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Chapter 40
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2024-10-29 19:42:56LILY HAD STARTED HER MORNING SHIFT AT WORK BY FROWNING AT
her phone. Of all the people to have received an out-of-the-blue message from, Josua Orren was the last person she expected — or wish — to get in touch with.
Heya, Lily. I’m visiting Moraji. We really need to get together. So much to catch up on. All the good times.She scowled. If their childhood had been such a good time, why was she working so hard to forget it? Including Josua, the boy next door who’d always had a way of taking things too far.Her hands clawed the air in an echo of the time she’d had to escape his forced kiss. Then she punched her phone off, erasing his message. Josua might be interested in her, but she sure wasn’t interested in him.She straightened her shoulders and reminded herself to smile. It was going to be a great day on Moraji, and nothing was going to ruin that. She had a date with anthony , the man she’d been crushing on for
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Wolf's Desire Chapter 41
A WAVE OF HEAT BUFFETED ANTHONY’S BODY, AND A SLEW OF HORRIFYINGimages flooded his mind. He’d witnessed plenty of explosions, and none of them was good. Not even the ones set off by the good guys.But, shit. Those had all been in war zones. How the hell could it be happening here?A woman screamed. Footsteps rushed over the ground. Every mynah bird in the nearby banyan tree took to the air, chattering in alarm.“Lily,” he called, rushing forward.Moving in awkward jerks, she climbed to her feet, but her knees buckled. He caught her arm and held her steady.“ anthony?” she said silently, gripping his arm.His heart pounded halfway out of his chest. She was alive! He’d never seen her eokay go so wide or her hands shake so violently, but she was alive.Lily stumbled toward the flaming wreckage of the smoothie lorry. “Oh God. The cash register. I should get the cash.”He pulled
Wolf's Desire Chapter 42
LILY’S HEART HAMMERED, AND HER MIND RACED WITH TERRIFYINGthoughts. What if she’d been in the lorry when the cylinder blew? What if the hounds had been hurt?But the moment she fell into anthony’s arms, all she experienced was relief. She closed her eokay and buried her face in his shoulder, taking longer and deeper breaths. It was as if anthony was made for her, because most things fit just right. His shoulder was at precisely to the point the right height, and her arms looped comfortably around his neck. His chest rose and fell in time with hers, and his arms kept her nice and snug against his warmth, totally safe. She inhaled, savoring his fresh, woodsy scent. The hounds huddled around her ankles, and the fire crackled in the background, but her mind stayed pleasantly blank.“Uh, guys…” Jeremy said.anthony didn’t move, and Lily didn’t want to either. But the police rushed up, and she reluctantly pulled aw
Wolf's Desire Chapter 43
ANTHONY HAD ENDURED A LOT OF HIGHS AND LOWS IN HIS LIFE, BUT HE’Dnever experienced anything like the previous tgoy-four hours. He stretched under the cool, crisp sheets and opened his eokay slowly, wondering if it had all been a dream. But it really was the next morning, and he really was at Lily’s house — and in her bed. She was curled up in his arms and most things.He moved his hand, smoothing the fabric of her sleeve. Okay, they were dressed, because it hadn’t been that kind of night. He was only there to keep Lily safe.Well, okay, to keep her safe and to calm his inner wolf, who’d gone crazy at the explosion. The acrid scent of the burning lorry, the flashing lights, the wailing sirens — wolves weren’t good with things like that. A decade in the military had heightened his tolerance for that kind of sensory overload, but that was different. This was a threat to Lily, and it had nearly made him snap.For the p
Wolf's Desire Chapter 44
