So I Married a Werewolf (Entangled Covet) (15 page)

Chapter Twenty-one

“What’s taking you so long, Faith?” Carter tightened his bow tie in the bathroom mirror and brushed a piece of lint off the lapel of his penguin suit. “It’s nearly six o’clock. They’ll be here any minute. Are you ready?”

The captain and the other members of the bureau were never late.

“I told you, I’m coming!”

He charged through the living room into the kitchen. She’d put dinner in the oven—chicken casseroles from the smell of them—bread on the counter, and dessert in the fridge. He checked all of those things, twice, to make sure everything was ready to roll. He arranged a line of wineglasses that were already perfectly straight and twisted a few wine bottles so their labels pointed out.

Something bumped against his shoe.

“Damn it, Humper—”

The black-and-white furball sat beside his shoe, staring up at him, his tiny tongue lolling out of his mouth.

“Look at that…you’re not humping.” He picked up the pooch and gave him a good scratch under the neck. “You’re kind of cute when you aren’t acting like a freak.”

“Some could say the same about you.”

He turned, and lost his breath.

Faith stood in the doorway wearing a 1950s-style emerald-green dress that reached mid-calf. The dress was simple. Satin. Thick straps. It accented her curves perfectly, hugging her body at the waist, flaring at the hips, with twisty-turvy fabric bunched at her breasts. Whoever designed the cocktail dress was a genius.

As his gaze rose to her face—he bit back a gasp. “Your hair, it’s—”

“Red.” Although most of it was pulled up, she bounced a thick crimson curl in the palm of her hand, acting the part of a fifties starlet. “Crazy, right? I haven’t gone back to my natural color in years.”

He couldn’t breathe. He set Humperdinck down and flipped the switch on the vent above the stove to make sure it wasn’t sucking air from the room.

“What made you choose tonight to do it?” he asked.

When everyone would be staring at her…

“I realized I was tired of trying to be someone else…of trying to
impress
someone else, when the only person who really matters is me.” She smiled, lighting the room. “And I like my hair red best.”

He absolutely agreed.

“You look stunning. Worth every hour you made me wait.” He closed the distance between them, stopping just short of pressing against her. “Did I ever tell you that when I was growing up, my favorite cartoon character was Jessica Rabbit?”

“No.” She looked up at him, laughter and curiosity in her eyes. “You didn’t.”

“That’s what I was going to tell you at the Monarch, during our shots game of
Star Trek
.” He slid his hand along the natural bend of her waist. “You always had the curves, but now, with the hair…” He blew out an exaggerated Roger Rabbit whistle. “You’re a spittin’ image.”

She whacked his hand away. “No touchy-feely for you tonight, Casanova.”

“At least not until the bureau gets here.” His heart sped, and Carter got the unmistakable feeling that its rhythm was matching hers. “You are still my wife, remember?”

As Faith scurried around making last-minute adjustments, Carter escaped to the restroom to catch his breath. The longer he was around her, the harder it was to keep his composure. His hands wanted to reach out for her. His mouth yearned to cover hers. His feet moved to be near her. It was as if the wolf part of him, somehow linked to the physical part, was determined to be with Faith, no matter what the logical part of him said.

He’d been spending long hours at the bureau to lessen the pull, but it wasn’t working. He’d reopened cold cases, reworked details. He’d cleaned the break room. He’d organized filing cabinets and color-coded their werewolf registration system again…and again…simply so he would stay busy and away from home until after Faith went to sleep.

Over the last week, they’d seen each other thirty minutes a day. An hour, tops. Each time it was in passing, and each time she seemed to get more beautiful. It wasn’t the few pounds she was shedding that had caught his eye—he’d noticed the exercise videos piled next to the television and moved into new positions by morning—it was the confidence she exuded. It reminded him of the first bureau dinner when Tracy glammed her up and she said she was determined to put on a show.

Only this time he could tell the confidence was real. It was more than the clothes or the makeup and hair. It went deep, and it was damn sexy.

The doorbell rang.

Before he exited the bathroom, Carter took a deep breath. Under the watchful eye of the bureau was the only time he could palm the small of Faith’s back to lead her into a room. The only time when he could hold her hand at dinner. He could stare at her from across the room and admire how beautiful she looked—he might even be able to whisper it in her ear.

“It’s showtime,” he said, and then walked out to greet the captain.

…

Faith felt great. Better than she had in ages. And the party was a hit.

The soreness from the Intensity workout had finally worn off yesterday. She could sit now without moaning and falling onto her hip. For the first time since she’d met the members of the bureau, Faith felt like she could talk to them. As if they were somehow equal to her. Perhaps deep down, beneath the badges and stuffy humor, they were.

