“I’ll take my chances with the soreness.” She realized struggling would do no good, but perhaps she could coax him with words. “I want to feel you inside me again, Colin. That was lovely, and once you go back to Scotland, I won’t have— Oh!” She cried out as he neatly flipped her to her back, moving with surprising agility considering how lethargic he’d seemed moments ago.
He loomed over her, his expression resolute, as he held her arms at her sides. “I’ll not deliberately chafe someone who’s only recently discovered sex. You wouldn’t thank me for it in the morning.”
“Yes, I would. I’ll thank you right now, in fact, in advance. Just one more time. That’s all I’m asking.” Something hard pressing against her thigh told her she was making progress with her plea.
“No.”
“Yes.” She wiggled so that she brushed against his erect cock. “Once more. Just one more—”
He silenced her with a kiss, a thoroughly Colin sort of kiss, that left her gasping and writhing in frustration. Then he moved downward, still holding her prisoner, and used that talented mouth and tongue on each of her br**sts.
“This isn’t helping! It’s making everything worse!”
“Patience.” He released her left wrist, but shifted his h*ps away so his c*ck was out of reach. Then he stroked his hand down over her stomach and slid one finger into the very spot where she wanted his beautiful, thick penis to go.
Admittedly his caress felt good, and her breathing quickened. But it wasn’t enough to take away the throbbing need inside her. “More,” she wailed.
“Two, then.” He gently inserted his middle finger.
She started to protest, but when he curved both fingers and began to stroke a special place that she hadn’t even realized existed until now, she thought better of complaining. Maybe she should be quiet and see how this turned out.
He dropped a soft kiss on her mouth. “Better?”
“It’s okay.” In fact, it was more than okay, but she didn’t want to give up on having her ultimate reward.
“Just okay?” He rubbed that special spot a little faster.
“Uh… I can’t talk now.” But she could pant, which she did, and moan, which she also did. Her orgasm built deep within her, urgent and forceful. When he settled his thumb on her sacred point and pressed down, she arched off the bed as her world erupted. She wouldn’t have been surprised to see confetti raining down on them. It was that good.
“I think you liked that,” he said with a smile in his voice.
She looked into his eyes. Although she loved the glow-in-the-dark bedspread and drapes, the lack of light meant she couldn’t admire how blue his eyes were. “It was all right.”
“Liar.” He lifted his forefinger, the same one he’d recently used to thrust her into a vortex of pleasure, and brushed it across her upper lip. He left a trail of dampness and the sweet scent of satisfaction. “There’s your proof.”
She breathed in the aroma of her arousal. “Careful, or I’ll beg you to do it again.”
“Even though it was only all right ?”
“That’s better than nothing.” Then she laughed and cupped the back of his head to pull him down until their lips nearly touched. “It was fabulous. But if you want to change your mind and avail yourself of my body, I’d love that, too.”
“I won’t.” He ran his tongue over her lower lip. “But you’re not easy to resist, lass. I should probably send you back to your own room for whatever’s left of this night.”
“I’ll bet there’s not much left at all. It was already late when we went up to the roof.” She didn’t want to leave him. Every stolen moment seemed precious. “What if we took a dawn stroll on the beach? I think we could sneak back to the house before anyone noticed.”
“I’d like that.” He leaned his forehead against hers. “You’re good company, Luna.”
“I like it when you say my name.”
He raised his head to gaze at her. “Why is that?”
“I mean, it’s different to be called lass, and I like that, too, because it reminds me of Geraldine. But using my actual name seems more personal, as if you’re with me, specifically, and not just any female Were.”
“I am with you specifically. I could never think of you as some generic female Were, if that’s what you’re saying.”
“Oh, I don’t know about that, considering the many lovers you’ve had. I could get lost in the crowd.” She kept her tone light, but as the words tumbled out, she realized they came from her heart. Even if he left and never came back to Le Floret, she wanted to know that he wouldn’t forget her.
He cradled her cheek in his hand. “In the first place, I haven’t had so many lovers as that, and in the second place, you would never get lost among them. I will remember you, Luna Reynaud, for as long as I have breath in my body.”
Her heart did a funny little flip. “You will?”
“You have my word as a MacDowell.” He leaned down to kiss her, but as their lips met, bagpipes began playing from somewhere in the bedroom. He muttered something against her mouth that once again sounded like a Scottish swearword, and levered himself off the bed.
“What is it?”
“My family. It’s morning there, and they didn’t stop to think I might be sleeping. But they also don’t call unless it’s an emergency.” He walked to the dresser and picked up his cell phone.
Luna didn’t want to eavesdrop, so she decided this might be a good time to grab her clothes and slip into the adjoining bathroom. The moment had been interrupted, but she would never forget what he’d told her. I will remember you as long as I have breath in my body.
Scots were known for being poetic souls, and she could see why. He’d dazzled her with that statement, and then he’d sworn on his family name, which made the declaration even more moving and romantic. Such things could turn a female Were’s head.
She dressed quickly, grateful that jeans and a sweatshirt was a forgiving ensemble that looked fine even after being wadded up and tossed on the floor. She could hear Colin’s voice through the bathroom door. Although she couldn’t make out what he was saying, she knew he was upset.
What a shame that his family had to call right now. She wasn’t sure he’d want to go for a walk on the beach, after all. And if they did go, the mood between them wouldn’t be so relaxed and happy, judging from the tone of his conversation.
Moments later, he rapped softly on the door. “It’s okay, Luna. You can come out.”
She opened the door. Colin was busy putting on his clothes, but his movements were jerky and his jaw was rigid with obvious displeasure. “I didn’t want to intrude on your conversation,” she said.
