Burning Ice: 6 (Werewolf Sentinels) (3 page)

After she finished dressing, Riya still had some time to wait before she had to leave for Capac’s place. She took out the piece of paper she’d written his address on, then sat on the bed with her laptop to look up the directions on the internet. It was pretty straightforward, which was good since she hated getting lost. It was actually one of her biggest fears. She had no idea where she got it from. It was just something she’d always had.

Riya also checked her email. There was one from her mother. Her parents were on one of their yearly cruises. They had been able to retire early and set out to go on trips they hadn’t had time to indulge in when they’d been busy with their careers. She was a bit of a disappointment to them when it came to her occupation. She hadn’t wanted to be a lawyer as they had been. She was quite happy working at her bank teller job.

Having filled in the rest of the time surfing the internet, Riya shut down her laptop before she left her room. Wren was still in the living room. The other woman stood and came to stand in front of Riya, appearing to study her.

Wren nodded. “You look good. And you didn’t wear too much perfume, which is good. You don’t want to mask much of your natural scent. He wouldn’t like that.”

“Ah…thanks.”

“Good luck with your date, but I know you don’t need it. He’s as good as yours already.”

Riya thanked Wren again, deciding not to get into the last part the other woman had said. She pulled on a jacket, then left the apartment and headed down to the parking lot. Once she was on the road to Capac’s place her stomach filled with butterflies. She hoped like hell she didn’t do anything else really stupid when she was with him again. She was very attracted to him and wanted to get past the first date.

She only managed to make one wrong turn—without having to backtrack very far—before she arrived at Capac’s house. Riya parked behind another car in the driveway, then walked to the front door. She took a deep breath and rang the doorbell as the butterflies in her tummy increased in number.

Capac answered the door. “You made it.”

Riya smiled. “Yes. It wasn’t hard to find your place.”

“Good. Come on in and I’ll introduce you to everyone.”

She stepped into the front hallway and a delicious scent hit her nose. Her stomach growled despite the butterflies dancing around inside it. “Something smells really good.”

Capac shut the door behind her. “I can’t take credit for that. Durlach and Jaren are the chefs around here. They’re cooking up a big meal.”

“I hope they haven’t gone to all that work on my account.”

“Maybe a little, but it mostly has to do with the fact that two of my roommates, who happen to be married, found out today they’re expecting their first child.”

“That is something worth celebrating.”

“We’re all pretty excited about it. Everyone is in the living room, except for the two chefs, who are still busy in the kitchen.”

Capac’s hand settled on the small of Riya’s back as he guided her toward the living room. Same as when he’d touched her earlier, a jolt of awareness shot through her. She resisted the urge to lean in a little closer so their sides touched. He may have kissed her on the bank of the creek, but that didn’t mean she felt sure enough to go beyond what he did now.

Riya stumbled a bit when she saw how many people were inside the room as Capac walked her through the entrance. He’d said he had quite a few roommates but she’d forgotten it was this many. There were ten people, who were spread out on the couch, two armchairs and on the floor.

Capac made the introductions and Riya learned that Durlach and Meadow lived on the property next to this one and that Carson, who was Eryn’s brother, had his own apartment. But that still made it one full house.

Since all the seats were taken, Riya wasn’t sure where she should sit. Capac soon took control of the matter. He guided her farther into the room, then sat on the floor, taking her with him. He positioned her so she was seated between his spread legs with her back resting against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her waist to hold her.

Riya settled into Capac’s embrace, having no problem with his seating arrangement. It felt good to be held in his strong arms. She listened to the conversation going on around her, but found it hard to really concentrate on it. Capac’s body heat enveloped her, and the scent of the aftershave he wore filled her nose. When he spoke, the rumble of his deep voice went right through her, bringing sensitive places achingly alive.

She became even more distracted as Capac tightened his arms around her. His thumbs stroked back and forth just under her breasts, lightly grazing the underside of them. It was then she noticed the hard length of his erection pressing against her lower back. Her pussy clenched, wetness pooling deep inside.

“So, Riya, we heard about your little run-in with a bear,” Carson said. “And that my man Capac chased it off.”

It took a few seconds for Riya to focus on what had been said to her through the haze of arousal taking hold of her. She cleared her throat before she answered. “Yeah, I did. It was my fault. I shouldn’t have run. I’ve never seen anything like it. Capac blocked the bear’s path and did his best impression of a wolf or some kind of wild creature as he growled at it. I don’t think the animal knew what to make of it and turned around and ran off.”

“Capac can get pretty wolfy when he wants to.” Carson winked.

Riya didn’t know what to say in regard to that comment so she just nodded. Capac stepped into the conversation.

“I’m glad I was there to help,” he said.

She shuddered at the thought of what could have happened if Capac hadn’t chased the bear away. “So am I. I doubt I would have remembered the salmon I had caught, which was in a basket at my side, was what he wanted. I would have kept on running.”

Capac nudged Riya’s hair away from her ear and kissed the skin below it. She shivered in response. “We averted disaster and you still were able to keep your fish. I, on the other hand, didn’t catch a thing.”

“And I had been looking forward to cooking some salmon for dinner too,” said a woman as she walked into the room with another man.

Riya assumed they had to be Jaren and Durlach. She was soon proven correct when the woman came to stand in front of Riya and Capac.

“I’m Jaren, in case they haven’t told you.”

“Capac told me you and Durlach were busy in the kitchen.”

Jaren smiled. “We were, but we’re done now. Dinner is ready.” She spoke to the room at large. “Since there are so many of us I set up the food buffet-style on the kitchen table. I figured we can grab what we want and eat in here.”

