Pack Mates (Were Chronicles) (5 page)

She snorted. “Nice. Nicely worded.”

He was glad she appreciated it.

“And you know that was a bullshit answer. I didn’t expect that from you. Maybe from Ben, but I thought you would shoot a little straighter.”

He tensed and a growl slipped out. “What do you know about Ben?”

“Not much. Doesn’t seem like anyone knows much more than he keeps to himself and he’s very smart.”

Her words filled him with pride. Ben was smart, even though that was why he kept to himself so much. Being bullied as a kid would do that to you. Dylan and RJ had done their best to protect him, but they hadn’t always been around.

“Dylan hasn’t been around much, either. Spending all his time with Cameron,” she commented.

“He does have a new Pack to learn about,” RJ replied easily.

“Then there’s you. You placed yourself right smack in the middle of town, you mix with the community and stay visible. Like you’re trying to take everyone’s attention from your brothers.”

She was smart. But so was he. “And you. The big-city girl comes home, asks around about the Cross brothers, and thinks she knows it all?” he questioned.

She shook her head. “No, I don’t know it all. But I do know that in two days, one way or another, we will have a new Alpha. If there is a challenge of any form, it will tear this town apart.”

He sighed because she was right again.

“And if he is challenged?” she asked. “What happens if that does happen?”

That was a tricky question. He knew what he thought Dylan would do but he didn’t think she would like that answer. “I can’t answer that. You would need to ask Dylan.”

She pressed her lips together before sucking her bottom lip into her mouth in thought. His cock responded immediately as he stared at her mouth. Damn it, they were having a serious conversation and he still wanted to mount and claim her.

Just the thought that she was brave enough to ask questions no one else had made him want to strip her naked and pound into her.

She licked her lips and he stifled a groan.

The fantasy from the night before came back. Her on her knees in front of him, pleasing him with her mouth and hands. His cock was leaking against the front of his jeans and he shifted, trying to relieve some of the pressure.

Her cough brought his thoughts back to the current time. When he glanced back at her, she was staring at his lap. His erection was obvious under the zipper of his jeans.

“Really?” she asked, peeking up at him.

He grinned and winked. “What can I say?”

She chewed on her lip more and he groaned.

Her eyebrows drew together in confusion.

“Stop with the lip thing! You’re killing me here.”

Her eyes widened. “Hmm,” she teased, and darted her tongue to swipe at her lips.

He wasn’t a saint. His control could only be tested so far. He jumped off the chair and was on her instantly. He straddled her legs and pushed her back against the couch.

“You’re playing with fire, Nikki Stratton,” he warned. Any indication she wanted this to go forward and he would be all over her.

He jerked when she ran her hands up from his knees to his waist.

“Oh God, just kiss me,” she told him, tilting her head back.

“Hell yeah.” He celebrated for a quick second before leaning down and slowly closing the distance between their mouths.

She arched up, trying to meet his lips. He grinned as he cupped the side of her face. “Are you sure?”

She growled and tightened her hands, now resting on his upper legs. “Stop teasing,” she demanded.

He had no idea where he found the gentleness with which he kissed her. Their mouths met and she opened under the pressure of his. Their tongues touched tentatively at first then more forcefully.

She responded beautifully, reaching up and pulling him closer so his hard cock brushed over her stomach. He moaned at the friction and she swallowed the sound.

He closed his eyes and let himself go, kissing and rubbing against the woman under him. It wasn’t until he felt her push him back that he realised she had been yanking at his shirt trying to get off the cotton material.

He leant back quickly and ripped the shirt over his head before removing hers as well.

She traced the tattoo over his heart before leaning forward to lick at the eagle. He shivered at the feel of her tongue on his skin.

“Marine,” she murmured against him.

As gently as he could with shaking hands, he held her head to him. She left the eagle to run her tongue down his pecs, over his nipple, to the tribal tattoo that covered his left side.

His erection pulsed in need as she continued on exploring. Finally, before he blew, he slipped off her and guided her to lie down on the couch.

He kissed her again, enjoying the taste of coffee and pure woman. It was heady, this need that she had awakened in him. He wanted to worship her from top to bottom.

Just as slowly as she had done to him, he learnt every inch of her. Using his hands and mouth, he teased her soft skin, causing goosebumps to pop up.

She lifted enough to help remove her white silk bra and pressed against his hand when he cupped her sex through her jeans. He could smell her arousal. She was wet, ready for him. She scratched her short nails down his arm as he snapped the button on her jeans and slowly unzipped her pants. He let her toe off her tennis shoes and he yanked her socks, jeans and panties down until she lay bared for his eyes to feast on.

He bent and placed soft kisses on her stomach before moving lower. At the first swipe of his tongue through her juices she cried out. When he ran his fingers between her folds, she gasped before he opened her and mouthed her plump pussy, causing her to buck and grab at his head. He pleasured her, drawing out her climax, until she dropped back on the couch spent.

“Not nearly done with you,” he warned her as he got his jeans open and pushed them down. He fought with his boots and socks before finally managing to get free of them. She watched with heavy eyes full of lust.

He climbed back to his knees and scooted closer to her.

“Mmm, yummy,” she said before crawling off the couch and pushing him back. He hit the floor still reaching for her.

“I knew you would be big and hard. Just perfect for me,” she admired, and stroked his cock. He lifted his hips into her touch. “I have to taste you.”

