The next morning, I understood Michelle’s abandonment of me the night before when I heard her anxiously tell Liam and Aden that she would be leaving them with Jim and Winifred for a few days. I was just making my side of our bed. Her side was still undisturbed.
The boys cheered and rushed to our room.
“Aren’t you going to miss me even a little?” she asked, getting out of their bed to follow them. She was adorably sleep-rumpled and slightly put out as she watched her brothers cram her clothes into her bag.
“Mimi, you said four days. That’s not a long time. We get to have a sleepover with Paul and Henry.” Liam didn’t seem the least bit affected by the news. It gave me hope that all they had suffered would fade from memory. I briefly thought of Carlos and wished he would have had the same chance to forget.
After Michelle dressed and repacked, we went down to breakfast. The boys sought out Paul and Henry. Mary had anticipated Liam and Aden’s arrival because she had two plates waiting for them. The cubs joined their table and excitedly started talking about all the things they were going to do with Paul and Henry. Michelle’s scent gave away her concern. Mary grinned and gave her a quick hug.
“They’ll want to miss you, but we’re going to keep them so busy they’ll forget to. It will be easier for them that way.”
Michelle nodded and followed me into the kitchen so we could get our own food.
While the boys laughed and talked at their table, our breakfast was quiet, and after we finished, Michelle said a final good-bye to her brothers. They didn’t comment on her lengthy hug or sad expression. They were too busy planning their sleepover.
She and I silently walked back to the apartment for our bags. Once the door was closed behind us, I turned her to face me. Her grief at leaving the boys was palpable. Tears welled in her eyes, and I pulled her into my arms, holding her tightly.
“You don’t have to go,” I said, hating her pain, hating the reasons she needed to face what she feared most.
She pulled away to face me. “I do. I want to be free. I want to protect the boys. This is the only way to do it. Why are you saying this now?”
“I see how hard this is, leaving your brothers. I can go alone,” I lied. “There’s no need to come with us.”
“You know better. I’m the bait.”
I wanted to argue but couldn’t.
“You’ll keep me safe,” she said seriously. “I don’t doubt that.”
* * * *
Carlos drove us to the airport. It was a quiet, short ride, during which Michelle managed to text Winifred, worrying about her brothers. Once we arrived at the airport, we focused on checking in and finding the right gate. The flight went smoothly with the four of us sitting close. Michelle remained silent through landing and picking up our bags. Carlos, Grey, and I scanned the crowd and tested the air. There was nothing but the usual human scents and pollution.
The cab ride to the hotel was pleasant. Since there wasn’t much room in the back seat once Carlos sat to the left of Michelle, she was pressed against me the entire way. Unfortunately, the ride was short.
While Carlos and Grey went inside to check us in, Michelle stayed near me as I grabbed our things from the trunk. Her fear made me edgy.
We walked inside and the sting of chlorine in the air burned my nose. It would be hard to smell anything in the main corridors. But, it meant that Michelle’s scent would be hidden as well.
Carlos and Grey handed over a room key then followed us down the hallway to the left. They stopped at their room two doors down from ours and dropped off their bags.
I opened our door and scowled at the two queen beds. That had to have been Mom’s idea.
“If it’s all right with you,” Grey said from behind us, “we’d like to get started right away.”
Stepping further into the room, I set our bags on the beds while Michelle cleared off the hotel coffee table. We gathered around as Grey spread out a map he’d grabbed from the airport. Michelle looked it over and pointed to an area.
“I don’t know if David’s still there. I’m guessing probably not since David was employed by Blake and had no ties to Richard or the house. But Blake might have someone watching the place. If it’s possible, could you sneak in and grab a few things? You’ll need to be careful. The house has a security system. I set it off when I left.”
“We’ll try,” Grey said.
“There’s a photo of my mom in my old room. And there are a few toys hidden in the base of my brothers’ mattresses.”
Grey nodded.
