SelkiesSeduction (6 page)

She glanced up at the horizon where faint streaks of light
heralded the coming of dawn. Make that a good day’s sleep. Night was just about
over.

She looked over at Wolfe. Despite the physical exertion they’d
gone through, he looked alert and ready for action. Maybe being a Cosantoir had
a few benefits that didn’t involve tricking unwary selkies into binding with
them.

“Lead on. I’m hoping there’s a real comfortable bed in that
tree house of yours.”

A lazy grin spread across his craggy features and the echo
of his laughter floated through her mind.

“To sleep in, you oversexed moron.” She shook her head. “I’m
too tired for anything else.”

“Perhaps I could help you relax with one of my famous
massages?”

The innocent expression on Wolfe’s face didn’t fool her for
a minute. The man had a one-track mind. “You just want to get your hands on my
body.”

“Not true.” He waggled his brow at her, his eyes dancing
with mischief. “I’d like to get all of me on you. And parts of me in you.”

Nikki snorted. “That is the lamest pick-up line I’ve ever
heard.”

“I’m crushed.” Wolfe ran his eyes over her figure in a slow
deliberate way that set her nerves on fire. “Here I offer to use my amazingly
talented fingers to soothe your overworked muscles and you accuse me of having
vile designs on your delectable body. I think you owe me an apology. Perhaps a
kiss as well, to soothe my hurt feelings.”

“Oh, you poor baby.” Two could play at this game. “I’m so
sorry I hurt you. Here, let me kiss it all better.”

Rising up on her tiptoes, she slid one hand behind his head,
twining her fingers through his hair. Her mouth claimed his, and she danced her
tongue across his lips, teasing it open. Slipping her tongue inside to taste,
she teased him with featherlight strokes while she slid her other hand down his
chest and toyed with the buttons on the front of his shirt.

She could feel the surprise, the hesitation in his reaction,
and she smothered a giggle. She bet he liked to be the one doing the kissing.
Too
forward for you, darling?
She let the thought purr its way into his head.

Not at all.
His silky smooth reply tipped her off
seconds before he gathered her hard against his lean body, one big calloused
hand cupping her bottom.
I thought you needed some rest, but if you want to
play…
He ground his hips against her, letting her feel just how ready he
was.

Nikki squealed, squirming against him in an effort to free
herself. As tempting as she found that bulge in the front of his pants, she
really did need to sleep.

She also needed to establish some emotional distance. She
couldn’t risk forgetting about her mother’s betrayal and her own capricious selkie
blood. She might just land herself in a situation she wasn’t ready to face.
Flirting with Wolfe was fun, and the sex was hotter than anything she’d ever
imagined, but commitment wasn’t an option. Not for her.

I’ll let you go this time.
Wolfe loosened his grip
and allowed Nikki to escape.
But know that if you keep playing with fire,
you will get burned.

His eyes devoured her as she scurried out of reach, and a
rueful smile tipped the corner of his mouth up. “We’re both a little too tired
to think clearly right now. Shall we go inside?”

He turned away from the oak, leading the way to a towering
pine tree at the side of the clearing. “For security reasons, the stairs over
here ascend to a bridge connecting this tree to the cabin. If we need to, we
can isolate the house from ground access.” Sweeping aside a tangle of overgrown
branches with his arm, he revealed an intricate set of stairs woven in sturdy
limbs, spiraling around the tree and hidden from view by the sweeping branches.

Nikki stared open-mouthed at the live staircase. “That’s
amazing.”

Wolfe stepped aside to allow her to start up the steps.

She felt an odd, tingling sensation as she started up and
she shot a questioning look at Wolfe.

He shrugged. “The trees are alive. They protect us as we
protect them, and they’re capable of judging your intentions when you’re in
physical contact with them.” He started up the staircase behind her.

“What happens if they don’t like the intentions?” Nikki
spoke aloud. She desperately needed to break the sense of intimacy that was
growing between them. Even with him two steps below her, she could feel his
presence.

Wolfe raised an eyebrow. “They’d act to safeguard anyone
under their protection. You aren’t planning on throwing me off the tree house
balcony, are you?”

“Not if you’re good.” Damn. That sounded like an invitation.

“I’m always good.” He ran his big hand down her spine to
caress her backside. “Care for another sample?”

“No thank you.” Nikki stepped gingerly onto the platform at
the top of the stairs. “The first one was adequate.”

“Adequate?” He sounded smug. “You can’t be serious. That was
a hell of a lot more than adequate. I think I actually felt the earth shake.”
He stepped onto the platform behind her.