“That was kind of you.” He sat on the edge of the bed to put on his gym shoes. “Still want to take that walk on the beach?”
“If you do.”
“I might not be fit company, but some exercise sounds good. I considered shifting and going for a run, but it’s getting light out and fishing boats could happen along. I can take a run after dinner when it’s dark.” He tied the laces on his shoes and glanced up. “Would you like to do that with me?”
“I… yes.”
“You don’t have to.”
“I want to. That would be good, just the two of us. I’m always shy about being around other wolves because I’m not sure I’ll do what’s right since I’ve never belonged to a pack.”
“We could talk about that. Maybe I can help.”
“Colin, that would be wonderful.”
“That’s decided, then.” He stood. “Are you sure you want to go with me now, though? I’ll probably rant about my brother, Duncan.”
“I’ll be glad to listen.”
“Thanks.”
They slipped out of the house as quietly as possible and didn’t speak again until they’d reached the sand. Gray light tinged the horizon, making it just possible to distinguish between sky and sea. The waves slid onto the shore with a soft hiss, then pulled back, dragging small rocks and shells into the water.
Colin didn’t spare the scenery more than a glance before setting off for the far point of the small crescent beach. “It may take several trips across this stretch before I work out my frustration,” he said.
“I don’t mind.” She lengthened her stride to keep up with him.
“So here’s the problem.” He shoved his hands into the pockets of his sweatshirt. “My brother, in spite of all my arguments to the contrary, continues to insist there’s nothing wrong with Weres and humans mating. In fact, he’d like to promote that ridiculous idea!”
“I see.” A tiny squiggle of dread invaded Luna’s contentment.
“Not surprisingly, he’s become serious about a woman from Glasgow, which is why my mother called. She’s concerned that he might consider taking this woman as his mate. He’s hinted that he’s in love with her.”
Luna wished she could transport herself backward in time, to that cozy moment before the sound of bagpipes had intruded on their shared happiness. Knowing what she knew now, she would have slipped out of bed, stolen the phone, and dropped it in the toilet.
Colin didn’t seem to notice that she’d gone silent as he continued with his rant. “As I’m sure you’ll agree, Weres mating with humans is wrong on so many levels. I can’t speak for this country, but in Europe, humans used to hunt us. If they discovered we still exist, I believe they’d hunt us again!”
“Perhaps.” Her stomach churned as she realized what she would have to do.
“There’s no doubt in my mind. But aside from that, mating with humans means never knowing if the offspring will be human or Were, which is not smart. And even if the offspring turn out to be Were, they have human genes, too, which means they could still produce human offspring themselves. It creates all sorts of problems. But my pigheaded brother thinks—”
“Colin.” She stopped and waited for him to turn around. Her heart beat a rapid tattoo as she considered the risk, but she had to tell him. She wouldn’t build her new life on a lie.
He faced her. “What is it? Do you need to go back?”
“No. There’s something you need to know about me.”
“All right.” His voice became very quiet, as if he had already guessed that he wouldn’t want to hear what she had to say.
“My mother was human.”
Chapter 11
Colin required several long seconds to digest this information. During that time he tried to quiet the screaming voices in his head that cried out in protest at the unfairness of it all. Luna was perfect. Perfect. Except, not really, not according to his exacting standards.
“I understand this probably changes everything,” she said. “You may not want a half-breed running the inn. But I am right for the job, and no one here knows about my mother. I’d planned to keep it that way, in case… in case someone else might feel the way you do.”
Colin scrubbed a hand over his face. Now everything she’d told him made sense. Her mother had run away because she didn’t want to be part of a werewolf pack. She wouldn’t have told Luna that she might inherit the ability to shift, because there was a fifty percent chance she wouldn’t. Then her mother had died before Luna reached puberty, and Luna had gone through her first shift with no support at all.
“That’s why you went through your first shift alone.”
She waved her hand dismissively. “Yes, but that doesn’t matter now.”
“It does.” He walked toward her, his heart aching for the young girl who hadn’t known what was happening to her. “Of course it does.” He took her by the shoulders. “I’m so sorry.”
When she lifted her face to his, a mask of indifference covered the open delight he was used to seeing there. “It’s not your problem.”
“And it shouldn’t have been yours, either.” He wanted her to tell him about that first shift, because he sensed she’d never been able to unburden herself to anyone. He was the only person in the world who knew she was a half-breed. No wonder she’d decided not to contact her grandparents.
“Look, the primary issue here is whether I still have a job running the inn. If I don’t, then maybe I can train Sybil to do it. Janet’s needed back in the kitchen, and Dulcie’s a little too focused on the male of the species, but I think Sybil might—”
“I don’t want Sybil.” He released her, because he realized she wouldn’t confide in him, not after the way he’d talked about humans mating with Weres. And he still believed it was a mistake. Luna was proof of the heartbreak it could bring.
“Then let me find someone else, do some interviewing. Just don’t throw out the idea of the inn because I’m not right for the job. Sybil, Dulcie, and Janet deserve a chance to stay on and make a go of this.”
“I gave you my word that you could run the inn.”
She swallowed. “That was before I told you I’m a half-breed.”
He looked into green eyes that had been full of joy not long ago, and now were as cold and hard as a piece of jade. “You’re still the same talented and capable Were who impressed me before. I have no doubt that you’ll do an excellent job. I want you to stay.”
Her shoulders sagged in relief. “Thank you.”
“No, I need to thank you. If you hadn’t come up with this alternative, I would have listed the property with that dullard Regis and lost any right to come back here. All those cherished memories would have been stripped away.”
She nodded. “I’m glad that didn’t happen.”