Hunter Moon (Lupine Moon Series) (12 page)

“Everything,” he growled. I shivered, every particle of my being wishing he would make good on that threat. Instead, he just sighed again. “But I’ll settle for sleeping on your couch tonight.”

Confusion flitted through my mind. I thought he wanted something else.
Why didn’t he want to?
My pride wounded a little, so I pulled out of his grasp and stepped back. I saw the regret and pity in his expression when he dropped his hands back to his knees.

“Why do you want to sleep on
my couch?
” I snapped.

 I couldn’t help it. There I had stood, all vulnerable to his mojo, and all he wanted was to sleep on my couch. I could see in his expression that he knew what he’d done. I hated that more than anything, seeing pity in his eyes. I had gotten that a lot as a kid, since my dad deserted me and my mom was a slut, and again when grandpa had died. It had always left a bad taste in my mouth.

“A man has tried to kill you twice, now. I can’t leave you here by yourself with that guy still on the loose.”
Oh thanks
a snide little voice said.
Pour some salt into that nice open wound.
I really loved being reminded that I’m alone. I bristled, feeling like a cat rubbed the wrong way.

“Yes, a man tried to shoot me and set fire to my property, but I recall taking pretty damn good care of it,
by myself
. Just as well, since you were nowhere to be found,” I said, my voiced dripping acid. I glared at him, ran around him up the stairs and opened my door. “The answer is no.”

I slammed the door and locked it, throwing the deadbolt. I was one big ball of anger, rejection and pent up sexual energy.
What is wrong with me?

I woke up in the dark when I felt my bed move. I frowned, wondering if Reg needed to go out, and look down. I didn’t see Reggie, but there was a big wolf lying against my legs. His weight pressed against me, and I could feel his warmth through the covers.

“Oh, it’s you,” I said sleepily and scratched the spot behind his ears I knew he liked. He licked my hand. I sighed and fell back asleep.

I rolled over, smiling to myself when I smelled campfire. A heavy arm snaked around my waist and pulled me closer. Warmth surrounded me and I snuggled up against it. It was when the warmth started to chuckle that I finally was awake enough to realize there was a man in my bed. I looked into sleepy blue eyes and broke the sound barrier as I leapt out of bed.

“What the hell are you doing in my bed? AGAIN?”
I screeched.

 I searched my nightstand for my .45 and didn’t see it anywhere. He kept laughing as he rolled over. I realized that whole thing about guys in the morning was no exaggeration. I gulped. It was a good thing he had boxers on.

I couldn’t help but gawk at him lying there in all of his glory, so to speak. The rest of him was no less breathtaking. His abs rippled as he continued to chuckle, and his biceps bulged when he put his hands behind his head and stared back at me, his eyes twinkling with mirth. I’m pretty sure he knew he looked good enough to eat, because he had an unbelievably smarmy grin on his face.

“Care to explain why, for the second time, you managed to break into my house and sleep in my bed?” I said with a hoarse voice. “Or do you want to wait to do that when Sheriff Henderson gets here?” He merely smiled, and I’m pretty sure he flexed too.
Wow…I’d better leave before I crawl back into that bed.
I nodded, agreeing with myself. “Fine, sheriff it is then.”

I stormed out of my bedroom, Reggie at my heels. I looked down at him. “I so have to get a new dog. You’re about as fierce as a Shih Tzu.”

When I passed my door I saw that it was still locked and dead-bolted.
How the—
? I was positive my wolf had slept with me last night. I looked around briefly and didn’t see any sign of him. Maybe he’d gone outside when Cash came in.
How did he keep getting into my house?!

I made a large pot of coffee and grabbed my phone. I pretended to dial as Cash walked into the kitchen wearing only his cargo pants. He could have been a Chippendale dancer, and I was wishing for some dollar bills.

He poured himself a mug and sat down next to me, our thighs touching. Those flames I had become friends with burst into life and worked their way up my body until I knew my face was flushed.

“Hello, Sheriff?” I asked the phone in a rough voice and heard in reply the movie times for the Met Cinema in Oakhurst. The recording on the other line gave a short list of movies playing before going into the times. “Yeah, this is Shelby Flint. I’m calling to report that warden Newcomb broke into my home last night.” I paused, and listened to the show times for
Harry Potter
. “Yes, that’s right, and he also slept in my bed without my permission.”

Cash just sat there and sipped some coffee with a bland expression on his face.

“Yes, I’d like to press charges. It’s too damn creepy for me, sheriff, no matter who he thinks he is.” I glared at said intruder.

“Ask the good sheriff what time he wants to go see
Harry Potter
.” Cash said smoothly.

Oh crap.
I swallowed a few times before setting the phone down. I blushed and got myself a refill, wishing for some Bailey’s.

“I should report you, you smug bastard,” I said, without much feeling and with my back still turned to him.

I hadn’t heard him get up, but his big, strong hands grabbed the countertop on either side of me, trapping me. His bare chest pressed against me until I was sandwiched between him and the cabinets and I could feel his breath in my hair.

“You shouldn’t turn your back on me.”

I reveled in his heat, though I was glad I was turned so he couldn’t see how much he was affecting me. I almost lost it when I felt his hot mouth on my neck, kissing his way down to my shoulder. I shuddered.

“I thought you only wanted to sleep on my couch.” I said, trying, and failing to keep the tremor of lust out of my voice. He kissed his way back up my neck and breathed deeply into my hair. Little shivers of desire traveled down to my toes.

