His dick pulsed, balls going taut. He could only imagine how sweet she’d sound when she came, how husky her voice would become when she asked for more.
Mate or not, he’d make it happen. It had been years since he’d had this kind of interest in a female. Just Rachel had screwed herself over coming for Chloe. When the dust settled he’d find out where the sultry woman lived and pay her a visit—one she’d never forget.
Pissed off, sexually frustrated and at the end of his rope, he locked the door, flipped the sign to closed and strode toward the back of the building. It was time to start thinking with the proper head. Good thing his Alpha had listened to his advice and left home. That gave him a window of opportunity to make some calls. His visit to the diner had been a bust. If he wanted to get answers, he had to start digging for information.
He took a seat at the desk, flipped through the Rolodex and picked a place to start. As the phone rang in his ear, he settled back in the chair and raked his fingers through his hair.
Sometimes being the Beta of a prominent pack blew balls.
Chapter Five
“Maybe you should stay here.” Chloe didn’t look at Jackson as she spoke, staring up the drive. She’d had Jackson stop a safe distance from home, wanting to make sure she was calm enough to face the firing squad she knew was waiting for her. “The house isn’t far. I can walk the rest of the way.”
“No,” he said, sounding calm and confident.
She pulled her focus away from the graveled road, meeting his level stare. It shouldn’t be possible for a man to look so good, his mere presence making her body throb in all kinds of wicked places.
“They’ll be upset. You shouldn’t expect a warm welcome.”
His fingers brushed her chin and angled her head. He leaned close and nuzzled her nose, his breath warm against her face. “It doesn’t matter. In case you haven’t realized it yet, I’m not here for them. I’m here for you.”
She swayed, knocked off balance once again by how sincere he sounded, by how he looked at her as though nothing else existed in the world. Since breakfast he’d been nothing but a gentleman, opening her doors, touching her in innocent ways that made her restless. The only time he’d been firm was when she’d asked to call a cab. He’d made it clear that he wasn’t going anywhere and she’d better get used to it.
Why in the world did that make her feel so giddy?
Spending time alone with man she hardly knew—despite feeling close to him in a way she was trying to wrap her head around—went beyond impulsive. When she thought about it, it seemed absolutely crazy.
How would he react if she decided she couldn’t pack her things and leave with him for a weekend alone together?
“I don’t want to rush you but waiting isn’t going to change anything,” he murmured, his deep baritone sending a tendril of heat from her belly to her sex, his eyes shifting from brown to amber. “I’ve had to deal with a lot as an Alpha. Trust me when I say things often seem like they’ll be worse than they actually are.”
“An Alpha?” she whispered, alarmed for entirely different reasons now.
They hadn’t had a chance to discuss aspects of their personal lives, but she never imagined he had his own pack. She swallowed hard, seeing him on an entirely different level. She’d known he was dangerous, she just hadn’t appreciated how much power he truly had. She’d done enough research on werewolves to know Alphas weren’t to be trifled with. They were known to be aggressive, dominant and in total control.
“That’s right,” he replied softly, as though he could sense her apprehension. “Once we finish here I want to take you somewhere private where we can learn everything about each other.” He lowered his head and feathered his lips over hers, moving from right to left, making her breath catch. “I want to know you inside and out, Chloe girl.”
“Then I’ll start at the beginning,” she found herself saying, unsure of where she was going with the conversation. “My mother had me when she was my age. I never knew my father. For my grandparents, I’m all that’s left of her. They taught me everything I know. They’re the only family I have.”
He pulled away and peered down at her. “You make it sound like I want to take you away from them.”
Her cheeks heated. Damn. She did make it sound like that, didn’t she?
“Don’t you?”
“No, I don’t. You promised me the weekend. I’m only taking what you’re willing to give me.” He paused and his lips lifted at the corners. “For now, anyway.”
Butterflies erupted in the pit of her belly, something that seemed to happen a lot around him. “You’ll have to make them believe that before they’ll let me leave. If you don’t, Gramps will shoot you.”
She grimaced when she heard her grandfather’s voice in her head, warning her potential suitors would be staring down the barrel of the gun he kept behind the front door. She’d thought he was joking until she’d entered high school and a study partner who happened to be of the male gender had visited her house. Poor Casey Roberts had pissed his pants. Her grandfather had puffed his chest out with pride as the young man had rushed to his car and fled. And she’d been left standing on the porch embarrassed and horrified.
Suffice it to say she’d had to study Biology on her own after that.
“Duly noted.” Jackson moved back to his seat and put the car in gear. “I’ll be on my best behavior.”
The heavy weight in her gut built, making her queasy as he took the vehicle up the drive. Prior to the departure from Jackson’s home she’d convinced herself she was a grown woman making her own decisions. She’d felt good about it then—confident. She wasn’t a child anymore. Her grandparents, as much as she loved them, had interfered in her life for too long. It was time to take the reins and start living her life as she chose.
Sadly a thirty minute drive had managed to chip away at her newfound sense of independence.
As she’d feared, the door opened when they pulled next to the house. Out came Gramps, dressed in his usual jeans and work shirt, toting the very shotgun she’d warned Jackson about. Despite the sixty-five years behind him, her grandfather had aged well. His broad shoulders were as intimidating as she’d always remembered, the stern look on his face daring anyone to fuck with him.
The door opened again and her grandmother appeared. While Fletcher Bryant put the fear of God into someone, his wife Abigail had the exact opposite impact. Five years younger than her husband, she too had aged gracefully. Her grandmother always had a welcoming smile on her face, her temperament much more easygoing.
Despite the firearm, Jackson didn’t appear nervous. He put the vehicle in park, killed the engine and reached for the handle to open the door. Instinct had her reaching out to stop him, fear and concern crashing into her. She jumped when she felt that strange part of her—a part of her from the night before that she’d nearly forgotten about—rear its head. It wanted to protect the man seated beside her, to warn those who would dare threaten him of the wrath that would fall on their heads.
Jackson’s eyes changed colors, becoming intense and luminous. He wrapped his fingers in the hair at her nape and gave the strands a harsh, almost painful tug. A humming energy extended from him to her, wrapping around her like a cocoon. The prickles of what seemed like electric current were sharp, piercing her flesh.