“I asked you first.”
“Then, yes, I do, lass. But you have to remember that I’m a Scotsman. We tend to give a little more credit to fate than you might over here.”
“I think I like that about you. It’s very appealing.”
He laughed. “I’m glad, because it’s bred into me and I’d be hard-pressed to root it out. So, since you’re now in this suite, I take it that you are being groomed for the alpha job?”
“Nothing’s been said in so many words, because my grandmother, as you can tell, is still fully capable of leading the Stillman pack. But I believe I’m next in line, and this suite is meant for that purpose. Neil would love to move in, literally, but I don’t plan to let him.”
“Good. He’d make a terrible pack alpha, but you…” He gazed at her with warmth in his gray eyes. “You’d be terrific.”
“That’s nice of you to say, considering that we don’t agree on much of anything when it comes to the future of Weres. Neil seems to be leaning in your direction, though.”
“He doesn’t strike me as a Were with much integrity. You do, and I’d rather see someone honest be in power than someone who thinks like me, or at least pretends to.” He grinned at her. “But enough of that. Ready to shift and go? You still have all your clothes on, milady.”
“So I do.” Walking over to the red sofa, she started stripping down. She’d taken off everything but her bra and panties when he cleared his throat.
“On the other hand…”
She glanced over at Duncan. “You haven’t been undressing while I did. What’s the deal?”
He stood very still, his gaze hot. “Maybe there are other, easier ways to refill the well.”
“Don’t go changing the plan, Woofer. You said you wanted a run in the snow, and that’s what we’re going to have.” She was determined now. He probably spent far too much time as a human. He was losing touch with his roots. “Take the rest of your clothes off and be snappy about it.”
He shrugged. “I suppose I’ll have to do that, regardless.” Reaching over his shoulders with both hands, he grabbed fistfuls of his T-shirt, yanked it over his head, and tossed it aside. “You’ll soon see the condition you’ve put me in by taking off yours.”
Now it was her turn to stare. She wondered if she’d ever get used to the sight of that broad chest dusted with dark hair and those abs that rippled as he pulled off his T-shirt.
“Presenting Exhibit A.” He unfastened his jeans and shoved them down, along with his knit boxers. His c*ck sprang free, gloriously erect.
She swallowed. “I see what you mean.” And the sight of an aroused Duncan created an almost unbearable craving to join with him now, this very minute. But she reminded herself that he needed to rediscover the joys of being a wolf. He might have forgotten what he’d be giving up if he mated with a human who couldn’t share that pleasure with him.
“That red sofa looks cozy.” He started toward her.
“No.” She backed around it, putting the sofa between them. “We’re going to shift and ride that elevator down to the ground floor. That was the plan and we’re going to work the plan.”
“I don’t know what will happen if I shift when I’m like this.” He gestured toward his groin. “I’m not sure it’s safe.”
“You’ll be fine. Stay right there. I’m going to take off my bra and panties, and then we’ll shift together.”
“If you say so, but I think when you take off your underwear, I’ll be in even worse shape. I seem to have a Pavlovian response to seeing you nak*d.”
“That’s funny, considering Pavlov did his experiments with dogs.”
“Aye, it’s hilarious, isn’t it? I’m standing here getting harder by the second, and you think it’s funny.”
“I also think it’s flattering. And you’re not the only one who has a Pavlovian response, just so you know.”
“Ah.” He looked mollified. “Now that you mention it, I can tell by that delicious scent of yours. I was so preoccupied with my own lust that I failed to take note of yours.” His glance swept over her. “And your n**ples are tight as little pencil erasers. That makes me feel better.”
She kicked away her panties. “That’s it. I’m ready.”
“Me, too. Let’s do it on the sofa.”
“We’re not shape-shifting on the sofa. We’d fall off.”
“My wee man has in mind a different activity.”
She ignored that comment. “When was the last time you shifted with a female Were, Duncan?”
“It’s been…a while.”
