A Wolf's Savage Embrace (15 page)

“Yeah,” she stated, glancing at Kat quickly, then back to Luke – her lips turned up in a saucy little smile that was so much like her sisters.
“What’s the deal with the braid? Like, that look went out in what…the 1800’s?”

Luke leaned back in his seat and grinned – thoroughly enjoying himself. “I guess I just never bothered worrying about it much, brat.”

“You should really let me cut it,” she went on, taking a sip of her soda and smiling. “I mean, catch up with the times for God’s sake.” She finished with a crinkling of her nose in distaste.

“So, I take it that you have your cosmetology license?”

Harper huffed - tossing her long hair behind her shoulder. “I know enough to cut
that
mop. It’s not like I’ll make you look
Amish
or anything! Geez.”

Luke burst out laughing, his gorgeous eyes twinkling playfully, and Kat felt a warmth spreading through her.
She sat there and silently watched the two – her heart tightening in her chest at their playful banter. God, this all just seemed so natural – so right.

She sighed at the thought of having to call Elaine and end all of this, and a moment later, her brows furrowed as a feeling of unease hit her full force.
For some reason she couldn’t fathom; she didn’t want to call her mother. Call it instinct or a gut feeling, but the very idea made her unbelievably uneasy – as if a dark cloud had suddenly passed overhead.

“Katrina, are you all right?” Luke asked; abruptly pulling her from her thoughts.
She glanced at him, and noticed the worry clouding his features, and cursed the man for being so perceptive.

“I’m fine,” she replied halfheartedly and thankfully, before he could press the issue, the waitress came over with their food.

She didn’t want to have to explain this feeling of dread that was wrapping itself around her like a cloak. She needed to get him to take her and Harper home, and then decide her next move. If she told him about her fears, he would just argue that much more about staying with them. And she just could not have that. As much as it killed her, she knew that Luke was not to be a part of her life. That she needed to leave him. And something was telling her - the sooner the better.

Harper dug into her pancakes and grinned impishly at Luke, and Kat couldn’t help but smile at the pleasure she seemed to take in teasing him at every given opportunity.

“So, are you a witch too, Jungle-boy?” she asked between bites, and gave him a wink.

Luke took a swig of his coffee and returned her smile.
“Not quite,” he informed her with a shrug. “I’m a Were.”

Harpers eyes widened.
“Are you
serious
?” she asked, her mouth dropping open in wonder. “That is like…so
wicked
cool! I mean; I really didn’t think that werewolves were real.”

“Well, I’m certainly real enough, brat.” He chuckled, and glanced at Kat- who in turn, turned beet red at the devilish gleam in his eyes.

Oh, yes – she silently gulped. He sure as
Hell
was real. And yummy and sexy and…

Kat shoved a forkful of food into her mouth and tried to ignore his gaze and what it did to her body temperature.
The man was just too damn dangerous.

“And, I’ll let you in on a bit of a secret,” he said, turning his attention back to the girl.
“Two of my best friends happen to be Vampire’s – and one of their mates is part Fey.”

“Holy crap!” Harper breathed - her eyes sparkling with excitement.
“Holy
freaking
crap!”

Luke laughed and took a bite of his burger – his eyes once again straying to Kat.
God - he thought with a tightening of his body - she was beautiful, and he had the overpowering urge to lean across the table and kiss her full, sweet lips. Her mouth was set in a thoughtful grin, and it literally took his breath away.

“So, can I like see you as a wolf sometime?” Harper asked, and he mentally shook himself back to reality.

“Perhaps.”

“Nice!” Harper laughed. “I always wanted a dog.”

Kat choked on the bite of pancake that she had just stuffed into her mouth and began to cough and sputter - laughing at the look of complete shock on Luke’s face.

Chapter
7

“Um, is it ok if I take this room,” Harper asked softly as Luke ushered them into the motel room, and Kat felt her face instantly heat.
“It’s nothing personal or anything,” she explained nervously. “But I’m just kind of used to having a room to myself, and I’m told that I talk in my sleep and… I hope that’s all right?”

Luke smiled and gave her a wink.
“I don’t have a problem with it at all,” he murmured, glancing at Kat and giving her a snarky grin that had the blood rushing through her body in a warming rush. “Is that all good with you, red?” He lifted his brow in challenge, and her body instantly stiffened.

Damn it! Kat silently cursed - the thought of sharing a room once again with the mangy cur was scaring and exciting her all at the same time – throwing her damn mind and body into overdrive. But she would be
damned
if she was going to let the mangy cur know that.

“That’s fine,” she bit out, her heart pounding in her chest and her palms getting clammy.
She wiped them on her jeans and headed over to the door that adjoined the two rooms Luke had rented.

