When A Lioness Snarls (A Lion's Pride Book 5) (10 page)

Most likely, the flying dude had swooped down and entered through an unlocked balcony. Jeoff couldn’t be one hundred percent sure because of the lack of scent for tracking. With nothing to smell, he relied on logic, especially knowing how hard it would be for a stranger, especially one with, oddly, no scent, to infiltrate the building and get in through the door. So he assumed the dude had come through the balcony, which was why he thumbed the latch. It wouldn’t stop anyone determined to get in, but the snapping of it would give audible warning.

The sliding door wasn’t the only point of entry. There was another window in the bedroom.
I should check it.

Totally check it
, his wolf too eagerly agreed.

No need to ask why. His shaggy other side liked being around Luna. Liked her smell. The touch of her hands on him. The taste of her lips. As a matter of fact, his wolf liked just about everything about her.

And so do I.
It galled him to admit, but at the same time, hadn’t this always been true? How many years since he’d first noticed Luna? Lusted after her, but done his best to ignore her? Now, circumstance had thrown them together, forced him to get close. Vey close. Problem was he now couldn’t seem to get away.

Don’t want to go away.
His inner beast said it succinctly.

That attitude was a problem. But he’d have to suck it up and remind himself that he had promised Arik to watch over Luna. That meant going into that bedroom and checking on that damned window.

So why did he hesitate? He’d put her to bed all big and furry. Nothing to tempt him. Nothing to make him do something stupid.

The door opened quietly, and he poked his head in. Sucked in a hard breath. In her sleep, Luna had shifted, her tawny lioness pulled back to leave bared skin.

Stop staring!

He really shouldn’t ogle, especially given her condition. The window still needed checking, though, which meant he had to go in.

Be brave.

He walked into the bedroom, keeping his gaze averted from the bed, skirting the foot of it to get to the other side to check on the window. It showed no signs of tampering, and the lock was firmly engaged.

He made to circle around the bed again, his intent being to escape to the living room, where he could fight the allure of her scent. Instead, he found himself stopping by the head of the bed and staring down at Luna. She lay splayed on her stomach again. Face angled to the side, lips parted and snoring softly. In the dim light, he could barely see the pattern of freckles across the bridge of her nose. The skin of her cheeks appeared smooth, alabaster perfection. He ran the backs of his knuckles against it, drawn to touch.

A soft sigh left her lips. So sweet.

Walk away. Don’t stay in here.
There was no reason to stay in here. He could make himself a spot on the couch.

Stay. She’s vulnerable.
No matter what Arik said, or she thought, Luna was currently defenseless.
I shouldn’t go far.

Also, that couch wasn’t exactly built for a guy his size, and her bed was awfully big. The justifications convinced him to stay with her. The door proved easy to secure with another chair, leaving plenty of warning if someone chose to come crashing through. Unlike movies where heroes pulled an all-nighter keeping watch, he planned to catch some sleep because he couldn’t deny the fatigue in his body. He would do nobody any good if he didn’t get some rest.

Rationalization had him unbuttoning the top of his pants as well as stripping off his socks and his jacket. He removed his silken shirt in favor of donning his T-shirt, the one she’d borrowed from him lying on the foot of her bed. It held her scent within the cottony fibers. A pathetic excuse for a wolf, he sniffed it. And, no, he wouldn’t hang his head in shame because no one knew but him.

Before getting into bed with her, with his eyes averted, he tucked the comforter to a spot under her chin, ensuring she was fully covered. Only then did he dare clamber onto the mattress, keeping to the far side, lying atop the covers, not touching her at all, yet so utterly aware of her.

What was it about Luna that made him want to forget all his promises to himself? How could one woman, one sensually sexy and frustration-inducing woman, make him want more than what they had? A part of him tired of keeping her at arm’s length. He wanted to do more than lie beside her, pretending she wasn’t inches away. Pretending he didn’t yearn to hold her.

Show some respect.
She was drugged, and despite all her invitations, she wouldn’t appreciate him manhandling her. He used those arguments to lull himself to sleep, alone, on his side.

That was not how he woke up.

N
othing beat waking
up atop a guy, staring intently and waiting for him to rouse.