Nikki turned to finish him off with a witty remark and found
herself face-to-face with his muscular chest. She swallowed hard, her mouth
suddenly dry.

Wolfe slid a hand through her hair, tilting her head back. “Let’s
see if I can top ‘adequate’.”

Nikki raised her hands to push against his chest and met his
eyes, dark passion swirling in their depth.
Please.
Damn, she hated
begging. “I’m sorry. You were definitely more than adequate but what I really
need now is some sleep.”

Wolfe hesitated, concern replacing the passion in his eyes.
He smoothed her hair back from her face in a caressing stroke that tempted her
to lean into his hard body before he dipped his head to feather a gentle kiss
across her lips. “I can wait.”

He nodded at the gently swaying bridge that connected their
tree to the one sheltering the house. “Let’s get moving. We’re almost home.”

Nikki ducked her head, too shaken to meet his gaze. She
longed to throw her arms around his neck, bury her head in the tempting hollow
of his shoulder.

The impulse frightened the hell out of her.

There is no such thing as binding
, she told herself
firmly.
It’s a myth.
She stepped out onto the bridge, resolutely
ignoring the tingling sensation that told her Wolfe followed.

Nikki woke to the smell of fresh coffee. Prying one eye
open, she took in her surroundings.

Wood. The bed was wood. The walls were wood. The floor was
wood. Understanding dawned and the other eye snapped open.
Wolfe?

“In the kitchen, little one. I haven’t deserted you. I’ve
left some clothes that should fit you on the nightstand beside the bed. The
bathroom’s through the oval door.”

“I smell coffee.”

Wolfe’s amused laughter echoed in her mind. “I’ll bring it
right up.”

Nikki hesitated. “Wolfe?”

“Yes, little one?”

“I meant what I said. I can’t do long term, so you can
forget about the binding thing. I’m not good for you. And quit calling me
little one.” It sounded way too intimate.

“Do you take cream and sugar?”

Fine. She threw back the covers and swung her legs over the
edge of the bed. He didn’t want to talk about it. Well, if he got hurt when
things went to hell, it would be his own fault.

I can take care of myself, little one.
The thought
floated into her head, the tone gentle.

Despite herself, Nikki was inclined to believe that he
could. He might even be able to look after her. Deep down inside, where she
dared to dream, she hugged that knowledge to herself.

Wolfe sauntered into the room, balancing a wooden breakfast
tray on one arm. Setting it down carefully on the dresser, he crossed to the
bed and bent down to place a swift kiss on her lips. “Breakfast is served.”

Nikki sniffed the air appreciatively. If she wasn’t
mistaken, that covered plate contained pancakes and bacon. She plumped a pillow
up against the headboard, and sat up. “You can cook? Maybe I should stick
around for a day or two.”

Wolfe grinned. “Of course I can cook. The way to a woman’s
heart is through her stomach.” He produced a little bedside table and set it up
over her lap. Fetching the plate of food, he placed it in front of her with a
theatrical flourish, before lifting the metal warming lid to reveal a steaming
pile of pancakes, topped with crisp slices of bacon.

“I may never leave. This looks heavenly.” Nikki picked up a
slice of the bacon and popped it in her mouth.

Wolfe poured two cups of coffee from a silver carafe and
paused. “You never answered. Cream and sugar?”

She licked a crumble of bacon from the corner of her lips,
feeling suddenly shy. “Just cream. And Wolfe?”

He looked up, and she met his gaze. “I should have said this
before now. Thank you for helping me out.”

“You’re welcome.” He handed her the coffee and poured one
for himself. “I know you’re furious at me right now for binding you. I’d say I
was sorry, but I’d be lying. I’m not sorry that we’re bound, but I am sorry for
the way it happened. I honestly thought you knew what you were getting into.”

Nikki lowered her gaze and picked up her fork, attacking the
stack of pancakes. Swallowing the first heady mouthful, she looked up at him. “We
have to talk about that. It won’t work. It has absolutely nothing to do with
you, but I simply can’t do long term.”

She paused, not sure how to make him understand. “The pull
of the water is always with me, and I don’t want to settle down and have
children, and then desert them one day when the calling gets to be too much for
me to resist.” She felt the familiar tightening in her throat that she got
every time she let herself remember her own mother’s desertion. “I won’t do
that, to you or anyone else. It’s not fair.”

“What makes you think you’d have to choose?” His brow
furrowed in confusion. “Selkies and their Cosantoirs have always bonded for
life. When you need to go to the water, I will protect you; make sure you are
safe. That’s what I’m here for.”

