The KinKaid Wolf Pack Trilogy (26 page)

At her door, Landry pressed the illuminated button of her doorbell. It didn’t take long before the sound of her feet padding across her wood floors came from the other side. The lock clicked, then the door swung open.

Wearing a pair of white shorts that stopped mid thigh and a pink T-shirt emblazoned with a set of fangs and a message that said something about
Wanting to Do Bad Things
scribbled across the front, Rosa cocked her hip and slapped a palm against the jam.

Fuck.
The number of “bad things” he wanted to do just got a hell of a lot longer, and every one of them involved Rosa in that shirt, beneath him, on her knees in front him, her back against a wall with her legs around him...

“What are you doing here?”

Landry blinked and yanked his head out of his fantasy. “You know... That’s the second time I’ve been greeted that way today?” He mirrored her hold on the wood. “If I was a sensitive guy, I might start developing a complex that people aren’t happy to see me.”

“Maybe you should smile more and then others might not think you’re always the harbinger of doom.” She smirked.

“I’ll try to work on that.”

Rosa dropped her arm, stood back, and Landry crossed the threshold. A warm glow from a couple of lamps on her end tables in the den lit the interior. The smell of peaches filled the space from a candle somewhere in the room, the fragrance mixing with the floral notes of the woman beside him. A provocative combination that teased his senses.

“So what brings you here this late? And please tell me it’s good news despite the grumpy look on your face.”

“I just wanted to stop by and see how you were after how things went down this morning.”

“Ah...” Rosa headed for the kitchen and Landry followed. “I’m fine. You want something to drink?”

“Any beer?”
Please say yes.
He could really use a dose of alcohol to smooth his rough edges. Being here with Rosa—alone—had him feeling strung too tight.

“I think I might.” Rosa aimed for the refrigerator, her hips swayed with each step. Not intentionally. No. That wasn’t her style. She was as down to earth and unassuming as the stereotypical girl-next-door, and it made her all the more desirable.

He couldn’t recall exactly when he’d begun to fall for the alpha’s sister. But he did remember the exact moment when he’d realized he had done just that—fallen in love with the one woman he could never have. It was the night of her eighteenth birthday. Landry had only been on the job as an enforcer for her father, the alpha at that time, for a year. Rosa’s date had arrived, and she’d descended the stairs wearing an off the shoulder dress, the tight fitting bodice a swirl of pale blue, and the skirt a solid crisp white. Her blonde tresses had hung long and straight over her shoulders, brushing her waist. He’d never seen anything more beautiful. By the time Rosa had reached the last step, she’d not only completed her journey, but she’d claimed his heart along the way. And when the other male reached for her hand, a wave of jealousy, unlike anything he’d ever experienced, had swamped him, blurring his vision and punching his fangs from his gums. Landry had ducked out of the room to keep from adding murder to the list of his family’s sins. After that night, for him, nothing had ever been the same.

Rosa pulled the fridge door opened, and leaned in, her pink T-shirt riding higher on her waist, exposing a wide slice of the smooth, creamy skin beneath. His pulse leaped at the sight. Reflex coiled his fingers into tight fists. He had to, or risk closing in and acting on what his body screamed it wanted to do—to touch.

Take.

Claim.

Down, Dog! She’ll never be yours. She’s Evin’s twin sister—a member of the alpha family.
Why would they ever approve of her bedding a bastard male?
Shit.
Why the hell would she ever seriously consider a relationship with a shifter possessing such a tainted pedigree? Not to mention the questionable judgment he had when it came to his sexual appetite. Landry squeezed his eyes shut and mentally shook himself.

“Yup,” she said. Landry popped his eyelids open as Rosa straightened and whirled back around. “I was right. I did have one left.” She handed over the Bud Light.

Thank God.
In a swift one-two action, Landry had the cap off and downed a long gulp.

“Guess you
were
thirsty.” Rosa chuckled.

“Been an extra long day.” Landry sighed. “Speaking of that and how my day started, since when have you wanted to learn how to fight?”

“Why do you ask?” She shrugged and strolled off toward her den. “I think it’s probably been long overdue that I learn a few defensive moves. Don’t you?”

