Diamond Dust (20 page)

She sat up, placing her knees on either side of his body as she rested her weight on her shins. Her lips pulled into a smile as his gaze fell to her chest. “I’m off work for the next week. Whatever we need to do to get conclave in line, that’s my focus.”

He drew a wavy line up her torso, goose bumps following his touch. “Not the only focus, I hope.”

The tip of his finger circled her nipple, and the peak tightened as if well trained.

Concentrating as he played with her breasts wasn’t the easiest thing to do. “When’s the next bear social event? I’d like to be better prepared this time, please.”

“Three nights from now. A music recital at the Nakai Theatre.”

“That’s…different than I expected.” He was doing wicked, wicked things to her with his thumbs. “And everyone will simply show up, as if the fight last night didn’t happen?”

“Exactly. See? You understand bears.”

Incredible. Take the least comprehensible action and,
voila
, bears. “What if I wanted to get together with a few people before then, can we do that?”

She’d surprised him. Tyler paused in mid-caress, a crease between his eyes. “Get together with who?”

“The ladies, of course. They get to vote, right? Maybe I could meet them all for lunch or something. Invite them out and see where things are at. I never got a chance to talk to that one clan you wanted me to sound out. Nakusp?”

Tyler’s face lit up. “You’re a genius. Of course, it’s perfect. We have to pick a place that’s easy to defend, though.”

She laughed. “I can get us a discount at the Moonshine Inn.”

“I bet you could, but that’s probably already considered Harrison territory. How about somewhere a little more neutral?”

A brainwave hit. “I know the perfect spot. Takhini Hot Springs—it’s an outdoor pool only fifteen minutes out of town. If anything does happen, it’s far enough from city limits to help with damage control, and the pack is part owner. If we set it up for tomorrow, I can guarantee there will be no outside visitors.”

He nodded. “Areas for observation, and yet lots of opportunities for private discussion. Sounds like a super idea.” When she would have crawled off him to get planning, though, he caught her. “Later. It’s still too early to contact anyone. We have plenty of time.”

He lifted his fingers to trace her lips, then pressed one digit into her mouth. She licked it obediently, wondering what he had planned. The next trip around her nipple left moisture behind, and now not only his touch but also the cool room air assaulted her.

Her sex tingled madly, and he hadn’t gone anywhere near her hot buttons yet. “Oh boy.”

“Oh
man
.” He grinned. “Let’s see what things make you scream in pleasure.”

“I’m not much of a screamer.” The words slipped out before Caroline realized how much of a challenge they could be considered. “Oops? Just forget I said…”

He sat up, six-pack abdomen flexing under her fingers as he brought their bodies together. Heat radiated off him and wrapped her in desire and anticipation. “Forget what?”

Then he rolled her under him and proceeded to prove that she could, in fact, scream herself hoarse when properly motivated.

Justin stopped by the apartment with a bag of clothes, his alert gaze taking in everything as he stood in the doorway. Caroline was at the desk by the window, sending out email invitations to her gathering the following day.

Tyler pulled his friend into the back room with him. “You want to say something, so you may as well get it out of your system.”

Justin shook his head. “No lectures from me. I might need to say
I told you so
a few times, but nothing happened I’m worried about.”

Tyler pulled on jeans and a thick T-shirt. “You’ve brought me a pretty relaxed outfit here, and yes, I’m ignoring the
I told you so
comment.”

“I rented you a jeep. Figured you might like some time to explore the area with your new friend this morning.” His guard pointedly stared into the living room.

Glory be. “You mean I don’t have to sneak out of town with her to avoid your obsession with protecting us?”

“You’re officially dating?”

It was strange to feel both a thrill and lingering fear at the idea of being formally involved with Caroline—how could two emotions occupy the same mental space? “Yes.”

Justin shrugged. “Then you don’t need a chaperone, and I never said you wouldn’t have a guard. Only you can drive. Just ignore me as I ramble through the trees.”

“You get a thrill out of watching, do you?”

His guard coughed. “Exactly what are you planning on doing during your explore?”

“Never mind.”

It didn’t need to be said. Justin knew without being told that chances were high Caroline and Tyler would end up testing the jeep’s springs at some point, and he didn’t mean by going cross-country.

Tyler eyed his friend. “Taking off won’t cause troubles in terms of wheeling and dealing for votes?”

Justin shook his head. “If bears go by rote, most of them will sleep in and take it easy this morning. This afternoon everyone will be around Whitehorse. If you and Caroline do some window-shopping, you’ll bump into most of the conclave participants on a one-to-one basis. That works better than us arranging formal coffee klatches.”

“Agreed.”

Justin called out a greeting as he marched into the living room, “Caroline. How did you enjoy the dinner last night?”

She spun her chair, pulling her hair back into a ponytail as she answered. “I’ve been informed no one died, and people are shocked. Well, people are shocked I even asked the question. Do all bears act like the rabbits in
Watership Down
? Ignore the fact that some of you have dropped off the face of the earth?”

Justin turned, his confusion clear. “Did she just compare us to a bunch of rabbits?”

“Scared and frightened bunnies. Yes.” Tyler settled onto the couch.

Caroline blew a raspberry at them. “Hey, you like lemmings better? Or how about hamsters? Little ones, with parachutes, being tossed off the roof of a building.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Tyler admitted, although her random comments amused him greatly. “Ready for breakfast? And afterward Justin found us a vehicle if you’d like to show me some of the local sights.”

She closed the computer and headed for the table. “I vote for Ricky’s Grill. And yes, showing you around would be fun. Now who wants to take charge of this?”

She held out a box.

“What is that?” Tyler rose to his feet as he figured out what she had clutched in her fingers. “Oh, the necklace. Just keep it.”

