Stopping his slow progress forward, he regarded Todd. When he’d first gotten here, he’d thought they were stupid. Truth was, they’d been acting that way. Now, however, they reminded him more of the young wolves he used to train when Westervelt actually had teenagers. More like what his nephews would become when they aged a little bit more.
Sometimes the young pups struck out at him, bit down, didn’t listen to their wolf-halves. They had to be trained out of this behavior. His job had been to teach them, to work with them alongside their parents until they matured. If need be, it was his job to turn them over to Cullen Murphy for a different kind of lesson.
Then when they’d done their years with him it had been his joy to watch them walk away the wolf-shifters they were supposed to be. This whole pack—who had somehow managed even through their dysfunction to shield his sister from Kendrick Kane for thirty-five years—were stuck in time emotionally in their teenage years.
“Can I help you walk back?”
Michael laughed. “You can, but I need to do something first.”
“What?”
“I want to get some wine and maybe some flowers.”
Todd rolled his eyes. “We’re all naked. We can’t go traipsing into the grocery store.”
“I suppose you’re right.” He closed his eyes as he swayed on his feet. “But that really fucking sucks.”
* * * *
Michael opened his eyes and blinked twice trying to figure out where he was. The room was dark, not a problem since his other senses were on alert. Scarlett’s scent filled his nostrils and he breathed deeply. Wherever it was, it was fine if she was there.
“Scarlett?”
“Michael.” Her voice came from the other side of the room and he heard fast, soft footsteps approach him. “You’re awake.”
“Kind of.” Sitting up hurt like hell, but he’d never been one to stay flat on his back. Groaning, he ran his hand over his stomach, relieved to see the wounds had closed. “Where are we?”
“Cole’s room.” She sat down on the bed next to him, placing her hand on his forehead. Her skin felt cool and smooth. He closed his eyes against the sensation.
“I forgot for a second. I know Zack knocked around my insides, I didn’t realize he’d rattled my brains.”
She sighed and the sound made his heartbeat pick up. “You lost a lot of blood.”
He opened his eyes. “Forget about me, I’m hard to kill. How are you feeling?”
“I’m fine.” She leaned over and turned on the light. For a second, he couldn’t see at all, blinded by the sudden onslaught to his vision. Seconds later, it cleared and he was treated to his mate’s lovely form.
“Are you telling me the truth or has the withdrawal been really hard?”
She shrugged and when she spoke concern laced her voice. “I have a little headache, I’m a little itchy, and kind of tired but other than that, I’m fine. I’m not the one who almost died.”
He waved his hand to dismiss the accusation. Truth was, he was kind of uncomfortable that she fretted about him. “Don’t exaggerate.”
“I’m not. When Todd brought you in, I thought you were dead.”
“Nah…I told you, I’m hard to kill.” If growing up with his father taught him anything, it taught him that.
“Michael, please don’t make light of this.”
“What do you want me to say? It’s not as if I set out to get jumped by Zack and his cronies.”
“No.” She shook her head, her eyes suddenly filling with tears. “You went out to get me wine. No one ever buys me anything.”
“I did. I wanted to.”
Wrapping her arms around his neck, she held on to him. He could hear her heartbeat and the blood rushing through her veins. Being this close to her was bliss. “Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me, I never got the wine.”
She pulled her head back to look at him. “Thank you for trying.”
“You’re welcome.” He held her chin between his thumb and forefinger. “Someday I will surprise you with it.”
She blushed even as she changed the subject. “You must be starving.”
“I think I passed starving a little while ago. Now I’m at the point where I can’t feel it anymore.”
“Wait here.”
Letting go of him, she jumped off the bed and ran out of the room. He leaned back and tried to make sense of all the small things that had just happened. She’d been worried about him, which made him feel weird and then she’d hugged him, which had made his night. Even better was the fact that she hadn’t looked away once when they’d spoken.
Their relationship moved forward, which was a really good thing.
Scarlett entered the room, closing the door quietly behind her while she simultaneously balanced a tray in her hands. It was an impressive feat and showed she’d been working in restaurants for some time.
He raised an eyebrow as it dawned on him how silent her movements were. “What time is it?”
“The middle of the night, almost two I think.”
Placing the tray down in front of him on the bed, she lifted a napkin off the top of it. “I kept it warm so it might be a little dry. I had to make do with Cole’s stuff here.”
On the plate was what looked like a meal for a king: steak with a side of some Spanish looking rice and mixed vegetables. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d eaten this well. These days he was always eating on the go, picking up takeout, or grabbing whatever he could on his way out the door.
Using the fork and knife she’d left on the tray, he cut off a piece of the steak and placed in it his mouth. There was nothing dry about it. It was cooked to perfection and the juices of the meat filled his mouth and stimulated his taste buds. “Gods, this is good.”
Faster than he would normally consume a meal, he stuffed himself full. Every compliment he gave it made his mate blush or grin. It was a great feeling, considering that he wasn’t exaggerating. It really was that good.
