The Mane Event

  Brendon nodded and she smiled. “Good.”

  He held his hand out. “Can I have that?”

  “This?” She held up the air horn. “Sure.” With no effort, she snapped the cheap plastic part off the can and tossed the can to him. “You didn’t think I’d give you the thing whole, did you?”

  “Doesn’t matter. I was only going to snap it in half anyway.” He tossed the can aside and stepped toward her. “Now you’re gonna say it.”

  “Say what?”

  “You know what.” He kept moving forward, and she started to stumble back. “You said it in front of your brothers, you can damn well say it to me.”

  “Oh. That.” She rushed out of the bedroom, down the hallway, and into his living room. “I was just saying that so my brothers wouldn’t hurt you.” She stood on one side of a large couch. “I’d feel real bad if they did that.”

  His eyes narrowed. “Ronnie Lee…”

  “Brendon Shaw…”

  He faked right and she darted left; he had her in his arms before she even got around the couch.

  “Put me down!”

  “Say it.”

  “No.”

  He flipped her over and held her by her feet. “Say it, Ronnie Lee.”

  Laughing, she squealed and slapped at his legs. “No! I won’t say it. Now put me down.”

  “Fine. Don’t say it.” He took hold of her ankle in one hand and slapped her ass with his free hand.

  “You bastard!”

  “Stop whining. You know you love it.” He slapped her again. Again she squealed.

  “Stop!”

  “Say it, Ronnie Lee. Say the words.”

  “Pull me up first.”

  “No. Say it.”

  “Fine, you bastard. I love you. Happy now?”

  Ronnie squealed again as Shaw flipped her back over. But before she could tell him what an asshole he was, he kissed her with so much passion, so much love, she felt her insides melt. He shoved her into one of the club chairs, yanked off her shorts, and buried his face between her spread thighs.

  She cried out from the pleasure of it. Not only the pleasure he gave, but from the joy her words brought him. She didn’t realize how much it would mean to him. Or how much it would mean to her to make him so happy.

  Digging her fingers into his hair, she whispered, “I love you, Shaw. I love you.”

  Big gold eyes stared up at her from her lap. “Say it again,” he demanded. “Say it again.”

  Typical lion…just a glutton.

  “I love you.”

  Suddenly his arms were around her and his mouth crushed hers. She let his passion flow from him right into her. Let him show her how much this all meant any way he wanted to.

  “I love you,” he panted against her lips. “I love you, Ronnie.” He pulled her off the chair and spread her out on the floor. “I’ll always love you.”

  She knew that. And for once the thought didn’t scare her at all.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Ronnie never knew a cat’s obsessive cleanliness could turn into such a pleasure.

  Arms tight around his shoulders, legs tight around his waist, Ronnie let Shaw hammer into her. Again and again. She lost count of how many times she’d come just during this morning session, but she had a feeling this would be a regular thing. Not that she minded. A girl had to stay clean, didn’t she?

  Fangs gripped the skin on her throat and another orgasm started to flash through her. “I can’t,” she begged over the running shower. “Not again.”

  “You can. You will. Christ, Ronnie, you feel so good.” She exploded at his words, at the sound of desperation in his voice. And this time she made sure to clench her pussy so hard, she dragged his cat ass right along with her.

  He roared against her throat and the pair of them slid to the shower floor, water pouring down on them.

  Ronnie finally opened her eyes and smiled at Shaw. He had that look again. The one that used to freak her out. The one where he stared at her with such love she didn’t know quite what to do.

  “I love you,” he said again. He said it a lot. She didn’t mind.

  She leaned forward and kissed him. “I love you, too.”

  “Can you walk?”

  She chuckled. “With a little help, sure.”

  “I have a surprise for you.”

  “What surprise?”

  With great effort, Shaw stood and lifted her with him. He held onto her as he shut off the shower and stepped out into his way-too-big bathroom.

  “Tell me.”

  “Sure you don’t want to wait?”

  “I’m sure. Tell me.”

  “No.” He placed her on the bathroom counter and kissed her nose. “But I’ll tell you some of it.”

