Eleven

Two days passed and Lainie was afraid that Rance’s stunt scared off the Serpent gang members, making them actually leave town, since there had been no attack upon her for her access to the evidence locker. She sat in a rocker on her front porch, a cup of English breakfast tea warming her hands, dressed only in a flimsy tank and some silky pajama shorts as she stared out at the woods surrounding her cabin. While she had forgiven the detective for his little stunt in the woods when he attacked the one who threatened her, she still wanted to throttle him for the way he may have screwed things up. If he had left well enough alone, they could have returned to their clothes and called for backup, lying in wait for the men to admit to the murder again.

Lainie stopped rocking, following that trail of thought. Why can’t we still do that? They don’t need to know we were in our animal forms when we heard them talk about Roger’s murder. She shook her head. It wouldn’t work. If they had heard it then, they would have stepped out of the woods right away and arrested them. They would have also intervened when the wolf attacked the gang members, instead of allowing the attack to go further. No, Rance screwed up their chances of bringing them in when he lost control of his wolf. Now they could only wait until the Serpents made a move again, and who knew how long that would be? She blew out a frustrated breath as she settled back in her rocker.

“That breath didn’t sound good.”

She turned and watched as Rance walked around the side of her cabin, his jeans snug against his thighs and his… Lainie shook her head. She didn’t need to forgive him that quickly. “Why are you on the side of my cabin?” she asked. He was semi-dressed for work, a dark blue button-down shirt and jeans with sneakers. At least he shed his stiff jacket. Florida was definitely too hot for a sports coat in the middle of the day outdoors. Or indoors for that matter.

He gave a weak shrug. “Just trying to keep an eye out and make sure no one else hung out on the side of your place.” She watched as he walked around to the front of her cabin, his hand sliding along the wooden railing. “I take it nothing has happened so far? Scott says there’s been no sign of our boys back in Pensacola, so he’s pretty sure they’re still here.”

She shook her head. “Not even a sighting or a whisper of a stalker in the woods.” She gestured around her property. “I had Adira place wards around my place to give me a warning if some malcontent crossed my property line.” Then she gave him a smirk. “Obviously, it didn’t work.”

He shook his head, giving her a soft chuckle as a reward for her quip. Then he cocked his head to the side as he stared at her. “Adira?”

Lainie finished taking a sip of her tea before answering. “Adira is Bull Creek’s resident witch, mated to my brother.”

Rance nodded, glancing around the place as if he could see the wards Lainie mentioned. She just smiled at him as he did so, knowing he was clueless as to what she was even talking about. When he turned back to her, his golden eyes soft as he stared at her, she smiled back at him, the cup still held between both hands. He nodded to where she sat. “A morning ritual?”

She nodded. “It’s just about the only peaceful time I get to myself.”

His back straightened as he stood. “Oh, sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt your morning.” He started to back away, turning to leave.

She sighed. “Stop. I didn’t mean it that way.” She stood, turning toward her front door. “I’m not a big coffee drinker, but I keep some hidden somewhere for when my brother visits. I could scrounge around for it if you like.”

“Tea is fine. Thanks. No need to put yourself out.” She heard him moving behind her, his feet on the wooden steps to her porch, and it brought a smile to her lips. She knew what she struggled with, and also knew that sooner or later she would have to do something about it. She wouldn’t be able to walk away from him as she did in the woods two days ago. “So, is there a plan in case they don’t make a move?”

Once she was inside, she went to her kitchen, pulled a mug from a cabinet, and filled it with hot water from the kettle, the steam rising in curls toward the ceiling. “Probably need to go out and track them again. I’m sure you spooked them, and they moved hiding spots. They may just be settling in before making their move.”

“They’ll have to do it soon. The trial is next week. They won’t risk that evidence being brought forth in Snake’s prosecution.” He slipped onto a stool she had by the island that separated her kitchen from the living room area of her cabin, his arms resting on the island, hands clasped. “They’re going to have to attack you soon.”

She turned, a soft giggle slipping past her lips. “You don’t have to sound so eager for it to happen.” She shook her head, reaching for the bag of breakfast tea and dipping it in the cup of hot water. “Can’t wait to get out of here, huh?” She didn’t really want to hear his answer, but she knew the minute he had possession of that video, he’d be gone, heading back to Pensacola and out of her life. As much as she had dreaded the fact of him sticking his nose into her case, she was quite ready for him to stick other parts of himself in hotter places. Her panther made it almost impossible for Lainie to keep resisting the urge to make the move herself. Well, make it again, anyway.

She heard the scuff of the stool sliding across her wooden floor but refused to look behind her. She kept her gaze on the water in front of her as if she needed to count how many times she dunked the tea bag into the steaming cup. Even when she felt his hands on her arms, she refused to turn, not sure what he would say or how she would react.

However, Rance didn’t give in and forcibly turned her so that she faced him. “Lainie, I know you feel what I feel. I know this bond between us, this mating call our animals are shoving us toward, is strong.” He sighed, his shoulders slumping a little as he tilted his head to the side. “Why are you fighting this so hard?”

She glanced up into his eyes, his golden, sparkling, soft eyes. She didn’t want to do this. She didn’t think she’d ever have to do this. “Because, Rance, you’re going to go back to Pensacola. My life is here. What good is it going to do to give in to something we know won’t last?”

“How do you know it won’t last? Why would you think that? You know about matings just as well as I do.”