Landry joined her in the room, but headed over toward one of the dark windows that overlooked her backyard. Better this way if he kept his focus trained on something else besides Rosa. He was much more comfortable in the role of protector than as a covetous male.

“That’s true,” he grumbled, watching the shadows dance across the lawn as the breeze rocked the leaves in the trees. “But why Kaleb?” There. He’d said it. That was the real root of his problem, wasn’t it? The sore spot he’d been nursing all day—why she hadn’t called him.

“What?”

He spun, facing Rosa. “Why Kaleb? Why didn’t you call me? You know I would have been happy to train you.”

“Because you’re my brother’s lead enforcer. You have better things to do with your time.”

“Bullshit.” He jammed the bottle of beer onto one of end tables with a
smack
of glass to wood.

“Excuse me?” Her hands went to her hips. And damn if that arrogant stance didn’t hit him like a hot bolt of lust.

“You know I’m never too busy for you,” he rumbled, his voice dipping low.

Rosa sighed, and her arms fell back to her sides. “I knew you’d make too much of the request and go overboard. Sometimes it’s just easier to approach Kaleb. Besides...” Rosa rounded the loveseat separating them, then leaned her hips against its back, putting them a couple of feet apart. “We both know how impressive Kaleb’s skills are as a fighter.”

When he’d moved, Landry had no fucking idea. But the next thing he knew he had Rosa’s back locked to his chest in a firm hold. One of his arms snaked around her shoulders, the other secured around her waist.

“What are you doing?” Rosa growled and squirmed against him, nestling the sudden hard length of his arousal into the small of her back. She froze, but the sound of her breathing had quickened.

Landry leaned in, tucking his chin at the curve of her neck. “Shh...I’ve got you,” he whispered at her ear. “Looks like Kaleb overlooked a few moves.”

Damn, she was so close.
Bad move, Michaels.
Every heavy thump of her heart resounded through his chest. The heat of her flesh seared him through his clothes.
Bad, bad move.
Unable to resist the temptation, Landry tracked a path along the length of her slim neck, inhaling deeply: Jasmine and sex. God help him, she was aroused.

“How is it possible you can smell so sweet—so utterly delicious?” Landry tightened his hold, and a tremor rolled through Rosa. There was no mistaking the subtle vibration, and no way in hell was it fear setting off the quake. Not based on the scent exploding inside his head and triggering an ache in his nuts, rivaling even his worse case of teenage blue balls.

Slowly, ever so slowly, he inched his hand up to cup her jaw. “Rosa...” Her name came out rusty, the syllables thick with his own arousal. What he wouldn’t give for just one taste of her mouth. He didn’t deserve it. Yet dammit...he couldn’t fight it any longer. Landry turned her chin, edging them closer. Shaky puffs of air escaped Rosa’s lips as her eyelashes fluttered. Then she glanced up, her sky blue irises meeting his gaze.

“Kiss me,” he growled, barely recognizing his own voice. “For God’s sake. Kiss me now or tell me to get the hell out.”

A moan bubbled up from Rosa’s throat, and her mouth found his. The caress so feathery light at first that for a moment, he wasn’t sure she’d actually closed the distance. Then she leaned in, fully sealing their lips together, and his mind shattered.

The jarring melody of Disturbia’s
Meaning of Life
rang out from the location of his hip—his cell phone—the alpha.
Shit.
An elbow landed in his gut, sending the hamburger he’d eaten a couple of hours ago up into his esophagus.

Rosa latched onto his fingers at her jawline, bent them back, and twisted out of his hold.

Son of a bitch.

Before she could take another step, Landry reached out and snagged her other arm, yanking her back, her chest pressed to his. “Ouch,” he stated, staring down at her, his tone dry. “Guess I might have been wrong on the comprehensive nature of Kaleb’s training program.”

Her eyebrows lifted. “Guess so.”

His ring tone looped and went for round two in its attempt to gain his attention.

“You going to get that?” Rosa indicated his phone with a nod.

What the hell am I doing?
“Yeah.” Landry uncurled his fingers from her flesh, and Rosa stepped back.
Get your head on straight, Michaels.
He grabbed the cell from its clip at his waist. The display read, “the alpha”. In reality, it was perfect timing. What had been happening here needed to be brought to a screeching halt before things went too far.

He tapped the green answer bar. “Landry.”

