Commando Cowboys Entice Their Beauty [Wyoming Warriors 6] (10 page)

He reluctantly followed her down the front walk to the sandy road. “A short walk,” he grumbled. “This isn’t safe with all the enemies around. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“What about yourself?”

“I’m a man. I can manage without anyone’s help.”

Frustration and anger went straight up her spine to fill her head. She thought her brain might explode and spatter all over him. “A typical male response.” She shifted into her cheetah and circled him, growling.

Raoul laughed. He changed, and the silver wolf started to stalk her.

“You can’t keep up with me.”
Jewel raised her head and took off, racing across the open field.

* * * *

He tried to catch her, but she stayed a blur in front of him.
Damn the woman. I wanted a quiet afternoon making love. Not to be out in the open, racing across a field.
But he thought about his actions and her response
. I know she’s attracted to me.

Stupid. Of course, she has to get rid of the stress from this day.
He’d seen her tense muscles, hands held tight, and at least once she had tears in her eyes.

She wasn’t ready to snuggle. He’d pushed her to run off. But he knew just what to do when she returned. His hunger for her had made him look like a jerk. He’d repair the damage when she got back from her run. Raoul headed back, shifted, and went into the cabin and left the door open. He lay on the couch and closed his eyes but stayed on the alert.

When he smelled her scent, he shape-shifted into his wolf and waited behind the door. Jewel walked in hesitantly. He hoped she wouldn’t be hesitant much longer about him, if his plan worked.

Raoul sheathed his claws, stepped from behind the door, and playfully swung a paw at her. Soon they were tumbling across the floor. She leapt to the back of the couch. He stayed on the floor and growled at her. She switched to her small cat and jumped around him to the chair.

Raoul shifted back. “You’re tired.”

She nodded her tiny kitten head. He picked her up and rubbed her fur. She cuddled in the curve of his arm.

“All right, sweetheart, shift back. I’ve learned my lesson. We’ll go at your pace.” Her lilac eyes stared at him. He put her on the floor, and she shifted.

“I’m going to take a quick shower, then I need to eat,” Jewel said.

“I’ll go to my cabin two doors down and shower. We have steaks in the fridge. I’ll start our grill. Will you join me?”

“As soon as I’m cleaned up.”

Raoul pulled her close and kissed her lips. Then he held her in his arms and felt her heart beating fast against his chest. She tasted sweet and her body was soft. He wanted to cuddle with her and protect her. She brought out a softer side of him he never knew existed. As he let her go, he kissed the top of her head then he turned and took long strides out the door and along the road to his cabin. He called Aleron and gave him a brief report on what had happened. “You’re right about me always being too impatient. Can you give us the rest of the evening? We’ll meet you at the gym for the contest at midnight.”

“Sure, I can do that. Rae invited me to dinner, and Lann has joined us. So it’ll be a good evening for me also. See you later.” Aleron clicked off.

Raoul quickly showered, started the fire, and walked back to Jewel’s. He didn’t want her walking on her own, even if she was probably the fastest shape-shifter at the ranch.

She was coming out her door when he got to her walkway. “I thought I’d come meet you halfway, but I should have known ladies take longer than men getting ready. My sisters always did.”

“What are we having for dinner besides steak?”

“Is food all you think about?” He kept his voice light so she’d know he was teasing.

“It’s all I can think about after a long run.”

Raoul shook his head. “You are some kind of fast. It’s embarrassing my wolf couldn’t keep up.”

She hugged his arm. “I like your playful mood. It was fun tumbling around and swatting at each other.”

“Aleron says I’m much too impatient. But in my own defense I have to admit I’ve wanted to make love to you since I first saw you at your cabin in Oregon. We were there for Garth to see Rae and for us to protect her. But once I spotted you I wasn’t able to get you out of my mind.”

“I do understand and appreciate your going at my pace for our getting to know each other, but I expect dinner on the table quickly,” she said as they entered his cabin.

“Salad mix is in the refrigerator. Would you take care of it? I threw two potatoes in the oven before I showered. I’ll grill the steaks, and we’ll eat.”

Jewel went straight into the kitchen, found a bowl, and got the lettuce and other ingredients out of the fridge. She started cutting and mixing.

Raoul took the steaks out to the grill. He’d glanced back at her as he went out the door. Her frilly white blouse was a contrast to her sparkling hair. Tight jeans curved around her sweet ass. His cock came to attention, again.
Down, boy, we have to listen to the lady and take a slower pace even if it hurts.

* * * *

A sense of peace had settled in Jewel. Her secret was out to quite a few people, and she hadn’t had any negative reactions thus far. Jewel had seen the worry on her father’s face. She knew he wouldn’t feel completely relieved until all the people were aware she was a shifter and accepted her.

Finding two men who loved her and were determined to protect her made Jewel feel safe. She’d gotten much closer to both of them in the past few days. They’d accepted her immediately as a shape-shifter and they were open about their feelings regarding her. She’d been surprised Raoul had agreed to slow down. This gave her a chance to see another side of him.

Jewel thought she might like a threesome marriage with them. As she’d told her dad, she wanted to be herself and have what she saw her other friends had, husbands and a home. The idea of Raoul and Aleron loving her was exciting, but to wed them meant forever. Would their marriage last, or might jealousy break them apart? They were all three shape-shifters. She hadn’t heard of that type of union before. In Rae’s marriage there was only one shifter, Garth.

“I thought you wanted to eat. You’re standing here staring into space, and I have the steaks and potatoes done.” Raoul held up the plate with the steaks and went to get the spuds out of the oven.

“I’m almost finished. You have the two items I’m most interested in.”

“Keep cutting those vegetables for the salad. They’re good for you.”

“Yes, Mother.”

