“Oh, Derek” was all she could get out before they were kissing again and soaping and washing.

  They finally rinsed off and dried off, and Derek got the hair dryer out this time and began blow-drying her hair in that amazing way that he had while gently massaging her scalp before. She couldn’t believe he would do this for her again. She felt heavenly, satiated, ready to join him in bed to cuddle the rest of the night. Once her hair was dry, she grabbed her lotion and took him into the bedroom. She figured with all the hiking through the woods they’d done, it would be nice to massage their feet again.

  They climbed into bed and she had him lie on his back first as she applied lotion to his feet and began massaging them. He was lying with his head on her spare pillow, his arms behind the back of his head, smiling, his arousal growing—again—and his beautiful body on full display. Just from showering and thinking of their hands running all over each other’s soapy body, his drying her hair had all been enough to prep her for making love to him—again.

  “I meant to give you some lotion to take home with you the last time we did this.”

  “I would need the masseuse to go along with the experience like the last time—and this time. That’s what makes it ultra-special.”

  She smiled while working on his feet with slow deliberate massages.

  He moaned. “Man, does that feel great.”

  “Yeah, I know, just like when you did it with me.”

  When they switched places, Derek not only massaged her feet but started working on her legs, up her thighs, and that felt heavenly, sensual as he moved closer to her nether region. She was primed to lose herself in his lovemaking all over again.

  It didn’t take long before he was moving up her whole body, kissing her tummy and her breasts, licking her nipples. Then he caressed her open mouth with his, lips brushing eagerly, tongues tangled.

  She pressed her mouth against his, loving the sensuous seduction.

  He kissed her with tenderness, the heat intensifying, the kisses harder now, scorching. She savored the sensual exploration as his tongue swept over hers. He intoxicated her with his kisses, made her want him rocking inside her with fervor, completing her, completing him, uniting them.

  Their hearts were pounding hard and fast when he began to work on her nubbin with slow, deliberate strokes. The ache between her legs demanded desperate fulfillment, and she arched against him, hungry for his affections and savoring his touch. She groaned under his ministrations, loving the way he was stroking her. She wanted to reach the sweet peak of climax again, to experience the pleasure only he had ever given her.

  Then she was coming unglued. She cried out as the orgasm hit, and she closed her eyes, welcoming the ripples of climax that filled her with satisfaction. She wanted desperately to tell him she loved him, but she wasn’t sure of it herself yet. She did love making love to him. That she had no doubt about!

  But would she lose herself if she mated him? Would she no longer be her own person, having more of a normal life, not being in the spotlight? As the billionaire’s wife—would others believe she was marrying him for his money and the prestige? She had trouble with wanting to be independent when she’d been only dependent on herself for so long. And being seen as dependent on Derek for everything.

  ***

  Derek enjoyed the way Kate made love to him. Here, he’d thought of just drying her hair, getting into bed, and giving her a foot massage too. But just smelling the she-wolf’s turned-on scent and bringing her to climax in the shower had worked him up all over again.

  He just had to pleasure her and make her come to prove to her he had what it took to make her collide with heaven and earth and shatter into a million pieces of ecstasy. But she was stroking him again too, and he felt overwhelmed with bliss when she made him come as well.

  Now all he would think about tomorrow was being with Kate in the throes of passion, and he wished he could cancel the conference. He and Rafe had so much wheeling and dealing to do, he couldn’t leave his friend in the lurch, but Kate was the first woman who had ever made him want to skip out on the whole thing and spend the time with her instead.

  He knew he was in trouble now.

  Chapter 21

  This time when Derek woke with Kate snuggled in his arms in her bed—though he was conscious of having to get up and get ready for Cliff to pick him up and take him to the airport—she didn’t seem to be in a big hurry to leave him to go to work with Lexi. Kate kissed his chest and smiled at him. He really could get used to this.

  “I’m going to miss you while you’re gone,” she said. “Don’t pick up any stray women while you’re out there.”

  He chuckled. “All I will think about is getting back to you.” Seriously, he knew he would too. But this was such a change for them from the last time they were together like this, and he figured the camping trip had been a success. Who would have thought a rainstorm would have thrown them together in an unexpected way and he would be staying with her again overnight, making love, twice last night even? Instead of pulling away this morning, she didn’t seem to want to give up the intimacy between them. He was thrilled.

  Thankfully, Derek had packed his things for the trip before he left on the camping excursion, so Cliff dutifully arrived with his bag in hand and his change of clothes. While Derek went back to the bedroom to change, Kate made Cliff a cup of coffee.

  “I don’t think I’ve ever been on that wild a camping trip before.” Cliff drank some of his coffee. “Bear, cougar, flooding, wolf giving birth at the campsite?”

  Kate smiled. “Oh, and Toby hooking his dad’s shirt.”

  Cliff laughed.

  Then Derek came out of the bedroom wearing his suit, ready to leave.

  “Wow, you look like a first-class executive.” She kissed Derek.

  “Thanks, Kate.” He kissed her back. “I’ll see you soon.”

  “I can’t wait.” She gave him one more hug, which he warmly returned, and then he had to leave. She went outside to see them off with a wave of her hand and a smile.

