Bear Claw (12 page)

Lifting her hands to help take off her shirt, she laughed as her top joined his on the floor. Jamie was already working at unsnapping her bra. In seconds, the undergarment landed on the carpet with the other clothes.

Jamie palmed her breasts then clasped his mouth on her nipple. She shuddered and gasped, unable to stop her reaction.

“So perfect,” he murmured, his mouth still on her flesh.

She wanted to be perfect for him. “Jamie…” The raw need was evident even to her own ears.

“I’ve got you,” he said and stood, still holding her in his arms.

“Damn,” she praised, impressed with his strength.

“Shifter.” He froze in his spot.

“Oh yeah, I’d forgotten.”

His hold started to loosen. “Maybe we should slow down?”

“No way.” She gripped his chin and forced him to look at her. “I don’t care that you’re a shifter. I’m sure that I’ll want to ask a dozen questions and hopefully you’ll show me your other half but I still want you.”

Something like relief passed over his features as he closed his eyes. “I’d like to,” he said softly.

“Good, so are we going to the bedroom?”

He hefted her up again. “You bet your sweet ass we are.”

She decided to taste more of Jamie as he carried her. Running her tongue along the shell of his ear had him almost stumbling and gripping her tighter. Oh, she was so going to have to remember that reaction.

Next, she moved to the tender skin behind his ear.

Jamie growled and he picked up speed. “You’re driving me crazy.”

That was the plan. She wanted him to be as desperate as she was.

“Ignore the mess,” he said as they entered the bedroom.

Brandy didn’t lift her head. She was now at his collarbone, sucking up a bruise. They were a bit old for hickeys, but she had the biggest urge to mark him.

“Yes.” He pressed his hand harder to the back of her head. “More.”

She used her teeth a little to add a small bit of pain. This time he tripped and couldn’t catch himself and fell onto the bed with her. He twisted at the last minute, so instead of finding herself on her back, she was once again straddling him.

Pushing up with her hands on his chest, she grinned down at him. It surprised her to see his normally dark eyes glowing yellowish. It was weird and amazing at the same time.

“What kind of shifter?” she had to ask.

“Bear, black bear.”

“Oh, how cool.” She traveled down his body to savor more of him.

His nipples pebbled when she brushed over them. In her limited experience, he might have been the only man who actually had six-pack abs. She lavished them with the same devotion.

Brandy popped the button on his jeans then bit her bottom lip in anticipation. He lifted his hips to help her peel down the denim. Settling back between his legs, she managed to get the material off then threw it over her shoulder.

“No underwear? Bad, bad boy.”

“Baby, please. Touch me.”

Jamie’s cock lay long and thick against his lower belly. Wrapping her hand around it, she pumped a few times. He moved his hips as his low, long moan filled the room. Bending to lick at the tip, she closed her eyes to concentrate on the tang of his pre-cum.

Under her, Jamie jerked.

Stilling massaging him, she opened her mouth and took some of him down her throat. Jamie’s breathing started bursting from him in huge gasps and Brandy knew he was struggling to hold back.

She didn’t want that. With her free hand, she gripped his hip as she withdrew slowly. He got the message, so while she moved back down, he pushed into her mouth.

The flavor and scent of him surrounded her. She sucked and licked, teased and taunted, until her name was the only thing coming from his mouth.

A tug to her hair had her releasing him with a grin.

“Get up here,” he ordered.

Happy to comply, she gave him one last lick then climbed up his body. Once she reached his mouth, she kissed him deeply, sharing his flavor with him.

He rolled them over. Brandy found herself on her back with Jamie on top without knowing how it happened. Her giggle turned into a sharp intake of breath as he tugged at her pants.

The cotton slid easily over her hips, catching her panties, and Jamie quickly bared her. She wasn’t sure where the undergarment went before Jamie had his mouth on her.

She cried out, arching into him. It had been so long since she’d been with anyone and it had never been this intense.

Using his fingers and tongue, he brought her to the brink way too quickly.

“Jamie, please, I need you to fuck me.”

He paused. Slowly raising his head, he stared at her, his eyes growing brighter. The feral look turned her on more than ever.

