Eye of the Tiger (21 page)

In the week since Mike Timmons had been arrested, they had spent every minute together. When they weren’t at the Coalition office, they were at his house spending time together and getting to know each other.

They shared the same appreciation of books and enjoyed the same television shows. He loved cooking for someone other than himself. Abilene was a bit of a neat freak and cleaned the kitchen, along with the rest of the house.

They meshed so well together that it was almost as if they’d always been a couple.

“Actually there was something I wanted to talk to you about,” she told him.

He stiffened as she grew serious. “What is it?”

“I heard from my boss today,” she told him.

He’d known it had to be coming. The ATF were finishing their portion of the investigation, giving the Coalition the majority of the arrests. Abilene would have to return to her own agency soon.

But he had it all worked out. They would have to take turns staying at the other’s home and making the drive into work. It would suck, but on the weekends at least they could spend more time together.

It would take some work, but every relationship did.

“Zak?”

“What?”

“Are you even listening to me?” she asked, smacking his shoulder.

“Sorry, it’s hard to concentrate when you’re so close. All I can think about is how your body feels under me, or above me, or…”

“I get it,” she said with a laugh. “This is serious.”

“Okay.” He held up his hands in surrender. “Go ahead.”

“So Luca was thinking about transferring to the Coalition. He even spoke to Otto and Commander Green.”

“He did?” Zak asked, excited. If Luca transferred, would he be able to bring Abilene with him? That would be fucking awesome. “Are you thinking about leaving the ATF?”

“No, I like my job.”

Zak’s heart ached. Damn. It would have worked out so perfectly if Abilene had joined the agency, but he couldn’t fault her. He wouldn’t leave his job either. “That’s okay,” he told her. “We’ll work it out. Like I told you before, I’m not letting go of you. I’ve already worked out a schedule. We’ll have to take turns driving back and forth but we can do it.”

“It already is worked out,” she told him.

“It is?”

“Luca, Spencer and I are the new liaison team between the ATF and the Coalition,” she told him.

“Okay.” He wasn’t sure what that meant.

“So I’ll be dividing my time between here and our home office. Three days a week plus weekends here and two days back with the ATF.”

“Five days? You’ll be here five days?” He straightened as he grabbed hold of her arms.

“Yep, and I get a small living increase to rent an apartment. I figured since I would spend most of my time here, Luca and I could rent a two-bedroom apartment together.”

Gazing at her, Zak didn’t think he’d ever been so happy.
But…
“You don’t have to rent a place.”

She placed her hands over his. “I think living together might be moving a little too fast. At least if I have my name on a lease we have options if we do need time away from each other. We’ll already be working close and seeing each other at night.”

Abilene had a point, and he wasn’t going to argue. She had said that she’d be spending most of her time with him anyway. She could put her name on anything she wanted. He wasn’t about to let her sleep anywhere but in his bed.

“You’re amazing. This is amazing,” he said.

She grinned. “So it’s okay?”

“Are you crazy? Of course it is,” he replied. He yanked her closer and kissed her gently. Running his hands down her back, he cupped her ass, lifting her off her feet.

She wrapped her legs around his waist, and he spun so he could set her on the countertop. It put her at the perfect height.

Settling in between her legs, he pushed her back. She had a loose T-shirt on and he pushed it up to her neck.

“What are you doing?” she asked. “We have guests.”

“They can wait,” he replied. He pushed her bra out of the way before lowering his mouth. Pulling her pert nipple into his mouth, he tongued her flesh. With his hands, he started on the button of her jeans.

“I’m beginning to think you have a bit of exhibitionism in you,” she said breathlessly.

“We’re in a house full of shifters. No one is going to walk in here when they can hear us right outside the door,” he assured her.

He really didn’t have that kink but he couldn’t wait to have her. “Lift your hips,” he ordered.

She obviously didn’t mind since she complied. He slipped her pants and panties down her legs. He had to yank off her tennis shoes to get her clothes off.

