The Cougar and the Wolf (7 page)

She caught the thought before it could form fully. She liked Kyle. Liked him a lot. But it was too soon for anything else. Besides, when her week was up, she would go back to Hollywood and he’d stay here, move on. Perhaps marry a local girl and have little werewolfy babies… She cut that thought off as well, jealousy raging through her.

Sighing and feeling lazy, she snuggled deeper into the warmth of the bed next to Kyle, content to forget that the outside world existed for at least another day or so. And why not? She’d already rung and told her agent she was taking some time out, that the last movie had exhausted her and that she needed some ‘me-time’ before starting a new project. She’d even dropped the term all agents dreaded: Burnout.

She wasn’t, but Xander didn’t need to know that. All he needed to know was she’d gone back home and that she’d call him in a week to set up some publicity for her latest film. A shudder rolled through her, albeit a sleepy one, thinking of having to deal with Todd Stone and his octopus hands again.

Her slight movement roused Kyle, who turned over to wrap an arm around her waist. Wriggling under his hand, she murmured in pleasure and thrust her hips back against his groin. A smile curved her lips as the thick, hard bar of his cock pressed against her. Turning in his arms, she smiled at the sleepy heat in his eyes and leaned in to nibble across his hair-roughened jaw.

“I like this kind of wake up,” he rumbled, his voice still raspy with sleep. Then he moved, turning her over onto her back and parting her thighs with one swift movement, proving that he hadn’t been as asleep as she thought. Then he kissed her and nothing else mattered.

 Kyle had his head under the hood of the morning’s emergency repair, trying to figure out how to start on the myriad problems that had caused Old Lady Shelton to bring it in this morning with a ‘knocking’. Turned out that that lack of oil in the thing was just the tip of the iceberg. He sighed as he pulled his hand free from the engine bay and wondered how to break it to a sweet little old lady that her car was destined for the scrap heap.

A tinkling laugh from outside brought his head up and he smiled as he looked over the open hood to see Kris standing next to the little yellow car that had broken down and brought her into his life. Dressed in the sexiest little Daisy Dukes, she was rocking the country look with pigtails and a knotted shirt that exposed acres of her toned midriff. His gut tightened, cock hard and heavy in his pants as he recalled exploring that mid-riff and other, more exciting areas, with his lips and tongue last night.

She had a bag in her hand, proof that she’d brought him some lunch again today, but he was content to watch as she chatted with his uncle. She was as easily charming with the gruff old bear-shifter as she was with everyone. Meanwhile his uncle, the randy old so and so, was flirting shamelessly. Even though he knew it was harmless, that Kris wouldn’t look twice at another man, much less his uncle, and that Marty in turn wouldn’t do anything across him, his possessive streak was a mile wide.

Wiping his hands on a cleaning rag, he threw it at the workbench by the door as he passed, emerging from the cool shade of the workshop out into the relentless mid-day heat. His uncle moved aside as he passed, an easy smile on the older guy’s lips that spread into a broad grin at the possessive movement as Kyle slid a hand around Kris’ waist to pull her against his side.

Taking a second, he buried his face into the curve of her neck and shoulder, amongst the riot of red curls and just breathed in her scent. Taking a lungful, he held it deep to pacify the wolf inside. Her perfume teased his senses, the expensive skin-warmed scent wrapping around him. Under it lay the lingering traces of the generic, store own-brand shower gel he’d been surprised to see in her wash bag. For saying she was a big Hollywood star who reputedly earned gazillions a film, her refusal to pay over the odds for something so mundane amused him.

But neither of those scents got to him in the same way the one underneath them did. The natural scent of her skin, of the woman herself, threaded through the two others, calling to him in a way they never could. Other women could use the same shower gel and buy the same perfume but the scent underneath was uniquely hers, and he’d know it anywhere. Be able to follow it and her anywhere.

He rumbled in pleasure as she wrapped her arms around him in return, turning them so he was leaning back against the warm metal wing of her car. He parted his thighs so that she could settle between them, letting her slender body rest against him and surrounding her protectively in his embrace.

