Allan smiled. “So that’s what you meant when you mentioned having a heap of trouble. Not concerning the little lady, of course. Three new lupus garous, you say?”
Allan grew quiet for the rest of the drive to his place. Tessa cuddled with Hunter in the backseat. Now that they were mated, he seemed different somehow. Less anxious, more… well, like he was riding on top of the world.
“You wouldn’t need a cop in your area, would you?” Allan pulled into the driveway of a neat, little red brick suburban home.
“I know the sheriff. If you’re interested, I could put in a good word for you,” Hunter said.
Tessa wasn’t sure the sheriff would want anyone working for him that Hunter recommended.
“Good. It’s about time I left this area. I’ve been here ten years already. Maybe Caruthers could come, too. He and his mate, Greta. That way if anyone from your pack gets in trouble, we can circumvent the situation.”
“In California, we lived away from civilization. But I can see where having backup in a more developed area can be beneficial.”
“You bet. We have another four on the force here, so we wouldn’t be leaving the department shorthanded as far as the grays go. Although Judge Graydon might be a little perturbed with me.”
“The one who got me out of jail,” Hunter said, squeezing Tessa tighter.
“Yeah. I’m always bailing his brother out on brawling charges. The judge will just have to train another gray cop to take care of his brother.” Allan went to the car door and opened it for them. “I understand you’re off to see your brother at the prison tomorrow. I’ll put in a word for you before you get there.”
“Grays work there, too?” Hunter asked.
Allan laughed. “No. But some of the guards were former police officers and friends of mine.”
“How’s your ankle, Tessa?” Hunter asked.
“A little sore still, but much, much better.”
“Then you’ll need a lift.” He carried her out of the patrol car and she smiled at him.
“I’m not usually the type who likes to be babied, but when you’re doing the babying, it’s awfully nice.”
Preceding them to the door, Allan unlocked it and turned off the security alarm. “Wine, music, guest towels are by the Jacuzzi. Make it a honeymoon. Knock yourselves out. See you in the morning.”
“Thanks, for everything,” Hunter said.
“No problem.” Allan reset the security, locked up, and left.
Hunter headed straight for the enclosed back porch with Tessa cradled in his arms. “I’m feeling like a nice hot soak in the tub. You?” His eyes sparkled like the devil.
“You bet, as long as it’s hot.”
As soon as they entered the room, a blast of steamy air hit her and she sighed. Perfect for sultry, heated sex.
Hunter flipped on the enclosed patio lights with his elbow, although neither of them needed the illumination to see now, which made her think back to when she gave him the lantern when the electricity was off at her house. Cad.
The soft glow of light caressed the dark edges of the room, soothing and seductive. In sharp contrast to the silky ambience created by the soft light and warm wet air, Hawaiian trinkets dangled from the ceiling: plastic purple palm trees, orange flamingos, floral leis, rainbow-colored parrots. The rest of the room was outfitted with silk palm trees, ferns, and bamboo chairs and tables, making it feel like a retail store’s version of the tropics. But it didn’t matter as long as the hottest male around was firmly entrenched in the scene.
Hunter set her on a chair.
She grabbed his hand and helped herself up. “My ankle’s fine. Just a little sore, but I can walk on it.”
He drew her into his warmth in a bear-tight embrace and kissed the top of her head. “So you just wanted me to get more of a workout.”
“Better you than me.”
He grinned, his eyes already smoldering with deep-seated desire. “Sit, while I get some wine for us.”
She loved how husky his voice grew when she turned him on. She tilted her nose up and breathed in deeply. And his sex, hmm, she could smell his arousal. She could really get used to her enhanced senses. Well, most of them. The chlorine in the Jacuzzi was a little overwhelming. “I’ll get the music.”
He gave her another squeeze and shook his head. “Somehow, I don’t think you’re ever going to listen to me.”
As if any man, even one as sexy as Hunter, was going to dictate her every move.
He released her, crossed the tile floor to a full-sized bar, the glass shelves behind it covered in liquor bottles of every kind, then pulled out two wine decanters. “White or red?”
“Red.” To go with hot-blooded men, a fiery sunset, and heated exchanges.
“Fuller-bodied, light, medium?”
“Hmm, the fullest.” She glanced down at his crotch and smiled to see his arousal straining against the soft fabric of his sweats. “Definitely the heaviest.”
