“You’re a cop?” Physically, he was more than equipped for the job.

  “Nope, a lawyer.”

  Okay, that was totally unexpected. This bare-chested, barefoot, dangerous wolf didn’t fit with her idea of a lawyer. That was stereotyping, and not the least bit fair, but picturing him stuck in an office or court of law was impossible. The lawyers she’d seen in Louisiana or on the television news always wore suits and spouted legal jargon. He might not wear a suit, but Aaron would intimidate any humans without trying, which would be an advantage in any legal battle. He’d always be the hunter, never the hunted.

  “You must be really smart.” And she’d never stepped foot inside a school. She’d been homeschooled. Could read and write and do basic math, had survival skills, and could drive a motorcycle. Most of her life had been spent learning how to stay alive and fly under the radar.

  “I do okay.” He shrugged the praise away. “I’ve always been a protector by nature, but the kind of protection the pack needs has changed over the years. It’s not enough to be a good fighter. With modern technology and the government tracking everyone, it’s a challenge to explain a person living to be one-hundred-twenty or more. I can make sure the paperwork is in order so no one gets suspicious. I don’t practice law outside the pack. I make sure the wealth of the pack is protected in a series of trusts and taxes paid. These days, I only need a few hours a week to keep things in order.”

  A warrior who fought with his brain was infinitely more dangerous than one who only used brawn. There were layers to this male. He didn’t just react to a situation. Like a master chess player, he was already several steps ahead.

  Feeling more like the ignorant swamp rat she’d been cruelly called on many occasions by those who’d feared her and Lottie, she pushed out of her chair. “I’m going to rest.”

  “Jesse.” He stood so he was blocking her path. “Let me help you.” He raised his hand but lowered it before touching her. She caught herself leaning forward and stiffened her shoulders.

  “You can’t.” He might be strong. He might be smart. But he couldn’t defeat those hunting her. There were too many. No way was she dragging him deeper into the mess that was her life. “I’ll be leaving after I’ve rested. Thank you for the meal.”

  “There’s nothing I can do to change your mind?” His voice was hoarse, the expression in his eyes so gentle it made her want to weep.

  She shook her head. It was better for both of them if she left. As he’d said, he was a protector. He might mean well, but there was no way he’d allow anything to harm his family, which would leave her on the outside once again.

  “Then I might as well do this.” His mouth came down on hers, firm and warm and sure. Heat exploded inside her. A small sound of pleasure slipped past her lips as he traced the seam. When they parted on a moan, he slid his tongue inside. He tasted of bacon and coffee. Beneath that was the spicy tang of hot male. She sank into the kiss, lost in the heat and wonder.

  It was her first.

  At twenty-five, she was a virgin who’d never been kissed. There’d never been any opportunity. Back in Louisiana, she couldn’t trust any male enough to let down her guard. The same went for being on the run. Oh, she’d thought about it. Had spent many nights restless, wanting something she’d never had. The male in her fantasies had always been nameless and faceless, a shadow.

  The reality was more delicious than anything she’d ever imagined.

  Heat radiated from his big body. She placed her hands on his chest, enjoying the play of thick muscles as they flexed. He slid one big hand behind her neck, his thumb grazing her skin, raising goose bumps. Her entire body shuddered.

  He pulled back and stared into her eyes. “Everything okay?”

  No, it wasn’t. He’d stopped and she wasn’t ready to let go of this precious moment. Words were beyond her. Going up on her toes, she plastered her mouth against his.

  Groaning, he kissed her back. “I’ll take that as a yes,” he whispered. Tilting her head back, he deepened the caress. His tongue eased in and out of her mouth, leaving her breathless.

  Breathing was overrated.

  Her breasts swelled, rubbing against the fabric of her bra, turning her nipples into hard nubs. Her core throbbed. A yearning welled up inside her. She wanted to have sex, to experience what it would be like with a male who cared about her. Staying might be impossible, but she could have this one time. He wasn’t part of her sordid past or her uncertain future, but for a few hours their paths could cross.