Unlike some of her previous sleepover friends, Jeoff didn’t scream when he opened his eyes and spotted her. He also didn’t smile. But, boy oh boy, was he rock hard underneath her.

She wiggled. “Morning, wolfie. I see someone is in the mood for a little something-something.”

“Yup. A pee.”

The man persisted in playing hard to get. “Is that what you’re going with?” She tickled him in the kidney, trying to get a rise.

He stared.

“Oh come on, stop playing hard to get and admit you want me.”

“I want you to get off.”

“Gee, so do I, but someone won’t help a girl out.” She winked.

He still stared and tried to keep a cool expression, but his body couldn’t hide his rousing heat.

“I take it you’re feeling better?”

“If by better you mean awake.” She grimaced. “Talk about an unfair fight. I never even smelled the bastard before he was jabbing me with a needle. Utterly mortifying.”

“You obviously didn’t make it easy for him. I noticed he didn’t get you entirely with the first dose.”

She smiled. “A girl develops a sixth sense over time when it comes to guys putting on the moves. I wasn’t expecting the needle, though. That’s a new one. His drugs were good, but it’s not the first time someone tried to roofie me. It’s true what they say. Never put your drink down. The damned stuff made me slow. I tried to fight back.” Her lips turned down. “He got me with a cuff to the head, which was why I got knocked out the first time.”

She wondered if he even realized just how much concern his face showed at her words. His hand reached to cup the side of her head.

“How are you feeling now?”

“Refreshed and ready to go.” To emphasize, she did a bit of a bounce.

He might have uttered a small, pained moan. “Stop that.”

“No.” She wiggled again until he stopped her with his hands on her hips, stilling her movements. “Ooh, getting physical. If you ask me, I totally deserve a spanking for that.”

“You are not supposed to ask for a spanking.”

“Why not?”

“It has to be spontaneous.”

“I will get you to spank me one day,” she threatened.

“Probably. But in the meantime, you’ll just have to anticipate it.” He slapped her on the butt and winked, his abrupt swap from scowl to teasing grin jarring. The bloody man blew hot and cold and freaking purple. Seriously. She really didn’t know what to expect from him.

Which is why he’s so much fun.

The saucy retort he made deserved a reply, yet before she could utter something snazzy or scathing, Luna found herself gaping at her ceiling as Jeoff flipped her onto her back. He sprang out of bed, his dress pants of the night before hanging off the tight upper curve of his ass. Stupid gentleman wearing his clothes to bed. Even more horrid, the damned pants insisted on clinging instead of tumbling downward and flashing his sweet ass.

“Where are you going?” she couldn’t help but ask. What she really wanted to say was “get your butt back over here.” She was totally in a mood to maul him.

Apparently, he had different plans.

A chair set under the doorknob got more attention than she did. He removed it and set it to the side before opening the door, but he paused before exiting, finally deigning to reply. “First, I’m going for a pee. Followed by food. Then I need to hit my place for clothing before I go back to Rainforest Menagerie for a peek around. After that, I intend to stalk Charlemagne down.”

“I? What happened to ‘we’?” She set her lips in a stubborn line. “You are not going without me.”

“Then be ready to go in the next ten minutes.”

“Ten minutes?”

He smirked at her from the door of her room. “Yes, ten minutes if you’re planning to come with me. I don’t have time for girl nonsense. Arik’s tasked me with getting answers, and that’s what I’m going to do.”

“Not alone you’re not because I’m coming with you,” she muttered as she hopped out of bed. If he thought she was one of those girls who took an hour to get ready, then he’d quickly learn.

Problem was he got a head start since he used her only bathroom to pee. The lock needed only a butter knife to pop it, and she entered the washroom, which caused him to yell, “What the fuck,” and halt his pee mid-stream. Impressive control.

“Hey, wolfie.” She sauntered in clad in absolutely nothing.

He kept his eyes on her forehead. “Don’t hey me. I locked the door for a reason. It’s called privacy.”

“I don’t know that word.”

“Don’t start with me, Luna. Couldn’t you wait until I was done?”

“Nope. I’m on a deadline that I would like to point out you set. But don’t mind me,” she said with a naughty grin as she stopped behind him and peered around his body. “Go ahead and finish your pee while I get going on my shower.”

