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STEAMY ROMANCE NOVELS
The Most Explosive Novel Since Fifty Shades of Grey
by BY LENA Jan 17, 2023
His By A Vow takes readers on a thrilling journey through the life of Rain, a waitress and aspiring artist, who finds her world turned upside down with the entry of Laurent, a dominant alpha werewolf. This mesmerizing tale of secrets, supernatural romance, and personal growth has captivated countless readers and has emerged as a popular choice among fans of paranormal romance.
Chapter One
Rain smiled as she bustled from the kitchen to the dining room holding several plates. It had been a good morning at The Black Cat Café and Coffee House. When she added the tips she’d earned to what she’d made over the last week she’d be able to buy those sable brushes she’d been drooling over.
She dropped off her plates at their designated tables, topped off coffee and water where it needed it and looked up to catch one of her regulars come in and take a seat. She waved as she approached his table.
“Morning, Shane. How are you today?”
“Hey, Rain. I’m good. And what’s up in your neighborhood today?”
“Not much, the usual breakfast crowd.” Looking down at him, she cocked her head. “Hmmm. Let’s see, two slices of whole grain, three egg scramble, latte with honey and soy bacon?” It wasn’t like she was performing a great feat of precognition or anything, he ate the same exact thing every time he came in.
He laughed. “Sounds good! Hey, I wanted to tell you that The Holt Gallery down in Pioneer Square is looking for up-and-comers for a series of shows they want to do to highlight new artists. You should take your portfolio down there.”
Her eyes widened and hope burst through her. “Seriously? Oh wow, thanks for the heads-up.”
“You’re really good. I’d hate to see you lose a chance like this. You’re exactly the kind of artist they’re looking for. This could be a great opportunity for you and for The Holt.”
She squeezed his shoulder. “Thanks, it means a lot. It really does.” Before she got teary she took a deep breath and focused on her job. “Let me go and get this started.” She held up the ticket. “Although I’m sure Alex saw you when you came in and is making your breakfast as we speak.” Winking, she tossed her braid back and headed toward the kitchen where, yes, Alex, the cook and owner, was already scrambling the eggs and the bread was toasting. She loved the small café, it was warm and friendly and her customers felt more like friends and family than clientele.
Rain Foster had landed in Seattle the year before having walked—run—away from a life of restrictions. A life where she was destined to be one thing and one thing only, a pretty accessory on a man’s arm.
Her father had already made the choice for her, the son of a “business associate” who was also destined to be in the family business. Of course while some had family businesses where they repaired watches, she’d known most of her life that her father was a major boss in a crime syndicate.
There was no way she would have been allowed to be an artist. Heck, her father only let her go to college because that’s what the daughters of all of his cronies did. Before they got married off to each others’ sons, that is. Then they’d sit at the club all day and drink, oh and occasionally play golf or tennis—wouldn’t pay to let yourself get out of shape. In between they’d have children to continue the cycle. The boys to take over for their fathers and the girls to marry and continue to have more children.
Thank god her mother cared about her wishes and dreams. Thank god her mother had helped her by squirreling away money over the course of the last few years Rain, who used to be Julia, lived there. That money got Rain as far away from her father and his life as possible and she had her own life for the first time. Her mother’s love bought her that freedom.
Though dangerous, her mother waited for Rain’s call at a pay phone near her regular beauty salon back home. Still, Rain hadn’t told her mother where she was for both their sakes. She did know from her mother that her father had been livid, still was as a matter of fact, but apparently felt that she’d come back when she got poor.
Her father was wrong because she wasn’t going back at all. Not ever. Poor was one thing—it did suck—but she still had some money from her mother squirreled away and knowing she had something to fall back on in an emergency helped.
She was determined to make her painting a success. For now she shared a large warehouse space in Queen Anne with two other people and she had lots of free time to paint and enough money from her waitressing job to buy canvas and paint and to pay the bills.
Shaking herself out of her reverie with a sigh, she grabbed Shane’s order and his latte to take to his table. The lively chimes over the door sounded right as she turned. Smiling, she looked to see who’d come in.
Instead of one of her usual customers, she found herself looking at two of the largest men she’d ever seen and my goodness weren’t they just the alpha male specimens? Her mouth dried up and her heart leapt into her throat.
Her eyes slowly made the circuit up one and down the other. They were a visual feast. One of them had shoulder-length hair the color of wheat, sleepy, sexy amber eyes and was, for want of a more eloquent term, a muscle-bound hunk.
The other though was the kind of man to make any woman melt into a puddle. Dark and mysterious. Brooding even. His nearly waist-length black hair was tied with a leather thong at the nape of his neck. And her fingers itched to touch it. Eyes so brown they looked obsidian took in the room warily. His skin was hard and smooth with an olive tone much like Rain’s own. His nose was just a bit crooked, as if it had been broken more than once, and a small scar bisected his left eyebrow. But those small imperfections only seemed to heighten his wild, dangerous beauty. He was tall, although not quite as tall as the blond, but he was muscular and his blue jeans hugged those long legs and tight butt like they were painted on. She wanted to lean against one
of the tables and fan herself as she had a nice, long, naughty and possibly illegal in a few states fantasy about him. Whoo boy.
Instead she took a deep breath and approached them before the other servers saw and jumped in. “Good morning. How are you two today? Would you like to sit in here or on the deck?” Her heart skipped a beat when they both gave her their complete attention. But when the dark one smiled slowly at her the hair on the back of her neck stood on end and goose bumps rose along her arms. Holy cow she wanted to lick him.
“The deck please,” the blond one said, his voice low and rumbling.
Trying not to gulp like a cartoon character, she grabbed two menus and led them outside to the deck. She motioned to a table in her section. “Why don’t you two take a look at the menu?” Electric heat sparked up her arm as the dark one brushed his fingers against her arm when he took the piece of paper from her. “Uh?” She blinked until she remembered what the hell she’d been doing. “Can I start you off with juice or coffee or espresso?”
“Two large orange juices, an Americano with room and a mocha please,” the dark one said, never taking his eyes from hers. She felt caught, like she was standing surrounded in warm honey and he was a very big spider. His voice was low and melodic.
“Great,” she squeaked out and cleared her throat. “Be right back with those.” Before she gave in to the absurd urge to lick him she tore herself away to go grab the drinks.
Laurent Cole stared at the retreating woman and a smile slowly erupted across his face. He watched her long legs, the sway of her ass, the glimpses of the band of flesh between her shirt and jeans. Her long hair reached her waist and was inky black. He wondered what it would feel like wrapped around his fist as he f***ed her mouth. His c*ck hardened to the point of pain at the thought of her mouth, hot and wet, surrounding him, licking and sucking. He moaned softly.
“Laurent?” Andreas asked, amusement clear in his voice.
Laurent turned slowly and faced Andreas, his Alpha and best friend. “It’s her, Andreas. She’s the one.”
“Her? The one?” Andreas repeated, confused for a moment until realization dawned across his face. “You don’t mean… She’s your Mate?”
“I can feel it. When I first saw her it was as if every cell in my body sang out. Her scent…she just smells perfect. It’s like every other female in the world suddenly doesn’t count, hell, doesn’t even exist. The world just narrowed down to her.”
Andreas smiled slowly. “Ah. That’s how I felt the first time I saw Kari. It’s about time you found her. But you know human women are different.” He sighed and Laurent knew he was thinking of his own petite and very pesky wife.
Laurent laughed then and he and Andreas watched as the waitress froze in place and looked their way. “You deserve this. You’ve served me and the Pack for sixteen years. Kari is going to be as thrilled as I am. Hellie may not be that eager to share but I’m sure you can talk her around.”
“I cringe to think about what it will be like—conquering this woman if she’s anything like Kari. I’d better take my vitamins,” Laurent said, never taking his eyes from the woman in question.
She smiled their way and brought the tray of juice and coffee drinks to them with effortless grace. “Here you go. Juices, fresh squeezed. An Americano with room—here’s cream for it, we also have soy milk, rice milk or nonfat milk if you’d prefer—and the mocha. Honey and sugar are right there.” She straightened and looked back to their faces. “Do you know what you want?”
“Yes,” Laurent said simply.
She waited but he didn’t say anything else and she laughed. “Okay, care to share it with me? Hi, your waitress?” Pausing, she caught something out of the corner of her eye and scowled. “I’m sorry, I need to deal with this. I’ll be right back,” she said, stalking off to where a man lounged, lighting a cigarette dramatically. Laurent and Andreas watched her.
“Leon, why do you do this? Put it out now,” she said, hands on her hips.
The short, balding man took a deep drag on the cigarette and then blew the smoke in her face. Her eyebrows shot up in outrage. Wanting to kill the obnoxious man for daring to insult his woman, Laurent stood up, but Andreas put a staying hand on his shoulder. In any case, before he could do anything his woman was a blur of action. She grabbed the asshole, who tried to shove her off. Using the force of his movement, she twisted his arm, pushing it high up behind his back and shoving him out the door. She even managed to pull on his ear as she got him outside.
“You are a very maladjusted individual. Did your mother raise you that way? I bet she didn’t. Get out, Leon, and don’t come back. You’re barred. If I see you in here again I’ll kick your scrawnya**from here to Portland.” With a satisfied hmpf she closed the door in his face.
The whole place erupted in applause and she took a comical bow. “Back to your food now, nothing to see here, folks.” Laughing, she went back out to the deck where Laurent still stood, his admiration and the need to protect her warring inside him.
“Sorry about that. He’s been a problem for a few weeks. So do you know what you want?”
“Are you all right?” Laurent asked, concerned and furious. She smiled. “Oh of course.”
“Yes, you did look like you could handle yourself quite ably.” Andreas tugged on Laurent, pulling him back to his chair. “Give me the western omelet with two slices of sourdough.”
She looked to Laurent who cleared his throat. Seeing her in action made him drunk with her. She was magnificent. “What do you recommend?”
“Well what do you like? Are you a vegetarian or vegan? Do you like eggs? Big meat eater?”
“Yes I like eggs and yes I eat meat.”
“The omelets are very good, Alex is a whiz. I had some of the smoked ham this morning before we opened and it was yummy. You can have the ham and eggs. Comes with two eggs done any style you like, toast and three pancakes. Or you can have the western omelet. The waffles are really good too. My personal favorite are the strawberry waffles with bacon—there’s just something heavenly about the way bacon tastes when it touches maple syrup or strawberries but I’m weird so don’t mind me.” Her eyes danced with amusement but there was a sadness there too, it touched him deeply.
“I’ll have the strawberry waffles with bacon then. Six slices though, I’m very hungry.”
She took the menus from them. “You got it.”
When she’d gone back inside Andreas began to laugh quietly. “What?” Laurent growled, feeling a bit more like himself. “You, my brother, are smitten.”
“Yes,” he said, smiling again. “I do believe I am.”
“It’s good to see. It’s time to have someone of your own, someone to love and cherish. You’ve spent four years protecting my Mate and my children. Sixteen years protecting me. I haven’t seen you interested in a woman like this. Not ever. It’s time to start your own family.”
Laurent simply nodded. He loved Andreas, Kari and their children very much. But Andreas was right, it was time to have it for himself.
“Rain, who are the hunks out on the deck? I’ll trade you tables,” another server, Alice, said as she watched them dreamily.
Rain snorted. “Don’t think so! The blond one is wearing a wedding ring and the dark one is, well, mine. At least while they’re here,” she added with a laugh.
She checked back on her other tables, refilling coffee and juice, and Shane left, leaving a large tip behind. “Don’t forget about The Holt. Call me if you need any help choosing pieces to put in your portfolio.”
“Oh really? I’d appreciate that a lot.”
Shane was just taking off in his career. He was a painter and also did large sculpture and multimedia works. He knew how hard it was to get a career off the ground and he’d been really supportive of Rain. They’d flirted a lot and up until tall, dark and sexy walked in she’d always been sad Shane had a girlfriend.
“It’s no problem. I mean it. You know my number. Call me if you need help.” He smiled.
She hugged him and kissed his cheek. “Thanks so much!”
He laughed and waved as he left and she headed to the kitchen to pick up the orders for her handsome men on the deck.
“Did you see that? He touched my woman!” Laurent growled. “She’s not your woman yet.”
“She is, she just doesn’t know it,” Laurent said smugly.
She brought out their food and placed it before them. “Enjoy. Can I get you anything else?”
“Yes, as a matter of fact. Would it be possible for me to have your phone number?” Laurent said, feeling awkward all of a sudden. He wasn’t used to this sort of thing. Women usually approached him. More than that, he couldn’t say he’d cared one way or another about any particular woman before. What this one felt and did was important to him.
“How do I know you aren’t an ax murderer or something?” she asked teasingly.
“I give you my word that I am not an ax murderer,” Laurent said smiling, making an “x” across his heart. “Anyway, I bet ax murderers don’t eat strawberry waffles.”
Rain laughed at that, hesitating as she thought. Laurent willed her to agree. “Well. I don’t usually do this but since you did try the strawberry waffles on my recommendation you do show some taste.” She wrote her phone number down on a sheet in her order pad and tore it off, handing it to him. “I’m Rain Foster.”
Laurent stood, towering over her, and took her hand, kissing her knuckles softly. Her scent sang through his senses, tightening his gut, making him dizzy with need for her. “Rain? That’s a very pretty name. I’m Laurent, Laurent Cole. I’m pleased to meet you.”
She raised an eyebrow at that and he sat back down. Andreas cleared this throat. Without looking at his friend, Laurent just waved a hand in his direction. “Oh and this is Andreas Phinney. He’s married.” Andreas threw back his head and laughed at that.
“Nice to meet you both. I’ve got to get back to work. Enjoy your breakfast. I’ll be by in a bit to see if you need anything else.” With a small wave she headed back inside, the long rope of her dark hair swinging from side to side down her back.
“Lackwit! Why did you laugh?” Laurent grumbled but his bad mood was softened when he tasted the waffles. She’d been right, they were indeed quite delicious and the bacon with the sweetness of the waffles and fruit was perfect, as she’d promised.
“You’ll have to woo her now. You can’t have a situation like mine. It was hell to have Kari so angry at me when Michael bit her. Don’t rush her. Human women need time. It’s not like they meet werewolves every day.”
Laurent snorted. “Yes well, I can certainly learn from all of your errors, can’t I?”
Andreas punched his arm with a teasing growl. “At least you won’t be fawning over Kari anymore.”
Laurent snorted but his eyes never left Rain. “Your little mate is such a pleasure to look at. I can’t say I plan to stop. But while I will continue to enjoy her putting you through your paces, I’ve got my own bundle of feminine trouble now.”
Andreas grunted as he ate his breakfast. “I can’t wait to see her knock you down a few pegs.”
She came back out a few times to clear away plates and to check if they needed anything. When they were done Laurent left a twenty for a tip. “What kind of change back do you need for that?” she said, digging into the apron she wore tied at her waist.
“None, it was a wonderful meal and your service was exceptional.” “Laurent, your bill wasn’t even twenty bucks.”
He shrugged. “But it was such a pleasure to have you serve it. I’ll be calling you, it was a pleasure to meet you, Rain Foster,” he said, kissing her hand once more.
* * * * *
When Rain’s shift ended at noon she rode her bike back home and eagerly began to examine the photographs of her paintings. She needed to decide which ones she wanted to put in her portfolio to show to The Holt people. She knew how important the choices were and it made her nervous and excited at the same time. If this worked out she’d have her big break.
“Hey, Rain, what’s happening?”
Rain looked over at her roommate and pseudo big brother Harrison as he entered the room.
“Shane came in today and told me The Holt is looking for submissions for shows. I’m as nervous as a cat because I’m trying to decide which paintings to show them,” she said, looking back through the pictures.
Harrison moved to stand behind her, looking over her shoulder at the pictures arrayed on the table in front of her. “Hmm. Well, you’d be a fool not to submit Meteor Shower and Whirlpool. I think those two are exactly what the folks who buy from The Holt like to see.” He tapped his chin thoughtfully as he looked at the photographs on the table and then walked over to the wall where the canvases leaned. He looked through them for a while before turning back to her. “Add in Picasso’s Dream and Crazy Diamond and for the last King’s Men will add a nice variety of style. I’d say those five are your strongest pieces by far. Add in some of your other stuff, don’t overfill the portfolio though. Not more than ten photographs, don’t overwhelm, let your work suck them in.”
Rain sighed with relief. “That’s what Shane said. I called him twenty minutes ago in a panic. He’s going to look over the portfolio before I submit it to The Holt.”
Rain’s work was awash with color and texture. It was abstract but at the same time it gave a feel, an impression of what she was trying to convey. She liked big natural events and historical figures. She’d just finished Crazy Diamond two days prior. It was
big, much bigger than her usual stuff, the colors were bold, reds and silvers and blues and blacks. She had a good feeling about it.
“Shane’s a good guy. He can be a lot of help to you in the Northwest especially,” Harrison said. “And if I’m not mistaken he’s got a bit of a crush on you.”
Harrison Watts was a photographer and a damned good one. He’d spent fifteen years freelancing for the AP wire doing work in war zones. His girlfriend of eight years had been shot and killed while on assignment in Bosnia and it had gutted him. It had taken him two years to pick up the camera again and now he chose to stick stateside. His work, though, was still compelling. He’d just finished a photo essay for the Seattle Times featuring the residents of a homeless encampment that ran along and underneath the 5 freeway. He owned the space she and their other roommate Andrew shared with him. Harrison didn’t need renters, he had money, he just liked sharing his space with other artists.
“Shane has a girlfriend. He’s a flirt, not a cad. Anyway, I met a guy today, Harrison.”
“Yeah? What’s he like and how could he possibly be good enough for you?” Harrison asked, kissing the top of her head and yanking on her braid.
“He’s dark and mysterious and has a voice like honey. Big, at least six four, and muscled. Not my usual type at all. He’s got hair nearly as long as mine. He chatted me up at The Cat this morning. Asked for my number.” She shrugged, fighting a blush and feigning nonchalance. Laurent was way more man than she could possibly handle but she couldn’t quite bring herself to talk herself out of him.
Harrison made a sound of disapproval. “Rain, you don’t know this guy from Adam and you gave him your number? Honey.”
“I don’t usually! Really. But yeah I did. I don’t know, there’s just something about him. He probably won’t even call but if he does I’ll be careful. I’ll meet him in a public place with loads of people around.”
Harrison scowled. “Be sure you do. There are loads of freaks in the world who prey on pretty, sweet women like you. I should meet him just to be sure.”
“I have a father and he’s an asshole, I don’t need another one. And I’m not naïve you know. I can handle myself.”
Harrison laughed. “Okay, just please be careful.”
* * * * *
Back at the lodge, Laurent had told everyone about meeting his Mate. He and Andreas had discussed different strategies to bring Rain into the Pack carefully and in ways that wouldn’t scare her. He wanted very much for her to want to be part of his family. It would be hard enough on her life to have to move and make the conversion, the thought of it being scary for her made him want to take it at her pace, even when his natural instincts were to grab her and run.
“So tell me about her,” Kari demanded as they sat around the dinner table after a late lunch.