As he carefully and leisurely started moving up her body, he looked like a predator stalking his prey. He still had two fingers inside her pussy, though, and Brandy was ready to lose control.

At the moment she was about to climax, he withdrew his fingers, leaving her teetering on the edge.

She almost screamed.

However, she quickly lost any thought as he began to enter her.

The only thing that mattered was Jamie filling her. He took his time and Brandy knew he was doing it on purpose. Lifting her right hand, she gripped him by the back of his neck and pulled him down to her.

“Fuck me,” she said.

“I just wanted to hear you say it again.” He slammed into her fully, withdrew then plunged back inside.

Small sparks detonated at the base of her spine. Brandy bowed her body, digging her heels into the mattress. Jamie thrust deeply, taking her to that overwhelming and freeing, out-of-body experience only found with the best sex.

The sound of skin against skin echoed around the room. Her body was heavy and it was like she could float away at the same time. Without realizing it, she’d dug her nails into his back but she couldn’t let go.

Then she burst apart. Her vision blurred and her entire body tightened.

Vaguely, she heard Jamie shout his own release.

He collapsed on top of her. Brandy wrapped her arms around his neck and closed her eyes. Damn, if that had been any hotter she wouldn’t have survived.

* * * *

Jamie didn’t actually remember falling asleep. He’d finally managed to roll off Brandy and shuffle into the bathroom to clean up. He brought back a warm washcloth to wipe her down only a little. He enjoyed his scent on her.

Then he’d climbed back into bed and maneuvered them under the sheets. Brandy fit perfectly into his arms, which made it easy to cuddle her close.

He hadn’t lost control like that in a very long time. As soon as she’d started marking his skin, he’d known he was lost.

Since he had a thing for bites, Brandy had unknowingly hit his hot spot. Then the feel of her mouth on his cock—damn, thinking about it had him twitching to get hard again and he was too tired.

He was barely drifting back to sleep when his cell phone rang. Groaning, he swore quietly, trying to untangle himself from Brandy without waking her up.

He groped for his jeans, where the sound emanated from. Once he and finally got a hold of his pants, he pulled his phone out of his pocket and saw Zak’s name.

“Hey, man,” he answered quickly.

“I didn’t wake you, did I?”

Jamie peered over at Brandy sleeping peacefully. “No, man, I’m up.” Standing, Jamie didn’t bother to redress but since he didn’t want to disturb her, he started walking to the living room.

“Good, I’m calling to check in.”

It wasn’t procedure, and in fact, Zak could get into a lot of trouble, but Jamie knew his friend wouldn’t take unnecessary chances so it was safe for him to call. Plus, they had enough worked out not to say anything that could question Zak’s position if he was overheard. “Where are you?”

“I’m close by.”

So he was still in the city. That was good. Sometimes Zak was sent places where Jamie wouldn’t be able to help if his buddy needed him.

“How long are you going to be? You know Aubrey’s planned a party for Cody this weekend.”

“Yeah, could you tell her I’m not going to make it? I promise to take them both out after I get back. We’ll paint the town and I’ll bring Cody back a gift from my trip.”

“You got it, man,” Jamie told him.

Apparently, Zak was going to be under for a while. That wasn’t going to make either Cody or Aubrey happy. Plus, Zak was working something that was big for the city of Lake Worth.

“You need me to send you anything?”

“Nah, man. I got what I need. Just watch the place for me.”

“Of course.”

“Thanks, got to jet. I’ll call soon.”

Zak hung up not giving Jamie time to say anything else. Putting the cell away, he looked down. The conversation hadn’t lasted five minutes. It made him sick to his stomach thinking about his best friend being out there on his own without backup.

He hated deep undercover. He’d only worked that kind of case once, and as much of a loner as Jamie was, he couldn’t handle it.

Commander Green was a good boss, so Jamie knew all precautions were being taken to insure Zak’s safety. But working under was dangerous and the chances of something going wrong were too high.

“Everything okay?”

