During his turn to watch the camp, Joel didn't announce his presence when he saw Ruth stumble from her tent to relieve herself. He shadowed her movements, noting her tired mien. As a human, the journey hit her harder than the rest of the group, and she didn't recover as quickly. Damn Kendrick. It wasn't right they shun her when she so obviously needed them. Needs me. As his mate, didn't she merit all the care and attention he could provide? He shouldn't let her human status sway him from the path fate chose. He wasn't his father. Or so he damn well hoped. Why did he assume he'd fail? Or that Ruth would leave him like his mother had? If he treated her right, made her happy, she'd have no reason to leave him. Screw Kendrick and his attitude. Joel spent a miserable day and evening avoiding her, avoiding what he wanted. No more. Starting now, he'd do what he had to in order for Ruth to choose him. He'd do what his wolf and body demanded. He'd do what was right in spite of
Kendrick watched from the shadows, a silent witness to the kiss. A passenger in the crazy jealous train careening through his body. He envied Joel the first taste of those lips. Wished he could have been the one to come to Ruth's rescue, to have the right to claim such a glorious prize. A prize he didn't want. A woman he should walk away from. A woman whose only flaw lay in her humanity. Should he or shouldn't he? Give into the burning of his body, or keep torturing himself? Fight with his best friend over a woman? Because he didn't doubt from the way Joel hugged Ruth tight, devoured her with the hunger of a man denied too long, he'd chosen his path. But did the road to Ruth's heart have room for one or two? If she could handle a pair, did Kendrick have it in him to share? A week ago, he would have said hell no. Even just yesterday, he would have punched someone for suggesting it. But that was before he finally understood what it meant to meet his mate. To meet a woma
When she awoke the next morning, alone in her tent, Ruth wondered if she'd dreamed the crocodile attack and ensuing kiss. Wondered if a simple embrace of lips, a soft, sensuous slide with a hint of tongue, could really feel so darned good. As if a kiss could almost make her come in her panties. Impossible. There went her overactive imagination again. Apparently, she harbored delusions. No way would Joel kiss her when he'd shown her almost the same level of disdain as Kendrick. The man who let her deal with the snake that decided to give her boot a hug when they stopped for a drink could not have devoured her mouth with such passion. He did not kiss me. None of that happened. Convinced of it, she emerged from her shelter ready for another grueling day and a breakfast no Denny's would ever serve. Hold on a second. What was that smell? She inhaled the delicious aroma. Roasted chicken? She swiveled her head until she saw some meat spitted over a low burning fire, and not
Kendrick didn't laugh when Ruth fled his presence, cheeks flaming. He'd flustered her with his new attitude. Excited her too, it seemed. The subtle musk of her arousal, a perfume like no other, had him salivating for a taste. No freakn' way he'd deny it any longer. The woman was his. "What are you doing with my woman?" Joel asked, his tone low and angry. His and Joel's woman. Crap. The reminder irked. "Your woman? I didn't think you'd gotten that far last night," Kendrick replied, a little coolly, still insanely jealous his friend got to kiss her first. "Yeah, well, only because we were so rudely interrupted. I'm done trying to fight it. She's my mate, human or not. One taste and bam. It's like lightning hit, dude. Yummy lightning, all sugary, sweet, and soft." Joel taunted him with his knowledge. "With a steel core. She's got more spunk than you think." "She'll need it to deal with my dad." Joel's moue of distaste had Kendrick forgetting their rivalry for
What is going on? Judging by the staring contest happening on either side of her, a prettier girl would have assumed Kendrick and Joel fought over her. Ruth, though, didn't have that kind of confidence in her feminine wiles. More than likely, the two guys were horny, and with no prospects other than each other, wagered who could get in the fat girl's pants. She'd welcome them both to try. Seriously. What woman didn't secretly fantasize about a pair of hunky guys fighting over her? A less pleasant thought occurred. What if this sudden turn about was a ploy to get her to turn back? Soften her up with kisses and flattery. Convince her they had her best interest at heart so they could send her back to the village. She couldn't stop her journey now. She'd come so far. Learned so much, like how tough she actually was. She'd never have dreamed in a million years that she would have the fortitude and strength to undertake an adventure this grueling. But she was doing it, darn
Despite her sore muscles, Ruth found the next day's march easier, and it wasn't just because of Kendrick's revised stance on giving her a helping hand. Muscles she'd just recently declared cruel and useless were toned already from the enforced walking so different from the city treks they were used to. She barely flinched anymore when something with too many legs crossed her path. And she knew how to dismantle her tent. Look at me, turning into a true adventurer. Maybe when she got back to civilization she'd look into joining some of the more exotic expeditions her university offered. If she could handle this untamed jungle, she could handle anything. She only wished she had more time to study the various flora they passed. The botanist in her drooled at all the vivid greenery and blooms. She'd managed to snag small samples here and there, which she pressed between the pages of her waterproof journal. Her father gave it to her as a last minute parting gift, telling her to track h