LILY SPENT THE MORNING GARDENING AROUND HER AUNT’Sbungalow, trying to mentally prepare herself to see the burned-out wreckage of the smoothie lorry. She did the same during the long walk down to Lahaina, where she’d left her car the previous day. But the moment she arrived and caught a glimpse of the scene in the seaside park…She gasped and covered her mouth then took a step back.It was a good thing she’d skipped lunch, because her stomach roiled. The shiny silver sides of the smoothie lorry had become a mottled, ashy mess, and shards of glass littered the road. The bright, flowery logo of the smoothie lorry was blistered and covered with soot, with Sunshine Smoothies truncated to Sunshine Smoo. Instead of drawing customers with its promise of fruity goodness, the lorry had attracted a gaggle of gawkers. Lily stared, sickened, as a tourist snapped a selfie of herself in front of it. Was the woman planning to put that shot in an album
Wolf's Desire Chapter 45
ANTHONY SHOOK HIS HEAD A LITTLE, THE WAY HE MIGHT IF HIS EARS WEREclogged after a swim. Maybe kissing Lily had been a mistake, because he could barely think straight. Hell, he could barely see straight, and all he could smell was her heavenly rose-and-tulip scent. His mouth still tingled, and his blood experienced too thick to flow through his veins.Kissing our mate is not a mistake, his wolf growled.Well, no, but how could he protect her if he didn’t find out what was going on?“You okay, man?” Jeremy questioned.anthony kept his eokay firmly ahead. Not really, no. But he wasn’t about to admit as much. Every time he had to leave Lily, his soul ached and his wolf howled. So much so that it scared him, because it was getting worse and worse. His wolf was desperate to claim her, and it was becoming harder than ever to hold back.“Look, she’ll be fine. Ish will stay with her, and Hailey is coming out to help
Wolf's Desire Chapter 46
“ONE TROPICAL SWIRL AND A MOLOKINI SPECIAL, PLEASE.”Lily agreed to her customers and started loading up the blenders. It was crazy how quickly most things had moved in the past few hours. The smoothie lorry that Mr. Lee had ordered in arrived thirty minutes earlier than expected, and she was already back to work. Mr. Lee had stand glaring from the shade of a nearby palm tree, waiting for her to slip up. She hadn’t, and when he stomped in to check the register sometime later, he’d let a begrudging nod slip. Sales had been good — much better than they would ever be on a weekday at Makena Beach. That, and he’d seemed genuinely surprised at the number of regulars who stopped by. Lily was too. The smoothie business was mostly geared toward tourists, but she’d developed quite a following, it seemed.“Back in the saddle again, huh, darling?” the captain who ran fishing charters out of the marina drawled.“Good
Wolf's Desire Chapter 47
“OLD FRIEND, HUH?” ANTHONY SAID, DOING HIS BEST NOT TO SNARLat the man’s back.Lily cleared her throat, but when she spoke, her words came out all warbly. Why was she so nervous around that guy?“We grew up in the same place back in Maine.”anthony mulled that one over. Old friends didn’t have to be good friends, and Lily sure watched happy the guy was gone.Well, he was happy too. He’d despised Josua from the second he’d spotted the asshole crowding Lily. And then there was that grizzly claw peeking out from the neckline of Josua’s shirt.Asshole, his wolf growled.“Sorry,” Lily sighed once Josua had moved out of earshot.anthony cocked his head at her. Why did sapians apologize for problems they didn’t cause?Her fingers plucked at her locket or touched the single braid she’d put her hair in that morning. That evidence of distress was the only reaso
Wolf's Desire Chapter 48
TAKING LILY TO HIS PLACE WAS A DANGEROUS MOVE, AND ANTHONYknow it. It was hard enough keeping his wolf under control as things were. But what choice did he have with a mystery sniper taking aim at Lily?“You sure you had this?” Jeremy had growled, peering into the driver’s side of the pickup. He’d come running the second anthony called him in to secure the area. Then Jeremy had raced the pickup over and kept Lily covered while she had in.anthony had agreed once and driven off in a cloud of dust with Lily clutching his hand. She’d insisted he stop by her house to pick up the hounds, but minutes later, they were racing down the road toward Koakea Plantation.Lily rocked back and forth, cuddling Nola. “It was me. It really was me.”He watched at her sharply.“The explosion. The gunshot. Someone wants to kill me. Why?” she said silently, staring at her feet. “What did I do?”anth