When he was done, he leaned back on the headboard. “Who taught you to cook?”
“This is New Orleans. Everyone can.”
He laughed. “Seriously, who taught you?”
“There was a shifter, she died a few years ago, she could really cook and she used to let me watch. I guess I just picked things up.”
“It’s a gift then because I could watch someone cook every day for the next two years and still burn water.”
With a grin on her face, she swatted at his arm. “That’s not true.”
“Trust me, it is.”
He smiled at her, feeling real contentment for the first time in a long time. It was nice to sit and look at her for a while. It was splendid to…
Without another word, Scarlett leapt on him pressing her soft lips against his and the dishes of food and tray went flying. Startled, it took him a second to respond but then he kissed her hard. She made a small sound in her throat before kissing him back.
The world became Scarlett. There was nothing but her mouth against his, nothing but the sounds she made, nothing but the smell of her scent in his nose. Running his hands through her long hair, he could feel each strand as it touched the pads of his fingertips.
Scarlett placed her hand on his chest and caressed the hair at the top of his chest. He shuddered under her caress, a sensation he still hadn’t gotten used to. It was amazing. This woman, this tiny little woman, had power over him like no other being in the universe.
And he loved it.
“Michael.” She pulled her head back to speak to him. Her eyes burned with fire and he wondered if she knew it. “I want to do this. Please, can we do this?”
“Are you sure?”
“I don’t know that I’m ever going to like it only I’d like to try with you. Maybe I’ll finally understand what all the fuss is about.” She looked down. “Gods know just looking at you does strange things to my insides.”
He knew that feeling too well. He’d been hard as a rock since he’d
met her. Stroking the side of her face with his hand, he smiled.
“No time like the present to discover each other.”
She grinned and he kissed her again.
Chapter 8
SCARLETT wanted him. She was sure about it. For the first time in her life, she was going to give into what her body wanted and not be terrified of the consequences.
She wasn’t sure what made her feel so brave.
Maybe it was thinking Michael was dead when Todd carried him in. Maybe it had reminded her how short life could be. Maybe it had been the way he had eaten her food like he’d loved every bite. Maybe it was the way his woodsy sent made shivers go up and down her back. Maybe it was just Michael being Michael.
As her mate moved his hands beneath her shirt she decided not to question it.
She didn’t need to undress him because he was already naked under the covers, which meant all she needed to do was get the covers off him. She tugged them down, exposing his chest and the upper part of his abdomen to her perusal.
Michael’s skin seemed to dance beneath her fingers. Wherever she touched it, she could feel goose bumps pop out. She loved running her hands over his chest and from the way he made growling noises in his throat, she was certain he enjoyed it too.
He kissed like he lived his life, with intensity. Most of the men she’d had the unfortunate luck to be intimate with, were all tongue and no concentration. It was always a dirty, nasty business. A combination of bad breath and lack of interest.
But Michael was sweet. He smelled delicious and when his tongue played in and out of her mouth in a joyful tangle with hers, she was happy to let it go on forever.
He hadn’t shaved since she’d met him and the slight growth of dark whiskers on the deep planes of his face dug sensuously into her skin. There was something so masculine about it.
Pulling back, she squeezed both his cheeks in her hands. He raised an eyebrow and she smiled.
“Can you keep your whiskers like this?”
He smiled, a broad tooth-filled grin. “I’m sorry. If I don’t shave, I’ll have a beard and if I do shave, it doesn’t stay like this. But I can try to shave say once every three days, which will give you this level of growth twice a week.”
“Thank you.”
It was, she had discovered, just easier to thank Michael for all the wonderful things he did. He was going to do those things and there was no arguing with him. If she suggested he shave at his discretion, he would still do it once every three days. Just to please her.
His swift hands unbuttoned her shirt and pulled it off her, discarding it somewhere on the floor. It was one of three shirts she owned and usually she was meticulous about keeping it clean. Right now, she didn’t care.
Scarlett knew her breasts were small. She had eyes, and even if she’d been clueless, she’d heard it enough. Waiting for the laughter she’d received in the past, she was stunned when Michael’s eyes got big instead.
“Beautiful.”
She shook her head. “Tiny.”
“Scarlett, if you were any bigger, you’d topple over. You’re what? Ninety pounds?”
She weighed more than that but his point was made. She was small framed.
She unhooked her bra—not that she ever really needed one, it was more a modesty thing than a support device—and let what little of her there was fall free.
Michael leaned back against the headboard and pulled her until she lay against him. With his hands, he grasped her breasts gently.
“See, sweetheart, they fit in the palms of my hands. They’re made for me.”
Her cheeks heated up. “If you say so.”
“I do.”
Well, all right then. She couldn’t think any further as he rolled first one and then the other nipple through his fingertips. Pain that immediately turned to pleasure travelled her spine. She closed her eyes, enjoying the sensation of feeling something on her own terms. Even this far along she knew if she told Michael to stop, he would.
Which was exactly why she didn’t want to tell him to do anything but to keep going.
