Silver Mine (18 page)

“No one kisses you.”

A snort escaped. “Air kisses? You’re nuts.”

“No one.” Chase raised his glass in the air. “You sure you don’t want some?”

She laughed as she stepped over the motionless body of the wolverine. “I should have at least one shot or you guys are going to be too ridiculous for me to handle.”

Delton nodded. “Serious business being Alpha. Chase needs a little fun and frolics every now and then.”

He drained his glass and rose unsteadily. With deceptive strength, the old cougar grabbed the wolverine by the foot and dragged him toward the front door. “I’ll find a berth outside. You two have a good night. If you like, I’ll make you breakfast in the morning before you leave.”

He vanished out the front door. Shelley cringed as Mark’s head thumped over the doorsill.

Something smooth and cool brushed her arm, and she grasped the glass to stop Chase from bumping it into her. “Are you three sheets to the wind, Chase?”

He shook his head, leaning back to relax against the cushions. His voice was clear when he spoke. “No. They drank more than I did. They were upset. It was one way to settle them down.”

She sat on the coffee table directly across from him, enjoying the way his gaze slipped over her. Protective and admiring all at the same time. “They have a reason to be upset? Frank said he figured there would be more men showing up. Afraid they’ll go missing as well if they don’t band together.”

Chase stopped staring at her one piece at a time as if deciding which bit to dine on first, and his gaze snapped up. “I thought he was taking you away to save you from all the grizzly details.”

“Oh, he didn’t tell me much. Just that he figured this was the safest place to be the next while.”

Chase nodded. “And you probably still want to head into the bush tomorrow, right?”

“Well, let’s see.”

She curled her finger at him to motion him forward. When she took hold of his buttons, he grinned. “We’ve got the entire place to ourselves.”

A shiver took her that she ignored as she opened his shirt to reveal that magnificent chest of his. “I’ve been trying not to notice, thank you. First things first.”

“Getting naked sounds like a good first thing.”

Pushing the fabric off his shoulders just meant more muscles to admire, and a thicker scent rising to her nostrils. He was turned on by her touch.

She was feeling the same draw. Damn it, she might have tossed all professionalism out the window by getting intimate with him, but she’d at least check his injury before they fell into bed.

He reached forward and slid his hands up her thighs. Determinedly driving her crazy.

“Chase Johnson, you sure you didn’t have a few too many swigs of that rot gut?” Shelley stood so his hands would fall away, and clamped a firm grip on his shoulder to remove the bandages. “Now stay still.”

She snapped her lips together when the claw marks came into view. The protective covering had stopped the blood from staining his shirt. If possible, the cuts looked fresher than before, instead of closing in and forming a protective scab. This time she managed to keep her head about her and not blurt out horrible things like
holy shit, what is going on?

He leaned his head against her nearest arm and nuzzled. “You just patch that up fresh for me. Don’t think there’s much else you can do.”

“It hurts, doesn’t it?” she asked.

He stroked his hand up the inside of her thigh. “It does, but I know what can make me feel better.”

In spite of the mess on his shoulder, Shelley had to smile. “You are such a cat. I’m pretty sure that after bandaging you up I should give you a shot of antibiotics and make you sleep in the hopes that helps you recover.”

He continued to run his hand up and down the inside of her thigh as she bandaged him, taping the gauze into place. “You didn’t answer me. We’re heading bush, right? That’s what I told the boys.”

“I need to talk to the puma who attacked you, now more than ever. There’s got to be a reason you’re not healing.”

“That’s fine. We’ll go. We’ll have to be extra careful of meeting anyone—Mark offered to travel as an escort. Delton did too, but I’d prefer to have him back here to help deal with any newcomers. Frank is good, but he lacks a little…”

Shelley put aside her supply bag and squatted in front of him. “Frank lacks a little
knowing when to keep his mouth shut
-ism.”

Chase slid his hand around her neck, threading his fingers into her hair. “Frank who?”

He pulled her forward and their lips met, and she gave in. All the things she’d been holding off, all the reasons she’d avoided fooling around with shifters? None of them applied to Chase, and if they could have a night of enjoying each other before heading into the wilds?

No objections at all.

Especially when he kissed as if he was craving her. Fingers tight on the back of her head to hold her exactly how he wanted. His other hand returned to her thigh, thumb teasing, compelling. Dangerously slow. Like a trickle of a narcotic into her veins, his touch built a hunger inside.

He worked their lips together, brought his tongue into play. She met his exploration with her own, sighing with happiness at letting go of the restraints she’d maintained for so long.

Well, not including when she’d attacked him outside on the ridge.

But that had been her reacting to the jolt of adrenaline as much as her attraction to him. Responding to the animal side of the equation, because while her wolf never deemed it proper to rise any higher than her gut level, the beast was still there. Still influenced her decisions at some subconscious level.

But now was about the human side. The animal was interested, but only distantly. Not as if she were responding to a mate call, or anything.

Chase grabbed the bottom of her shirt and tugged on it, letting their lips separate for long enough to lift the fabric over her head and bare her.

He grumbled disapprovingly. “Sports bra.”

Shelley laughed and removed the offending garment. She also took a peek at the windows. They had no audience yet, but there was nothing to say they wouldn’t have one later. “Can we move this to the bedr—
ohh
…”

He’d swung her up in his arms and they were halfway across the room before she could finish her sentence. Chase lowered her to the mattress and stared intently, his gaze burning as he took her in. He twisted the blinds upward, sunshine hitting the ceiling and bouncing down to give them light and privacy.

“Nice.”

Chase whirled back on her as if she were prey he’d let out of his sights for far too long. “Nice would be you removing the rest of your clothes.”