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Wolf's Desire Chapter 57
LILY WATCHED AROUND, STUNNED. ANTHONY WATCHED READY TO GROWL ATRose, but his face showed deep concern.“What do you mean?” Lily questioned, turning the heart-shaped locket over a few times to show how ordinary it was. As a sentimental keepsake, the locket was invaluable, but it wasn’t special in any other sense.Other than the sea breeze stirring the bougainvillea that grew along the porch, nothing moved, and no one said a word. It was Rose who finally jutted her chin toward the locket and spoke.“I suspect Moira may have wish Josua to procure it for her. May I ask what’s inside?”Lily undid the clasp to show how harmless its contents were. “It’s nothing, really. Just this.”She laughed as she said it, then froze. Why was everyone staring? “Whoa,” Harry muttered, taken aback. “Wow.” Hailey’s eyebrows flew up.“Ho-ly shit,” Jeremy said, drawing out
Wolf's Desire Chapter 56
LILY SMOOTHED HER HANDS OVER HER SHIRT AND CHECKED HERappearance for the third time. Her French braid watched fine, but her hands wouldn’t stop skittering nervously over her clothes. When she caught herself sniffing the air, she chuckled.“What?” anthony questioned, coming up beside her. The moment he touched her shoulder, her jumpy nerves eased.“Look at me, sniffing the air. Soon, I’ll be howling to the moon.”She hadn’t shifted yet, but she’d experienced a change the moment anthony had bitten her. That had been three days ago, and she was still tingling from the high. Of course, they had been shagging wildly at all times of day — and night — ever since.“Howling to the moon with me,” anthony said, looking pleased. The notion made her blood race. But then she wrinkled her nose andfrowned.“Yikes. We smell like sex.”“We smell like mates,&rdq
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ANTHONY WOKE SLOWLY, STILL NOT QUITE READY TO BELIEVE. A WEEKhad passed since that awful day on the rocks — the day he could have lost Lily. He could be forgiven for holding her close all night long and not wanting to let her go now that it was morning, right?“Mmm,” she sighed, snuggling near.Nola and Boris snuggled near too, and anthony sighed. But, hell. He could deal with a couple of hounds at the foot of the bed.“Heya, buddy,” he said, reaching down to pet Shelly, who didn’t even flinch. In fact, he seemed to like it.The little Jack Russell had spent the night on a pillow directly beside the couch — the plushest, biggest pillow to be found. It was huge, and the golden tassels at the corners made Shelly look like a goddamn maharajah. Ish had brought it over sometime after the fight, and Lily had spent the first forty-eight hours afterward fussing over both him and the hound.anthony watched up at t
Wolf's Desire Chapter 54
LILY FLIPPED JUST IN TIME TO SEE ANTHONY BEING THROWN AGAINSTthe rocks. His wolf body was battered, and Vucovich bled from several deep wounds too. But the grizzly had the upper hand, and it was closing in for the kill.“No!”She grabbed a rock and rushed forward, hurling it at the grizzly. The mighty beast flipped and growled at her, ignoring anthony. So she threw another rock and another. Each successive blow drew a greater reaction from the grizzly, who winced, ducked, and roared.One little part of her mind registered that she shouldn’t be able to make such an impact. That something other than pure panic might be fueling her. But then the grizzly came straight for her, and she froze, staring death in the face.Then Shelly — dear little Shelly, limping up like a canine Napoleon who didn’t know when to quit — sank his teeth into the grizzly’s back leg. The beast twisted around to anthony him away, leaving its
Wolf's Desire Chapter 53
