Private Release (8 page)

She cocked an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

“I didn’t use protection.”

Her mouth formed a perfect O and then she bit her lip. “Should I be worried, I mean other than pregnancy?”

“No. I haven’t been with anyone in a year.”

“Okay, well thanks for letting me know.”

“If I get you pregnant—”

She pressed her fingers against his lips. “I can’t get pregnant the natural way.” There was a sadness to her voice. “When I was shot, one of my ovaries was destroyed and the other is lazy. If I wanted to have a baby, it would take some work.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

She shrugged. “What’s done is done. Thank you for telling me though. I appreciate your honesty.”

Jared sat and ran his fingers through his hair.

Honesty.

He wasn’t being honest with her at all.

“Are you hungry?” he asked.

“Starving,” she said.

He turned and kissed her on the tip of her nose. “Stay here and I’ll bring you a snack. Don’t move.”

He left her bedroom and padded naked across his apartment. He didn’t care if any of his people caught him at the moment. Jared washed his hands and then pulled out some cheese, some fruit and crackers for an impromptu picnic in Adele’s bed. On his way past the wine fridge he pulled out an ice wine Gordon had given him. It was from a winery in Niagara-On-The-Lake in Ontario. He picked up two wineglasses, a corkscrew and headed back to Adele’s room.

She was waiting for him, sitting upright, propped up by the pillows. A sheet was covering her now.

“That simply won’t do,” he teased as he set the tray on the bed.

“What’s that?”

“You. Covered.”

Adele grinned. “Maybe I don’t want to spill anything.”

“If you spill something I can always lick it off.”

She let the sheet drop and his cock stirred again at the sight of her breasts. He handed her a wineglass and popped the cork on the bottle, pouring her the white wine, which fogged up the glass in her hand.

“Smells wonderful.” She swirled the wine in the glass and then took a sip. “It’s sweet.”

“It’s ice wine. Gordon sent it to me.”

Adele took another sip. “He always had good taste.”

“It’s too sweet for me.” Jared took a piece of cheese.

“You’re more of a smoky oak man?”

“No,” he said. “I’m more a beer man.”

Adele chuckled and took a cracker. “That doesn’t surprise me in the least.”

They ate everything on the platter and finished off the bottle. By the time the wine was done there was a red flush to Adele’s cheeks. It had obviously gotten to her.

“You’re a cheap drunk,” he teased.

“I never used to be. I’m out of practice.”

Jared laughed again and set the platter, glasses and empty bottle on the dresser before returning to bed. Adele was lying flat on her back, her hair fanning out behind her like an ebony halo. He could so take advantage of her, but he wouldn’t. It was Adele. He’d never hurt her. Her eyes twinkled in the shadows of the bedroom. He propped himself up on one elbow to gaze at her. “What are you grinning about?” he asked.

“You.” She reached out and pulled him down, capturing his mouth in an urgent kiss. “I want you again.”

“You’re drunk.”

“Not drunk enough to not know that I want you. Badly.” She kissed him again, her tongue pushing past his lips, her body arching up toward his. “Make love to me.”

Jared groaned. He should stop himself. He knew he should, but he couldn’t help himself when it came to Adele.

He was a lost man.

Her head slightly pounded. She dozed off after another bout of lovemaking with Jared but she wasn’t hung over. She knew exactly what had happened after they finished their snack and the wine. She was lucid when she pulled him to her and asked him to make love to her over and over again. Even though she knew she shouldn’t, she just couldn’t help herself when it came to Jared.

“We have to stop doing this,” Adele said, even though she didn’t regret what happened between them. Not in the least. She also didn’t want to stop, but she wasn’t his girlfriend, she was a contracted employee. He was her client.

“Why?” he asked. Jared was leaning on one elbow, looking down at her. His eyes were sparkling and there was a growth of ginger stubble on his chin. He was running his fingers across her collarbone, making her nipples hard again.

She wished she could stay in bed with him for the rest of her life. It’d been a long time since she felt so safe and secure, when she wasn’t afraid of the night. Sure she lived on her own, but at night she slept with the light on.

Of course she didn’t tell her sister that. Thank God her apartment had hydro included or she could only imagine her electric bill.

“What’re you thinking about?” He pressed his lips against her forehead.

“Nothing.” She moved her head. “I’m serious, Jared, we can’t do this anymore.”

I shouldn’t have let it get this far. I can’t let myself feel for him.

“I don’t think that’s possible for me,” he whispered, his hot breath fanning her neck.

Her heart skipped a beat and warmth spread across her chest.

Get a hold of yourself, girl.

“You hardly know me.”

Jared grinned. “I know you enough.”

“What do you know if you know me enough?”

“I know what makes you quiver.”

Now she was intrigued. “Oh?”

Jared pulled the sheet away, his gaze hungry as he stared at the juncture of her thighs and licked his lips. Her heart began to race as he knelt between her legs, his hands cupping her ass as he lifted her up.

He placed a kiss against her thigh, making her blood flame. “I know you like this.”

“Really?” Her voice hitched in her throat. “Show me more.”

His fingers stroked her folds. “I know you love it when I touch you here.”

“Yes. I do. More.”

He dragged his tongue up her slit to find her clit. The tip of his tongue flicked and then circled around her. Adele undulated her hips and only wished she could move them faster.

Jared’s lips closed over her clit, sucking it and she cried out as her orgasm shook her body and she dug her nails into the sheet, her legs weak, her body flooding with endorphins. When she relaxed, she opened one eye to see Jared leaning over her, a smug smile plastered across his face.