“Trust me, I know, but I also know reality. You don’t live here, and I’m not moving. My life is here.”

He slid a hand around her neck, sending goosebumps over her flesh, as he pulled her toward him and kissed her softly. His lips were warm, soft, as he pressed them against hers, taking her mouth, claiming her as much as he could at the moment, as much as she’d let him. She wanted more, needed more, but the truth was, she didn’t need to get attached to someone who would drive off in a day or two.

When he pulled back from her, his smile curling his lips, his eyes still sparkled. “For the past two days, you’re all I thought about and what the future holds. I don’t know what tomorrow will bring, to be honest, and yes, I’m going to have to return to Pensacola and see this case finished, but after that, who knows? What I do know is that I love it here, and I’m not ready to walk away from it. Besides you, there’s the outdoors to enjoy, something I didn’t realize I missed until the other day when we were running through them tracking the Serpents. I’ve lived on concrete so long I almost forgot what it felt like to run free, the wind through my wolf’s fur, the sun baking my coat. I don’t want to give that up yet.” He kissed her forehead before gazing back into her eyes again. “I don’t want to give you up.”

She dropped her head against his chest, struggling to keep the tears from falling. His words were not what she expected to hear. The way her heart swelled when he was with her was something she never thought she would feel. This was more than she ever thought possible. His hand stroked her dark hair, falling until she felt it caress her back, and suddenly she needed him. Now.

Grabbing his hand, she dragged him toward the back bedroom before she changed her mind. It’s just sex, that’s it. I just need to get this out of my system. Get him out of my system. She hoped that once she took him to bed, her panther would be sated, and she could move on with her life. Rance would return to Pensacola, and she could get back to being alone.

Once they were in her bedroom, she pulled him in front of the bed, turning him so that he had his back to it, and then shoved him backward. He landed on the bed, bouncing slightly on the mattress, arms splayed outward as he stared at her, eyebrows arched. Yanking her top over her head, she tossed it on the floor and then made short work of her pajama shorts.

He leaned up on his elbows, his gaze raking over her body. “It’s not that I’m not eager for this to happen, especially after the sudden brakes the other day, but are you sure you want to do this now?”

Placing a knee on the bed, each hand on either side of him, she began to crawl up his body, biting her bottom lip, her gaze fixed on his. She gave a slow nod once she reached his chest. “Positive. Right now. Right here.” She sat up, straddling his waist. She gripped his shirt with both hands and ripped outward, buttons flying in all directions. She could already feel his cock swelling beneath her. With her hands on his chest holding her up, she rubbed herself back and forth on his cock, the jean material scratching against her clit. With eyes closed, she continued, getting lost in the sensations between her legs, his cock growing harder with each of her movements.

Finally, she had all the stimulation she could handle and needed satisfaction. Sliding back on his legs, she yanked his button open, the zipper ripping downward. She scooted off his legs, grabbing his pants by the waist and jerking them down his legs, dragging his boxers with them, his cock popping to attention as soon as it was free. She didn’t need him naked, just accessible. This wasn’t about him; it was all about her and her needs right now.

She crawled back up his body, stopping at his cock once she reached it again, wrapping his hardness with her hand as she lowered her mouth down to it, tasting him. His body stiffened under her as his moan reached her ears. Swallowing him, she bobbed her head up and down, his pre-cum coating her tongue as she swirled it around the head of his cock. Too long she had gone without being fucked, and she needed him to be as hard as he could be once she slid herself down onto him. Hungry was the only way to describe how her body felt right then.

“Lainie…”

She lifted her mouth from his cock, continuing her path upward until her pussy hovered right over his shaft. With one hand holding her up, she used her other to guide him to her entrance, never hesitating once she felt the tip of his manhood slide between her wet lips. She dropped down onto him, stuffing herself with his hardness. Her eyes widened as she cried out at the suddenness, her body tightened around him, sucking him deeper into her. She could feel his hands on her waist, holding her straight as she rocked back and forth on him, relishing the feel of being full.

“Oh god, Lainie,” she heard him say, and the feeling was very much mutual.

She closed her eyes her hands pressing down on his chest as she continued to move back and forth on him, the tip almost slipping from her entrance before she rocked back, shoving him deep inside of her again. Oh god…so long…it’s been so long… She lost herself in the sensations of her movements, her clit sliding back and forth against him, his cock filling her and then almost vanishing, the air-conditioning on her flesh. Everything sent tendrils throughout her body, and she just wanted to bask in it all.

Then her eyes popped open again as she felt the tightening of her body, her nipples shriveled into tight pearls, her body starting to shake as her orgasm washed through her. He dug into her with his fingers, holding her as she seemed to lose control of her body, her whole being shuddering with the climax that rocked her senses. She cried out, screaming her ecstasy in one long, pleasurable release. She didn’t even feel when his cock twitched, his own body tightening under her as he reached his orgasm, filling her with his passion as he pinned her down on top of him. She just stared at him, mouth open, her cry now spent as the wave of her orgasm hit her shore and spread outward, the head-rush filling every inch of her insides until she just collapsed on top of him, her body numb with satisfaction.

She didn’t know when he rolled her over, his arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her snug against him. She could feel his breath against her neck, her ear, just before she drifted off to sleep, lost in the sublime pleasure of finally having what she felt she had denied herself for too long. She’d worry about him leaving when she woke. Right now, she just wanted to bask in his arms, his presence, and the act of love that bound them at the moment. There would be enough time for regrets later.