  She’d made his day and night asking him to stay with her last evening.

  ***

  Once Derek left in the Land Rover with Cliff to go to the airport, Kate didn’t want to do anything. She missed him already! She really had fallen for the wolf—hard.

  She’d had a supersized crush on him in the beginning, but the more she got to know him, the more she really cared about him. She loved the way he was with others, with animals, and especially with her. He was genuine. Protecting her as a wolf from the raccoon the one night on the camping trip and then taking her into his tent and his sleeping bag proved he could be her hero too. Just like she wanted to keep him safe.

  She loved how Derek had helped her clean up her camping gear, and she’d had fun doing it while hosing him down. She loved how he’d played along when it would normally have been a chore. That was one of the drudgeries of camping: cleaning up after the fact. Especially when she had been tired. But boy, when it came to making love to him, all that tiredness sure had gone away.

  There was no doubt in her mind now that he was the one for her. She was excited about the roaring twenties party they were going to, and she already had it in mind that she was going to stay at his house afterward. She wanted to see the dogs—they had found a place in her heart—and she wanted to swim in his pool and take a walk on the beach.

  She headed over to Lexi’s a little late, but she’d texted her that she was seeing Derek off. She wasn’t keeping that a secret, even though she suspected Mike wouldn’t know this time because Derek’s bodyguards left in the Land Rover and Mike could have assumed Derek went home with them.

  Lexi greeted her with a hug. “So spill.”

  Kate smiled at her inquisitive friend. “Yes, he spent the night. Yes, I miss him already, and we’re going to the roaring twenties dinner and dance party on Friday night when he gets home.” She showed her a picture of the fancy dinner invitation he had sent her featuring a dancing couple dressed in flapper-era clothes.

  “I knew this would happen.”

  Kate chuckled. “Yeah, yeah. We’ll probably go out this weekend to someplace.”

  “The weekend is yours. All weekends are yours. We were working all the time because we had fun doing it and because you were my bodyguard anyway. Now with me being mated to Ryder and the little ones coming and you having dates with Derek, your evenings and weekends are free to do as you like. Besides, you’re my partner, and you can take off whenever you need to. Like taking that trip to Hawaii?” Smiling, Lexi raised her brows.

  “Yeah. We’re going to have a ball with that. I’ll make sure I won’t leave you in a lurch.”

  “Just don’t wait until the babies are ready to come.”

  “Oh, I am going to be here for that!”

  Lexi laughed. Then they got to work.

  That night after working with Lexi on designing new labels for the cosmetic line, Kate headed for the grocery store to restock her fridge when she swore someone was following her on the coastal road. A black pickup like the one she had seen when she returned from Derek’s house after having grilled hamburgers and a swim that one night was following her and harassing her. So many black pickups were on the road at any given time that she couldn’t be certain. She kept an eye on it and drove into the grocery store parking lot. The truck hurried on past. She sighed. She was just imagining things.

  She went inside and picked up all the groceries she needed, and then she headed home. As soon as she was on the main road, she saw a black pickup following her again. Okay, this was not a coincidence. When the vehicle’s high beams came on, she was certain it was the same pickup truck that had hassled her before. She pulled off onto the shoulder, and the pickup drove past her car; then she got on the road and saw that his license plate was covered up so she couldn’t even report him to the police. Bastard.

  Then she got a call from Derek, and she was so glad to hear from him. “Hey, you.”

  ***

  “Hey, I’ve been missing you.” Derek was calling Kate from the hotel in Denver, Colorado, to let her know he was thinking about her. “How’s the business going?”

  “Great! How’s your trip?”

  “I wish you were here, and it would be so much greater.”

  “I’m sure you are busy.”

  “During the day, but you could have come to the dinners and luncheons, and I would have taken you out if we had wanted to skip them.”

  “Just keep me in mind for future business trips.”

  He laughed. “If you don’t have any plans this weekend, I thought we might go pedal boating on Saturday.”

  “Sure, I would love that. Lexi had been working on the weekends, but she said now that she’s going to have twins, she wants to keep our weekends free. She wants to make sure I have dating time too.”

  “With me though, right? Am I glad for that!”

  Kate laughed. “Why don’t we just stay at your place on Friday night after the roaring twenties party and take off to the lake from there the next morning? I’ll pack an overnight bag.”

  “That would be great. We’ll be getting in from the party after two in the morning, so we’ll have to skip the dog walk.”

  “And a moon-lit swim and a wolf run too. But maybe after the pedal boat ride on Saturday we can do those things?”

  “All right, that certainly works.” He was so glad he’d called Kate and she was all for making further plans. At least Brenda hadn’t bothered him again after he told her he was seeing someone else. He wondered if she would learn he was going to the 1920s party and find a date for it. Seats had sold out a long time ago, so unless she found someone who was willing to give up their seat or she found someone dateless who was willing to take her, she wouldn’t be there. At least he hoped.

  “Uh, I’ve got to watch my driving. I have a pickup truck harassing me.”

  “Where are you?” He was ready to fly home to protect her!

