Heart of the Jaguar (3 page)

She let go.

Her fingers dug into his head as her inner walls clenched tightly around him, milking him harder and harder as her climax punched through her. As she slowly came down from her orgasm, he withdrew his fingers but didn’t move away. He dipped lower, continuing to stroke his tongue along her slit as he tasted her climax. It was sweet and he knew he’d never taste anything so wonderful in his life again. Something possessive clicked inside him. Something he’d never thought to experience, though he did all the same. He wanted to claim her and learn every little thing there was to know about this woman. Her secrets, her dreams. Everything.

Finally he lifted his head to find her watching him through heavy-lidded eyes. Her dark gaze was practically sparking with hunger. Taking him by surprise, she pushed at his shoulders until he rolled onto his back. She couldn’t have moved him unless he wanted to, but he definitely wanted to see what she had in mind. He was desperate to feel her around him, to find release in her sweet body.

Grinning wickedly, she quickly straddled him. “Now it’s your turn.”

Chapter 3

Stretching his arms above his head, Elias let out a satisfied groan as he opened his eyes. Sunlight streamed in from the open windows, warming his face and naked body. Rolling over, he went to pull Cindy to him and realized she wasn’t there. He was surprised he hadn’t heard her get out of bed, but they’d made love five—no, six times—last night. He couldn’t remember being so worn out.

Or satisfied.

Swinging his legs off the bed, he sat up and paused. He couldn’t hear her and her scent had started to fade. He quietly walked out to the living room, but there was no sign of her. “Cindy?”

No answer. Frowning, he strode across the room and into the connected kitchen. A white piece of paper sat in the middle of a small, round wooden table. Maybe she’d gone to get them breakfast or something.

His inner wolf snarled as he read the note. Then he read it again for good measure.

Elias
,
last
night
was
beyond
amazing
.
Thank
you
for
the
wonderful
time
and
for
being
such
a
generous
lover
.
I
thought
about
waking
you
,
but
you
looked
so
peaceful
I
didn’t
have
the
heart
to
.
I
have
to
get
to
work
,
but
the
cabin
is
yours
for
as
long
as
you
need
it
.
I’m
so
glad
we
met
,
and
I
hope
your
trip
home
is
safe
and
uneventful
.
XO
,
Cindy
.

As her words registered, he realized that she’d assumed he was leaving. This had been about just one night for her. The knowledge was a jolt to his system. What. The. Fuck.

After the intensity of last night, how the hell could she walk away so easily? He’d had her so many times and he still wasn’t sated. The need to be with her was like a growing thing inside him.

Crumpling the piece of paper, he started for the door, ready to find her, but stopped as he reached it. The attraction between them was scorching. No denying that. And he couldn’t believe that she didn’t feel at least some of the same pull he did. Not after a night like that. Hell, he’d let his guard down with her in a way he never had with other lovers. He’d even let the little vixen ride him with the illusion of control, something that went against his dominant nature.

So, he could chase after her like some puppy dog and get rejected. Or, he could carefully hunt her like the skilled predator he was. The most primal part of him wanted to connect with her on every level, and he’d be damned if this ended before it had even started.

If that meant taking a step back and putting sex on the back burner while he courted her, he was more than up for the challenge. He would do whatever it took to convince her they were meant to be together.

* * *

Cindy dropped her keys into her purse as she stepped away from her office building. She had a private office behind her house that was only for shifters—one that the humans in town definitely didn’t know about—but this was her main practice. Today had been packed. It had been so crazy that she could almost forget about Saturday night and the early hours of Sunday morning.

Almost.

It was now Monday, but she couldn’t forget one second of the time she’d spent with Elias. The moment she’d left in search of her discarded clothes Sunday morning she’d wanted to turn back and jump right back into bed with him. But she’d known if she had she would eventually regret it.

Why try to turn one night of pleasure into anything more? The man was in town only for the wedding, and making a clean break had been best. Besides, what if she’d given him her number and he promised to call but never did? That would be harder to deal with. But if she was being totally honest with herself, she couldn’t put herself out there, especially with a virile male like Elias. She was very skilled at locking her emotions down when need be, and letting a man like that under her barriers would be stupid.

He was the kind of wolf who would want a house full of cubs and... she sighed and put those thoughts on lockdown. No sense in dreaming about things she’d never have. Right now all she wanted was a glass of wine and a hot bath. But she’d settle for the wine.

As she started down the sidewalk, her boots clicking against the pavement, she froze in front of a closed pet store. A familiar, intoxicating scent surrounded her so suddenly she felt almost light-headed with need and want.

Before she could turn around and search out where the source of that scent was, she felt Elias behind her.

His big, muscular body lined up flush with her back as his mouth grazed her ear. “What the hell was that note you left?” he growled.

Surprise punched through her at his appearance and his anger. Despite the irritation in his words, a delicious shiver rolled through her, making her nipples pebble. Just being near him made her body flare to life. Oh yeah, this man could be so bad for her. Sucking in a breath, she turned to face him. Given his close proximity, she had to look up. Her inner jaguar actually flinched at the anger in those eyes. Right now he was pure wolf looking back at her.

“What are you talking about? That note was nice.” She’d rewritten it about a dozen times before forcing herself to get the hell out of that cabin. She’d been so afraid he’d wake up and find her—which would have killed her resolve to leave. “And what are you still doing in town?”

“That note was bullshit, but we’ll talk about that later.” She could hear the wolf in his voice, but his expression was shuttered now.

Cindy held her purse in front of her body as if it could somehow provide a barrier against him. She nearly snorted at the thought. “There’s nothing to talk about.”