Her gaze narrowed and she stepped closer, poking him in the chest with the container. “Hardly.”

“No, it’s yours. Ready to go?” Tyler frowned as Justin made the strangest motions with his head and brows. “What is your damn problem? Stop twitching like a zombie.”

Justin shrugged. “I was trying to warn you a certain female might be pissed off at you. As your friend, I’d ignore your stupidity and be amused by the pain she’ll cause, but as your bodyguard I figured I should make sure you have a second’s warning. In case you need to be prepared for a physical attack.”

Caroline grinned at Justin. “You already had a coffee this morning, didn’t you?”

“I’m a sharp cookie in general, but yes. Perhaps you’ll take his lack of caffeine into consideration before you flatten him.”

“I’m in the room. Stop talking about me like I’m not here.” Tyler paused. Something had gone down weird in the last couple minutes. “You are talking about me, correct?”

Caroline grabbed him by the belt buckle and jerked. Well, she attempted to jerk him forward, but he weighed too much for her to make him budge. Instead, his jeans shifted position, and she slipped the box into the gap between the fabric and his abdomen. “You have a good friend there, Tyler. I’ll let you off this time. Come on. Let’s get you some food and see if your brain wakes up.”

Justin headed for the door, checking the hallway. Tyler removed the box from his pants and returned it to his bag. Caroline pulled on a coat and ignored him as if he wasn’t even there.

The two of them ended up alone at the table for breakfast as Justin faded unobtrusively into the background. Tyler and Caroline chatted throughout the meal about family and their general experiences of living in the north. By the time they were done eating, he’d figured out what he’d done to piss her off earlier.

She wasn’t like any woman he’d ever met before. Most wouldn’t have thought twice about accepting the jewelry. In fact, he’d had a few lovers he was pretty sure had angled for nights together more for the trinkets he gave them than to be with him.

Caroline was a breath of fresh air in his life, and his unreasonable fear struck again. That in the midst of the best thing happening to him he would lose himself.

He couldn’t afford to have his concentration broken more than it already was, but he’d made her a commitment this was more than simply business.

Six foot four and frightened by his emotions. Hurrah for stupidity. Maybe her comment about rabbits and hamsters made some sense.

Tyler opened the jeep’s passenger door for Caroline and watched in bemusement as she crawled all the way across to settle into the driver’s seat. “What are you doing?”

She grinned. “Showing you around. Get in.”

She expected him to argue, so he did the unexpected and sat, slipping the seat back while she adjusted her chair to reach the pedals. He glanced over his shoulder and noted the pair of daypacks on the seat. “Justin said he left us water bottles and a lunch, so where shall we go?”

Caroline headed out of town and toward the south. “Miles Canyon. There are some great hiking trails we can stretch our legs on for a while, if that’s okay with you.”

That sounded wonderful. “Lead on.”

Every moment left the suit and tie farther behind them, and the opportunity to relax and break away was the last thing he’d expected to experience during this event.

Actually,
Caroline
was the last thing he’d expected during this trip. The thought made him grin.

She parked the jeep under the shade of a towering evergreen, the lowest branches brushing the roof. They both checked the area around them before opening their doors.

Her sense of caution pleased him and made him wonder. “You know to do that?”

She sighed. “You bears might be the biggest game in town right now, Tyler, but you aren’t the only things a girl needs to watch out for.”

Her comment made the blood rise at the back of his eyes and things turned red. “You’ve never had troubles with anyone, have you?”

She’d pulled out one backpack already, pressing it into his arms as he stepped to her side. “No, Tyler. I’ve never been attacked. Well, not deliberately. There was one time that a couple of the pack got mixed up and thought I was the target for a shifter version of Capture the Flag. I had the devil of a time staying out of their path.”

He settled the pack in position, shocked she could laugh about it. “You were run down by a bunch of wolves and you’re not mad?”

Caroline knelt to tighten her laces. “Who said they caught me?”

Her bright smile shone up at him, and his bear roared to life, sending all kinds of pornworthy images involving her in that position, albeit sans runners, backpack and clothes. He was helpless to stop his cock from reacting.

Some of what he was thinking must have shown on his face. Her gaze dropped over him, lingering for long enough to be a visual caress right where he really didn’t need any encouragement.

Then, dammit, she licked her lips, and he was done for. Fully hard and aching, his cock pressed the front of his jeans.

Caroline rose slowly, inching forward as she finished with her body brushing his, her fingers tracing the line of his belt.

“Maybe instead of a hike, we should make this more interesting.”

His instant response shot out; half human, half bear, all male. “I’m game.”

She slipped her fingers into his pockets, the side of her knuckles skimming the crest of his cock, and her eyes widened. He was mesmerized by her expression, by her lips that were still wet from where she’d moistened them. “You know, I don’t mind the idea of being chased.”

Shit.

Oh damn.

He swallowed hard in an attempt to stop the ringing in his ears. “Chasing you would be my privilege.”

Another soft stroke along his erection sent a shiver of lust all the way to his brain. “Getting caught. That could be fun as well. If you’re good enough.”

Shit
.

Double damn.

“You have some kinky fantasies, baby.”

Her expressive face vanished from view as she leaned in close and pressed her lips to his neck. A blast of desire rocked him.

She adjusted her grip, pressing her full palm to his erection. “If you catch me, maybe you’ll find out.”

“If? I’m a bear.” He tucked his fingers under her chin and forced her head up so he could examine her face, wanting to be sure she knew what kind of game she was arranging. He brushed his thumb over her cheek, fighting the urge to pick her up right here and bend her over the back of the jeep. “I’ll give you a five-minute head start.”