Blood Debt (Touched Series Book 1) (51 page)

Hot Damn! Jonathan kicked off his Tony Lama boots and slipped in beside her.
He knew the drill. He had to kiss her and rub her back for at least five minutes before she’d let him unbutton her shirt. So far, so good. He fumbled around with her bra for another couple of minutes before realizing it was one of those Victoria’s Secret contraptions that fastened in the front. But
how
did it fasten? It wasn’t a hook. Should he ask her to help him out or just keep pawing at it?

“Jonathan, stop.” Naomi grabbed his wrist and moved his hand to her shoulder. But then she scooted closer, accidentally-on-purpose brushing against him.

Jonathan gritted his teeth and rolled onto his back. Naomi was driving him crazy. Her mouth said ‘stop’ but the rest of her was saying ‘go, go, go.’ It didn’t matter. He never ignored a girl’s request to stop.

Naomi nuzzled his neck and whispered, “You don’t have to stop
everything
. Kiss me.”

Jonathan hated this game. They’d been playing it for three months now. “I’m leaving for Camp Pendleton tomorrow. This is our last chance.”

“Don’t say that.” Naomi’s voice wavered.

Jonathan hadn’t meant to imply that he wasn’t coming back at all; but he might as well roll with it. “I don’t want to go to war without knowing what it’s like to be as close as two people can be.”

Naomi grabbed his face and crushed her lips against his, bumping teeth. She thrust her tongue into his mouth and groaned.

Ug. Her TicTac must have dissolved. Jonathan didn’t want to ruin the moment by offering her another one, but jeeze … who orders roasted garlic on a date? He pulled his mouth from hers and nibbled his way down her throat.

Naomi froze. Her entire body stiffened beneath Jonathan’s.

What now? He hadn’t even unhooked her bra yet.

She pushed him off and sat up. “Did you hear that?”

“Hear what?” He trailed his fingers up her spine onto her shoulders and tried to guide her back into his arms.

She grabbed her blouse and clutched it to her chest.

Great. It had taken him thirty minutes to get her out of the damn thing. If she put it back on, he might as well give up and go home.

Something growled.

The sound came from deep inside the mine. Okay, maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after all. Jonathan had checked the entrance for signs of wildlife when they got here but hadn’t found anything. He slid out of the sleeping bag and fumbled around in the dark for his flashlight.

He directed the beam into the tunnel. The hair on the back of his neck stood on end.
Is that a wolf?
The animal was freaking huge; black with a diamond shaped patch of white fur between its glowing, blue eyes.
Blue? Didn’t wolves have yellow eyes?

Naomi whimpered and clung to Jonathan’s arm, jiggling the flashlight.

Jonathan lowered his voice to a whisper. “Move slowly and go get in the car.”

“I’m scared.”

“I can’t protect you if you don’t let go.” Jonathan kept his voice low and spoke slowly. “Just back up nice and easy and walk to the car.”

Naomi finally let go then turned and ran out of the mine, shrieking like a banshee.

Jonathan snatched a rock off the ground expecting the wolf to give chase. It didn’t. It bared its teeth and growled at him.

“Oh, you want a piece of me, do you? Well, come and get it.”

The wolf crept closer, growling and snapping its teeth.

Jonathan aimed at the diamond patch between its eyes and hurled the rock.

The wolf yelped then collapsed on the ground.

Jonathan backed up until he was out of the mine then turned and walked to his car, fighting the urge to run as he watched over his shoulder.

He was almost there when the wolf staggered out of the mine, moonlight glinting off his sleek, black fur, foam dripping off his canine teeth. Was the animal rabid, or just pissed off?

Jonathan grabbed the door handle, and gave it a yank, but only managed to rock the car.
Are you kidding me?
He pounded on the hood. “Naomi, unlock the door!”

Nothing.

Jonathan took a second to peek in the window and found Naomi curled up in a ball with her hands over her face. Great. He picked up another rock.

The wolf looked over his shoulder into the mine then turned and bolted into the forest.

Jonathan knocked on the window. “It’s okay. The wolf’s gone.”

Naomi finally popped the lock.

Jonathan slid behind the wheel. “Why’d you lock the doors?”

“I was scared.”

“Of what?” Jonathan couldn’t believe she was that stupid. “Wolves don’t have opposable thumbs. It’s not like he was going to open the door and climb in next to you.”

“I’m sorry.” Naomi turned on the water works. Her shoulders shook as she sobbed.

Jonathan pulled her close and pressed her head against his shoulder. He hated it when girls cried. “It’s okay. We’re both safe.”

Naomi fisted his shirt in her hands and clung to him.

Maybe the night wasn’t a total bust after all. Nothing could jump start a make-out session better than the fear of dying.

“You wanna get in the back?”

Naomi sniffled and nodded her head.

Jonathan hopped out and ran around the front of the car to open Naomi’s door. An earth-shaking blast threw him to the ground.
A cloud of dust billowed out of the mine.
What the hell?

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