Authors: Nancy Corrigan
Jazz woke to sounds of her boys talking outside her bedroom
door. She sat up with a gasp and peered at the clock on her nightstand. Noon.
She squeezed her eyes shut. Opened them. Her boys were still arguing and it was
five hours past when she normally woke. Great, today of all days she overslept.
She jumped from the bed, tugged shorts on and ran out of the room.
Both Seth and Levi turned in unison. They wore their sleep
clothes and their hair stood on end.
“Mom, you’re awake,” they said together.
She mumbled, “Yeah, I’m awake. I must’ve been tired.” She
cleared her throat. “Did you just wake up?”
They nodded. She wasn’t surprised. They loved to sleep, much
like their animal counterparts. She smiled and ruffled their hair. “Let’s go
get breakfast.”
After setting them up with bowls of their favorite cereal,
she grabbed the phone. Four missed calls, all from Josh. With shaky fingers,
she dialed. Got his voicemail. A call to his parents’ house and she learned he
was at the bar showing Sara everything she needed to know in order to manage
the place. He planned to take a few days off to help Megan adjust.
Most importantly, they hadn’t had any problems last night.
Everyone was fine. Josh’s mother even mentioned the police had called and said
they’d had a break in the case. Jazz hung up the phone and let out a breath. A
break in the case meant it had been an ordinary murder, not a consequence of
the shifter world.
Thank god.
She turned to get her own breakfast but the phone in her
hand rang. She glanced at the caller ID.
Rafe Alexander.
Her pulse
kicked up. Butterflies took flight. She slipped out onto the deck and answered.
“Hello?”
“Good morning, beautiful. Did you sleep well?”
She grinned and ran a hand over her sleep-tousled hair.
Beautiful wasn’t the description she’d use, not first thing in the morning
anyway. Good thing he couldn’t see her. He’d run screaming in the opposite
direction.
“I did. Actually, I just woke up,” she said in a breathless
voice that surprised her.
“Well, you did have a late night. I’m glad I waited to call
you. I didn’t want to interrupt your beauty sleep.”
Her smile widened. The man was sweet and considerate. “And
how about you? Did you sleep well?”
“Hmmm, not a wink,” he groaned. “Every time I closed my
eyes, I saw yours. I’ve missed you.”
She blew out a breath and pushed the heavy weight of her
hair off her shoulder. It didn’t help. She felt flushed. “I must admit I did
think of you too. Once or twice.”
His deep chuckle filled the line. She reacted to the sound
as if he stood behind her and held her close. Arousal sparked along her nerve
endings, leaving her sensitized. She shifted the cotton top from her pebbled
nipples.
“Once or twice isn’t good enough, my Jasmine. I should be in
your every waking thought,” he drawled. “I want to see you. Now. I can’t wait
until tonight.”
The demanding tone should’ve annoyed her. It didn’t. It fed
her arousal and left her hot and achy. She ran a hand over the back of her
neck. “I can’t. I have so much to do and I haven’t had a chance to call Mr.
Wilkins.”
“Call him. I’ll pick you up at six,” Rafe said with that air
of confidence he had, as if she’d agree without hesitation. This time he was
right. She couldn’t wait to see him. Talk to him. Kiss him.
“And Jasmine?”
She ran her tongue over her teeth and tugged once more at
the annoying cloth rubbing against her nipples. “What?”
“Plan for that sleepover,” he said and hung up.
She held the phone to her chest for a moment and conjured
Rafe’s face. Her lower belly quivered. She swallowed hard and dialed Mr.
Wilkins.
* * * * *
Rafe blew out a strained breath and slid the phone back into
his pocket. He glanced over the yard separating him from Jasmine. A few hundred
feet. It felt as if it were miles. His fingers itched with the desire to rip
the thin top off her body and put his mouth on her erect nipples. They pushed
against the cotton, showed him how very aroused she was. She needed a male’s
touch. His touch. He groaned and adjusted his cock. He’d been aroused most of
the night. He fucking hurt.
“The female’s got you twisted up, Rafe. Be careful,” Kade
warned.
Rafe turned his head once Jasmine slipped back inside the
house. Kade sat with his back against a tree across from him. He watched him
with narrowed eyes, the intense stare of an alpha meant to intimidate others
into confessing their secrets. Rafe snorted and looked away.
