Running Free (6 page)

And Frankie.

I have to have her.

“I have an idea,” I blurt out and stand suddenly.

Her dark brows are lifted in question but she nods, gracing me with a smile.

I leave her to watch over the dogs while I gather some supplies. A short while later, I come out with a package of hotdogs and two coat hangers I shaped into sticks.

“Dinner,” I smirk, handing her a stick.

A grin tugs at her lips. “You’re a pushy one, aren’t you? Just don’t take no for an answer.”

Chuckling, I sit down beside her and open the package. “I’m just a very motivated man. When I see something I want, I go for it.”

Her eyes drift to the yard where the dogs play and she frowns. “A cop going for a bad girl. Hmmm.”

I don’t satisfy her with an answer and instead push the hotdogs onto each of our sticks. Once I have mine in the fire, I look over at her.

“You’re not a bad girl, Frankie. In fact, so far, I like everything I see.”

She snaps her head to mine and furrows her brows. “Yeah? Well, there’s more to me than meets the eye.”

I stew on her words but don’t have a comment. She’s the type of woman who won’t settle for words. Actions are what mean more to a woman like her.

“And I’m not some pretty face either. I have layers,” I tease. “Look, Frankie, I like you and I want to get to know you more.”

She doesn’t reply and sets to eating her hotdog once it’s cooked. Truth is, I’m comfortable sitting here in silence with her. It feels right. For the first time in several months, I’m beginning to feel like myself again. Carla did a number on my heart and right here… tonight, it’s starting to show signs of life again thanks to Frankie.

“Gunnar?”

I blink open my eyes and realize I must have drifted off in my chair. “Mmm?”

“Are you okay? You fell asleep. If you work the nightshift, when do you sleep? You spent the day with me,” she murmurs, taking the coat hanger from me.

I frown to see my hotdog charred to bits. She pulls it off and tosses it into the fire before putting a new one on the stick.

“I don’t sleep much,” I say, honesty dripping from my words.

Her concerned eyes meet mine as she cooks another hotdog. “Curly Sue and I will leave. You need some rest. I wish you would have told me.”

Shaking my head at her, I accept the stick with the now cooked hotdog on it. “Thanks. And, I don’t require much sleep.”

She watches me while I eat, our eyes never leaving the other. When I finish, I tease her to lighten the mood.

“You could always nap with me.” I flash her a naughty grin and her eyes widen. For a moment, I see it. Her mind took the dirty path mine did hours ago at the animal shelter. We’d be stupid not to acknowledge the mutual attraction between us.

Eventually she sighs and looks up at the darkening sky. The rain has held out but it won’t be long.

“Gunnar—”

“Call me Gun.”

Her smile is back. “Of course that’d be your nickname.”

“I’m a cop. Seems fitting.”

She giggles but it fades out when the wind picks up. “Gun, I can’t date you. We’re too different. You’re hot, I’ll give you that. But I’d just want to have sex with you and then move on. You seem like a relationship kind of guy. I absolutely don’t do relationships.”

Reaching over, I cover her hand that rests on the arm of the patio chair with mine. “Fine, let’s just go have sex then.”

She gapes at me and I chuckle. “Frankie, I’m kidding. But seriously though. I just went through a crushing divorce. Not a moment goes by where I don’t think about the betrayal of my ex-wife. I can assure you, I’m not eager to jump into a new relationship.”

Her frown is immediate and I wonder what upsets her. The fact that I was married before? That I don’t want a relationship with her?

“But listen,” I quickly add. “Just because I don’t want a relationship, doesn’t mean I’m okay with a one night stand. There’s a connection here. Don’t you feel it? It feels right being around you. For the first time in months, I’m smiling again. My body has woken up and I’m craving someone again. That someone is you. I think we’d be idiots not to see where this goes. Take it slow, I don’t care. I just want to have more puppy and hotdog playdates with you.”

Her lips twitch and she attempts to hold back a smile. “Gun, it won’t work,” she says with a sigh.

“Come here,” I mutter. “I need to show you something.”

With her lips pressed into a firm line, she nods and leans for me. I slide my fingers into her soft, messy hair and draw her to me. Her lips part and her eyes flutter closed giving me all the permission I need. Pressing my lips to hers, I take a moment to revel in the softness of the kiss. But as soon as our lips meet, a hunger that has nothing to do with food takes over and our mouths open, our tongues taking over.

The kiss is smoky, a hint of smoked hotdog in her taste, but it’s also electric. I devour every moan that spills from her. My God, it’s heaven kissing this woman. One of her palms finds my cheek and her fingers flutter over the unshaved shadow there. I want her hands all over me.

As we kiss, both of us barely stopping to breathe, my dick thickens with every brush of our lips and tangle of our tongues. Visions of carrying her into my bedroom and fucking her into tomorrow are on the forefront of my mind. But, despite having not been laid in a while, I’d also be happy sprawled out on the bed doing just this like a couple of horny teenagers.

A crack of lightening nearby jerks us both from our kiss and Frankie blushes. Does a girl like her even blush? The pink on her cheeks is hot as fuck and I’ve convinced myself now that if she goes to my room there’ll be more fucking than kissing.

“I should go. My tires are old and don’t do well in the rain. Plus,” she exhales, “you need sleep.”

I’m not eager to let her go but she’s right. My dick aches for relief but I ignore it and press a soft kiss on her cheek near her ear. “Fine, you win. But we’re doing this again. And soon.”