Behind them Marty’s footsteps receded toward the workshop, the older man grumbling good-naturedly. “Damn kids these days, should get a fricken’ room!”

Kyle chuckled as he lifted his head to claim her lips, flicking his uncle a one-fingered salute behind her back. Then the old bear-shifter was forgotten as her lips parted under his. He groaned as he dipped his tongue into the honeyed sweetness of her mouth.

She was perfection itself, her responses open and honest as he thrust his tongue lazily into her. Anything he asked of her, she’d agreed to, submitting to his dominant nature with a sweet acceptance that got to him on so many levels, but with enough of a kick in her gallop to keep him on his toes. A challenge wrapped in sexiness, and one he knew he’d never tire of.

Spearing his hand into her short, red curls to angle her head just right as he deepened the kiss, he allowed his mind to wander. Allowed himself to think about a future with her, what settling down and having kids with her would be like… How she’d look when they were both silver-haired with age and couldn’t imagine his desire for her ever fading, even in their twilight years. And for the first time he allowed himself to think that they
could
have a future together. She’d been here two weeks already, and she hadn’t mentioned going back to the bright lights of Hollywood.

The sound of engines approaching didn’t made him lift his head from worshipping her lips, nor did them stopping on the road next to Kris’s car. But then the sound of a camera shutter broke through the sensual haze of the moment and the slender woman in his arms froze.

“Krystal! Krystal! How are you enjoying your break?”

* * *

The instant she heard the continuous shutter, a sound so familiar to her but so totally out of place here, Kristen froze. For a second she thought that she’d imagined it, although why she would conjure up something to ruin such a perfect moment with Kyle, she had no idea, but the loud demands sealed the deal as photographers swarmed around them.

“How long have you been in Katy, Krystal?”

“What will Stone think about your boy toy?”

“What brought you to small town America?”

“Are you and Stone over now then?”

Cameras clicked and microphones were shoved in her face as a barrage of questions were thrown at her. Stiffening, she clung to Kyle instinctively. Her fingers curled around his upper arms as she desperately tried to get herself together, pull her screen persona over herself and hide her more vulnerable real nature. Snarling, Kyle turned, shoving her protectively behind him as he faced the cameras, a large hand batting away one lens that got too close.

“Back off, or I’ll shove that where the sun doesn’t shine,” he threatened, his voice lower than normal as he glared down the owner of the ridiculously large lens, a thin little man who looked like he’d topple over in the wind given the large amount of photography kit around his neck.

“Now, now, ladies and gentlemen,” a new voice announced loudly, a familiar figure detaching himself from the back of the pack and walking around to them. It was her agent, Xander, wearing a smug little grin as he reached her side. “I’m sure Krystal will be happy to talk to you, in a few minutes when she’s freshened up. How about you give us all a little space here?”

Sliding a hand under her arm, he tried to detach her from Kyle, which only earned him a growl from the pissed off werewolf Kyle's eyes flashed dangerously amber until she patted his arm in reassurance. It took them seconds to walk back through the workshop. Marty pointed at the back office, then moved to block the paparazzi simply by standing in the doorway, a large wrench dangling idly from his hand. His voice rose as he argued with them, a low rumble that indicated his bear was near, which was cut off as the door slammed shut.

Xander made sure the door was locked and turned back to them. His gaze swept over Kyle, a brief light of interest in his eyes that had nothing to do with Kyle as a person, or even as a possible future bed partner, and everything to do with whether or not he could make Xander money.

“Cute.” The interest died, the agent’s expression dismissive as he turned back to Kristen. “Okay, Kris. You’ve had your bit of fun, as normal. Now it’s time to get back to work.”

The callous words sliced through the air like a butcher’s cleaver, a hard slam that left it buried in the counter and ringing slightly. She winced as Kyle turned to her, the suspicion and pain in his eyes catching her heart.

