A Very Jaguar Christmas (12 page)

“Yes, hope that's all right,” Everett said.

“Sure. Great. Our first wolf man. Should be really interesting, but most of all, maybe you'll get somewhere with the case. Got to take the little ones inside now. Have a nice stroll.” Kat walked off with Connor.

“So what are we going to do if Leidolf knows of the family and wants to take the boy with him?” Demetria was worried that he might insist because he was a wolf and knew the family, while Demetria and Everett were jaguar shifters. “He sounds like he has a personal stake in this. Why else would he fly all the way out here?”

“I agree that it could be a concern. It's our job to take care of this, or it will be a concern if not taken care of.”

She looked up at him. “You mean with this new ‘shift' in our world, we'll be just as ready to protect wolf shifters as our own kind? That should be interesting. Especially when it will take time for everyone in both camps to know the other exists.”

“How would you like to be part of a new team that specializes in all shifters? We've got hands-on experience right up front.”

She let out her breath, her eyes steady on his. “There might be a need for it.” She wondered if there might be more to Everett's offer than a strictly business arrangement.

He pulled her in close. Yeah, like this.

“There might. Then again, there might not be. Still, we've already located several wolf packs and made first contact. If any of them discover jaguar shifters causing trouble or in trouble, who do you think they would call?” Everett asked.

“Us, because we've made first contact.” She smiled. “I don't know if my director would go along with it.”

Everett's breath was frosty in the chilly night air. “My director suggested I head the team. But I would love to work with you, and we can do this together. We could be the first to teach jaguars in the field how to deal with wolf shifters, once we get the hang of it.”

“We might even have a unified force, with some wolves on the team eventually. Wow, the possibilities are limitless.”

Demetria shivered and Everett wrapped his arm over her shoulders, pulled her even closer, and walked with her down one of the lighted paths. “So what do we call it? United Shifters Task Force? United Shifters Command?”

“I like
task force
, but it seems like it would be for one job only. Like a police task force.
Command
sounds powerful. What about United Shifters Force? The USF.” She snuggled closer to him. This is what she liked even more. Being close to him, sharing the same heat, connecting. She wished things had ended differently for them last night. She wished she'd been more with it and had thanked him better for taking care of her mess. Well, if she was wishing for things, she wished she had seen him in the morning after she'd had a chance to look more presentable.

“Sounds good to me, although the directors might not go along with our idea,” Everett said, looking down at her.

“Sure they will. They already have two experts in the field.”

“You want to shake on it?” Everett smiled, looking really happy and snuggling with her in a sweet way, but not pushing the dating issue. Maybe he was afraid she'd fall apart like she did at the movie.

“No. I want a kiss to seal the deal.”

He pulled her to a stop next to a fountain shut off for the winter and ran his hands down her arms. “Demetria—”

“Unless you're afraid I might bite again.” Or get upset again.

He laughed. “No way.” Yet he seemed hesitant.

“Don't think. Just do it.” Then she took his hand and kissed it.

He leaned down to kiss her mouth, the kiss nothing like a handshake kind of a kiss, brief and to the point. His mouth pressed hard against hers, his tongue seeking entrance, the chill instantly abating. He wrapped his arms snugly around her as if he were a bear shifter and not a jaguar, hugging her to his body, saying he wanted her, wanted the intimacy between them, just like she wanted all of it with him.

Demetria was ready to yank off her jacket because her body was already so hot. Instead, she ran her hands underneath Everett's jacket and warmed her fingers for a minute while he continued to kiss her. Yet despite how she'd wanted this, how she'd needed this, tears filled her eyes. She couldn't help it. She had to quit feeling like she was betraying Matt by kissing his best friend. If Everett had asked her out first, things would have been so different now. Yet she felt guilty that she'd even think that.

She pulled away and smiled, her eyes misty with tears, looking quickly away so Everett wouldn't see them. She loved Everett's kiss and knew he felt something for her, so why couldn't she let the past go?

When they separated, she took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. “Okay, good. I'll let my boss know I have a new job.” She wasn't going to ask. She would tell him. If her boss didn't go along with it, she'd just put in a transfer to Everett's branch. She might be a super professional in any job she was committed to, but after she saw the way Everett had handled everyone—the teens, Howard, the wolf-shifter boy—she wanted this new job that would take her in a totally different direction.

Everett seemed to like the notion.
Even better
.

“So how do we handle Leidolf, since he doesn't know we are jaguar shifters? What if he wants to take the boy with him?” Demetria slipped one of her cold hands into Everett's jacket pocket as she held him close and they continued to walk.