“I never said that,” he growled into my ear. “I would have stayed there, though. But you smell like heaven.” The vibrations from his voice tickled my ears and sent goose bumps rippling down my arms.

“
Oh Good Lord,
” I moaned, and put my hands over his.

 I had to use the cabinets to hold me up. In a flash, he had spun me around and lifted me to sit on the counter. My entire body was tingling as he put his hands on my knees. It was then I realized that I was still in my pajamas, a pair of boxers and a spaghetti strap camisole. My breathing spiked as Cash stepped in between my legs and ran his hot hands on a searing path up my thighs.
Thank God I shaved!

It was his turn to moan when his fingers slid underneath the boxer shorts and discovered nothing else. I was starting to hyperventilate. He groaned in torment and buried his face into my belly.

“Shit, woman,” he panted into my stomach, “you’re going to kill me.” I barked a rough laugh. I thought that statement was pretty unfair, since he’d turned me into Jello. Cash lifted his eyes to mine. I gasped when I saw the eerie, primal green glow.

A wave of longing crashed over me hard and I wrapped my legs around his waist and slammed my mouth against his. I desperately needed to taste him, and he responded. I hooked my feet around the backs of his thighs and pulled him tight up against me. My mouth opened to let his tongue invade and I moaned. He tasted tangy and sweet like wine. I wanted more. I slid my tongue along his lower lip and felt the sharp tips of his teeth.

His hands ran up my ribcage and cupped my breasts, his thumbs stroking the sensitive and perky little nubs through my shirt. A tingle like electricity jolted down into my toes. I gasped and arched my back, pushing myself harder into his hands. A growl rumbled deep in his chest. He cupped his hands under my butt and lifted me off the counter taking me into the bedroom.

When he laid me down on the bed, I whined when he released his hold on my thighs. He pushed them apart and lay down on top of me, keeping his weight on his hands placed on either side of my body. I ran my hands up his stomach, delighting in the feel of his warm muscles flexing underneath my fingertips.

I sat up and feathered kisses on his chest. His skin was smooth and tasted a little salty. He hissed when I bit his nipple a little, so I soothed it with my tongue and turned my attention to the other. Cash groaned and his eyes rolled back into his head, the vein on the side of his neck popping out. I tugged his face to mine, running my fingers into his hair, needing to taste that tang once more. I bit at his lip with my teeth and teased him with my tongue.

When he started alternating between kissing and nipping down my neck, it was more than I could bear. The heat that had been building was driving me crazy. I responded by wiggling my hips against his. I delighted in the feel of his arousal against my oh-so-sensitive area.
So that’s where he keeps his backup...
Cash moaned into my neck and rolled off of me, his chest heaving as he struggled to catch his breath.

Far from the reaction I expected, I frowned at him. His arm was covering his eyes, so I felt free to look him over. His chest glistened with a little sheen of perspiration, and if the bulge in his jeans was any indication, he must have been pretty uncomfortable. I reached over and pulled his arm off of his face so I could look at him, but his eyes were squeezed shut.

“What’s wrong? Why’d you stop?” He turned his face away from me and shook his head. “Is this about your eyes? I already noticed they get all freaky and green when you’re feeling lusty, but I hope you know that doesn’t bother me.” He jerked and looked at me.

“They what?”

“Well, normally there this incredible sapphire shade of blue, but when you start kissing me seriously, they get this green glow.” He just stared for a minute, and then hopped off the bed and picked up his white undershirt.

“So you’re going to leave? When I’m lying here, wanting you?” I watched, incredulously, as he pulled on his shirt. “You’ve been trying to seduce me since the moment we met, and you’re taking off
now?
”

“I’m sorry, Shells, I just can’t right now. I shouldn’t have even started in the first place, but you just smell
so good
.” He shook his head, as if to shake off something that bothered him. Hurt, I pulled my knees to my chest and looked at my feet. He sighed deeply, sat down next to me and pulled my face to meet his.

“I’m sorry. I attacked you like an animal. You deserve so much better than that.” I saw the regret in his eyes, and misinterpreted it.

“Ah, the whole, ‘it’s not you, it’s me’ thing. Okay...” My stomach sunk. I wasn’t exactly experienced, but I thought things had been going well. That is what I get for putting myself out there.

“No, Shells.” He waited until I looked him in the eyes. “I want you more than you can possibly imagine.” His eyes burned with the desire I’d heard in his voice. I nodded, wide eyed, and he went on.

“I just want to take this a little slower. I want to make your first time wonderful and that won’t happen if we do this today. I don’t have the control right now.” I gaped at him.

“How did you know I was a virgin?” I whispered. Surprise mingled with irritation on his face. I could tell he was trying to think up something so I sat and waited.

“I—I guess I just sort of assumed,” his hand flicking out dismissively. That put my back up.

“Hey now!” I said defensively. “I’ve had lots of guys want to take me out! And I could’ve had sex with any one of them.”

As petulant as it sounded, the truth was I hadn’t wanted to, with any of them. Most of the guys were idiots, and watching my mom bring home a long string of men over the years made me almost swear it off entirely. And even though I didn’t get to church as often as I liked, I still felt like saving myself for the man I would marry. I always figured there were two ways my life could turn out. I could end up being just like my mother, a floozy, or I could do whatever it took
not
to be like her. Staying a virgin had been my solution.