She groaned as she walked through the threshold and saw the single king sized bed. Crap! Did the man have a thing for king sized beds or what?
She knew that with his large stature a king would be much more comfortable – but… come on!
Really?

She threw her backpack on a nearby chair and sighed raggedly.
When was she going to catch a break? Just what had she done to deserve this torture? She had always tried to be a good person – so why was fate dealing her such a crappy hand at every turn?

Luke strolled through the door, kicked off his boots and plopped down on the bed.
Stretching out with his arms behind his head, he studied Kat silently – causing her to grow extremely uncomfortable. She shot him a glare and walked back into Harpers room.

“Is there anything you need?” she asked, trying desperately to forget about the gorgeous man sprawled out so damn seductively on the bed in the next room.
He was utter temptation and that was proving to be a problem. Their no touching rule seemed to have been thrown out the window, and
now
she was going to have to share a bed with the irritating ass!

“No, I’m good.” Harper said, giving Kat a weary smile.
“I think I might just take a shower and call it a night. I’m wiped and I feel just all kinds of disgusting. Sleeping in the park is not my idea of a good time.” She hesitated a moment, watching Kat closely. “Um…when were you planning on calling your mother?” She asked finally - and Kat couldn’t help but notice the look of trepidation that crossed her features.

“Harper,” Kat said, walking over to her and touching her arm.
She instantly felt that low hum when they made contact. “Tell me the truth. Do you have a bad feeling about calling Elaine?”

The girl was silent for a long moment, and then finally nodded her head slowly.
“I can’t explain it, and I don’t want you to be upset – but it just feels… wrong somehow.”

Kat pulled her over to the bed and sat down, taking her hands in hers.
“Harper, listen to me. I’m not what you would call a ‘practicing witch’ really,” she explained softly. “I didn’t go to the celebrations as often as I should have. I had a life that I was content with, and never really had time for any of that.” She sighed and shrugged her shoulders. “My powers are simple at best. I can scry and cast certain fundamental spells – and every so often I can feel a person’s emotions if I touch them and they are strong enough, but…” she shook her head. “The one thing that usually doesn’t fail me is my instincts. And they are telling me not to let Elaine know that we’re together.”

Harper watched her closely a moment before throwing herself into Kat’s arms and hugging her fiercely.
“Thank God!” She cried. “I…I can’t explain it either, but it just doesn’t feel right, ya know? Being with you…and Luke – that feels right.”

Kat swallowed the lump that had formed instantly at her words.
How could she tell her that she and Harper needed to leave Luke behind? That the only way to keep him safe - was to go off somewhere on their own and leave him behind.

In time, she thought with a deep, overwhelming sadness – she would tell her soon.
She would explain everything to her after Luke dropped them off at her apartment tomorrow.

“Listen, kiddo,” she murmured, brushing the hair off of her face with the tips of her fingers.
“We are going to be ok. Got it?” And Harper nodded – her hazel eyes as big as saucers, and Kat knew for all her outer toughness – the girl was scared. She might be seventeen years old, but she was still a confused, lost little girl inside. “I have the same reservations about calling her as you do. It just doesn’t feel right to me either - so between the two of us, I’m pretty sure our guts are right on the money. We’ll figure out where we’ll go tomorrow. Deal?”

“Deal.” Harper agreed and hugged her again.
“I’m glad you’re my sister,” she whispered in her ear, and Kat felt her heart swell. She had a sister!

“Me too, kiddo. Now go take your shower and get some rest. You have to be exhausted.”

“I am.”

Kat stood and walked over to the door.
Looking back over her shoulder, she threw Harper a wink – then turned back to go and face her biggest problem.

When she walked back into the room, Luke still lay on the bed – but he seemed to have fallen asleep.
She stood there silently and watched him a moment - once again taken by the pure, sensual beauty of the man.

She knew that men weren’t usually considered beautiful – but this man could be described no other way.
He was masculine, and chiseled and perfect beyond comprehension – and completely out of her reach. If she wanted to keep him safe, she had to let him go – and there was absolutely no changing that.

It wasn’t as if they had anything together anyway, she told herself with a huff - except maybe some animosity and earth-shattering sex – and even though she found herself enjoying every moment that they spent together, she knew that it had to end.
To save him she
had
to let him go- she repeated to herself, and walked across the room and into the bathroom – grabbing her backpack along the way. Maybe a nice hot bath would calm her battered heart.

Luke woke the instant that Kat stepped into the room, but kept his eyes closed - hoping to give her a little space. He knew that she was nervous at the prospect of sharing a room with him again, and he wanted her to relax. It had been an emotional day for her and she needed to relieve some of her stress.

When he heard her go into the bathroom and start a bath, he finally opened his eyes and stared up at the ceiling - wanting nothing more than to go in there and be the one to help her ease her tension.