He cried out when she swallowed him down her throat. He tried not to buck, really he did, but she was using her tongue under the head of his penis and he couldn’t help it.

“Uh!” he called out as she took him deeper.

She slipped her hands beneath him and gently urged him to move.

As carefully as he could, he plunged in and out of her hot mouth. His control was close to snapping when she moved one hand to his balls and rolled them.

It was too much too soon. He couldn’t hold back any longer.

“I’m gonna,” he warned, thrusting faster even though he wanted to be buried inside her. But that would have to wait.

She hummed her permission and sucked him down. He came, white explosions behind his eyes, and she swallowed.

She licked him clean before sitting up and propping her chin on her hand. “Well, that wasn’t the way I thought this conversation would go.”

He laughed and gathered her to his chest to bask in the afterglow. He held her close, stroking her hair and praying they would be able to find a solution to the Pack problem. One afternoon and he knew that the woman in his arms was his. He would not let her go.

Chapter Six

Nikki couldn’t believe she had agreed to meet RJ at the old bar at the edge of town. She’d managed to avoid both her brothers after her morning romp with RJ but guilt ate at her.

She was supposed to be trying to find a solution to the challenge problem, not sexing up a member of the enemy camp.

But really, it wasn’t like the Cross brothers wanted a challenge, right? They had just as much at stake as anyone else.

She and RJ had at least agreed that a challenge was the last thing anyone wanted. She would have liked to discuss more in the privacy of his shop but an old military buddy had called and RJ had needed to answer the phone. Plus, by that time she had already felt guilty about throwing herself at him.

She pulled up in front of the old barn that had been converted into a bar and sighed. She knew her brothers wouldn’t understand but she just couldn’t stay away from RJ. Not only was she hoping for a solution to the Pack issue, but she just wanted to spend time with him.

As she’d lain in his arms and he’d told her he wanted to see her later that night, she hadn’t been able to meet his eyes. It wasn’t that she regretted what had happened between the two of them but she did have to look out for her family.

RJ had forced her chin up and when she’d lifted her head, she had been able to clearly see how important it was to him. She’d reluctantly agreed to come all the way out here. Away from anyone who would question the two of them being together. Give them time, he’d said, to figure out their next move.

As she’d expected, his Harley was parked close to the door. She parked her Jeep and stepped into the warm night air. Even at ten in the evening it had to still be in the eighties.

The music was low and the smoke thick when she opened the doors. Not too many people there at this time of night on a Monday. She ignored the four men playing pool and walked to the back booth where her date waited.

Not that this was a date. Or maybe it was. She didn’t have any idea. He smiled and slid out of the booth when she reached the table.

The kiss she received was just shy of erotic and had her toes curling.

“I’ll get you a drink. What’s your pleasure?”

She nearly said he was but swallowed it at the last minute. “Light beer on tap.”

He nodded and guided her to the seat he had just vacated.

She put her purse against the wall and watched as he walked to the bar. He wore tight black jeans and now that she knew what was under them, her mouth watered for another taste of him.

He cocked his hip against the bar as he ordered, surveying the room. When two beers were set in front of him, he pulled out his wallet and paid, before turning back to her.

His white shirt stretched tight against his chest and she had to curl her fingers up to stop herself from reaching out for him. He wasn’t the first good-looking man she’d ever run into or even dated, but there was something about RJ Cross that just sent shivers of need down her spine.

He plopped the drinks down and joined her in the booth. She shook when he tugged at the bottom of her black skirt.

“And just what do you have under this?” he whispered in her ear.

She sent him what she hoped was a sexy grin and reached for her beer.

“Ah, something to find out later,” he teased.

If his hand kept going up her thigh, it wouldn’t be much later. She took several large gulps to try to cool her heated body.

He chuckled and nipped at her ear. “Slow down, honey. I don’t want you too drunk for what I have in mind later.”

She almost choked on her drink.

He kissed the side of her neck before leaning back and reaching for his own beer.

Nikki took a deep breath in relief. She wasn’t too far from jumping him there in the bar and that wouldn’t be good.

“We need to talk about our brothers,” she told him. She was determined to find some sort of solution.

He raised his glass and tilted it to her. “You need to convince your brother not to challenge Dylan.”

“Yeah, why didn’t I think of that?” Nikki rolled her eyes. “It’s not that simple and you know that.”

He shook his head. “But it is. Dylan was picked by Cameron King. The Pack needs to respect his wishes.”

“The Pack is worried. They don’t know your brother, your family, or anyone else. They have the right to be concerned,” she shot back.

“If they believe in Cameron, why are they questioning his choice? I’ve met the man several times and I don’t see him turning his Pack over to someone who will lead them down the wrong road. Do you even know why they don’t accept Dylan?”

She shook her head.

“That’s bullshit then. He’s a good man, and he will be a great and fair leader.”

“He’s new and different.”

He snorted and took a long drink.

She didn’t want to fight with RJ but he had to see where they were coming from.

“So instead of using these last two weeks or even the few months we’ve been here getting to know the future Alpha or asking questions, they come up with a conspiracy to get rid of him.”

“It’s not a conspiracy,” she argued, even though it did kind of feel that way to her too.

“They had their time to talk with Cameron. To ask questions. Instead they wait until days before the ceremony before they start speaking about a challenge?”

Nikki sighed. She could see where RJ was coming from. But that didn’t help. “If Brandon doesn’t challenge then someone else will.”