ChasingCassie (8 page)

She’d managed to gain the upper hand, but now it was time he
took charge.

Before she could protest, he took her mouth with his,
surrounding her with heat and promise. Eating at her lips, her tongue, he
ravished her until they were both breathing rapidly.

“What were you thinking?” he murmured, keeping his voice
gentle.

He licked at her neck with long, slick strokes.

“W-what?”

“Why did you leave Landon, Cassie? Why did you leave the
safety of the pack’s protection to come here?”

“I was never in danger.”

“You don’t know that.” He had to pause and rein in the
fear-fueled anger racing through him. The thought of her injured and alone… She
was safe now, though, and he was going to see she stayed that way. He nibbled
on her collarbone, smiling at her sigh of delight.

“You could have been the target,” he chided, even knowing it
was highly unlikely.

She snorted. “As if. Who’d want to hurt me? I’m nobody. No
one would be interested in me.”

Anger returned in a heady rush and he bit down on her neck
in punishment, making her yelp. “You are not
nobody
,” he growled.

“Hmm, maybe not. Those guys in the bar certainly seemed to
notice me.”

Jay closed his eyes as he trembled with enraged
possessiveness. The memory of her jean-covered hips swaying sensuously to the
music, the way her top highlighted those full breasts, fueled his jealousy.
Every man in the bar had watched her, lusted after her. Had desired
his
mate.

“Did you go to that bar looking for a man, Cassie?” His
hands cupped her firm breasts.

“I’m allowed to have fun, to go dancing, to see other men.
Like I said before, it was sex not a lifelong commitme— Oh!” She let out a
noise halfway between a moan and a yelp as he pinched both nipples, biting down
on her neck once more. She now had bite marks on either side of her pale neck,
which made him feel ridiculously satisfied.

“What we had was more than a fuck. Did you go to that bar
looking for a man, Cassie?” he repeated, trying to keep his voice calm. He
could tell he’d failed as she stiffened, her eyes widening.

“Answer me,” he demanded, reaching down with one hand to cup
her mound, sliding a finger inside her welcoming passage. “Were you there
searching for another man?”

His thumb rubbed her clit, watching as her hips rose. Her
head rolled from side to side on the pillow. He bit down hard on her nipple,
bringing her gaze back to his as she yelped.

“Did you hope to find someone to satisfy the ache, Cassie?
To nibble on these pretty nipples and fuck this tight sheath?”

She cried out, arching up as he drove a second finger into
the wet, velvety center of her. “No!”

He flipped her over onto her stomach, leaving her no
opportunity to catch her breath before pulling her legs apart and thrusting his
fingers deep inside.

Stilling, he lay to her side, whispering in her ear, “You
won’t be swinging these hips or rubbing your luscious breasts against any man
but me. Understood?”

“I can dance with whoever I like,” she panted. “And why
wouldn’t I? We’re not in a relationship, Jay. If we were, you wouldn’t be
lusting after a certain redhead.”

He moved his fingers back then drove three digits deep
inside her, reveling in her loud cry. “That wasn’t just dancing. That was a
mating call, and those bastards in the bar couldn’t wait to answer it.”

His fingers left her as he reached over and grabbed a condom
from the side table where she’d placed them. Hurriedly he sheathed his already
erect cock.

He thrust inside her.

Harder. Deeper.

Hotter. Faster.

Smooth and short.

Rough and deep.

Over and over until she came, screaming her satisfaction,
her hips jolting back, driving him even farther into her. The feel of her
muscles clamping down on his shaft drove him higher, ripped at his control. He
tried to hold on, but her sheath gripped him, pulsing and rippling around him
until he was out of options.

He succumbed to his own climax, tumbling into a whirlpool of
deep pleasure.

Jay collapsed, rolling onto his side before pulling her
around so her back was nestled against his front. Laying tender kisses along
the back of her shoulders and up her neck, he grabbed the lobe of her ear
between his teeth and bit down.

“Ow,” she cried, slapping a hand back at him, the impact as
weak as a swat from a butterfly’s wings. “Stop biting me. What is up with you?”

“Just getting your attention. Listen well, Cassie. No one
else touches you. No one but me.”

