Unconditional (9 page)

Michelle nodded but her happiness had ebbed a little.

His life was in Portland. But she was to be part of that life. The center of it, of course. He couldn’t protect her if she lived in Roseburg. They needed to talk in-depth about all of this stuff. There was a lot to discuss. She was under a great deal of pressure, and he didn’t want to add to that stress.

So he’d take it baby step by baby step.

Gina and Damon stayed for dinner and cake and left shortly after that. It had been a really good several hours, and Michelle seemed lighter once he’d closed his door.

“I know today’s been a long one. Yesterday and the day before too. Did you know I have a giant soaking tub? It’s a good place to relax a while.”

One corner of her mouth quirked up. “Is that an invitation?”

He moved closer, his body brushing hers. “Do you want it to be?”

She took a deep breath, her eyes closing for long moments before she opened and snagged his gaze again. “I…” She licked her lips and he bent to do the same. She exhaled, and he pulled it into his lungs, heady with desire.

“We’ve known each other a long time, Michelle. That means something to me. More than what we were back in high school. You’re my friend. You can tell me anything. I am here for you, not just for this situation, but afterward too.”

She nodded, her eyes still on his, intent. “I want you,” she murmured, and he drew even closer, their bodies touching, heat spilling between them.

“Thank God. I want you so much my hands would be shaking if I wasn’t keeping them on your hips. But I know you’re going through a lot of stuff right now. I can wait.”

“Help me forget. Just for a little while at least.”

He swallowed and had a stern inner dialogue with his wolf. The wolf wanted to rut and claim and comfort. The man knew she needed the rutting and the comforting but the claiming had to wait.

He kissed each eyelid as he did this. Across her brow, delighting in the way the furrows smoothed.

Her hands slid up his chest, leaving heat in their wake. Funny thing, given that he was the shifter and his body temperature was higher than hers. But chemistry made it that way. Clicked with his and made it uniquely
theirs.

Argument settled—for the time being, his wolf waited for the chance to do things his way—Josh eased her down the hallway toward his bathroom.

She pulled her hair from the ponytail and shook it free. She’d taken her shoes off earlier, and he looked up as her hands went to her pants button.

“Don’t undress yet.” He turned on the taps after plugging the drain.

She smiled at him. “Should I go in fully dressed?”

He laughed, straightening. “No, I want to undress you myself.”

He pulled her shirt and the tank under it over her head. He kissed her shoulder as he slid the bra strap down. That’s when he saw the bloom of color on her side and paused. “What is that?”

The way she started and then was very still for long moments made him realize he’d probably growled it instead of asking. The price of dallying with a wolf, he supposed. He caressed her hip, and she relaxed a little as she turned to look down.

“Those of us who aren’t shifters have to deal with bruises on the job from time to time.” Her lips curved, amusement on her features. “I hit that asshole pretty hard yesterday when I took him down.”

If Charlie hadn’t been in jail, Josh would have hunted him down and killed him for leaving a mark on his woman.

“I get bruises too. But they heal fast.”

He dropped to his knees before her, pressing a kiss softly over the bruised skin at her side, then on her belly, moving lower as he undid her pants, sliding them down her hips and legs, taking her socks with her.

Her toenails were painted bright pink. Her legs were toned and strong. Not long, she was pretty petite, but she was in shape. Powerful. He liked that.

He pressed his face to the front of the panties she wore. Pink, like the nails. Damn. Her fingers slid into his hair, pulling just a little. He took a breath scented with her. With her desire. It clawed at him, holding him tighter than her fingers ever could.

Deftly, he yanked the panties down, and she put a hand on his shoulder to step free. He looked up the line of her body to find her staring down at him, her lips parted, her pupils huge.

If he’d had any questions about how much she wanted him, the way she smelled, the way she looked, the heat coming off her skin all combined like a fist, guiding him to his feet to remove her bra and leave her there totally naked.

“Christ, you’re beautiful.”

She blushed, and he moaned, leaning down to breathe her in again.

“You like to sniff me.” Amusement was clear in her voice. “Also, it’s not like you haven’t seen it all before. And when it was in better shape.”

He scoffed at that.

“When you blush it heats your skin, and you smell really, really good. As far as better?
No
. Younger? Yes. But your tits are far nicer now. Your ass is higher, tighter. Your legs are more toned. There’s also the added bonus that we can fuck all night long in my apartment if we want and no one is going to come home to discover us.”

She laughed, pulling his shirt up and off, caressing all of him she could reach.

“You’re one to talk about beautiful.” She pressed a kiss on his chest, over his heart, her hands skimming across his back, helping to shove his pants down before she took handfuls of his ass and hauled him close.

So good. Skin to skin.

He felt the curve of her lips against his chest as she brushed against his cock from side to side.

Thank God she seemed to be as on board with sex as he was.

The water was done, and he reluctantly moved away to turn it off and to switch the jets on. He’d bought condoms on his way home the night before, hoping he’d get the chance to use them. He glanced toward the medicine cabinet where he’d stored the ones not in his nightstand or wallet.

She stepped into the water and groaned. “Oh my God. If I had one of these in my apartment, I’d never leave it.”

He was absolutely fine with her spending as much time as she pleased in his big bathtub.

“I only use this tub when I get my ass kicked. But with you around, I can see other, better uses.”

He joined her, settling her in between his thighs. Funny, he had this moment as they sat together, the steam from the water rising between them, he’d never realized how unsettled he’d been until she had walked into his building and everything had sort of clicked into place. Not even a full two days ago. Christ, how much in your life can change in such a short time.