Carter spent the first twenty minutes of the party on the back deck with the captain. Other bureau members and their partners had arrived, some familiar faces from Vancouver Island, including a few new others. Nate Ramsey arrived solo, thank goodness, and apologized that Paisely wouldn’t be attending. Apparently she’d eaten some bad fish from the market and was under the weather.

Poor thing.

Faith focused on the floor—man, could it use a good waxing—so no one would see her smile.

As she served a full glass of wine to Mrs. Owens, who smiled and thanked her like a fellow Stepford wife should, Carter swept through the double doors, bringing in gusts of wind with him.

Weaving around bureau members, Carter locked his gaze on hers. For a second she thought she’d done something wrong. He embodied heat, raw and intense, as he patted someone on the shoulder and brushed by, holding her captive with those icy blue eyes.

“Can I talk to you?” he asked, walking straight past her and into the living room.

“Sure.” She smiled and set down the serving tray, nodding to Mrs. Owens. “I’ll be right back.”

“Take your time, dear.”

The living room was warm, thanks to the fire lit in the stone hearth in the corner, but Faith got an odd chill when she walked behind Carter. He faced the fire, his hands gouging into the spine of the couch. As if taking a silent cue, the few bureau members in the living room disappeared into the kitchen.

Once they were alone, Faith touched his back. “Are you all right? What happened?”

Carter spun around, and pushed her back against the wall. She squealed, giddy with excitement as he smiled and cupped her chin in his hands.

“We did it,” he said, his goofy grin reaching ear to ear.

“Did what?”

He brushed his cheek against hers and whispered, “The captain offered me the position.”

“He did?” she screamed. “That’s—”

He silenced her with a kiss, melting her thoughts to goo. His lips pulled into a smile over her mouth. She smiled right back. A teeny tiny, and very annoying, voice in the back of her head screeched about not kissing her husband, but he got the job! This called for a celebratory kiss, and just
one
couldn’t hurt.

“He wants to petition the Alpha to open another spot for Nate,” he whispered, “but for now, it’s only me.” He palmed the wall on either side of her head, his hips pressed against hers. “He told me not to tell anyone, but I couldn’t go another second without telling you.”

“I’m glad you did.” Why was she suddenly out of breath? “So what now?”

“There’s a promotional ceremony in Wallace Falls State Park during the next full moon, with guests attending in wolf form—pack tradition. The Alpha and his family will be there, along with the existing members of the bureau, and anyone else from the pack who is interested in attending.” He looked like he was about to burst out of his skin. “The captain said he noticed how many hours I’ve been clocking in at the office lately.”

“Yeah,” she said, “you’ve been working nonstop.”

Keeping one hand on the wall above her head, he placed the other on her stomach. She quivered down deep in her belly as she looked up at him and anticipated the feel of his mouth over hers. He stared down at her through his thick lashes, blinking slowly.

“You did it,” he said, his voice filled with reverence. “You really pulled this off. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“Probably live a miserable, lonely existence,” she joked, though he didn’t laugh when she did.

“You have no idea how right you are.”

Before she knew what happened, his lips touched hers, a caress that scattered goose bumps over her entire body. He was tender and careful, his lips urging hers apart without any demand. She pressed her hands against his chest and opened her mouth for him, but he didn’t take the offer. He kissed her again and again, openmouthed and full of affection. His fingers tangled in her hair, traipsed down her neck.

Between the last time she kissed him and now, something changed. She couldn’t pinpoint it, but she felt the shift rooted in her belly. He wasn’t lusting after her body. She got the very real, very startling feeling that he was trying to connect with her on a much more intimate level.

He pulled back, his forehead resting against hers. He seemed to be having as difficult a time finding air as she was.

“How can this fade?” His voice was deep and raspy, barely audible. “He has to be mistaken.”

“What?” She frowned. “Who? I don’t understand…”

“Ahem.” Someone said from the entry beside them. “Hate to intrude, but the oven timer’s been going off for two minutes and no one can figure out how to turn it off.”

“Got it,” Faith said, dropping her hands from Carter’s abs. “Can you, ah,” she said to Carter, “check on Humperdinck? He’s been quiet.”

He nodded, and then disappeared into the hallway as Faith served dinner. When he returned to the dining room, they started on the casseroles. They were culinary perfection.
Watch out, Rachael Ray!
The dessert, chocolate soufflé scooped into individual cups, was a total hit. Two bureau wives asked for the recipe after scarfing them down, which Faith handed over in exchange for a few of their own tried-and-true recipes.

After dinner, bureau members laughed and chatted in the living room, kitchen, and dining room. Nate and the captain spent over an hour in the study, probably talking about bureau business. Faith stayed in her heels as long as she could, but when midnight rolled around, she tossed them beside the couch and slipped on her bumblebee slippers.