“Be careful of what? Blue balls?” He glanced down at the
front of his jeans and the bulge there. “Got those already. That’s why I need
to get Jasmine alone. She left me in this state. And by the gods, she’s going
to take care of me.”
“I’m not talking about the sex,” Kade mumbled. He waved his
hand to encompass Rafe’s body. “You’re tense. You watched her bedroom window
all night, left me to prowl the grounds.”
He’d done more than that. While Kade had run the lands to
check for any other signs of the rogue shifter, Rafe had made his way to the
house. He’d stood below Jasmine’s window just to hear her breathing. He’d grown
agitated after the first couple of hours. He’d needed to be close to her and
hadn’t calmed until he’d smelled her, listened to the soft exhales of her
breath, knew she was safe.
“And? That is part of surveillance, Kade. We’ve spent many
nights watching over humans who were in this exact situation.”
“And after the threats to them passed we left with our cubs
and never gave their human guardians a second thought.” Kade leaned forward and
braced his hand on the ground next to him. “Why do I think this human will be
coming home with us?”
Rafe faced the house and searched the windows. He didn’t see
Jasmine, but he heard her voice. He focused on her husky timbre and his racing
pulse slowed. “I never said she was. I don’t get to make those decisions. You
do.”
“Really?” Kade snorted. “Okay. I’ll sneak in tonight while
you’re on your date with Jasmine, grab Seth and Levi, have Devin take Megan and
get the hell out of this shithole.”
Rafe unleashed his claws, dug them into Kade’s shoulders and
slammed him into the tree. “No,” he hissed. “You will do no such thing.”
Kade didn’t flinch, didn’t fight him even though blood
dribbled over his chest. He stared at him for a long moment while Rafe fought
to keep his growls contained. “You see? You’re too involved, Rafe. The woman
has captured your attention.”
Rafe retracted his claws and shoved away from him. He walked
as close to the tree line as he dared. Seth and Levi might be cubs, but their
senses were ten times better than a human child’s. Alerting them to their
presence wasn’t part of the plan. He didn’t want Jasmine to know what he was or
why he was here. Not yet. She might not let him into her body if she did.
“Jasmine is a beautiful woman. I want her,” Rafe said.
“You had her.”
“Not completely. I didn’t get to come.”
Kade stepped in front of him, blocking his view to the
house. Rafe moved but Kade followed and shoved him back. “You have a hand,
Rafe. Take care of yourself and leave the woman alone. Humans do not belong in
our world.”
Rafe had tried. After watching Jasmine undress, he’d stroked
his cock until his goddamn hand cramped but he hadn’t come. He wanted her
sheath gripping him, not his roughened skin. Even fantasizing about her hadn’t
helped.
“We’ve had humans in our pride before,” he said instead of
admitting how he feared Jasmine had captured his interest.
“And the last one betrayed Mira,” Kade growled.
He closed his eyes and cursed. “That was three hundred years
ago. Before her betrayal, we had many families who lived within our lands.”
“But never since. They aren’t trustworthy.”
Stubbornness tightened Kade’s features and straightened his
spine. Rafe took in his pose and a sliver of unease slithered down his spine. “Humans
are not the same as they were in previous centuries. They are open to different
ideas, accepting of others. Look at all the humans who work behind the scenes
to help us.” Rafe stepped closer and captured Kade’s gaze. “This case is no
different. Tony’s autopsy was canceled and false reports made to stop the
humans from investigating in our affairs. That wouldn’t have been possible
without our sources.”
Kade ran a hand through his hair and glanced back at the
house. “And sometimes I wonder if it is the right thing to do. Tony’s killer is
likely long gone and justice will never be meted out, yet the human’s family
thinks differently.” He shook his head. “Just because we are the prized
offspring of the gods, it doesn’t give us the right to act like them.”
And it was that belief that had caused so much discontent
between the single animal shifters and the royal class. Shifters had lived
among the humans for millennia but they were stronger, lived a couple of
centuries compared to the several decades humans did. They’d used those traits
to dominate their weaker brethren. The gods intervened and birthed the royals
to bring the single animal shifters to heel. It worked. Balance returned, but
there were those who despised the royals for their link to the gods. Calum had
been one, only they’d never known of his deep hatred.
Rafe gave a single nod. “I agree, but it’s better for the
humans’ peace of mind. If they aren’t given closure they’ll always wonder and
worry that danger might find them again.”
Kade grunted and faced him. “We’ll wait a few days before we
decide what to do with Josh and Jasmine.”