The entire family crammed around the table. Andreas’ brothers Sean and Devon were there with their wives Emma and Perri. Pack Fifth in command Skye smirked as Ryan, another member of the Inner Circle, smiled, looking pleased for his friend. The children had finished eating and Kari’s bodyguard Phillip busily chased them around the yard with their uncle Jack.
Laurent smiled as he thought about Rain. “She’s amazing, Kari. Beautiful. Tall for a human woman, about five nine or so. Long black hair, like mine, she wore it in a braid this morning. Long legs, heart-shapeda**” He paused and thought about what she’d looked like that morning, braid swinging like a living thing, her bottom swaying as she walked.
“Earth to Laurent?” Perri said and they all laughed.
“Her voice is beautiful, soft, throaty. She’s very strong, we saw her kick a man out of the place who was giving her trouble.”
“What, you didn’t run over and try to save her?” Kari asked sarcastically, knowing what male werewolves were like when their Mates were threatened.
“I wanted to. I stood to help her but she took care of it on her own and Andreas had a hold of my arm anyway.” He took a sip of his wine and continued. “Her eyes are a greenish brown, more brown than green, with a gold ring around the iris. She has thick black lashes. Lovely mouth, carnal almost. Bottom lip so full that it was like a cupid’s bow. Dimples. Gorgeous smile.”
“What about the rest of her?” Skye asked, wagging his eyebrows suggestively. “Pig.” Emma laughed.
“Do tell though,” Ryan added.
“She’s curvy. One of those classic long-line backs. That slope right above hera**was exquisite. Nice hips, she’s got flesh there, her thighs were rounded. Plenty for a man to hold onto in bed. And her skin was soft as velvet when I took her hand to kiss it.”
“Keep going.” Skye winked.
“I’ll tell you about her breasts but if I think for a moment you’re imagining them when you see her I’m going to hurt you. I’d say she was a C cup, nice and high breasts. Her nipples were hard every time she spoke to me.” His c*ck throbbed at the memory, his mouth watered as he’d thought of her taste, the shape and color her nipples might be.
“Her hands were beautiful. Long fingers, but I noticed she had paint under her nails and I smelled turpentine, maybe she’s an artist.” Laurent leaned back and closed his eyes, thinking of her again.
“Oh my, you’re as bad as Andreas was when he came home that day after he’d seen Kari the first time,” Anna said.
“Laurent, I’m so glad you’ve found her. She’d better be good enough for you.” Kari smiled. “I love you like you’re my brother. And I have to admit it’ll be nice to have another woman around here who was born human. Perhaps I can help ease her way as well.”
“Thank you, reine. You’ll be her Alpha of course but she’ll need friends as well. For now I need to call her, to ask her to dinner. Do some wining and dining. Get to know her more and hopefully she’ll be amenable to coming up to visit the lodge soon. For the immediate future, Andreas, Skye said that he’d trade with me so that he can be on duty whatever night I go out with her.”
Laurent was the Pack’s Lieutenant and Andreas’ personal bodyguard. He’d been so for sixteen years. He was the chief law enforcement for the Pack. It meant though that he had to be at Andreas’ side or at least in the same place at all times.
“Laurent, we’ll need to talk about this more in-depth. Once you’re Mated it won’t be possible for you to be my bodyguard anymore. You’ll still be Lieutenant but my bodyguard needs to be an unmated wolf. No one would be as good as you or have my total trust the way you do but what do you think of Alek as your replacement? He’s strong, loyal and young enough but not too young.”
Laurent shrugged. “Who’d have thought that Alex and his brother would turn out to be such strong Pack members?” For a time they’d been suspicious that Alek’s brother Alex was responsible for the attempts on Kari’s life, sadly it turned out to be their own cousin Michael. “I hate to leave you hanging, Andreas.”
“Laurent, it’s the way of things. It’s time for you to move on from a job you did so well your shoes will be impossible to fill, but I’m happy for you. Seeing you in love makes my heart glad.” Andreas reached over and clapped his shoulder.
Kari reached out and took Andreas’ hand and he kissed her fingers. “This makes me think about our first months together. Except for being changed in a murder attempt and all the other drama.” She laughed and he touched her face. Laurent used to ache when he saw their connection, wanting it for himself. And now he had it. His whole life opened before his eyes, so much waiting to be experienced.
“Go and call the woman! Don’t leave her waiting, Laurent. What if another man is interested?” Skye grinned.
“There are no other men for her. She’ll know that now that she’s met me,” Laurent said smugly and Andreas roared with laughter.
“My little wolf taught me a great many things about human women, Laurent. Don’t expect Rain to fall into your lap so easily.” Andreas smirked.
Laurent sniffed indignantly, waving it away. “Please. There is no other for her. I’m hers, she is mine. Of this there is no doubt.” He stood up. “I need to call the records office tomorrow to follow up. Her DNA was on the paper she wrote her number on, I saw her lick her finger to separate the page from the others. I couriered it over before we left Seattle. They’re running it to see who she is and what lines she has.”
Werewolves had a very sophisticated records registry. Because not all werewolf females could reproduce and even then, most of the children born were male, it became necessary over time to find human women who were compatible for mating. Usually this meant that the woman had another relative who had crossed over and mated with a shifter in the past. Kari, for instance, had three relatives in her past who were changed, one was even an Alpha so she’d had a natural wolf in her family too.
The records office used to search by name but now they had a DNA registry that made everything even easier. The humans had no idea such things were possible— werewolves or that there was data that tracked their genetic histories through human records. Technology had saved their species many times.
“If you’ll all excuse me, I’m off to call my woman.” With a low bow Laurent left to head to his room to call Rain.
Chapter Two
The sound of the ringing phone roused Rain from her late afternoon nap. “Hello?”
“Rain?”
“Mmmm,” she said, stretching. “You got her.” “It’s Laurent Cole. I’m sorry, did I wake you?”
She smiled then, warming that he’d called. “Why hello, Laurent. Don’t apologize, I was just napping and needed to be up soon anyway. Hang on a sec, let me sit and wake up a bit.” Sitting up, she arranged her pillows behind her back and smoothed the comforter over her legs. “Now then, that’s better. I have to be at work at five a.m. so I usually try to sneak in a nap around four in the afternoon to refresh my day. How are you, Laurent Cole?”
“Better now, hearing your voice does wonders for me.” The rumble of his voice, even over the phone, made her want to crawl through the receiver and into his arms.
“Oh aren’t you the flatterer!” She laughed, glad he couldn’t see her blush. “You bring it out in me. What are you doing tomorrow night?”
“I have plans. I’m sorry. One of my roommates has an audition for the Seattle Symphony and we’re going out for drinks afterward.”
“Okay. And what about Sunday night?”
“I’d planned to attend a gallery show for one of my friends.” She hesitated. “Would you like to join me? It’d only be an hour or so out of the evening, after that we’d be free.”
“I’d like that. I haven’t been to a gallery show in years. Can I take you to dinner afterward?”
“Sure.” Sure, hell, she wanted to jump up and down and wondered why in the heck she was so excited. He was nice-looking and all, well, gorgeous actually, but it wasn’t like her to get all giddy over a man. Gorgeous, sexy, testosterone-laden, yummy and warm. Like a slice of pie with ice cream melting over it.
He must have heard her whimper. “Are you all right?” Good lord, she was such a dork. “Uh yeah, fine.” “Okay, what time shall I pick you up?”
“Why don’t you meet me at the gallery at eight? We can hang out for a while and then leave for dinner. “
“I’ll meet you there then.”
She gave him the name and address of the gallery and hung up after he’d told her good night and wished her sweet dreams. She was sure they’d be of him anyway. At least now she wouldn’t be so nervous about taking her portfolio to The Holt and with dropping the portfolio off she wouldn’t be as nervous about the date either. Instead she’d just be a general bundle of stress.
Laughing to herself, she got out of bed and headed off to the shower.
* * * * *
The next night, just as she was on her way out the door to meet her friends he called again.
“Did I catch you at a bad time? I know you’re busy tonight but I just wanted to hear your voice today and I didn’t want to wake you up this time.”
A grin split her face as she melted inside. “Hi, Laurent. You didn’t wake me up. I do have to leave shortly but I have enough time to chat a bit.” She sank to the floor next to the hall table.
“Good. Did you get your portfolio in?”
She smiled, touched that he remembered. “I did, thank you for asking. How was your day?”
“Busy. Andreas’ family runs several businesses and it’s getting toward the end of the year so it’s crazy just now.”
“Do you travel a lot with your job?”
“A bit. I’m Andreas’ bodyguard as well as working with his businesses so where he goes, I go. I can’t complain, I’ve seen just about every country in the world. Do you like to travel?”
He made her smile. This sophisticated man who seemed to want to hear about her life. It was almost enough to make her let down her guard but she had to be careful.
“I traveled a lot when I was younger. I haven’t in recent years.”
“We’ll have to change that. I can see you on a beach somewhere, a fruity drink in your hand. A red bikini. Yes, red would look lovely with your complexion.”
Her face heated as she blushed. “Oh thanks, I think. I hate to do this but I have to go. I don’t want to miss my bus.”
“Ah. All right. I’m glad we got to chat, even if just for a few minutes. I’ll see you tomorrow night then. Be safe.”
“Good night, Laurent.”
She hung up, wearing a smile and feeling lighter than she had in a very long time.
* * * * *
“What are you going to wear?” Harrison asked her the next day as she came home from work.
“What a chore deciding has been! It’s not like I go out to dinner with handsome men very often.”
“Or any men at all. Try once in the time I’ve known you and that was to Dick’s so I don’t count it as a real date anyway. If it has a drive-through, it’s not a real date unless you’re in high school. I’ve never seen you like this over a man before. Andrew and I may have to pout and feel jealous.”
She laughed, tiptoeing up to kiss his nose. “I can’t remember that I ever have been. This guy is different, Harrison. Men are lovely, don’t get me wrong. I don’t have a thing about them or anything. It’s just, I had a lemon and I’m very choosy now. It’s rare for me to have the time and interest and for a guy who I like to like me at the same time.”
Like two years’ worth of time and even then it hadn’t been very good. After her disastrous experience with Anthony, her rebound fling when she’d first arrived in Seattle with the university professor had been dry as toast.
Laurent was different. He made her feel very sexy. Brought out a side of her she didn’t even know existed until she’d met him. Suddenly she felt sort of sex kittenish. And she liked it.
“I even went to that little lingerie store at near the Market and bought a few lacy things.” She shrugged. “Oh and I hit the vintage shop on Broadway and found the perfect dress.” Reaching into the bag, she pulled out a bundle of black and white and shook it. It was very Fifties. It was black with a white cowl that came low over her breasts, the bodice was tight and flared into a knee-length skirt that had four different crinoline petticoats underneath, alternating black and white. It was sexy but in a fun way.
Harrison’s eyebrows rose. “This is perfect. A little old-fashioned, a lot sexy.”
“Do you think? It seems so pretty and feminine. I also have these great slingback pumps, black but the strap is white. I think that will go well.”
“What are you going to do with all of that glorious hair? Oh I know, put it in a ponytail high up on your head. It will still come to your middle back. Leave out a bit and we can braid it to wrap it at the base of the ponytail. Rain, you’re going to look very beautiful.”
“All of this fashion knowledge is totally wasted on a straight man,” Andrew said with a wistful sigh as he walked into the room. “Duckie, we’re going to make you up so lovely that this Laurent won’t know what hit him.” He smiled and looked at the dress admiringly. “Good choice. Now let’s get working, Cinderella.”
* * * * *
“Laurent, are you leaving already?” Kari asked as Hellie came over and jumped into his arms. It was early in the day but he wanted to head out to Seattle to be sure he got there in time for his date with Rain that night.
He couldn’t believe how nervous he was. Not seeing her for a few days, knowing she existed, was driving him crazy. He ached to touch her, to hold her. Talking with her on the phone had been nice but thinking of her out there with no car, taking the bus at night, had made it difficult to sleep.
“Handsome! Am I still your best girl?” the four-year-old who thought he was the center of her world—that is, after her papa—asked as she looked up at him.
“Helene, my love, you’ll always have my heart.” Laurent dropped a kiss onto the top of her head and sat her down.
“Nana says that maybe you’ll make some boys with your new Mate and maybe they’ll be our Mates someday. Is that true?”
Laurent held back his laughter and looked over at Kari, whose eyes twinkled with amusement. “Your grandmother sure has a lot to say.” Kari winked at Laurent. “Okay, Hellie, Laurent needs to go now to get into the city. He needs to actually go out on a date with Rain first. And then they’ll get married and say the Mate bond and it’ll be a while before there’ll be any children.”
Laurent chuckled. “I’ll keep all that in mind.” He leaned down to kiss Hellie again. “Good night, reine, Hellie. Skye, take care of Andreas. I’ll see you all tomorrow.” He turned to go. Since he was going to be out late he planned to stay in the apartment that Andreas and Kari owned downtown. He hoped that he’d get a chance to wake up next to Rain.
He needed her. He wanted her to need him as well.
Once he got to town he made sure the apartment was well stocked with food for breakfast, champagne and chocolate and plenty of candles in his room. He wanted to spoil her. He got the feeling she didn’t get much of that in her day-to-day life.
He dropped by Drew’s small shop while he was in the neighborhood. Drew was a clothing designer as well as a member of the Pack and a good friend.
Drew’s face lit up when he saw Laurent come in. “Hey, Laurent! It’s nice to see you. I hear you’ve met your Mate. When can Janine and I meet her?” Janine was Drew’s Mate and another designer.
“News travels fast.” Laurent chuckled. “I’m here in town to see her actually. I’m going to a gallery show and dinner with her in a few hours. I’m just out doing a bit of shopping and wanted to stop in and say hello. She doesn’t know yet about me. About Cherchez. I’ll save it for when we know each other better. You’ll like her though.”
“Of course I will, she’s your Mate. Tell me about her. I’d be honored to design her conversion robe.”
Laurent paused a moment, thinking of what the night when she made her first change into a wolf would be like, what she’d look like, feel like running at his side. Smiling, he described her to Drew.
“She sounds beautiful, Laurent. Wait a moment.” Drew bustled around the shop, pulling things from hangers and off shelves, and brought them back to where Laurent waited. “Do you think she’d be offended if I sent over a few things?”
Laurent knew Drew loved to give people things he made and designed and it touched him that he’d want to include Rain. “She’s shy but I think if I explained it she’d be touched. As I am. Thank you, Drew.”
“I think the jeans should fit given your description of her size and shape. Be sure to bring her by when you’re ready. I’m happy for you. Finding your Mate is a truly wonderful thing.”
Laurent embraced his friend and took the bag of clothing with him when he headed back to the apartment to get ready.
It was funny, the need he had to take care of her, nurture her. He wanted to be her family as well as create one with her. She gave off a sort of vulnerability and it called to his heart.
* * * * *
Nervously, Rain looked at herself in the mirror. “Wow,” she murmured. She had to admit she looked classy and sexy and a bit sassy. Her hair cascaded down her back from a high ponytail. The way it was pulled back tightly from her face only accentuated her large eyes and lips that shimmered candy apple red. The slingbacks she told Harrison about worked perfectly and she was sure she’d hate them in a few hours but for the time being they were gorgeous. Thank goodness Laurent was so tall because in the heels she stood at six feet. Andrew brought her a powder that had a gold shimmer in it and it gave off a subtle glimmer as she moved.
“Holy cow, cupcake, you need to know if I was straight I’d snap you up in a minute. Your boobies look marvelous.” Andrew winked.
“Uh, thanks, Andrew.” She laughed at his teasing. “My boobies appreciate the compliment. Jeez they feel so high, like I’m serving them or something.” Nervousness ate at her stomach. She hadn’t felt so pretty in a very long time. Certainly she’d never worn anything revealing before. She twirled in front of the mirror, loving the way the skirt flared and the pretty crinolines showed. Still, she did have a slight jiggle when she walked. “Are you sure I don’t look obscene?”
“Rain, you look heavenly. Seriously,” Harrison said.
She took a deep breath and grabbed her wrap and her bag. “Okay. I’m off then. Thanks for your help. I don’t know what I would have done without you tonight.” She hugged Harrison and she and Andrew headed for the door. He’d offered to drop her at the gallery.
“It’s going to be fine, Rain. Really. You have my cell and Harrison’s just in case there’s an emergency. You know how to dial 9-1-1. Don’t let him pressure you into anything you don’t want to do. Do you want me to stick around?” Andrew asked as he pulled up in front of the gallery.
Rain squeezed his hand. “You’re so sweet to me. No, I’m fine. I’ll be fine. And I won’t let him get past second base.” She winked and he laughed.
“Who knows? But just in case, do you have condoms?”
“Yes, Dad, I have some in my bag. Harrison checked earlier too. I’ll see you later.
Thanks for the ride.” She leaned over and kissed his cheek.
Laurent looked in the mirror one last time before leaving. At the last minute he’d left his hair down. He wanted to show off a bit for her. Yes he had a human side but he was a werewolf, dominance displays and showing off the beauty of one’s pelt and other features was part of the male mating process. He wanted her to desire him and find him attractive. Heaven knew he thought she was the most breathtaking woman to ever walk the planet.
When he parked and walked over to the gallery, Laurent was drawn immediately to her. He swallowed hard as he took her in through the windows. She towered over most everyone else like an Amazon goddess. Her black hair shimmered nearly blue under the lights, the dress encased her torso, the skirt and a pair of ridiculously sexy high heels made her legs look miles long.
His c*ck ached and he had to wrestle back the urge to stalk in, grab her and stalk out to f*** her against the nearest surface. Oh how he wanted to mark her as his own and he hadn’t even seen her face yet. He quickened his step and entered the gallery.
Laurent took a deep breath as she turned around. It was as if she knew he was there and turned to greet him. Her skin glowed, looking sun-kissed, but he knew it was her natural tone. Her breasts heaved enticingly from the top of the cowl neck of the dress. He wanted to walk over there and put his face to her cleavage and breathe in her scent, to feel the soft skin of her breasts, to follow the curves with his lips. Her hair was pulled back from her face and it made her artfully made-up eyes look gigantic. And the lips— if he’d thought they looked carnal before, wearing that sheen of red glossy lipstick they looked downright X-rated. A wisp of her scent reached him and his system went into overload as he felt his wolf react.
Rain smiled then and he returned it as he moved toward her. “You look beautiful, Rain. I really like the dress.”
“Oh this old thing?” She laughed. “Thank you, you look pretty good yourself.” She reached up and touched his hair and electricity ran through him on contact. “Your hair is so beautiful, I’m glad you left it down.”
“I’m glad it pleases you, I had it back earlier and decided to free it.” He wanted to strut around the room at the compliment.
“Would you like a glass of wine or something?” she asked as he took her hand and tucked it into his arm and they walked through the gallery. He heard the undercurrent of nervousness in her voice and wanted her at ease.
“No not now, I’ll have some with dinner. We have reservations at Matt’s On the Market for nine if that’s all right. He’s got a great wine list.”
“I’ve never been there but I’ve heard great things.” Heard and not experienced because it was totally out of her price range.
