Wolf's Promise (Caedmon Wolves) (11 page)

Her face grew warm. What had gotten into her? She’d never demanded
a man kiss her before. “
I liked it before.
I want you to do it again.
”

Nick grabbed the small of her waist and drew her closer. “You are addicting, Selene.” His mouth was inches away from hers.

“So are you,” she whispered.

“I don’t want to hurt you.”

She swallowed. “I trust you not to.”

He picked her up and
brought her to sit on his lap with
her legs straddling his thighs.
She grasped the lean biceps on his forearm, letting her fingertips massage the muscles. Her breath came
unevenly, and she felt as though
didn’t have enough of it. Perhaps it was the adrenaline rush that surged through her when
ever
he looked at her. Or maybe it was the way her skin tingled when he touched her. Whatev
er it was, she craved the feeling
.
She didn’t want it to end.

As soon
as his lips met hers, an icy molten
sensation spread up her spine. His hands were at her back, stroking her, and pulling her closer.
He took her mouth softly, again and again until she parted her lips. She ran her tongue along the seam of his lips before offering
it totally. He tasted of fresh
rain, and smelt like pine
at the onset of spring
. Their tongues danced feverishly, and their breath
s
came in pants.

Suddenly he pulled away, but his fingers still gripped the back of her neck. He studied her with intensity and desire in his eyes.
“Are you trying to seduce me?”

“I…I don’t know.”

Nick tilted her head, and pressed his nose to the vein along her neck. A warm jolt shot through her loins, and
h
er center ached. “It’s working.”
He dragged his lips up the column of his neck, leaving a hot trail against her skin. When he reached her chin, he sipped at her jaw gently.
“Do you know what I w
ould do to you?”

His tongue sliced across the vein, and she gasped. “No…”

“Can you imagine?”

Selene’s entire body tensed in what could only be described as hot lust. Her fingernails gripped into his arms. “No.”

“Let me give you a hint.” Nick
grabbed her hips and pulled her
forward.

She bit her lip
as her center pressed firmly against his rock hard evidence of desire. Never had
she craved
something so e
xotic. “Nick…”

He worked his way up, past her jawline, and crushed his mouth against hers. She kissed him back, relishing in the moment. H
ow would she ever be able to
forget Nick when it was finally time for her to return home?
Maybe she shouldn’t have turned around. How could she have let emotional instincts guide her?
No, she
didn’t want to forget him. T
his seal of
a
kiss would serve to make sure he stayed in her memories.

Suddenly, he pulled away but his erection did not subside.
It pressed through the fabric against her mound. She shifted above him. The tension at her core tightened and the ache became unbearable.

He
moaned, and then
touched his forehead to hers. “Why must you do this to me?”

“Do w
hat?”

“I want you…
intimately
.”

“Look at me.” She lifted his chin and held his gaze.
“And yo
u don’t want to feel this way?”

“I do, yes, but to take you like I want would yield consequences.”

Take.
The very thought of him taking her sent warm jolts between her legs.
“What do you mean?”

“It’s obvious, Selene.”

She stroked his cheek. “I don’t care that you are part wolf. It was a shock to me at first, but I’m beyond that now.”

“My world is not like your normal human world. I can’t bring you into this.”

“You already have,” she whispered.

“I will drive you myself to the train station before it’s too late.”

“No,” she said, quickly.

“Selene…” he warned.

“Please.” This time she kissed him, pushing him
against the back of the chair.
She thought she heard a low growl emanating from his throat.

“What exactly
do you want from me?”
he asked between clenched teeth.

“Your friendship.”

“Friends don’t kiss each other
like this
.”

“I don’t know why, but I keep having these thoughts about you
.”

“What thoughts?”

“Naughty ones.”

He straightened against the chair cushions. “The thoughts you’re having might not be your fault.
”

“What are you talking about
?”

“The powers I told you about earlier. They include sex appeal. We wolves multiply through mating. In order to attract a female, we need lots of it.”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“My wolf is very much a part of me, but is just as dominate.
”

Selene threw him a challenging look from under he
r lashes. “What are you saying?”

“
I’m attracted to you, Selene. Every part of me is attracted to you.
”

“
And y
our wolf...?
”

H
e nodded.
“Yes
…he is.
”

“I’m only human.
What would your wolf want with me?
Why would I have this type of contro
l over you since you’re the one
with the powers?”

He swept her face with a calculating stare. “Should I dare find out?”

“We’re both curious.”

Nick kissed her once softly, then again with a lingering caress of his lips. He lifted her from his lap
, set her gently on the sof
a, and rose to stand. “T
he last woman who had this type of control over me betrayed me.”

Her heart fell to
the pit of her stomach, and a cool chill ran up her spin
e.
“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.” He dropped his chin to his chest. “We learn from our mistakes.”

“Nick
—
”

“
It’s time for me to have a shower. I won’t take long.”