She snorted. “Get over yourself, Jay. I can sleep with
whoever I like. It’s not like you’re going to stick around and declare your
undying love for me. You want Dusty, remember?”

“Listen to me. I do not want Dusty.” He turned her to face
him, his hands cupping her cheeks as he peered into her large brown eyes.

“Why are you here, Jay? What am I, your backup fuck?”

He frowned. She attempted to turn away from him but he
grabbed her. Rolling onto his back, he lifted her so she lay on top of him, his
arms holding her close despite her struggles and curses.

“You are not just a fuck. Let alone a backup fuck, whatever
the hell that is. I’m not interested in Dusty. Yes, I was attracted to her, and
yes, I thought I wanted her. But then I realized what I felt wasn’t real, it
was imagined. You’re the one for me, Cassie. You.”

“If I was the one, you wouldn’t have gone to New York to
look after her. If I was the one, then how could you leave me when I was
injured? You may not be able to have her, but you’d go running if she called.”

“You’re begging for a spanking,” he snarled. A hint of fear
entered her eyes as he scowled at her, yet he didn’t feel the least bit sorry.

“You chose her over me.”

“No.” He shook her gently. “I’m an enforcer. I’m a werewolf,
part of a pack. I can’t always do what I like when I feel like it. I have to
follow orders. Listen to me carefully, because I am deadly serious.

“I’m here because I couldn’t stop thinking about you. Not
Dusty. I was wrong. The reason I ‘went running’ was because of pack business,
not because I chose her over you. Would I be here if it was Dusty I wanted? If
all I was after was sex, do you not think I could have gotten it closer to
home? I didn’t come here for sex, I came here for you. If you’ll have me.”

Cassie bit her lip. Was this the truth? If he’d really
wanted Dusty could he have fucked Cassie like he had? She wasn’t sure what to
believe, everything was rolling around in her head, making her nauseous. Could
she trust him?

“I tried to convince myself that it was Dusty I needed, told
myself she was the smart choice, the best choice. But I was fooling myself. It’s
you, Cassie, you’re the one for me.”

“Why? She’s prettier—”

“Hush.” He placed his fingers over her mouth, frowning down
at her sternly. “Do not put yourself down in front of me, I won’t have it. I’m
not interested in hearing that you’re not pretty or smart or any of that shit.
Got it? I hear anything self-derogatory coming from your mouth and your butt
will feel the palm of my hand.”

Shocked by his ferociousness, she nodded.

He lay back, breathing deeply. “Christ, I’m a fool. I’m so
sorry, Cassie. You’re gorgeous, you’re kind, sweet, but for years I’ve told
myself that I would only ever mate with a werewolf.”

“Oh.” What more could she say? She couldn’t change what she
was.

“Years ago I met this human girl. I thought I loved her.
That she loved me. Then she betrayed me. I swore never to get involved with
another human again. She almost came between me and the pack. I snuck around,
kept our relationship a secret for her. So I told myself the pack would always
come first and that I would only ever mate with a werewolf.”

He rolled over and looked at her. “That is, until I met you.
I forgot that mating isn’t something you can control. I like control, and it
confounded me that I couldn’t take charge of my feelings.”

Cassie rubbed her forehead, trying to think. It was all a
bit much, overloading her brain.

“Cassie?”

“I’m not sure we could work, Jay. You were right. Dusty is a
smarter choice. She’s a werewolf. She understands pack dynamics, pack loyalty.
I think…I think I’d be the odd one out. I wouldn’t fit in.”

“It will take some time for everyone to adjust. But we can
make this work, Cassie. And I’m going to stay here until you believe that. This
time I’m not going anywhere. We’re meant to be together. I know I can make you
happy, if you’ll let me.”

She stared down at him silently for a moment then shook her
head. “I don’t know. This is all so much to take in. I have to think.”

“Cassie—”

She shook her head again. “You need to leave, I have to be
alone. This night has done a complete one-eighty on me and I need some space to
breathe.” When she was around him everything seemed more intense. As though
she’d been sleeping, now she saw everything in color, it was brighter, sharper.
She felt more, she hurt more.

“But you believe me?”

