Caedmon Wolves: Wolf's Honor Part 7

Youre a little b.a.l.l.sy, arent you? she countered.

He chuckled under his breath. There aint nothing little about my b.a.l.l.s.

The proof is always in the pudding.

His warm mouth stroked the delicate left side of her neck and under her jaw. Something cold, like his canines, brushed against the underside of her chin. She swallowed, involuntarily pus.h.i.+ng her throbbing vein against his mouth.

When you lose your bet, and you will, I will show you my proof in the flesh.

Her lips parted on a gasp.

And just like that he tore away from her, the chilly air taking up the empty s.p.a.ce between them.

Connor moved toward the door. We have electricity for now, but I need to get the backup generator ready just in case.

Are you leaving me alone?

Youre safe on this land. Dont worry, he a.s.sured her. Ill only be gone a few minutes.

He walked out the door, leaving her in the ranch alone.

She s.h.i.+vered against the chilly air and wrapped her arms around her. As she plopped down on the sofa, she realized that shed just unconsciously made a deal with Connor.

A deal that would open up her past to his scrutiny.

CHAPTER TWELVE.

Antonias sweet lilac scent drawing nearer alerted him to her presence before hed even seen her. Daybreak had emerged a few hours before, and hed heard her moving about in the little bedroom so he figured she was awake. Thinking she would be too uneasy to come out, hed prepared a little tray with the breakfast hed managed to pull together. Shed proven him wrong by coming out of the room.

The lilac scent was so strong now that he knew she had to be standing in the kitchen or d.a.m.n near close to it. She also smelled of soap and mouthwash, which told him shed accepted the bag of supplies hed left for her in the bathroom.

Connor's wolf jerked excitedly under his skin, eager for him to be in the presence of Antonia once again.

He tried his best to rein in his composure and turned around.

She was so exquisitely gorgeous that her beauty knocked the breath right out of him. The daylight shone into the ranch, offering him a fair view of her in all of her glory. The first thing he noticed was her delicate facial structure and high cheekbones. Her skin was the color of nutmeg, and her lips were the shade of red licorice. She must have washed her hair, too. Some water droplets clung to the tightly curled texture, and she had it styled in the s.e.xist, unruly way he had ever seen.

She was exceptionally imperfect but imperfectly perfect"and he wanted her badly. The sight of her set his heart to racing and made his blood boil rapidly in his veins.

Hed already known that she was tall, but now he could really see her. She had luscious thighs and slender legs for days. She stood there in one of his casual pairs of shorts and a sleeveless s.h.i.+rt tied in a knot at her waist.

His gaze raked up and down the length of her as he recorded every detail to memory.

He wanted to run his fingers through her curls.

He wanted to get high off of her intoxicating aura until he was drenched in it.

He wanted to take her p.u.s.s.y and a.s.s in the unruliest of ways.

He wanted to please her repeatedly, make her beg for more, and listen to the sweet sounds of her moans as they left her lips.

His b.a.l.l.s tightened painfully and his c.o.c.k twitched against his zipper. He cursed under his breath for not being able to control himself. He was always able to control himself. Why couldnt he do that now in the presence of a woman hed only known for less than a day?

I hope you dont mind, she said, quietly. We did a lot of running around last night and I wanted to take a shower.

Her gorgeous amber eyes had him mesmerized and speechless.

He swallowed, forcing the lump down his throat. No, I dont mind.

I smell some food, she said, looking behind him at the stove.

Oh, yeah He tore his eyes away from her and turned his attention back to the sausages and biscuits on the serving tray. He stumbled over a chair and almost lost his balance.

Do you need some help?

No, Im good, he said, even though he was still shaken by the sheer sight of her. His hands shook as he pulled the chair out for her. Just take a seat.

His attention dropped to her b.r.e.a.s.t.s when shed sat down. He could see a red bra through the white top, and delicate plumpness and cleavage were exposed to him.

G.o.ds, he mumbled then turned swiftly, pretending to adjust the food on the tray as he attempted to cool his rising wolf.

Excuse me? she asked.

I was just saying that Im glad youre here. His mind was completely gone.

Ooookay, she replied.

He leaned over the counter, bit his lip, and pressed his eyes closed.

Shes under your protection now. Control yourself.

He sincerely hoped that the message was received. His wolf would probably ignore him, but the truth was there. In order to protect her, he couldnt become vulnerable now. But f.u.c.khe was vulnerable only for her. How was he supposed to overcome that? How had she gained this much control virtually overnight to begin with?

He exhaled, turned around with the tray and then put it in the center of the table. Did you have a good sleep?