Nikki wanted to believe him. His voice, his body language
all told her he believed in what he was saying, but the memory of her mother
walking away without looking back still haunted her, too painful to put into
words.

She plastered a shaky smile on her face and changed the
subject. “So what’s the plan of attack?”

He gave her a wry smile. “I think a little reconnaissance is
in order before we attack anybody. We need to find out who those guys are, how
much they actually know. We could be jumping to conclusions. Maybe they’re
poachers and they’re trying to capture Winston.”

Nikki smiled. “Then they’re in for a fight. Winston has a
nasty temper, and he’s overly fond of using those claws of his.”

“Well, here’s hoping they didn’t leave bloodstains all over
your cabin.” Wolfe leaned forward to snag one of the pancakes. “It’s hell to
get out of wood flooring.”

“And how would you know that?”

“I used to be a little boy.” He swallowed the pancake whole
and reached for a piece of bacon. “Scraped knees, cuts and bruises were daily
occurrences. Sometimes, when I’d done something really stupid, Mom would
bandage me up and then make me go back and scrub the bloodstains off the floor.”

Nikki giggled. She could just picture him, bandages on his
knees and a mop of dark hair falling over his forehead, grumbling as he
scrubbed.

“I can see where your sympathy lies.” His eyes twinkled with
mischief.

“Sounds like you had a wonderful childhood.” Nikki couldn’t
keep the envy out of her voice. She wrapped her hands around the coffee mug and
took a sip of the dark liquid.

He nodded. “My dad died when I was just a baby, but Mom did
her best to raise me. We didn’t have a lot, but I always felt loved.” He
snagged another pancake and popped it in his mouth. “What was your mother like?”

Nikki’s head jerked up and the hot coffee sloshed
dangerously close to the edge of the mug. No way was she ready to discuss her
mother, with him or anyone else.

“She left when I was little and I’d rather not talk about
her. My father raised us alone. I miss him sometimes.”

“He died?”

She shook her head. “No, but after my sister and I left
home, he remarried and started another family. They keep him busy, and I don’t
get to see him all that much.”

“That’s a shame.” He watched as she took the last bit of
bacon. “I’m going downstairs to get some things done. Come on down when you’re
ready and we can discuss what to do next.”

“Okay.” She smiled, grateful that he hadn’t pushed for more
information on her family.

She didn’t want to lie to him.

* * * * *

Wolfe lounged against the deck’s railing and studied Nikki’s
body language. The way she paced back and forth spoke volumes. Her entire body
rigid, she clenched and unclenched her hands behind her back as she measured
the length of the deck repeatedly. He wasn’t sure what spooked her most, the
binding or the men back at her cabin. They’d come out here to discuss what to
do, but they had far more questions than answers.

“How did they know where to find me? That cabin has been my
refuge for ages, and I’ve never seen any signs of interest. The locals would
have told me if there were strangers around asking questions about me. Why did
they go to the water before the house? And how did they know to come back
later, after the jam?” She looked up at him, panic lurking in the depths of
those emerald-green eyes. “How much do they know? And how did they find out?”

“I don’t know, but we’ll find out.” He resisted the urge to
cross the gap between them to comfort her. He sensed her need for space while
she struggled to come to terms with the effects of the binding. “I think we
need to talk to your sister. She sent me to warn you so she must know something
about what’s going on. We’ll have to contact her in the Dream World though. We
are way out of cell range up here, and I’m not going to risk going back down to
town until I know what’s going on. While we’re there, we could talk to some of
the other talents in the Dream World. Maybe this isn’t an isolated incident.”

He held up a hand to forestall her objections. “We need to
know what we’re up against. I know you’ve had trouble with Dream Walking in the
past, but now you have the ability to draw on my strength. It’ll make it easier
for you.”

Nikki tilted her head. She looked intrigued, a cute furrow
creasing her brow. “How do you know I had troubles in the past? And what do you
mean I can use your strength? How?”

Wolfe shrugged. “Your sister told me she didn’t try to
contact you in the Dream World because you had problems using it, so you just
didn’t go there. As for using my strength, there are some advantages to being
bound. Close your eyes. You can feel me, my mind, my spirit. You can draw from
my strength whenever you need it.”

She closed her eyes and he felt the first tentative touch of
her mind, seeking him, exploring the pathway between them. The contact was
hesitant at first, uncertain. The sensation sent a fiery shiver of longing
dancing down his spine.