“You’re in for a treat. It’s very small and they cook right in front of you. The food is amazing. Fresh local ingredients. It doesn’t look fancy, it’s the food and wine where all of the effort goes.”
“I like that. Food as art. Sounds heavenly.”
“So is this your friend’s work then?” He motioned to the walls.
“Yes. I met Sully when I first came to town and started painting. He’s been a huge help to me. He’s very good, this is his third show so far this year.”
It was good but Laurent had a feeling her work would be better. “So you mentioned taking your portfolio to a gallery, I take it you’re an artist too?”
“Yes, I paint. The portfolio is to be considered for a series of gallery shows The Holt is going to host over the next months, all showcasing up-and-coming artists. It would be a big break for me to get a show.” He saw the passion for her work on her face.
“What kind of work do you do then? Modern, classical, abstract?”
“Modern. It’s eclectic. Not so abstract that you can’t see what I’m trying to convey. I draw upon themes from nature—mountains, rocks, the ocean, rivers, streams, the sky, stars, planets, big historical themes and events. I don’t know how to explain it really, things that tug at the fabric of our existence.”
“I’d love to see it sometime and I hope you get a show.” As a matter of fact, he knew that Andreas owned a part interest in The Holt. He might mention it to Kari and see if she thought it was something to bring up to Andreas. Kari was someone he could trust to give an opinion about what Rain would like. He wanted to help Rain but not to take over and make her feel she couldn’t do it on her own.
They enjoyed the showing and he drove over to the Market for dinner.
“This place is just as great as you said it would be,” she enthused over her trout with wasabi crust. “The Gruyère leek tart was so good. I haven’t eaten this well in a very long time.”
He sensed that she’d grown up around some kind of money, she knew her wines very well and had spoken in French with a man on the corner selling roses. It wasn’t the kind of French you learn in high school, it was the kind of French that you learned while in France. Laurent should know, he’d spent time there growing up before he’d come to live with the Phinney family.
“So where are you from originally? Do you have family here?”
She shifted in her chair and looked out the window a moment. “What about you? I take it you and Andreas are close. Are you related to him? How’d you come to work for him?”
Laurent narrowed his eyes at her, smelling her evasion, seeing her body tense and her hands shake for just a moment when he’d asked. She was hiding something. What he didn’t know but he’d find out, help her through whatever it was that made her afraid. For the time being he’d let her evade.
“Andreas and I have been best friends since I was eleven and he was thirteen. His family took me in and raised me.”
“Why? That is, if you don’t mind talking about it.”
“My mother died and my father didn’t feel he could raise me on his own. My mother and Andreas’ mother were like sisters so my father brought me to them, to be raised in a family setting. And that’s what they did. Andreas’ mother and father took me in and raised me like one of their own children. My working for Andreas sort of grew from that. Back to you though. Do you have any family?”
“Um, yes. I’m, um, estranged from them. I still speak to my mother on occasion but I haven’t spoken to my father in a year.”
“Why?”
“He wanted me to be something that I couldn’t be. I…we couldn’t come to any agreement about my life so…” She shrugged but he saw the shimmer of unshed tears in her eyes.
Still, family was so important. He couldn’t understand how any man could turn away from his own child. “Have you tried to work it out? How does your mother feel about it all?”
She sighed. “My mother feels however she’s told to feel. No, that’s unfair really. She’s a loving woman but the world she lives in isn’t made for women who are strong and opinionated. She helped me es…er, leave home last year. She has to keep my contact with her a secret. My father of course thinks I’ll come back when I need money. And that’s really all I want to talk about that subject.”
Laurent wished she’d lighten her burden and share with him but he understood that he’d have to earn her trust first.
“Would you like to come back to my apartment and watch the ferries on the water?” The apartment was in the Harbor Steps complex and overlooked Puget Sound.
She hesitated a moment, clearly thinking. “Sure. That would be nice.” Her voice was soft but free of doubt. He relaxed a bit.
They walked back to the car and Laurent moved it the few blocks to the building and took her up. Among the little touches he’d made earlier that day had been to put new sheets on his bed. They were silky soft with a bit of flannel for warmth. He sincerely hoped she’d let him make love to her that night. Between Mates, the first time making love would create binding ties between them—he wanted to brand her in some way.
“This is a beautiful place,” she murmured as she looked around, her hands trailing over the spines of books, the curves of vases. “Do you mind if I take these heels off? They’re beginning to kill me.”
He shook his head no and watched as she sat and pulled off the pumps, exposing coral-colored toenails.
“That feels so much better. Of course now I’ll never have the courage to put them back on because it will hurt even more.” And frankly, the way he looked at her made her weak in the knees and she had to sit down before they buckled. The whole evening had set her off balance. She’d never been so attracted and attuned to anyone in her life. It felt so natural to be with him that it freaked her out.
“I’ll carry you to your door if you wish it,” he whispered and came to kneel in front of her.
“What is it about you, Laurent Cole? I feel like I’ve known you my whole life,” she whispered as he ran a finger around the curve of her bottom lip. Little zings of electricity sparked in the wake of his touch. Her breath hitched as her heart kicked in her chest. She’d been wet and achy since she walked into the gallery earlier that evening and her skin felt so alive and sensitive, like it begged for his touch. His very presence was totally overwhelming, it scared her even as she loved it.
“It does feel that way, doesn’t it?”
“Are you going to kiss me?” If he didn’t soon she’d swoon from want.
He chuckled as a grin hitched the corner of his mouth up. “You’re impatient.” “Yes, where you’re concerned apparently.” Greedy, impatient, needy.
“Okay then, you must know that I’ll make any sacrifice to please you.”
A long moment passed in delicious tension before he leaned into her body and touched his lips to hers. Freed and able to act, avaricious hands sought the muscled wall of his chest over the smooth material of his expensive dress shirt. The heat of his body nearly scalded her even through the fabric. The muscles of his chest jumped at her touch as she moved upward, seeking the silk of that long dark hair.
A low sound broke from her throat and he echoed it before grabbing her waist and pulling her to his body tightly as he walked on his knees to get closer. Her thighs widened to give him room and her skirt rode up, exposing the tops of the stockings she wore.
Laurent felt the heat from her p*ssy as he moved to her and it drove him wild. He scented the honey there, nestled in the folds, and his mouth watered to taste her. “God you feel good,” he murmured against her mouth and she sighed, opening to him, pressing her breasts into his chest, arching her back.
Need rode him and he groaned into her mouth as his tongue followed the sound. Her taste was more intoxicating than her scent. She tasted of cherries and dessert wine
and her lips were firm and lush under his. He tried to hold back the fantasy of what that mouth would feel like wrapped around his c*ck but failed, instead moaning at the carnal images.
When her tongue flicked over his, past his into his mouth, the sinuous dance of their kiss seduced him. She was open to him, gloriously inviting him to taste her, but he could also sense that she was inexperienced and that thrilled him. The idea that his Mate wasn’t someone who’d been with a lot of men in the past made his male ego swell. He’d be the one to show her erotic delights, he’d learn every inch of her body, he’d know spots that no one else had touched. Wanting to burn his name into her being thrilled him to his toes.
The rest of her body called to him. Tamping down on his desire to take her hard and fast, he slowly moved his mouth from her lips and skimmed down to her neck. The heat of her skin warmed her scent, called to his wolf. The edge of his teeth abraded the tender skin just below her ear and the flat of his tongue followed to lave the sting and take in her taste.
Rain’s lips tingled at the loss of his mouth and she whimpered until he laved her neck with his tongue. Shivers of delight broke over her and she grabbed his head, holding him in place. He chuckled in response, low and wicked, and she smiled. He made her feel so sexy, so…something she couldn’t even find words for.
Every muscle in her body tensed sharply and then totally relaxed when he gently bit down over the jumping pulse in her neck. It was like something slammed into her, filling her up and easing her as he held the tendons and muscle between his teeth. Her head lolled back, her breathing shallow. She nearly came just from that one action, nothing had ever, ever felt so pleasurable.
Her response to the bite brought Laurent’s balls tight against his body. He scented the slickness of her p*ssy, felt her nipples tighten against his chest. Unable to stop himself from touching her more, he slid his hands around her waist and just under the swell of her breasts. But when she yanked the hem of his shirt out of his pants and skimmed her hands over the bare skin of his lower back he gasped at the pleasure. She felt so right against him then. Like she was made for him and him alone, and of course she was. So this was what it felt like with the right person, the right person. No wonder Kari and Andreas f***ed like bunnies.
He gave in finally and did what he’d been wanting to do all night, he pressed his lips to the curves of her breasts, to the creamy skin that heaved with her breathing. She hummed in satisfaction and he stood up then, bringing her with him. She put her face into his neck then and he felt her body tighten in response. Silently he begged her to do what he’d done.
“Oh my god!” Laurent groaned out as she bit down, her teeth grasping the tendon, her tongue flicking out to taste his pulse. She had no idea but it was a show of sexual dominance for a wolf to bite the neck of another. His c*ck stiffened even more and his arms trembled. He rolled his hips without even thinking, seeking her cunt, needing to join with her.
She pulled back and looked at him, her eyes glazed over with lust. “Why? Why did that feel so right?” she whispered, sounding a bit dazed.
“You’re mine, my heart. We’re made to be with one another, my cells sing to yours,” he said softly.
“What? How? I just met you yesterday.”
“You know what I say is the truth. You can feel it in your heart, can’t you? When you placed your face in my neck and breathed me in—have you ever done that with another?”
“No.” She shook her head, still dazed.
“But you did with me. Why?” He wanted to tell her everything but it was too soon. “It just felt like the right thing to do. You did it to me.”
“I did, mon amour. I did because I knew, just as you know.”
“I don’t know anything. I’m just a girl who wants to paint, heck, I haven’t had sex in nearly a year. I’ve only been with two people in that way before. I feel like I’m in way over my head here. It scares me.”
He took a step back, still on his knees before her. “Sweetness, we’ll go slow. I’ll show you that you and I are meant to be together. You need never be afraid of me. I’d die before I harmed you or ever allowed harm to come to you. I won’t lie, Rain, I want very much to make love to you tonight. But if you’re not ready I’ll wait until you are.”
“Who are you? You’re too good to be true. I keep thinking I’m going to wake up and you’ll have been a dream.”
“I am yours,” he answered simply. “Will you stay the night, Rain? Or shall I take you home now? It’s your choice. Either way I’ll be here tomorrow. All of your tomorrows.” He stood and waited for her answer.
The honey of his voice drew a shiver from her. Licking her lips nervously, she looked up into his face. She wanted him more than she’d ever wanted anything in her entire life and that scared her. All her life she’d had one passion and that had been painting. She didn’t know what to do with two. Didn’t know if they’d both fit in her life. “I don’t know,” she whispered.
“Oh love.” He pulled her into his arms tightly. She pressed her face to his chest, finding herself calmed by the beat of his heart, the warmth and smell of him. His hair swept forward and lay across her bare shoulders like silk. He stroked gentle fingers down her back. “How old are you, Rain?”
“Twenty-six. And you?”
“Forty-four.” The juxtaposition of the siren in his arms with her youth and relative inexperience fascinated him. There was a wisdom in her eyes that belied her physical age. She’d seen a lot. “Sweetness, have you ever felt so strongly toward a man before?”
“Never. I’ve dated but I’ve never really been into the men I was with. I’ve had close friendships with men—both of my roommates are men—but I haven’t ever felt on fire for any of them. I do for you.”
He shuddered at her words. He didn’t want to scare her away but he wanted to let her know how she affected him. “I’ve been with other women in the past but I’ve never wanted any of them with such a deep longing. You make me feel on levels that I hadn’t imagined before.”
Rain felt total sincerity from him. She had no reason to trust him, she didn’t know him. And yet she did. She trusted him with her very heart. Taking a deep breath, she made her decision. “I want to stay,” she said softly.
It was all Laurent could do not to sweep her up and run toward his room but he knew she was hesitant and he needed to take his time. Loosening his hold on her, he stepped back, holding his hand out to her.
When she took it he smiled, sent out a prayer to do all the right things for his woman and slowly walked with her into his bedroom, shutting the door behind them. Immediately it felt like the space was a safe haven for the two of them, a world where it was just Laurent and Rain.
She stood there, looking expectant and nervous, and it squeezed his heart. Pulling gently on the hand he still held, he brought her to his body and kissed her softly, sweetly. It was a kiss that sealed his fate. He was hers and he was giving himself to her freely. After a slight hesitation on her part she encircled his neck with her arms and he felt the tension fall away from her.
They stood there kissing for several minutes as he devastated her with his mouth. Her bones turned to mush as Laurent’s hands swept over her body in gentle exploration. Down the curve of her back, over the curve of her ass, pulling her snug against him. She gasped when the notch of her p*ssy met the hard line of his cock, thrilling at the electricity between them. He rolled his hips and the blunt head of his c*ck brushed over her swollen cl*t and light burst behind her eyelids.
It became natural then to just give herself to him, to trust that he could treat her gently and kindly, that this was meant to be.
Laurent ground himself into her for a moment, teeth on edge at the contact of hard meeting soft. Her gasp of delight when he did it spurred him on. She wanted him as badly as he wanted her. Even better, he felt the moment when she gave herself to him.
Humming his satisfaction at her abandon, he found the zipper pull on her dress and the metal sound of the dress parting filled the room and rode his spine. When he stepped back the dress fell at her feet and he simply stared, openmouthed, at the body it revealed. She stood there, golden-skinned, high full breasts freed, nipples hard and tight, in a pair of red lace boyshort panties with garters attached to nude stockings.
“Do…do you like them?” she asked shyly, blushing.
Blinking several times, he had to concentrate to remember how to speak. Reaching out, he brought her hand to his cock. “Can’t you tell?” he answered hoarsely. He was surprised when she brought the other hand over to rub the length of him before undoing his button. The sound of his zipper slowly descending brought his breath short. Before long his pants slid down his legs and he toed off his loafers and kicked out of them and the pants.
Gently, he picked her up and moved her out of the pool of the dress at her feet before bending to pick up her dress and his pants and tossing them over a nearby chair. He pulled off his socks and she came back to him, unbuttoning his shirt, sliding it back over his shoulders. His skin tingled in the aftermath of her touch on his bare chest.
Her hands, still shy but determined, were back, stroking over his c*ck through the material of his boxers. “I like your boxers but they need to go,” she whispered and he nodded mutely, shucking them off.
“My goodness. Laurent, I’ve never seen a body as beautiful as yours.” She ran her hands over his chest and down the flat planes of his stomach, down through the thatch of hair at his groin and at long last she took his c*ck into her hands. He gritted his teeth, willing himself to give her time to explore. It felt damned good, her hands all over his body. He’d thought of little else since he’d seen her the first time just days before. The reality was far better than the fantasies and her hands on his c*ck were far more satisfying than his own.
As stereotypical as it was, Rain found herself pretty damned impressed with the length and girth of Laurent’s cock. She had sex toys, she liked them thick, but he beat silicone hands down. Her p*ssy spasmed with greed as she thought of him inside her.
Her last attempt at sex hadn’t been overly satisfying. Not as horrible as it had been with Anthony—mister unzip, leave the pants on, no foreplay, three dry thrusts and come. But certainly lacking any real fire or finesse. She’d never had the inclination to simply look her fill at her partner’s body. No man made her cl*t throb in time with her nipples. No man made her p*ssy so wet she felt the heat on her thighs either. Sex with Laurent, she had a feeling, would be a far different animal. Something she was quite eager to experience.
Laurent smiled at her, eyes alight with passion. “It makes me so happy to see you react to me this way. And it isn’t me who is beautiful but you.” He brought his hands to her breasts and held their weight in his hands. “Look at these. I’ve never seen such pretty pink nipples before.” He ran his thumbs up and across their pebbled surface over and over and her hips hitched forward in response. “You’re built like a goddess—lush, curvy and soft.”
“I believe the word you’re looking for is chubby,” she said with a wry grin.
He pulled himself back, looking angry. “Never. Rain, you’re lush and womanly. Your body is curvy and delightful. You make me so incredibly turned on,” he said, bending his head down to a nipple, taking it into his mouth. She gasped and arched her back, her fingers digging into the muscle of his shoulders. “I plan to show you just how turned on when I kiss every inch of you.” He took a step back. “Are you ready, Rain? Still with me?”
It touched her that he cared to ask and be sure. She nodded and he gently laid her back on the bed behind her.
“These sheets are fabulous, Laurent. The room smells like you, I feel like I’m surrounded by your essence in here,” she said, running her nails lightly down his back as he settled just on top of her.
“I wouldn’t want you sleeping on anything that wasn’t as soft as you are. Now lie back and relax and let me love you slowly. Thoroughly.” He pulled her arms up and over her head. “Leave them here,” he said, kissing her lips, this time with heat and passion. His hair swept down and surrounded them both in a jet black curtain. The scent of it, the heat of him, made her dizzy.
He kissed his way over to her ear and down her neck and throat to one breast and nipple then the other. It was all she could do to look down at him, the dark hair trailing over her naked skin, his mouth, teeth and nimble fingers at work on her nipples. No one had ever paid much attention to her nipples, she hadn’t known anyone could make them feel like this. Could make her feel like this just from playing with them.
It had been nice enough but the hand not rolling and tugging her nipple moved down her belly, stroking over her fevered skin until it stopped at the waistband of her panties.
“As much as I like these, and I do, they’ve got to go so I can get to your sweet p*ssy,” he murmured against her nipple as he pulled her panties and stockings off, tossing them off the bed.
He sat back on his haunches, between her thighs. “Now then.” He gently petted the close-cropped hair at the top of her p*ssy for a few moments. She watched him, rapt. The heat of his palms on her inner thighs nearly scalded her as he pushed them wide apart. She should have felt embarrassed to be exposed to him in such a way but watching him devour her with his eyes was fascinating. “So pretty and cocoa pink.”
His gaze locked on her p*ssy, his fingers made a slow, slick circuit through the folds there, carefully avoiding too much contact with her sensitized cl*t .
“That feels so good,” she murmured. Another truth was that she’d never had an orgasm that she hadn’t given herself. She was so close just from his nearness, the kissing and his worship of her breasts, that when his thumb came up and flicked across her cl*t oris while another finger slowly slid inside of her she climaxed, arching into his hand, trembling and seeing stars. She whispered his name hoarsely.
Laurent shook as she climaxed so beautifully it took his breath. He hadn’t expected her to come so quickly and he smiled at how responsive she was to his touch. He also needed her so powerfully it made his teeth hurt. “That was only the first one,” he said, lowering himself to lie between her thighs, head at the space where leg met body, gazing up at her. Her scent gripped him and he didn’t resist swirling a finger through those swollen, wet, pink folds and bringing it to his mouth, tasting her honey.
They both gasped. Her taste shocked through him, rocked his senses and dizzied him a moment. He had to have more.
She tried to close her legs, blushing. “No, baby, never. You are so beautiful, let me see you.” He opened her with his thumbs and ran a tongue along her wet, hot skin. Her body was a freaking symphony, lighting up his every cell.
“I’ve never, OH!”
