Caged Heat (Black Meadow Pack) (3 page)

“I’m not sure. It could be she’s tired of being away and is ready to be home.” God, he really hoped she was there to stay. Riel didn’t think he could handle her leaving again. His patience had reached the limit.

“You’re going to need some luck there. Maybe I can help.” Kane prepped another burger and put a handful of potato chips on his plate, then went back to his lounger and started eating.

Riel’s impatience got the best of him.

“So? How is it that you can help me?”

“Don’t make that face. You’re not all that.”

“I am all that. I’m already the hottest thing on two—and if I believe the women in the pack—four legs.”

Troy chuckled. “Tell that to the sexy human who’s been running from you for years.”

“She needs time to come to terms with my wonderful personality and amazing wit,” Riel joked.

Kane drank from his beer bottle. “I’ve been seeing Natalia Diaz,” he said offhandedly.

Troy choked on his burger. He coughed and gulped down his beer. “Sam’s best friend?”

Riel smiled. Troy had asked Natalia, better known as Nat, out a few times only to be blatantly rejected by the redhead. She’d told him he was too much of a playboy for her to waste her time with him. It became one of the best ways to nag Troy.

Kane grinned. “Yeah. Sam’s best friend. She thinks I’m adorable.” He put a bunch of chips in his mouth and made loud crunching noises as he ate.

Troy’s clenched jaw made Riel laugh. “So what you’re saying is that you can get me inside information on Sam from Nat? And I won’t have to do any crazy stunts to get her to notice me?”

Kane nodded. “And I can do it all without feeling like I’m doing you a favor because Nat is hot!”

Troy threw a pickle at Kane, and Riel laughed again. They acted like two little kids fighting over a toy.

Kane grabbed the pickle from his chest and took a bite. “What? She
is
hot. She’s got a body that’s made for loving.”

Troy growled and fisted his hands. “You stay away from her body! She’s mine.”

“Hell no.” Kane’s shit-eating grin grew. “All she has to do is say the word, and I’m all hers. I don’t recall seeing you claim her as yours. She’s a single sexy woman with a hot body. And she likes to spend time with me. Suck on that one pretty boy.”

Riel decided to interfere before the two went to blows over Nat Diaz. The cute redhead wasn’t even there, and they were ready to fight for her. “How are you going to get Nat to help me?”

Kane glanced back at Riel. “This is where you’re going to love how friendly I am with her. She told me she wanted to make sure Sam met someone when she came home. I didn’t realize she was supposed to come back so soon, but it seems she wants to play matchmaker. Who better to match Sam with than you?”

Riel’s smile widened. Excitement over the possibly of having Sam see him as more than just a shifter grew inside him. His gaze drifted back to her window. Maybe if they went on a human date she’d be more receptive to him. It was worth a try. He needed to find a way to talk to her without scaring the shit out of her again.

Chapter Two

Sam woke with a start. She was drenched in sweat, and her hair was plastered to her face. Something had disturbed her sleep. She stood and walked toward her window. The moon was out, and she had the sudden urge to strip and walk outside.

What the hell? She wondered if her brain had been damaged during her time in Brazil. She rubbed her hand over her arm, feeling the bumps from the scar of her wound. She’d been bitten by a wolf in the jungle. She rotated her wrist, wincing at the pull from the muscle. She’d always have the scars there. Thankfully, she’d gotten every shot known to man after it happened, and she didn’t feel any different.

Next door, a man was swimming laps in his pool. Her breath caught in her chest. The pool was well lit. She openly gawked at his toned, muscled body as he sliced through the water. His powerful legs pushed him forward while his arm muscles contracted with every stroke. There was a tattoo on the man’s back. It was big, but she couldn’t quite make it out with all his movements.

A strange heat coursed through her body and settled in her womb. She inhaled, closed her eyes, and was shocked by what she smelled. A combination of man, fierce need, and untamed animal invaded her senses. Oh god. Something was definitely wrong with her. What should she do? Call a doctor? A vet? A priest? A battle of wills ensued between her mind and her hormones. Her hormones won by a landslide, and she took another peek down at the man in the pool. Her nipples pebbled, her pussy clenched, and her breath hitched. He stopped swimming and glanced at her window. Panic swarmed her. She hadn’t turned on the lights, and her room was enveloped in darkness. Could he see her? She hoped not. From where he was she made out his features clearly. Was that…? Holy shit! It was him. The only man she’d ever wanted so badly she went mute around him. Riel Karven. He was her neighbor?

