Desire Unleashed (5 page)

A flash of color sparked in front of her eyes for a brief moment as her climax hit fast and out of control.

Clutching the counter with both hands, she used it for support as her orgasm bloomed, spreading to all her nerve endings.

Behind her Ethan let out a loud cry as he came. She could feel his warm heat inside her as he found his own release.

Gently, he pulled out and turned her to face him.

Cupping her face, he said, “Don’t ever doubt my need for you. What we have… this isn’t going away for me.”

The soft spoken words made her throat tight with emotion but she didn’t respond.

He didn’t seem to expect one. After he grabbed a washcloth from beneath the cabinet, he wet it with warm water and surprised her by gently swiping between her legs.

Holding her dress up, she leaned against the counter and kept her legs spread while she watched him clean her up. His consideration touched her. She couldn’t remember the last time a man had taken care of her. Not like this anyway.

Watching his big hands move with such gentleness brought up a foreign swelling in her chest. She could definitely get used to this. And she wanted to trust him, but that old fear whispering in the back of her head warned her that things
would
eventually end between them.

When Ethan looked up at her with nothing but warmth in his gaze, he covered her mouth in a soft, tender kiss that took her breath away, silencing the noisy bitch in her head.

Caro set her hair dryer on her marble countertop and paused. Was that a knock on her front door? It was still too early for Ethan to be here. He’d had to work late on a new job today, but she’d given him a key anyway.

As she ran a brush through her hair, she heard a definite, loud banging. Frowning, she hurried toward the front door. When she neared it, she froze. The scent of the male outside was unmistakable.

Francisco. Her ex.

Years ago she would have done anything to see his handsome face one more time. Now she felt…

annoyance. What the hell could he possibly be doing here? Frowning, she pulled the tie on her silky robe tighter around herself.

“Caro? Are you home?” Same deep voice.

Yep. Definitely him. Why hadn’t he called first?

Sighing, she opened the door. “Hello, Francisco?” It came out like a question because she couldn’t help it.

“Caro. You look beautiful.” He smiled warmly and made a move to embrace her but she crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back.

He looked exactly the same. Maybe a few years older but he’d aged very well. Same olive complexion and lean, dark Italian good looks. And he wore a tie and suit.

Armani, if she had to guess. Kind of stupid considering Miami’s humid weather, but she didn’t really care about that. She wanted to know why he was on her front porch.

“What are you doing here? Have you contacted my Alpha to let him know you’re in town?” Pack law dictated that any outsider encroaching on another territory—even if they were just passing through—had to notify the residing Alpha of their presence.

He shrugged, as if it were no big deal. “I wanted to see you first. You’re his sister-in-law. I figured it would be okay.”

She gritted her teeth, annoyed at his arrogant attitude. “So what are you doing here?”

He shrugged again in that nonchalant way of his that she used to love. As if nothing in the world mattered. “I was passing through and thought I’d look you up.”

Evasive answer. Likely a lie, if she scented right.

“We haven’t seen each other in a century and you just wanted to look me up?” She arched an eyebrow.

“Aren’t you going to invite me inside for a drink?”

He pasted on a smile she supposed was meant to be charming but just came off as fake. After being with a man like Ethan it was hard to believe she’d ever wanted someone like Francisco.

“Fine. You can come in for a quick one but I’m calling my Alpha first.” While she didn’t want to share a drink with him, she also didn’t want to chance her Alpha finding out he was hanging around Miami. Lucas was diplomatic but he also hated Francisco and she didn’t want any unnecessary drama.

“You look really great, Caro. You’re practically glowing,” he said as she shut the door behind them.

Instead of responding, she turned on her heel and led him to the kitchen. After calling Lucas and letting him know there was a visiting wolf in town, she grabbed a beer from the fridge for Francisco.

He picked up the bottle and eyed it with slight disdain. “You don’t have anything foreign?”

“That’s what I’ve got. Take it or leave it.” She didn’t care that she sounded rude. It was just like him to barge in and then be picky about his choice of drink. And that was Ethan’s beer. For some reason it annoyed her Francisco seemed to think it was beneath him.

“You’re not happy to see me.” He frowned slightly as if hurt, and she felt a twinge of guilt. Maybe she was being too harsh.

“It’s not that. I don’t understand why you’re here.”

Plus she had plans with Ethan soon. Plans that did
not
involve someone else.

“I… Maria… ” His voice trailed off and for a moment she felt like a total bitch. If his mate had died she’d never forgive herself for being so cold to him.

“Is everything okay?”

He shook his head and gave her a mournful look.

“Can we go outside and talk? I need some fresh air.”

“Uh, sure.” She nodded at the sliding glass door that led to the lanai. As he strode toward it, she grabbed a beer for herself. She might not like him but if he needed a friend, she could be decent.

Outside she sat on one of the chairs next to him at the patio table. “What’s going on?”

“Maria left me.”

Caro jerked back slightly at his statement.
That
, she hadn’t been expecting. Mated wolves didn’t just leave each other on a whim. The biological bonds were practically unbreakable, especially if the couple was in love. Leaving was virtually unheard of. “Left you?”

He nodded and took a big swig of his beer.

She frowned at him. “What happened?”

“I don’t want to talk about it. I just wanted to see a friendly face.” He leaned forward and made a move to cup her cheek.

Her eyes widened in shock as it clicked why he was there. Did he think he’d get some sympathy sex from her? She started to pull away when a loud, unexpected growl ripped through the air and Francisco went flying across the tiled patio. Caro’s eyes widened as she realized Ethan had tackled him. She hadn’t even heard him enter the house.

Still wearing his tool belt, Ethan stood over Francisco in his dirty jeans and T-shirt. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” His voice was a low, deadly growl.

Francisco had never been a fighter but he pushed up and snarled back. “Who the hell are you?”