“Besides, the last time was your idea,” he reminded her.

“Uh-huh,” she said as she cupped and rubbed her breasts. “Just touch me again.”

Oh, he planned on never stopping. He captured her right hand and brought it down to her pussy. “Let me see you,” he requested.

He stepped back as she widened her legs and trailed her pointer finger through her folds. He yanked at his button just as she slid her digit deep inside.

“Feels good,” she murmured.

It looked even better. “Add another one. Fuck yourself for me.”

She moaned and added a second finger. God, he could get off on just watching her. He pushed his jeans and boxer briefs down his legs before he scooted forward. He didn’t bother with his shoes so it was slow moving with his clothes tangled around his ankles.

He covered her hand with his and on the next plunge of her fingers he added his own. She was so wet for him. They continued for a few more strokes before he pulled her hand away. He brought her fingers to his mouth and licked them clean.

“Love your taste,” he admitted. He could spend hours licking and sucking her. The past few days had been a test in how many different ways they could pleasure each other but he had quickly learned that she had tasted so good.

“I need you,” she whined.

He grasped his cock, placing the head at her entrance. “Tell me you’re mine,” he said.

“I am,” she said.

“Yes.” He thrust in.

She arched. “I am,” she repeated.

He hammered deep, over and over, until he had to grab her shoulders to keep from sliding against the marble countertop. Her feet dug into his back as she lifted her hips to match his rhythm.

His cock rubbed her inner muscles and he felt powerful as he drew low, long moans from her. He pounded harder.

She gasped in the familiar way that he was now used to. He managed to cover her mouth with his hand as she screamed out her orgasm.

He plunged one, two, three more times before he grunted out his own release. He’d bitten his tongue to keep from making as much noise as she had, but it was so worth it.

He dropped his head down onto her shoulder.

“You’re mine, too,” Abilene stated.

He lifted his head to peer down at her. “I am. But we really need to work on how you get energized after sex. I want my cuddles,” he complained.

She laughed. “Cuddles? If you want cuddles, you need to stop making love to me in places other than bed. As a matter of fact, I think we’ve done it more out of bed than on the comfortable mattress you have.”

Wow, she was actually right about that. “Not my fault. I can’t resist you.”

She gripped the back of his head and pulled him down again so he could rest against her. “Maybe instead of converting me into one of the lazy people, I’ll get you to adapt to my way of things. I think it’s your diet. You eat too much red meat.”

“You’ve been talking to Brandy,” he accused.

She giggled. “Maybe.”

Zak placed his hand over her mouth again. “Shh.”

A loud banging came from the kitchen door. “Uh, guys?” Cody called. “We need more ice out here.”

Zak sighed. “It’s always the damn ice!” he griped.

“What’s that mean?” Abilene questioned.

“I’ll explain later,” he promised. He pulled out of her before helping her sit up.

“I wonder how long he waited before knocking?” she said as she straightened her bra and T-shirt.

He bent to pick up her pants. “At least it wasn’t Jamie. He would have walked right in and probably taped us.”

“Oh God.” She covered her face with her hands.

He pulled them away. She was blushing.

“Hey, I’d never let him post it on the Internet or anything,” he teased.

She glared at him.

He chuckled as he pulled up his pants.

“Why is it that I’m naked while you just pushed your clothes down?” she complained.

“I can’t help it that I like to see you,” he told her.

“Yeah? You like the view?” she asked, sliding off the counter.

“Are you kidding me? I had my eye on you the moment I saw you,” he confessed.

“Yeah? I caught the eye of the tiger?”

He grasped her hand in his and brought her palm up to his mouth so he could kiss her fingers. “You caught more than that. You got his heart too.”

“And he has mine,” she said.