Not surprisingly, he didn’t finish his business and kept his hand cupped over his junk.

Point. Stepping past him, she lifted her foot over the rim of the tub and stepped in. Leaning, she stretched forward to turn on the water and then jerked back so the initial cold jet didn’t get her. Since there was no shower curtain, the glass barrier that acted as splashguard gave her a perfect view of Jeoff, still standing in front of the toilet, head craned to gape at her.

She waved and smiled. “Why don’t you join me?”

Glare, heated glare, and a tense posture.

Good. It wouldn’t hurt him to feel some of her annoyance.

Men, not the pride males because they learned early on not to mess with lionesses, but other men, other kinds of shifters, always thought they could control situations. Thought a woman should be demure and seen, not heard. Screw that. Luna had always been a bit of a free spirit and a tomboy.

Aunt Zelda often lamented,
“June, how can you let her run wild?”
To which her darling mother replied,
“That’s not wild. It’s strength and character.”

What it meant was Luna didn’t feel a need to bow to the status quo. She acted how she wanted, which, at times, proved a little outrageous. Most guys couldn’t handle it. There was a reason Luna had a string of ex-boyfriends. It wasn’t that she screwed them and left them, more a case of they couldn’t handle her. Couldn’t handle the fact that she wasn’t fragile and dainty. She didn’t cater to their egos. Didn’t need them fighting her battles. She also interrupted them while they peed.

But, she should add, she didn’t have a problem peeing herself in front of a guy. Not her fault they acted like it was a big deal when she had to pop a squat on a hike in the woods. They were just jealous her aim was more refined than theirs. For those that wondered, how good was her control? She could totally write her name, in cursive.

What she found interesting was, despite being herself, Jeoff hadn’t yet run. Sure, he’d rebuffed her, but it was words. Just words. His actions were much more telling, and she didn’t just refer to his almost constant hard-on when she was around him.

Jeoff spent the night.
Spent it here with her because he was worried. He didn’t have to. He could have easily called someone. Anyone in the pride would have come and guarded her snoring ass. But Jeoff didn’t find a replacement. He chose to guard her himself, and she woke to find herself on his chest, his heart under her ear and his arms looped around her. Since she’d never slept with anyone like this before, she could assume only that he’d initiated the snuggle. He’d snuggled her all night and now was trying to pull Mr. Prissy with her.

She had no sympathy for him. “So are you going to finish that pee?” she asked, lifting her face to the spray.

“No.” While he might not be doing a number one, he also wasn’t leaving. Nor was he properly staring, even though she wiggled her body under the spray.

He stood there, gaze unfocused, a puzzled frown creasing his brow.

Pivoting in the shower, she bent over to grab her all-in-one body wash. It didn’t take long to lather herself head to toe. The entire time he watched, yet she couldn’t have said if he even realized it, his attention obviously elsewhere.

Only when she was fully rinsed and the water turned off did he snap out of his fugue. He grabbed a towel from the bar on the wall and thrust it at her before turning on his heel and returning to her bedroom. She grabbed her toothbrush, tossed a dab of paste on it, and followed.

She scrubbed at her teeth as Jeoff stripped his T-shirt, showing off his awesome abs, perfect covered in smooth skin—the only improvement would have been teeth marks. He threaded his arms through the sleeves of his shirt from the previous night as she chewed on the bristles of her toothbrush and, one-handed, pulled out clothes of her own.

To slow him down, she dropped the towel and did her best to keep his attention. She succeeded pretty well given she hopped on a foot to get her undies on, began to froth at the mouth with toothpaste, and had wet hair plastered to her face.

Way to seduce him.
Then again, this was the real Luna. She didn’t believe in artifice.
Which might be why I’m still single.
Still, she couldn’t see herself playing some of the games she knew the other ladies did. She wasn’t into makeup or the whole hair styling for an hour each day thing. She was a scrub her blonde mop top with a towel, twist it into a bun, and jam a clip into it kind of chick. She wore a bra, only so her boobs wouldn’t bounce if she had to run, underwear under her jeans so the fabric wouldn’t chafe, and an awesome T-shirt that had a pair of owls over each breast and stated, “Stop looking at my hooters.”

