Stranded with a Cajun Werewolf (15 page)

The next morning Kendall clung to her dreams, not wanting them to end. She was comfortable in a way she’d never before experienced. Warm and secure. Burke smelled so…

good. Earthy, with a hint of fabric softener and snow.

Why was he petting her? Never mind. It didn’t matter. Dreams were the one place she could relax and enjoy herself…and Burke.

But this felt so…real. The bed, soft beneath her, and warm sunlight on her face. His hand raking through her fur.

Fur? Kendall cracked an eye open.

“Morning, beautiful.”

Burke rose from the bed. “Run with me,” he said, pulling his sweater over his head.

Even half asleep, she could appreciate the taunt muscles of his chest as he unbuttoned his shirt and shrugged it over his massive shoulders.

Run with—her gaze narrowed on the dusty brown paw on the sheet in front of her. She crossed her eyes.
Ohmygod
, she had a snout.

Alarmed, she jerked her head up and stared down at her fur-covered legs. This could not be happening. Not now.

As if sensing her disgust, he reached out and stroked her head. Oh, that felt good. Then he cupped her face as he had many times before.

“You’re beautiful,” he assured her in that voice that broached no arguments. “In any form.”

She was a freak of nature.

Then you’re a beautiful freak of nature.

Startled at his voice rumbling through her head, she sat up so quickly she almost lost her balance.

“Yes, I can read your thoughts, my lovely mate.”

Mate?
Had he really said mate? Kendall sucked in a sharp, shuddering breath.

Don’t worry, mon amour. It’s not as scary as it sounds. Unless you want to be rid of
me, and in that case—

No. Never rid of you.

Then run with me.

Kendall craned her neck again to look down at her furry forearms and paws. How—

“I destroyed the medallion this morning after I buried the bodies,” he said.

In the snow? Wasn’t the ground frozen?

“A little. Nothing I couldn’t handle.”

For the first time in a week, her shoulder didn’t ache and her body, every last cell, felt at peace. She dared another glance at Burke.

He was shucking his pants.

When you say mated…

“I mean you’re stuck with me forever.” He paused, giving her a steady look, almost as if he was waiting for her reaction. Then he tugged off a sock and gave her a smile that made her tail twitch. “Come on
belle
, I’ll race you to the top of the mountain.” With that, he tugged off his other sock and stepped to the door. He shot her a hot look as she jumped down from the bed. She paused to admire his incredible body, so big and masculine, hardly able to comprehend the latest turn of events. Almost unwilling to trust her happiness.

But as Burke stepped out into the cold, his body shifting to that of a big gray wolf, she trotted after him. Her mate, the most handsome wolf she’d ever seen.

He waited for her at the edge of the deck, surveying the thick blanket of snow in the same way a lion surveys his kingdom. She supposed it was an accurate description. Burke said he owned this half of the mountain. What a wonderful place to run. To be free. To breathe.

She stopped next to him, her paws sinking into the snow. The cold bit at the fleshy pads of her feet but she ignored the sensation. Burke looked down at her and once again, she felt small and feminine. She relished the feeling and the warm look in his incredible brown-green eyes. Eyes she recognized so easily.

If she couldn’t believe in happiness, at least she could believe in Burke.

That afternoon, Burke hovered in the bathroom doorway, watching the beauty sleeping in his bed. Idly, he rubbed the mate-mark that rested on his skin directly above his heart. The organ swelled as he watched her stretch, curl around his pillow, and fall back into a peaceful sleep.

He couldn’t wait to run with her again. The thought of spring excited him, knowing they’d be able to run for hours without worrying about cold and snow. Luckily the power had come back on while they’d been frolicking on the mountain.

When the phone lines were restored he’d call Laurent and tell him the good news. His brother would probably demand proof of Kendall’s existence since Burke had been so adamant against finding a mate. But sometimes the fates worked in mysterious ways. And sometimes, you just didn’t get a choice in matters. Especially matters of the heart.

His gaze drifted to the nightstand. He hadn’t had a choice in loving Annabelle all those years ago. Just like his relationship with her, his relationship with Kendall had stormed his heart, stolen his breath. After all the pain and suffering in his world, Annabelle’s smile had healed him. But her disgust had almost destroyed him.