Michael replaced his fingers with his mouth and Scarlett’s eyes shot open. She saw the top of his head as he suckled at her breast. Running her fingers through his brown hair, she stroked the back of his neck, stopping where his hair met his neckline and then back up again.
Finally, she had to speak. “Michael, that feels so good.”
His only response was to switch his mouth’s attention to her other breast.
Using her vantage point to her advantage, she leaned down to kiss and lick at his ear. He shivered and groaned, pulling his mouth from her breast, he met her tongue-to-tongue again in a kiss that spoke of possession.
That was fine for her, she wanted to be possessed by Michael Kane more than she wanted to breathe.
Michael placed kisses on her chin, on her neck, on her shoulders. She sighed. It was heaven. Her core had long since gotten hot and wet and as she squirmed on his lap, she could feel his hard erection pushing through the blanket that still covered him from the waist down.
She squirmed and he groaned. “Do that again.”
“What?”
“Move like that.”
Laughing, she touched the tip of her finger to his nose. “I’m not sure what I did.”
“Never mind.”
Pushing her backward, gently onto the bed, she squealed when he came on top of her. He was no longer covered and she got a full view of his hugely erect cock. Moving her eyes, she forced herself to look at his grinning face. It was safer. Much as she wanted this—and gods knew she did at this point—she didn’t want to face the reality of that.
“Your eyes just got so serious.”
“Kiss me again.” She pulled his head until his mouth was on hers again. Lost in his sweet embrace was better, so much better than worrying about things.
Michael ran his hands down her chest to her stomach, stopping to play with her belly button.
She squirmed under his embrace. He was certainly a tactile lover, he liked to touch everything, kiss and caress every part of her. Scarlett had never found the first part of sex to take this long. She wasn’t complaining—just surprised.
He raised his head. “Scarlett, when this is over, even though you don’t have a wolf, you’ll be able to speak to me telepathically.”
Gods, she hoped she could. She hoped it wasn’t one of those things she should be able to do but it turned out she couldn’t actually manage. No, she pushed away the thought.
It was important for her sanity to stay in the moment.
Still, she needed to respond. “That’s great.”
“I’m losing you somewhere.” Michael stopped what he was going to look down at her. His eyes showed passion mixed with concern. “Are you okay?”
“I guess I’m a little bit nervous.” And now she was more than sure she’d ruined the moment.
Michael scooted up until their faces were aligned. He held his body off hers with his elbows. Gently, with his thumb, he caressed her forehead.
“Am I going too fast?”
She cursed and he raised an eyebrow. Finally she spoke. “Maybe I’m just too messed up for words.”
“Oh, I don’t know about that.” Rolling onto his side, he pulled her up against him. Slowly, he played with the curls right above her pussy.
Tense, she waited for the intrusion she knew was going to come. She waited. And waited.
Finally, she turned her head to the side. “What are you doing?”
“Getting you used to the feel of my touch.”
Gods, she could cry Michael was so good. “Don’t you just want to strangle me? Aren’t I making you crazy?”
“No.” He kissed the top of her nose. “I’ve been alive two hundred and ten years. Do you think a few minutes concern me? Besides, if you can’t tell, I really like touching you.”
“So I didn’t ruin the mood?”
“Nope. Just out of curiosity, what part made you get nervo
us?”
She sighed. “Looking at your…you know…big cock.”
“Ah, now, sweetheart, he’s not going to hurt you.” Michael grinned at her and rolled onto his back. His penis stood upright, protruding from his body.
Scarlett swallowed. “Yes, I saw it before.”
“Did you? I think he’d like you to come and play with him.”
Play with him? “Um…what kind of things would he like me to do to him?”
“Anything you want.”
What Scarlett wanted to do was go under the covers and hide away from the pain she knew Michael’s member was going to eventually cause her. Still, she really wanted this to work. That was going to mean, at the very least, not being terrified of looking at Michael’s hard length.
Not sure of how much pressure to use, she ran her fingertips gently over the head of the penis. It jumped in response. She looked up at Michael. For all the time she’d been in bed with other men, she’d spent no time examining their private parts. Not only had they not required it, she’d had zero interest in making the attempt.
Michael’s gaze bored into her. It was intent, focused, even as she watched his eyes glaze over in.
Gulping, she finally spoke. “Good?”
“More, please.”
Still using just her fingertips, she traced the length of his cock up and down, stopping the second time to feel his balls. He shuddered and closed his eyes, a small amount of liquid releasing from the top of his penis.
“Was that it?”
Had he just done his business without even being inside of her?
He opened one eye and then the other, amusement apparent in his brown depths. “Not even close. But that was a tribute to just how much I want you.”
“Should I keep playing with it?”
“If you want. He’s certainly happy to have you do it. You can even grip it harder if you want. Wrap your whole hand around it, but not too roughly, if you don’t mind. That would hurt.”
Hurt? As Scarlett did as he instructed, she dwelled on the last thing he had said. She could hurt him. In no way did she want to but she could. It had never occurred to her that such a thing was possible.