight.”

The heat in his voice coiled in her middle. Her panties grew wetter as she squirmed against the tree.

Resting his hands on the upper swell of her hips, he brushed his thumbs over her belly sending goose bumps chasing along her skin. He skimmed his palms upward along her ribcage and over the outer curves of her breasts. The way her arms were pinned behind her thrust her chest forward like an offering to the man in front of her.

It took forever, but finally, he cupped them. His big, rough hands caught at the lace as she tried to push herself more fully into his touch, but he wouldn’t be hurried. He teased her tightly budded nipples, pinching and tugging on them as she bit her lip, trying to hold back her whimpers of pleasure. The last thing she needed was anyone from the reception hearing her and deciding to investigate.

Caleb’s fingers deftly unfastened the front closure of her bra and pushed aside the cups, baring her to his gaze. “Christ, you’re beautiful.”

He’d said it so quietly, she wasn’t sure the words were even meant for her. Lowering his head, he pulled an aching nipple into the scalding heat of his mouth. It was almost impossible to keep from crying out, but she managed it. Somehow.