Aren nodded, then they both turned toward me.
“What? Should I go hide with the horses in the barn?”
Adam walked over and took my hand. Aren frowned and turned his head to look out the window.
“Let’s go outside,” Adam whispered.
He walked with me in the moonlight. It was so close to the full moon that we could see everything without a flashlight, even without superhuman eyesight. When we got to the barn, Adam stopped to look at me.
“Aren has amazing hearing, and I don’t want him to know we’re leaving. Especially not right now while he’s injured.” He glanced up at the house and then met my eyes again. “I guess we shouldn’t have checked you out of the hotel yet. I thought we’d get Aren home and take off, but with him injured, I can’t leave yet. Not now.”
Not ever, I thought to myself.
“I’ll just visit with the horses,” I offered. “Will that mask my scent enough?”
“Yeah, it should.” He sighed and looked up at the moon shaking his head. “I know this is really crappy, Lana. I hate that it has to be this way.” Adam met my eyes again. “I want you in my arms, but I can’t risk Jason and my father catching your scent on my clothes.” A muscle in his cheek tightened. “You deserve better than this. You saved my brother’s life.”
My eyes welled with tears and the urge to kiss him tormented me. “Not your fault I’m a jaguar.” I blinked back the tears and managed a smile. “Just so you know, I would kiss you right out of your boots if I could.”
The corner of his mouth tilted up into a crooked smile that melted my heart. “I’m going to hold you to that later.” His gaze slid over my entire body. “I’m going to do more than kiss you.”
I wet my lips. “Promise?”
When we heard a car drive up Adam groaned. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
“I’ll be here.”
He turned and jogged back up to the house. I walked farther into the barn, chatting with the horses that put their heads over their stall doors to visit. I could see why Adam loved it here. It was peaceful and simple.
Too bad I couldn’t stay.
Chapter Thirty
Adam
I couldn’t wait to have Lana back in my arms. After nearly two hours of assisting Jason with Aren’s ankle, I was emotionally and physically drained. The bone had fragmented into several different pieces, and he should’ve had surgery, but Jason did the best he could. It wasn’t life-threatening. Not worth the risk of taking him to a hospital.
Before tonight, I felt like the Pack would be fine without me. When it came time, Aren would ascend to the Alpha. But now there were questions I couldn’t answer. What if something happened to Malcolm before Aren’s ankle healed? What if his ankle was never right again? Would someone else in the Pack challenge him for the Alpha position? It would be within their rights. He might not be able to win if they did, especially not now.
I ground my teeth together and walked faster toward the horses. Toward Lana.
“Is everything okay?”
Without hesitation, I pulled her into my arms, holding her tight as I kissed her hair.
“It will be, but Aren’s ankle may never be the same.” I loosened my grip enough to look down into her eyes. “Jason did the best he could. I guess we’ll know in a few weeks when he takes the cast off.” I paused and corrected myself. “I mean, they’ll know.”
“You can’t leave this place, Adam. They need you and you need them.”
“I don’t need anyone who can’t treat you like part of the family.”
She kissed my chest. “Jaguars haven’t been very good to your family.”
“You’re more than a jaguar. You’re my mate. You saved my brother tonight. And even after you did, he still won’t speak to you. I can’t stay here and subject you to that.” I shook my head. “I’d end up hating every one of them for not accepting you. It’s better to leave before that happens.”
She looked up at the moon. “Isn’t the moon full tomorrow night?”
I nodded.
“So you should stay and run with the Pack.”
I shook my head. “We’ve gotta get going. It’s only a matter of time until Sasha is back on our tail. Sebastian may be helping her for all we know.”
“Don’t break their hearts on a full moon. You should run with them.”
I stared into her dark eyes, unaware until this moment that I could love anyone so much. I brought my hand up to cup her cheek, my thumb brushing over her soft skin. “How did I get so lucky? I have the most beautiful, sexiest, and bravest mate a wolf could ever hope for.”
She smiled and nuzzled into my palm. “Too bad I’m the wrong species.”
I bent to kiss her and whispered, “There is nothing wrong with you, Lana. Nothing.”
A tear rolled down her cheek as she pulled me closer. My hand slid back into her hair, holding her close as the kiss deepened. God, I could not get close enough to her.
Our tongues tangled, and I growled into the kiss when I felt her hands glide up my stomach and across my chest. Every muscle in my body reacted to her touch. She set me on fire, until my jeans were way too tight and confining. When her hand wandered down, stroking my rock-hard erection through my pants, I broke the kiss. I couldn’t take much more, or I was going to take her right there in the barn aisle.
“Aren’s in the house resting.”
“I need you,” she whispered, nibbling at my neck. “Now.”
Just when I thought I couldn’t get harder, I felt myself pulsing, aching for attention. My lips fused to hers as I walked her backward into the tack room. The rich scent of clean leather surrounded us as I backed her up to the saddle rack. Her nails scratched my skin while she struggled to yank my shirt off.
Knowing that she wanted me as desperately as I wanted her was making me crazy. Instead of pulling away to lift her T-shirt over her head, I grabbed the neckline and tore it down the middle. I’d buy her another shirt later. I needed her bare skin against mine.
I kissed down her neck as I unhooked the front clasp of her bra. Feeling the weight of her perfect breasts in my hands made me growl against her skin. When her back arched toward me, offering her body to me, I bent to take her breast into my mouth. Her skin was so soft, with a faint salty taste, and the sound of her gasping my name made me want to take her even higher. I wanted her to shiver with desire when she looked at me later. I wanted to see her glow and know it was because of me.
I licked each nipple slowly, watching her mouth while her fingers clenched my hair. She ran her hands down my back and around my waist to unbutton my jeans. I groaned with hunger when I felt her slender fingers slip inside to stroke me. I couldn’t take any more teasing. I needed to be inside of her.
I opened her jeans and pushed them down her hips. I knew she was wet and ready for me. Her lace panties were next. Kissing her hard, over and over, I lifted her onto the side of a saddle.
She broke the kiss with a gasp. “It’s cold.”
I grinned, hooking her leg over the saddle horn so she was totally open to me while I freed myself from my jeans. “Want to stop?”
Her eyes sparkled as she watched me move closer. She wet her lips and shook her head. “Never.”
I kissed her again, humming into her lips as I brushed against her. Slowly I rocked my hips, rubbing, teasing, enjoying the way she moaned and clutched at my ass trying to force me into her. When I couldn’t wait any longer, I drove my hips forward, moaning as I felt her surround me inch by inch.
I stared into her eyes, watching every emotion play across her face as I sank deeper inside her. The cool evening breeze teased our skin, and the moonlight filtered through the open door. I worked into her, harder, unable to take my eyes off of her perfect body as she tipped her head back.