Nighttime at Willow Bay (10 page)

“I
’m not most men, darling.”

Her breathing slowed. “That’s right. You’re a werewolf.”

“I am.”

“Could you…show me? Could you shift?”

“What? Now?”

“Well, yeah! You already deprived me of seeing a merman and centaur.”

“Naomi.”

“C’mon, what’s the harm? Unless you’re scared.”

He blinked. Scared? The little vixen was trying him. He walked a little ahead of her, and started to strip.

“What are you doing
?”

“I got to undress first, darling.”

“Oh.” They both looked at each other, and Naomi was the first to look away. A bright blush burned her pretty dark skin. A minute later, he had undressed and had shifted into a great American gray wolf. When he yelped for Naomi to turn around, she turned and her eyes became huge.

“Wow,” she said. “You’re big.”

He snorted, and padded closer, lowering his head submissively. He didn’t want to frighten her. He frightened most people. Eventually her hand reached out and patted his head.

“Your fur is so silky.”

Lord, her hands were soft and her face so pretty. In his wolf form, he could smell every bit of her honey scent, and it was driving him insane.

“It must be amazing to have the ability to shift.”

He couldn’t resist licking her thighs.

“You are so freaky
, Jory.”

His laugh came out as a chortle.

“Was that a laugh?”

He chortled again.

“I’m getting sick and tired of you laughing at me, Jory.” Before he knew it, she was reaching behind him to give his rear a solid smack. “Now
you’re
the one getting spanked.”

Enough.

She was a bold little vixen who had to be taught a lesson.

In a flash of light, he shifted back into his human form
, and crowded her space, not caring that he was naked. Then he took her in his arms. He had to have her.

Chapter T
hirteen

His hand slipped inside her shirt and down her sides.

“Oh!” she squeaked. “
You’re naked. And touching me. And touching, my jelly rolls!”

“Be still,” he ordered. For a moment, he massaged her back and
sides loving the exquisite moans that came from her. Deciding to test her resolve even more, his hands roamed upward to cup a breast.

She tensed, but didn’t push away
.

“Naomi
---”

“Just kiss me.”

Well, when she put it that way.  Ryder framed her face with his hands, and leaned down, stopping just before his lips touched her mouth. It felt good. The anticipation. The sexual heat swirling between them.

Her hands gripped his biceps, fingers digging into his muscle
s. Her breath came out in airy spurts. Yeah, she wanted him.

Unable to hold out any longer, he kissed her. She tasted of honey and jerky. A tangy sweet aphrodisiac. He
’d never get enough.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and tilted her h
ead to the side so that he could go deeper. He did. His hands gripped her ass and he pulled her closer. His cock was on fire. He needed to be inside of her. Now. He reached for the fly of her jeans, and she pulled back. It seemed to be a habit of hers.

“Wait…um…” She was panting, her eyes glossed over.
Drawing her first real look at his naked form, she gawked at him for several minutes. Pride flooded his system. He knew he was bigger than most. He spread his arms out wide, so she could look her fill.

“This is not good
,” she mumbled.

“Come here, Naomi.”

“No, let’s just think about this.”

Ryder licked his
lips. Took a deep breath. Hell. “Are you still with him?”

“What?”

“Malcolm. Are you still with him?”

“No,” she hissed. “I told you
, he’s my ex.”

“Then what’s stopping you?
I’m standing in the nude here, darling.”

Her eyes widened. “
I can see that… Oh, put some clothes on already!”

Amused by her reaction, he stalked to his stack of clothes and dressed quickly. Then he returned to her and
grumbled.

“
Ryder, when we kiss,” she started, waving her hands distractedly in the air, “something happens---”

“It’s the
intense heat all mates experience.”

Her hands froze.
“You’re joking, right?”

“Wish I were, sweetheart.”

Her hands dropped. She shook her head. “That doesn’t make sense.”

“It takes you over, Naomi.  There’s no control.  It’s all consuming and it won’t
lessen until we consummate the union.”             

“Consummate?”

“Fuck. Till we fuck.”

She only stared at him
, her eyes clouded over with suspicion. “
Of course.
Until we fuck. How appropriate.”

“Naomi
---”

“Typical male…”

“No,” he gritted. She wouldn’t do this again. Categorize him with every male that had done her wrong. They’d been through too much.

“Naomi, I’m being honest. It’s the only way to lessen the effects. Clearly I would tell you another way if there was another way.”
             

“Oh, yes, clearly you would.”

Ignoring her sarcasm, he drudged on. “I care for you, Naomi…but I won’t press you.” He kissed her cheek.  “I want you to come to me willingly, or not at all.” 

He never gave her the opportunity to respond. He just walked around her and pressed on.

~  ~  ~  ~  ~

He really was something, Naomi thought, frowning as she walked a bit ahead of Ryder. Just like a man to think a good screw solved everything. Sure, he was absolutely gorgeous, with his blond hair and pale eyes, and mountain of a body, not to mention that tight ass! But was she ready to jump into another relationship? She walked on, thinking. No, she was not ready to jump into another relationship.

And sex would only lead to another relationship, right? Hmmm, she wasn’t so sure. Maybe, maybe not. Either way, it would mean something to Ryder who believed in this life mates nonsense.

