She slid her hand down his side and his arm, back to his buttock while he continued to stroke her, his cock ready to plunge inside her, if they had been going for a mating. Once she was free to date, he’d imagined what it would be like to enjoy her like this again and again. He’d tried to keep his mind off it when they were together at work, but the interest and the need couldn’t be quashed, no matter how much he’d tried. But now it wasn’t just envisioning what it would be like again, recalling all the sensual details, all his senses on high alert whenever he smelled her close by.

  He savored every whispered breath, the way she touched him with such abandon stirring in his loins, making him want to skip the dating business and get on with the mating business. Not that he didn’t want to take her on fun dates—he would always want to do that—but he realized he really wanted her for keeps. Making love to her after hours, working with her on the job, playing with her when they were free. Sure, he’d dated other she-wolves, but he’d never felt this way about another woman.

  He continued to stroke her swollen nub and kiss her luscious mouth at the same time, slipping his tongue between her lips and caressing her tongue with his. Her fingers combed through his hair in a sensuous way, but then she seemed to be holding her breath, her whole body taut. She suddenly gripped his shoulders and cried out, her body shuddering with release.

  Then he kissed her long and hard, wanting to go all the way.

  She reached down and touched his hip. “Do you want to finish up here or in the shower?” Before he responded, she was getting out of bed and pulling at his hand to get a move on. “Come on. We need to get some sleep. Or at least I do.”

  * * *

  They soon were in the shower under the pulsating spray of the hot water, and Sierra wasn’t in any rush to bring Adam to orgasm. She’d only wanted to get them out of bed in a hurry and make love to him some more. She wanted to take her time just like he had done with her.

  She rubbed her body against his first, pressing against his heavy cock, her hands sliding down his body as he cupped her face and kissed her.

  When she moved in a sensuous way against him, he groaned. She loved how she could make him malleable like clay in her hands as she slipped her hands to his ass and squeezed. He slid his leg between hers and lifted and she gasped, getting just as hot and bothered as when he was pleasuring her in bed. Man, she loved how he moved against her, stirring all those wild cravings again, to mate, to be one, to be whole.

  She was wet from the shower, but she was wet for him again too. She fought giving in to the need to mate. Worried she had latched on to Adam because she was needy for a wolf’s affections and attentions after ending her relationship with the ex and concerned he still might be like the ex and have a difficult time giving up his job to spend time with her, she had to hold off on making a decision of that magnitude. To mate or not to mate. That was the question.

  For now? She was making the most of this moment, rubbing against his thigh, rubbing against his cock, kissing him to kingdom come. And he was returning the favor, his hands roaming down her back, cupping her buttocks, and pulling her harder against him.

  She took a breath from the kiss and looked up at his dark eyes filled with lust. She thought he was feeling like she was, that they should just agree to a mating and get it over with. But she didn’t want to ever regret a mating with a wolf. Not when they mated for life.

  Sierra smiled up at him, and he shifted his hands to her breasts and massaged them. She slid her hands down his waist and took hold of his cock jutting out and pressed against her. Then she was stroking him, and he leaned down to kiss her lips again, cupping her face and sliding his tongue into her mouth.

  She was supposed to make him come this time, but she swore if he kept kissing her, kept rubbing against her, and she kept breathing in their musky, sexy scents, she was going to come too. Despite how tired she had been and ready to go to sleep initially, he had totally revived her and changed her mind. Not that if he’d had any intention of sleeping when he joined her in bed, she wouldn’t have changed his mind. Which was why she’d gone to bed naked.

  He moved his hand down and began to stroke her between her legs again. As if she was just as important to pleasure.

  Sierra was all for doing this in bed sometime later in the night or early the next morning if they both woke and couldn’t get to sleep. He had woken the passionate side of her, and she never wanted to let it sleep again.