Also available from Totally Bound Publishing:

Were Chronicles: Pack Alpha

Crissy Smith

Excerpt

Chapter One

Marissa took a drink of the coffee she’d picked up at the last gas station. The hot liquid burned her tongue and tasted like slug. It wasn’t Starbucks that was for sure. She had flown into the Texas International Airport and rented a car to drive the rest of the way to the small town her sister called home. Her mind was busy thinking about how her sister Elizabeth had been so excited about moving here, but looking at the passing scenery of trees, trees, and more trees, Marissa didn’t get it. It was so big and wide. No buildings, other cars, or people around.

Rolling her window down and turning Bon Jovi even louder on the stereo, she concentrated on the drive—not the reason for coming. She dreaded going into Pack territory, but Elizabeth was the only family she had left, and after finding her mate, Elizabeth wanted Marissa there for the mating ceremony.

That thought brought a smile to Marissa’s face as she glanced at the invitation on the seat next to her. She wanted Elizabeth to be happy, and Greg sounded like a nice guy. She’d spoken to him numerous times on the phone, and he’d always been respectful towards her. And that wasn’t common. A were who couldn’t shift was an outsider. And everyone except Elizabeth had treated her that way her entire life.

Marissa had left the Pack she’d been raised in as soon as she could. Never to step foot on any Pack territory again. That was until later today. Elizabeth, on the other hand, had stayed until she met Greg, a member of a different Pack. After the initial meeting, he had offered her a teaching position at the elementary school and she had taken it. He had been courting her ever since with the blessing of her new Pack Alpha, Gage Wolf.

Marissa chuckled, thinking of everything Greg had done to win her sister’s heart. He’d known he wanted Elizabeth and had patiently waited. It had taken Elizabeth a year to agree to the mating ceremony, but she finally did. Marissa knew one of the reasons Elizabeth had been holding off was because of her.

Marissa had the same instincts as any other were and with that came the need of a Pack, but she had given up on that a long time ago. She’d grown up alone and would always remain that way. In the middle between a shifter and a human. She had many gifts due to her genes—the extended life span, the wolf traits, and some enhanced features—but not enough.

But Marissa would put everything she had into this week and the ceremony that meant so much to her sister.

The differences between her and Elizabeth had grown as they had aged. That was why Marissa had never visited Elizabeth’s new home. She wasn’t scared being in Pack territory; she just didn’t want to face all the males and their egos. And from what she understood, the Pack’s Alpha or leader was pretty young himself.

When around other wolves, the female wolf inside her demanded she mate with one of her own kind. So, as long as she avoided everyone except her sister as much as she could and kept her urges inside, everything would be okay. She would not act like the wolf she couldn’t shift into.

And if the Alpha was anything like her old one, she’d just tell him where to stick it. The idea of telling the Alpha of a territory to go to hell made her smile wider and laugh harder. She wasn’t seventeen anymore. She wasn’t a scared little girl who had to follow everything someone told her. No, she was a grown woman. And she was going to enjoy the time with her sister.

She wasn’t dressed to impress the Alpha or any men in the territory as she currently wore a pair of hip-hugging jeans and a tight pink T-shirt. The paint on her toe nails matched the colour of her shirt, as did the flip-flops. It was a far cry from the suit she wore everyday as an office assistant. She felt free.

When she almost missed the turn off to the territory gate and turned the car sharply to the left, the back of the car skidded around and kicked up dirt. Laughing, she straightened the car and slowed her speed. She didn’t think Gage Wolf would be happy if she took out a couple of trees.

When she reached the gate, she stopped and waited for the guard. He didn’t disappoint. A man over six feet came over to the window and leaned down, smiling at her.

“Can I help you?” he asked in a husky voice.

She took a deep breath and smiled back. If all the men were this good-looking, she had her work cut out for her trying to keep her distance. They’d flirt and tease with her, and she had to be strong and resist, because as soon as they knew her secret, she wouldn’t exist any longer to them. And no matter what she said to herself, the rejection always hurt.

“I’m Elizabeth Boyd’s sister. I need directions to her house please.”

His smile didn’t change and he nodded. “Give me just a minute.” He winked, then headed to the guardhouse and picked up the phone.