He crept across the floor and pulled open the bottom drawer, pushed the contents aside and pulled up on the false bottom revealing an old oil painting. Unlike Kendall, Annabelle had been brunette and shy. He traced her jaw-line with the tip of his finger. The reminder he’d kept all these years had lost its significance in the last few days. He’d been sure he would never follow his heart again, find love.

“She’s beautiful.” Kendall’s quiet voice made him look up.

He started to explain, but her look of love and acceptance stalled his words. Instead he simply nodded and gazed back down at the painting.

“Who was she?”

He cleared his throat. “Her name was Annabelle.” He wasn’t sure what else to add.

“She broke your heart,” Kendall said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

At the time, all those years ago, seeing her face pinched up with repulsion, he hadn’t been so much heartbroken as disgusted with himself. And then, after her death, that’s when his heart had shattered.

“That’s all in the past,” he said, finally believing the words his brother had uttered so many times.

“Are you sure?” she asked, no censure in her words. Nevertheless, the question shocked him. “What do you mean?”

She swung her legs over the edge of the bed and tugged the blanket around her nude body. Glancing down at the painting, her nose scrunched with thought. “From the moment I met you, you had this intensity about you. I think it goes deeper than heartbreak. And the fact that you’re holding a painting rather than a photograph tells me that whatever it is that’s eating you alive happened a really long time ago.”

Kendall’s gaze flicked from the portrait back to his face.

He sighed. She saw too much.

“They killed her.” His words took him back to that night. Her screams rang in his mind.

He hadn’t been able to save her.

“Who did?”

“My uncle. And my grandfather. It was my fault.”

Kendall scooted to the floor and wrapped her arms around him.

“If I hadn’t shown myself—to her…”

“You wanted her to accept you. That’s understandable.”

“She was terrified. She told her family. Word spread to my uncle…I should have kept that part of me locked away.”

“And deny your true self?”

“Isn’t that what you’ve been doing?” he asked.

Yesterday his words would have pulverized her heart. But today she knew better than to let a harsh sentence destroy what they had together. His revelation let her understand him better, the way he understood her.

“You’re right. I was hiding. In plain sight, I suppose. But you noticed me. And I told myself that with my powers bound, I could be human. I could say goodbye to that part of myself and never look back. And I would have gladly done it. I’m not saying I was right. It’s just…my heart hurts when I think of you denying the incredible man you are. Man. Wolf.

Were
…I love all of you.”

He tipped his forehead against hers and sighed her name.

“For what it’s worth, I don’t think history is going to repeat itself. You already know I love you
and
your tail.”

The beast inside him growled with pleasure.

Her features softened and he exhaled a breath. She was right of course. She hadn’t looked at him in horror. The opposite in fact.

He helped her to her feet and then strode to the fireplace, looking down at the portrait one last time. Kendall shuffled up beside him and rubbed a reassuring hand down his back.

Perhaps he should have done this a long time ago.

He dropped the painting onto the fire.

They stood shoulder to shoulder and watched it burn. “It’s been a busy few days,” he said. “Think I could use a vacation.”

She laughed and leaned into him. “I thought you were on vacation.”

“I was supposed to be. Then this beautiful blonde almost ran me off a mountain.” She gave a feminine grunt and bumped her hip against his. Needing to be closer, he slid an arm around her waist and tugged her around until they were chest to chest.

“What do you think? Should we keep your cell phone number as it is?” Her eyes searched his. “You don’t want to go back to the bayou?” He looked around the large room. “I like it right here. How about you?” She licked her lips as she stared at his chest.

He cupped her cheeks between his hands. “It’s okay if you don’t. We can live anywhere you want. I’m loaded, remember?” he teased.

She lifted solemn blue eyes to his. “I’m afraid I’ve been walking around here for days imagining what it would be like if this was our house, wishing I never had to leave.” Her confession was the last puzzle piece falling into place and the final salve to his soul.

He gave her his most wolfish grin and scooped her up.