Jamie jumped. He hadn’t heard Brandy moving about the bedroom or the living room. He smiled at her. She had slung one of the sheets across herself and her hair was mussed. She looked beautiful and well loved.

Holding his hand out, he beckoned her closer. “Yeah, everything is fine. One of my friends is out of town and I promised to keep an eye on his place. He was only checking in.”

She tucked herself under his arm then lifted her face for a kiss. Jamie gladly leaned down to rub his tongue over the bottom of her lip teasingly before kissing her deeply.

Brandy let the sheet fall to the floor as she wrapped her arms around his neck. As their mouths melded, Jamie ran his hands down her back to cup her ass. He hitched her closer, taking a step over to the couch.

He was up for another round. She obviously had the same idea. As the backs of his legs hit the couch, she pulled away and pushed on his chest.

“My turn,” she told him and climbed into his lap.

He hummed in approval.

Chapter Ten

Jamie could have spent the entire day in bed with Brandy, but after a quick breakfast of bacon and eggs, they’d both had to get ready for work. So instead of burying himself into her hot body, he was once again strolling across the university campus.

He’d called that morning and had gotten the schedule for Victor’s professor whom he’d wanted to talk to yesterday. During an earlier call to Aubrey, he’d found out that she was already at the hospital.

Not being able to put the whole case together was driving him crazy. He knew he was missing a big piece of the puzzle and if he could find that link things would fall into place.

Past experience had taught him that once he discovered that small thread and pulled, everything would start to unravel. Checking the notebook in his hand, he found he’d reached the correct building. There weren’t many people milling around. Away from the student union, this area was quiet and the students who were around had their heads bent over books.

As he entered the large structure, he stopped to listen. He heard a professor from a close classroom giving a lecture. Farther up the hall, two male students were discussing a paper due in a week.

The professor’s office should be a few halls away. Heading in that direction, Jamie once again regretted never having the chance to further his own education. He needed to get over it. He loved his job, and if given the chance now, he wouldn’t change the direction his life had taken.

Christ, he was getting melancholy in his old age. That thought made him chuckle as he turned the corner. Three doors down was Professor James’ office.

He paused at the threshold. The professor was a stylish woman who, Jamie guessed, was in her late forties. She wore a skirt and jacket suit in bold red paired with high heels.

Standing with her back to the door, she hadn’t seen him yet.

He took a good whiff and was surprised she wasn’t a shifter. While there was a scent on her, it wasn’t her own.

He knocked, causing her to jump.
Nope, not a shifter.

“You startled me,” she said as she spun around.

“I apologize. Are you Professor James?”

“I am Talia James.”

“Agent Ward from the shifter Coalition. I called earlier about one of your students.”

“Yes, Victor. Come in please. Would you close the door?”

“Thank you, ma’am.”

Jamie strolled into the office and closed the door quietly behind him.

“I have to say you’re not what I expected in a Coalition agent,” she told him.

Jamie was used to the response so he wasn’t offended. His usual dress of jeans and a T-shirt showing off his tats made most people uncomfortable. He hadn’t shaved this morning so his beard was a little shaggy but he liked it.

“I understand,” he responded politely.

Professor James laughed and waved a hand. “Don’t get me wrong. I’m not disappointed. I expected an FBI clone or something. I wasn’t looking forward to this meeting.”

Well, at least she was honest.

“But now that you’re here, I feel better. With all this talk about forcing the shifter community to register, like they’re animals, has put me on my guard. I wasn’t pleased to have a government official visit.”

“Well, ma’am, I can promise you that the Coalition will do everything in their power to beat this proposal for legislation.”

“Good, and please call me Talia. Have a seat.”

The room was small but neat. Filing cabinets lined one wall with the desk in the middle. Sitting in one of the two visitor chairs, Jamie knew being closed in all day would drive him crazy.

“I’m surprised but pleased that someone is asking about Victor after so long. He was a brilliant student and I never believed he took off.”

“His disappearance, whether voluntary or not, may be connected to some other cases. I would have liked to have gotten his case sooner, but now that I have, I intend to make sure he’s okay. If he left on his own, I won’t force him back, but if he didn’t, I will find him.”