  “Okay.”

  She watched him walk away to grab a towel, and she started wiggling, running out of patience. “Tell me,” she whined.

  “Okay. Okay.” He began drying her off with the towel. “Tonight we do the New Year’s Eve party thing. I have to go, being the host and all.”

  “Yeah. Yeah.” No biggie. She already had a dress for it. She had shoes too, but Shaw made it clear he wanted her in her boots. He really loved those boots.

  “Then tomorrow, on New Year’s Day—”

  “Hey, bruh.”

  Gritting his teeth and shielding Ronnie’s body with his own, Shaw glared at his baby brother over his shoulder. “What?”

  “I need to borrow a tux if I’m going tonight.”

  “Can’t you buy one?”

  “Do I look made of money to you? Hello? Cop’s salary.”

  “Hello? Heir to a fortune. Go downstairs and tell Timothy to hook you up. And stop just walking into our apartment.”

  “Why? It’s not like Ronnie has anything I haven’t seen before.” Mitch wiggled his eyebrows at her, making her giggle.

  “It’s like you want me to kill you,” Brendon seethed. She almost hated herself for enjoying his jealousy.

  Mitch leaned over a bit to see her better. “Hey, sweetie, where’s my jacket?”

  “Sissy Mae has it.”

  Mitch frowned. “Why?”

  “Because she said, ‘Ooh. Nice jacket. I’m taking it.’”

  Now he looked pissed. “And you just gave it to her?”

  “Alpha Female, remember? Besides, she’d snarled and snapped at me earlier. I wasn’t about to go through that again. You want your jacket back, you’re on your own, O King of the Jungle.”

  “Fine. Whatever.” Mitch disappeared from the doorway and Ronnie started to tell Shaw to finish about the surprise when Mitch came charging back—all three Reed brothers on his ass.

  “Come back here, you twenty-hour-sleeping bastard!”

  Brendon shook his head. “I need to change that lock.”

  “Won’t matter. Every wolf knows how to pick a lock, hoss.”

  “Great.”

  “Don’t give me that look. You wanted me. You got me. That includes my Pack. Now tell me about my surprise.” She wiggled again, and Shaw laughed.

  “I can almost see your tail wagging.”

  “Ha ha.”

  “Okay. You and I are going on a trip tomorrow afternoon. Taking Dad’s private jet, too.”

  “Cool. Wait.” She frowned. “Did you check it against the list?”

  Shaw sighed. “Don’t worry. You can legally go where I’m taking you.”

  “Don’t get that tone. I gave you that list so you wouldn’t get disappointed when you try to go to Singapore or Madrid or—”

  “Yes. I appreciate the helpful and long spreadsheet with all the many places you can’t go.”

  “Well that statement was riff with sarcasm.” She wiggled again. “Tell me where we’re going!”

  “Nope. It’s a surprise. But you’re totally going to thank me when we get there.”

  “You lying, conniving son of a bitch! Let me go, Brendon Shaw!” Ronnie tried to dodge past him again and he grabbed her around the waist, forcing her up
the porch steps while he continued to argue with his sister long distance.

  “Look, Rissa, I’ll be home in about a week,” he barked into the phone. “You should be able to manage the hotel until I get back. This isn’t brain surgery.”

  “I know that but it’s been a while, Bren. And all I’m saying is a little warning before you went traipsing off with your Huckleberry Hound would have helped considerably.”

  “Get over it. I’ve gotta go.” He disconnected and took firm hold of Ronnie so he could haul her over to the door.

  He’d hoped she’d be too tired to put up much of a fight. The hotel party lasted until five in the morning. A great night of drinking, food, and Ronnie. He couldn’t think of a better way to bring in the New Year. After the party, Brendon took her back to their apartment and fucked her senseless for several hours, gave her only three hours to sleep, then carted her off to the airport. He got her on the plane and wouldn’t let her get any sleep by bringing up her college plans, which she still hadn’t made up her mind about, but the discussion caused a nice bit of panic that kept her wide awake.

