Punt: A British Bad Boy Football Romance (32 page)

“
N
ice
, huh?”

Jasper looked over his shoulder to find Kellan standing behind him, mirroring his admiration of the gym’s remodeling.

“She works fast,” Jasper said, running his eyes over the room a final time before turning to regard the other male. “I thought you were on guard duty for the human?”

“Sadie,” Kellan corrected. Jasper raised a brow, and Kellan flushed.

“Sadie, then,” Jasper said. “I still thought you were on guard duty.”

“Gwen’s watching her this morning so I can go to this thing,” Kellan said, waving a hand toward the mess hall.

“What thing?” Jasper asked, his eyes narrowing.

“Um…” Kellan hesitated.

“I asked you a question,” Jasper snapped.

“Your mate has set up an event for the pack. I just assumed you knew,” Kellan said, his unease evident.

“This is the first I’ve heard of it,” Jasper said, his tone clipped. “What exactly is she doing?”

“I just know she said we should think about what we wanted for civilian items. Clothes and whatnot,” Kellan clarified.

Jasper grimaced. Clearly he’d waited too long, and now his chances of smoothing Maddie’s entrance were slim. She’d jumped right in, and he couldn’t unring the bell at this point.

“Sir?” Kellan asked, drawing Jasper’s attention again.

Jasper shook his head at Kellan’s worried expression.

“It’s nothing. I just don’t want her to get in over her head, that’s all,” Jasper explained.

“Having spent some time with your mate the last few days, I would say she’s pretty capable of taking care of herself,” Kellan said, his tone serious and sincere.

“The last few days? I thought the gym remodel was just yesterday.”

“Well, yeah. But Miss Maddie’s been all over the place. She’s been seeing Sadie a lot, and also just walking around and talking to the pack. I’ve been keeping an eye on her. Don’t want another incident like the first day, you know.”

“She’s— she’s been running around by herself?” Jasper asked, exasperated.

“Well, she’s kept Langston with her, but he’s not much defense against a bigger male,” Kellan explained. “He means well, though, and he seems to like helping Miss Maddie. I think he’d probably die before he let anyone hurt her.”

Jasper sighed.

“I wish that made me feel better, Kellan.”

He’d had good reason for asking Maddie to keep Kellan or Kopelli close. The two men were unquestionably loyal, and big enough to take out nearly any threat to his mate. Langston was young and eager, but lacking in size and the certain raw edge that Jasper would have chosen in Maddie’s guardian.

Essentially, she’d followed the law but not the letter of his demands.

Jasper realized that his hands had curled into fists, and every muscle in his body was tense. He made himself relax, not wanting to go into Maddie’s event swinging. She needed his support in whatever she had planned, and he could scold her later in private.

“Alright. Well, let’s go see what she’s gotten herself into now,” Jasper said, trying to contain his frustration. Kellan nodded, and they headed to the mess hall doors.

“One more thing,” Jasper said, pausing at the doors.

“Sir?”

“If you hear anyone speaking against Maddie’s plan, remove them from the event. With force, if needed. I don’t want this to get out of hand.”

“Of course, Alpha.”

Jasper nodded and pushed the door open, stopping short in the doorway. Kellan bumped into him, forcing Jasper to take a step inside, open-mouthed.

Aside from Gwen, every single pack member was present. They were milling around the room, checking out the transformed mess hall. All the tables and chairs had been removed, making way for a series of booths which held piles of goods. The largest area had a dozen rolling racks, each holding neatly organized rows of pants, shirts, shorts, and jackets. There were dozens of pairs of shoeboxes stacked along the wall of the booth, delineated by size. There was even a makeshift changing room created from curtains, and Jasper could tell someone was currently inside trying on clothes. There were folding tables set up with packs of socks, underwear, workout gear… it went on and on.

Another booth had piles of things you’d find at the pharmacy, such as deodorant, cologne, hair products, combs, scissors and trimmers, aspirin and vitamins… it went on and on.

The next section had stacks of laptops, mp3 players, and gaming consoles. To the right was an area with an assortment of snack foods and sodas, then an area with workout equipment.

Males were lined up at all the booths, but by far the busiest one was simply a table with three chairs and a laptop in front of each. Above the table hung a collage of photos of Shifter females, all pretty and smiling.

“What the hell is that?” Jasper asked, taken aback. Spotting Langston walking by, Jasper grabbed him by the arm.

“What’s that booth?” he asked, pointing to the photos.

“Maddie’s set up a Shifter dating site online. Single females can sign up, and we can check out their profiles and chat with them.”

Jasper’s jaw dropped, disbelieving.

“Sir?” Langston said, disengaging his sleeve from Jasper’s grip.

“Go,” Jasper said, overwhelmed. “You too, Kellan.”

The males nodded and made off for the clothing area.