“Setting off the alarm should alert whoever is watching the house. Then, you could go back tomorrow and see if you stirred up any trouble. Maybe even follow a scent trail or something.”
Grey smiled widely.
“I like the way you think. We’ll call when we get there to let you know the state of things. If anyone’s there, we’ll watch for a while.”
Michelle agreed, and I walked them to the door. After they left, I turned to study her. Did she even know she was wringing her hands?
“Let’s go next door and get something to eat,” I said, hoping to distract her.
We left the room and walked to the restaurant next door. The smell of grilled meat drifted in the air. My stomach growled and Michelle’s answered. I grinned.
Inside the restaurant, we ordered burgers to go. She fidgeted next to me the entire time we waited.
Back at the room, she sat and ate, checking the time every few bites.
She’s worried, I sent Grey. His mental path was just as familiar as Winifred’s.
My phone rang a few seconds later, and I quickly answered.
“She has nothing to worry about,” Grey said. “This place probably hasn’t been touched since the day she left it. The grass is so long it’s seeding. The paper boy has created a nice pile on the front step, and there’s a note on the door from the homeowners’ association. We’re going to sit here until it gets dark and then take a closer look inside. I’ll keep in touch. And tell her to stop worrying.”
I glanced at Michelle. She was completely focused on our conversation.
“I agree,” I said. “I’ll let her know. Call back if there’s a change in plans.”
After I hung up, I tried smiling reassuringly. “They’re watching the house but say it looks abandoned. The grass is overgrown, and the papers are piled up. There’s even a notice on the door. Grey’s content to sit and watch it for the rest of the day to see if they’re mistaken. Tonight, they’ll go in for the things you mentioned. We can send them back to watch tomorrow.”
She exhaled slowly.
“So it looks like, in order to find Blake, I’ll need to call the lawyer.”
“It can’t hurt.”
She called the lawyer, and I listened to both sides of the conversation.
“Ms. Daniels. Thank you for contacting us. I’m sincerely sorry for your recent loss.” He talked a bit about Richard and how he wanted to meet with Michelle to go over the will and discuss the details of Richard’s estate.
Michelle glanced at me as she answered. “How soon can we meet?”
“Mr. Torrin said he would be available whenever you were. My schedule is open on Thursday. Is there a time that day that works for you?”
“Let me check.” She covered the receiver with her hand and nibbled at her bottom lip but didn’t say anything. A moment later she uncovered the phone.
“How does ten sound?” she asked.
“Perfect. I’ll see you Thursday at ten.”
That wasn’t the end of the phone calls. She reached for the phone book and started making calls, learning what she could about wills, probate, and beneficiaries.
Richard had left everything to Michelle, and Blake was trying to be the executor in Michelle’s absence. What wolf would try to play the human system like that? Why would he want Michelle’s wealth? How big of a pack was he trying to support? The calls just gave me more questions, which I kept to myself when I informed Grey of the plans for Thursday.
“I don’t think we should go,” Michelle said after hanging up the phone.
“If we don’t, Blake will still be out there and this trip will have been for nothing.” I sat next to her on the bed and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “The lawyer’s in the phone book. I checked, so we know he’s real. Even if he’s being paid off, he’d have to be careful with what he’s involved in.”
“But what if Blake brings people like Frank and that other guy with him?”
“We’ll bring more powerful people.”
She shot me a doubt-filled look.
“Three, no matter how strong or fast they are, against an unknown number, doesn’t seem like a good idea.”
I chuckled. Grey wouldn’t like hearing that.
“Not just us. One thing Blake won’t want is humans knowing what’s going on. I overheard you talking about how much Richard’s properties are worth. Call the news. Bring them with you. Say you want to donate half of your inheritance to a charity. With a camera on you, Blake can’t touch you.”
It took a while to convince her I was right. Convincing the news station was much quicker. It was well after dark when she said goodbye.
“Enough for tonight,” I said, taking the phone and hanging it up. “Let’s order some room service.”