Of course that never worked.

Jeoff stared. “Do you own any non-offensive shirts?”

She peeked in her open drawer. Shook her head. “Nope.”

“Well, you can’t wear that. Not if you want to come with me to hunt down Charlemagne.”

“Are you seriously telling me what I can wear?”

“Yes.”

Her gaze narrowed. “Make me.” A fine challenge that had her light with anticipation.

So what did Jeoff do?

Turned on his heel and walked away. Would he leave? He had last night. What if he did again? She couldn’t let him go off on his own. The damned man made her chase him.

“Where are you going?” she snapped at his back.

“I said you had ten minutes. You’re not ready, so I’m leaving.”

“I am too ready.”

“Not in that shirt you aren’t.”

“You’re a fucking prude, wolfie,” she snarled.

“I’m okay with that,” he hollered back. “Have a great day.”
Slam
.

The damned guy had left. “Oooh, sometimes I could strangle him,” she grumbled as she darted into her closet and got out one of the dreaded
nice shirts
her Aunt Zelda had gotten for her. It was long sleeved, only slightly fitted, and covered in some girly flowery pattern. It went over the T-shirt since she didn’t have time to waste.

She caught up to Jeoff as he was waiting for the elevator. He leaned against the wall, looking deliciously disheveled, his jaw sporting a rugged shadow, his hair rumpled.

He arched a brow. “You made it.” He stepped into the open cab, and she followed.

“Of course I made it,” she grumbled as she stabbed the button for the lobby.

“We need to get my car,” he said as he pressed the one for the parking garage.

“We’ll get there, but first…” The elevator doors slid open onto a lobby with a few lounging lionesses. “If you’re going to make me wear something respectable, then that deserves payback, wolfie. Welcome to the walk of shame.”

Given his whole stance on the not-getting-involved thing, she totally expected him to balk. But Jeoff kept surprising her. She couldn’t help a spurt of irritation and interest as he slung an arm around her waist and, with a casual ease, strutted into the open with Luna. “Top of the morning, ladies.”

The polite moniker had a few of them snickering.

“Looks like someone had a sleepover,” Stacey remarked as she hugged her coffee with two hands and a hunch that said she’d had a good night.

“Who says we slept?” Jeoff uttered a wicked chuckle that did really inappropriate things to Luna’s nether regions. Now if only he’d follow through with the tease.

Two could play the teasing game, though. She dropped a hand to cup his butt. “Maybe next time, I’ll let you be on top.”

“Why do that when you were so happy to do all the work, kitten?”

He’d said it. The one word that Luna hated the most. The one that drove her feminine side ballistic. Before she could bite his tongue off, his lips were on hers. He kissed Luna and her anger melted, even amidst the comments.

“I can’t believe she didn’t kill him for that.”

“Damn, they kinda make me want to get a dog of my own.”

“Get a room. With a video camera set up for live streaming.”

Breathless and addled—probably a lingering effect from the drugs—they made it out of the lobby alive, if horny.

Spilling into the parking garage, she was a few steps slower and behind Jeoff as he strutted to his wheels. How dare he look so unaffected by the kiss? It wasn’t fair.

Over and over, he kept blowing mixed signals. Kept teasing her. Making her think she had him and then yanking the silky sheets out from under her. The frustration she felt? His fault. Everything annoying her in that moment was his fault. And he dared to strut.

She pounced on him, uttering a growl as she leaped. She wanted to hurt him in that moment. Take him down to the ground and pummel him a few times. At least she meant to. He whirled at the last second, caught her mid-air, and drew her against him.

“Is there a problem?”

“Yes there’s a problem,” she snapped. “You are a tease.”

“And you’re not?”

“I wouldn’t be if you just let go for a stupid minute. Then we could get this whole sexual tension thing out of the way.”

“You really think once will quench it?” His hands cupped her ass, pushing her against him, putting in blatant evidence of his erection. “What if we let go, as you say, and it’s not enough? What if you want more? What if I want more?”

She gaped at him. “Are you talking about dating?”

“Yes, dating. A commitment to each other.”