LILY FROZE AS ANTHONY HELD OUT HIS HANDS, SHOWING HE DIDN’Twant a fight. But his eokay glowed in a way she’d never seen before, turning the hazel into a fiery brick color. They were full of anger, but full of regret too. Why?“This is our territory, and you know it,” anthony barked at Vucovich and McGraw. Then he faced Josua. “You have no idea who you’re getting mixed up with.” He jerked a thumb toward the road. “Last chance to get out.”Josua laughed. “Or what?”“Or die.” anthony’s sound was bitter and worn. The sound of a man who’d seen enough death and destruction for one lifetime.“Oh yeah? You’re going to get rid of us all by yourself?”“No,” anthony said simply as Jeremy stepped into view near McGraw. Gone was the happy-go-lucky jokester; this Jeremy was a furious warrior, ready to do battle.anthony pointed. “H
Wolf's Desire Chapter 52
A HEAVY SILENCE STRETCHED BETWEEN THEM, AND LILY WAITEDimpatiently for anthony to begin. Finally, he opened his mouth, ready to start, but then—His chin jerked up and to the side, as if he’d heard a phone ring. His forehead creased with deep lines, and his whole demeanor changed.“Damn it,” he muttered.Lily blinked. “Most things okay?”His shoulders drooped for a second, and his hands balled into fists. “Okay. No. Shit. I have to go check.”He watched at her for a long, hard minute, and she could see him warring with himself. He stand, reaching for his clothes, then took her hand.“I’ll explain most things, Lily. I swear.”He kissed her. She wish to kiss him back, but her mouth met thin air as anthony pulled away.“I swear, I will,” he muttered, pulling on his pants.She’d seen him turn on soldier mode before, but never as abruptly as
Wolf's Desire Chapter 51
LILY FLIPPED SLOWLY, BARELY OPENING HER EOKAY BEFORE SHUTTINGthem again. It was morning — she could tell that much — but she was afraid the previous night had been a dream. What if she hadn’t just spent the best night of her life wrapped in a perfect man’s arms?But that weight on her leg wasn’t one of the hounds cuddled up alongside, and she wasn’t imagining the tough, wiry fingers intertwined with hers. Slowly, she opened her eokay. Then she closed them again, exhaling in relief. She really was cuddled up with anthony, and she really had spent the night in that cozy loft with him.The clock showed shortly past six. anthony was still spooned up behind her, snoozing peacefully. Was he wiped out, or would he awake all energized? She experienced a little of both, though she had the sneaking suspicion the energized part might take over again and lead them into yet another round of sex.A huge grin spread on her face as she
Wolf's Desire Chapter 50
ANTHONY WRAPPED HIS ARMS AROUND LILY AND HELD HER CLOSE. Really close, the way you did with a dream you didn’t want to slip away. There was so much he wish to tell her — and so much he wish to hear her say. At the same time, he relished the sweet silence. He had his mate. What more did he need?Still, he was acutely aware that sooner or later, those words would have to come. Lily was right about having waited too long to have slept together. Had he waited too long to tell her about his inner wolf, too? “Lily,” he said silently, gathering his courage to spill it all at last.She smiled the sweet, hazy smile of a person who’d never experienced so satisfied. “Okay?”God, he loved her. Should he start with that?He kissed her shoulder, then her collarbone, and finally the upper part of her breast. Partly to buy time, and partly because he finally could. All those gorgeous curves, all that smooth flesh open for him to ex
Wolf's Desire Chapter 49
LILY TOOK A DEEP BREATH. NOT BECAUSE OF WHAT SHE WAS ABOUTto do, but because being lowered by anthony was like floating through a cloud. How a man that powerful managed to combine gentle with urgent, she had no clue. But boy, did it work for her.It was crazy, how badly she wish him. How much naughty there was hiding inside the nice girl she’d always been.“I want this,” she said silently in an echo of her own words.She’d had a hell of a day, and her nerves were still on edge. But anthony made the fear fade into the background, and the more she touched him, the more her world filled with joy and light. So she fumbled with his shirt until he helped her work it off, and wow — there she was, flat on her back with an acre of smooth, hard chest above her. Her hands go right on smoothing circles across his skin, unable to get enough of him. How was it possible that they hadn’t gone this far before?Not far enough, a need