As she walked on, she recounted his words.
I want you to come to me willingly, or not at all.
Who did he think he was…saying something…something…so sexy? The nerve! A rebellious voice inside her spoke.
You liked it.
No, I didn’t.
Yes, you did. Plus, he’s trying to respect you.
Oh, shut up.
He’s not being overbearing. He’s setting clear boundaries.
Will you please, please, please shut up?

But come to think about it,
she did appreciate the fact that he was giving her some time to think things over. And she had to admit…she
did
want him. Let’s be real; for hours, she’d been jonesing for the werewolf! And seeing him in the nude hadn’t helped!

Naomi snatched a fire rose from a nearby tree, swallowing it whole, blushing when her body trembled
on waves of delicious heat. Fascinated, she looked around the dark forest. The place was kind of amazing: filled with mermaids, faes, centaurs and fire roses that heated you with one taste. A person could get used to it.

She followed the worn trail to a little hill, keeping sure to go at a steady pace so that Ryder could follow her.

She hoped he wasn’t still mad at her.

When she made it the small
rise, she waited for him to catch up.

“Are we near your brothers
’ property?”

“Yes,” he
answered quietly, his rough voice sounding in the night.

Naomi turned to
glance at him and caught her breath at the heated look in his eyes. He still wanted her.

“Look
, Ryder, I’m sorry I snapped at you.”

He didn’t answer.
Just watched her, silently, with those eyes. Those beautiful pale eyes that revealed all of the passion he had for her. He made her feel so protected. So cared for her. So loved.

Naomi leaned into his body heat.
What would it hurt to give in a little? Wasn’t she due for some fun? She should just go with the flow.

She put her hands on his muscular chest.

A bewildered look lit his face. “Naomi, why are you touching me?”

“I’ve decided something.” She gathered her courage. “I
’ve thought it over, and I want to consummate with you.”

“
I beg your pardon?”

“You know,” she muttered, gesturing with her hands. “What you said
before…consummate.”

H
e stared at her. Had she shocked him stupid?

“But you said
---”

“Forget what I said, Jory. You want to, or not?”

“Jesus,” he said, stepping forward to mold his body completely against hers. Big hands grabbed her behind, and his face nuzzled her neck. “The things you say.”

A silky laugh bubbled from her, and she couldn’t help but rub her hands across his wide shoulders.
“You make me say these things.”

“Do not.”

“Do too.”

“Do not.”

“Oh, shut up.” 

Ryder growled and lifted her high off the ground
. His thick length nudged her belly. Arrogant wolf, she thought, studying his handsome profile.

“Ryder, stop playing
and put me down.”

And then he was lower
ing her to the ground and kissing her. And she was wrapping her arms around his neck, and leaning into him once more, reveling in the feel of his heated body and passionate kiss. It was turning out to be the most passionate kiss they’d experience so far—on one of the most dangerous nights of her life—and she couldn’t get enough of it. The kiss. The passion. The hunger. She needed more. As if sensing her desperation, he broke the kiss and settled himself deeper between her legs.

His fingers tugged at her jeans.
He hesitated a moment.

“Just waiting for you to say stop,” h
e murmured. She laughed at his bewildered expression.

“Oh shut up
and do it already.”

He got back to fooling with the jeans
, eagerly yanking down the zipper.  “I’ve wanted to pull these damn jeans off of you for quite some time now,” he groaned. “Can’t believe I’m getting the opportunity.”

“If you keep on talking, you won’t
get
the opportunity, white boy.”

A low chuckled sounded from him. “
All right, all right.”

He
slid her jeans down her legs. Next came the undies.

A cool
breeze encircled her legs. The grass felt prickly against her skin.

H
e touched her thighs.  “Damn, so pretty.”

“Do you really like my
…body?”

H
e peered at her. “Is a wolf a meat eater?”

Naomi laughed. “So demented,
my sweet wolf
.”

His hands slid between her thighs and she gasped.

“Ryder…”

Lightly, he touched her
sensitive clit, his fingers massaging the swollen flesh. Naomi couldn’t catch her breath. Lord, he was doing something to her. If it was at all possible, she sank deeper into a cloud of pleasure. Her eyes closed, body rocked. He was torturing her, with his little ministrations.

“God, you’re so responsive
, baby.”

Her lashes lifted. He felt so good over her.
His knees parted her legs wider, and he fooled with his jeans buckle, before settling himself more deeply between them. She ran her fingers through his hair, her lips sucking in his mouth. He moaned into her mouth, bent his head to her breasts, and started suckling her large breasts through her shirt. It felt so good. So needed. She had never been touched this way.

Her ex had
often called her a frigid bitch because sometimes she cringed at his touch. But Ryder’s touch, his raw desire…was melting all of her reservations.

“God, I need you, Ryder.
Please.
” She felt his cock pressed against her thigh. Her eyes went wide. Lord, the man was large, very impressive. Naomi bit her lip and buried her face in his neck.  Two seconds later, he pushed inside of her, and a sweet pain traveled down her spine.

She froze. Heaved in a breath.
Hell.
He was huge.