He entered the bathroom before she could say anything else.

The phone rang six times
before her dad, Charlie Moore
, picked up. It was just like him. He hated talking on the phone, and even despised having to do anything related to computers or technology.

“Hello?” His voice held a hint of uncertainty.

“Hi, Dad. It’s me.”

“Selene. Sweetie, is something wrong? You’re calling me from an unknown private number. I almost didn’t pick up.”

She stole a glance at Nick who maneuvered his pickup truck off the main highway onto a gravelly road.

“I’m fine. Don’t panic, but remember that trip I took out of town…?”

“Are you alright?” Of course, he would panic.

“Well, my car sort of broke down, and I’m kind of stranded out here.”

“Stranded out where, Sweetie?”

“Virginia. Up near the mountains,” she said, carefully.

“I thought you flew out to Florida on vacation. Honey, what’s going on?”

“Dad, calm down. I’m fine. There was a change of plans. Don’t worry. I’m safe and plan to take the next flight out in a few days.”

“But you have no car. Where are you now?”

“I’m being taken care off.” She picked at a piece of lint on her pants. “Besides I came here sort of on business. One of my clients needed my help.”

“Selene…”

“I know what you’re going to say, but I’m fine.”

“You’re breaking up. Honey, what did you say?”

Sure enough, some static blared through the phone. Selene glanced out
of
the window. Branches overhang in the road way as they drove through dense trees.

“I’m going to have to call you back. Okay? Dad?”

There was silence. When she looked down at the display on the screen, it flashed brightly with the words, call disconnected.

“Sorry about that.” Nick frowned. “We’ll drive back into town to get a better reception.”

“That’s okay. Dad would have worried about me one way or the other.”

“
Any parent would.” He turned right onto another dirt road. “I take it that you’re his only child.”

“Yes. My parents are separated. My mother remarried and now I have three younger siblings. The divorce happened when I was just ten years old. My dad was so overprotective of me that he somehow convinced my mother and the judge
to grant him full custody
.” She handed the cell back to Nick. “He’s always been that way. It’s the reason why I’m still very much a single woman.” Her face grew warm w
hen she made the slip up. “Oh
…now I’m embarrassed. I didn’t mean to sound so pitiful. I do get out and enjoy life, so I’m not a total nun.”

He smiled. “Are you part nun then?”

She laughed.

“Don’t be embarrassed.
Your dad sounds like the type of man no one should underestimate
.”

“I sometimes wonder if he runs of
f my male friends on purpose. It doesn’t
matter who they are or if I’m even romantically involved with them. I moved out at nineteen, but he’s found a way to keep tabs on me from across hundreds of miles.”

“Didn’t you say you came out here to help one of your clients?”

“Yeah. I’d been working with her for half a year when she called me ready to leave her fiancé. The last ping from the phone she called me on was from a location in this town. I hope she’s okay.”

Selene had lost precious time while being held in a cell. Anything could have happened to her friend by now.

“What’s her name?”

She turned slowly, and studied him. “I’m not really allowed to give out that information.” It was a natural thing for her to say.

“Right. I get that.” He nodded.

“It’s nothing personal. It’s just that most of the woman I help are in danger of losing their lives or are physically abused. One slip up—even if it’s not intentional—can harm them or stall an escape.”

“Is her name Tamara, by any chance?”

This time she shifted around to face him. “How did you come across that information?”

“You’re closer to finding her than you know.”

***

Just before shifting the gear in the park position, Nick took another look at Selene. Ever since he’d delivered the news that the woman she’d been looking for could very well be Devin’s new fiancé, she’d been sitting on the edge of her seat.

Selene glanced out of the passenger side window at the massive estate that belonged to the new Alpha.

Nick’s attention shifted to the home as
well. He’d only been here three times
before. As a young boy to d
eliver a package for his father, and twice recently to
discuss pack matters with Devin. Consequently,
one of those visits
involved appointing him Second-in-Command.

Everything abo
ut the mansion screamed royalty.
Cast iron gates and stone pillars surrounded the property. A bird bath and rose vine display served as the focal point in the middle of the driveway. Exotic hedges were immaculately trimmed and flawless. It all reminded him of the homes that he and Devin constructed for the rich and famous humans after leaving the pack.

In his five years of partnering with Devin, the man had repeatedly expressed his dislike of oversized homes. But now the Alpha had a mate to please, the Caedmon people to serve, and a family to be bred. Things had changed for Devin at the drop of a dime.

The effects of the changes seemed to trickle down. To anyone linked to Devin. To his immediate followers. And to Nick. What Nick wondered was if his life would be forever filled with danger and chaos or could he expect peace at some point in the form of something he could cherish and protect just like their leader.

“Is she here?” Selene asked, jolting him from his thoughts.

“I believe so. They planned to be here until their home was finished being built.” He turned off the engine, threw the keys in the glove compartment, and walked around the truck to help her out.