“He can stay with us and help to find the boy's parents. Or he can return home to his pack. He's not taking the boy anywhere unless the boy's mom or dad is with him and the boy shows us that they're indeed his parents.” Everett wrapped his arm around her shoulders and sauntered around the loop through the garden that would eventually take them back to the house.

“I believe we should meet with him alone, not with your family present. Don't you agree?”

“I do to an extent, though if we have any trouble with Leidolf, Wade can give us backup since he is a JAG agent. Maya can take the boy out of the picture so we can deal with Leidolf alone if he becomes unreasonable. I don't want the boy to be upset.”

“Do you think Leidolf will become unreasonable?” Demetria wondered how the wolf pup would even respond to another wolf if he didn't know him.

“He might. He seemed pretty hardheaded when we first talked to him. Though it's understandable if he's trying to protect a pack he knows personally. It's a real toss-up how he'll feel about us when he actually sees us and can smell what we are, if he doesn't already know.”

“Okay. Maybe we should wait before we decide to form our own team and offer our assistance in any other mixed shifter cases. We need to successfully resolve a case first.” But new team or no, she definitely wanted to see more of Everett. She tugged at him to walk faster and go back to the house, since she was getting chilled.

“Are you kidding? We'll do great.”

She hoped so. “About…the room arrangement.”

“Yeah.” Everett let out his breath. “I'll keep Junior with me so you can get a good night's sleep.”

She sighed.

“What?” he asked. “Wait… Hell, yeah, us together?”

Ohmigod, she couldn't believe he was really willing to do this. Or that she was. “What will we do with Junior?”

“Maya and Kat will take care of him, or one of them will. They're great with kids of all ages. They'd do it in heartbeat. Why do you think Maya wanted to give us a break by sending us out here to walk in the dark so we'd be cold and have to snuggle a bit?”

Demetria smiled, then she frowned. “Maybe we shouldn't…rush this. Maybe we should wait until we find the pup's family first.”

“Rush it? We've known each other for years.
No way
are we going to wait to find the pup's family first.”

She smiled as she watched the brick path they were walking along, no longer feeling the cold.

“I sure as hell am not waiting another couple of years.” Everett squeezed her tight and relaxed his grip, but still kept her tucked securely under his arm.

She laughed. “If we stayed in the same bedroom, it might cause some speculation.” She looked up at him, hoping he didn't care. This felt right between them. That was one of the reasons she'd always wanted to meet Tammy at her house first, not somewhere else. She had hoped Everett would be there. She wanted to be with him, hoping they'd both give up the ghost and start seeing each other.

“Don't worry about that. No matter what we do, they're already speculating,” Everett said.

She raised her brows.

He pulled her to a stop again and smiled down at her. “What do you think the guys were talking about when we were cooking dinner? Us. A surefire mating, just because
they
got caught up with their mates on a mission.”

Demetria groaned and began to pull away, but Everett pulled her tightly again. “I told them no
way
that would happen to us. Not on a mission.” He kissed her forehead. “Not that I said anything about this to them, but it wouldn't happen that way. Because I've wanted to date you from the first time I saw you visiting Tammy, Demetria.”

“But I was seeing Matt.”

“Yeah. You and Tammy left to have lunch with some other Guardian agents, and when she came home, I subtly asked about you. She said you were dating Matt.”

“Hadn't he told you?”

“Well, sure, but not by name. You can't imagine how disappointed I was. After he was gone…you didn't date. I was afraid you weren't ready. And then after the movie the other night…”

She sighed and rested her face against Everett's chest. “I didn't go out without anyone else because I was hoping you'd… We'd… Well, I felt the same about you. I was afraid you felt we shouldn't date because of Matt. About the other night…I'm sorry.”

“You don't have to be. The movie affected me too.”

“About us tonight, I don't know. I mean, if we were alone…”

“We will be. Probably the only chance we'll get for quite a while if we don't find Junior's home soon.”

Maybe she was pushing it too fast where he was concerned. “But your family. You know, I'm not used to that. It's just my mom and me, and I'm on my own, so I don't have to even worry about what she thinks.”

“Do you want me to ask her for permission to date you first?” He fumbled to get his cell phone out.

She laughed. “No.”

“We could get a hotel room.”

She laughed again. “As if that wouldn't cause all kinds of conjecture!”

He smiled.

She loved when he smiled at her like that. “All right, if they're guessing already about us…”

“They are. They've already warned me it's a done deal. No backing out of it now. I mean, if you're really afraid of letting anyone know, I could wait until Junior is asleep and then slip into your guest room to see you.”