Carter was on cloud nine, buzzing from one group to another. They seemed to accept him into their fray, patting him on the shoulder, smiling when he said something funny and shaking his hand.

She’d never seen him this happy.

Everybody was getting what they wanted from this marriage deal, Faith thought. Carter had landed the job of his dreams, Dawson was going to Yale, and she was…what was she getting again?

Oh yeah. She was getting a fake marriage to the guy of her dreams and a quickie divorce. She’d almost forgotten. As the unevenness of the picture became clear, a dull ache settled in Faith’s chest.

Chapter Twenty-two

“Thanks for coming!” Carter said to the last bureau member as they strode out the front door. “See you bright and early tomorrow morning!”

Faith stood beside him at the front door, waving to the last couple as they turned out of the drive. He put his arm around her waist and tugged her against him.

“You don’t have to do that,” she said, looking up at him. “They can’t see us from there.”

“I know.” He placed his hand on her hip. “But sometimes you have to act on impulse and do what feels natural.”

“I don’t know what feels natural anymore,” she said.

She spun out of Carter’s grasp and moved through the house toward the kitchen. There’d be a mess to clean, and she didn’t want to leave it until morning. Behind her, the front door slammed shut and heavy steps rained over the hardwood. Carter leaped over the couch and landed in a crouch in front of her.

“Go running with me,” he said, his eyes wild with excitement.

“Those fitness tapes might’ve given you the wrong idea.” She kinked her head to the side, not amused. “I’m not a runner.”

“You are in wolf form.” He shot her a big, goofy grin and nudged his chin at the window leading to the backyard. “Run with me.”

His enthusiasm was irritating, grating on her nerves. He was acting like one of the pups she’d just written about on her blog. A bullmastiff puppy with enough energy to fuel the city of Seattle. They were irresistibly cute, but relentless, able to wear down defenses with a sideways loll of their tongue.

She tried to get by him, but he jumped in front of her.

“I can’t stay cooped up inside on a night like this. I just got the job of my life and I feel like stretching my legs. The moon is full, the forest back there is about two miles long and provides enough cover to protect us from being spotted by the neighbors.” He spread his arms wide. “Come on, you can hang upside down from a zip line when a concierge encourages you, but you can’t run with your best friend in the rain?”

Best friend.
Wonderful. At least it was a good reminder of where she stood.

“Fine. One run.” Faith elbowed him in the gut and took off into the kitchen, out the screen door, and into the rain. She had kicked off her bumblebee slippers at the door, then lifted the front of her dress, and ran down the slope of his lawn toward the tree line. He was at her side seconds later, pushing through the trees alongside her. The pines were tall and thick, providing cover from the bulk of the storm, though drops of rain continued to fall through the canopy above. Streams of moonlight broke through the limbs and slanted over Carter’s face.

Holding her gaze, he shifted into wolf form. He crouched as his muscles bulked up, filling his tux. Seams ripped. His coat and shirt fell away, revealing his tattoo-covered chest and chiseled abs.

As his lips quirked into a devious smile, his whole body shook, completing the transition. He dropped to all fours. His back hunched, and a silky coat of black fur covered his muscles.

Following his lead, Faith glanced up at the moon, feeling its energy snake through her. She closed her eyes, the warm shifting vibrations singing through her blood. After a glorious shake, dark fur blanketed her skin, and she lowered herself to the ground.

It wasn’t until Carter winked at her through wide, blue eyes that she realized she’d never seen him in wolf form. He was magnificently powerful, the crest of his back reaching over five feet, his fur silky and midnight black. She longed to run her fingers through it and cup his furry cheek in her hand.

Catch me if you can,
he said through the pack’s process of mindspeak. He pawed the ground, bumped into her, and sprinted through the trees.

Oh, I’ll catch you
, she answered back, regaining her footing.
You may be bigger, but I’m quicker.

She proved it, catching him before he’d bounded through the first quarter mile. It was freeing running through the section of forest this way, the moon over their heads lighting the path, the rain drizzling over their fur.

They ran side by side for what felt like miles, though when she glanced back, she spotted the lights in his house twinkling back at them; they hadn’t gone too far.

She stopped, panting.

He slowed his pace and circled around back to her.

Why are you stopping?
His eyes twinkled like stars.
Something wrong?

No.
She shook her head.
Everything’s perfect.

Too bad it couldn’t stay this way.

As he strode back to her side, he shifted back to human form, his fur flattening to tan, glistening skin, the tattoos on his chest and arms coming to light once more. Buck naked, he walked toward her unafraid, a soft gleam in his eyes. He reached out and stroked the fur covering her ears.

“It can stay this way,” he said.

He’d heard her? She hadn’t realized she’d projected the thought.

Letting the tingles of the shift roll through her, Faith closed her eyes and focused her energy on the shift back to human form. She shuddered and shook, relishing the feel of fur smoothing to skin.