I wasn’t sure what I was hungrier for, food or Michelle. While I ordered room service, she went to take a shower. The thought of her standing naked with running water skimming over her curves decided me. Michelle won.
When she emerged damp and dressed in her pajamas, I could barely form a coherent thought. My teeth poked at my bottom lip.
She turned on the television and sat on the end of the bed next to me. The scent of her damp skin filled my nose and made my mouth water. The curve of her neck drew my gaze. Her pulse beat slowly under the skin. What would she do if I reached over and touched her there? What would I do?
“What do you want to watch?” she asked without looking at me.
“You…choose.”
I wiped my hands on my jeans and tried to focus on the TV. The images flashing on the screen didn’t distract me from her scent or the calm way she sat beside me. Accepting me. Trusting me. Need crawled through me, tightening my airways and curling my hands into fists.
In the hallway, someone stopped outside the door and knocked. A growl rose to my throat, but I quickly swallowed it and stood. One of the hotel staff waited with the food I’d ordered. He moved to bring the food in, but I took it from his hands, tipped him, and sent him on his way. No way was he coming into our room with Michelle smelling like she did. I inhaled as I shut the door and groaned.
Michelle looked up at me with a small smile of amusement.
“Food’s here,” I said, trying to play it cool.
She came over to the table and playfully reached for the half-pound burger. How did I know it was playful? Because her scent was light and filled with humor. It just made me hungrier for her. I growled friskily and held out the burger. I’d love nothing more than sharing my food, putting my mouth where her mouth had been.
She shook her head and took the smaller burger.
“I wouldn’t want to deprive you.”
Disgruntled, I took a large bite of the burger and chewed and watched her move to sit at the end of the bed again.
“I’ll take this bed,” she said.
I froze, stared at her, then eyed the two beds as I chewed thoughtfully. Did she think, because there were two, we had to use both? I swallowed, took a quick drink, and calmly met her gaze.
“No.” Taking another bite, I waited.
“Okay. I didn’t know you had a preference.” She moved to the other bed.
I set my burger on my plate.
“I don’t want to sleep apart from you.”
She set her burger aside and walked over to me. She crowded my space, and my pulse started to race. Her scent wrapped around me, and her hair fell against me as she leaned in. I stopped breathing. Her gaze held mine. She moved closer, her breath tickling my forehead, then my nose. I tilted my head up, ready to meet her halfway. My hands shook as the moment slowed. At the last second, she pressed her lips to the tip of my nose.
“Too bad,” she whispered, then quickly moved away. “Eat your burger, Emmitt.”
I couldn’t move. Tremors raced through me. It wasn’t the change but my burning need to cross the room and pull her into my arms and finish what she’d never meant to start. Sheer will kept me in my chair. Although my appetite for food was gone, I picked up my burger and forced myself to eat.
She took her time nibbling at her meal, driving me insane. When she finally swallowed the last bite, I stood.
“Are you finished?” I asked.
She nodded and handed me her plate. I stacked it on the tray then placed everything outside. When I returned, she watched me warily. Frustrated and needing to calm down before approaching her, I closed myself in the bathroom. The cold shower hurt, but it brought back some clarity. Now wasn’t the time to push this. We needed to stay focused on Blake. I needed to eliminate him so Michelle would be free to think of nothing but Claiming me. I breathed deeply and turned off the water.
Michelle was already asleep in her bed when I stepped out dressed in shorts.
I desperately wanted to crawl into bed with her. It wasn’t the need I’d felt before I’d taken my cold shower. This was different. Sleep wouldn’t come until I had her in my arms. Yet, she’d been very clear in telling me I wasn’t welcome to share her bed.
Prowling the room, I struggled to come up with a solution. If I moved her to the floor, I could lay beside her while still obeying her pronouncement. But she was human and wouldn’t be comfortable on the floor for long. I wanted her comfortable and relaxed so she’d sleep as long as possible. She needed the sleep. We both did.