Jasper stayed still for a few minutes, watching as the pack members chatted with each other and wandered from one booth to another. Several males left with armfuls of items, but most stayed to socialize. He heard a feminine laugh, and spotted Maddie emerging from the racks of clothing. She wore a thin red tank top and a short black cotton skirt with black flats, her hair piled atop her head.

She grinned up at Kopelli, trying to force him to take a bundle of clothing. He had a skeptical expression, but Maddie leaned in and whispered something that made him crack a smile. She laughed again, completely unaware of the fact that every male within a hundred feet had turned to look at her. Every male present was aware of her beauty and her scantily clad body, and Jasper could practically smell their lust accumulating.

It was only then that Jasper was moved to act, starting toward his mate.

Maddie spotted him and turned that mega-watt smile on him like a spotlight.

“Surprise!” she said, gesturing to the booths. Her smile was hesitant, and he could tell that she sought his approval.

Jasper stepped up to Maddie, reaching out to grip her hips and pull her close. He could feel her tense, feel her heart rate increase and her breathing falter. She was uncertain of him, of his reaction. He didn’t know how to put his thoughts into words, so he did what he knew how to do.

He kissed her.

Jasper leaned down and captured her mouth hard, pressing his body against hers at the same time. She opened to him, parting her lips to allow him access. He slid his tongue against hers with no subtlety or teasing, provoking her response. She let out a soft sigh of pleasure, and he swallowed it. One hand gripped her hip hard while the other traveled up to her nape. He wove his fingers into her hair at the base, tilting her head to his satisfaction.

He lost track of everything but Maddie for a long moment, not noticing that the movement around them had stilled. Where he usually felt the weight of the pack’s gaze every second of the day, just now he was surrounded only by Maddie. Her sweet taste, the warmth of her body, and the soft wetness of her tongue. The feeling of her breasts pressed against his chest, the silken texture of her thick hair. He forgot what she’d done for his pack, forgot what had prompted the kiss in the first place. Forgot that he was supposed to be irritated with her inability to follow his instructions, her lack of concern for her own safety. Forgot everything but the fact that right this second, he had what he’d wanted for his entire life. The only female he’d ever longed for, the one he’d come back to again and again. He knew in that moment that he’d always come back for her, no matter what.

J
asper broke
the kiss and grabbed her arm, turning toward the exit.

“Jas!” she protested, resisting. He turned to her with a frown, narrowing his eyes.

“I’m working,” she said, waving her free hand to indicate their surroundings.

“I don’t care,” he replied, leaning in and kissing her again. He towed her toward the exit, growling gently when she resisted.

“I can’t just leave!” she cried.

“Don’t make me carry you,” he said. A promise, not a threat.

She rolled her eyes, a grave mistake. Jasper grabbed her by the waist and hefted her over his shoulder, ignoring her enraged squawk and strolling toward the door. The males between him and the exit practically dove out of the way as he went. He pushed open the door to Alpha’s House in less than a minute.

“Jasper!” Maddie yelped as he sat her on the kitchen counter. The surface was still covered in FedEx packages and shopping bags. He took no little pleasure in sweeping them to the floor, leveling her with a quelling stare as he did it.

“Hey!” she said, slapping her hands against his chest. He looked her up and down, assessing the height of the counter against what he wanted to do. Nodding to himself, he leaned down and kissed her protesting mouth again. Her words of protest melted into a moan as he ran a hand up her ribcage and squeezed her breast through her shirt. Releasing her breast, he cupped her jaw and tilted her head to expose her neck. Dropping a kiss against her jawline, he moved down and nipped at her earlobe and breathed softly in her ear.

Resistance vanished, Maddie was his. Jasper ran the very tip of his tongue inside her ear, earning a harsh cry of pleasure from his mate. Kissing her neck, he gave her no notice before biting into her nape hard. Maddie shouted, her hips jerking hard against his. The second he released her, she went wild against him. Her hands dug into his hair, pulling his mouth against hers with a desperation he’d never witnessed.

Their lips and teeth and tongues tangled, and Jasper tasted his own blood. He groaned and ground against her, sliding his hands down to her ass and pressing her into the movement. Maddie rolled against him, her hands scrabbling to drag his shirt up and over his head. Jasper helped her pull it off, then slid his hands up her thighs and pushed up her skirt. His hands felt only smooth skin.

“You aren’t wearing panties,” he growled into her ear, making her shiver.

“I know,” she groaned.

“You were in a whole room full of males, wearing a short skirt, and no panties,” Jasper said, gripping the curves of her hips hard as jealousy and possessiveness rocked him.

“Have I been very bad?” she asked, tilting her head back and pressing into his touch.

Jasper released her, pulling the skirt up and over her head. He ripped at her shirt and bra, undressing her in mere seconds. She leaned in to kiss him, but he pulled his head back and worked at unbuttoning his jeans.