“Never? Oh love, let me show you then. Please. I swear to you that it’s worth it.” He lowered his head again. How could any man have resisted this sweet p*ssy? Slowly, thoroughly, he used teeth and tongue, lips and mouth to explore every fold, every dip and curve. She was hot, hot and juicy and he wanted more. His tongue slipped into her body and she arched her back. Moving back up, he circled her cl*t with the tip of his tongue. Over and over until her entire body vibrated. More, god he wanted more. It was all Laurent could do not to surge up and shove himself inside her, she was so exquisite, so perfect.
How could she have lived without this all these years? Rain’s breath came out in short pants, wave after wave of intense pleasure rocked her, building and building. “I want oh…that feels so…oh god…please, Laurent,” she breathed out, her hesitance at being pleasured that way giving over to the need for him to make her come.
Without thinking she put her hands on his head, threading her fingers through his hair, holding him to her. When he reached up and pinched one of her nipples she jerked off the mattress with a cry. His moan of approval sent vibrations up through her cl*t . It was so good it just bordered on too much. Her head thrashed from side to side as she moaned softly, hips churning against his mouth.
Just when she began to beg, he sucked her cl*t into his mouth, his teeth lightly sliding over her, his tongue flicking underneath the hood softly but insistently, orgasm slammed into her body. She bit her lip so hard she tasted the metal of her own blood as she came and came. With a long satisfied sigh her thighs fell open and she let her hands fall to the bed as she gasped for breath.
It took several minutes for her to come back to herself, all the while Laurent lay with his head on her thigh, petting her softly. She pulled him up to lie beside her. “That was… Wow, thank you.”
He kissed her gently. “Don’t thank me. You have no idea how much pleasure that just brought me.”
She pushed him back against the mattress, laughing. “Not as much as it brought me, I’d wager. Now I’m not a virgin or anything but I’ve never done this before. I’ll probably be horrible but I’d like to taste you too. Can you help me? Tell me if I’m doing something wrong?”
He smiled then, his hair spread out around his head. “You’ll be fine. Just watch the teeth,” he said with a chuckle. He caressed her thighs and she wanted to rub herself all over him.
All she wanted at that moment was to make him feel as good as he’d made her feel. Focusing her energy and attention on him, she studied his body intently. Running her hands down the wall of his chest, she didn’t fail to notice his nipples. Although they were flat they were hard. She wondered if they were responsive like hers. Bending down, she licked one, swirling her tongue around it, and he gasped. Apparently so. She grazed one with her teeth and he groaned.
“Yes.”
Abrading her nails lightly over them, she moved on, slowly kissing her way down his chest and stomach. He smelled so good, tasted warm and masculine. Kneeling between his thighs, she reached up and undid her ponytail, letting her hair down to curl around her face and cascade down her back.
Leaning down, she ran her tongue around the edge of his navel, catching the skin between her teeth. His hands gripped the sheets and the power of making him react that way roared through her.
Moving lower still, she dragged her hair lightly over his belly and thighs and he sighed, writhing. At last, the good stuff. Grinning, she grabbed his c*ck gently, examining it. Soft, velvety smooth but hard too. Skin hot to the touch. She ran a fingertip down the tightened skin of his balls and he groaned, arching up into her touch. You learn something new every day, she thought with a smile.
Time to get down to real business. She moved, bending to run her cheek along the length of his cock, stopping to kiss the head. Pre-c*m beaded at the slit and she dragged her tongue across it, the salty taste of him sliding through her senses.
“Holy…yeah, that’s it,” Laurent hissed as she licked along the crown.
Good gracious she hoped she didn’t injure him. It seemed like a huge act of trust to let all those teeth so near something so precious and tender.
She took him into her mouth slowly, incrementally, waiting and watching him for cues about what he did and didn’t like. She took him back as far as she could and pulled back, trying different things with her mouth and tongue. There was no way she’d get all of him in her mouth so she concentrated on what she could reach without embarrassing herself and gagging.
“Rain, you are so beautiful. Yes, yes, baby, like that. Oh.” He groaned, his hands drawing through her hair and over her shoulders.
Suddenly he pulled her up off him.
“What? Did I do it wrong?” she asked, confused and slightly embarrassed.
“No,” he said, laughing. “You did it too well. I’m going to come if you keep that up and I’d rather be inside of you when that happens.” He kissed her and laid her down on her back. Her pulse thundered and nervousness made her slightly queasy, warring with her intense desire to have him inside her that very moment.
Reaching across her, he pulled a condom out of the side table drawer and she wondered just how many women he brought here to do this with.
As if he read her mind he said, “I just bought these today, for you. I’ve never had a woman in this bed before.” She felt better until he sheathed himself and settled back, between her thighs. The head of his c*ck nudged against her gate and it occurred to her that he seemed awfully big and it had been a long time since anything other than her vibrator had been in there.
“We’ll go slow,” he said, pushing inside of her and stopping immediately. “Oh Rain, you’re so tight.” Beads of sweat popped out along his forehead and she felt the strain in his muscles.
“It’s been nearly a year,” she said and he groaned. “I’m sorry.”
“No, baby, don’t apologize. You feel so damned good that I have to take it slow or I’ll come before I even get all the way inside of you. I don’t want to hurt you either,” he said and slid in a bit more.
She felt full, it burned a bit. He slid in a bit more and she began to feel pleasure singing along the nerve endings being stroked by him. She moaned and he moaned along with her. “This feels so good. Please, Laurent.” God, she had to have more of him.
“Honey, I need to go slow or…”
She couldn’t wait, she arched her pelvis the next time he moved to get inside of her a bit more and he ended up sheathing himself fully in that one stroke. Tears sprang to her eyes—that was a bit painful—she felt full, stretched, but damned good.
“Am I hurting you? You should have waited. I’m sorry, sweetheart,” he said, desperately trying not to move. She was so tight and hot that he was a second from exploding. Having her beneath him, naked, her cunt gripping his c*ck in a tight embrace, was so much more than he’d imagined.
“No, it’s passing. Please please, I need you to move,” she begged and he obliged her. He knew she was feeling better as her face lost the strain and loosened and she rolled her hips. He saw the desire in her eyes, saw her pupils enlarge and her lips part. Her moan was laced with pleasure and it shot straight to his balls. “Omigod. Laurent, that’s so good,” she whispered and he smiled and began to move, setting a rhythm. Shortly he changed his angle to drag across her sweet spot and give her friction across her cl*t .
She was incredible, so beautiful as her head moved from side to side. He made her feel that way. Pride and possessiveness rang through him.
“What do you need, Rain? What can I do for you?”
“I need, oh, I don’t know. I want to, oh, it feels so good.” Her voice was hoarse and he was suddenly right on the edge listening to her, knowing that no one had ever made her feel that way before. He reached down and began to stroke across her cl*t with his thumb and she went over right at that moment, the muscles deep inside her rippling and spasming around his cock, pushing him into climax as well. Her name broke from his mouth as she pulled her knees back, encircling his waist with her calves. Her cunt pulled his c*ck back inside each time he stroked out.
Her moans had gotten louder, more intense, as their climaxes united and drew out. He then understood why Kari and Andreas were so loud—making love with a Mate was simply beyond comparison to any sex he’d ever had. It was like comparing scratching an elbow to a mind-numbing orgasm.
Finally, long moments later, he pulled out, pulling her into his arms after he’d disposed of the condom. He kissed her temple gently and sighed, totally satisfied for the first time in his life. “That was so beautiful. Thank you for trusting me, Rain.”
“Thank you for making love to me. Or was it f***ing? I don’t know, I mean, I’m not up on all of this relationship stuff. Like I said, it’s been a year and even then it was only three times and before that it was twice with my ex and let me tell you, he’s got nothing on you, Laurent Cole. I’ve never had an orgasm, well, not that I didn’t give myself anyway and god, did I say that out loud? Now I’m babbling, which happens when I’m nervous and mmmmfp!” Laurent put two fingers over her lips to stop her, trying not to laugh.
“It was making love, Rain. I could take you, hard and fast, up against a wall or a door but it would still be making love, always that between us,” he growled. “Thank you for the compliment but it isn’t about experience, it’s about the combination of you and me.”
“Oh,” she said softly, smiling at him. “You don’t look a day over thirty by the way.” “Thank you, the men in my family age well.” It wasn’t time to tell her yet,
werewolves lived well into their second century.
“Um, so…” She twisted the sheets in her hands nervously.
“You can always talk to me, Rain.” He took her hands, kissing each one.
“Well, two things really. One, I should call my roommates and tell them I’m not coming home so they won’t worry. And two, I’d really like to do it again.”
Her guilelessness charmed him. “The phone is right there, sweetness, and yes, I’d very much like to make love to you again.”
“Are you sure?”
Chuckling, he brought her hand to his already reviving cock. “What do you think?” She grabbed the phone and sat up against the headboard, the sheet pooled at her waist, her breasts bare. He lay there and looked up at her, entranced by her beauty.
“Harrison, hey. Listen, I won’t be home tonight, I just wanted to call you to tell you so you wouldn’t worry.”
She paused, listening. “No, he’s fine. Yes. Yes, I know. We did use a condom. The Harbor Steps, I swear to you he’s not a creep or a weirdo. Yes, good night and I’ll see you tomorrow. Bye.”
She hung up and sighed, snuggling back down and into his body. “Who is this guy?” He frowned.
“Who? Harrison?”
“The man you just spoke to, yes.”
“He’s my roommate. Harrison Watts. He’s like a kindly big brother. He worries about me. You’re a stranger, he wants me to be safe.”
“Harrison Watts the photographer?”
“Yes. Do you know his work?”
“Yes, Andreas has several of his photographs in his office. He’s got an incredible eye.”
“I’ll tell him you said that. He’s hurting.”
“He stopped doing war journalism, didn’t he?”
“Yes. In Bosnia he and his girlfriend were caught with a group of journalists and pinned down. She was shot in the neck right in front of him, she died instantly. He didn’t pick up a camera for two years. But recently he did a photo essay on the homeless tent city beneath the freeway. It’s some of the most breathtaking stuff I’ve ever seen. Evocative, angry, sad. It stirred something inside him and he’s working again.”
“You have feelings for him? He obviously cares for you,” Laurent bit out. He wasn’t used to feeling jealous, he didn’t like it.
She laughed then and caressed his face. “Laurent, he’s celibate. Has been ever since Emily died. More than that, he’s just a good friend, he cares about me and since I am not in contact with my family anymore, he’s like an older brother to me.”
“And your other roommate, you said you lived with two men?” Did he actually sound jealous?
“Andrew, he’s a cellist, he’s also as gay as the day is long,” she said and he looked relieved. “Laurent, um, well I mean to say, we just met, are we dating or just going out?”
“The distinction being?”
“Well um, is this an exclusive thing or will you see other people and sleep with them too?”
“There is no one but you, Rain. There will never be anyone else but you. I don’t think what happened between us tonight is something casual, do you?”
“Laurent, didn’t I tell you several times that I haven’t had sex in a year? Jeez, of course it isn’t casual. Not to me anyway but like I said, I don’t date really and I don’t know what the rules are.”
“The rules are that I exist to make you happy,” he said, hugging her tightly.
She smiled and reached down and found him hard. “Look at you, working so hard to obey the rules.”
He laughed and proceeded to show her how well he could obey, three more times.
Chapter Three
Rain woke up naked and pressed up against something very warm and very firm. She opened her eyes slowly. Oh yeah, she thought with a smile. Laurent. He lay there sleeping, one arm lying across her stomach, the other up above her head. One of his thighs was thrown over hers. Their hair spread out, entwined across the pillows. The sun came through the windows and she extricated herself from him to go and look out over Puget Sound at the glittering water and the ferries dotting the horizon.
The night before had been more than just good sex, it had shattered her tiny life and set it on its ear. Being with Laurent felt so good, so right—it scared the hell out of her. He was this sophisticated older man and she was already on her way to falling in love. She felt like a rube but at the same time it was wonderful to be so damned happy. She just didn’t want to be in some lopsided relationship with a guy who buzzed into town for dinner and a quick f*** every once in a while.
“I’ve never opened my eyes in the morning to a more beautiful sight,” Laurent said sleepily. “Come back to bed, I’m lonely without you.”
She turned and saw him there, her heart leapt into her throat. “You’ve never seen a more beautiful sight? Laurent Cole, you’re an exemplary specimen of manhood, all broad and muscled, that glorious hair spread out around you. You’re like sex on legs.”
She crawled back into bed with him, into the refuge of his arms.
“Mmm, you feel good and you inflate my ego as well as my cock. I think I’ll keep you.” He winked and moved in for a kiss.
She ducked back. “Don’t kiss me, I have morning breath. Sheesh, I’m a novice at this spending the night thing, I don’t even have a change of clothes or a toothbrush.”
He kissed her forehead. “I have an extra toothbrush for you and I hope you don’t mind but I took the liberty of buying you a few things. Some clothes for you to have here should you wish to stay over more often. I’m not in Seattle every day. My job keeps me up at the lodge most of the time but I’d like to come out as often as I can to see you. And I’d love for you to come up to the lodge. You’d love my family and they’ll love you too. It’s beautiful up there.”
“You have this whole life so far away from here.” God, she could get really hurt by this man if she gave him her heart and he didn’t want to change his life.
“Love, my life is with you. Yes I live a few hours’ drive from here but I make it often enough for business I can surely do it to see you.”
“This is moving pretty fast. I mean, you just met me two days ago and now you’re saying I’m your life?” She felt so calm about it, she knew she should be wary but it all seemed so right, so normal. Still, she didn’t just fall off the potato truck and instant true love did not happen.
“Listen, aren’t there things in your life that you just knew to be so?” “I suppose, a few.”
“Well then. Rain, from the moment I saw you in The Black Cat the other morning I knew that I wanted to be with you. Trust me, trust yourself. When do you have your next days off?”
“I do four days a week and then three days off. I’m off today, tomorrow and Sunday.”
“Come with me to the lodge then. Just for the afternoon. It’s a long drive, yes, but I’d like you to meet the people I consider to be my family. If you like you can stay over. I’d like that. But baby steps first. Come and see it and I’ll bring you back tonight. We can stay in a hotel if we get too tired.”
“I don’t know. I do a lot of painting on my days off.”
“Bring your supplies with you, paint there. The light is beautiful, it’s clean and clear. The lodge sits on Star Lake. You’ll love Kari and Emma, their kids are wonderful. In fact, my number two girl, right after you, lives there.”
She raised an eyebrow at that. “Oh is that so?”
He laughed, thrilled that she was jealous. “Her name is Helene and she’s four. She’s Andreas and Kari’s daughter, the oldest. She and her siblings are like my own children I’ve been so involved in their upbringing.” He kissed her nose. “So? What do you say? You can give my mobile number and the number at the lodge to Harrison so he won’t worry about you.” He wanted to show her his life, where her life would be.
She inhaled and blew the air out. “I really want to agree, Laurent, but I just met you. This is just too fast. I’m sorry.”
He sighed but shook his head. “Don’t apologize. Of course I want you to come and visit but you know, we can take it at your speed. I know this seems fast and scary, all I can do is tell you my intentions and back them up with my actions. We can do the trip to the lodge another time. You just say when and we’ll do it. For now why don’t I make you breakfast?”
“You’re not mad?”
He sat up and pulled her to sitting beside him. “Rain, I respect you. I realize this seems very fast to you. I am not angry that you’re taking things slow. How could I be mad at you for that?” He kissed her nose and suddenly she knew her choice.
“Okay. Let’s do it. I’ve lived here a year and haven’t been to the Cascades at all yet.”
“Are you sure? I don’t want you to feel pressured or rushed. I want you to feel comfortable and enjoy yourself. Like I said, I’d love for you to stay over for a few days but I’ll bring you back tonight. It’s all totally up to you.”
If she’d had any remaining doubts about going his reaction cleared them up. He didn’t try to pressure her. Still she knew it was insanity, going up to the mountains with a man she’d just met. Harrison would freak. She could not explain it but it felt right and safe and she’d lived for so long making the careful choice, never doing anything impulsive or even fun, that she wanted to be just a bit wild.
“Yes. I’m sure. Since I’ve been here I’ve worked and painted and that’s about it.
Going up to the mountains sounds like fun.”
“You lead an awfully serious life for someone so young. Listen, why don’t you shower? I’ll call up to the lodge and tell them to expect you. Your toothbrush is the red one. If you’re comfortable with it there are clothes hanging in the closet that should fit you. My friend, sort of a brother to me, he and his wife are clothing designers. They own a shop just up the street. Anyway I was passing through and said hello and he sent some stuff home with me. He loves to give people clothes. The lingerie is something I happened across and thought of you.”
She blushed. “Well, wow, um, thanks. And tell your friend I said thank you as well, it’s very nice of him.” She got up, he lay on his back and smiled as he watched her walk into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her.
He leaned over to grab the phone and call the lodge. “Anna, this is Laurent, is Andreas around?”
“Yes, hang on a second.”
A few moments passed, he could hear the water in the bathroom and the sound of Rain brushing her teeth. The domesticity of the moment spread with warmth through his chest.
“Laurent, how did your date with Rain go?” Andreas asked and Laurent heard the smile in his friend’s voice.
“It went very well indeed. Listen, I’ve invited her up to the lodge for the afternoon and possibly a few days. Can you keep the activity away from the house please?”
“Ah, of course. It’s just the regulars this weekend. Devon and Perri are going to the coast with Andy so they won’t be here. It should be calmer with just us. I’ll make sure that Anna takes care of your room and plans a nice welcome dinner for her tonight. Kari will be over the moon about this.”
“She’s a painter so she’s bringing her supplies. I told her she could paint wherever she wanted. And she’s only agreed to come up for the day. I’d like her to stay over of course but I want to leave it up to her. So tell your lovely wife to keep it mellow.”
Andreas laughed. “Easier said than done, my friend. But she’s better at this stuff than any of us are anyway. Rain can paint wherever she likes of course. By the way, I’ve asked Alek to take your place as my bodyguard and he’s accepted. He won’t be able to get here until next week so Skye has volunteered to take over while you’re with Rain. Sealing your mate bond is the most important thing right now.”
“Excellent, Andreas. I’m glad to hear it. I’ll see you all later.”
Laurent got up and walked to the bathroom door and knocked. “Rain, care to learn just how wonderful a shower can be?”
“Do tell,” Rain called out and he went into the steam of the shower to show her yet another reason to love him.
* * * * *
He smiled as she walked into the room wearing the jeans Drew had given her. “Laurent, these are…well, you’re very thoughtful. I can’t believe you guessed my
size so well.”
“Like I said, it’s Drew. I just described you to him and he chose all the stuff. I do prefer your choice of shirt though.” He smiled. She wore one of his dress shirts with no bra, tied at the waist, the sweet swell of her stomach peeking out.
“I hope you don’t mind. It just smelled like you.” Her blush was so endearing. She had no idea of her effect on him at all.
Moving to her, he put his arms around her. “If you keep on saying things like that we’ll never leave.” He gave her a sexy smile. “You’ll have to wear just it later. I have a fantasy about you wearing nothing more than one of my dress shirts.”