It was alright. She shrugged. You didnt have to sleep out on the couch. I would have traded with you.

It was no problem.

He handed her a plate and utensils and poured some orange juice into a gla.s.s. My options in terms of food are limited right now. Theres a small convenience store nearby, and I can catch some fresh fish later for lunch if youd like?

This is fine. She smiled. I havent come across many men who can cook.

Her teasing demeanor was contagious, and the corners of his lips tilted up into a grin, as well. Well, my skills are limited in that area.

Its not hard to learn, she said, spreading some apple jam onto her biscuit.

He sat down in the chair right next to her. Is it hard to teach?

Nope.

Are you a good teacher? he asked. I could use one of thosein the kitchen.

Maybe. She diverted her gaze to her plate; her long pretty lashes sweeping against her cheekbones, and bit into the biscuit.

She was so innocent and beautiful just then. He wanted to capture the moment forever.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN.

Dont you have a television around here somewhere? Antonia asked, curling up on the one-seater sofa and picking up a sketchbook from the table next to it.

I did, but its not working, Connor replied. I only visit here a few times a month just to refresh, go fis.h.i.+ng, and maybe swim in the lake when Im not napping.

A radio? Maybe theres something new about the shootout from last night.

They tell lies. Theres no need to listen to all that. But I can get it if youd like.

If you say so, but never mind. She curled her feet under her and opened the sketchbook to the first page. The drawing was of a tall building sketched in black pencil. It reminded her of the skysc.r.a.pers back in the city. Where do you live anyway?

Fifteen miles north of the city. In one of the condos. I conduct all of my business from an office in the city, too, he said, plopping down on one of the sofas in front of her.

What kind of business?

I run a security firm. We provide safety and bodyguard services to our clients and their properties.

Interesting. That means you were trained to protect people. Like you did for me last night.

Exactly. Its what I was trained for all my life and its in my blood, he said.

Since all of your business is done in the city, I suspect that you come out here for privacy? So you can change into a wolf?

He laughed briefly. Something like that. I let him roam free every once in a while.

Do you swim in the lake as man or wolf?

Both.

She closed the sketchbook and held it on her lap. Were you bitten by a wolf or something?

No, I was born one. My father is human, and my mother is a wolf s.h.i.+fter.

You know, Ive never talked about the night I saw the man s.h.i.+ft, not even with my brother. And especially not my counselor. Theyd quickly label me crazy. They seem to have these stereotypes about the principles or morals of orphans, both current and past.

Counselor?

Oh, she exclaimed, realizing that she was revealing too much once again. Yes, I had a counselor back then.

His eyebrows came together and the bridge of his nose wrinkled. Why?

It was required up until I aged out of the system, and then after that they provide the counseling services for free. I stopped going a few years back.

Aged out of what system?

I grew up an orphan of the State. When my brother and I were babies, we were abandoned. Someone had left us at a womens clinic in Houston, Texas. Pain tore through her heart as she spoke and she paused.

That must have been hard.

Were twins. No good family would take us both, so we were raised mostly in orphanages and group homes until we aged out.

What happens when you age out?

She shrugged. Youre kicked out. We were sixteen, and we both had minimum wage paying jobs at the time. We shared an apartment for two years. We graduated from high school and we were doing well. And then my brother got in trouble and we had to use all the money we had saved to bail him out. That included the rent money. We left Houston after that, doing side jobs and whatnot to make travel and food money. We never stayed in one state for long, but when we did, we spent the night in shelters when there was room for us. And when there wasnt Antonia, Im sorry.

Connor literally looked like he could cry, but if that were the case, he held his own well. Antonia was past that stage. This was her life, and she had long ago accepted it.

Theres no need to be sorry. This is the life I was given and we only have one life. She forced a smile. I bet you have a more interesting life than mine.

No, not really. Im just a boring bodyguard who owns a little old security firm. Now that I'm retired from actively a.s.sisting outside clients, my life is even more boring.

Retired? Really?

Yep, as of a few years ago.

She shook her head. But you look so young?

He chuckled. Im thirty-six, but youre right. Im young and tired.

Howd you become a bodyguard anyway?

My dads in the military. He works at The Pentagon in Arlington. Whenever he wasnt stationed overseas, he trained me about what he knew. s.h.i.+fters cant join the service, but even though I wasnt the least bit interested in doing so, I still wanted to have something in common with him. All of the training turned into something good for me and my kind. My agency was set up to act as a liaison between the Packs and the government. I work directly for and under two different Alphas now.

Thats something you should be proud of.