“No. I'd rather someone look after him, to make sure he doesn't get scared or in case he shifts.”

“All right then. We could wait until Maya goes with Wade to their home on the other side of the property and just ask Kat.”

“No, Maya might be the one who'd like to take care of the pup. We'll let the ladies decide.”

Everett breathed in a sigh of relief. “Is it time to go to bed?”

She laughed. “Come on. Let's visit with the others before we retire to bed at a
decent
hour.”

“Don't be surprised if what I consider a decent hour seems rather early to you.” He kissed her again with the same passion, his lips pressing hotly against hers, his hands stroking her arms, his tongue seeking entrance.

She opened up to him, their warm breaths mingling in the frigid air, and they kissed again, their tongues sliding and caressing each other. She groaned, not wanting to stop. She knew even if nothing came of this, they were making love to each other tonight. And it was way past overdue.

Being the practical person she was, she reminded herself that her fantasies about him would probably make the actual experience pale in comparison, but she was ready to give it a shot.

When they returned to the house, they were surprised to see Kat and Maya wearing their jaguar coats while they supervised the play between Kat's toddlers and the wolf pup. Even though he was older, the wolf pup was gentle with them, and they were learning how to play with him right back.

Along with Demetria, Everett smiled to see the shifters playing, his arm around her shoulders as if to show his family a change in the dynamic between the two of them. Yet, since Maya had orchestrated their walk alone through the garden, had she already known a change was coming?

Wait until they told them they needed a puppy nanny so they could do the naughty.

Not that they would come right out and say that, but the jaguars would all know.

Demetria should probably tell Everett first that her mother was downright furious with him, but she figured he'd know that soon enough.

Everett couldn't have been more thrilled that Demetria wanted to sleep with him. And more. Between playing so late on his video game, having to take care of Tammy and Demetria, and then his mom calling so early about the wolf pup this morning, he hadn't gotten much sleep. So really, bedtime needed to be early. Not just because he was dying to go to bed with Demetria. How would it look if he went to bed with her later, at what she thought was a decent hour, and in the middle of lovemaking, he fell asleep? Or he could barely stay awake?

Connor and Wade were sitting in the living room having beers and watching the shifter cubs and pup playing as the lights sparkled on the Christmas tree.

Everett led Demetria to the couch and they sat together, legs touching, his arm around her shoulders.

“Want a beer or a glass of wine?” Connor started to rise from his seat.

Everett shook his head. “I'm afraid it would knock me right out. I was up quite late last night playing a video game.”

“I'm the same way when I'm on vacation. Once I start playing, Maya has a hard time getting me to take a break even to eat,” Wade said.

“Yeah, same here. I wasn't expecting to have to do anything but sleep late this morning. But we were up really early when Mom called about the wolf-shifter pup, so we didn't get a whole lot of sleep.”

“Want a cup of coffee?” Connor offered instead.

Everett shook his head. “Nah. That might keep me awake the rest of the night. We really need to retire to bed early with all the work we have cut out for us tomorrow.”

Connor and Wade looked at Demetria. Her face flushed beautifully.

“If it wouldn't be too much of an imposition, and someone wouldn't mind taking care of—” Everett rubbed Demetria's arm in a soothing, possessive way.

“Everett's right. We did have a long night. Maybe Maya could tell us which two rooms we can use,” Demetria cut in.

Everett gaped at Demetria. He didn't believe she had changed her mind altogether, but apparently she didn't want everyone to know what they were doing. If she wanted him to sneak into her room, he would. He just hoped she wouldn't turn all jaguar and bite him. Unless she really had changed her mind. He sighed.

Maya bolted out of the living room, her tail whipping about. He hoped that meant his half sister was coming to his rescue, not Demetria's. Kat continued to watch the cubs, the pup, Everett, and Demetria.

“Would you like anything to drink?” Connor asked Demetria.

“A glass of water would be good. Thank you.”

Connor left to get her a glass, and Maya stalked back into the living room dressed in jeans and a sweater and barefoot. “So, Kat, do we toss for who gets to take care of the pup tonight?”

Everett smiled. He loved his half sister. From the minute he and Huntley had learned Maya and Connor were their half siblings, they'd been just like his own brother and sister that he'd grown up with. Arguing, loving, and protective.

Wade folded his arms across his chest, smiled, and shook his head.

Kat growled a little at Connor, indicating she needed help with their toddlers. Connor returned with the glass of water for Demetria, then lifted one cub under each arm and headed for the toddlers' bedroom.

Kat smiled, showing her wickedly beautiful jaguar teeth, then followed Connor out of the living room.