“Oh my,” she stammered a bit. “I don’t have any shoes other than the pumps so I suppose I’ll wear them.”
Laurent looked down and then back up. She looked like sex on legs and the fact that she had no idea made her even sexier. Her breasts were high and round against the front of the shirt. It was white and when he concentrated very hard he could see the pink of her nipples through the fabric. Nipples that tightened under his gaze. Her hair was wet and curled around her face and down her back, leaving damp spots where it lay. The jeans were slung low but long so the heels just accentuated the length of her legs. He sighed wistfully, she was so damned beautiful.
“What?” she asked, looking amused. So she had a slight idea of how she affected him at least. She sidled up to him, swaying, her breasts moving as she walked. When she stopped the tips of her nipples just touched his chest. “So shouldn’t we go now?” she said with her lips against his neck.
“You are a very naughty girl.” He smiled, tapping the tip of his index finger on the end of her nose, liking this saucy side of her.
“Hmmm. Really? Will you punish me for it?” she asked, taking his finger and sucking it into her mouth, swirling her tongue around it until he groaned.
“Most assuredly, with interest for the raging hard-on you’ve caused.”
She smiled sweetly and looked down, excited. “Really? Wow, this siren stuff is cool!”
He threw back his head and laughed then. The shift from sexy minx back to sweet innocent was wonderful, playful. He put an arm around her shoulder. “Shall we go, miss trouble?”
“Okay. I’m looking forward to today, you know.”
“I’m glad. I think you should pack a bag just in case. Like I said, I’ll bring you back tonight but if you want to stay you’ll have clothes, or if we decide to stop at a hotel. You know, like if I can’t keep my hands off you another moment.” He locked up behind her and they headed to her house.
When they entered her house Harrison and Andrew were at the table eating breakfast. Both men looked up and did a double take, clearly stunned at her and Laurent’s appearance.
“Hi, guys,” Rain said as she came into the room. “Laurent Cole, this is Harrison Watts and Andrew Keller. FYI, I’m going to the mountains for the day with Laurent. While I toss some clothes in a bag Laurent is going to give you the number at his house and his mobile too, call me if you need me.” She flounced into her room with Laurent in her wake.
Laurent looked around her bedroom as she threw on some tennis shoes and then packed a few things into a duffel bag.
“Where’s your art?”
“Oh it’s in the studio. Hang on and I’ll take you through. I need to grab some supplies anyway,” she told him, her head still in the closet.
“Music and books are also a passion I see,” he said when she turned around, indicating the stacks of books and CDs that littered the room.
“Yes, I spend too much money on both.” She reached down and picked up her mp3 player, adding it to the bag. “I like to listen to music when I paint,” she explained.
He took her bag and followed her out. The phone rang and Harrison called out that it was for her.
“Excuse me a second,” she said to Laurent and moved to the phone in the hallway. “Hello?”
“Rain Foster?”
“Yep, that’s me. What can I do for you?”
“This is Diane Holt of The Holt Gallery. We’re looking at your portfolio right now. Ms. Foster, your work is exceptional and we’d love to see more than just photographs. Would it be possible for you to bring down Whirlpool and Crazy Diamond to the gallery? If they’re as good as they look in the photos we’d like to offer you a show.”
“Are you serious? You…I just turned in the portfolio yesterday. Oh my god I can’t believe it. Yes, yes, I can bring them down. When do you want to see them?”
“Today if possible. If not it’ll have to wait until Monday because I’m going out of town for the weekend.”
“Can you hold on for just a moment? I need to see if I can make arrangements.” Heart racing, blood pounding, she still managed to sound reasonably calm.
“Yes of course.”
“Thank you.” She punched the hold button.
Rain turned to face Harrison, Andrew and Laurent, who all looked at her expectantly. “Oh. My. God. That’s Diane Holt from The Holt Gallery. They love my stuff. They want to see two pieces in person. She said if they’re as good as the photos they want to offer me a show!” She started jumping up and down and Harrison began to laugh while Andrew clapped and Laurent just smiled and took her in. Rain stopped and took a deep breath. “Okay, enough of that, she’s holding. Laurent, I know you want to get back home but I need to get these paintings down to Pioneer Square. Can you wait for me or can we do this another day? I’m sorry.”
“Sorry for what? Rain, this is incredible. I’ll take the paintings over there right now. My truck is most definitely large enough. I’d never be unhappy that you have a great chance like this.”
“Thank you!” She hugged him and got back on the phone. “Ms. Holt, I can be there with them in about half an hour, will that be all right?”
“Yes. I promise you that they will be safe here, of course. I’ll see you in half an hour then.”
Rain hung up and let out a whoop of joy. “This is crazy! I just gave her that portfolio yesterday. Thank god I put a bra on,” she mumbled and started out into the studio.
Laurent looked back at Harrison and Andrew as they went past him into the studio with Rain. They both hugged her, kissing her cheek.
“Congrats, babe. You deserve this. They love your stuff because you’re good. Now be careful this weekend. Laurent, we don’t know you but we love Rain very much and if you harm her in any way it will be very unfortunate for you,” Harrison said sternly and Andrew nodded.
Laurent held out his hand to shake theirs. “I make my solemn vow that I would never hurt Rain. Ever. I’m glad she has you two around.”
At that moment Laurent saw her paintings and he stilled. She was incredibly talented. Her work was stacked all around the room and he took it all in slowly, awed.
“This one is Whirlpool,” she said, pointing at a painting that was all blues and grays. Something about it drew him in, compelled him to look more. “And this one,” she said, pointing to a larger canvas of silvers, reds, blues and blacks, “is my newest, Crazy Diamond. Diane said they wanted to see these two so let’s load them up. Let me get them wrapped for the ride over. Oh and Harrison, can you please bundle up my paints and brushes and throw in two pads? I am going to work while I’m at Laurent’s. Thanks!”
She put corner protectors on the two canvases destined for The Holt and threw an insulating cover over them to protect them from light and the elements. Laurent grabbed one and she got the other while Andrew and Harrison grabbed her duffel and other art supplies.
She hugged them both once again and assured them she’d be fine and then she and Laurent headed toward Pioneer Square.
“Rain, I need to tell you something. It’s really not a big deal and it has nothing to do with anything but I’d hate for you to find out and think I was hiding it from you.”
“Okay.” She looked at him pensively.
“Andreas owns half of The Holt Gallery. I was considering telling him about your work but I never even got the chance. He doesn’t know anything of it and has nothing to do with the process of selecting artists that they do shows for. I just didn’t want you to hear on some off chance that Andreas has a share of The Holt and think that I had anything to do with your selection. It’s all you. You’re really good. Your work blows me away.”
“I can’t tell you what it means to me that you understand that I’d want to do this on my own merits. Not that this business isn’t about who you know, it is. But knowing this was me and my work means a lot. So thank you for thinking of my feelings. Thanks also for liking my work, it’s so important to me and, well, I’m glad you like it.”
He helped her carry the canvases into The Holt where Diane Holt was waiting for them. “You must be Rain Foster. I’m Diane Holt, pleased to meet you.” She smiled and shook Rain’s hand and then looked to the canvases. “Leave them near the windows. I want to see them in the natural light. Go on then, show me what you’ve got.”
Laurent stood near the doors, letting Rain run her own show. Rain went over to the smaller canvas and pulled off the corner guards first and finally the insulating cover. Taking a bracing breath, she stood back and hoped like hell her painting did the talking.
Diane walked forward and put a finger to her lips as she examined the painting slowly, methodically. She studied it for about ten minutes, not saying a word the entire time.
“The other one now please.”
Rain did the same thing and stood back. She clenched her fists behind her back, digging into her palms to keep calm.
Diane let out a long sigh and looked at Rain silently, head cocked to one side. Suddenly a smile broke out over her face. “Young woman, you have a hell of a lot of talent. You have a bright future ahead of you, especially if I have anything to say about it.”
Relief rushed through her. “Really? Oh my god! Thank you. You don’t know how much your opinion means to me.”
“And you have no idea how much exposure a show here and another at my smaller gallery in Portland can give you. I’d like to offer you a show in six weeks. Your own show. We can work out the details next week. I need to get going and Patrick, my husband, will want to see these canvases for himself. We’ll store them for you, unless you want them back right away?”
“No no, go ahead and take the time you need with them.”
“John, please move these to Patrick’s office, he’ll be in on Sunday to look at them,” she told the man standing near the front doors and then looked back toward them. “Rain, I’ll be calling you next week to work out the details. As for Portland, I was thinking of doing a show in about six months, which will give you time to produce more work because, my girl, I tell you, I know you’ll sell every single painting you show.”
“Thank you so much for this opportunity.” Unable to hold back a huge grin, Rain shook the other woman’s hand.
* * * * *
“I’m really proud of you, Rain. Two shows, incredible. She clearly believes you to have talent and she’s got quite a bit of power to break new artists from what I understand.” Laurent held her hand as he headed east toward the lodge. His woman was totally amazing.
“Thank you, Laurent. I’m stunned and thrilled. I can’t quite believe it just yet.”
“We sort of left off the topic last night, Rain. Tell me more about your family. I sense that you haven’t told me the whole story.”
“It’s not that exciting. Nothing I want to talk about.”
“What are you hiding? You sound afraid when you talk about them. Are you afraid, Rain?”
“Let’s just drop it.”
“Rain, I’ve been a professional bodyguard for sixteen years, I am entirely capable of protecting you and me both.”
“Laurent, I said I didn’t want to talk about it and I don’t. Drop it please,” she said sharply.
“You’re being stubborn! Why won’t you trust me?”
“Because. Jesus, I’ve known you for a few days. I can’t talk about it. I don’t want to talk about it. Stop pushing me. Are you telling me that in the few days you’ve known me you’ve told me everything about your life?”
She had him there. He sighed deeply. “Rain, I care about you deeply. I want to protect you. You can trust me to do that.”
She turned and faced him then. “Laurent Cole, if you ask me about this one more time I will make you turn this truck around and take me back to Seattle. I. SAID. I. DON’T. WANT. TO. TALK. ABOUT. IT!”
“I’m sorry, I won’t ask about it anymore. For now.” He scowled.
It was tense for the next hour while she stared out the window, sketching on her pad, leaving him to his mood. Stubborn woman. Laurent’s mobile rang and he picked it up, putting the receiver bit over his ear so he could talk without his hands but still have whatever was said to him remain private. “Laurent,” he bit out.
“Laurent, it’s Phillip. Her DNA came back but her name isn’t Rain Foster, it’s Julia Margoles. She’s got wolves in the family tree though, many of them. She’s compatible. I did wonder why the name change so I checked her out. Laurent, her father is a mob boss. She went on the run a year ago. No one knows where she ended up but according to some of my sources the father has started to look for her recently.”
“Shit.” Laurent cut his eyes to her briefly, she turned to him, alarm on her face. “Yeah. Are you okay?” Phillip asked.
“As long as she is, yes.” “She’s right there?” “Yes.”
“We can talk later. Do you think the first part is good news?”
“Of course, that hasn’t changed. Nothing has.” And it hadn’t, not really. He just had another reason to understand why she’d held back earlier when he’d pushed about her family. She must be terrified.
“Be careful, man.”
“I plan to. We’re only two minutes away. I’ll see you in a few.” He cut the connection and pulled out the earbud.
He understood her reluctance to tell him now. She was alive only because she’d kept her head low and she didn’t want him hurt either. How isolated she must feel not being able to share her life with anyone.
“Julia?”
“Yes?” She paused a moment and turned toward him. She paled and whispered, “No. Tell me you don’t work for him. Please god, not you…”
He grabbed her hand. “No. Listen, it’s complicated but someone I work with found out who you were. Please don’t be afraid. I know and I’ll protect you. Don’t you see? You don’t have to pretend with me, not ever.”
She backed against her door, eyes wild. “Oh my god. You’re f***ing insane, you know that? Do you know what he’d do to you if he found out you helped me? You have to take me back now. I can’t see you anymore. I’ll have to leave Seattle, change my name again. Oh god.” She put her head in her hands and began to cry.
He pulled down the long gravel drive of the lodge, stopping when they reached the house, but waved off Kari and Andreas, who’d rushed out to greet them. Taking off his seatbelt, he moved toward her but she backed up against her door, fear rolling off her in waves.
“Nothing is going to happen to me or to you. I’m not going anywhere and neither are you. Rain, Julia—love, listen to me—I’ve been waiting my entire life to find you and nothing is going to come between us now. Please trust me and my ability. No one, none of our people, is going to breathe a word about you. Only Phillip and I know, most likely Andreas too, but it doesn’t matter. Your father won’t find you. Even if he did he can’t hurt you. I won’t let him.”
“Please,” she whispered and he reached out to touch her face. “You don’t understand. I can’t let myself let you in. I made a mistake, I should have said no when you asked me for my number. I always say no.”
“I love you. You already have let me in and you know it.”
“This is total insanity. How can you love me? You don’t even know me. Shit, so now you know my name, big deal. You still don’t know me and it’s better that you don’t. My father and his associates are not nice people. I walked away from that world and he’ll never let that go. Can you outrun a bullet, Laurent? I was so stupid to think I could have a normal life, a relationship. God, I can’t even have my f***ing art now. He’s stolen that too.”
“One, I love you because you’re you, period. Two, your name is not you, I know you because you’ve shown me your true self. Your birth name is immaterial. Three, my associates are not nice people when messed with either. Four, I can’t outrun a bullet but I can heal extremely quickly and I am extraordinarily fast and agile. Five, normal is in the eye of the beholder. I can’t promise normal but, Rain, I am in your life for good. Six and last, no one will take your art from you. If we have to have shows without your being there it’ll just add to your mystique. We have lawyers on staff who can advise you on your contracts with Holt as well as how you can go about setting up a blind trust so no one can find out your identity.
“We can do this. Let me help because, Rain, I’m not going anywhere even if you really wanted me to and we both know you don’t. Let me in,” he whispered and she collapsed into his arms, weeping and hugging him tightly.
They stayed out there for a while, Laurent slowly calming her down until she’d stopped crying. Kari continued to flit around the doorway, clearly seeing that something was wrong and wanting to fix it. Andreas finally came and yanked her back inside and Laurent smiled.
“Shall we go inside, sweetheart?” Laurent handed her a handkerchief. “I’m sure my face is a total mess. They’ll all think I’m a basket case.”
He kissed her gently and tipped her chin up. “No, they won’t. You look beautiful although your eyes are a bit red. You’ll feel better once you wash your face with cool water. They’ll love you because I do. It’s who they are, Rain. Come on inside, freshen up and let’s get a drink to celebrate your show. Don’t let your father ruin that.” He got out of his door and walked around to hers, helping her down, and Andreas, Kari, Sean, Emma, Jack, Alyssa, Skye, Ryan, Gregory, Phillip and Anna all came out onto the porch smiling welcomingly at them.
Laurent grabbed her duffel. “We’ll get your art supplies in a bit, okay?” She nodded and he put his arm around her and they walked toward the house.
Kari came down the steps, stopping to hug Laurent and then Rain. “Hi, I’m Kari Warner-Phinney, it’s so nice to meet you. Welcome to Star Lake Lodge.” She smiled up at her. “Oh my, sweetie, are you all right? You’ve been crying.” She looked at Laurent, narrowing her eyes. “What have you done to her?”
“It’s not him but thanks anyway.” Rain said it softly but she wanted to be sure no one thought Laurent had harmed her.
“Someday I’ll have to tell you about my first time here at the lodge.” And Andreas groaned.
“If you don’t mind, can you all let Rain just freshen up a bit before we do the introductions?” Laurent’s arm around her was gentle but reassuring.
“Of course, my goodness. Everyone back off!” Anna, taking over, shooed them all away. “Laurent, we’ve moved you into cabin six. Since Alek is taking over we thought that Skye could use your old room next to Andreas and Kari and that you might like your own place, you know, so you and Rain could have some privacy. We moved your stuff down this morning.”
“That was kind of you, Anna.” He looked back to the group on the porch and waved a hand at them. “We’ll be up in a few minutes.”
“Honey, I’m Anna and I’ve been taking care of this place for a mighty long time. If you need anything just yell, okay?” She hugged Rain tightly and walked back toward the house, telling everyone to stop gawking and get inside.
“Come, the cabins are around here.” He took her hand and led her along the path to the cabins. Cabin six was his favorite, it was on the point of the “V” that the cabins all sat along. It was closest to the water and was surrounded by trees. The most secluded cabin, it even had a small flower garden that Jade had put in years ago when she and Tomas lived in this cabin. Andreas’ parents now had their own small house near Sean and Emma’s.
“It’s really beautiful here,” Rain said with wonder. “I’m glad I brought my paints.”
He smiled at seeing her loosen up a bit. She gasped when he turned down the path toward his new cabin. Their new cabin. “This is where you live? My goodness, it’s beautiful.”
He opened the door, not surprised but still comforted by Anna’s thoughtful touches around the cabin. Vases of wildflowers filled the rooms. “I’m just going to put this in the bedroom. Again, no pressure to sleep over.” He dropped Rain’s duffel in the large master bedroom overlooking the lake. The kitchen was fully stocked.
“Wow, this place is amazing. I’m running out of adjectives here.” She walked through the place and went to the sliding glass doors in the master bedroom to step out onto the deck outside. Gregory had put out two Adirondack chairs and a table with an umbrella out there.
“Andreas’ family owns the land here, the lake too. Most of his immediate family have houses here. His brother Sean and his wife as well as Kari’s brother and his wife and kids too. Even his parents live out here.” Laurent pointed out to different places around the shore.
“In the lodge there’s Kari and Andreas, they’re four kids, Skye, Ryan and Phillip. The extended family is gigantic, some days there are over forty people here. Devon, the youngest brother, lives with his wife and son in Portland but they’re here all the time. The sisters-in-law are all very close.”
He looked to her and saw the confusion on her face and smiled. “I know, it’s a lot to take in, but you don’t have to know every detail at this very moment. For now, why don’t you freshen up? I’m just going out to sit on the porch. Come get me when you’re ready.”
Overwhelmed by the events of the day and all the information she’d been fed in the last hour, Rain wandered into the bathroom, grimacing into the mirror. Her eyes were puffy and red but at the same time it felt good that he knew the truth. It’d been so hard to live a lie for so long, to not be able to share her life with anyone. Being on guard every moment was exhausting.
She washed her face with cold water and after a few minutes with cool washcloth compresses the swelling and redness went away. She reached into her bag and put on a bit of lip gloss and finger combed her hair. She wanted these people to like her. They all seemed to adore Laurent and she couldn’t blame them. He’d been so good to her in such a short time.
The short time thing along with the declaration of his love scared her. She shouldn’t feel so much for someone after so short a time. It wasn’t normal, was it? Still it felt right. She felt safe with him. She felt a lot of things for him. The chemistry between them was intense. Really intense. When he was near it was all she could do not to touch him or kiss him. She wanted his hands on her every moment. But it was more than lust, he made her warm and fuzzy inside too.
The way he’d told her about Andreas and the gallery, the way he’d assured her the decision to stay or not was up to her—she loved that he thought about that stuff. And she’d pretty much already decided that unless something freaky happened that afternoon she wanted to stay overnight. The whole place was heaven. So beautiful and green. The light was perfect and she couldn’t wait to work.