Raoul came behind her and nuzzled her neck. She shivered and laughed then pulled away. “I’m ticklish.”

“Oh, honey, you should never have told me that secret.” His gray eyes glistened like silver. “We’re going to have more fun after dinner.”

“Not if you can’t catch me,” she teased.

Once the salad was done, Raoul poured them each a glass of dark red wine. He sat and raised his glass. “To us and Aleron. May we be happy and fruitful.”

“Fruitful?”

“Don’t you want children?”

“In a few years. My painting is my baby for now.”

“Hmmm, we’ll change your mind. You can have both. We’ll hire someone to help with the children.”

“Maybe. I haven’t decided if I want to get married.”

She saw the flash of disappointment in his eyes. “Have you thought about the fact we know of no other shape-shifters in a three-way marriage where they’re all shifters? How do we know our animals won’t get jealous?”

“That’s only because there hasn’t been a female shape-shifter for the shifters to wed.”

“Do you know what might have happened to send my great-grandmother and my grandmother into hiding?” Jewel took a bite of her steak. It was so good. She ate quickly, not realizing at first that Raoul hadn’t answered her question.

“Most of us know, and it was a shameful time for our tribe.”

“Will you tell me?” Jewel asked.

“If you promise to keep an open mind.”

Jewel studied him. His body had tensed, and his eyes were a smoky gray. He held his lips firm and tight together. This wasn’t something he wanted to disclose.

“I’ll try and keep my mind open. I think I deserve the answer as it affected my mother’s life.”

“Enjoy your meal. We’ll talk afterward.”

Jewel cleaned her plate in record time. “I was starving. You’re a good cook.”

Raoul grinned. “That was the extent of my cooking repertoire.”

“I’ll clean up.”

“No,” Raoul said. “We’ll dump it all in the dishwasher and have an after-dinner drink by the fireplace. Then, if you insist, I’ll tell you what happened to the women shifters in our tribe when my great-grandparents were alive.”

They both loaded the dishwasher, and Jewel went into the great room to sit in front of the fire. Raoul followed with two small bowl-shaped glasses with golden liquid in the bottom.

“Cognac, I hope you like brandy.”

“I do. Thank you.” Jewel sipped her drink. Raoul looked uneasy and unhappy. She put her glass down on a nearby table and went to him. He looked up at her in surprise. “Can I sit in your lap?”

“Anytime, sweetheart.” He placed his goblet to the side and opened his arms. Then, when she sat down, he enclosed her in his embrace.

She took a long breath of his scent and kissed his neck. His arms tightened.

“What are we doing here? I have to warn you, you’re playing with fire.”

Jewel glanced at his face. “Would it be easier to talk after we cuddle a bit?”

“I don’t think anything’s going to make it easier, but I’d like to do it that way.”

“Then let’s have our talk later.”

Raoul didn’t wait for her to say more. He held her against his body. Her head lay against his shoulder. Raoul ran his fingers through her hair. “This is your most striking feature. I’ve never seen hair with such a mixture of colors, blonde, gold, and strands of red and dark brown. When you shift into your kitten no one can resist picking you up and petting you.”

“I know. In the past I’ve seldom shifted beyond my cheetah. I don’t like people I’m not close to touching me. This whole day has been stressful. I’m glad it’s over.”

“But you’re relaxed now, I hope.”

“Oh, yes. The dinner was delicious and I’m enjoying seeing another side to you.”

“To be truthful, I didn’t think I had another side. You make me want to be gentle, to slow down, and to listen to what you’re saying. I can’t promise I’ll always remember to be this way with you. We’ll probably still butt heads at times.” He lifted her and laid her on the soft rug in front of the fireplace.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“Relax. I’m just going to let you get used to me touching your body and me lying close to you. Say stop anytime you want.”

His fingers slid along the side of her face and outlined her lush lips. She snapped her teeth at him and they laughed together. Leaning down he kissed all along the side of her face, then her eyebrows, her eyelashes, and the edge of her jaw. A soft warmth spread from the center of her chest outward
.

I’m falling in love with him and Aleron and it isn’t a slow fall. I’m tumbling right into their arms. I’ve been feeling the same responses to them that they had to me, but I’m so used to denying my real feelings I automatically did the same with them. Today freed me in more ways than letting people know I’m a shifter. It freed me to look at love as a possibility.

“Jewel, are you all right?” Raoul’s worried face looked down at her. “I’ve spoken to you several times and you didn’t respond.”

“I’m fine. I was deep in thought. Sorry.”

Raoul’s familiar grin make her heart beat faster. “I thought I must be losing my touch.” He wriggled his eyebrows at her.

“Not at all. I think I’d like you to make love to me.”

“You have to be sure. I’m not going to push you this time.”

She studied his face that was becoming so dear to her. “I’m sure.”

With one quick swipe her loose blouse was off and on a chair. Next came her bra, and then her shoes, pants, and panties.

Jewel giggled. “You are fast.”

“I didn’t want to give you a chance to change your mind. Remember I’ve been starving a long time.” He stood and removed his clothes.

Firelight played across his long, lean body. His silver-blond hair shone in the flickering light. She soaked in the sight of his six-pack, and his large cock curved toward his flat abdomen. He was beautiful in a totally male way.

He lay to her side and ran his hand through her hair, along her neck and shoulder, then cupped her breast nearest to him. His hand was rough but gentle and his thumb raked across her pebbled nipple. She sighed.

Moving closer, he straddled her body and caressed both breasts. He took his time kissing her nipples then blowing on them, sending an ache straight to her pussy.

She urged him forward so she could touch and explore his cock. He was soft and hard. He had risen on his knees, where she could put her hand around his girth. She cupped his sac and heard a low growl. Glancing up, she gave him a quick grin and then, bending her head, took him in her mouth.