Sworn to the Wolf (12 page)

He kissed her temple and she melted into his embrace. She turned her face to his and his lips crushed hers in a kiss laced with love, fear, desperation, joy and pain. She put her arms around his neck and her hands through his hair. He moaned and pulled her into his body. “Stay with me,” he whispered into her mouth.

She pulled back and kissed his forehead. “Let me have some time please. I’ll call you, I promise.”

She opened her door and pulled out her bag. He brought her supplies into the house for her. At the door he faced her, reaching out to touch her lips. “This is the hardest thing I’ve ever done. Please don’t stay out of touch long,” he whispered and she nodded.

After he left she crawled into bed and cried herself to sleep.

Chapter Four

She missed Laurent. Even though he’d only been a part of her life for such a short time he’d become instantly integral to it. She felt his absence acutely. Harrison and Elton hadn’t pushed but watched her anxiously, knowing she was working through something major.

He’d become something she reached for and while she’d been angry it had been acceptable to ignore the ache. But once that passed she had to face the fear she’d been pretending away since she’d met him.

The depth and intensity of her feelings toward him startled her. Terrified her that over that short, super passionate few days they’d been together she’d done all sorts of impulsive and risky things.

Wonderful, risky things.

But impulsive was so dangerous to her. Careful meant she’d managed to remain under the radar for the last year. It meant she’d found herself preparing for not one, but two upcoming gallery shows.

The way she craved him was out of character and it left her on shaky ground. It meant she had to confront the fact that she was lonelier than she’d ever been.

So she put it all in the work. Let the brush strokes, the color and execution be her unflinching mirror.

It left her at turns exhilarated and exhausted.

And she was ready to admit she could see herself with him. She let go of her guilt for wanting him.

Then she had to think about all the stuff that came with choosing to be with him. Because whoa there was a lot.

Like he was a werewolf. A super bossy one who wanted to protect her and shield her and who came with a big giant family of other werewolves up in the mountains.

Any one of those things could be a deal breaker—hello werewolves—and yet, she held on as she worked.

He wasn’t human. Then again, she came from organized crime and was hiding from them.

It was the way she’d felt in the lodge that terrified her most. She’d let herself imagine belonging there. Had been charmed by the closeness they’d all had.

After being alone for most of her life, to have been so warmly welcomed—except for one—had been incredible.

They’d all lied to her.

She hated that. A lot.

Lies were a hot button with her. But really, what he’d done when he’d hidden his true nature had been a little like what she’d been doing keeping her old identity secret.

Just getting to that point had taken her two weeks.

But it had produced some of what she felt was her best work.

She woke up that morning, the first day off she’d had in over a week and had been staring at her ceiling ever since.

When she finally went to sleep the night before, she’d decided to reach out to Laurent. He’d been pretty good about giving her the space she’d demanded, though he had texted her a few times and she knew he had a guard on her because he’d been so worried about her father.

Accepting him in her life wasn’t just a tiny step. She knew that. She got dressed and decided to ride over to the Japanese Gardens. She could do a lot of deciding on the way.

It was a little misty, enough to make her hair frizzy but not so much she was truly uncomfortable.

Calling him meant a hell of a lot more than dating him. It meant she accepted not only her intense attraction to him, but the world he came with.

There were rules and relationships and expectations she had to learn because once she was in, she was all the way in.

The irony of the similarity between that and the life she ran from hadn’t escaped her.

And the fact that he’d assumed she would change into a werewolf without even talking to her? A werewolf! Not even in the same league as moving to the boonies. That was something she had to confront before she could move forward with him.

But she wanted to try and she was too tired to lie to herself about it anymore.

Once she’d decided for sure, she pulled her phone out to give him a call before she lost her nerve.

“Laurent,” he growled.

“Hi.”

“Are you all right?” His voice went from gruff to gentle.

“I will be once I see you again. We have some things to talk about, but I miss you. I forgive you and I think that if you agree to respect me and include me in our life, we can give this relationship a try.”

Thank God. Relief coursed through him at her words after two agonizing weeks without her. “When can I see you?” He didn’t ask where she was, because he knew. He’d had her tailed, which she also knew because she’d told him so in a text he’d never bothered to deny. Or apologize for. Her safety was paramount and with her dad out there looking for her, he’d never leave her exposed.