Meanwhile, Laurent sat out on the deck, trying to process his rage. Rain’s father had really done a number on her and seeing her in such terror over being found—at the thought of anyone she cared for being hurt—enraged him. Worse, that she imagined having to give up her art, when it was clear how much she loved it—he wanted to wring the man’s neck.
On top of that Laurent himself had spooked her. He hadn’t meant to move so fast. Telling her he loved her freaked her out, he could tell. Still, another positive thing about converting her was that the change would help make her even safer from her father. The more he was with her the more he wanted to be with her. He’d never thought it was possible to be so totally in love with someone after just two days but the thought that she’d be going back to her life in Seattle while he’d have to be at the lodge made him edgy. He didn’t want to be separated from her, not even for a day. He knew he’d have to woo her and all but he wished she was already a werewolf and understood their culture so they could skip the whole dating thing and get straight to the mating bond ritual.
“Hi. It’s beautiful out here. I think I’ll get a lot of work done in this very spot.” Rain came to stand next to his chair. Reaching out, he grabbed her waist, pulling her down into his lap so he could drink her in while he nuzzled his face into her hair.
“Feeling better, sweetheart?” he asked, massaging her shoulders. “A bit. Oh that feels nice.” She snuggled into him.
“Rain, watch it there.” Laurent chuckled when she rubbed hera**into his lap as she squirmed, awakening his cock. His anger ebbed, replaced by an onslaught of pure lust.
“Hmmm. Laurent? Is that a pickle in your pocket or are you happy to see me?” She giggled. “Oh I crack myself up.”
He groaned. Both at her silly pun and his predicament. He wanted to take her into the bedroom and spend the rest of the day showing her just how happy she did make him. But he knew his Pack. And he knew Andreas was probably holding Kari back bodily to keep her from coming down. They’d been there for half an hour already and by extension Rain was one of Kari’s wolves, she’d want to be sure Rain was all right.
“Oh I’ll show you just what it is. However if we don’t go up to the lodge soon people will start coming down here.”
Rain turned around so that she was straddling his lap. “Oh well. I was hoping for some hot, sweaty naked time with you. Like, in how much time will people start coming down?” Her voice was sultry and she stroked the heated softness of her p*ssy over his c*ck for emphasis.
He brought his lips to hers and their combined passions united and the flames overcame them. She mewled deep in her throat. The edge of need in the sound drove straight to his groin. Moaning, he pulled her tighter to him, one of his hands moving to cup her breast, the other sliding down to cup the curve of hera**
Her hands went to his hair and pulled his mouth even closer. His breath became hers. Her head lolled back and he feasted on her neck and bit her pulse, marking her. In response she cried out, jerking back, arching her spine.
Standing, Laurent picked her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist as he carried her into the house, placing her on the counter in the kitchen. Her hands went to the waist of his jeans, yanking at them desperately. “I need you now, Laurent. Please,” she panted.
He helped her out of her jeans and panties, spreading her thighs wide, exposing her p*ssy. He could see how slick and swollen she was and his breath whooshed out of him at the sight. “Shit. Hang on, I need to grab a condom from the other room.” He stepped away but she grabbed him, pulling him back to her.
“No. Now. I’m on the Pill. Please, Laurent, I can’t wait.” She grabbed his c*ck in her hands and stroked it.
Groaning, he moved back to stand between her thighs, surging into her cunt in one stroke. She gasped, her fingers digging into his biceps, wrapping her legs around his waist. She was safe from STDs as wolves couldn’t transmit them, they couldn’t
crossbreed with humans either so she was safe that way too, not that he could tell her either thing.
Shaking his head to dislodge any thought but of them at that moment, he began to stroke deep into her. Their coupling was hard, fast and wild, born out of fear of separation and acceptance of the intensity of feeling of one for the other. She was tight around him and he knew it wouldn’t be long until he came. Her fiery heat surrounding him like a velvet vise drove him to distraction.
Releasing the tight grip on her hip, he moved his hand to her p*ssy, finding her cl*t swollen and ready for him. Spreading her honey, he flicked slick fingertips over her cl*t over and over. Her moans started soft but gained intensity as her hips rolled in unison with the thrust of his own, the heat of her p*ssy meeting his c*ck over and over.
The sounds she made, the smell of her hair in his face, the musk of her p*ssy and the hormonal perfume of their sex pushed at his control. “I’m going to come, come with me, sweetheart,” he grunted out and she nodded before her head lolled back.
Her muscles tensed around him as he increased the speed and intensity of his thrusts. His fingers on her cl*t matched the rhythm of his movement into her p*ssy.
It hit them both in a screaming, moaning climax that most likely echoed out over the lake. His knees nearly buckled with the overwhelming sensation of her p*ssy coming around his cock. It seemed like his orgasm would never end. Each time he thought his breath was returning to normal a small aftershock would hit, driving him upward again.
His face buried in her neck, he stayed inside her for long minutes afterward, never going totally soft.
“That was…” Her words were slightly slurred as she panted.
“Yes. Every time with you is exceptional. You’re so beautiful and so sexy.” He kissed her forehead before pulling out and helping her down.
“I’ll just freshen up again and we can go up to the lodge.” She grabbed her jeans and underwear and headed back to the bathroom. This time when she looked in the mirror she saw a lush, sexy woman with kiss-swollen lips and passion in her eyes. She cleaned up quickly, getting dressed and redoing her lip gloss and hair.
It was as good as it was going to get. With one last smoothing hand over her hair, she went out front where Laurent waited for her.
“Shall we then, love?” He held out his hand and she took it and they walked back up to the lodge.
“Laurent?”
He turned to her, smiling. “Yes?”
“I’d like to stay here tonight if that’s okay with you.”
Leaning down, he kissed her quickly but thoroughly. “Okay? I’d be thrilled. Thank you. I’m very much looking forward to waking up with you again.”
When they walked in through the side doors of the big house, everyone got up and looked toward them both, smiling.
“Well, you both certainly look better,” a tall lanky man with black hair like Laurent’s said with a wry grin.
“Rain Foster, this is Skyler Andrews. He fancies himself a comedian. Don’t take anything he says seriously.”
“Ah, pshaw, Laurent. You can take this to the bank, Rain, you are very welcome here at Star Lake Lodge. We’ve all been waiting to meet the woman who has so captured Laurent’s heart. I can see why he’s smitten. Can I just tell you that I’ve always had a deep appreciation for heart-shaped asses?” He gave her an infectious grin and a wink.
Laurent growled, smacking him playfully. “Hey! Watch yourself.” “Thanks, I think.” Rain smiled, unable not to.
“I’m going to introduce everyone. Don’t try to remember all the names.” Laurent chuckled and Rain felt a bit easier. “This is Ryan. He and Kari run a computer gaming company out of the lodge.”
She smiled at the tall man with caramel-colored hair. Did Laurent know any short, homely men at all?
“Welcome, Rain.” Ryan smiled at her warmly and took her hand, kissing it.
“This is Sean, Andreas’ younger brother. The lovely woman beside him is his wife Emma. She’s a doctor in town.”
Emma walked forward and gave her a hug. “I know it’s a bit overwhelming but we are all very happy to meet you.”
“You have already met Kari and Andreas.” Rain looked at the giant man who had the tiny woman folded into his side. They both looked incredibly in love.
“Welcome again. I’m really looking forward to seeing your artwork,” Kari said warmly.
“Our house is yours. I mean that truly. Laurent is like a brother to me. This has been his home for over thirty years. By extension you’re our family too,” Andreas added.
Laurent interrupted quickly. “You met Anna outside. She’s sort of the den mother around here. She’s an amazing cook. Nothing happens without her.” He put his arm around the gray-haired woman who’d been so kind to her outside earlier.
“Are you feeling better, love?” Anna asked her, grabbing her hands. “I’ve made you a pot of tea, that should help.” She smiled and pointed to the older man at her side, “That’s Gregory, he’s my husband and he does the work to keep this place running.”
Gregory tipped an imaginary hat at her, smiling. “Nice to meet you, Rain.”
“This is Jack, Kari’s brother, and his wife Alyssa. He’s a police officer in town.
Alyssa does website design out of their home.”
They both smiled at her broadly and said their hellos and welcomes.
“Last but not least this is Phillip. He’s Kari’s bodyguard and has been my right- hand man for the last sixteen years.” Laurent indicated a tall broad man with a long strawberry-blond braid.
He walked forward and embraced her and said into her ear, “Both you and your secret are safe with us.”
She looked back and up into his face, confused for a moment until it occurred to her he meant the situation with her father. “Thank you.”
“Well, that’s the basics. These are the people who live here except for the kids, you’ll meet them when they get out of school. Jade and Tomas, Sean and Andreas’ parents, are away on a road trip right now,” Laurent explained.
“I imagine you’re hungry. I’ve prepared some lunch so let’s go into the dining room.” Anna waved her hands to spur them on and led the way through to a large room dominated by a huge table.
“So Rain just got offered a show in six weeks at The Holt. Diane Holt also offered her another solo show at her gallery in Portland in six months,” Laurent announced with a proud smile.
“Really? How wonderful! You know Andreas owns part of The Holt but I imagine that you’re like me and glad you got it without influence. You have to watch these guys. They get a bit, shall we say, zealous when it comes to the women they care about. It drives me nuts,” Kari said. “It’s all with good intentions but still annoying.” She winked.
“Yes, I was glad to know I got the show on my own merits. No denying the who you know influence in the art world, in fact my friend Shane is the one who told me that The Holt was looking for new artists to begin with. But knowing that I got a show because my art is good, that means a lot. By the way, this is a beautiful place. I think I’ll be doing a lot of work here.”
“I’ll bring your stuff out to the cabin when we’re finished with lunch, mon coeur.”
She smiled at him, he’d called her my heart. “Thank you.” The way he looked at her made her feel stifled and free all at the same time. The whole experience was a bit overwhelming, all of these strangers talking to her like she was Laurent’s new wife or something when she’d known him all of a few days. It was odd but comforting too. She liked them all very much but she couldn’t help but feel slightly wary.
After lunch Kari, Emma and Alyssa took her for a walk around the lake and by the time they came back to the lodge the van with the kids had pulled into the drive.
“Ah, your competition has arrived,” Kari said, laughing. “Helene?”
“Laurent told you about her? She adores him. He’s been like another father to her since she was born. I’ve told her about you and she told me this morning that she was willing to share Laurent with you as long as he always took her to the fair and they still got to have their special days fishing on the lake.”
The door to the van slid open and children began running out toward the house. “The tallest boy and little girl in the blue dress are mine. Max and Drea,” Alyssa said, waving at them both.
“The tall one with the brown braids is Hellie, looks so much like her uncle Sean. The blond one who looks just like Andreas is Tomas, her twin. The two imps with dirty faces are the youngest twins, Sean and Devon.” Kari smiled, watching them tear into the house.
“And the littlest blond boy is Matthew, and the bossy little miss telling him what to do is Jade. Both mine,” Emma said.
“Such beautiful kids.” Rain smiled, feeling a bit of jealousy that these women seemed so in love and had such beautiful families. While the whole situation and extended family thing at the lodge made her wary, she had to admit she wanted it. Wanted to be a part of something that seemed so idyllic. Could she dare imagine herself here with these women? Laurent at her side, children running around?
By the time they walked back into the lodge Hellie had ensconced herself in Laurent’s lap and was busily telling him all about her day. Laurent idly bounced her on his knee, smiling and listening intently.
“If she wasn’t so young I think I’d have some major competition,” she murmured and Kari laughed.
“Hey, kiddos, this is Rain, Laurent’s…friend.”
The children waved, holding cookies and milk aloft.
Rain sat down next to Jade and Devon, who proceeded to chat her ear off about the frogs their tadpoles had turned into. She laughed delightedly as the story unfolded with much drama.
“Well hello, Laurent! You’re back!” a female voice actually cooed from the doorway.
Rain turned toward it and saw a tall redheaded woman standing there, looking at Laurent like he was a slice of pie. Laurent looked up in surprise.
“Paloma. I didn’t know you’d be here.” “Surprised?” She laughed.
Rain’s eyebrow rose despite herself. Who was this?
Kari sighed and Emma murmured to her, too low for Rain to hear.
Paloma sidled over and insinuated herself next to Laurent. Rain looked to Laurent then, waiting for a response on his part. Something to let the redhead know he was there with Rain.
Kari interrupted quickly, “Paloma, what a nice surprise. Please say hello to Rain.
She’s Laurent’s girlfriend.”
At that pronouncement Paloma’s pretty face fell into a pout and she turned back to Laurent without even addressing Rain. “Really now? Interesting. Did you tell her about us?”
Laurent sighed deeply. “Paloma, I believe that Rain is waiting for you to say hello.” Rain jerked back at Laurent’s silence with regard to what Rain was to him and with whoever the hell this woman was. This was after all the man who told her he loved her
and needed her—and yet he failed to make that clear to this chick sticking her boobs out at him.
Kari cleared her throat, raising her eyebrows at Laurent.
The redhead turned and looked Rain over with clear derision. “Hi. I take it you’re human?”
Rain laughed but there was an edge to it that every woman in the room recognized. “What else would I be?” The nerve! She stood up. “I’m feeling tired, if you’ll excuse me,” she said and left the room through the sliders on the deck off the dining room and started down the hillside toward the cabin.
“What on earth did you say that for?” Andreas roared.
“Children, why don’t you go to the playroom?” Phillip said and Anna came out with a plate of cookies and more milk and led the way through the house to the playroom.
“What?” Paloma said, feigning innocence.
“Of course she’s human, you could smell it. You mentioned it just to bait her,” Laurent growled out.
“Why is she here anyway? Jesus, Laurent, she’s some human mouse. Why her when you can have a wolf?”
“She’s my Mate, don’t speak of her that way. And I don’t want you, I’ve told you that before,” Laurent growled. Paloma put her hand on his arm and stroked it and at that moment Rain came back into the room to retrieve the sketchpad she’d left.
“I think I should be getting back to Seattle,” she said to Laurent through clenched teeth.
Laurent stood up. “Amorueux, this is not what it seems. Come, little heart, let’s talk about it.”
Rain snorted and walked out. As if calling her sweetheart was gonna alleviate the trouble he was in now. Kari gave an I told you so look at Andreas, who’d been squeezing her hand to keep her quiet, but she held her tongue, for which Laurent was eternally grateful.
He shoved a hand through his hair and went after Rain.
When he got back to the cabin she was shoving her stuff back into her duffel bag. Stalking over, he grabbed the bag and put it on the floor. He took her arm. “What are you doing?”
“Leaving. That way you and your redheaded friend can be alone. I’m sure I can catch a bus back to Seattle in town.”
“You aren’t going anywhere. I don’t want to be alone with Paloma, I want to be with you. She’s nothing to me, Rain. I was telling her that and she touched me right as you walked into the room. You ran out before I could explain.”
“She asked if I was human! She rubbed herself all over you and you didn’t do a thing! What kind of man doesn’t stand up for a woman he’s just told he loves?” She was mad now, which was better than the hurt she’d been feeling. She could deal with anger more easily than heartbreak.
“Rain, I don’t know what to do in these situations. I’m not some Don Juan. I’ve never dated anyone seriously before much less told a woman I loved her, well, other than my mother or Hellie. There is no one else for me, count on it. I am not interested in Paloma.”
“So tell me what the story is,” she said, arms crossed. “I’ll tell you if you tell me about your family.”
“You’re actually going to try to bargain with me right now? After the way you just acted? You’ve got to be joking.”
“Look, it’s only fair. I share, you share. Come on, Rain, give a little.” “Fine,” she ground out.
“Fine. Paloma is a part of the, um, extended family here. She and I dated a few times but it was never serious. The last time I was with her was at least seven months ago. I’ve told her ever since that I’m not interested.”
“The last time you were with her? As in, your d*ck inside of her with her?”
Laurent cringed. “You get vulgar when you’re jealous. Remind me to never underestimate you. Yes. She and I had sex.”
“A lot or a little?” “Enough.”
“What the hell does that mean? Did you f*** her, like, a hundred times or, like, two times?” Mousy huh, she’d show him just how opposite a mouse she was.
“Why is it important?”
“So a hundred times then.” “What? Where do you get that?”
“Your total evasion of the answer.” She glared at him. “Women! We had sex about a dozen times. There, satisfied?”
“Um, no. See, so now I’m expected to hang out with some woman you’ve had sex with, and she’s still obviously in favor of continuing the situation, for the day? Oh no.”
“Rain, she is nothing to me. It was totally casual and meaningless. You are the opposite of that. Whether she’s here or not I am with you. You have to know that. Can’t you see how I feel about you?”
“Yes, I saw it when you sat there saying nothing when she was a total bitch to me. Oh and again when I walked out and you stayed to get rubbed on by her. If you care for me so much, Laurent, why didn’t you defend me? She sat there and insulted me and you said nothing!”
“It’s best to ignore her. She likes to push buttons. I’m sorry if I hurt your feelings and made you feel like I didn’t want to defend you. I just didn’t want to engage with her and make her think anything she said mattered. It doesn’t matter. You and I matter, that’s it.” He reached out to caress her cheek and she didn’t pull away. “You drive me crazy, Rain. I want you so much,” he said in an anguished whisper and kissed her lips.
She snorted and he started to laugh. “What?” she demanded.
“I used to watch Andreas and Kari and when she’d drive him nuts, just like you’re doing to me, I’d think to myself, I’d never let a woman do that to me. And yet here I am, right where he was, and I love every frustrating minute of it. Not a single woman on the face of this planet is as beautiful and strong and talented as you are. None can hold a candle to you. I want you and only you. I love you and only you. There are no others for me and there will never be again. Do you understand, Rain?”
“Does she?” Rain challenged back.
He grinned at her. “I stayed back to make that clear. She knows.”
She smiled at his declaration and sat down on the couch. He sat next to her and she snuggled into his side. “Now you have a tale of your own to tell?”
She sighed. “So you know that my family is involved in organized crime already. I grew up in a world where women were accessories—daughters, mothers and wives. There are mistresses as well but they have their own world and aren’t spoken of. Anyway, from an early age my sister and I were trained to be dutiful daughters. We were sent to college but really only in preparation for marriage. I went to graduate school but only because my mother intervened so hard on my behalf.
“My father and his buddies actually arranged mine and my sister’s marriages when we were young. My sister married a fifty-five-year-old friend of my dad’s, a man who’d saved his life. This man was a widower and has three children, all of whom are older than she is. My sister is twenty-three years old.” Rain sighed.
“Anyway. I knew who my husband-to-be was. The son of one of my dad’s associates. Anthony wasn’t a bad guy really, at least he was my age. He’s the person who took my virginity at twenty-four, not that the event was very memorable. Anyway, my dad put the pressure on for me to marry Anthony. I resisted. I didn’t love him, I wanted to paint. My dad insisted, Anthony insisted, Anthony’s father insisted. I agreed but secretly I went to my mother, who agreed to help me run. She started to put aside money for me here and there. My dad knew something was up and started to have me watched very closely. He made me leave my job so I had no money of my own. I agreed to marry Anthony but set the date a year out, saying that we had to plan a bash significant enough for a man of my father’s stature. He, being the egomaniacal asshole that he is, agreed and the pressure lightened a bit but I still had no car and no money.