“Years?”
“Maybe. So putting it off for another year is no problem.” He held out his hand. “Lie with me on that red sofa, Kate. I promise to make it worth your while.”
“You’ve completely lost focus, Woofer.” She held out her hand, too. “Walk around the sofa and lie here on the carpet with me. We’re going to shift together. There’s something very special about sharing that moment with another Were. Or have you forgotten?”
He hesitated, and then he frowned. “Perhaps I have. It’s been a long time since I’ve done that.” He sighed and rounded the sofa. “So if you insist.”
“I do. I think it’s important.” Dropping to her hands and knees, she lay on her side and stretched out on the soft gray surface. Then she patted a spot beside her. “Lie here.”
“I’m still hard as a billiard cue. Harder, even.”
“I know. Trust me, you’ll be fine. And you’ll thank me later.”
He held her gaze as he came down to lie facing her. He was close enough to reach out and touch her, but he didn’t. “I just hope that shifting in this condition doesn’t cause me to break something important.”
She pressed her lips together to keep from laughing. He wouldn’t appreciate that. “If I thought you were in danger of breaking something important, I wouldn’t be encouraging you. I do care what happens to you and your important parts.”
He smiled into her eyes. “Same here, lass.”
She felt a rush of tenderness for this Were. Although he’d given her an argument just now, at last he lay facing her, prepared as she was to be completely vulnerable for the next few seconds. During a shift a werewolf was defenseless.
Trusting each other now would forge a bond. It always did. And maybe that bond would help them bridge the gap between them when they returned to human form. Gazing into his eyes, she concentrated on bringing out the wolf that lived within her and waited patiently to be released.
Duncan was a little rusty, but looking into Kate’s blue eyes helped him focus. He sensed the energy flowing through her, a luminous river of change. He felt the hum of it in his own body as her vibrations spread across the space between them and washed over him in a calming wave.
Yes, he’d forgotten the sensation of peace and wholeness that shifting with a Were female could bring. He’d missed the feeling without knowing he missed it, but now that he was here with Kate, he welcomed the shared warmth of moving together into another state of being. His breathing synchronized with hers.
As her body began to glow, he held his hand in front of his face and watched the light enter his fingers. She smiled and held her hand up, palm out. Slowly he aligned his palm with hers, leaving a centimeter of space between. They did not need to touch to be as one. That was the wonder of it.
He’d denied himself this for too long. He gazed in fascination as the transformation began in her, matched by the stretching and tugging that signaled he was shifting in time with her. Like partners in a dance whose bodies never met, they shimmered and slowly transformed, in unison.
He saw her eyes become the incredible blue of a wolf’s eyes, and he kept his gaze locked with hers, knowing her change mirrored his. At last, she rose to her feet, a blond wolf with eyes that were Kate’s, but different, wilder, shining with a primitive light that beckoned to him.
Rejoicing in the lithe strength of his body, he stood, stretched out his muzzle, and touched noses with her. Well done, lass. He’d also missed the telepathic communication possible only between Weres. There was an intimacy about it that couldn’t be duplicated with a human female.
Kate had probably meant for him to notice these things. He’d been the one to suggest this, but she’d pushed it once he had. Now he could see how this fit neatly into her plan to convince him her way was superior to his.
She surveyed him from the tip of his nose to the tip of his tail. Too bad you don’t dress like this more often, Woofer. It suits you.
I could say the same about you, lass.
How are your…important parts?
The shift seems to have settled me down some.
Good. She glanced toward the elevator. Shall we?
I’d be honored to share an elevator with the next Stillman pack alpha. After you.
She walked ahead of him, her head high. Although she was a large wolf, as all Weres tended to be, he was larger. As a human he’d schooled himself not to care about such things, but as a wolf, he liked knowing that he stood a good five inches taller at the shoulder.
Once they were both inside the elevator, he noticed the control mounted near the floor had two touch pads.