  She was stroking his cock harder, faster. He was stroking her nub in the same manner, matching her moves as if they were synchronized. He kissed her wet hair, and then he threw his head back and she knew he was about to burst. Even then, he didn’t stop stroking her, except to press a finger deep inside her…and she broke! Her second orgasm hit, and she gasped, just as he exploded while she continued to stroke him.

  And when she had wrung him out as he had wrung her out, they clung to each other, her cheek against his chest, her arms around his back. He held on to her in the same way, though his cheek rested on the top of her head. They stood there for a moment, catching their breath and relishing the warm embrace, until she felt the water turning lukewarm and quickly turned it off.

  He left the shower and handed her a towel so she could dry off. He began drying off, his gaze holding hers, his mouth curved up.

  “What?” she asked.

  “You are amazing.”

  She smiled. “You are incredible. But don’t let it go to your head. I might want a repeat performance later, and we’ll see if the next time is as good as the others.”

  He laughed. “I accept your challenge.” Then he hung his towel up on the long, brass towel bar, grabbed hers, and hung it next to his, which made her feel extra special. He scooped her up and carried her to bed.

  Once they were under the covers, she snuggled in his arms. She couldn’t quit thinking of all his hot moves in bed and in the shower and how beautiful he’d made her feel. She could really get used to a life with him if she wasn’t thinking too far ahead of herself about being with him forever. But that was what she always did when she was getting to know a wolf better. The possibility of a mating. How they would cope long-term. Would the newness wear off?

  She thought that was why she hadn’t been able to let go of her relationship with Richard. She knew what to expect from him, even if it wasn’t what she wanted to expect. There was something to say about the familiarity that lessened the stress of a new relationship. Yet she realized she had long since given up any fanciful notion that she would actually mate Richard.

  Now she was at it again—this time with Adam. Okay, so she wasn’t going to do that again. She closed her eyes, her head snuggled against his chest, and took a deep breath of him, considering the possibility of them being together for life. So much for not thinking about it.

  Then she was thinking about how she needed to get some sleep so that if he decided he was ready to make love to her again, she could wake enough to enjoy it.

  And then she was mulling over the idea of boating with him, having picnic lunches on the boat—hmm, making love on the boat. Now wouldn’t that be a unique experience?

  “Does your boat have a cabin?” she asked sleepily.

  “Hmm, a cabin, eh?”

  “Yeah, a dinghy is out.”

  “Gotcha. No dinghy. A big bed in a cabin.”

  She kissed his chest. “Or a small bed.” She had no plan to sleep on it. And she knew, unless he had a huge yacht, the bed probably wouldn’t be all that big. It would still be perfect.

  Chapter 20

  The next morning, Adam and Sierra had breakfast of eggs, sausage, and toast. He needed to talk to the suspect they’d caught last night, but Sierra didn’t need to go in yet. “I was thinking, if Tori was okay with it, you could stay with her and begin helping her unpack so—”

  “I would be safe.”

  “Yeah, she’s taking the next couple of days off to get a little more organized before we all land on her on Saturday. And then I’ll meet up with you both after I finish interrogating the suspect, if that works for you two. If you don’t mind, I need to borrow your car too.”

  “Sure, no problem. I’ll call Tori and see if she is okay with me coming over earlier.” Sierra called Tori while Adam began to clean the breakfast dishes and put them in the dishwasher. “Hey, would it be all right if I come over and help you out a bit? You know Adam. He’s going in to question a suspect.” She put the call on speaker.

  “Who is he questioning?”

  “The man who helped steal my car, kidnap the girl, and drop her off at my house,” Sierra said.

  “Ohmigod, you caught him?”

  Sierra glanced at Adam. “It appears Tori wants to go in with you to assist you with questioning the suspect.”

  “No, come over to my place and we can visit while Adam works. Another detective will join him. I’ll fix us some tea, if you would like, and we can talk and start to unpack more boxes, but we’ll be sure to save some for everyone else who’s coming over on Saturday,” Tori said. “You don’t know how much I appreciate your offer of help. Some days I get home and I’m so tired that the idea of sorting through all this stuff makes me want to just give it all away and start over.”