“I’m at the Japanese Gardens at the Arboretum and since you’re probably looking at me now through field glasses, you’re here too. So now?”

He resisted a snicker. “I didn’t ask where, I asked when I could see you. Wait where you are, I’ll be there shortly.”

Quickly, he moved to his truck and drove over to where she waited just a lot over so it didn’t take long. Now that he was nearly to her he had to tamp down the urge to drive too fast.

Finally.
She was finally letting him close enough to touch. He got out of the cab of the truck and leaned against the hood, greedily watching her as she rode toward him looking delicious and all his.

“Hi,” she said a bit shyly.

“Baby, I’ve missed you so much,” he said as he drank her in. Once she didn’t tell him to hit the road, he chanced it and reached out to touch her cheek.

She pressed into his palm and he knew everything was going to be all right.

“I’m all sweaty, I rode several miles to get here. I should shower.” But she didn’t move.

She had no idea what her smell did to him. She was a banquet of sexy he wanted to rub himself all over.

“I want to lick you up,” he growled, pulling her into him. “But I can do that in the shower too.”

This feeling—after he’d had it taken from him just days after finding it—was worth fighting for.

They stood together for long moments, simply holding one another close.

“We have things to work out before any licking happens,” she said as she stepped back.

“If you say so,” he grumbled though he knew she was right. “Are you hungry? Would you like to get lunch and talk?”

What she really wanted was to be irresponsible and get busy right then and there. She had to fight to keep her eyes from rolling back into her head at the pleasure of his embrace and the way his scent seemed to cling to her senses.

“Let’s go to my house. I’ll even let you load the bike into the back of your truck.”

She kept her face serious and then cracked up when he got that she’d been teasing.

He still put the bike in the truck bed like it weighed nothing.

“Thanks.” She jumped up into the truck while he went around the cab to his side.

He gave her a look as they pulled back toward her house. “I like to open doors for you.”

She sighed.

“Sometimes, hell, most of the time I don’t mind you opening my doors and that sort of thing. But I draw the line at being treated as if I’m helpless.”

“We’re just jumping right in, huh?”

“The sooner we do, the sooner there can be licking.”

“Oh, yeah. Good point.” He took her hand and she squeezed, pleased to be with him. “I don’t think you’re helpless. I think you’re stronger than you know. You’re smart and you’re a survivor. I want to protect you, not hold you back and it’s certainly not because I don’t think you can handle it.”

They talked the whole way, enough that once they got inside her place, she gave over to how much she’d wanted him since she’d first touched him earlier that day. That physical connection seemed part and parcel of their chemistry and she had no real complaints about that.

“I need to shower then I’ll let you take me to a late lunch. I’m starving.”

“Let me help you get the hard-to-reach spots,” he said suggestively.

“That’s been my assumption all along. I’m sure my back is all sweaty and in need of a scrubbing,” she murmured, raising an eyebrow.

Laughing, he shoved her toward the shower, locking the door behind them. He yanked his shirt off but his hands lost momentum at his jeans as he watched her peel off her shirt and bra, letting them fall to the ground. Her nipples tightened at his attention.

“I don’t know if the shower is big enough for the three of us,” she whispered, looking at his cock greedily once they’d both stripped off.

“Perhaps one of us can fit inside of the other. You know, to make room for the other two.”

“You’re such a humanitarian.” She stepped into the shower and back into the spray, sighing as the warm water washed over her body. He followed her, nuzzling into her neck, worrying over her tendons with his teeth. She moaned as he rubbed against her softly. “I’ve missed you so much.”

“Me too. I can’t believe I’m here with you at last.” Reaching around her, he grabbed the sponge and soap, true to his word, scrubbing her all over as she managed to get her hair shampooed and conditioned around his clever hands.

He leaned down with a growl to take a nipple into his mouth, grazing it with his teeth.

“That’s very nice,” she said, her voice hitching. “I’ve missed that.”

“Let me show you a few other things you may have forgotten about.” Without preamble he picked her up and entered her. Reaching down, he helped her wrap her legs around his waist. He was so strong. A shiver of delight broke over her.