Maya lifted Junior into her arms and cuddled him. He licked her chin and she laughed. “Your tongue is so soft and velvety. Our jaguar tongues are sandpapery. So what do you think, Wade? Do you want to help me look after the wolf pup tonight?”

Wade sighed in an exaggerated way. “Man, does this bring back memories.”

Everett knew he didn't mean about babysitting. He meant about falling for a woman during a mission.

“Of course, honey. Anything for progress. Besides, this will probably be the only time we'll ever have the chance to babysit a wolf-shifter pup. We can tell our own kids about it when we have them one of these days.”

Maya snuggled next to Wade on the couch, cuddling the pup in her lap. He had gone to sleep, worn out after all the playing with the jaguar cubs. “I've gotten a couple of rooms on the west wing of the house ready for you. Why don't you head over there? You'll be all growly when you have to meet Leidolf tomorrow if you don't get a good night's sleep. We'll be over there in a couple of hours.”

Everett really loved Maya.

Wade smiled and nodded. “At
least
a couple of hours. The way the house is laid out, you won't even hear us come in. We'll see you in the morning. Sleep late. Leidolf won't arrive until the afternoon, and we'll keep the boy well entertained. Oh, and in case you feel the need to get a little exercise before you sleep…”

Demetria's face flushed again.

“The pool is good and hot, the air nice and cold. You might want to swim as jaguars. Maya and I do most nights before we retire, any season of the year.”

“Thanks, man. Sounds like a good idea,” Everett said, never having given it a thought. When he had a home of his own with a big treed yard, that's just what he was going to have put in.

“Good night. Pleasant dreams,” Maya said, smiling.

And that was their cue. Though Everett wanted to say good night to Kat and Connor too.

He rose from the couch and helped Demetria up. Kat rushed out to give them both a hug. “So glad you're both here, and thanks so much for bringing the pup. My kids adore him, and he seems to love them just as much. Don't worry about the business with Leidolf tomorrow. Maya and I will take care of the pup while you're getting to know Leidolf. Connor will be working with customers, but Wade will be here as extra muscle if Leidolf doesn't like what we are.”

Connor joined them and shook Everett's hand. “Night, old man. Remember what I said.” He gave Demetria a hug. “See you in the morning.”

After saying their good-nights and hugging a sound-asleep Junior, Everett and Demetria grabbed their jackets, pulled them on, and headed out to her car. She was still red-faced, but Everett was thrilled his half sister and brother-in-law had stepped in to take care of the pup. Plus, they would be in the same house as Everett and Demetria, so if Junior got homesick for them, Maya or Wade could come get them or bring the pup to them.

“Ohmigod, Everett,” Demetria said as she backed out of the parking lot.

“Great, isn't it? Turn back down that road. It winds around for about an eighth of a mile. Maya and Wade's place is about a hundred and fifty acres away from Kat and Connor's home, so they all have privacy but are close enough to help each other out.” He smiled at Demetria. “We could have done the sneaking bit, but once it was out in the open, I figured it was better to just be honest about it. And you saw how they were.”

“Yeah. Like they thought we were mating.”

“They know we aren't. Just baby steps. You really didn't want to cancel on us tonight, did you? They have three bedrooms in the west wing, and if you really wanted to sleep separately, I can tell Maya we changed our minds after the fact.”

“No, it's already a done deal.”

“No, it isn't. It's totally up to you. Not that I won't cry on my pillow tonight if you decide to sleep elsewhere, but I'll take it like a—”

She laughed. “A hot alpha jaguar shifter doesn't cry into his pillow at night—not over something like this.” She reached over the console and offered her hand to him. He gripped it and squeezed. “We'll only use one room.” Then she frowned. “Since we had very little sleep last night, we probably need to just swim, hit the sack, and…sleep.”

“Yeah, we will.”

“You don't mean that.”

“Yeah, I do. After we get some cuddling and kissing in.” And more, if she really was ready for it.

She smiled.

They saw the Christmas lights wrapped around the eaves of the one-story, ranch-style house, trees lighted out front, and white lights framing the four front windows, warm and welcoming.

“Despite the fact the pine trees and grass are green, it still looks like a Christmas card.” She pointed to the right of the house. “Oh, oh, look over there. Deer!”

Sure enough, four deer were watching them, but they took off as Demetria drove into the parking area and parked.

“They don't usually hang around when they smell the jaguars' scents.” Everett grabbed their bags and carried them into the house. “You can pick whichever guest room you want.”

When she didn't say anything, he snagged her hand and pulled her with him. She was looking at the evergreen Christmas tree in the living room covered in everything gold—balls, beads, and a gold crown on top.