  It was crazy. Dangerous to both her heart and emotions. But she was tired of being alone. She didn’t want to die without ever knowing the joy of sharing her body with another.

  It might be the stupidest thing she’d ever done, but if not now, when? She wasn’t fatalistic, but the reality of the situation was her lifespan was likely to be short. There might never be another opportunity. She doubted there’d be a better male.

  Aaron was special in ways she couldn’t quite articulate but felt to the core of her being. Instinct had been her guide her entire life. It had kept her alive against all odds. Now it was urging her to take what was before her and grab onto it with both hands.

  Decision made, she threw herself into enjoying every second of their kiss. She wanted to remember every nuance, every touch and stroke of his tongue, so she could replay it on those dark nights ahead when she was alone and feeling sorry for herself. Maybe it would be smarter to not know what she was missing, but living with regret would be worse.

  She ran her hands down the breadth of his chest, over his massive biceps, and up to his wide shoulders. He was so vital and alive, sexy and lethal. Like a moth to a flame, she was willing to get burned for a chance at dancing with the fire.

  When he pulled back, the blue of his eyes had deepened. A light sheen of sweat covered his skin. That tantalizing lock of hair was plastered to his forehead. “Should I stop?”

  Closing the gap between them, she aligned them so her stomach pressed against his arousal and her breasts snuggled against his chest. Her core clenched hard. She’d never been more alive.

  He tilted his head back, the cords of his neck straining. He looked like a man in pain. She wanted to be the one who soothed him.

  “I can’t stay.” The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them. His gaze snapped back down, his lips pressing into a thin line. He might decide to stop. That was his decision, but she wouldn’t lie to him. “That doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy tonight. Or rather this morning.” The sun was up. A new day had dawned.

  He stared at her for the longest time, as if trying to read her mind, stealing some of her confidence. “Aaron?”

  As if saying his name broke the spell, he scooped her into his arms and strode down the hall. He kicked his bedroom door closed behind them.

  Chapter Five

  He wanted to shake her until she took back the words that had stabbed him in the heart. Clamping down on his temper, he carried her over by the bed and released her legs, keeping the other arm around her until she was steady on her feet.

  I can’t stay.

  He wanted to rail against her declaration, but how could he? He was a virtual stranger. Taking him to bed was one thing. Expecting him to keep his word to protect her was quite another.

  He got the impression she’d been getting knocked down and picking herself back up her entire life. “You don’t owe me anything.” His voice was harsher than intended, but he didn’t want her in his bed if it was payment of any kind. “The room, the food, the shelter, and my protection are all free.”

  She placed her hand over his heart. “I know. That’s part of the reason I want you. You’re a good man, Aaron LaForge.”

  A muscle in his jaw pulsed as he reined in his growing need to take her down onto the bed and mate her so she’d belong to him forever. He swallowed back a snort. She’d be more likely to gut him if he pulled any kind of heavy-handed tactic. It was enough, for now, that she wanted him. He could build on it.

  He nudged her back until her legs hit the mattress and she sat. He went down on one knee in front of her and unlaced her boots, removing them and her socks. Her fingers brushed his forehead, pushing back a lock of hair. When he glanced up, she was silently watching, a slightly bemused expression on her face. Had no one ever tended to her before?

  “Up you go.” He grabbed her hand and tugged until she was standing. “Okay?” he asked as he reached for the hem of her shirt.

  She nodded.

  As he peeled the garment up her body, she raised her hands to make it easier for him to remove it. The tattoos on her biceps were a surprise. Not many werewolves had them, as they were painful to get. Since their bodies healed rapidly, they had to be done with special ink and repeated multiple times before they’d become permanent. He’d caught a glimpse of them earlier when she’d shifted from wolf to human, but hadn’t paid much attention, more concerned about getting her agreement to come home with him. This close up, they were beautiful, a circle of symbols around her upper arms, forming decorative bands.