He made a tsking sound as he slowly shook his head. Those green eyes of his sparked with a swirl of emotions. Desire and anger were warring with each other. She shouldn’t care, but she really wished desire would win out. Maybe he’d decided to stay an extra day or so, and the thought of spending more time in bed with him...the ache between her legs increased at that thought. Ugh, what was wrong with her? She’d never been driven by sexual need before, but after having a taste of him she wanted more.

“I’m not sure why you assumed I’d be leaving town.” There was a note in his voice she couldn’t define.

She drew her eyebrows together. “You said you were in town for the wedding.”

“I was in town for the wedding. I’m also moving here permanently. As Owen’s second-in-command. He made the announcement this morning—which is probably why you haven’t heard yet.”

Oh
...
crap
.

Chapter 4

Elias took another step closer until Cindy found herself flat against a car parked along the curb on Main Street, caged in by his big body.

She wanted to look around to make sure no one was watching them, but she couldn’t drag her gaze from his. Not when she was desperately trying to process his words and somehow reject them. It wasn’t possible. He’d said... hell, he was right. He hadn’t actually said he was leaving. She’d just assumed. “Oh. Well, congratulations. Owen seems like a great Alpha.” Okay, that sounded lame, but what else was she supposed to say? And why was he here following her?

His hands came to rest on the car right on each side of her head. But he wasn’t actually touching her, just hovering really,
really
close. “That’s all you have to say?”

She swallowed hard. “What else should I say?”

He gave her a long look, studying her before speaking. “Have dinner with me.”

Her eyes widened at the abrupt change in topic, a spark of annoyance igniting inside her. “Are you ordering or asking?”

“Ah, sorry, asking. Please have dinner with me? We can walk right across the street to the Italian restaurant.” His expression softened as he reached out and cupped her cheek. He gently rubbed his thumb along her jaw, making her shudder. “Why’d you leave like that? I woke up and...” He trailed off, and for a moment she saw such a raw vulnerability in his gaze that it sliced right into her. But then it was gone and the hunter was back in its place.

She wanted to say yes to dinner so badly but knew she shouldn’t. “I’ve had a long day and I’m really beat. Maybe some other time though?”

His jaw clenched once, but he nodded and stepped back. “Why do I get the feeling you’re brushing me off?”

“Look, Elias, we had a great time. I thought you were leaving so...” She hated admitting this but didn’t want to lie. “I figured we’d have a great night and that would be it. I don’t want anything complicated.”

He raised an eyebrow. “And dinner’s complicated?”

“Well, no.” She was too tired to argue, and if he pushed she’d totally cave. Plus the wine selection at the Italian place was actually good.

With a tilt of his head, he gestured toward the restaurant across the street. “Then come on.”

“Cindy. Is this guy bothering you?” An unfortunately familiar male voice cut through the air, drawing her attention away from Elias.

Tyler Lowe had been living in Bear Mountain for the past six months and had been annoyingly persistent in asking her out. He was human so she wasn’t worried about him hurting her, but he’d grown more persistent with his advances in the past couple of weeks, and fending him off was getting frustrating. Tall, muscular and quite handsome, he barreled down the sidewalk toward her and Elias.

Cindy could actually feel the tension in Elias growing, so she slipped an arm around his waist and pulled him close. The surprise that jolted through him was brief before he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Male shifters could be so possessive sometimes, and she wasn’t taking a chance in case he overreacted in front of a human. “Tyler, this is Elias. He’s a former boyfriend and we just started seeing each other again. I promise he’s not bothering me.”

Tyler jerked to a stop a few feet away, a wave of anger pulsing off him. “When did you start seeing him?” he practically snarled.

She was stunned by his reaction, but before she could answer, Elias smoothly cut in, his grip on her tightening protectively. “None of your damn business. Now if you don’t mind, I’m taking my
girlfriend
to dinner.” Without waiting for a response, Elias dragged her across the street and stopped only when they were inside the restaurant.

“Former boyfriend, huh?” he asked once they were inside the quiet entryway to the restaurant.

She shrugged. “He’s a nuisance and I figured that would give him the hint.”

“How—” He stopped talking when a pretty dark-haired wolf shifter approached them with menus. Cindy was pretty sure the woman’s name was Janette, but with Elias holding her so close it was difficult to remember her own name.

The speculation in the female’s eyes as she looked between them was blatant. Cindy inwardly groaned. She hadn’t exactly forgotten that Owen’s pack owned this restaurant, but she hadn’t thought about pack members seeing her here with Elias. Wolves were the biggest gossips in the shifter world. Before she made it home tonight the entire pack would have already started talking about the two of them. Exactly what she didn’t need.

“Just the two of you?” the hostess asked sweetly.

Before Cindy could answer, Elias nodded. “Yes. We’d like a quiet, private booth if you have one.”

At that, the woman grinned and turned on her heel, motioning for them to follow.

“Everyone’s going to think we’re dating,” Cindy muttered.

“Is that such a bad thing?” There was a tight edge to Elias’s voice, and she realized she’d insulted him.

“No, of course not. I just...” Her voice trailed off as they reached a private, round corner booth. She slid in first.

Thankfully Elias slid on the other side, but since it was circular he was still pretty damn close to her when he finally settled in. After the woman took their drink orders, Cindy found herself alone with him and feeling like a teenager on her first date. How ridiculous was that?

“Tell me about that human who was outside.” His voice was gentle, but he was definitely ordering her.

Normally that kind of tone would get her hackles up, but she shrugged, surprised he wanted to talk about that. “There’s nothing to tell.”