I wished again we had gotten a room with one big bed. The thought gave me pause, and I started to grin. One big bed. That I could do.
Quietly, I moved the furniture between the beds. It took some effort to move my bed across the floor to butt it against hers. The mattresses were on a wooden box that didn’t want to slide. I had to remove everything from the bed and relocate the box first, then the mattresses. When I finished, I piled the bedding back on, uncaring if it looked neat, and lay down on top of everything at the edge of my mattress. She lay close on her mattress, but still too far away.
I gently tugged on her pillow, bringing it closer to me. She rolled toward me. Grinning, I kept reeling her in until we lay face to face.
Content, I closed my eyes.
* * * *
I knew I was dreaming and fought to stay asleep. Michelle was kissing my collarbone, teasing her way up to my neck. I wanted to feel her teeth sink into my skin even if it was only in my own mind. Her tongue swirled over the spot twice. Then, she whispered the words I’d been dying to here.
“You’re mine.”
“Then make me yours,” I said, holding her to me.
The bed moved, jarring me from my dream.
Damn it. I kept my eyes closed and listened to Michelle cross the room. When the bathroom door closed, I groaned and rubbed the spot she’d been kissing in my dream.
The wait was going to kill me.
Hoping to distract myself, I reached out to Grey.
Still alive?
‘Bout time you got up. I called your phone last night, but you didn’t answer.
Sorry.
It wasn’t anything important. I only wanted to reassure Michelle that we’d found the things she’d wanted and hadn’t run into any trouble. We returned to check on you and grabbed a few hours of sleep. We’re already back watching the place.
Thank you, Grey.
Anytime, son.
The toilet flushed, and she opened the door. Using the sink just outside the bathroom, she washed her hands and brushed her teeth. I stayed in bed, hoping she would return.
She didn’t leave me hoping for long. She walked back to the bed and carefully crawled back to her spot beside me. The feeling of her fingers lightly touching my hair gave me the best kind of chills. Holding still, I kept my eyes closed and waited for what she’d do next.
Her fingers moved from the side of my head to my ear then to my jaw. Unable to take much more, I opened my eyes.
She was up on one elbow, watching me closely.
“Good morning,” she said softly, removing her hand.
I caught it and brought her palm to my lips. Her scent changed and arousal cocooned me. My vision changed slightly in response. Her gaze dipped to my mouth, and I kissed her palm again.
Her lips parted, silently begging me. I released her hand and buried my fingers in her hair. She brought her hand to my chest and started leaning forward. My need for her consumed me once more. I existed only for her and this moment. Nothing else.
When she stopped inches from me, I wanted to howl. If she’d changed her mind, I doubted I’d be able to let her go.
She exhaled softly and closed the distance between us. Her lips brushed against mine, a light, exploring taste. Joy filled me. She was everything I wanted. Sweet and savory. I groaned and she pressed closer. I angled my head so she could deepen the kiss.
Instead, she pulled back.
“Thank you for trying last night,” she said softly.
I ran my fingers along her cheek then around to the back of her neck so I could ease her forward again. She didn’t fight me. Her lips brushed mine again, and she smiled. My gut clenched at the sight. Mine.
She nudged my shoulder, pushing me so I lay on my back. My pulse raced and each breath broke more of my control. I needed her. Gripping her arms, I pulled her over me. She made a small amused sound, until her chest pressed against mine.
Her breath caught. I couldn’t help but feel satisfied with that reaction. Her gaze softened, and she leaned forward once more. I met her halfway. The press of her soft lips against mine was killing me.
She opened her mouth. I froze. Her teeth nipped my bottom lip. I almost lost it.
She pulled back and looked at me. “Maybe I’d better stop,” she said.
I rolled us so I was on top and caged her in with a hand on each side of her shoulders.
“No.” It came out more growl than word. I glanced at my hands and saw fur covering the skin.
Damn it. I tried clearing my throat and focusing on holding my form. But it was hard when she was still smelling like breakfast and I was a starved man.