Kendrick wanted to groan in frustration as Joel returned the cock-blocking favor of the other night, arriving in time to break up the most wonderful kiss. Poor Ruth. Not realizing the wolf would never harm a hair on their heads, she trembled in his arms as her wide eyes peered in the darkness, unable to make out Joel's furry shape. Worse, he couldn't reassure her because sane people knew wolves were wild. "Run. Go back to camp," he whispered. "I won't leave you alone," she bravely replied, her courage belied by her shaking frame. "I'll be fine. Don't you worry about me. Now go. I'll be right behind you." Giving her a little push in the direction of camp, he added a sharp slap on her ass to get her moving. Okay, that was more for his enjoyment, but it had the desired effect as she scooted. "What the hell was that?" Joel demanded, hands on his hips, unconcerned about his nudity as he confronted his friend. "Not much, given someone came back too soon. Y
After their declaration the night before, things went from insane to psychotic. It began right after she returned from her morning commune with nature ? a.k.a., things best done in bathrooms where bugs didn't bite tender cheeks. Despite their promise to not leave her unattended, Ruth didn't catch sight of them peeking while she peed, but it didn't reassure her. Finishing quickly, she returned to camp to find her tent packed, bag zipped without the unsightly bulges, and a cup of coffee handed to her by Joel, a plate of meat by Kendrick, while the rest of the gang looked on with smirks. If she didn't know better, she'd have sworn the pair engaged in a silent rivalry for her attention. She sat down on a log to eat and drink. Her new best friends took up a spot on either side, and although the log had room, stuck close enough they branded her hips and thighs with their own bodies. She ignored them to sip her coffee. "How'd you sleep?" Joel asked, chewing on a piece of dri
Nothing ever felt more right than the first time Derrick sank balls deep into Janine. Unless he counted the second time and then the third. Over and over, he claimed her that night, the next day, all that week as she took some time off work for them to explore their new relationship. And yes, they were in a relationship. She's my mate now. And soon, she'd be his wife. He'd already asked for and received permission from Orson and Janine's mother. A conversation that went along the lines of? "I'm going to marry your daughter." "I get to plan the wedding." "I'll have you cremated if you hurt her." Derrick could already tell they'd fit in well with his family. Snap.*Epilogue An exaggerated groan left Derrick as he heaved Janine out of the car. The sound totally deserved a laser-hot glare. "Are you implying something?" No denying she was a little more rotund these days. He pulled her close, not caring that her big belly got in the way. A smile tugged
With Derrick buried in the bosom of his family, Janine slipped away before the tears blurring her gaze were noticed. Derrick had survived the surgery and seemed about to beat the odds. He would recover, which meant it was time for her to go. Even if I love him. And she did love him. Loved him so much that she couldn't be with him. She knew Derrick thought himself in love with her, that she was his mate. Much as she wanted to believe that, she couldn't. He'd fallen for her only because, at the time, he depended on her. Acting as his therapist meant their close involvement brought them together and imbued him with a false sense of intimacy. I think the intimacy came from you letting him touch you. Acts that shouldn't have happened, and yet, she didn't regret. It made leaving so much harder, but she did it now while she could. Now while he had his family and the promise of a bright future ahead of him. Let him get on with his life. Find a woman to settle dow
The hot satisfaction at having brought down the enemy paled before the panicked realization that Derrick couldn't move. Not a single damned muscle. The cold reality sent his wolf into hiding, pulling back from the dead weight of his body and leaving only human flesh. Flesh that felt nothing but the tips of her fingers on his cheeks as she cradled his head. "Derrick. Oh God, why did you do that?" She hugged his head, and if the moment weren't so dire, he might have enjoyed being buried against her plush tits. But all he could think was, This is the last time. The last time he'd smell her or feel her touch because he'd fucked up majorly in skipping the surgery and now paid the price. Since he didn't expect he'd get another chance, he whispered, "I love you," which only caused her to rock and hug tighter. In a voice thick with tears, she retorted, "This better not be one of those goodbye speeches. You're going to be fine. We'll get you in for that surgery, and ever