He sat up with a groan and rubbed his hands across his eyes.
Knowing that she was not more than fifteen feet from him, naked - and wet, had his body doing dangerous things. Damn it to Hell!

“Hey, Jungle-boy,” Harper whispered, opening the door to their room and peeking in. “You wouldn’t happen to have some toothpaste, would you?”

Luke chuckled and walked over to his duffle bag. He rifled through it a moment and pulled out a tube, holding it out to her. “Here you go, brat.”

“Thanks.” She was about to make her exit, when her eyes suddenly lit up. “Hey, you got scissors in there?”

“I believe so, why?” He asked, raising his brow slightly – his eyes narrowing.

“Come with me,” she laughed.
“Let’s rock my sister’s world.”

Kat closed her eyes and let the hot water soothe her aching muscles.
She thought she heard Luke’s voice, but couldn’t be certain. Shaking it off, she sighed and felt her eyelids growing heavy. Not having the strength to fight it, she let herself drift off – not caring in the least that she was instantly dreaming of amber eyes.

Kat woke with a start a little while later shivering – the bathwater having gone ice cold.
She quickly slipped out of the tub and wrapped herself up in a thick towel – trying to stop the tremors assaulting her body.

She ran a brush through her damp hair and threw on her favorite overlarge t-shirt and a pair of panties – thinking now that she wished she had packed some pajama pants or even a pair of granny panties – and silently cursed her addiction to silk undergarments.
She felt slightly over-exposed in the worn shirt that barely skimmed her thighs. Not to mention the deep purple French cut underwear. Oh, well – she thought with a sigh’ no changing it now.

Gathering up her nerve, she left the bathroom and walked into the room – praying with all that she had, that the wolf was still fast asleep.

Luke
was
still sprawled out on the bed when Kat walked in - but her mouth dropped open when she noticed that he was shirtless
and
missing the long braid he usually wore.

His ravens-wing black hair was cut short in a sexy, messy style that only served to enhance his already spectacular looks, and she swallowed hard – feeling her previously chilled body instantly growing warm. Oh, Hell – who was she kidding!
It was getting downright
hot
in here. Oh dear God! The man looked beyond amazing - he looked downright edible!

“I take it that you approve?” he asked with that insufferable grin on his face - and Kat couldn’t be sure if he meant his haircut or his lack of a shirt – and in reality she approved of both with uninhibited abandon.
It was taking all the willpower that she possessed not to just jump him right then and there!

“Har…Harper did that?” She stammered, her face flushing with heat.

“I have to admit – that little smart-ass has talent.”

“Um…yeah. It looks all right, I guess.” She stammered, feeling that pull towards him that she did whenever he was near.
“Every dog needs a good grooming once in a while, I suppose. Did she happen to give you a flea dip too?”

Luke burst out laughing and patted the bed, his mouth turning up in a leer.
“Come on, red. Why don’t you lie down and get some rest? It’s been a rough, emotional couple of days. You must be wiped.”

Kat took a deep breath, and walked over to the bed - not about to let this man rattle her any more than he already did.
Screw
that
noise! He could look at her all he wanted with that drop-dead gorgeous grin, and intense smoky stare. She wasn’t going to let him know how he affected her. She straightened her back and walked over to the other side of the bed and slipped in – pulling the covers up over her chest.

“Geez, it’s not even nine o’clock,” she said, shaking her head with a groan.
“I can’t believe I’m going to sleep this early.”

Luke flipped onto his side, and rested his head on his hand as his eyes captured and held hers.
“There are plenty of things I can think of to pass the time,” he whispered huskily, and Kat’s heart slammed in her chest with a resounding boom. Oh crap – this was
not
good.

“I’m sure you could, Benji,” she replied, her voice barely above a whisper – and suddenly her mouth felt dry - and her tongue exceedingly thick.

Luke leaned over so that he was hovering above her, his mouth whispering across hers with the lightest of touches - and Kat’s damn toes curled. He was so unbelievably warm, and he smelled so good that she felt every bit of her resolve pouring out of her body in a rush - to leave only a deep, aching need that she felt to the very core of her being.

She wanted him more than she wanted air – and her body, mind and soul cried out to him.
Begging him to take her – and consequences be damned. She just wanted him so damn bad - if only for this one night.

Tomorrow she and Harper would leave him behind - but she could have this one night, she reasoned.
One night of total, uninhibited bliss – with the man she had come to care for more than she was willing to admit.

“Luke,” she murmured against his mouth – not quite certain if it was a protest or a plea, but she didn’t have time to figure it out, because a moment later his mouth took hers with primal demand.
His tongue swept past her parted lips and claimed hers as his arm snaked around her waist and pulled her flush against his strong, solid frame. And it felt wondrous. He was the perfect combination of smooth, hot steel – his muscles rippling against her heated flesh. He was strong and demanding, and there was nothing she could do but to respond.