“Come to me,” she said, frowning.

“I am,” he grated, pushing down his jeans and boxer briefs. Grasping his cock with one hand, he pulled her close and pushed her knees apart with the other hand. Without a moment of pause, he pressed straight into her softness. She was just wet enough to give him entrance, barely ready for him, but Jasper was beyond caring. He felt less than human, his wolf howling with the need to dominate his mate.

She cried out at the rough joining, but he felt no resistance in her. He used both hands to steady her hips, surging into her with slow, heavy thrusts. He felt her growing wetter as he moved inside her, assuring him that she wanted this as much as he did.

He increased his speed but kept his thrusts steady, reaching a hand between them and pressing it to her belly, just above her mons. She responded instantly to the sensation, her inner muscles tensing and quivering with pleasure. Keeping his hand there, he slid his thumb down to her slit. Each time he thrust her body moved up just enough for his thumb to brush her clit, and he could feel her breath hitch with each movement.

She let out tiny, breathy moans and ground into his thrusts, making him crazy. Still, he wasn’t nearly ready to let go. Gritting his teeth, he slowed and pulled out of her completely. She growled at him, but he merely pushed her back to lie down on the counter. Leaning down, he spread her thighs and nuzzled her clit. He licked her gently and sucked at her for mere moments before she burst under his lips, calling out his name and gripping his hair, her orgasm one of the most intense he’d seen so far.

Pushing her hands away, he stood and flipped her over, pressing her bare torso down onto the granite counter top. She was compliant and relaxed as he ran his hands over the perfection of her ass. She nearly jumped out of her skin when he pulled his hand back and slapped her ass, hard.

“Jas!” she choked out, surprised. She made as if to move, but he held her in place.

“No,” he said simply, angling so that he could land a loud slap on her other flank.

She went quiet, uncertain. He spanked her again, and again, alternating sides. Her pale flesh was marked with neat red handprints, which made him hard as a rock. He stepped between her thighs again, sliding his fingers against her softness to make sure she was still ready for him. When he found her warm and wet, he pressed his cock inside her and drew her thighs closed.

She gasped. His sensitive, hot little mate. She was wrapped around him so tight, and he watched his cock pounding into her. When she began to tense, her orgasm building, it was everything Jasper could do to keep from spilling everywhere. He closed his eyes against the image of their joining, giving himself the precious time to make his mate come. Thrusting hard into her, he knew the exact moment when she started to go over. Just as her orgasm gripped them both tightly, Jasper let go and pumped into her desperately. He came for what felt like a lifetime, his seed coming and coming as he shuddered his release inside her.

He dropped to his elbows, resting against Maddie for a long moment and listening to her breathing.

After a long moment, he stepped back and kicked away the clothes that lay at his feet, then rolled Maddie over and pulled her into his arms. Picking her up, he carried her upstairs without a word.

When he reached the bed he laid Maddie down, covering her with the thick down comforter before lying down next to her. She scooted a little closer, turning and resting her head on his shoulder as she curled up against him.

Jasper sighed. If only this were his life, every moment. No more dealing with back-stabbing pack members, pregnant humans, and then of course there was Gwen…

He had to do something about Gwen. She was clearly unhappy, and not without some cause. He couldn’t give her the Beta position back, but he couldn’t have her clawing at Maddie’s back every second of every day either. There had to be a compromise in there somewhere, some way to get them to get along without his direct command. As if his direct command would mean anything to either of them. The thought of their reaction actually made him crack a smile.

No, there was a solution. If Jasper could find something they both cared about, and get them to work together… that could solve the problem. But despite their similar looks and stubborn attitudes, they had no common interests that he could recall.

He’d have to work on that thought.

“What are you thinking about?” Maddie asked suddenly, interrupting his thoughts.

“Uh…” he said, searching for something to say that wouldn’t sound like a slight to Maddie.

“Gwen,” he sighed. “You know, what to do with her. She’s unhappy.”

“Oh. I see,” she mumbled.

Maddie’s withdrawal was immediate, and final as a slamming door. She pulled away, rolling to her side.

Damn. In trying to keep from insulting her, he’d accidentally hurt her feelings.

“It’s not what you think—” he started.

“It’s fine,” Maddie said.

“No, you don’t understand.”

“I understand. It’s fine,” she insisted, pulling the comforter up around her face and neck.

“Mad—”

“Let’s just go to sleep, okay?” Maddie said, her voice sad.

“Maddie, don’t be like that.”

“Jasper, please,” she said. “Can we please just go to sleep now?”

He was silent for a long time, wondering what he could say to fix things. He was still puzzling over it twenty minutes later, when Maddie let out a soft snore. Jasper sighed and moved closer, pulling her into his arms. At least asleep, she’d let him comfort her.

Jasper closed his eyes and waited for sleep to take him as well.