“One day, after a fitting of my dress, Anthony came over and he was high. He had a problem with crystal meth. Anyway, we argued and he beat me up pretty badly. My eye was swollen up and he actually fractured my arm in two places. The worst part is that he did it in a room filled with people and none of them did a thing to help me. My father came in and finally made him stop. He looked at me and shook his head and said, ‘Julia, this is what happens when you can’t keep your fiancé happy, don’t let it happen again’ and he turned and walked away, leaving me there. My aunt convinced them to let me go to the hospital and get treated. That’s what saved my life. My mom took me and they left us alone. She knew none of them—my father’s men—would come to the emergency room for fear of getting arrested. I got treated and my mother and aunt gave me all of their cash, my mom gave me some jewelry, the money she’d saved up, and they dropped me at the bus station with the clothes I had on my back, bruises and all and my arm in a sling.
“I walked in, bought three tickets, one to Salt Lake, one to Florida and one to Boston. I took the bus to Boston and got off halfway there and took the train out here. I never looked back.
“I call my mother once a month at the pay phone near her beauty salon. My dad doesn’t know where I am and I don’t know how long it will be before he starts to look for me. I think at first he thought that I’d come back when I ran out of money but you know, I’m not afraid to work hard. My first few months here I picked apples in Yakima on weekends for extra money. I got the job at The Black Cat about eight months ago after meeting Harrison and Andrew and moving in there. I have a small amount of cash, enough to split if I need to. I won’t go back but I can’t involve anyone either. My father won’t hesitate to hurt people to get what he wants.”
By the time she’d finished Laurent trembled with rage. The thought of anyone putting his hands on Rain, of hitting her so hard her bones fractured—it was enough that he felt his wolf chafing to rise. He had to take a few deep breaths to drive it back down.
“Bet you’re sorry you met me now, huh? Listen, just drop me in town and I’ll get back to Seattle. Pretend you never met me. I’ll be gone in a day. I’ll choose another city and another name and be out of your life.”
He looked at her then, anger in his eyes, and she flinched. “No, Rain. Never fear me. I would never raise a hand in anger toward you. Never. I love you, I want to cherish and protect you. My anger is about your father and this Anthony, it’s not toward you. I knew you were strong but, Rain, you’re amazing to have done all that on your own. Oh mon coeur, my heart, you’ve been alone for so long, haven’t you?”
She choked back a sob. “Yes.”
“Not anymore. I’m your family now, Julia.” “I’m not Julia anymore. Julia is dead. I’m Rain.” “Okay, Rain. Why Rain by the way?”
She smiled. “I got off the train at Union Station in downtown Seattle. I’d been on the train and panicked with fear. But despite being downtown, despite how tired I was, the rain hit my face and everything sort of washed away. The rain took the weight from my shoulders.” She shrugged. “It just seemed appropriate.”
He smiled, leaning in to kiss her temple. “I like that. Now we will all have to put our heads together and find a way out of this. You cannot live in fear any longer.” He threaded her fingers with his own.
They were sitting there, watching the light dim and the pinks and purples of the sunset stain the sky when they heard a quiet tap at the door.
Laurent called out for whomever it was to come in and the door opened, Ryan standing in the frame.
“Is everything all right? Phillip and I brought Rain’s art supplies down for her. Shall we just leave them here in the living room?” Phillip came into the room holding the bag with her pads and Ryan put the case carrying the paints, brushes, charcoals and pencils down beside it.
“Thank you both, you’re very kind,” Rain said. “That’s an understatement but I mean it genuinely.”
“I’m afraid you haven’t been shown much hospitality,” Ryan apologized.
“Ah, what’s one jealous bitch? The rest of you have been lovely,” she said, getting up and stretching.
Laurent laughed and Ryan and Phillip joined in. “You’ll fit in with the other women here just fine.” Phillip came over and hugged her. She realized that they felt like family.
“I’m going to go out on the deck to sketch for a while, the light is so pretty right now.” She grabbed her watercolor pencils and a sketch pad and headed outside. Settling down into one of the big chairs, she tucked her feet beneath her body and flipped her hair back over her shoulder before getting to work.
“She’s gorgeous, Laurent,” Phillip said as they watched her sketch, totally lost in her own head.
“Spunky too. I imagine that since you are still able to walk without a limp that you were able to explain the Paloma situation to her satisfaction.” Ryan wore a wry grin.
Laurent sighed. “Women! Why on earth she’d be mad when she’s my Mate is beyond me!
“Because if some man was rubbing himself on her you’d be freaking out. Admit it, Laurent. You can’t expect her to just know anything. And I seem to remember you telling Andreas all of this back when Kari came to us,” Phillip said, smiling, remembering back to the first days that Kari had come to the Pack.
“If some man rubbed any body part against her he’d lose it.” Laurent growled dangerously and Phillip and Ryan laughed.
“Kari, Emma and Alyssa took Paloma aside earlier. I think she’ll be behaving for now at least. While it’s more diverting to have a few unmated females with us now, it’s also troublesome at times like these. Too many bitches,” Ryan said and Laurent and Phillip nodded energetically.
“When do you plan to tell her?” Phillip asked, meaning about being a werewolf.
“In time. She just told me the story of how she ran from her family and that’s enough trauma for a bit.”
“Bad huh?”
“I can’t talk about it right now I’m so angry. It’s bad, very bad. We will have to brainstorm to see what we can do to keep her safe later.”
“Okay. Don’t be late for dinner or you know you’ll have half the Pack down here.” Ryan and Phillip went back out the front door and Laurent followed them, chatting for a few more minutes while the sun set and Rain finished her sketching.
Rain came back into the cabin and went into the bedroom to change her clothes. She put a bit of goo in her hair to tame the flyaway hairs and keep the curl, dabbed on some lipstick and mascara and changed into a skirt. She opted for a pale blue dress shirt hanging in Laurent’s closet though. She put in some hoop earrings and used a tortoiseshell clip to pull some of the hair off her face, fastening it at the nape of her neck. That was about as good as it got—she didn’t wear a lot of makeup.
“Hey there,” she called out, joining the three of them on the front lawn. She paused a moment as she caught sight of Laurent and his friends. The moment seemed perfect. Tiny white lights lit the trees around the lodge and along the path, the moon was three quarters and hung large and low in the sky, painting the scene with silver and hues of gold. Laurent’s hair was loose, how she liked it, shimmering in the light.
Their united masculinity hung in the air. She could almost smell the testosterone between them all. She envied their connection to each other, loved the sense of brotherhood they seemed to have with each other.
The best thing though was the way Laurent’s face changed when he caught sight of her. He made her feel like the most beautiful woman alive. How lucky was she? Suddenly everything seemed to be all right. Because of how he looked at her.
Laurent turned and his heart stopped for a moment, looking at her. She was so feminine and soft and yet so strong. He smiled when he saw she wore one of his shirts. He wrapped an arm around her, pulling her into his side.
“You look beautiful. I like this skirt a lot.” The skirt sort of wrapped around her, leaving a slit up the side. Nothing daring but very sexy. Her hair hung in curls down her back. He leaned in and breathed in her scent and calm overtook him.
“I like the shirt myself.” She gave him a sexy smile, eyes dancing with mischief.
“I like what’s under it,” he said into her ear and she laughed, a rich throaty sound that sent shivers down his spine.
“That’s enough, you two! As if Kari and Andreas weren’t bad enough.” Phillip chuckled.
“Let’s go up to the lodge, dinner will be ready soon. Would you like a drink?” Ryan asked, falling into step next to Rain and Laurent.
“Yeah, a drink would be nice.”
“A celebratory drink, in honor of your show,” Laurent said and Phillip agreed.
“God, this morning seems so long ago.”
“I’m sorry that today has been such a trial. You’ve dealt with a lot.”
She shrugged and he wanted to make everything better for her. He would if it was the last thing he did.
“Rain, wanna play Chutes and Ladders with us?” Hellie asked as they walked into the house. She came to grab Rain’s hand, looking up at her expectantly.
“Oh yes. I love Chutes and Ladders! You’ll have to take it easy on me though, I’m sure you’re all very good at it.” She allowed Hellie to lead her into the great room where her brothers were gathered around the board already. She sat on the floor with them, playing for half an hour, laughing and letting them beat her. Laurent sat on the couch, his knees touching her back, and watched, smiling.
“Dinner is ready, come on in here!” Anna called out and Rain helped the kids put away the game. After a tussle and some negotiation, Tomas held her hand as they went into the dining room, little Devon on the other side, both gazing up at her adoringly.
“It appears that you’ve got some competition, Laurent.” Phillip chuckled as he watched Rain interact with the boys so easily.
Laurent laughed and grabbed the boys, one under each arm. “Sorry, boys, Rain is taken. You’ll have to find your own female.” They giggled at Laurent’s gruff growls.
The kids all had their own table next to the main table and Anna laid out a less ornate dinner of chicken fingers and mashed potatoes for them while the adults got chicken divan and rosemary-and-garlic-roasted potatoes and grilled vegetables.
Andreas stood up and looked down the long table, smiling and holding his wineglass aloft. “A toast, to Rain, on her first art show, and to Laurent, for being lucky enough to have been starving and having begged me to pull over at the next place, that place being the restaurant where he met Rain.”
“Hear, hear!” Laurent said and they all raised their glasses and toasted. Even Paloma, who still looked disgruntled at Rain and covetous toward Laurent.
After dinner they all sat in the great room and had drinks while talking and laughing. Rain drew funny portraits of the children, to their immense delight. Laurent loved seeing how well Rain fit into their family. He also made sure to sit curled around Rain all night and to avoid looking at Paloma at all.
“Time for bed, kids,” Kari called out, the children’s moans and protests meeting her pronouncement. Sean and Emma took their two home, saying they’d be back the following day. Alyssa and Jack followed with their two as well, leaving Kari and Andreas’ rowdy lot, who begged and pleaded until their mother allowed Rain to read them a story.
Rain went upstairs and after the children had all changed into pajamas and were tucked into their beds she sat in the middle of the room. But instead of reading she made up a complicated and action-packed story about a prince and princess who were really superheroes and traveled the universe saving people.
Andreas stood in the doorway with Laurent. Laurent didn’t miss the way both his friends looked at Rain. His woman was something special. He looked at Kari whose eyes twinkled, knowing the way to her heart was through the children. Rain was so naturally loving with them they responded back, sensing what a genuine person she was. Even Hellie who hadn’t had to share Laurent since the moment she was born seemed to adore Rain.
Rain leaned over and delivered smooches to each child before leaving the room with a promise to see them all the next day.
“You’re a natural with them. They’ll be so upset when you go back to Seattle,” Kari laughed as they went back downstairs. “You know, you could always move up here, heck, you could even have a cabin of your own for a studio for your art.”
Rain laughed and squeezed Kari’s hand. “Your children are wonderful but my life is in Seattle. I have a job and a place to live. I’m sure I’ll be back again.”
Laurent scowled at Andreas over Rain’s head. He was annoyed that Kari brought up Rain moving in so fast. He wanted to slowly introduce the idea of her moving to the lodge, not scare her even more. Andreas merely shrugged as if to say, ‘hey, you know Kari, I have no say’.
“Come on, Rain, let’s go for a walk,” Laurent said, flashing an annoyed glance at Kari who raised one shoulder and grinned back at him.
“Sounds lovely.” Rain took his hand.
“I think a run sounds even better,” Paloma purred, giving Laurent a meaningful look.
“Isn’t it sort of dark for a jog?” Rain asked.
Phillip narrowed his eyes at Paloma and Skye grabbed her arm and dragged her out of the room.
“What was that all about?” Rain stopped in her tracks, looking between the people left in the room.
“Nothing,” Laurent growled.
“She’s really going to jog at this time of night in the dark in the woods? And what’s with all the growling anyway? You all do it so much.”
“With Paloma who knows? She’s odd.” Laurent avoided the question about the growling.
“You’re up to something, Laurent. I can tell when people are hiding something.
What is it?” Rain cocked her head and put her hands on her hips.
He gathered a very stiff Rain into his arms and showered kisses all over her face. “So suspicious! What could I possibly be hiding? How about that walk?”
“Yes, a walk sounds wonderful. Andreas and I would love to come as well.” Kari cast a glance back to where Skye animatedly explained something to Paloma.
Rain looked at the three of them and back around to where Skye stood with Paloma. Something was up and they were all trying to cover it up. Suspicion sat like lead in her gut. “No, thank you. I’ll be going back to the cabin. If anyone here would like to tell me the truth I’ll be glad to hear it.” She pushed out of Laurent’s arms and stalked out.
“What could I possibly be hiding!” Rain mumbled, imitating Laurent. She shouldn’t have come up there. She was trapped now and she wanted to get home, away from all of these people. They were all very nice and she felt an unbelievable sense of rightness about being there. But there was something not being said, something major, and she had had enough of being lied to.
Once Rain stalked out Laurent growled dangerously, looking toward Paloma. “What on earth do you think you’re doing? You know she doesn’t know about us yet. You’re deliberately making trouble, Paloma. I should point out to you how stupid that is when as my Mate Rain will outrank you in Pack hierarchy. Then what will you do?”
“If you love this human so much why haven’t you told her about what we are?” Paloma spat out, saying the word “human” with loathing.
“First of all, Paloma, I was human before I came here too. I have had enough of your anti-human talk. I am your queen, am I not?” Kari asked angrily.
“You’re different. This human is not fit to be mate to our Third.”
“It is not up to you to decide that!” Andreas roared and assumed his full height and width. The hairs on Laurent’s arms rose up at the power spilling out of his Alpha. “If you do anything to upset Rain again I will personally expel you from this Pack, do you understand?”
Paloma fell to the ground and prostrated herself at Andreas’ feet in total submissiveness to her Alpha’s authority.
“Go to Rain, Laurent. You have to tell her soon.”
“I can’t tell her tonight, Andreas. She’s had enough to deal with for one day.”
Andreas looked at Laurent, smiling and shaking his head. “I seem to recall you telling me that things had to be done when Kari was brought over, that it was too late and had to be dealt with.”
“Yes but she was already made. Rain hasn’t been. The situation is different,” Laurent said, his chin out stubbornly.
Kari laughed and kissed Laurent’s cheek, rubbing her face along his jawline. “She’ll have to be told sometime. The sooner the better. It’s easier if you tell her here now than back in Seattle.”
Laurent sighed and stalked out of the room, heading back to the cabin. He walked in and discovered that Rain had locked herself in the master bedroom. “Rain? It’s Laurent, let me in.” He knocked softly on the door.
“I’m trying to sleep. I put your clothes in the spare room. You can take me back to Seattle in the morning.”
Laurent frowned and clenched his fists. “Rain, open the door!” he ordered through a clenched jaw.
“Good night, Laurent. That is, unless you plan to explain to me just exactly what is going on here.”
“You’re being stubborn. I am not hiding anything!”
“You’re full of shit, Laurent Cole! Just be sure to wake early, I need to get back to the city first thing.”
“You don’t have to be back at work until Sunday, I wasn’t going to take you back until late tomorrow afternoon.”
“Hmm, well I don’t remember asking for your permission.” “I will not discuss this with you through a closed door!”
Silence. He pounded on the door. More silence. “Rain, love, let’s talk.” “Are you going to tell me the whole truth?”
“I’m not hiding anything.” Laurent knew she’d be pissed off when she heard the whole story but he truly didn’t think she was ready to know he was a werewolf, not after the whole drama about her father had unfolded earlier that day.
“Good night then.”
He banged his forehead against the door several times. This mating business was frustrating. Why couldn’t Rain just accept that he knew what was best for her and trust him? He stiffened, he could smell her tears and hear her quiet sobs. “Rain, please, I can hear you crying. Let me in.”
“NO! If I let you in we’ll end up in bed and I’ll hate myself for being so weak. I can’t abide this, Laurent. You’re lying about something and the rest of your friends are helping you hide it. I don’t want to be a part of that. You will leave me alone and take me back to Seattle. In fact, why don’t you just take me now?”
He sighed. “I’m going for a walk. Stay inside. We’ll talk tomorrow.” “Say hello to that bitch Paloma,” she called out, a hitch in her voice.
He wanted to howl in frustration. “I won’t be seeing Paloma, Rain. Why don’t you come for a walk with me?”
“Why don’t you piss off?” she hurled back and he wanted to laugh but wisely stifled it. Despite the situation, he had to admire her balls.
He left the cabin and walked to the edge of the woods. A run would take the edge off his anger and frustration. Shedding his clothes, he dropped to all fours and closed his eyes. His human self sank beneath the waves and his wolf rose and he transformed. The world was black and gray but the scents painted a vivid portrait of the world. Deep, loamy earth, bright, clear skies, the sharp scent of pine, the musk of animals and his Pack—nature called to him and, shaking himself out, he answered, taking off at a run.
* * * * *
A few hours later Rain opened the door and peeked out. She crept through the cabin, quietly peeking into the spare room, snorting with rage when she saw that Laurent was still gone. It had been four hours! It was after one a.m. Where in the hell had he gone? She threw on some jeans and a sweatshirt and slipped on her tennis shoes before heading outside. The night was clear and cool. She walked toward the lodge but the lights were out. Reversing direction, she walked along a path toward the edge of the woods and came to a halt at the manicured edge of the forest. She peered at something moving in the breeze. Upon closer inspection she saw it was clothing. Laurent’s clothing. She walked closer and saw more clothes, women’s clothing. She gritted her teeth and stood there, waiting.
Laurent walked out of the woods, tall, regal and naked, and met the angry eyes of Rain, who sat next to the tree where his clothes hung. Paloma followed and Rain’s eyes widened and then narrowed instantly when she saw that she was naked too. She stood up, eyes flashing dangerously. Pain and fury warred inside her. She’d never trust her judgment again.
Laurent put his hands up. “Rain, what are you doing here? I thought I told you to stay in the cabin.”
Rain’s eyebrows flew up and she snorted. “Oh, sorry to interrupt your little naked party. I’ll be packing. You can take me back when you get finished with whatever it is you’re doing.” She spun around and ran back toward the cabin.
“Rain, let me explain,” he called out when he caught up to her at the cabin.
“F*** you, Laurent Cole! Oh my god, how could I have been so stupid? I slept with a total stranger and let him bring me hundreds of miles from home.” She started shoving clothes back into her bag and Laurent followed her into the bedroom.
“Rain, let me explain.” He tried to touch her but she pulled away.
“Don’t. Touch. Me,” she gritted out and zipped her bag up. Sweeping past him, she grabbed her art supplies. “You will take me back to Seattle now.” She walked past him and he grabbed her arm to stop her.
“You aren’t going anywhere, Rain. Let me explain what you saw.”