  Sierra smiled. “I don’t blame you at all. After my last move, I don’t want to move again for years.” Then she saw Adam watching her and she figured if she ended up mating him, one of them would have to move, unless they got a new place of their own and both moved. “While we’re unpacking your boxes, I’ll tell you all about what happened last night.” Well, not all that happened.

  Adam winked at her as if he knew what she was suddenly thinking of. “I’ll drop Sierra off at your house in just a few minutes, Tori.”

  “Okay, see you then.”

  * * *

  Adam had hoped he could talk to the suspect without his lawyer being present, so when he arrived at the interrogation room, he was surprised to learn Burt had actually waived his right to legal representation. Adam was glad though, because without a lawyer, they might be able to get somewhere with this. Detective Jerome Plumber was there as Adam’s backup.

  “Okay, let’s start with the business with the break-in at the hotel.” Adam wanted to jump right in about the kidnapping, but he hoped talking about a lesser crime might get Burt to talk.

  “I wasn’t at the hotel.” Burt made the comment casually, as if he wasn’t worried they could prove he had stolen from one of the hotel guests, despite having been caught with the goods.

  Adam passed the two sketches of Burt to him. “These were sketches done of you. One was based on a witness’s description of you at the hotel, and one was drawn based on an eyewitness account at your aunt’s house.”

  Burt studied the photos and smiled, as if he were pleased that Sierra had caught his likeness. And she had. In both sketches.

  He leaned back in his chair, folded his arms, and shook his head. “Nah, not me. Looks similar, but they’re not of me. There must be a million guys who look just like that.”

  “We have video of you coming and going from the hotel. You were found with the stolen goods on you from the hotel room.” Adam showed the evidence to Burt in plastic bags.

  Burt shook his head again. “Nah. I wasn’t in any hotel room. I was nearby though, sure, and I saw this guy—who looked similar to me—run out of the hotel like he was on fire. Then I guess he got spooked and he dropped everything and ran. I figured finders, keepers, you know.” He shrugged. “So I grabbed the stuff and took off in my car.”

  “Stolen car. You left your aunt’s car in the parking lot after driving it there and tore off in the stolen car. You were videotaped clicking the key fob until you found the car the key belonged to. We have it all on a video recording. You parking in the parking lot in your aunt’s car, walking into the hotel, and some minutes later, running out of the hotel, stolen goods in hand. You trying the key fob until you found which car taillights lit up, you speeding off in the stolen car out of the parking lot. There wasn’t anyone else in the vicinity. No one who ran out of the hotel like you did. No one was carrying a bunch of stolen goods, then dropping them in the parking lot for you to pick up.”

  Burt frowned. “Okay, so—if I pled guilty, how much would that get me?”

  “Well, we still have the situation with a stolen gun being in your possession. The same gun taken from a house where a kidnapped victim had been tied up and left behind.”

  “I had nothing to do with any kidnapping.”

  “Your fingerprints were in the woman’s car you stole to carry out the kidnapping,” Jerome said, finally speaking up. He smiled at Adam, who hadn’t gotten the news yet that they’d actually gotten some prints from Sierra’s car. “We have your prints on file for a former burglary—you’re a convicted felon.”

  “The woman gave me a ride one day when my car broke down.”

  “Really,” Adam said. “How do you explain how a witness gave this sketch of you in the kidnapping of a minor? Did you plan the kidnapping? Or did the woman who was your accomplice plan the whole operation? Or was someone else in charge?”

  Burt ran his hands through his hair. “Okay, what can I do to make this all go away?” He held his hands up in a placating way.

  “We can’t make it all go away,” Adam said. “Kidnapping is a felony offense. You used a weapon during the kidnapping. You threatened the victim. You’re a convicted felon for armed robbery and currently on parole. Tell us who planned the kidnapping and let him…or her…take the rap for that.”