“Look, this was meant to be a night of fun, it wasn’t meant
to get all serious and heartfelt. I have to think.”

“Cassie—”

“No. Look, when you’re so close I can’t think. Give me a
chance to think. Please, for now, anyway.”

* * * * *

“She’s not here.”

Jay’s gaze was drawn to the tall woman moving toward him. He
was glad Cassie hadn’t gone for a strange haircut and color like hers. He
almost shuddered at the thought.

He peered around Ella, hoping to see Cassie walk into the
dining area of Fat Eddy’s. The wolf prowled, making his displeasure known. He
was learning to let the wolf in more. When it came to Cassie, his wolf was
determined to make his opinion known anyway. Their bond wasn’t completely
repaired, but it was stronger. The more powerful it grew, the more possessive
Jay felt toward Cassie. He could barely stand to be away from her, found
himself thinking about her constantly. Wanting to reassure himself that she was
okay.

Neither the wolf nor the man could believe his sister had
waitressed in this dump. They definitely didn’t like the fact that their woman
was working here, and as soon as he convinced her to trust in him and give
their relationship a chance, he intended to whisk her out of this place and out
of this town.

“Do you know where she is?” he asked the other woman.

The place stank of stale cigarettes and carpets damp with
alcohol—and that was just the building. The residents were worse—rough, loud
and odorous. He wanted his woman far, far away from them.

But he knew he couldn’t storm off with her. He was trying to
woo her, to build up her trust in him. It was taking all his patience not to
grab her, steal her home, claim her. He had to go slowly, ease her into the
idea that she was his mate. The last thing he wanted was to overwhelm her,
scare her off.

What he needed was to get her to open up to him, to talk to
him about her feelings, her concerns.

“She’s at the food bank.”

Of course she is.

“Thanks.” He’d turned when her hand grabbed his arm.

“Listen, I was prepared to dislike you, on principle. But,
well, you don’t seem that bad, I suppose.”

“Thank you,” he said drily.

She scowled at him. “Cassie seems to like you, so there must
be some good in you. Just remember, you do anything to hurt her and I’ll kick
your ass.”

* * * * *

It didn’t take him long to find her. She was out back,
sorting food into boxes. Even dressed in scruffy jeans and an old t-shirt, she
was simply the most beautiful creature he’d ever seen in his life. He stood and
watched, drinking in the sight of her.

Then she turned and stared straight at him.

She knew he was there. It was hard to miss his presence. His
gaze seemed to eat away at her, stirring her insides up, sparking arousal that
never completely disappeared.

Her clit tingled as he strolled closer.

“Hi,” he spoke quietly.

“Hi,” she replied, smiling at him.

“Would you like a hand?”

“Really?”

He chuckled. “You don’t need to look so incredulous, you
know.”

“Sorry, I didn’t really think this would be your thing.”

“Maybe not, but it’s yours.”

Her smile grew wider. “Come on then.” She gestured to the
boxes beside him and for the next hour they worked together, packing up food.

Over the last few days, he’d given her some space, he hadn’t
pressed her, hadn’t tried to talk to her about them. Instead, he’d simply been
there for her, escorting her to and from work, bringing her flowers,
chocolates. Yesterday he’d even dragged her away on a picnic.

He’d never once let her down, never once promised to do
something and not followed through. Even though she knew he was needed back at
the estate, he hadn’t mentioned it, nor had he used it as a reason to rush her.
Slowly, she realized, she’d been trusting him more and more.

They worked together easily, smoothly. When they were
finished, she peered up at him before taking his hand.

“Come home with me.”

Chapter Seven

Cassie moved into the living room and turned to look at Jay.

“I’ve gotta take a shower.”

He frowned, looking confused. “Oh, okay.”

She held out her hand and, putting herself out there, asked
him, “Come shower with me?”

His eyes lit up. “You sure?”

“Uh-huh.”

He grinned as she pulled his t-shirt off. She clumsily
attempted to undo his belt. He brushed her hands away, stripping the rest of
his clothes off himself.

When they were both naked, she tugged him into the bathroom.
He clasped her waist, setting her up on the counter before turning the water
on. Moving back to her, he crouched before her, splitting her legs wide.