  But as soon as they got off his father’s private plane and she realized where they were, he’d been having a hell of a time keeping track of her. She tried to ditch him at the rental car place and then at a gas stop on the way. And he’d already had to chase her into the surrounding woods once. He had no desire to do it again…unless, of course, they were naked.

  Before she could squirm away, he knocked on the door and the fight in his female became decidedly worse.

  But as soon as the knob turned, she stopped fighting and turned to face the horror on the other side.

  If he didn’t have Ronnie already in his arms, he’d have assumed she’d just opened the door…and aged a few years. Wow, he thought in surprise, she’s gonna be hot when we hit fifty.

  “Rhonda Lee.” Powerful arms crossed over a Randy Travis T-shirt. “What brings you here—after all this time?”

  “After all this time? I was here four weeks ago.”

  “But Christmas passes and no word from you. Think that’s fair to your daddy?” With a resigned sigh, Tala Lee Evans motioned to them with a wave of her hand. “Well, y’all might as well come on in since you’re here. Your brothers got here a couple of hours ago.”

  “Why are they here?” Ronnie demanded without going inside.

  “You’ll have to ask them. I’m assuming they wanted to spend New Year’s Day with their parents. Unlike some other ungrateful children I could mention.”

  “That’s it.” Ronnie threw her hands up. “I’m leavin’.”

  Brendon caught up with her on the porch steps and had to pry her fingers off the banister.

  He carried her into the house, and her mother motioned to the living room, apparently unfazed by her grown daughter having to be physically forced back into her childhood home.

  “Go on in,” Tala sighed. He’d never heard a female sound so put upon before. Almost every sentence started after a deep, heartfelt sigh. Yet he didn’t get any real anger or annoyance from her. Just drama.

  Tala watched Brendon carry Ronnie into the living room and place her down. Still, he had to take firm hold of her jacket before she could take off.

  “So…a cat,” Tala said.

  With a nod, “Yes, ma’am.” One hand still held Ronnie’s jacket while he stepped forward and extended his hand. “Brendon Shaw.”

  Tala stared at his hand and, with that dramatic sigh, “Want some coffee and sweet rolls, Brendon Shaw?”

  “That would be great, ma’am.” He briefly wondered if she’d always call him by his full name.

  “Well then, you may as well sit down for a spell.” She glanced at Ronnie. “Your brothers are in the barn. They’ll be back soon.” She raised an eyebrow at her daughter and walked out without another word.

  “What was that about?”

  Ronnie slapped Brendon’s hand off her jacket. “My momma thinks I’m going to have sex with you in her pristine living room.”

  He wouldn’t exactly call Tala Evans’s living room pristine. More like tidy and comfortable. But just this morning he’d begun to notice that Ronnie’s clothes seemed to find permanent spots on the bedroom floor. He had a feeling his female was a messy gal, so she probably did think her mother’s house was pristine.

  “Aren’t we going to have sex in her pristine living room?”

  “Yes,” she snapped in exasperation. “But she shouldn’t assume we will. My own momma thinks I’m a whore.”

  “Only with me.”

  When she glared at him, he wandered away to look at the pictures of Ronnie and her brothers from birth until now. They filled the small room, proving just what Brendon had been thinking. They may argue from sunup until sundown, but clearly Tala loved her children. Even Ronnie. He guessed especially Ronnie.

  “I can’t believe you tricked me into coming here,” she grouched, her arms crossed over her chest.

  “I didn’t trick you,” he drawled, and smiled down at a picture of Ronnie as a howling pup. “Tricking you is putting you in the car, driving you five miles from home, and releasing you in a field. Which would be very wrong.” He barely ducked her fist and laughed as he pulled her into his arms.

  “I wanted to meet your family, Ronnie, and waiting until one of them died—which was your suggestion—is unacceptable.”

  She growled and pouted but rested her head against his chest and her arms around his waist. “You owe me for this, Shaw.”