Ethan took a menacing step forward. “Answer the fucking question.”

Francisco looked past Ethan to Caro for help but she just stared at him. She wanted an answer too.

Finally he faced Ethan again. “I’m just visiting an old friend.”

“Looked like you had different intentions.”

Francisco shrugged. “We were once more than friends and—”

Lightning fast, Ethan’s hand wrapped around the other wolf’s neck and lifted him off the ground. “I got a call from my Alpha that you were here after he got word from
your
Alpha. You can’t even stay faithful to your own mate and you want to come sniffing around
mine
?”

Caro gasped. “You cheated on Maria?” No wonder she’d left him.

“Not only that, he got her sister pregnant,” Ethan ground out.

Caro felt sick to her stomach. She’d never actually met the other she-wolf, but no one should have to deal with something like that. “What’s the matter with you, Francisco?”

He coughed and struggled until Ethan finally put him down. “I don’t care about her sister. I just wanted to continue my line. We’ve tried but Maria can’t get pregnant—”

“Get out.” She shook her head. She didn’t care what his excuse was and she didn’t care about him. Looking at him now made nausea rise inside her. He was a pathetic excuse for a male and if he wanted sympathy from her, he was looking in the wrong place.

“But, Caro—”

Ethan grabbed him by the collar and dragged him toward the door as he sputtered. Caro didn’t try to stop him. As he shoved the other wolf inside, she collapsed on one of the lounge chairs and stretched her legs out.

What a crazy day. It was a little surreal that her ex had shown up but she felt surprisingly fine about it. Well, she felt bad for his mate.

When Ethan walked back through the sliding glass door, she frowned at his dark expression. “Did he give you any trouble?”

Instead of responding, he unhooked his tool belt and let it fall as he stalked toward her. She started to push up to a sitting position, but he moved fast and covered her body with his much bigger one. She spread her legs wider to accommodate him as he settled between her thighs.

His breathing was harsh and erratic. “Did he hurt you?”

She frowned and shook her head. “No. He’s harmless. Stupid, but harmless.” And she didn’t want to talk about him. Not even a little bit. Rolling her hips, she smiled as Ethan’s eyes darkened.

Caressing her face, he growled softly. “I don’t like anyone touching what’s mine.”

Her pussy dampened at his words. She hadn’t bothered putting on panties while getting ready because she’d known he’d be home soon. If she’d been wearing anything, it would be soaked. “Yours, huh?” she whispered. He’d been calling her that since they’d crossed the line from friendship to lovers and she loved it.

His hand covered her mound and he pushed a finger inside her. The unexpected intrusion made her inner walls tighten. When he pushed another one inside her she raked her teeth over his neck. He was salty, earthy, and all male. All hers.

As he began dragging his fingers in and out, something he’d said earlier registered in her mind.
You
can’t even stay faithful to your own mate and you want to come
sniffing around mine.
He’d basically called her his mate when he’d been yelling at her ex. She quickly drew back.

His blue eyes glittered. “You finally realize what I said before, huh?”

She didn’t want to jump to conclusions but her heart rate increased and her pussy dampened even more. Did he mean he wanted to claim her? Ever since that night in her nephew’s bathroom she’d known Ethan was it for her. She’d felt the mating call in a way she’d only dreamed about. It registered inside her soul deep but he hadn’t mentioned anything so she’d held her tongue.

“What
did
you say?”

The intense expression he wore made her heart pound. “You are mine. I intend to mark you tonight, Caro. I don’t want to wait any more.” His eyes seemed to glow against the fading daylight.

He’d been waiting?
“Are you sure?” The question was a strangled whisper. Unexpected tears pricked her eyes.

“I’ve been sure since you decided to put me in your little
friend
category. I didn’t understand it was the mating desire at first, but it’s more than that to me. I… I love you, woman. If you want to wait, fine, but—”

She didn’t let him finish. She sure as hell didn’t want to wait. Her mouth met his in a hungry dance. His tongue stroked hers the way it had countless times in the past couple weeks. The absolute rightness she felt with him was overwhelming.

As if they were meant to be together. Something she’d never felt with anyone before. Whatever she’d felt for Francisco all those years ago, it hadn’t even been close to this.

The front of her robe slackened then fell open as Ethan moved with deft hands. The cool Atlantic breeze flowed over her even though she was covered by his body.

He began a trail of kisses along her jaw until he stopped to nibble on her ear. Shivers rolled over her as he began softly rubbing her breasts.

“Is your pool heated?” he murmured against her neck.

Since it was close to fall she’d turned on the heat to combat the sometimes breezy wind. She hadn’t used the pool much in the past couple weeks but now she was thankful she’d kept the heater on. “Oh yeah.”

He quickly pushed off her and began stripping off his shirt, boots, and finally his jeans. She’d already shrugged out of her robe but the shudder she experienced had nothing to do with the slight wind and everything to do with the rock-hard, perfect male in front of her.

The past couple weeks with him had helped her shed her insecurities in so many ways. When Ethan looked at her with such raw hunger, it was hard to doubt herself.

As she sauntered toward the shallow end, she watched as he tracked her movements. He looked every bit the predator as his gaze followed her.

The warm water rushed over her feet, calves and thighs but she didn’t go any deeper than that. Not until Ethan joined her.

When she scooped water up with her hands and let the warmth spill down her breasts it was as if he jerked out of a trance. His movements were purposeful as he slipped into the pool and glided toward her.

Ethan had been biding his time, waiting to tell Caro he wanted to officially mate. He hadn’t planned to ask her today, but after seeing that asshole try to touch her something had snapped inside him. As soon as he’d gotten the call from his Alpha—who’d likely known what his reaction would be—he’d rushed over. Her ex was lucky he was still walking.