At brunch the following morning, Naomi, sore but happier-and more sated-than she'd ever imagined, ate her bacon while watching the people coming and going from the hotel restaurant. They hadn't left their room at all the previous day, much too occupied with other things. Really fun and sweaty things. However, if they were to draw the thugs after her, she needed to make an appearance and make a bulls-eye of herself. Not as much fun as making love to her new mates, but even she had to admit her men needed some recovery time so they could play later that afternoon in the scheduled lacrosse match. Ethan and Javier stood across the room talking to some team members, but they kept shooting her heated glances. She managed not to blush, but only barely as she remembered their promise before they'd come down. "After we win the game, we're going to order up a bottle of champagne," Javier started. "And pour it all over your naked, hot body," Ethan continued. "We're g
The boys seated her in the rapidly filling arena before leaving her to prep for the game. An excited buzz filled the air, and this time, with a vested interest in two of the players, she found it contagious. Almost every seat in the place was taken, yet almost her entire row remained empty. As odd as it seemed, Naomi wondered if her men had arranged that as a buffer zone for her. Or a lure to draw my stalker out? The two teams came out amidst wild cheering; Naomi joined in, along with some loud wolf whistles at the sight of number sixty-nine and forty-four. They must have heard her because Ethan's face split into a grin as he waved up at her, while Javier gave her a salute and a wink. Everyone stood as the Canadian national anthem came on and the crowd sang. Shifters or not, they took great pride in their country, and she grinned as they sang "?glorious and free," so true when it came to shifters in this beautiful land. Patriotism done, the teams assembled on t
Two months later? Naomi kicked the stove as the flame on the gas burner sputtered then died. Again. Stupid thing would need replacing. Not exactly a surprise given the home they'd bought just down the street from her parents still resided in the seventies. But they'd gotten it for a great deal, and slowly but surely her men were remodeling and modernizing it. The master bedroom and bath were the first to get retrofitted into a decadent haven with the largest bed she'd ever seen and a walk in shower that could accommodate a hell of a lot more than just washing. The kitchen was the next room waiting for a makeover, not that she cared. She tried to do as little food poisoning as possible. A timer beeped and Naomi, her tummy in knots, peered at the result. Oh shit. Well that would make dinner interesting. Following the sound of grunting as her mates took on her five brothers in a game of lacrosse out back, she left the kitchen to exit onto her back porch. She paused for
Legs pumping wildly, he tore through the woods behind his house, unfortunately too far from the shelter of his room. Despite his speed, he knew his pursuer owned fleeter feet-and unwavering determination. If he were to survive, he needed to hide, and quickly. Panting, he stopped and perused the area. Eyes frantically scanning, he searched for somewhere to hide. He said a short prayer begging the ground to open up and swallow him. No such luck. The rustling sound of his stalker approached, and panic gripped him. He couldn't allow himself to get caught, not after what happened last time. He thought about wiggling his skinny body under the partially collapsed tree, however the idea of becoming trapped halted him. Perhaps he could climb a tree? Cover himself in leaves? Or? Too late. A hundred pounds of persistence tackled him to the ground, knocking the breath from him. Before he could wiggle free, the bane of his existence grabbed his arms and pinned him. "Gotcha!" Brigh
Years later? Figured her car would decide to die without warning, probably because the warranty on it ran out the week before. "Stupid piece of crap." Francine slapped the steering wheel and got out of her car. She glared at the offending piece of junk, wondering just how she would now make it to her best friend's baby shower in time. Sure, she could have stripped and turned furry, running the rest of the way, but then how would she carry the damned present she bought for the occasion? Arriving empty handed seemed so gauche no matter the reason. And, given the awkward size of the gift, she couldn't exactly carry it in her canine mouth. Sighing, she yanked out her cell phone, only to curse at the black screen. She'd forgotten to charge it-again. "Great, just freakn' great. Now what the hell am I supposed to do?" Hands on her hips, she peered up and down the road, still at least three miles from where she needed to go. Just her luck, she didn't spot hide nor hair
Mitchell kept peering out the bay window. He thought he'd managed to do so unobtrusively until the cuff that caught him upside of the head. Turning, he glared at his very pregnant baby sister who smirked at him. "Aww, aren't you so cute acting all eager-beaver like. Don't worry, big brother. Francine will be here soon." "What makes you think I'm watching for her?" It annoyed him that his sister knew whom he searched for, but for the wrong reason. Yes, he kept an eye out for Francine, but only because he needed a head-start to escape. "Oh, please. You do this every time you know she's coming over. Hell, the last time, you almost took Mom out in your hurry to dive out the back door. Talk about pathetic. Just give in already. The whole family knows you two are meant for each other. So stop acting like such a pussy. Why not act like the dog you are and claim her?" "That's rich coming from, Mrs. I-wanna-marry-a-human," he mocked in a high-pitched voice. That earned h
Francine couldn't stop herself from gaping at the wrestling men. She still couldn't quite grasp what happened. If I didn't know better, I'd say Mitchell was jealous. Crazy, of course. He'd made it perfectly clear he didn't think of her that way. What didn't surprise her was the way he'd yelled at her just like he would with his sister Naomi. A part of her wished she could dislike him. After all, look at the way he'd just treated her, and in front of the gorgeous looking stranger who rescued her. Heck, his reluctance to even be in the same room as her should have made kicking him to the curb a cinch. But, she couldn't stop her heart from beating faster, and her cleft from moistening as she watched the two big men trading blows. If only they would get naked as they fought. Talk about real entertainment. "Not even here two minutes and already causing trouble, I see," her friend announced, coming down the steps, her belly leading the way. Behind Naomi strode Javier, his step li
Alejandro hit the bathroom first to wash the dust and blood off his face before he grabbed a beer. He needed the bitter brew to help him assimilate what had just happened. Chugging it, though, didn't give him enough time to wonder why the little redhead he'd picked up on his way made his cat purr. Or why he wanted to beat the hell out of that upstart wolf-and still did. It especially didn't answer why he wanted to commit suicide by launching himself at Ethan, who carried the little firecracker inside. Thankfully, he stayed alive, managing to curb his impulse to attack the giant Kodiak when he set Francine down. However, it did nothing to curb the interest of his cat, who prowled in his mind, suggesting he get closer to her for a sniff. But despite her allure, he needed to stay away. After all, he was simply a guest here for a short time while the troubles back home calmed. Entertaining himself with her, while fun, probably wasn't worth the hassle because the lady in questio
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