Relief swept through him. He settled back against the tree
trunk to watch the house. Kade leaned close and whispered, “If I’d said
anything different, you would’ve fought me, taken this goddamn job off my
shoulders. Am I right, brother?”
Rafe slowly turned his head and faced Kade but didn’t
answer. They stared at each other and the silent battle of wills neither of
them ever won raged. Finally, they both turned away and Kade shifted into his
jaguar form. He trotted off and Rafe focused back on the home.
With his attention on Jasmine working in her kitchen, he
allowed Kade’s words to replay in his head. Maybe Kade was right. The woman had
crawled into his mind and taken up residence there, not something he had
planned on or wanted, but he couldn’t walk away. And it was taking everything
he had not to think about why.
Jazz stood in front of her bedroom mirror and groaned.
Nothing looked right. She yanked the cute baby-doll shirt off and tugged the
halter top back on. Similar to the one she wore last night, the lacy neckline
showed plenty of cleavage and the loose waist offered enough room to slip under
the hem and explore. She shook her head at the naughty thoughts filling her
mind, but it didn’t stop her from choosing a pair of loose shorts either.
Underneath the outfit she’d chosen with Rafe in mind, she
wore simple black panties and a strapless bra. She’d debated over running into
town and picking up something sexier but didn’t have time. Besides, she hadn’t
decided if Rafe would be getting her completely naked. Just because she wanted
to have sex with him didn’t mean it had to happen tonight.
She glanced at the clock. Five minutes to six. She grabbed a
brush and ran it through her hair one last time. The doorbell rang. She jumped.
With shaky hands, she placed the comb on the dresser and hurried down the
stairs into the living room. A date. She was actually going on a date, her
first in three long years. There was no reason to feel nervous, but her heart
raced. Sweat dampened her palms. She scrubbed them against her shorts, took a
calming breath and opened the door.
Rafe stood on the other side with his legs slightly spread
and his head dipped so a lock of hair fell over one eye. His lips lifted in a
lopsided smile. He swept his gaze over her body from her feet to her face. Heat
spread in the wake of his lazy perusal.
“Beautiful, my Jasmine. So damn beautiful.”
He reached forward, took her hand and tugged her close. His
mouth covered hers before she could say anything. The hungered, raw kiss he
delivered stole her breath and replaced it with his. A tug of her hair and he
tipped her head back for his sweeping thrusts. She arched into him, accepting
his lead. Still kissing her, he backed her into the living room. The door
slammed closed behind them. She turned her head away. His lips brushed over her
cheek.
“Rafe, wait,” she panted.
He skimmed the roughened fingers she’d dreamed about last
night up her side and under the edge of her shirt, exactly as she’d hoped he
would. With small strokes, he caressed the edge of her breast and nuzzled
against the sensitive spot beneath her ear. His warm breath aroused her as
easily as the light touch of his fingertips but if she let this continue, her
willpower would crumble.
“Why? Aren’t we alone?”
They were. She’d driven the boys over to Mr. Wilkins’ house
an hour ago but no way would she invite Rafe into her bedroom. She’d given
their date a lot of thought. Rafe wasn’t from the area.
If
they ended up
having sex tonight, she didn’t want the memory of it
here
, where she’d
remember exactly how it felt to be with him and long for him when he was gone.
“We are, but you promised me dinner. I’m hungry.”
Rafe nibbled along her jaw to her mouth. He kissed her,
slowly with rolling thrusts of his tongue that left her weak. She grabbed his
shoulders and held on while he explored her as completely as he had yesterday.
Without hesitation, he slipped his hand into her shorts. She wavered a moment
then widened her stance for his probing fingers. He slid them over her clit and
down her cleft to circle her opening.
Her shorts were loose enough for his teasing but not for the
stimulation she suddenly craved. She wriggled her bottom and groaned as his
fingertip dipped inside. When he yanked his hand out and popped the button on
her shorts, she froze. God, she had no self-control around him. She pushed
away.
“Dinner, Rafe. A date. I never promised I’d have sex with
you.”
He gave her a lopsided smile and brought his fingers to his
mouth. With slow swipes of his tongue, he licked her arousal off. More flowed
to slicken her sex. She swayed closer to him. He wrapped his arms around her
waist, drew her against him.
“A date then. Where shall we go?”
“The Black Widow.”