A crack of thunder rattles the windows in the house causing Cutie Pie to yelp and jerk me from my sleep.

“It’s okay, little guy,” I murmur, letting him snuggle up under my arm.

Absently, I stroke him while I think about Frankie. The woman intrigues me to no end. I’ve lived my life for the better part of a decade interrogating people. And, even though I refrain from laying the questions on her, I can see she hides so much of herself from everyone.

At some point, I will peel away those layers.

I’ll discover the woman beneath the armor.

I will make love to her and make her mine.

That, I can feel in my gut.

With a groan, I roll over and pick up my phone that’s plugged into the nightstand. My shift doesn’t start for another hour but I’ve missed several calls from Fitz.

“Shit,” I hiss out as I sit up and dial him back.

“About damn time.” His annoyance in me has my hackles rising because give me a fucking break, my shift hasn’t even started.

“What?” I bite out, delivering back just as much attitude.

He shuffles some papers and grumbles. “Gun, the coroner found something on both the bodies.”

My brows furrow with wonder and I climb out of bed on a hunt for clothes. “And this couldn’t have waited?” I complain. “Well, stop beating around the damn bush. What’d he find, Fitz?”

“By the way they were cut open and disemboweled, I had him search not only weapons but also other possibilities.”

I saunter into the bathroom and catch a peek at my reflection in the mirror. Shadowed cheeks a little sunken in are proof of a lacking appetite since the divorce. Dark bags under bloodshot eyes are proof of one too many days with little to no sleep. I’m falling apart here.

“What possibilities?”

He sighs. “The lacerations are consistent with the claws of a bear.”

I snap to attention. “Bear? You’re fucking kidding me, right?”

“Nope.”

“So we’re on the lookout for a homicidal wild animal?”

“Yep.”

“Jesus, Fitz. Call the goddamned animal control or the forest ranger. Why are we even still talking about this case?”

I turn on the water for the shower and slam my eyes shut. This town is so different from Chicago. There’re many times I consider moving back. And this is one of them.

“Gun, meet me at Woodland Pond. We got a call about another teenage body.”

Well, shit.

“I’m on my way.”

Frankie

I’m fucking exhausted.

After a late night last night running the woods looking for answers about Acey’s death, I didn’t get much sleep. When Gun suggested I nap with him, I seriously considered it.

What would it have felt like to simply sleep with his massive arms curled around me?

The image rattles my chest and the tight sensation within is a foreign one. A part of me is pissed at the fact I’m a fucking shifter and can’t have normal relationships. If I were a normal woman, I’d have jumped on that man already and given my body to him a thousand times by now.

He’s sexy and confident.

Strong and sure.

Intelligent and funny.

Protective and sweet.

Everything I didn’t know that attracted me to a man.

But a shifter and a human together is unheard of. Against some unspoken code. Simply wrong.

Besides, I couldn’t have stayed with him anyway. I had something bigger to deal with. Curly Sue was not some puppy who needed adopting. The toy poodle was not a poodle at all. She was a Poodle shifter and scared out of her wits.

As I swipe a rag over the bar, cleaning up some spilled beer, I glance in her direction. She sits perched at one of the tables devouring a cheeseburger and drawing. Her black, curly hair is wild on top of her head and the clothes I let her wear hang on her small frame. I asked her what her real name was, and she had burst into tears.

“I’m no longer that girl.”

Twelve. Just like I was.

“I want to be Curly Sue.”

Knowing that that wouldn’t work, especially with Gun sniffing around, we’d agreed on Suzie. As if cued into my thoughts, she lifts her chin and her chocolate eyes meet mine. A sweet smile, so innocent, graces her lips and I find myself reciprocating.

She goes back to drawing, the tiny muscles under her brown skin flexing with each movement, and I sigh. Otis was nowhere to be seen when I brought her home with me earlier so it was up to me to explain who she was. Together we shifted and ran the woods for hours. Then, I explained how to control her feelings and thoughts — how to let it all go black and then we shifted back.

I’d fed her. Bathed her again, this time in human form. And clothed her.

And I’ll be damned if I let anyone hurt her.

The door opens and three soaking men enter. Grey eyes meet mine and I smile. Luca loves riding his bike and when it rains, it doesn’t stop him or his buds. His dark hair is dripping and plastered to his face. The animal in me scratches and claws to copulate with him.

Damn this full moon coming up.

It’s done quite a number on my hormones.

Otis tells me it’s my body’s way of craving to procreate.

Of course I know better than bringing more shifter children into this world. This world sucks and I won’t do that to them. But it still doesn’t stop the desire to do so. Every part of my being thrums and vibrates in need.

Maybe I should sleep with Gun.

At least then, I wouldn’t be tempted to get pregnant with a litter of half-breed shifter-pups.

“Damn, Frankie,” Luca growls when he sits on the stool in front of me. “You’re in heat. I can almost taste your want for me.”

My skin ignites but I ignore his words. “House draft?”

His wet hand darts out and seizes my wrist, the touch almost sizzling my flesh. A slow, painful throb begins building deep within my core.

“Stop, Luca,” I whine. “I don’t know what’s come over me but you’re not helping.”

He tugs me closer to him over the bar and his other wet hand grips the outside of my neck. When he leans in, I close my eyes and inhale him.

Masculine.

Familiar.

Alpha.

“Let me soothe that ache of yours,” he groans, clearing in mutual need. “I could fuck you senseless, Frankie. You know this. I want to take you to the back room and mark you, baby.”