“Well, do I know you well enough?”

“Just,” she teased.

* * * * *

There was no way he could marry Cassandra. Just. No. Fucking. Way. It would be a marriage in name only. Jared knew deep down he’d never be able to claim her, or mark her as his mate.

He only wanted Adele.

Fuck.

He was going to be responsible for the end of his father’s line. No, there was always Sheridan’s child. They could combine the two clans. Gordon had brothers aplenty to take over in Ontario. If Sheridan’s child was a boy, he was going to make his nephew the next chief. If Jared couldn’t have Adele then he was going to have no one.

“What’re you thinking about?” she teased as she sat up in bed.

“I’m thinking about going for a dip in the hot tub.”

“Hot tub?” Adele perked up. “Where’s this hot tub?”

“Outside on the terrace.”

She glanced at the large floor-to-ceiling window in the bedroom. “There’s about three feet of snow on the terrace still. Hot tub or not, I’ll freeze before I can even hobble out there. Besides, I don’t even have a swimsuit.”

Jared slipped out of bed and then walked around to the other side. “You don’t need a bathing suit and I’ll carry you.”

Adele let out a little cry and wrapped her arms around his neck. “People will see us. It’s only dusk.”

“So?”

“It’s too cold.”

Jared chuckled as he used one hand to slide open the door. “I’ll keep you nice and warm.”

“I don’t believe you.”

He chuckled, knowing that she was teasing. “If I have to prove it to you again, I’m more than willing.”

She cocked an eyebrow, but as they stepped out onto the patio she shivered as the cold air hit her skin. She wasn’t as immune to the cold as males of his kind were, especially his clansmen, who were mostly polar bears.

“It’s nipply out here,” she said through chattering teeth.

“Nipply?”

“Very.”

He laughed, and using his foot, he pressed the button to his hot tub and it immediately started to bubble. Steam was rising in thick plumes from the blue surface. He helped her in and reluctantly climbed out for a moment to turn on the lamps.

Adele was covering her breasts with her hand, even though she was up to her chin in the bubbly warmth of the water.

“You’re not cold?” she asked, eyeing his nether region, which was quite hard with no evidence of ball shrinkage as he climbed back into the hot tub.

“I don’t feel the chill. My mother always said I was a furnace.” The water was too hot for his liking, but it was perfect for Adele. He couldn’t wait to have her wet body pressed against his.

“Well, if you’re a furnace get over here.”

“As you wish.” He floated over and pulled her on his lap. She wrapped her arms around him.

“I need you to protect me from prying eyes.”

“No one will see us, but if it’s protection you want then I’ll give it to you.” He adjusted her so her legs were around his waist, the perfect angle for his cock to thrust up into her.

“What else will you give to me?” she asked, purring as she began to kiss around his jawline. “The water is giving me better range of motion.”

He kissed her neck and then nibbled where her carotid was pumping wildly. “Would you like to play some water polo?”

She laughed. “If you’re asking me if I want to ride you, then yes. I do, but no more cheesy lines.”

“Deal.” He growled against her neck as he lifted her up and then thrust into her.

Adele cried out, her nails digging into his shoulder blade painfully. Another growl rumbled into his chest. He liked the pain, it drove him wild that she was marking him as he wanted to do to her.

Do. It.

He closed his eyes, ignoring his urge to mark her. It made his stomach clench, because he was fighting every instinct. He was going against the grain.

“Jared,” she murmured against his ear. “God, Jared.”

He cupped her ass as she rode him, the water frothing and churning around them. She stiffened as she came, the same time as he did. Jared clutched her tight against them, his fingers on her back, on her shoulder blade. His claws erupted out, pricking her skin.

Adele let out a hiss and kissed his neck. “You need to trim your nails.”

Jared’s claws retracted. “Yes.”

She shuddered in his arms. “I’m really tired and a bit chilly.”

“I’ll take you inside and straight to bed.”

“Only if you stay with me.”

Jared chuckled. “Where else would I go?”

He carried her out of the hot tub and back inside, straight to the bathroom. He sat her down on the edge of the sunken tub and toweled her off. She was so relaxed and her eyes were closing. Adele was obviously so drowsy.

“Come on. Let’s get you to bed.”

“That sounds heavenly right about now.”

Jared smiled and scooped her up. He set her down on the bed, pulling the sheet up around her. She was snoring lightly when he reached for the comforter and he laughed softly to himself.

He covered her up with a blanket. The ends of her hair were still damp from the water, but it was curling as it dried. Jared watched the rise and fall of her chest as she slept.

How could he even contemplate having someone else, even if it was for the good of the clan?

As much as he didn’t want to admit it, or couldn’t admit to it, he was bound to Adele Banks, he’d almost marked her for fuck’s sake. A female who wasn’t
Mukswa.

It had happened before, but not with a chief.

A chief knew his duty.

What am I doing?

Jared sat up and rubbed his head, where a pressure headache was starting to build. A chief knew his duty and his duty was to keep the line going. He had to marry Cassandra and he had to get an heir.

There was no way he could put the burden of taking care of his clan on his future nephew.

He’d only be taking the easy way out if he did. His father always nagged him about taking the easy way out, for being a slacker and not doing his duty as the chief’s son. As much as he wanted Adele and knew that he’d bonded with her, he couldn’t have her.

Jared tucked another blanket around her, so she wouldn’t notice his absence and wake up. He pulled on his clothes and left her bedroom, closing the door behind him.