  There was a story there for sure. He didn’t recognize any of the symbols, but there was no doubt they had significant meaning. When she shifted her weight from one foot to the other, he let his curiosity go and got back to the more pressing job at hand—getting Jesse naked.

  Her bra was cheap cotton, sturdy and without adornment. It was something you’d buy from a discount store, but it might as well have been the finest silk and most provocative design, given his reaction. She filled it out to perfection, hard nipples teasing him through the thin fabric.

  Leaning down, he licked along the edge of one cup, nuzzling her cleavage before going back up the other side. She gasped and tunneled her fingers through his hair, tugging slightly. Hooking his fingers under the straps, he eased them down her arms, lowering the bra.

  Go slowly. Go slowly.

  The pounding of his heart and the throbbing of his cock almost drowned out the warning. Tossing her down on the bed and fucking them both into oblivion would be fun as hell, but likely wouldn’t impress her much. If he wanted more than one night with her—or day as the case may be—he needed to show her how good it could be between them.

  With an iron grip on the primal need boiling inside him, he rubbed his chin against her breasts, the short scruff of his beard adding stimulation. Her fingernails dug into his scalp, the sharp bite tossing wood on the fires of desire already burning.

  Taking his time, he dragged his tongue over one tight bud and then the other. Her skin smelled of the soap she’d used earlier, mixed with the spicy musk of her arousal. Almost drunk on her scent, he sucked a nipple into his mouth and teased it with the tip of his tongue before releasing it.

  She was almost panting now, her grip on his head tightening. Her eyes were closed, her lips parted, her face flushed. Her eyelids fluttered open, wonder and arousal reflected in them. She licked her lips but remained still. It was in such opposition to her normal aggressive, take-charge personality, it baffled him.

  He ran his knuckle down her cheek. “Have you changed your mind?” It might kill him if she had. All the signs of her body signaled she was into this as much as he was, but her lack of participation was confusing. Other than her hands in his hair, she hadn’t touched him.

  She shook her head and glanced away.

  “Talk to me, Jesse.” He caught her chin and brought her face back around. Her silence could mean anything. “Tell me what you like.”

  Her throat rippled. “I like kissing you.”

  The husky sound of her voice was sexy as hell and had his dick trying to split the zipper of his jeans open. He rubbed his thumb across her bottom lip. “I like it, too.”

  She tortured him by licking her lips. He wanted to demonstrate just how much he enjoyed kissing her, but there was something else going on here. A wolf lived by his instincts, and right now, his were demanding answers.

  “What else?”

  Taking his hands in hers, she lifted them to her chest. “I like you touching me.” There was awe and something that sounded almost like surprise in her tone.

  Pleased by her initiative, he cupped the full mounds and dragged his thumbs over the nubs. Her head fell back, and her low moan made every short hair on his body stand on end. Her reactions were raw and real, almost as if she was experiencing them for the first time.

  Impossible.

  A confident, gorgeous female like Jesse would never be without a bed partner. All she had to do was walk into any bar, make her interest known, and men would be vying for the honor. Still, the niggling thought wouldn’t go away.

  Testing the insane theory, he skated his hands down her sides and into the dip at her waist. He flicked open the button of her jeans and dragged the zipper down, exposing plain white underwear. She wrapped her arms around her upper body, covering her breasts and teasing him with cleavage, but she didn’t stop him.

  Using every skill he possessed to pick up physical cues, he eased his hands inside the open fabric, reaching around to cup her lush behind and give it a squeeze before shoving her jeans down to her ankles. She stepped out and kicked them away.

  Clad only in her panties, she was glorious. Her legs were long and leanly muscled, her torso slender, her hips gently flared. Wanting her to feel on equal footing, he shucked his jeans. Her gaze zeroed in on his erection, making the damn thing bob in her direction.