“You want me to move in with you permanently so we can do this once a month?” she joked, pulling back.

“I don’t know. Maybe.” He reached out and stroked her cheek, this time grazing rain-slickened skin. “I wish you could know what you do to me.”

Even though she was cold and shivering and wanted to hide behind the tree so he wouldn’t see every exposed inch of her, she planted her hand on her hip. She wasn’t falling for this again. She wouldn’t and she couldn’t. No more hiding. No more giving in to his seduction, only to be left cold and alone.

She lifted her chin in defiance against the fluttering in her chest. “You mean, what I do to you in this moment?”

“This one.” He kissed her cheek. “The next one.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “And the one after that.”

She shivered, defenses wavering. “How do I know you’re not just going to leave me in the rain when you tire of me the way you did before?”

“God, is that what you think? That I tired of you? My leaving was never about you at all, Faith.” He ghosted his hands over her hair. “It was about me. And whatever gripped me before, keeping me from being with you the way I wanted to, has left me now. I can’t stay away from you a second longer.”

And then he caught her mouth in a kiss that tingled down to her toes. She wrapped her arms around his neck. Buried herself in his lips. Drenched herself in his scent. He lifted her off her feet and pressed her back against the tree. He moaned against her mouth as skin met skin.

“You’re hot,” he said, breathless.

She laughed, defenses down. “Thanks?”

“No, I mean you’re hot. Burning up.” He brushed his hands down her arms. “You should be cold.”

“Why, so you could keep me warm?”

He coiled his arms around her waist and squeezed her against him. Her breasts smashed against his chest and something very hard swelled against her stomach. She went damp at the feel of him.

“Would that be so bad?” he asked.

“I don’t need a man to take care of me.”

“No, you certainly don’t.” Sliding down her body, he knelt in front of her and spread her legs. “But if you want me to, I’d be happy to take the job.”

Holding her gaze, he licked a hot line up her center. She jerked, sucking in a clipped breath and grabbed fistfuls of his hair.

“I should’ve savored you from the start,” he said, running his hand between her legs. “I always knew you were sweet. I should’ve known you’d be sweet everywhere.”

Her hips bucked as he delved between her legs, moving his mouth as if he was kissing her. He sucked and licked, slipping his tongue in and out of her. When she sagged against the tree, he held her up. And when she came apart in undulating waves, he groaned hungrily, feasting on her core.

“Don’t leave,” she said, grasping at his shoulders. “If you say you’re going to leave, I swear I’ll—”

“Shh.” He kissed her, plunging his tongue past her lips. He tasted like male spice and red wine mixed with a tiny hint of her own sex. “I’m not going anywhere.”

The moment was magical—the rain and wind, the bark against her back and the man ravishing her front, the way he was gazing at her with a surprising sense of awe.

She never wanted it to end.

He slid his hand down her leg and hiked it up, tilting her hips. She gasped as he slid up her body, entering her in a single, shattering stroke. Her vision blurred and her head fell back.

“You’re amazing,” he breathed, slowing his pace. “You feel—”

“Mm-hmm.”

With her mumble of words, the sky broke. Rain sluiced through the trees, drenching their bodies as they rocked together in a blissful rhythm. He held her head so it wouldn’t scrape the bark behind her. Kneaded her breasts tenderly without the raging lust that existed before.

He loved her.

As the words came together in his head, he laid her down on a grassy bed beneath the nearest tree. Out of instinct, she started to roll away from him.

“No.” He touched her side, dragging her flat onto her back. “I want to see you when you come.”

He braced her back as she lay down, and then settled between her hips.

“Faith,” he said, as he slipped inside her, “you’re so beautiful. And you’re so”—he thrust harder, fuller, stretching the inner walls of her sex to the limit—“
deep
.”

He smiled, holding himself up with his arms as he drove into her heat again and again. And when her second orgasm hit, he caught her cry with a smoldering kiss. His eyes fluttered shut as he drove inside her, deeper, completely. Filling her with more love than she’d ever felt.

Love.

The word bore into her chest and nestled against her heart. He didn’t have to say it. His feelings were in his touch, his gaze, his mouth. As the crescendo rose, he gazed down at her. Feeling the pressure rise once more, she clutched at his shoulder and raked her fingers down the grooves of his abs.

“You’re everything,” he breathed, his entire body clenching as if into a fist. “Everything I’ve ever wanted.”

“Then take me.” She kissed him, her hands on either side of his face, her hips moving in time with his. She’d never felt more complete, more in love. “I’m yours.”

She’d like to think it was the love flowing through their mouths that brought Carter over the edge. His thrusts became jagged and lost their rhythm. He cried out her name. And with one last forceful stroke, he filled her with everything he had to give.