For the first time in a long time, and certainly since she’d answered that call three days before, she felt…all right. Being there with him soothed her. Made her feel safe.

Which was silly. Of course she was capable of taking care of herself. But it was novel, being taken care of for a change.

It was probably stupid to like it. Certainly to get used to it. They all seemed to talk like she’d simply move up to Portland. Which she supposed meant he wanted more than a fun weekend with her.

She didn’t know what she wanted. She had a life in Roseburg. A job she liked but was growing increasingly unhappy with because of the attitudes of her boss. Being here made her realize maybe it wasn’t enough.

“Want to share whatever’s got you thinking so hard your muscles are bunching up? I know you’re worried about Allie.” He spoke softly, his hands sliding up her arms where he began to knead her shoulders.

“You’re really good with your hands,” she nearly purred, relaxing into him.

He laughed. That laugh men do when they’re really thinking about sex. It sent a thrill through her. It wasn’t that she didn’t think the next stop was bed. She was lying in his tub naked, between his thighs, his cock hard at the small of her back.

But he owned his sexuality in a way that rendered her a little breathless with anticipation. And that laugh, mmm.

“Restless I guess.” Which was the truth on several levels.

“Why do I get the feeling you mean more than just about Allie? Talk to me.”

“I’m not ready to yet. I’m mulling it all over.”

“When you’re like this, I realize how much I missed you all these years.”

That made her laugh. “How so? Naked? Between your legs?”

He laughed too, brushing a kiss at her temple. “I have not been like this with anyone. Not since you. Did you…never mind.”

“Did I sit in the bathtub and talk about my feelings with Mark?”

“I don’t have a right to know. It’s okay.”

“He was a good man.
Is
a good man. He loved me, and in my own way I guess I loved him too.” She paused, wondering about taking the risk of stripping herself bare. “But I couldn’t share a big part of my life with him. Or, well I could have, but I didn’t trust him with it. And I didn’t trust you with it either, back then. But I can be who I am when I’m with you, and that is something I’ve never had with anyone but Allie, and not…well not like this.”

The fingers that had been kneading stopped as he encircled her shoulders and pulled her close. “I’m surrounded by wolves every day. But until I looked into your eyes yesterday, I didn’t realize how lonely I was. I have missed you so much. Because I have always talked to you and you’ve always listened. But the adult Michelle? You’re beyond alluring. I know you have a case. And I know you have a life, but when this is settled, I want you to consider there’s something up here for you. I’m part of it.”

She wanted to accept. Wanted to spin and say yes and fall into his arms and be his. But sudden didn’t begin to describe what the situation was.

“This is moving so fast.”

“I’ve known you since you were twelve and I was fourteen. You were my first. My first everything. This isn’t fast. This is slow. Long and simmering. Until we were both in a different place. Enough to appreciate it maybe. I left in a dickish way and—”

She interrupted. “I understand. I hated you for it then. I thought it was about me. That I wasn’t worth it. Before I knew the why, I mean. But even at that, when I saw you yesterday none of it mattered anymore.”

He squeezed her a little tighter. “I’m sorry again that I gave you cause to think it was about you. It was about me but it was stupid how I did it. Your saying all this means a lot. Now that you’re here…if you walked out of my life I’d hate it.”

They were silent for some time. She was sleepy and warm, and it felt right there in his arms.

“I’d hate it too. I don’t understand it. The way you make me feel, I mean. I’m
not
a quick decision kind of person. It took me nearly a year to decide on what couch to buy.”

He snorted. “Witches are control freaks.”

“We are? Or I am?”

“Every witch I’ve ever met. I should have remembered back to what you were like in high school. Is your room still brutally organized?”

“If you put everything where it’s supposed to go, you can always find it later.”

“I love how prim you are when you say that. Water’s getting cold. Should I top us off with more hot or are you ready to get out?”

“I don’t know. What are your plans if we get out?”

He slid his hands under the water to take her breasts in his hands, flicking his thumbs over her nipples. “Depends on what you’ll let me do to you?”

“I’m pretty sure you’ve got a blank check in that department.”

“Hm. I have credit? Nice.”

He spun her, and she went to her knees as he caged her with those powerful thighs.

“You’re crazy-hot when you’re clothed, but naked? I’m not sure I’ll survive.” His grin was nearly a leer, and it filled her with a rush of emotion. Joy, lust, amusement, affection. She tipped her head back and laughed.

She wanted him. Even if it was only for a brief period of time before they both went back to their lives.

He stood, and she wrapped her legs around him to keep from falling. Not that she didn’t enjoy all that strength. Good gracious.

“A girl could get used to a man in her bed with werewolf strength,” she murmured as he wrapped a towel around them both and carried her through an adjacent doorway and into his bedroom.

He laid her on the bed and took her in from head to toe with so much raw desire on his features her breath got caught.

“So fucking beautiful.”

She blushed but soaked up all the attention in any case. His cock, wow, she really couldn’t seem to stop returning her attention to it. Rock hard and ready.

She licked her lips, and he groaned, tearing her attention from his cock to his face.

“I want to take my time with you and you go staring and it makes me forget the slow.”

“You gonna use that on me?” She nodded at his cock, and his grin made things south of her belly button tighten and get wetter.

“You wanted me to help you forget. It’s probably going to take a few hours.”

She caught her bottom lip between her teeth as he bent and took her left foot in his hands. His big, strong hands.

“Either you have a thing for having your feet touched or I did something else you really like. Your pussy smells so good, Michelle.”