Kajakti stood and walked over to his wife’s side. He gave her a quick kiss. “My stomach has been growling for an hour now at the smells coming out of the kitchen. I can’t wait to dig in. There is something to be said about having a trained chef as a wife. I get fed great meals.”

Jaren chuckled. “It’s a good thing I don’t have to worry about you getting fat. If I did, I’d have to cut back on the calorie-heavy foods.”

Kajakti patted his taut stomach. “Definitely no danger of that, thank goodness. I would hate if you did start cooking that way. Let’s go eat.”

The others headed out of the living room. Capac stood and helped Riya to her feet. Instead of taking her to the kitchen he tugged her closer and took her lips in a heated kiss. She was soon swept up in it, forgetting what they were supposed to be doing. His tongue pushed past her lips and gave her a thorough tasting. She couldn’t hold back the quiet moan that left her. His hands pressed against the small of her back, bringing her hips closer to his. She gasped at the feel of his hard cock along her belly.

“You two had better hurry and get some food before there is nothing left for you.”

Riya jerked away from Capac and found Ryder looking at them with a smile. He held a heaping plate.

“Then we’d better get to the kitchen,” she said as she did her best to act as if she hadn’t been caught necking.

Ryder walked past them and sat on the couch. Capac took hold of Riya’s hand and walked her out of the room. She gave him a quick look to see how he’d felt about being seen in a passionate embrace with her, but if anything, he appeared as if it had been no big deal. She guessed with so many married couples living there it probably was a frequent occurrence to stumble across one of them sharing a kiss.

Inside the kitchen, Riya saw the large table weighed down with numerous platters of food. And it was quite a mix. There was a pan of lasagna that smelled delicious with a combination of tomato sauce, cheese and Italian spices. Next her gaze settled on some thick steaks that had perfect diamond-shaped grill marks on them. Add to those fluffy mashed potatoes and what looked like stir-fry vegetables there seemed to be more than enough for everyone. She didn’t know where to start first.

Capac grabbed them each a plate from the end of the table and handed her one. Riya took some of everything. She had her doubts about whether or not she could finish it all, but it smelled so good she couldn’t pass any of it up.

Back in the living room, she and Capac once again sat on the floor, this time side by side. Riya looked toward Carson, Eryn and Wachei. Eryn was giving her brother crap for something he did, which caused him to laugh.

“Never mind them,” Capac said with a grin. “Carson likes to drive Eryn nuts whenever he can. He, along with their older brother Noah, has perfected it into an art.”

“I always wanted a brother, but having to put up with being bugged by one even in adulthood, I guess it’s a good thing I never got one.”

“Do you have any sisters?”

“No. I was a mistake.”

Capac gave her a questioning look. “A what?”

Riya smiled. “My parents had never planned to have children. They are, were, lawyers and very career focused. I was an accident. My mom made sure after I was born that there would be no more of those.”

She took her first mouthful of lasagna and had a flavor explosion on her tongue. It was the best she’d ever eaten, same with the steak and the rest of the food. She turned her head to find Capac watching her.

Riya swallowed, then said, “The food is really good.”

He lifted his gaze off her mouth and met hers. “Jaren and Durlach regularly outdo themselves when they cook.” Capac leaned in and whispered in her ear, “Though I’m finding I’m hungering for a taste of you rather than what is on my plate.”

Capac pulled back and gave Riya a look that had her mouth going suddenly dry as a surge of arousal shot through her. The room seemed to get very hot. She was sorely tempted to wave her hand in front of her face, but decided it would draw too much attention. She didn’t want the other people in the room to notice the sexual tension that grew between her and the man who sat beside her.

Riya tried to focus on the food she’d taken, but couldn’t concentrate past what Capac had said to her. She remembered all too well how it felt to have his mouth moving over hers, licking and sucking. And the hardness of his erection pressed against her.

She’d only eaten half of what was on her plate when she finally gave up. Her body no longer craved food. Her pussy throbbed, demanding attention. Riya looked at Capac from the corner of her eye and saw he seemed to be eating in a hurry.

Once he’d finished, he stood and looked down at her. “Are you done?”

At her nod, he helped her to her feet, then took her plate from her. Riya followed Capac out of the room to the kitchen where he put their plates into the dishwasher. That chore completed he took her hand, led her out of the room and up the stairs to the second level where the bedrooms were located.

He tugged her into one, then released her hand as he closed and locked the door behind them. Sure it had to be a trick of the light or her eyes seeing something that wasn’t actually there, Riya noticed Capac’s eyes seemed to take on a muted glow for a second as he stepped toward her. Riya forgot all about that as soon as he took her into his arms and proceeded to kiss her breathless.

Capac backed Riya to the center of the room as he kissed her with all the pent-up hunger inside him. That one kiss they’d shared before getting their food had hardly been enough. And it hadn’t helped that he’d been able to smell his mate’s arousal while they’d eaten. With his mating urge an ever-present thing, Riya’s scent made his body ache even more to have her. His cock was already hard.

He lifted his head and gazed at her. “I’ve been dying to do that for what seemed like ages.”

“You and me both.”

“Then you won’t mind if I strip you naked and kiss every inch of you.”

“As long as I get to do the same thing to you in return.”

Capac had to hold back a growl as he once again took Riya’s lips with his own. He wanted to make love to her fully, but he couldn’t. Not until she was ready for him to claim her as his mate. Once the mating bond formed between them there would be no undoing it. After he did make her his, he’d be able to turn her with one bite while in his dire wolf form, making her an immortal werewolf like him.

He placed a hand on the small of her back and urged her closer so they were pressed together from chest to knees. Riya lifted her arms and put her hands on his chest. The scent of her arousal increased, filling Capac’s nose, making his heart beat faster.