  The tension in the room was palpable. When her eyes darted to the door, he thought she might bolt, but she took a deep breath and removed her underwear. He couldn’t stifle the groan that rumbled up from deep within him.

  “Jesse?” Before they went any further, he had to ask. The not knowing was driving him insane. “Have you ever done this before?” It felt stupid to even ask, but he’d rather be an idiot than do anything that might hurt her in any way.

  She recoiled as if he’d hit her, but then she steadied herself. Her shoulders hunched slightly. “Is it that obvious?”

  It was like stepping into an alternate reality where nothing made sense and the normal rules of the universe didn’t apply. “No,” he hastened to reassure her. “It’s not obvious at all.” Taking a chance, he cupped the back of her neck, needing the connection but not wanting her to feel trapped. “From the limited experiences we’ve shared, you’re assertive and not afraid to let me know where you stand.”

  She gave a little snort of agreement. It was a bit of an understatement. She’d taken him on without hesitation, her wolf not backing down from a larger, more powerful opponent.

  “You’ve been letting me lead, lost in your reactions. That’s the only reason I asked.” He drew her closer. “I don’t want to do anything that might hurt you in any way.”

  Sighing, she rested her forehead against his chin. “My upbringing was not what you’d call traditional.” Aaron kept his silence and was rewarded when she continued. “You guessed right earlier. I’m on the run.” She pressed her fingers against his mouth, making him swallow his questions. “I don’t want to talk or think about it. Not now. This might be my one and only chance to have sex. I’ve never wanted to or dared take this chance before.”

  His chest expanded on his next breath. The trust it took to admit that was staggering. Humbled, he was determined to make the experience everything she ever dreamed it would be. In fact, he would make it so damn good, she’d want to do it again and again, which meant she’d have to stay.

  There was one tiny detail he had to correct. “This is more than sex.” He scooped her off her feet and laid her in the middle of his bed before coming down beside her. “This is about more than slaking desire. Although, God knows I want you more than my next breath.” He skimmed his hand down her slender torso, delving between her legs. She was slick and hot but not ready for him yet. Not if this was her first time. “This is about finding mutual pleasure, about caring. Because I do care.”

  Before she could voice objections or warnings, he brought his lips down on hers. With her newfound experience, she delved into his mouth, her tongue stroking his. He gave a playful growl and nipped her bottom lip before deepening the kiss.

  Now that the truth was out there, she relaxed, her take-charge personality surging to the fore. They took and gave, each having a turn at being the aggressor. Kissing had never been this fun before, but it was time for more.

  He had so much to show her and couldn’t wait.

  ****

  Jesse should have been mortified at having to explain her lack of experience, but she was too busy kissing for any embarrassment to take hold. And besides, breathing took precedence at the moment. She was gasping for air, every nerve ending in her body alive and raw.

  I do care. The words echoed in her head. Even as she wanted to savor them, a warning bell clanged. Don’t get too close.

  Too late. Their naked bodies were pressed together, generating a heat that had her sweating. The window was open, allowing the light breeze to wick away some of the moisture. Sunshine spilled into the room and streaked across the wall.

  Alive in a way she’d never been, she was uncovering hidden pieces of herself. By her age, most females had years of dating experience behind them, had indulged in at least one, if not more, sexual partners. Many had mated. She was like that princess in a fairy tale she’d read as a child, waking after years of slumber.

  Only she was no delicate princess but a hot-blooded werewolf.

  She gripped his shoulders and tried to flip him onto his back, but he pinned her to the bed with his superior weight. “Not this time. I’m too close to the edge.”

  A sense of feminine pride surged up inside her. She loved the idea of pushing this controlled male to the edge. “Is that so?” She walked her fingers down his chest.

  “Yes.” He grabbed her hand before she got to his erection, raised it to his lips, and nipped at the tips, sending a tingle racing down her arm. “This is your first time. Let me take care of you.” His eyes twinkled and he waggled his eyebrows. “Promise I’ll let you do whatever you want next time.”