“So. I was just a bit of fun?”

The denial rose instinctively to her lips. Her trip here might have started out that way. A bit of fun, a much needed break between filming and having to immerse herself in publicity events, something she always found herself needing a month-long bath after. With bleach. It wasn’t the fans she objected to, most of them were really sweet, but it was the demands of the industry that she virtually prostitute herself at this event and that event to protect their bottom line.

Before she could get the words out, Xander laughed, the sound harsh and dismissive.

“Oh, you didn’t think this little thing you had going on was serious, did you? Kris always takes some downtime after a film. Heads out somewhere to get her bad girl groove on with someone. I’m just glad she chose a nobody this time.” He looked back at her and smiled in approval. “Well done, far less media fallout than the time you fucked the senator. What a fucking mess that was!”

Kyle’s face blanked, the hurt in his eyes wiped out by a bland, polite expression that made her want to scream and cry all at the same time as she sensed him withdrawing.

“Well, I’m glad you had your bit of fun. I hope it was as good for you as it was for me.” He laughed, the sound strained and bitter. “Not every day a nobody gets to fuck a screen legend, is it? Have a nice life,
Krystal.
”

Hurling her screen name at her like a curse, he stalked to the door, busting the lock as he yanked it open and barrelled through into the workshop. She got a brief glimpse of Marty’s face, his expression worried and then hardening as Kyle brushed past him. Turning to Xander, she swept him with a disgusted expression. Not normally a violent woman, at that moment she wanted nothing more than to spread his pretty, straight nose all over his face.

“You…fucking idiot,” her voice emerged as a snarl, hiding the tears and the thickness in the back of her throat. “You think this is all a freaking game? You’re sacked.”

Xander’s eyes widened, his eyelashes fluttering for a second before he got his expression under control. Her lip curled as she clocked the managed response. For fuck’s sake, the guy was a better actor than she was, and twice as manipulative. She had no doubt he’d orchestrated the little group outside currently being threatened by the were-bear owner of the garage. Why had she never seen that about him before?

“Sorry doll, you can’t sack me.” He shrugged, and the desire to knock a few teeth down his throat as well rose up. “My contract is for the full publicity run for Star-Priests Revenge.”

“Right, fine.” Her voice was so rough now, anyone could be forgiven for thinking
she
was the werewolf, not Kyle. “But don’t get comfortable, because as soon as it’s done, you are so gone. Understand me?”

She didn’t wait for his answer, barrelling through the door and into the workshop after Kyle. He was already gone, but the sound of an engine roaring to life clued her into his whereabouts. Heart in her throat, she rushed forward, ignoring the gaggle of reporters in the heat outside. As soon as they saw activity inside they perked up, half of them lifting camera’s to cover their faces like some sort of parasitic Cyclops. Normally that would be a dead stop to any activity, as she considered her public persona and how she appeared, but right now all she cared about was Kyle as he wheel-spun out of the parking lot at the side of the garage.

“Kyle,
wait!
” she called out as he spun the car, their gaze clashing through the windscreen. For a moment the mask dropped, letting her see the anger, pain and frustration under the surface before it slammed into place again and he gunned the engine. A hard arm snaked around her waist, hauling her out of the way as Kyle’s tyres chewed dirt, spitting up small stones that stung her legs as he roared by.

Gasping, she looked up into Marty’s face. His expression was tight and angry as he put her down.

“Leave it, doll. You’ve hurt him enough with your games. If I was you, I’d pack up and leave. Take your damn circus with you as well.”

* * *

"You gonna drink that or glare at it all evening, son?"

Kyle looked up sharply at the question, grunting as his uncle slid onto the bar stool next to him. The wood creaked under the bear's weight but held. He hadn't expected anything else. After all, Honey was used to the peculiar nature of her patrons, so he had no doubt that all the furniture was strengthened, and bears were weird. Even in human form, they held some of the weight of their bear, even if they were whip-cord thin. Which Marty wasn't.