She sighed at the pleasure of it all. He was back with her, where they were meant to be all along. The time away from him had helped her realize that, freak happening or not, she loved Laurent Cole.

The cool tile against her back served as a sharp contrast to the heat rising from his body. Her palms slid over his pectoral muscles as they flexed and released with each thrust. Those well-muscled arms held her up, supported her weight easily and the flat, hard abdomen bunched and rippled as he moved within her.

His scent rose with the steam, teasing her senses, tantalizing her. Wet strands of his hair clung to her skin, married with her own. “You need to come. I love the way your pussy feels when you come.”

All she could manage was an incoherent moan in the affirmative.

“I’m holding you up. Touch yourself,” he murmured into her ear.

She froze for a moment. She’d never masturbated in front of anyone before. But this was Laurent, her man, and she needed to come, wanted to so very badly.

His eyes were glued to her hand as it slid down her belly and between slick labia. His breath caught when she began to circle her clit slowly.

“Show me what you like,” he said.

Watching him watch her, she caught her bottom lip between her teeth as the metallic energy of her climax began to build. His cock filled her up over and over as her fingers stroked her clit, harder and harder, faster and faster.

“I—” She began but ended in a soft cry as climax rolled over her, through her, echoed through the walls of her pussy as he continued his hard, digging strokes.

“Shit...that’s so good. I love you,” he whispered as his own moment slammed into him, making him see stars.

She stayed wrapped around him until the water turned cold. Laughing, he set her down, gently helping her out of the tub. They dried off quickly amongst stolen kisses and embraces.

“Just to clarify something, we can’t get STDs. I couldn’t tell you up at the lake, before. The condoms weren’t really necessary.”

“Oh well, that’s nice to know.”

“Do you want to talk about Paloma?”

She sighed. “I’m so hungry all of a sudden and she’ll ruin my appetite. Let’s get dressed and go to eat. I’d make something here but we’re in desperate need of a grocery run and none of us have done it.” She laughed as he slung her over his shoulder and carried her back to her room and tossed her onto her bed.

“Well, I think I need more sustenance from you before we go anywhere.” He winked at her, moving to settle between her thighs.

“Huh-uh. I’m starving. You got an appetizer in the shower. Come on, a girl has to keep her strength up for a big guy like you.” Rolling away from him, she grabbed a pair of clean underwear out of a drawer and pulled them on, laughing at his pout.

“Fine, but I’m collecting after we eat.”

“Like I’d argue.” She picked up a pair of jeans from a pile of clean laundry and got dressed quickly. He smiled when he noted she was wearing the red blouse Drew had sent with him that first day they were together.

“I’ll have to tell Drew how beautiful you look in the shirt. Or he can see you in it himself soon, I hope. We should probably talk about what we’re going to do, what our next steps are.” He moved to her, braiding her wet hair, nibbling on her neck as he did it.

“Okay. Let me get some calories into me, maybe a beer or two, before we start that next stage of discussion.”

He sighed dramatically and pulled his shirt and jeans back on. She cocked an eyebrow when he left his boxers off. “Easier access for you later. I’m all about your ease, baby.”

She burst out laughing and they walked out the door but the phone rang so she turned back, dashing to answer it.

“Hello?”

“Julia? Is that you?”

With a strangled gasp, she dropped the phone. Alarmed, Laurent stalked over, picking the receiver up.

“Hello?” Laurent smoothed a hand up her arm, trying to look into her eyes.

“Who is this?” the male voice on the other end of the line demanded.

“I think I’ll be the one asking questions here,” Laurent growled. He tipped her chin up and kissed her gently. “Are you all right, baby?” he asked her softly and she shook her head.

“It’s him,” she whispered. “Anthony.”

Pretty much what he’d figured but though the anger was back, he put her first. She needed him to be calm. “Ah, so you’re the fucker who beat my woman?”

“Put my fiancée back on the phone, asshole! You don’t know who you’re talking to.”

“You’re
talking
to her fiancé, you piece of shit. I know exactly who I’m talking to, you miserable excuse for a man. If you harass or upset her in any way, I’ll make you sorry. What do you want?” he gritted out.

“Julia’s been away from home long enough. She’s got to come back to her family.”