She closed her eyes.
She wasn't sure how long she'd slept, or how long he'd sat there, watching her. The awareness of him surfaced slowly — a tingle that rose from her toes and spread gently through every fibre, until her breath caught in her throat.
Like her, he sat on the porch, leaning back against one of the posts supporting the porch railing, his long legs stretched out in front of him. His dark hair was damp, his jaw freshly shaved, and he looked damn fine in black jeans and a dark teal shirt.
"Christmas present from your mother, huh?" she said, eying the shirt with a smile.
He raised an eyebrow. "That psychic intuition?"
His voice flowed over her, as warm as cocoa on a cold night. "I don't know many men who'd walk into a store and buy a teal shirt. If you discount moms, Christmas and birthdays, the only other options are wives or girlfriends."
"Of which I have none."
Of which she was fiercely glad. "Because you're a cop or because you haven't found the right woman?"
"Partially both, partially neither."
"In other words, you're not saying."
He shrugged. "What about yourself? No one waiting back in San Francisco ?"
"You've been checking up on me."
"I'm a cop. It's what I do."
Yeah, right. As if the Springfield police department had the time to check the background details of everyone they came in contact with.
"I'm still waiting for a man who likes chocolate as much as I do." She hesitated, then added impishly, "So where do you stand on the chocolate debate?"
"Can't stand the stuff."
She sighed dramatically. "Another dream crumbles to dust."
Amusement touched the nut-brown depths of his eyes.
"That mean we can't have sex?"
"Hell, no ."
"Good."
Their gazes locked. Her heart began to dance a triple time beat, and desire burned through her veins. She wanted this man, there was no denying that. But right here and now was hardly practical — on a porch or in a motel room with her grandmother sleeping in the next bed. Gran probably wouldn't mind the noise, but the mere thought embarrassed the hell out of her .
"I need to sleep."
"Damn shame."
She wasn't exactly sure what he meant and was reluctant to ask, simply because the line between common sense and lust was thin enough. Too much more, and common sense hadn't a hope.
She stood, gathering the cushion as she did. He rose with her, and suddenly the porch seemed far too small. She licked her lips, saw his gaze drop her mouth, and her throat went dry. He took the step that separated them, and all she could smell was freshly soaped skin and raw masculinity.
Her whole body tingled, as if brought to life by this man's presence. She'd never felt anything as powerful as this, and she so desperately wanted to make love to him. To feel his hands on her skin, his body on hers. In hers. But for Gran being in the next bed…
"Gran's asleep." Her voice came out husky.
"I know."
Their bodies barely brushed, yet she was intensely aware of every part of him. From the fire burning in his eyes to the rapid rise and fall of his chest pressing against her aching nipples to the heated hardness of his erection.
"We can't. Not here."
"I know."
But he didn't retreat and neither did she. He brushed a hand down her side to her hip, then moved his fingers across her bare stomach, searing her skin with the heat.
Then his touch moved up, under her T-shirt and her breath caught in anticipation. When his thumb rubbed one aching nipple, she almost groaned in ecstasy.
She swallowed hard and tried to stay sane. "What you're doing could get us arrested."
"Sure could."
His attention moved to her other breast, and her legs quivered. Even if she'd wanted to retreat, she very much doubted if her legs would support such an action. His other hand cupped her cheek and his thumb outlined her lips. Her heart stuttered to a stop as he slipped his hand around the back of her head, holding her still as he lowered his mouth to hers.
His kiss was like nothing she'd ever felt before. A gentle, erotic possession that gave so much and yet left her hungering for more.
"You better go inside," he whispered, his breath hot and unsteady against her lips. "Because I want you so bad I'm tempted to finish this right here and now."
She stepped back and suddenly remembered how to breathe again. "Thank you."
"For what?"
"For not pushing when you knew you could."
His smile was a little wry. "Trust me when I say it's little more than self-interest."
"Meaning?"
He brushed his fingers down her cheek, and she had to check the urge to step right back into his arms.
"Because I have every intention of making love to you as often as I can over these next few days, and if I pushed now, that isn't likely to happen."
His words did little to ease her heart's unsteady pounding.
"Self preservation indeed."
He shrugged. "I'm a werewolf caught in moon fever. I need sex. But it's you I want this phase, no one else."
Then she had to thank the moon's presence, because without it she might not be standing here with this man.
Might not have the promise of mind-blowing sex to warm her dreams.
"Will you be able to sleep on the sofa, or would you prefer to take the bed?"
"I'm not going to be able to sleep anywhere." His voice was ironic. "Not for a while yet."
Her gaze flicked down. "Oh. Sorry."
"I'm not." He leaned forward and brushed a kiss across her lips. "Pleasant dreams."
She had a feeling they would be beyond pleasant. As she headed inside, she thought she heard a sigh of disappointment coming from her grandmother's bed.
Warmth caressed her face, warming her senses. Kat yawned and stretched then opened her eyes. Her watch showed it was just past twelve. She hadn't slept long enough, but it was all the time she could afford.
She found a clean shirt, dug up a skirt then headed into the bathroom. By the time she'd showered and dressed, her grandmother was awake and sitting at the table reading the paper. Ethan had come inside and was on the sofa, talking into a cell phone. But his gaze met hers and arousal was instant. The sooner they got down and dirty, the better off they'd both be.
She turned on the kettle, then crossed her arms and leaned a hip against the small counter. "The aches better?"
Gwen grinned and said softly, "Better than yours, I'd wager."
"Don't start on me. It's likely to get unpleasant."
"This is exactly what I was talking about. Totally disagreeable when unsatisfied."
"Gran — " Gwen held up her hand. "All I'm saying is these old ears are deafer than you think."
"Yeah, right." The woman had the hearing of an elephant.
She just didn't have the floppy ears to go with it.
The kettle whistled shrilly. Kat made them all a cup of coffee, handing one each to Gwen and Ethan before sitting down at the table with her own.
"So, have you tried to do a reading yet?"
"Briefly. You know how difficult it is when I've just woken."
She nodded. "See anything of use?"
"One interesting point. It seems this thing knows about you and Ethan, but not yet about me, which is definitely in our favour."
"But it doesn't mean we don't have to worry about your safety any less than our own."
Gwen reached across the table and briefly squeezed Kat's hand. "But if I'm not seen with you, then their thoughts will be concentrated on you rather than me and perhaps give me a clear field in which to see their minds and know their intentions."
They could only hope. "Even so, I want you to start using warding stones whenever we're not here."
Gwen nodded, then gave Ethan a smile as he sat down with them. "I also got a call from Seline. She thinks this thing is called a Mara. It's a Japanese spirit who enters houses as either a cat or as vapour to seduce men in their sleep then steal their souls."