His mouth curved up as he shifted his gaze from the way her tongue swept over her lips to the bottle, and then he hurried to open it.
She flipped a switch, turning on music with a sensuous beat. The flute and drums surrounded them in a tantalizing instrumental rhythm.
Hunter handed Tessa a glass of wine, took a sip of his, then leaned down to kiss her lips.
“I really like this wine on you.” She licked his lips and slid her fingers down his sweatshirt, found the ties to his pants and gave a little tug.
He chuckled, drank a couple more swallows of his wine, and reached out to take her glass. She took another sip and handed him hers. Once he set them on one of the glass-covered tables, he ran his hands over her arms in an amative way. “You can tug on something else if you get the urge.” He wiggled his brows.
“Ohh?” She trailed her finger down lower, until she traced his rock-hard erection through the soft sweats, making his arousal jump.
Pulling her back against his chest, he began to dance slow to the music, molding his body to hers, his groin pressing against her backside, his large hands caressing her breasts through her blouse, his heat warming her. She closed her eyes as her nipples tingled with his sensuous touch, her body sliding against his in a teasing caress.
He nuzzled his face against her neck. “You’re beautiful, you know.” He reached up to splay his fingers through her hair. “Every bit of you.”
“You are, too,” she whispered, caught up in the magic of the moment, pressing her butt harder against him, rubbing, tantalizing him to take it further.
He slipped his hands up her shirt, caressed her lace-covered breasts, tormenting the nipples straining for release. The crotch of her panties was already wet in anticipation, and she was ready to ditch her clothes.
His hands shifted to her belt, and he struggled to unbuckle it. “Ready to get wet?”
“Hmm, already there.”
No more belts, she made a note to herself, wanting to shove his hands away and yank off the annoying leather hindrance herself.
He finally managed to unfasten the belt, unzipped her jeans, and slipped his hand into her panties, down lower until his fingers reached her cleft. And stroked.
She shuddered with need, the bones liquefying in her legs, and she slumped slightly against him, ready to collapse.
“Hmm, yes, nice and wet,” he murmured against her neck, his arm wrapped around her waist to keep her from sinking to the floor as he continued to stroke her. “Just right.”
Wriggling against his fingers to get maximum penetration, she rubbed against his arousal, and he groaned. She smiled.
“Vixen.”
“Let’s move this to the hot tub,” she said, her voice drenched with lust. “But the water better be hot enough. After all the cold weather we’ve been through, I’m not getting in unless it’s super heated.”
“I’ll warm you right up.”
“Not in the water if it’s not soupy.”
He released her. “I guess you’re not willing to take a swim in the Pacific with me from time to time then.”
She turned around and traced his nipples through his sweatshirt. “Not unless it’s by mistake.”
Hunter laughed under his breath and walked over to the Jacuzzi and poked his hand in. Hot, but not as hot as Tessa was. He shook the water off his fingers and turned on the jets.
“Perfect temperature.” He reached his hand out to her. “Join me.”
“I thought I already had,” she said, her voice like smooth satin.
She rested her small hand in his, and he pulled her close. He leaned down and kissed a corner of her sensual mouth, then brushed his lips across hers, and kissed the other corner.
“You realize you have to keep Meara and Cara in line whenever I’m not around, don’t you?”
He slipped her blouse off and held her arms hostage. Dipping his head, he kissed her mouth, deepening the experience. Wet, wild, tasting of fermented grapes, sweet and delectable, rich and full-bodied.
Her heart beat harder and she barely breathed, enraptured with his touch as much as he was with her.
But then her fingers tackled his sweatshirt, and she hurried to wrestle it over his head. And he smiled.
“You didn’t tell me all the details about what I have to do and can’t do,” she said, nipping his bare shoulder. “Not that it means you can tell me what I have to do and can’t do, and I’ll blindly serve.”
“You can handle it. I have every faith in you.”
He pulled her jeans down to her ankles, then ran his hands over her silky panties trimmed in lace. Her eyes were bright and expressive, her brows slightly elevated, her lips rosy and swollen. Already he was at full mast, ready to mate her again.
She yanked off his sweatpants and he kicked them free. “I believe,” he said, stripping off her bra and panties, “you’ve had control over me since you dragged me from your beach.”
She let out a lusty chuckle. “Dragged you. Right. It was only a show so you could get your hands all over me.”