Everett smiled at her. “It's a joke between Connor, Maya, and Kat. The natives revered Connor as a jaguar god in the Amazon, but in native legends, there was also a jaguar goddess. And the ladies reminded him of it every time he got a big head about being a jaguar god.”

She laughed. “I love your family. The tree is just beautiful. Just as beautiful as yours, I might add.”

“I'm glad you like it. It always makes me feel cheerful when I get home from work, no matter how stressful the day. Yours was really nice too.”

“Thanks.” She peeked in the first room with a queen-size bed done up in jungle fabrics. “Oh, I love this.” A little Christmas tree was decorated in jaguars and parrots and toucans. The scent of Christmas spices came from a red glass bowl on a chest of drawers, and red and green towels were folded next to it. He thought this was the room she wanted to stay in.

“Wait, stay here. I just want to check out the other rooms.” She headed out of the guest room. Everett set their bags on a chair and followed her into the hall, curious as to what she was looking for.

The next room was decorated in candy canes, furnished with two single beds, and had a tree decorated in candy canes and other candy ornaments. The last guest room had another double bed, in subdued forest green and burgundy, more of a manly room, featuring a countrified Christmas tree covered with miniature snowshoes, pinecones, feather-covered balls, Texas brass stars, and a garland of wooden beads.

“Jungle room or this room?” she asked, taking hold of his hand and squeezing.

“As long as it's not the candy cane room, I'm good with either.”

“I bet you anything you'd even go for that if I had my heart set on it.”

“Hell, yeah, you know it. I'd just have to do a little furniture rearranging, or we'd have to share a single bed.”

She laughed and led him to the patio door, turned on the pool lights, and looked longingly at the shimmering blue water. Jaguars loved the water.

It was damned inviting, the water calling to his jaguar nature. “Do you want to undress and shift in the bedroom so we can go swimming?”

“Yeah, let's swim a few laps and…sleep,” she said.

“Right.” But he really didn't think she meant to only sleep.

They returned to the jungle bedroom. He shut the door and began to untie her scarf. He was sure she didn't have him undressing her in mind, but he wasn't giving up the opportunity for anything.

She pulled at his jacket to slip it off and then tossed it to the floor. He didn't remove her scarf just yet, but slid the sleeves of her jacket down her arms, pulling it off the rest of the way and throwing it on top of his jacket.

He remembered that first day he'd seen her with his sister, smiling and having fun, and damn if she hadn't tossed a smile his way in a flirtatious manner—even if it hadn't been intended for him. Their gazes had latched on each other, and right then and there, he knew he wanted to see more of her. But once he'd learned his friend was dating her, that was the end of that. Now, he was going to make this right between them.

Everett pulled Demetria close for a kiss. She hooked her arms around his neck and tilted her face up in anticipation. Even if her desire to have him was just a fantasy she'd built up in her mind, she had to know for certain. Would Everett be the one and only one for her?

Right this very minute? Yes!

He kissed her gently, as if preparing her for more. Then taking a breath, he parted his lips, his warm, sensuous mouth inviting her in. She took advantage, stroking the side of his tongue, teasing it with the tip of her own, and then pulling out and kissing him full on the mouth, nothing soft about it.

His hands shifted from her hair to her ass, pulling her tight against him, encouraging her to feel his growing need for her. He was hot and hard, his erection pressing against her belly, letting her know just how aroused he was. She reveled in it, sweeping her tongue against his lips again. This time, he slid his tongue between her parted lips, stroking and teasing. His hands kneaded her buttocks, his arousal jerking against her belly.

It had been over a year since she'd been with anyone like this, but no one could compare to Everett's touch, the way he made her hot and wet and needy all at once.

He slid a hand up her sweater and cupped a breast, his thumb rubbing over the silky, thin bra as if it wasn't there at all, her sensitive nipple stretched out for more.

He pulled off her scarf and then her sweater, eyeing her bra for a second as if he'd never seen one before, or at least not her red bra with the tiny, candy-cane appliqué sewn in the center, the fabric silky and barely there. Her nipples were poking at the fabric, the darkened dusty rose nipples visible through the lightweight material.

Unfastening her bra, he slipped it off and tossed it on a chair. He studied her breasts before he placed his hands over them and massaged them, making her groan. She slid her hands up his black sweatshirt and tweaked his nipples. She craved the feel of his soft skin against her palms, the feel of his pebbled nipples against the pads of her thumbs.

She wanted his sweatshirt off. As much as she didn't want to disturb where his hands were glued to her breasts, lifting and massaging, she needed him to be naked now.