  “I owe you for a lot, sexy.” He kissed the top of her head and then her cheek. She went up on her toes and touched her lips to his. That was all it took. Her fingers tangled in his hair, moans easing up the back of her throat while Brendon pulled her tight against his body, holding onto her the way he planned to hold onto her for the rest of his life.

  She reached down with one hand and gripped his cock through his jeans, making him instantly hard and ready. Her nipples were hard under her sweater, and he was mere seconds from pushing her onto the couch and fucking the living—

  “Rhonda Lee Reed!” The snarled words slammed across the room, startling the two away from each other. “I know I don’t have to tell you that you will not be having sex with that boy in my living room.”

  Suddenly Brendon felt like a horny fifteen-year-old caught on his girlfriend’s couch. He even had to turn away for a bit to get his cock back under control.

  “And let me tell you something else”—Tala slammed down a tray with two cups of coffee and freshly made sweet rolls—“y’all are sleeping in separate rooms.”

  Ronnie gasped in outrage. “What? I’m not sixteen, Momma. You can’t—”

  “Oh yes I can, little girl. This is my house. Will be until they bury my bony ass in the backyard. Until then, I will not have your poor father hearing the two of you having…relations. Understand me, Ronnie Lee?”

  Giving a dramatic sigh of her own, Ronnie turned away and stared out the window. Nothing like a Reed female standoff.

  So Brendon answered for them both. “We understand, ma’am.”

  Those dark hazel eyes, so much like Ronnie’s, looked Brendon over. “At least the cat’s got some damn sense,” she muttered. “Now when your daddy gets back from his still, Ronnie Lee, y’all better have more control than what I just witnessed.”

  Tala walked back into the hallway but stopped and turned toward Brendon. Uh-oh. “Ham do you for dinner tonight, Brendon Shaw?”

  Startled she asked, and realizing he was being invited to dinner among wolves, Brendon quickly answered, “Yes, ma’am.”

  “Good. Gotta have pork on New Year’s Day. It’s good luck. I’m even making my famous redeye gravy and biscuits. You’ll like it.” The “or else” definitely implied.

  “Sounds wonderful, ma’am.”

  She grunted and headed back to her kitchen.

  Ronnie turned away from the window and punched his arm. “You suck up!”

  He pushed her back. “Shit starter.”

>   They glared at each other for a moment, then the two of them grabbed hold of available body parts, viciously tickling while tripping their way over to the couch. They barely controlled their laughter, made worse by the fact that they didn’t want Ronnie’s mother, who had wolf hearing no less, to catch on to their wrestling. Or, as Ronnie liked to call it, “tusslin’.”

  Suddenly the weeklong vacation in Tennessee seemed way too long with the idea of separate rooms, and at the same time Brendon couldn’t think of anyone he’d rather sneak around with, trying to cop a feel.

  The one thing he could say about his Ronnie Lee, she made nearly anything fun.

  The front door opened, and he and Ronnie scrambled to separate corners of the couch.

  A large, unfriendly hulk of a wolf stopped in front of the living room and stared at them.

  “Hey, Daddy!” Ronnie jumped up and ran to her father, throwing her arms around his neck. She kissed his cheek and the old man hugged her back. But those wolf eyes stayed locked on Brendon.

  “I missed you, Daddy.”

  “I missed you, too, little pup,” Clifton Reed said gruffly. “Who’s this?”

  Ronnie walked back to Brendon’s side as he stood up to face the man who had hurt a lot of males he felt weren’t worthy of his daughter.

  “Daddy, this is Brendon Shaw. My mate. Brendon, this is my daddy. Clifton Reed.”

  “Mr. Reed.” Brendon stepped forward and shook the old wolf’s hand. “Nice to meet you, sir.”

  The old man grunted. “Boy.” He looked back at Ronnie. “Your brothers are bringing in wood for a fire. Looks like it might snow. Where’s your momma?”

  Ronnie sighed good-naturedly. “Where she is every day at this time for the last thirty-five years y’all have been mated. She’s in the kitchen.”

  “That’s all that needed to be said, little pup.” With another grunt in Brendon’s direction, the wolf walked off.