Josh’s bar was packed. It always had a decent crowd, but on
a Friday night even more so. Jazz leaned against Rafe and listened to the familiar
sounds—music, laughter and the drone of voices. She didn’t go out often but
when she did, she usually came here, so it seemed the logical choice. Now she
had second thoughts. Everyone watched them. The waitresses stared openly at
Rafe, not that she could blame them, but after openly perusing him, their
curious gazes landed on her. She saw the questions in their eyes. And the
accusations.
Everyone assumed she’d eventually get back together with
Josh. They’d dated on and off through high school but after she’d moved, they’d
parted ways for good. When she came home with twins, he’d made it clear they’d
eventually get back together. In fact, she’d heard she was the excuse he gave
to a lot of his fuck buddies as the reason he didn’t date.
Now here she was with Rafe, a delicious specimen of a man
who held her against his chest and nuzzled her neck. Sara walked by, looked
them up and down and huffed.
“Let’s get a table out on the deck,” she suggested.
He pulled out his phone. “You go on up. I have to make a call.”
He kissed her cheek and slipped out the door.
She frowned at his abrupt departure, but he had been texting
on and off since he’d picked her up. He’d said it was business. They were
working a security detail in town. He had to tie up some loose ends. Her heart
skipped a beat. Once he finished his job, he’d leave. Just because he said
plans could change and he might stay longer didn’t guarantee he would. She
pushed the thought away. Tonight. She’d keep her focus on the present. They
were on a date. And dammit, she planned on enjoying it.
She blew out a breath and made her way across the bar to the
stairs. They were narrow, no bigger than the ones in her house, but the bar had
started out as somebody’s home back when neighborhoods had a pub on every
corner. Halfway up she ran into a man rushing down. She gasped and teetered
backward, but his arms wrapped around her waist and tugged her against him.
A whiff of cigars and cologne filled her lungs. She choked
out, “I’m sorry. I didn’t see you.”
Bright-brown eyes focused on her and a grin spread over his
face. In the dim light she couldn’t see much of him, but the tiny hairs on her
arms stood up. Fear slithered into her belly and churned it. He set her aside
before the sick feeling spread.
“No problem, sweet thing. I’ll keep an eye out for you from
now on,” he drawled and continued on down the stairs.
She watched him until the bend in the staircase blocked him
from view, then slumped against the wall. The rushing blood in her veins echoed
in her head. She stood there and trembled but didn’t know why. The guy had
saved her from falling. He hadn’t done a single thing to make her afraid. She
shook off the weird sensation and hurried up the stairs in case he came back.
* * * * *
Rafe leaned back in his seat and watched Jasmine’s mouth
move. They talked about bland topics at first, the kind meant to help them get
to know each other, and ones he quickly realized he had to answer carefully so
as not to make her suspicious. When she’d asked what his first car had been, he’d
answered truthfully—a Model T Ford. She’d frowned and he’d had to quickly
inform her that his family collected automobiles and the vehicle had been a
gift.
The topic of classic cars had made her eyes light up. She’d
gone on to tell him of her restoration business, which he’d already known
about. He’d walked through her garage in the early hours of the morning, but he
settled back and listened to her speak. Her husky voice aroused him. He found
he didn’t want her to stop talking.
Jasmine laughed and reached forward. Her fingers brushed his
and the desire that had simmered all evening flared to life.
“Are you even listening to me?” she asked.
He wrapped her hand in his and rubbed his thumb over her
wrist. Her pulse kicked up. “Absolutely, your current project is a ’67 Camaro
Z28 you’re refitting with a modified Corvette block. Customer lives in
Delaware, a Steven…something.” He chuckled at her shocked face. “Sorry. I can’t
remember his last name.”
She leaned over the table and gave him a wonderful view of
her cleavage. “You really were paying attention.”
Rafe stood and pulled Jasmine from her seat. She molded into
his embrace without any prompting. With a hand on her lower back and another at
the base of her neck, he bent close and pressed his mouth to her ear. “Of
course I was. You’re an intriguing woman, Jasmine.”
“Thank you but I didn’t mean to dominate the conversation,
Rafe.” She turned her head and her warm, minty breath bathed his neck. “I want
to learn more about you too.”
He tugged her flush against him so his engorged shaft pushed
into her belly. “You will. Very soon.”
She shuddered and wrapped her arms around his waist. “It’s
getting late. Maybe we should get going.”
He captured her earlobe and tugged until he pulled a breathy
moan from her. “I like that idea, Jasmine. Let’s go.”