Does this elevator stop at other floors?
That would defeat the purpose of making it exclusive, wouldn’t it? This is an express elevator. She placed her paw firmly on the top touch pad, and the bookcase wall swung closed and latched with a soft click. When she pressed the bottom one, the elevator started down.
He’d never imagined what it would be like to be an angel descending from heaven, but he’d be willing to believe this was a close approximation. The glass cubicle glided with a smoothness that told him the mechanism was flawless and probably worth a small fortune. He thought of a love so deep that it would inspire a Were to pay for such an elevator so that his beloved mate could ride from her third-floor suite in luxury.
Duncan wished for a love that deep, but he hadn’t found anyone who seemed capable of sharing such an intense emotion. Honesty made him amend that. Kate had that ability, but thinking of her in those terms was laughable. They couldn’t even seem to write a short mission statement together.
The elevator came to a graceful stop and a different side of it slid open. When it did, a section of the dark wall in front of them swiveled, letting in a blast of frigid air.
Duncan had second thoughts. Her suite was cozy and warm. They’d let the fire die down, but they could easily build it up again. A wrought-iron log holder by the hearth contained a good supply of firewood.
He nudged her shoulder. It’s cold out there. Maybe this is a bad idea.
We’ve come this far. We’re going out there. In one bound, she cleared the elevator and leaped through the opening.
He had no choice but to follow. As he sucked in a lungful of cold air, he wondered what he’d been thinking. Fresh air was one thing. But this air was the equivalent of a stroll through a meat locker.
You’re lagging behind, Woofer!
One thing about Kate, she knew how to taunt him. Bracing himself against the bite of the wind and the chill of the snow under his paws, he gathered his haunches under him. Race you to the ski slope! And he started running through the snow.
He threw up plumes of the white stuff each time his paws touched down, dug in, and launched him forward again. About ten seconds into that exercise, he began to have the time of his life. Shifting was a magical experience, but this, this was what wolves were meant to do. He couldn’t believe he’d let so much time go by without racing across the open countryside, his cares forgotten as he abandoned himself to being a wild creature again.
A spray of snow hit him in the nose and he turned to find her running beside him. She kept up with his furious pace with ease. He put on a burst of speed that should have left her well behind him, but no, she was still there, matching him stride for stride.
He shot her a challenging glance as he started uphill along the row of lights on the ski slope. A climb like this should slow her down. But it didn’t. If anything, she was pulling ahead of him.
His male pride was in serious danger of being damaged at this rate. Lungs burning, he ran faster. She kept up, and she was barely panting. But his tongue hung out like a wet pink dishrag.
Fortunately he didn’t need breath to send her a telepathic message. What are you, an Olympic medalist?
No, I’m a Were who lives above five thousand feet. You, on the other hand, live at sea level, or near to it, I’m guessing. My endurance is bound to be better.
I should have remembered that. I didn’t realize I was in a losing battle.
Is this a race, Duncan?
You know it is, lass. You and I, we’ve been battling for months. It’s become a habit for us. He veered off the slope and into the tall pines lining the ski run. But I’m throwing up the white flag. You bested me, and I’m willing to admit that you have. He glanced over his shoulder to see if she followed, and to offer a silent invitation.
She swerved, cutting a new path through the snow parallel with his. You had a good time, though. Don’t tell me you didn’t.
I would have had a better time if I’d been able to show off my athletic prowess like the mighty Scotsman that I am. He was poking fun at himself, and he thought she knew him well enough to realize that. But so soon into their relationship, he wasn’t quite sure.
Just keeping up with me and my superior lung power proves that you are indeed a mighty Scotsman. I can alert Angela Sapworthy to that fact if you like.
He snorted. So she’d taken his little joke and turned it back on him. I don’t think we want Angela to know about our midnight run, do you? He sank into deeper snowdrifts, too deep for what he had in mind. He required firmer footing, but the ski run wouldn’t work. Far too bright.