  “I just left the grocery store that’s located between your place and Lexi’s. I’m on my way home.”

  “I’m on it.”

  “You’re in Colorado.”

  “Yeah, but I’m sending my muscle.”

  “If you’re sending Will and Cliff to come to my aid, who’s watching over you?”

  “Rafe’s at the conference with me, and two of his bodyguards are there. We didn’t need that many on this trip, and I’m damn glad I left them home.”

  “Well, me too, and thanks.”

  “I’ll call you back in a minute.” Furious that anyone would be giving Kate trouble and he couldn’t be there physically to help her out, Derek immediately got hold of Cliff. “I need you and Will to take separate vehicles—the Land Rover and your truck—to chase down a black pickup on the coast road. The truck is harassing Kate.”

  “On our way,” Cliff said.

  Then Derek called Kate back anxiously, hating that he couldn’t be there for her in person. “Okay, can you get the license number of the vehicle?”

  “No, he has covered it up, and if it’s the same one who did this before, then it’s not just a one-time road-rage issue.”

  “He did it before?” That sounded a lot more sinister, and he wanted to ask why she hadn’t told him about the other instance, but he didn’t want to upset her any more than she probably already was.

  “If it’s the same guy,” she said.

  “Okay. Does he know where you live?”

  “Uh, yeah. He drove on past Lexi’s place as soon as I reached the property the last time.”

  “Call Ryder or Mike and get them on it, and then call me back. Maybe between all of us, we can nail the bastard and learn what’s going on and stop him from doing this in the future with you or anyone else.”

  “Okay.” A few minutes later, Kate called Derek back and said, “He’s doing the same thing as before, slowing down, speeding up, pulling off on the side of the road, then when I drive past, he’s following me the whole time with his high-beam lights on.”

  “Did you get ahold of Mike or Ryder?”

  “Ryder. He’s having Mike come to intercept him from the house and your guys will be behind the black pickup.”

  “Good. Damn, I wish I was there with you.”

  “I do too. I see Mike. He’s in his pickup, and he’s got a big grill too. The truck is in front of me now. Mike flashed his lights at the black pickup to turn off his high beams. The driver just flashed them on and off as if to say he was keeping them on so what are you going to do about it? Someone’s coming up behind me going a hundred miles an hour. Oh, I think it’s your Land Rover. I’m slowing down. He’s going around, and he and Mike—”

  Derek heard the sound of a crashing vehicle and prayed Kate and the others were okay.

  “They ran him off the road. He slammed into a tree. Mike and Cliff pulled off on the side of the road,” she told Derek.

  “Keep driving home.” Derek didn’t want her anywhere near the guy if he turned out to be armed and wanting to harm her.

  “Okay. I’m driving past them. They’re checking on the driver. He’s going to have to get a tow truck. Serves him right. I can’t see the driver, so I don’t know who it was or how he fared.”

  “The guys will get an ID on him if they can.”

  “What if he tries to sue them for wrecking his truck?”

  “All of you were eyewitnesses. The guy was driving recklessly.”

  “Well, that’s for sure. I have a navy-blue pickup following me home now.”

  “That would be Will.”

  “Okay, good. I’m pulling into the driveway now, and Will’s parking behind me. Ryder’s outside already. I’m going to go so you can find out what’s going on with Cliff and Mike.”

  “All right. Miss you, Kate.” Derek wished he could give her a big hug. He knew, though she was trying to sound calm and fine, that she had been rattled.

  “Miss you too, and thanks for all the help!”

  Then they ended the call, and Derek called Cliff. “What’s going on?”

  “We’re calling an ambulance to take this ass to the hospital. It would have served him right if he’d broken his damn neck. He pulled a gun on us, but he isn’t in any shape to use it, though he tried firing at us. He hit his already-shattered window. The police are on their way. He’ll get cited for covering up his license plate and any number of moving violations. Not to mention he was armed and firing at us. We all witnessed his pulling around Kate and slamming on his brakes, nearly making her run into his back end, which would have totaled her car and could have injured her badly.”

  “Did you get his license and learn who he is?”

  “Lars Gnoffo. But he’s not really in any shape to answer questions. Mike and I will talk to the police, and they’ll have to talk to Kate about this once they’re finished here. The police and ambulance are just down the road from the accident. I hear them coming now. His truck is totaled. We still don’t know why he was targeting Kate. Maybe he learned his lesson. We didn’t try to take the gun from him. It looks like he has a broken arm, and he can’t really aim at anything, he’s in so much pain. But we figured we would let the police deal with him.”

  “Okay, good, that’s just how I would have handled it. I’ll call one of Rafe’s PIs and have him check into the guy. He’s a wolf, discreet and fast,” Derek said.

  Then they ended the call, and Derek called one of Rafe’s PIs, Callahan Rutherford. Derek had used him before for background investigations and even to check out Kate before he interviewed her for the bodyguard position. Though Callahan hadn’t told him she’d worked as a lifeguard before.

  “Hey, it’s Derek Spencer. I need you to look into a Lars Gnoffo for me. I want to know every detail of his life.” Then Derek explained the situation to him.