He took her hand, led her through the bar and out the door.
She walked with him, hand in hand, but he scented her nervousness and her
anxiety—it helped him rein in his lust. Ever since he’d seen her this morning
on the deck in her sleep clothes, he’d anticipated this moment. Getting her
naked had consumed his every thought, but he wouldn’t rush her and risk pushing
her away.
Once they reached his SUV, she turned in her seat. “I
thought I could do this but I can’t. I’m sorry, Rafe.”
He reached for her, tipped up her chin and kissed her. The
tight confines of the cab left him little room to touch her, but he skimmed his
fingertips along her arms, a light stroke meant to soothe her. It did. Her
muscles eased but he kept kissing her, arousing her until she linked her hands
around his neck. He pulled back.
“You want to. I see it in your eyes, feel it in the way you
touch me. One night. Let me love you.” She opened her mouth, but he pressed a
finger to her parted lips. “We’ll see what happens. Okay? If you decide you don’t
want me, I’ll back off. Promise.”
“That’s the problem. I thought I’d be okay with one night,
but I can’t do it.” She shifted in her seat and leaned close to cup his face in
between her hands. “I like you, Rafe. You’re the first guy to tempt me.” She
shook her head and smiled wryly. “I’ve never left my boys overnight so I could
be with a man. I feel guilty.”
“I never said I only wanted a night. If I did, there were
plenty of women in that bar I could’ve taken. I didn’t.”
She worried her bottom lip. “But you’re not from the area.
You’re here on business and—”
“Business that won’t be completed anytime soon.” He swallowed
hard. “I’ve never wanted a woman as much as I want you. And that’s not a line,
Jasmine. I feel as if I might die if I don’t get inside you.”
And it was the truth. He didn’t understand it, didn’t want
to question it more. If he did, he’d run in the opposite direction—but he
couldn’t walk away. He slipped his hand from her chin down the length of her
neck to rest over the swell of her breasts. The soft skin under his palm teased
him. He wanted to feel her body against his. The yearning to roll around naked with
her so his scent clung to every inch grew with each passing moment. It was a
very possessive thought, but not one he could deny.
“Give us tonight. I want to finish what we started
yesterday.” He nibbled her earlobe. “I need you. Don’t deny me.”
“I shouldn’t, Rafe. My boys—”
“Are with your neighbor. They’re safe. I’ll even send my
twin, Kade, over to watch their house so you won’t have to worry about them. He’s
here working a case with me. He’ll sit in the woods. They won’t know.”
She frowned. Her brows scrunched. “Why would he do that?”
Shit.
Jasmine was overly cautious, probably the
reason her kids had remained safe so long without drawing the attention of the
shifter community. He’d made a mistake, but he couldn’t take it back now. He
thought of something believable to say and settled on the truth.
“Because my brother loves me and would do anything for me. I
haven’t stopped talking about you and that’s not like me.” He blew out a rough
breath. “Surveillance is what we do. It’ll be a typical job. I’ll even pay him
if he doesn’t want to do it.”
“Oh,” she breathed. “That’s sweet but—”
He kissed his way across her cheek to her mouth. With the
tip of his tongue, he teased the seam. She opened to him on a sigh. He kissed
her with unhurried, confident strokes until he felt her body go lax, accepting
him. He pulled back and cupped her face between his palms. “I want your focus
on me. Only me. Not your responsibilities, not tomorrow. Me. Us. What we can do
to each other.”
Her breaths quickened and the scent of her arousal drifted
to him. “I want to but—”
He yanked her close and kissed her hard. His gums ached, his
fangs pushing to be released. He fought their emergence, didn’t want to
frighten Jasmine with them, but the thought of this female walking away from
him brought out his possessive instincts. The more she denied him, the stronger
his urge to tie her to him became. It was his nature. Once instincts kicked in,
a male was often lost. They didn’t always think through their choices. It
became imperative they claim their mate and would use any damn means they could
to do so. Even seduce her until she agreed to anything.
He broke their kiss, brushed his thumb over her swollen
lips. “So what’s it going to be, Jasmine? Are you going give us this? Take a
chance on me?” Remembering what human females liked to hear, even if it wasn’t
a concern for them, he said, “You’re safe with me. Do you understand?”
She stared at him as if she didn’t but finally nodded. “I’m
safe too.” She blew out a breath. “Okay, Rafe. Let’s go get a room.”