His gaze was stuck on her window. And hers was stuck on his body. His big, sexy body. She ate him up slowly as her vision roamed down his muscular torso. He’d gotten much bigger since the last time she’d seen him five years ago. Bigger and hotter. A soft whimper slipped through her lips. He stalked toward the edge of the pool in her direction as if he were coming for her. She took hasty steps back and away from the window. It didn’t matter that she was in a second story with a yard between them.

She continued to move away from the window until her back hit the bedroom door. For a second there, he’d looked like he was going to leap up to her window and—and what?

It caught her by surprise that Riel lived right next door to her. She’d been in lust with the man since she had seen him the first time when she was a teenager. If she weren’t so socially inept, she might know more about him than just how hot he was. And boy was he hot. He was also a wolf shifter and really dangerous.

With her skin blazing a white-hot fire, she went into the bathroom attached to her room. A shower would help her…or she’d internally combust. She felt flushed under her tanned skin. Was she running a fever? Maybe she really was sick. Or maybe she was just a pervert lusting after her neighbor.
Sucia!
Yeah, she was a very dirty-minded girl.

After she turned on the shower, she stripped off the sweaty pajamas. When the cool water caressed her skin, she moaned at the wonderful sensation. Every pore in her body sighed in happiness. She shut her eyes, let the water drip over her head, and automatically pictured the sexy werewolf from across the yard.

She panted, the sounds reverberating in the small, enclosed space. Her breathing turned erratic as air fought its way in and out of her lungs. She visualized him touching her. The only thing filling her mind were images of his hands fondling her breasts and squeezing at her nipples. Desire rose like a wave, urging her to go next door and get him. When she glanced down, her own hands mimicked the touches he gave her in the fantasy. She whimpered. She trailed a hand down her stomach and dipped between her thighs into her pussy lips. Fire rushed down to her core. Panting and almost buckling, she drew circles over her clit, flicking on the engorged nubbin. It took an insurmountable force of will to bite down on her lip to keep from calling out to him.

Cool water kept the fire inside her under control while she played with herself. She used two fingers to pierce her sex. She squeezed at her breast and pinched her nipple hard. White spots danced before her eyes, growing wider and brighter with each thrust of her fingers into her pussy. Arousal licked at her skin. Visions of Riel biting, sucking, and taking her increased the tension in her womb.

Widening her stance, she deepened the penetration of her fingers and flicked her thumb over her clit. Breathy whimpers rushed up her throat and out of her mouth. She quickened her fingers, and then she shattered. One loud moan and her body shook. Knees buckling, she slid down the wall until she was sitting on the tub, gasping for air. The cool water continued to rain over her heated skin. Good god. She really needed to get laid.

After she walked out of the bathroom dressed in her robe. Temptation called her back to the window. Taking quiet steps, she peered out of the window to the side facing Riel’s yard. There was no one there.

Movement made her turn her head. A big brown wolf ran into his yard from the woods. The animal seemed massive. His large body was covered in thick, light-brown fur. He had teeth that could probably slice and dice better than her grandmother’s Japanese knives. She gaped at him, wishing she were up close to see how big he really was. The wolf stopped and looked up at her window. He howled and moved toward a lounge chair.

And he shifted into one very naked, human Riel.

She gulped. His back was to her, and his perfect body flexed. Holy shit, he had the sexiest ass ever. The tattoo she’d seen on his back earlier was clearer now. A large wolf head drawn in tribal ink took over his entire back. It appeared to be staring right at her, and damn did it make her shiver. When Riel sat down, she almost fell out of the window. His cock was thick, long, and fully erect.

Dios mio
. He lay down on the lounger and stroked his cock. Well, damn. She was now a peeper and didn’t give a shit. Her mouth watered, and her thoughts turned to getting down on all four and sucking him off.

Don’t stop. I want to watch you come
. As if he’d heard her thoughts, his gaze strayed back to her window. He wrapped a large hand around his cock and continued to jerk off. Beads of precum gathered at the top of his dick. He used it to lubricate his shaft and then went back to thrusting his cock into his grip. She licked at her dry lips, gawking in fascination.