“Then it’s time we christened every room, Mrs. Deveraux.” He carried her into the living room and settled them on the couch. Thanks to the electricity coming back on, the rest of the house was toasty warm. But he’d started a fire in the large fireplace at the end of the room, knowing how much Kendall enjoyed the crackle-pop of a roaring blaze.

“I think this is a good place to start, how about you?” With her legs across his lap, he kissed her. Caressed her skin. Tickled behind her knees.

She fell backwards. Playfully kicking, she attempted to fight him off. But he grinned down at her, not one to be dissuaded from his target. He loved to hear her laugh. And if hearing it meant he had to tickle her all day, he would.

Grabbing her ankles, he held her steady. Legs in the air, Kendall giggled as Burke rained kisses along the back of her knee. As he worked his way up to her ankle he knew, without the shadow of a doubt, that his demons were gone. Settled. In the past forevermore.

And that he would love this woman, this little
werecoyote
, for the rest of his life. And he would never tire of hearing her giggle like that.

She looked up at him, her hair fanned over the sofa, her body partially draped with a blanket, hiding some of his favorite bits. When she smiled he knew he was her whole world, his heart squeezed.

The sound of a door unlocking was like ice water dousing his shoulders. Her legs dropped across his lap and she sat up.

“Burke?” Laurent’s voice bounced off the wooden walls.

Two seconds later Laurent, Violet, André and Juliette came to an abrupt halt on the other side of the great room, their gazes focused on the woman next to him.

Nothing killed an erection faster than family barging in unannounced.

All four of them wore matching astonished expressions. Juliette, cultured and regal as ever, spoke first. “Hi… We,” she glanced at André, “tried to call.”

“As did I. Phones have been out since I arrived. Power too, for the most part.” Kendall shifted on the couch, curling against his side.

“Is he here? He’d better be here. Where’s the bathroom?” Amanda’s voice rang through the entryway.

Burke chuckled and wrapped an arm around Kendall. “Well, you wanted to meet my family,” he whispered against her temple before kissing her.

“Good God, Burke. Put that away,” Amanda’s declaration was punctuated by hot pink cheeks. She covered her eyes.

“The powder room’s that way,
chéri
,” he said, pointing to the door behind her.

Sebastian, Jules and Angelica joined the crowd.

“Thank heavens,” Amanda muttered, turning.

“I, um, I should put some clothes on,” Kendall said.

“I rather like you just the way you are,” Burke told her, loving that she blushed.

Why are you blushing, petit? You haven’t been the least bit concerned about your lack
of clothing in the past twenty-four hours.

Her lips twitched as she rose, tucking the blanket around her. Head up, she darted to the bedroom.

Burke could sense his family’s curiosity. “I’ll make the introductions when we’re all dressed.” He stood, not bothering to hide his nudity. “Make yourselves at home.” Kendall was jerking on her clothes when he stepped into the bedroom.

“Hey,” he murmured, pulling her against him. “I’m sorry they interrupted us.”

“It’s okay. Really. No harm. No foul.”

“You don’t seem okay,
chéri
.”

“I’m—“

“Remember what I said about forever?” She looked panic stricken. “I meant it. And as soon as we can sneak away, I plan on finishing what we started.” With that, he reached for the folder of pre-nups and held them up for her to see. Her eyes went wide as he tossed them onto the fire.

As quick as the panic had filled her eyes, it was gone and she sagged against him. He kissed her lips and took a step back.

“Let’s get dressed before you seduce me again.”

Burke pulled a pair of well-worn jeans up over his hips and zipped them. Kendall smiled at him, that combination of happy and naughty making him want to forget about the company in the next room.

“Stop looking at me like that,
petit
.”

“Not a chance, stud-muffin.”

Burke laughed as he shrugged into a T-shirt. She dug two tubes of lip gloss from her purse and studied the labels.

“What colors are you trying to decide between today?” he murmured, wanting to kiss the corner of her delectable mouth.

She handed him the hot pink first. “Tickled Pink?” He was grinning when she handed him the other one.

Squinting, he read the tiny print. “Perfectly Nude?” Laughing, she grabbed the tube and darted away before he could stop her. Oh, she’d pay for putting that thought into his head. He’d get her perfectly nude; then he really would tickle her pink.