  “I’m going to prison anyway. That’s what you’re saying, right? And if I told you who was in charge of it, he would kill me when I got to prison.”

  “Dover Manning would get out in a few years. But you? You could go away for much longer after all you’ve pulled. And for what? Doing his dirty work for him? How much did you get out of it? More time in the slammer.” Adam assumed between Burt and Dover’s girlfriend, Burt was the weak link.

  Burt stiffened.

  “It’s up to you. With everything we have on you, you’re going away for a long time, and that’s the end of the story. At least for you. Dover’s girlfriend is still at large. She could possibly get away without serving any jail time. The next thing you know, Dover’s sentence is shortened and he’s free as a bird while you’re left to rot in prison.” Adam paused, letting his words sink in. “Okay, look, Dover’s girlfriend, Phyllis Kenton, doesn’t think much of you, does she? She thinks you’re an idiot. That Dover should dump your ass because you’re not good enough for the team. But Dover keeps you on because he needs someone to do his bidding without question and who would serve as the fall guy when you get caught.”

  Burt slid his hands over his lap.

  “You might feel you owe something to Dover, even if he’s just using you, because you’ve been with him for a long time. But Phyllis? She has only been with him for two years, right? And you’re no longer in so thick with Dover now, are you? She has come between the two of you, and now you’re going to take the fall for something she and Dover wanted you to do. You’re the one holding the gun, threatening the girl, forcing her into the car, bullying her at the house. Correct me if I’m wrong, but you’re the only one who’s going to take the rap for this, and the woman who calls you an idiot is going to get away with it and find another pawn to do Dover’s and her bidding.”

  Burt was glowering at Adam but didn’t say a word.

  “Did Dover tell you to assist Phyllis in kidnapping the girl, or was it Phyllis who told you that you were needed for the job?”

  Burt ground his teeth and folded his arms. “I don’t take orders from her.”

  “Okay, but when you’re on the job, who calls all the shots?” Adam could see from Burt’s mutinous expression that Phyllis did, but Burt didn’t want to admit it.

  “She thinks she does.”

  “She thinks she does, or she does?” Adam needed Burt to confirm she was in charge.

  “She tells me what to do, but I’ve got a mind of my own.”

  “Did she tell you to do the job at the hotel?”

  “No. She’s not in charge of me.”

  “Did Dover tell you to do the job at the hotel?”

  “No. He doesn’t tell me what to do all the time either.”

  At least they’d gotten a confirmation from Burt that he’d done the hotel theft. “So where is Phyllis? She thinks she’s getting away with this.” Adam hoped Burt knew where she was, and they could arrest her.

  “Hell if I know. She said we needed to each go our own way, and that was that. I haven’t seen her since.”

  “Why did Dover want you to kidnap the girl and try to frame Ms. Redding for the job?”

  “Are you kidding? Sierra Redding lied about her dog being in her hotel room and lied about Dover threatening her in the room. He threatened a growly dog, not the woman! He’d never even seen her before. By supposedly threatening the woman, he got a lot more time than he would have otherwise.”

  They had Dover jailed, but Adam worried about Sierra’s safety when the man got out of jail. Hell, he worried about her safety with Dover still in jail as long as his henchmen threatened her. But Dover was a ticking time bomb. He had been in several armed robberies that they hadn’t had enough evidence against him to actually convict him of. Adam had needed Sierra to help them convict him this time. Had he done Sierra a disservice? He was afraid he had.

  It still gave him chills to think of what could have happened if Sierra had come out of the shower and found an armed man in her hotel room, if she hadn’t changed into her wolf. Would Dover have just left and not threatened her with bodily harm? After she’d seen him and testified against him? She was his first victim who had actually seen him in the act of attempting to burglarize her and had effectively testified against him with such detail that there was no doubt in anyone’s mind that she’d seen him do just what she said she had.