His jerks increased in pace, and her breath hitched. Gripping the window ledge, she panted in unison with his jerks. He shifted until his cock was pointed to the side. Finally, he threw his head back and growled. His semen shot out, and he continued to milk his cock. Goodness. That was so hot.

His chest rose as he took a deep breath and shot up in his seat. She stepped back in a panic, wondering if he’d seen her. Out of its own volition, her body moved to the window again. He grabbed a towel and headed to the back entrance of his house.

“Wow.” If there was a nosy neighbor award, she’d definitely win it. But who the hell cared? She had just visually intruded in Riel’s private self-pleasure moment and didn’t even feel a little bad about it. He was hot, and she’d gladly spend another year volunteering in the jungle if it meant she’d get to have him as her form of sexual release.

* * *

Sam groaned when a loud knocking interrupted her sleep. Sunlight streamed through her open windows. She flipped to her stomach, threw a pillow over her head, and tried to ignore the incessant knocking. When the loud yell of her name penetrated through the pillow, she cursed and threw the pillow to the floor. Goddamn! She sat up in bed. Who the hell dared to mess with her sleep? Then she remembered she’d gone to bed naked. Her body had gone into overdrive after seeing Riel’s private show. She’d ended up pulling out the vibrator and using it to relieve her sad, horny state.

It took some mental maneuvering, but she was able to talk her body into getting off the bed. She pulled on another set of tank-top-and-short pajamas, adding a robe over her outfit. She didn’t bother fixing her messy ponytail.

Teeth brushed and mouth clean, because she didn’t want to yell at anyone while there were dead soldiers in her mouth, she felt ready to face whoever was at the door. She was barefoot and in need of caffeine. She muttered her way down the stairs to the front door, growing about needing rest and sex.

“Sam!” She heard the voice yell again. Only this time she recognized it as Nat’s.

She sighed and threw her door open. Within seconds she was being enveloped in a bear hug by her best friend since the third grade.

Natalia took a step back and stared at her from head to toe with wide green eyes. “Oh my goodness, Samira. You look fantastic.
Como
—How the heck did you manage to do that while living in the jungle? How did I not see this when we did those video conferences?”

Sam rolled her eyes and laughed, ushering her friend inside. “You mean I look fat. I gained twenty-OK, probably more like thirty—pounds from eating so many carbs. My old dietician would have kittens if she knew. Shit, I don’t even want to remember how much bread and how many green bananas I ate. Let’s just say I have enough cushion on my legs, butt, and thighs to get me through a full hibernation.”

Natalia shook her head. “No. I mean have you seen yourself? Your normally golden skin is glowing, and you’ve got an even deeper tan.” She snatched some of Sam’s loose hair and studied the strands. “Your hair’s amazing. So shiny and gorgeous. I don’t care what you say. If a woman looks as hot as you do now after a year in the jungle, then sign me up for one tour in mosquito-hell.”

Sam chuckled and headed toward the kitchen. Natalia shut the front door and followed behind her.

When she got to the kitchen, she went straight for the coffee maker. “Nat, I warn you, I need coffee. You woke me up, and I’m still exhausted.”

Nat sat on the kitchen table and grinned. “I’m sorry, but I had to see you. Can’t you see I even cut my trip short to get my ass over here to see my best friend? I missed you like a PMSing woman misses chocolate.” She pouted. “It was rough.”

She giggled at Nat’s silliness and set the coffee maker. Afterward, she walked to the fridge and sent a quiet thanks to Jonas for making sure her refrigerator was stocked. Carting items to the island in the kitchen to make breakfast, she listened to Nat complain over how much she’d suffered without her feminine advice.

“So, have you seen your neighbor yet?” Nat asked with enough enthusiasm to rival a kid ready to go to Disney World. She bounced in her seat. Her long red ponytail swung up and down. She was clearly up to something.

“I did. It’s Riel Karven.”

As if unable to contain her enthusiasm, Natalia stood up and sprung toward her. “Isn’t it fantastic?” Her eyes twinkled with excitement. “He’s the guy you’ve had the hots for since…forever! Now you have him a few yards away. How is that not fate?” she gushed.