I lowered my head, intent on another taste.
“If you change into your fur, we’re done,” she whispered a moment before she lifted her lips to mine.
I didn’t hesitate this time. My tongue swept the seam of her lips, demanding entrance. She opened for me with a small, desperate sound, and I lost myself in her taste. Her hands drifted to my shoulders, her fingers digging into my skin. The feel of her body under mine burned into my memory. The touch of her tongue as she tentatively explored my mouth in return brought me to my mental knees. She owned me. I teetered on the edge of reason. I wanted to lose myself in the moment…in her.
Patience.
That one word had me pulling back.
I gazed down at her beautiful, flushed face and listened to her gasp for air. A look of wonder filled her expression as she gazed back at me. I’d done that.
Something in her eyes changed. They reflected a promise to fulfill my dreams. My slim grip on self-control weakened, and I leaned in to nuzzle her neck. She shivered. Unable to help myself, I tasted her skin. Her head rolled to the side.
“Emmitt,” she gasped. She moved restlessly under me, her hands petting my chest.
My teeth extended fully, and I opened my mouth. Just one nip. It wouldn’t establish a Claim but it would feel so good.
“We need to stop.”
It took a moment for the words to reach my ears.
“Emmitt, please stop.”
It took a moment more for them to register. Her hands weren’t petting. They were pushing.
I rolled away from her and sat on the edge of the bed. What had I almost done?
My teeth were full wolf. The ache in my cheek and jaw bones said the rest of my face wasn’t far behind. My control was non-existent. Years of military training. Years of suppressing the change in the face of aggression and annoyance. All of it meant nothing when it came to the scent of my Mate in need. I wasn’t a leader. I was a mess.
Her hand touched my arm.
“Are you mad?”
Mad? At her? Never. She should be livid with me, however. But she wasn’t. She was confused, though.
Unable to speak yet, I shook my head.
“This thing between you and me,” she said softly, “it’s definitely right. I don’t doubt it. I just don’t want to get so involved that we forget why we’re here. Once I deal with my past, I can focus on our future.”
Our future. Words I’d longed to hear. I turned toward her.
“As long as it takes, I’ll wait. I’m not going anywhere.”
She smiled and wrapped her arms around my waist, hugging me. The feel of her comforting me brought back a measure of control. But, a catch in her breathing had me pulling back slightly to study her face. She had that vacant look in her eyes again.
“Another vision?” I asked as she blinked and focused on me.
“Yeah. There’s an angry redhead out there somewhere who I wouldn’t want to run into. I just wish I knew what I was supposed to do with this information.”
“We’ll figure it out.” My stomach grumbled.
“Go shower,” she said, “and then let’s get something to eat.”
I hesitated, and she grinned at me. Was it so obvious I didn’t want to leave her? If she tried putting distance between us after that good morning kiss, it would be a long day.
* * * *
After a companionable breakfast where we talked about what we both wanted to do once Blake was no longer an issue, we went back to our room.
Michelle paced around restlessly and stopped by her bag. She opened it and pulled out her bikini. I hadn’t really thought about what I’d packed when we’d left the house. I’d jammed everything I could into her bag. Now, seeing it, I was so glad I had.
“Did you pack a suit, too?”
“I have something that’ll work.”
“Good. I’ll change in the bathroom. Let me know when you’re ready,” she said, closing herself in the room. I pulled a pair of loose athletic shorts out of my bag and was changed in seconds.
“Ready,” I called.
She laughed and the door remained closed for a few more minutes. When she opened it, she stood there in almost all her glory.
“I love that suit.”
She grinned and blushed slightly.
“Come on. Let’s go find the pool.”
I followed my nose. The burn of chlorine grew stronger as we got closer. Inside the glass doors, my eyes watered, and I tried breathing through my mouth. Hanging back while trying to adjust to the smell, I watched Michelle gingerly test the water with her toe.
Didn’t she know? Slow was never the way to enter the water.