“There’s been a change in a few of the details,” Evin stated. “I need you back here.”

“I’m on my way.”

The call ended, and Landry replaced the device in its carrier. Out of the corner of his eye, he noted Rosa standing near the kitchen with her arms folded across her chest.

Yeah
. This was awkward. And should have never happened. The sister of his alpha deserved a hell of a lot better than hooking up with the son of a male who’d deserted his own family and his people. Not to mention the fact Landry had had more men and women beneath him than he cared to count...or could remember.
Fuck, yeah
. She deserved a whole lot better.

“You need to go,” she stated, more matter of fact than a question.

“The alpha has a few more things he wants to go over with me.” Landry headed for the exit. Something he should have done ten minutes ago.

“Of course.” The sound of her footsteps placed her right behind him.

At the door, he grabbed the handle, pulled, then spun, facing Rosa. “Listen...I—”

“Don’t.” As the door swung open, Rosa seized the narrow edge, stopping its motion.

He’d planned to apologize, but her command had him choking it back instead. Would it have been the truth anyway? Did he really regret their kiss?
Yes...?
Her taste had left him only wanting more.
No?
Same explanation. She was delicious.

“We kissed.” Rosa shrugged. “That was all. I don’t want to hear sorry.”

“Are
you
?” God, he needed to shut the fuck up and just leave.

The corners of her mouth turned up into a thin smile. “Good night, Landry,” Rosa stated, her voice rock steady, yet he hadn’t missed the way her knuckles blanched from her hold on the door. Not good.

He was such an ass.

Rosa closed the door as Landry made his way down the sidewalk toward his SUV. She turned and slumped against the cool surface of the wood, her overheated flesh soaking up the chill. She groaned, her thighs trembling with the effort to keep her upright.

Thank God his cell had rung when it did. If it hadn’t...? She closed her eyes, willing her mind not to go there and conjure up the mental images of the ramifications. Rosa wasn’t sure if she could handle the impact without melting into a puddle of arousal. What was she going to do?

Too much in one day. Could a person die from lust overload?

Kissing Kaleb earlier had about melted all of her common sense. The desire between them had been combustible, a second away from igniting if she hadn’t run. And just now with Landry... She wasn’t about to admit to him how much the kiss—he—had affected her. Not when she wasn’t even close to taking that next step, committing to one male for the rest of her life. How could she when her heart belonged to two? And she couldn’t confess to either of them and put them at odds with each other.

Rosa pushed away from the door, her feet heavy with the weight of her decision. She shuffled back into the den and over to the window.

There was only one option: if she couldn’t bring herself to choose, she would have to move on. Rosa’s gut cramped at the thought of any other man in her life—in her bed. But her clock was ticking. Either she found her mate, or the heat would do it for her. She had no choice. Rosa would have to pick a male from the pack to be her mate, and then inform her brother of her condition.

A long sigh leaked from her chest like air from a deflating balloon. And like that balloon, she’d been stretched too taut for too long by frustration and tension. Rosa closed her eyes, resting her forehead against the smooth glass.

Kaleb’s face flashed before her mind’s eyes. He lay on his back, his auburn hair loose and splayed out around his head in stark contrast against crisp, white linen. He blinked then looked up at her from beneath his thick lashes.

“Love you, angel,” he said, but the sound was all wrong. Too slow. Like a record spinning at the incorrect speed.

What was this? Prior to today, her visions had been centered on the destiny of others. Never about herself. And definitely not from her own point of view. Yet that’s when she felt it. Subtle at first, then there was no mistaking the presence. Something moved inside her—between her legs. Her breath hitched, and she stumbled back. Rosa’s knees melted, taking her to the floor. Oh, God. She was so full. A slow, constant pressure rocked in and out of her.

“You feel so damn good.” It was Kaleb’s voice in her head. His face behind her eyelids. His hands on her hips.

She was out of control. Like an earthquake blossoming, her body shook, the tremors growing in magnitude. Rosa blindly grappled for something to hold onto. Something to help her ride out the storm inside her mind. Finally, she recognized the square edge of the coffee table. With a wide sweep, she cleared the surface, then pressed her chest and cheek to the wood, curling her fingertips around the other side. She sucked in quick and greedy breaths. Her breasts were too heavy, ached.