Doctor's Pet. She read the title in gleaming silver letters on the back of Derrick's chair as he whipped by with a whoop, well ahead of his brothers in their own colorful chariots. When she'd come across some orderlies watching something out the window, she'd not expected to see the Grayson clan gathered out front, clapping and hollering at the participants in the wheelchair races. It wasn't even just Derrick and his brothers playing. They'd gotten several other patients to join in too. Given the speed at which they raced, a fear for their safety made her want to march out that door and tell them to stop, but an old adage came to mind-boys will be boys. And men would do stupid things that resulted in stitches for, as Stu said upon meeting her, "Shits and giggles." The main surgeon for the rehab center came to stand beside her. "Looks like fun," he noted. "Yes. Dangerous, though," she added. "These men have been to hell and back. Do you really want to
The feel of her on his fingers proved exhilarating, but it couldn't compare to her intoxicating taste. A man parched, Derrick lapped at her, savoring her womanly cream and humming with pure male satisfaction at how she clenched and pushed against him, her body craving more of his touch. He couldn't have stopped if he wanted to. Too long he'd craved her. Too long he'd denied the unmistakable truth. Janine is mine. And for this moment at least, he couldn't find the strength to push her away. I'm tired of fighting what I want. Time for a little selfishness. He lapped at her sweet button, feeling it swell at his flicks. He pumped his fingers in and out of the moistness of her sex, loving how she gripped him tight. Her excitement built, reaching a crescendo, and he felt just as coiled as her, poised on the edge. He pistoned his fingers in her as his lips pinched her swollen button. A low cry began to keen from her lips. She smashed a pillow over her face as her body arched
Something woke Janine from a light slumber. She lay in bed, one half of her face squashed against her pillow, listening. Not even the creak of joists shifting broke the heavy silence. Holding her breath a moment longer, she tested the ambiance of the room. Is anyone here? Am I alone? Her senses craned, seeking that sense of vitality that only another person could emit. She sought another presence, a reason for waking, and felt nothing. She exhaled with relief. No bogeyman tonight. For those who might mock her, she had no problem admitting a fear of the dark, especially the particular shade it achieved in the middle of the night. Dark deeds often happened under night's shadow. And sometimes a little girl wakes and opens her eyes to see bloodshot ones staring right at her. The shriek she uttered proved piercing. The scarier thing? Daddy screamed at an even higher pitch. But that had happened a long time ago. Only the one time, but it left an impression. She'
The tingling awareness of her presence faded as Janine moved from the doorway of the game room. He'd known she watched him. Felt her eyes on him the moment she appeared and missed her gaze when she left. It took him gripping the wheels of his chair not to chase after her. Having her out of his line of sight didn't sit well, and not just because of all the people roaming around. Earlier, when they'd first arrived, he'd also hated sending her off into the kitchen with her mother. Then again, it was probably a good thing Red didn't stay because the first thing Derrick tried to do was get her out of his life. "I want a new shrink." On his way to a bar, fetching a drink of something with a fiery kick, Orson paused. "Is there a problem with my daughter?" "No." "Then why the request?" The council member uncorked a decanter and poured some amber liquid into glasses. He handed one to Derrick before taking a seat on the couch. "Do you want her removed because she's
Despite the mishap in locating Derrick-I really thought I'd have to hunt him down and force him-the road trip passed rather peacefully. Despite the sexual tension between them, there was also a genuine like for one another, and when he wasn't barbing her or trying to push Janine away, they could have the most interesting conversations. It passed the long trip. While Derrick started out driving, the highway part of the route being the longest, she took over once they hit an exit. She made sure to give him a pit stop so he could use a washroom, and she said not a word about the fact that he took a few minutes longer than other people to do his business and glared at those who dared to complain outside the locked door. As she took the familiar twists and turns to her parents' house, she couldn't help a touch of anxiousness. How would her stepdad react? With her, Orson was the most lovable teddy bear a girl could ask for, but with anyone he thought threatened her? Poor Jeremy w
Red stalked into his room, swinging the door open in a familiarity that apparently didn't see a need to knock. "Derrick, we need to-Uh. Oh." Her outburst ended on a gasp. Probably because she got more of a glimpse than she expected Splayed on top of covers still drawn tight, one hundred percent naked, and bound-the height of emasculation-he glared. "Were you raised in a barn?" Something his mother used to accuse him of when he lacked manners. His Aunt Joni took great offense at that expression and claimed it was those raised as ci-diots that were the problem with morality nowadays. A shame they feuded for years on end. Aunt Joni's pie was worth the occasional brawl between sisters. Janine's head ducked. He could only imagine the pinkness of her expressive cheeks. "Sorry. I didn't think. I'll come back later when you're not so, um, er, tied up," she stammered. The things she could do to me right now? For a moment, he almost imagined a spark, enough that he said t