“How stupid do you think I am? I may not be sophisticated but I am intelligent. You walked out of the woods naked with a woman who was rubbing herself all over you earlier in the day. A woman you admitted to f***ing. Were you collecting mushrooms for dinner tomorrow? Oh, I know, you were bird watching and it scares the birds if you wear clothes!”
“SIT DOWN!” Laurent thundered and she jumped. “Please.” His voice softened.
She sat down and the shame washed through him as he saw and tasted her fear. He sighed. “This is going to sound farcical and ridiculous but here goes. I’m a werewolf. Everyone here is a werewolf. We were running tonight, as wolves. Skye and Philip were running too, they came out of the woods after you ran off. You need to be naked when you change, that’s why we were naked. Nudity before and after a change is necessary or you ruin your clothes. It’s not a big deal to us.”
Rain shook her head, her hands trembled in her lap. “I’m going to just call a cab. That way they can take me to town and I’ll get back to Seattle from there. I’m sure Harrison will come and get me. Don’t bother to contact me. I won’t be taking your calls.” She stood up and walked out the door. He grabbed her arm in panic and his wolf fought to surface.
“Rain, I told you the truth. Please, let’s talk though this.”
She tried to break free of his grip but he held onto her, worried for her safety, not wanting her to run off, horrified that she’d been afraid of him. Wanting to comfort her and make her all right.
“You’re hurting me!” she yelled out and Skye came out of the shadows.
“Laurent, let go of her arm, you’ll bruise her that way,” he said softly, his hands up, trying to be non-threatening. But all Laurent felt was the threat of another wolf moving toward his frightened Mate. Protectiveness roiled up through his system, nearly blinding him.
Laurent growled at him and Rain’s eyes grew huge. “Stay out of this, Skye.” “You’re a lot bigger than Anthony is. I’m sure you’ll break bones instead of just
fracturing them. Is that what you want, Laurent? Are you just like him? After all of your
sweet talk are you going to bully and hurt me too?” Rain asked, a hitch in her voice. She trembled, her pupils wide with fear.
Laurent wrestled his wolf back and felt as though he’d been slapped. Chastened and horrified he’d scared her, he let her go quickly. “No, no, baby, I’d never hurt you.” Emotion choked his voice.
She pulled up the sleeve of her shirt, showed where he’d ripped it at the shoulders. He also saw the pale red mark where his thumb had been. Remorse and horror slid through him and he wanted to throw himself to the ground and howl. If he bruised her he’d die of the shame. “Oh god, I’m sorry. Please believe me, Rain. I didn’t mean, god, I’m a werewolf, I’m so much stronger than any human. I shouldn’t have grabbed your arm but I did not mean to harm you. You have to know that. Please, come back inside. Let me get Kari, she was human once too, she can talk to you about us.”
She made an anguished sound and broke into a run, back toward the gravel drive that led to the road. Phillip caught up to her and stopped her, bringing her into his arms. She started kicking and screaming, pounding at him with her fists. “Let me go! You’re all crazy!”
Phillip tightened his hold on her and said into her ear, “Please, sweetheart, calm down. You’ll get hurt. I know you’re afraid but you can’t just run off into the forest. You don’t know where you are, you could get lost or something could happen to you.”
Laurent and Skye approached and Laurent looked like he wanted to kill Phillip for holding Rain so close and stroking her hair. Kari and Andreas burst out the front door. “What is going on?” Andreas bellowed and Rain’s trembling worsened. Laurent moaned in anguish, wanting to comfort her but knowing he’d just make it worse.
“She saw us coming out of the woods, naked. Paloma was running with us. Rain ran off and Laurent told her about us but she’s frightened. Laurent grabbed her and he hurt her, her shirt got ripped. Not on purpose,” Phillip added quickly. “She apparently got beaten up by her fiancé before and she’s just very scared.”
“I want to go home! You can’t k-keep me here!” Rain sobbed and Phillip held her tightly, nuzzling the top of her head under his chin, trying to calm her down.
Kari approached slowly. “Rain, why don’t you come into the lodge with me? All of the guys will go away. We’ll have hot chocolate, talk a bit. All right? I’ve been where you are right now. I know how scared you are. But no one here would ever hurt you, I promise.”
Phillip let Rain go and she turned, pulling on the sleeve of her shirt, showing where it’d ripped. Her creamy skin bore a fading red mark where he’d held onto her so tightly. Thank goodness it didn’t look like it would bruise. “Oh yeah? Just what is your idea of not being hurt?”
Kari looked back at Laurent, who looked so crestfallen she knew he hadn’t meant to use so much strength on Rain. Kari reached out gently and took Rain’s hand. “Come on, let’s go inside. If you want to go back to Seattle we won’t stop you but promise to hear me out.”
“NO!” Laurent roared and Rain winced and her tears started anew.
“Andreas, deal with your Lieutenant!” Kari hissed. Andreas stalked over and hauled Laurent away, Ryan helping.
“He’s gone now, Rain. How about that hot chocolate? Anna makes really good hot chocolate. Phillip is going to come inside with us but he’ll leave the room while we talk, okay?” Kari spoke in gentle tones.
Rain looked at Kari and nodded slowly. She didn’t resist when Kari took her hand to lead her back up the steps and into the lodge. Phillip threw a worried look over his shoulder before following.
“Just what the hell do you think you were doing, Laurent? How could you hurt her like that?” Andreas barked as they got inside of the cabin.
“I didn’t mean to! She was freaked, she was panicked and leaving and I just grabbed her arm to stop her,” Laurent said, his face in his hands. “I didn’t mean to use that much strength on her. Don’t you think I’d take it back if I could? I’ve never, ever hurt a woman. I love her. Damn it, my wolf rose, she was so scared and I wanted to protect her. I just reached out quickly. I’m not trying to excuse what I did but I didn’t mean to harm her.”
“He saw me and it agitated his wolf on top of everything else. He felt threatened by another male who was trying to protect his Mate,” Skye said, flopping into a chair.
“You can punish me for it. Before the whole Pack. I’ll take it because I deserve it.”
There was a collective intake of breath. Public punishment of a Pack member was an old custom rarely enforced. To volunteer to be beaten before the whole Pack was a huge deal.
“No one is going to beat you. You’re doing a good enough job yourself, Laurent. Once she talks to Kari, hopefully she’ll understand and forgive you. Hell, one of my Pack nearly killed my wife and she forgave me. It wasn’t on purpose and you didn’t do it in anger. It’s a ripped shirt and a red mark that doesn’t even look like it’ll bruise. The damage is inside. That’s slower to heal than a bruise.” Andreas scrubbed his hands over his face.
“Kari had no right to promise to let her leave.” Laurent’s wolf was restless and possessive, trying to fight to the surface to keep Rain any way it had to.
“Kari is your Alpha, Laurent, she has every right. You can’t win this fight by forcing Rain to stay here while she’s terrified,” Andreas said.
“Oh is that so? Hmm, let’s see, Andreas, and how did Kari come to be here? Did you let her go when she asked?” Laurent snarled.
“No, it was different, she had been bitten. Plus aren’t you the one who told me to be honest with her about everything?”
“You wouldn’t have let her leave after she transformed even if she wanted to.” Andreas sighed. “You’re right. You’d better hope that Kari can talk her into staying,
Laurent.”
Kari settled Rain on the couch. Anna came out looking worried, bringing a pot of hot chocolate and placing it on the low table before the two women.
“Rain, Laurent loves you. I know you’re shocked by what he’s told you but can I show you something?” Kari asked softly.
Rain nodded. Kari called out, “Phillip? Can you come in here please? I think that this could all be taken care of with a little demonstration.”
Phillip came into the room and smiled softly at Rain. “Rain, I need to take my clothing off, all right?”
“For what? Just what sort of demonstration do you have in mind!” Rain sputtered and moved away from them.
Kari laughed and said softly, “I was this difficult too. Just wait a moment, all right?
Plus, well, Phillip is pretty nice to look at when he’s naked.”
Rain stared at Phillip as he disrobed, arms across her chest. Her heart thudded in her chest and she felt like she’d pass out from the stress of the entire day. Still it was apparent that Laurent wasn’t the only above average-sized man staying at Star Lake Lodge.
Phillip got to all fours and stretched, the air around him seemed to ripple and shimmer, Rain blinked in disbelief as a huge reddish-gold coated wolf trotted over to her and pressed his nose into her palm. She ran her hands through the soft fur in amazement.
“Holy shit. I’m going to stroke out now,” she whispered. “It’s true?”
Kari smiled at her. “No stroking out. Take a deep breath and get yourself together. Yes, we’re all werewolves. Laurent was just running tonight, Rain. I’ve known Laurent for four years, he’s intensely loyal and honorable. He would not cheat on you, least of all with Paloma. He loves you. Werewolves are far stronger than humans and when Laurent saw you so afraid and panicked his wolf tried to take over to protect you. When he reached out he grabbed your shirt and it ripped. He would not hurt you on purpose. He even managed, at a time of high stress, to rein it in to protect you from any real physical harm.”
Rain looked down at the ripped sleeve and saw the red mark he’d left was already nearly gone. While she’d been afraid of all he’d said it was more that she thought he was crazy and a cheater than her being afraid he’d actually hurt her. The realization was a huge relief.
For long quiet moments Rain continued to think, sitting there trying to process it all, absently stroking the fur of the wolf at her side that would have easily stood four feet high. “He’s so beautiful,” she murmured, nuzzling her face into Phillip’s soft fur. He rumbled his approval and licked her face.
“Yes, I’ve never seen another wolf with a coat like his. They’re all this big though, except for me, I’m smaller. Can you understand why Laurent hesitated to tell you? It’s not something easy to believe. I know.”
“How do you know?”
Kari sighed. “I was walking to my car after leaving a nightclub and I was attacked by what I thought was a dog. It turns out that it was a wolf, a werewolf, and Andreas’ cousin Michael. They took me to the hospital and my doctor turned out to be a Pack member, Elaine Kennedy. Anyway, they saw that I was manifesting symptoms of the change and they brought me here. I was so not happy. They kept me locked up after I refused to believe any of their werewolf nonsense. Heck, they even told me I was their queen! I escaped my second night and almost got to town when someone stopped to help me, turned out it was Ryan and he brought me back here. I was livid.” She laughed at the memory.
“Anyway, Skye changed for me, to prove what they’d been saying was true. A few days later I transformed at the full moon and, true to their word, I am indeed the reine du loup, the werewolf queen and the female Alpha to Andreas’ male Alpha. I was destined to be with him. When I accepted that I realized that I had loved Andreas from the first moment I saw him. I’ve never been happier in my life, Rain. This Pack is my family and it will be your family too if you just give us a chance.”
“Wait, you were human? Being bitten changes humans into werewolves? Were all of your children bit then?”
“Yes, I was human and I was bitten and transformed. Some shifters are born that way. In fact, all male Alphas of Clans are natural wolves. They’re the strongest in each Pack. Laurent, Andreas, Skye and Phillip are all natural wolves, as are the children. Tomas, Andreas’ father, was the Clan Alpha before Andreas, and his father before that and so on for generations.”
“How can I be Laurent’s Mate if I’m human?”
“At some point in your family tree, you’ve got wolves in your family genetic code. It means you are able to change safely. Being bitten is hard on humans, many don’t survive. Those who’ve got wolves in their family are able to survive the change and many are able to bear children. Before you ask, we know this because when you licked the page you wrote your phone number on you left your DNA and we have a pretty sophisticated records system.”
“Oh this is f***ing freaky. Are you telling me that Laurent plans to turn me into a werewolf? Was he even planning to ask me?”
Phillip put his face on her legs and whined a bit, sensing her distress.
“I’m sure he was going to ask you but yes, being his Mate would mean that he would change you. Hopefully you’d agree to live up here, Laurent is Andreas’ Third in command. He’s very high up in Pack hierarchy, he needs to be where Andreas is.”
Rain stood and turned as Laurent came into the room.
“Baby. I see that Phillip has transformed for you. Do you believe me now when I tell you I wasn’t with Paloma?”
She took a step back. “Yes.”
“Why do you cringe away from me? I am so terribly sorry that I hurt you. Did it bruise? Oh god, please tell me it didn’t.”
She pulled her sleeve up and showed him the place on her arm, where the mark was finally gone. “No. The mark is gone.”
“Thank god,” he sighed in obvious relief. “We have much greater strength than humans do, I got scared that I was going to lose you and I forgot that for a moment. When you transform you’ll be as strong as I am.”
“When I transform? You know, Laurent, you might try actually asking me things. Who do you think you are? You don’t have the right to simply make choices for me. I just met you! You push your way into my life, declare that you love me and bring me up here. Surprise, you spring a sl*tty ex-girlfriend and the fact that you’re a werewolf on me. It’s a bit much, you know.”
“I’m your Mate, I will do what I have to to keep you safe,” he growled and Phillip bumped him with his large body.
Kari looked at Laurent. “Laurent, human women are not as malleable as shifter females. You can’t just order them around.”
Laurent sighed and tried to ignore Andreas’ amused glance. “Rain, love, I’m sorry for assuming. I just want you to be safe. I want us to be together. The change will give you more strength, more speed and agility. It’ll protect you better against anything that may come up, like your father or his men. And she’s not my ex anything, nor did I spring her on you.” He shoved a hand through his hair. “We’re meant to be together, surely you can’t deny that.”
“She’s totally sl*tty and I’m not going to discuss her one second further!” Rain’s voice rose and Laurent heard the strain there. She was close to losing it again. “I don’t know what to think. I am in over my head and I have to have some space to work through it.”
“What does that mean?” Laurent asked suspiciously.
“It means I want to go home, back to Seattle. I want you to back off and give me time to work this all through. I need to think.”
Kari sighed softly and Andreas grabbed her hand. “Rain, why don’t you stay here for a while? I promise that we’ll give you space.”
“I want to work. I have a life, in case anyone here actually cares about what I want and need. I have a gallery show to prepare for. I have rent to pay, a job.”
Phillip had loped over to his clothes and transformed back into human form. “Rain, your father has started to look for you. It’s not safe.”
She turned to look at Laurent. “He has? Did you know that?”
“Yes. That’s why it’s imperative that you stay here where I can protect you.” “You knew that and you didn’t tell me?”
He sighed and ran his hands through his hair, which was probably standing up by now from the number of times he’d repeated the gesture. “I knew you were upset and that you’d be safe here. I was going to tell you later today, after breakfast.”
She shook her head. “You just can’t seem to lie to me enough, can you? I begged you to tell me what you were hiding earlier tonight, remember? You said to my face and through the door that you weren’t hiding anything. You made me feel like I was going crazy for suspecting you! You knew that I ran from a system that made choices for women without consulting them and you did the exact same thing. I’m going back to Seattle. If one of you won’t give me a ride I’ll walk.”
“I’ll take you,” Laurent said sadly. He hoped he could change her mind on the long drive back.
“Fine.” She turned back to Kari. “Thank you for your kindness.”
“Please come back soon. Don’t let this one thing make you give up the love of your life.” Kari hugged her tightly. “If I had done that I’d be so lonely now. I know it’s scary but listen to your heart.”
Andreas hugged her next. “Rain, please come back soon. You’re welcome here any time. You’re one of our family now. Laurent loves you, he’s a good man, give him a chance. We all make mistakes.”
She turned and walked out of the lodge and got into the truck. Skye brought her stuff from the cabin and loaded it in for her, patting her hand. “Please don’t turn your back on him,” he murmured and walked back to the porch, touching Laurent’s shoulder as he walked past.
* * * * *
The ride back to the city was quiet. Laurent had tried to take her hand but she moved farther away from him. She couldn’t believe that he’d lied to her. He was making plans to turn her into a f***ing werewolf and had just assumed she’d be all for it. He was a werewolf! Holy cow. And he knew her father was looking for her and didn’t tell her. Such total disregard for her feelings on big decisions irked her and pushed all of her buttons.
“Rain, won’t you stay at my apartment? You’re safer there. You can work there all you like.”
“No.”
“Baby, won’t you forgive me? I did what I did to protect you. Yes, I’m sorry, I realize now that it was wrong and that I should have told you. But I did it because I love you and I didn’t want to hurt you.” Laurent felt like he had something stuck in his throat. The last time he’d felt this miserable was when his mother had died.
“I need some time to think, Laurent. I need to work through this all, on my own.” “I can help you.”
“Laurent! In the past not even week, I met a man and fell in love with him, I found out that he’s a werewolf, not to mention finding out that such things exist to begin with. I tell the first person in a year the truth about my family, I also find out, via a third party, that my father is looking for me. I find out that you knew these things and didn’t tell me, and that you want to turn me into a werewolf and hadn’t even consulted me. Give a girl a break.” She sighed.
“You love me?” Laurent asked softly.
“Yes. But you know, love isn’t always enough, Laurent. I cannot, no, I will not live a life where someone else makes decisions for me.”
“Rain, I love you so much. Don’t shut me out.” His heart was breaking. To have found his Mate after forty-four years and then have her turn away from him was excruciatingly painful. Knowing he was a big part of why was even worse.
Rain turned toward him. “Laurent, I am not shutting you out, even though I’m not sure I shouldn’t just run as fast as I can from you and my father and all of this. I’m asking you for some space to think about things.”
“You aren’t breaking it off with me?”
“No. I just need some time. I’ll call you when I’m ready. I just plan to work and build up my body of paintings. I need to work, I need to think. I can’t do that with you around. You’re so big, you make me want to forget about things and just be naked and let you do whatever you want. It’s disconcerting.”
Laurent smiled and the squeezing pressure on his heart eased. “Baby, you belong naked with me doing whatever I want to please you. We’re meant to be together. You know that.” He pulled up in front of her house and turned off the ignition.
“I know a few things, yes. That, strange as it sounds and feels, I love you and that it feels so right to be with you. I also know that you have totally rolled over my life and you seem to do whatever you want without regard to my opinion on the matter. I can’t reconcile those things.”
Laurent slid across the seat to get closer to her. “I can’t say I’ll always be the best at seeking your input. I’m sorry, I’m a male werewolf, we’re not designed that way. I can promise you that I love and respect you and that I will always try to consult you and listen to you. You are not my pet, you’re my Mate, my equal. I just want to protect you.”
He kissed her temple and she melted into his embrace. She turned her face to his and his lips crushed hers in a kiss laced with love, fear, desperation, joy and pain. She put her arms around his neck and her hands through his hair. He moaned and pulled her into his body. “Stay with me,” he whispered into her mouth.
She pulled back and kissed his forehead. “No. Let me have some time please. I’ll call you, I promise.”
She opened her door and pulled out her bag. He brought her supplies into the house for her. At the door he faced her, reaching out to touch her lips. “This is the hardest thing I’ve ever done. Please don’t stay out of touch long,” he whispered and she nodded.
After he left she crawled into bed and cried herself to sleep.
Reader Reviews
A must-read for anyone who loves a genre. I disappeared for three days from a real world
I was hooked on this book from the very first chapter. The chemistry between Michael and Ashley is electric, and the fast-paced plot keeps you on the edge of your seat 🤩
I thoroughly enjoyed reading “Lunar Love: The Passionate Relationship of Michael and Ashley.” The author does an excellent job of creating a love story that is both forbidden and passionate 💋🔥