Shelley kicked off her shoes and slipped out of her pants. “Only nice?”

“I’m a simple man. No need for fancy words.”

She wiggled back on the bed until she was propped up against the headboard, massive pillows at her back. Chase was shirtless, shoeless and he’d undone his belt and the top button of his jeans.

Guh
.

The mental image was going to stay with her for a long, long time. Delicious, powerful. He stalked forward and leaned a knee on the bed, and she was sure she was about to get pounced on.

“You want this?” Chase caught her foot in his hand, those talented thumbs instantly beginning to work magic on her skin.

Stupid question. “Don’t you?”

“Hell, I’ve wanted you since I spotted you on the field in Whitehorse, and I know you’re attracted to me. But do you really want this?”

Shelley scooted closer, drawing him over her and using him like a Chase blanket. His weight settled slowly, with his jeans and her panties separating their hips. Nothing between her and that gorgeous chest.

She groaned, not sure what was holding him back. “I want you. I don’t understand the question.”

“We don’t have to have sex because the guys are calling you my woman. This isn’t about needing to be marked.”

Oh. Now she got it. “Chase?”

Resting on his elbows to keep his weight from crushing her, he was still close enough his answer fanned air over her face. “Yes?”

Actions spoke better than words. She caught his face in her hands and connected their lips again. At the same time she wrapped her legs around his hips, and that solid bit of him met the aching part of her.

By his enthusiastic response she figured he’d gotten her message, loud and clear.

Chase took a long taste of her mouth as he luxuriated in the feel of her under him. Willing woman, mostly naked?

It didn’t get much better than that.

Except for the mostly part. Damn if he wanted to have anything between them. She’d said yes, now he was going to take and take and take, greedy for more than the touches he’d had.

Knowing that she was willing reduced the frantic panic inside. Let him concentrate on making this more than a quick rut up against the rocks like she’d have gotten from him earlier in the day. Chase licked along the tendon of her neck. Her skin, so soft, hint of salt, desire-laced. Her want for him poured out and flowed around them, and he nibbled along her collarbone hungrily.

It took him a good five minutes to finish laving her skin on the right side. Small tastes of her shoulder, her neck. Teasing the sensitive spot where her arm and torso met. He alternated between licking and sucking, biting and kissing until she squirmed under him.

His animal sides rumbled with approval. They weren’t even to the good parts yet, and she was making wonderful noises.

Shelley grabbed his head and tugged him toward her breasts. Pretty things. Just small mounds with rosy tips now that she was lying on her back. He resisted her pull and smiled at the treat.

Shelley whimpered. “Chase?”

“I’m anticipating.”

Her laugh slipped at the moment he covered her areola with his mouth, the happy sound shifting into something deeper and far rawer. He played with the tip, using his tongue, pulsing his lips to draw her flesh into his mouth. He traced around and around, pulling off and blowing on her wet skin to watch the sensitive tip pucker to a tight nub so he could feel it better against his tongue on the next pass.

Shelley still had her fingers laced around his head. His hair wasn’t long enough for her to grab, or she’d have torn it out with her frantic grabs as he switched from one side and back to the other.

“So good.” She moaned out her satisfaction, and Chase’s cat purred in response.

“So tasty,” Chase noted, sadly abandoning her breasts, but looking forward to his next course.

He skimmed her belly, unable to maintain his slow pace. Especially when he got a peek at the lacy thing covering her mound. “Sweet mercy, woman. Now that’s a pretty surprise.”

Shelley opened her thighs wider, allowing him to slip between her legs. “Girlie bras aren’t good for hiking, but my panties can always be fancy.”

“Like you better with no bra anyway, but these I approve of.”

He pressed a kiss to the tiny bow at the top of the sheer fabric. So sheer he could already see her dark curls under the material. He could smell her arousal. Could barely wait to taste her on his tongue.

But those panties?
Damn
.

Chase sat back. “Roll over.”

Shelley struggled up on her elbows and frowned in confusion. “What?”

He forced the words out again. “Roll over.”

Even in his ears his voice sounded harsh and rough. But hell if he wasn’t about to lose it. And when she drew in her legs from where they’d been spread around him, tucked herself into a ball and rolled to present her ass, he held on by a thread.

The thin lace ribbons wrapped around her hips like tiny delicate tattoos. Barely there pencil marks on a page. There was a teeny triangle of fabric just at the small of her back then the thin ribbon dropped to disappear between her ass cheeks.

“Oh God.” Chase caressed her skin as gently as he could, but his hands trembled as he fought for control.

Shelley twisted her head to stare at him, her upper body supported on her arms, ass higher than her shoulders. Her eyes flashed with fire. “You don’t have to wait, Chase. I want you. Need you.”

He clutched the edges of the ribbon but managed to stop from snapping the material off her. She wouldn’t have a lot of clothes in that bag. He couldn’t trash them. He couldn’t.

She somehow grabbed hold of one side, pulling the fabric free from his fingers and tugging the lace down her thighs.

He was trapped. Caught in a place between giving to her and just bloody well taking. “Sorry, darling, I can’t…”

She left the panties bunched around one knee and resumed position in front of him. That position that turned his mind to mush. “Don’t stop. Please.”

Chase rubbed her ass cheeks, wondering at his incredible luck. “Shell…”

“Fuck me, dammit. You need a written invitation?”

The forceful command nearly broke his final restraint. Only hell if he’d fuck her now. Yet. He slipped to the floor, grabbed those soft hips and yanked her to his mouth.

Shelley screamed as he pressed his tongue into her depths, tasting and taking her into his system. He licked and teased, circling her clit, swiping along her labia. Returning again and again to her wet opening and fucking her with his tongue.