I took two quick steps toward the pool, hooking my arm around her as I jumped over the edge. She squealed as I twisted midair and pulled her close to me. Water enveloped us, but I used a strong kick to keep us from going all the way under.
Michelle wrapped her arms around me and laughed. Under the cool water, we were pressed together, skin to skin. She read the direction of my thoughts, kissed my cheek, and told me to behave. Then, she slipped out of my arms and swam away from me. I dove under the water and came up a few feet in front of her.
“Going somewhere?”
She splashed me in the face and started a small war.
We played in the water and soaked in the hot tub before heading back to the room. I was starving. While Michelle showered, I ordered room service again. Two half-pound burgers and fries.
When she was done in the bathroom, I stepped in for a quick rinse. The stink of chlorine clung to my skin, messing with my sense of smell. It was probably why I was more interested in food than Michelle at the moment. The chlorine completely overpowered her scent.
She was sitting on the bed, flipping through channels, when I left the bathroom.
“What are we watching?”
“This movie looks interesting,” she said, showing me the description. “But it’s not on for another twenty minutes.”
I sat next to her and almost groaned when she turned on a cooking show. They were making steaks. My mouth watered, and my stomach cramped. Traveling away from home meant human-sized portions. While in the Army, it hadn’t been too much of a problem. The mess halls fed me, and I could grab food elsewhere. As long as my weight stayed within their standards, no one questioned how much or how often I ate as long as it was on my time.
My stomach continued to beg for food for the next twelve minutes. That was exactly how long it took before I heard someone moving outside our door. Michelle made an amused noise as I rushed to the door and yanked it open. I didn’t care. I wanted food.
I took the covered plates from the guy’s tray, tossed him a tip, and closed the door in his face.
“Remind me not to forget to feed you. You turn a bit feral.”
I grunted as I took a large bite of burger. She didn’t comment when I handed the burger with the bite out of it to her and started in on the other one. The movie came on just as she finished. I put the dishes in the hall again and joined her on the bed.
We watched two movies in a row. It was nice. Michelle stayed snuggled against my side through the first movie, content to lean on my shoulder. For the second movie, I put an arm around her so she could lay her head on my chest. I idly played with her hair and rubbed her shoulders.
My nose started coming to by the time the credits rolled. My stomach growled, and I couldn’t be sure if it was for her or food. She didn’t give me a chance to decide.
“Why don’t you call in an order at the restaurant next door, then run and get it? That way we can watch this next movie. If you’re fast, you won’t miss much,” she said.
I called in the order.
“How long?” she asked when I hung up.
The response flew from my mind when I turned to look at her. She was at the foot of the bed, lying on her stomach with her feet in the air. She looked cute and oh-so-tempting.
“Thirty minutes,” I said, recalling what she’d asked.
“Think you’ll make it?” A sassy smile curved her lips.
“I might not.”
I settled onto the bed beside her and forced myself to focus on the movie. The random scent of pepperoni drifted into our room. My stomach made a few sounds of protest. Breakfast had been a little light, and lunch had barely met hungry human standards. My stomach was going through food withdrawal.
“You need to think about something else so we can hear the movie,” Michelle said with a laugh.
“I can’t. I’m hungry, and someone down the hall had pizza delivered.”
She leaned over and nipped my earlobe. I sighed and turned toward her.
“I thought I wasn’t supposed to think about that, either.”
She grinned then turned back to the movie. She was a tease, and I liked it. A little too much. It was becoming uncomfortable to keep lying on my stomach. When twenty-five minutes had passed, I rolled off the bed.
Michelle cleared her throat to get my attention then crooked her finger at me.
Her playful smile drew me in. She met me halfway and sweetly pressed her lips to mine.
“Hurry back or you’ll miss the rest of the movie,” she said, trailing her fingers along my jaw.
“I’d rather stay here and skip the movie and the food.”
“Ha. You’re only saying that because you’re distracted from how hungry you are. Go. I’ll be here when you get back.”