Then she was gone, her eyes open and sparkling with
mischief. The corners of her lips curved up in a bewitching smile. “I’m
beginning to see some advantages in this binding thing.”

Wolfe nodded solemnly. “Yeah. There’s more to a binding than
getting a great-looking hunk in your bed.”

Nikki’s gaze flew up to meet his as she choked back a laugh.
“I should certainly hope so. You’re not that great looking.”

“You don’t think I’m attractive? I’m crushed.” Wolfe let his
mouth droop teasingly.

She rewarded him with her breathtaking smile, and his heart
did that little flip-flop thing in his chest.

“I doubt that. You don’t look the least bit crushed.”

“That’s because I know you’re lying. You think I’m
irresistible.”

“And modest.” She peeked at him from under her lashes. “You’re
very modest.”

“Hmm, yes I suppose I am.”

Nikki burst out laughing. “You’re incorrigible!”

“Thank you.” He gave her a mock bow.

“That wasn’t a compliment, you nut.”

“I didn’t think it was, but at least it made you laugh. I’d
love to spend the rest of the day discussing my better points with you, if it
makes you happy.”

Nikki sobered instantly. “I think we need to deal with the
bad guys before we worry about what we’re going to do about us. I’m willing to
try contacting my sister, but I really am lousy at Dream Walking.” The corner
of her mouth drooped apologetically. “You might be better off without me.”

Hopping down off the deck railing, Wolfe closed the distance
between them with one decisive stride. She needed to have more confidence in
herself.

“There is no place, no way, no time when I would be better
off without you.” Wrapping her in his arms, he lowered his head to sear her
lips in a slow, thorough kiss. “We’re a team. Always. Remember that.”

Nikki twisted in his arms and stamped one petite foot on the
deck, frustration etched on her face. “I’m a selkie. We don’t do ‘always’. You
might want to remember that.”

Unruffled, Wolfe let her go to stalk to the far side of the
balcony. She’d learn.

* * * * *

“So this is a dream chamber? Huh. I’m not sure what I
expected.” Nikki looked around with interest. “Maybe a four-poster bed with a
ruffled canopy?”

The room they were standing in was hewn out of the side of
the hill, just below the waterfall. The smell of damp earth assailed Nikki’s
senses as she eyed the sparsely furnished space. A double bed, the head and
footboards carved out of oak, dominated the small space and triggered thoughts
that had nothing to do with sleep.

Wolfe chuckled and Nikki felt a hot blush stain her cheeks.
She really needed to remember to shield her thoughts.

“We have some time to kill before we Dream Walk.” He gave
her a cheerfully suggestive wink. “Some physical activity might help you to
relax a bit.” He reached out and kneaded her shoulders with those incredibly
talented fingers of his. “Afterward I could give you a nice, full-body massage.”

Nikki swatted his hand off her shoulder and stepped to the
huge bed, ignoring his blatant innuendo. She trailed her fingers across the
soft comforter, frowning. “What happens if those men track us here while we’re
in the Dream World? Our bodies will be vulnerable.”

“No they won’t. We aren’t the first couple to use this
chamber. There are twelve generations of protective spells woven into the walls
of the chamber, and since we’re within the oak grove, the trees add another
layer of protection.”

He lounged against the doorway with his arms crossed
casually on his chest and her attention fell to the taut muscles of his
forearms. Nikki licked her lips and tried not think about how those arms felt
wrapped around her. “What type of spells?”

Wolfe smiled. “Druid spells. Very ancient Druid spells.”

“Which very ancient Druid spells?”

He straightened, and well-sculpted muscles rippled beneath
the thin material of his shirt. Nikki gulped and dragged her eyes back to his
face.

Her sister had a lot to answer for.

“Sorry.” He shrugged those impressive shoulders. “That’s all
I can tell you.”

“I thought we were bound, a couple for all eternity.” She
was proud of the fact she didn’t choke getting that out.

“We are.” He nodded warily. “I’m glad to hear you
acknowledge it.”

“So you shouldn’t be keeping secrets from me.”

“I’m not.”

“So you’re going to tell me what type of spells they are?”

“Druid spells.”

Nikki snorted. This wasn’t going anywhere. “Be more
specific.”

Wolfe straightened up and paced toward her, the twinkle in
his eyes belying the menace in his steps. “Really good Druid spells.”

“You’re not going to tell me?”

“You wouldn’t understand a word of it.”

“Because I’m just a dumb selkie?”

Wolfe scooped her up in his arms and tossed her onto the
bed. “Because you don’t speak Gaelic any better than I do and while I can
recite them, I have no idea what the spells actually say.”