Lindsey's Wolves (8 page)

Ryan shifted his weight, still glaring daggers at Alex.

“Why do they even call it a robe, when it isn’t really covering anything? That stupid piece of silk did nothing but make my dick leak.”

Now Ryan laughed.

“Were her tits as fine as they look?”

“Tits? Do you have to be so crude?” Alex glanced down before adding, “Yeah, better.”

“Sorry, man. I’d’ve done the same thing in your shoes. We’re both on edge.”

“That’s putting it mildly.”

Ryan angled his head toward the hall and gave a nod. “Let’s go talk to her. Time’s a wastin’.”

“Do you Americans ever enunciate anything? My English is good, but it would help if you’d use full words,” he grumbled, following Ryan down the hall.

Two sharp knocks were all Ryan gave before opening the door to the guest room.

Lindsey was back in bed, the covers drawn over her head. The robe was hanging on the chair next to the mattress. Which meant…

Which meant Alejandro had to once again adjust his raging hard-on.

He glanced over to see Ryan completing the same action, also eyeing the silky cause of their distress.

“Doesn’t anyone around here knock? And if that’s you, Alex, take your sexy, body-building ass out of here and leave me be. You’re jinxed.”

Ryan laughed first, which made Lindsey whip the sheet off her face. Just her face, but still, it was progress.

“Ryan? You too? What is this? An episode of ‘Let’s see how crazy we can drive Lindsey before she cracks?’”

The sheet went back over her head and she flopped back down.

“One step forward. Two steps back.”

“Ain’t that the truth.”

As if planned, Alejandro headed to one side of the bed and sat next to Lindsey while the man he was forced to share her with did the same on the other side.

“We have to talk.”

“You do realize every time one of you opens your mouth, nothing makes any sense, right?”

Alex chuckled lightly. “Yes, we do. And we’re sorry. And we want to explain. If you’d please just look at me?”

“If you have something to say, say it. I’m fine right here.” Her voice was muffled by the blanket.

“She has spunk, you have to give her that,”
Ryan provided through their link.
“Sinfully sexy with a backbone to go with it. I love her already.”

Alex tugged on the covers until she released her tight grip and allowed him to reveal her face. Her hair was strewn all over the pillow and across her eyes, pieces sticking up in all directions from the static created by the sheet. She’d never looked sexier than she did right then, all pouty-lipped and pissed off.

Alex reached to cautiously brush the loose strands from her cheeks and forehead. He couldn’t be sure she wouldn’t pounce on him.

“Remember how you accused me of being a panther?”

She stared at him, finally nodding.

“I must have stared at you like you were possessed.”

Again with the nodding.

“That’s not far from the truth.”

Alex could feel Ryan’s urge to reach out and touch her himself.
“Not yet. She’ll freak.”

“Doing my best here.”

“Uh huh. You’re a cat. Got it. Can I go back to sleep now while you two quietly slink your nimble bodies out?” She turned to face Ryan. “I suppose you’re a cat too? Fine. I forgive you, both of you. Now leave me alone to lick my wounds … whiskers.” She chuckled as though this were all a big joke.

“She’s not getting it … at all.”

“Yeah, I got that.
Claro
. Let me think.”
Alejandro took a deep breath. Time to jump in with both feet.

“We’re wolves.”

Two heartbeats. “Oh, not cats. Wolves.” Lindsey sat straight up, her furious eyes darting from one man to the other.

The sheet dropped to her waist, completely baring her full breasts covered only in a scanty scrap of black lace to their perusal. Now was not the time though.

“What the hell is that supposed to mean? Would you stop speaking in metaphors and just spit it out? If you two are in a relationship with each other, that’s just peachy, but at least have the balls to admit it and leave me alone to mourn the loss to society. Really, I’m a big girl. I can take it. The two sexiest men within a hundred miles are both gay. I’ll get over it.”

Alejandro sucked in a deep breath. Ryan must have been holding his all along because a glance his way showed his face to be beet red.

“She thinks we’re gay?”

“You think we’re gay?” Alex mimicked the voice in his head. He flinched just uttering the words. He had nothing but respect for anyone who chose that lifestyle, but he sure as hell wasn’t one of them.

“Which part of my actions in the kitchen five minutes ago made you believe that?”

“I didn’t say it made sense. I just haven’t been able to come up with any other explanations.” Her chest heaved as she spoke, her nipples pressing against her bra, demanding release.

She turned to Ryan. “Is it just Ryan that’s homosexual? And he’s jealous because he wants you for himself?”

Ryan leaped up as though she’d burned him. “I am not into men,” he blurted with as much emphasis as possible. Alex could feel the stress radiating off him. “Not that there’s anything wrong with that. But, I’m as attracted to Ramos over there as I am to that lamp.” He pointed a finger to a corner with a gaze nobody bothered to chase.

“Fine. Two straight panthers just hanging out together. Not remotely interested in anything except torturing me to death with their strange antics.” Her voice rose with each word.

“Wolves,” they both stated at once.

Ryan sat back down gingerly. Not as close.
“Think she might hit me?”

Alex ignored the rhetorical jibe.

“Wolves.” Her words were flat. “Great. Go lick each other’s wounds or something.” Just realizing her state of undress, she grabbed the covers in front of her and pulled them to her chin. “Jeez.”

“Did you mean it?” Ryan asked tentatively. “Do you really think we’re the hottest men this side of the Mississippi?” He beamed.

“I didn’t go quite that far. You might be geographically impaired though. It’s a common affliction for the mentally unstable.”

“Is that all you got out of her tirade? How the hell am I going to live with you for the rest of our lives? You’re so shallow.
Caramba
.”

“Oh, and your cock isn’t just as hard as mine right now.”
It wasn’t a question.

“What do I have to say to get rid of you two?” She was whining now. Or moaning. His dick jerked in his jeans.

“You won’t ever get rid of us. You belong to us. Both of us.”
Great, jackass, just blurt it out.

She stared at him, not even bothering with a smooth comeback this time.

“Listen. Hear us out. Then ask questions. Ryan and I, well, also Justin and Trevor and our entire families, we are shape-shifters, of the lupine variety. I know it’s mind boggling, but it’s true. Give us a moment to prove it.” Alex glanced at Ryan. “Shift for her, would you.”

“Why me? How about I soothe the human sensibilities of our mate while you shift?”

Alex glared at him. Ryan knew damn good and well that whatever tentative grip Lindsey had on any relationship at all at this time, it was with Alejandro.

Still muttering into Alex’s head, Masters quickly stripped and stood back.

“You did not just take your clothes off,” Lindsey yelled. “What is with you two?”

Alejandro climbed up next to her and wrapped an arm around her shivering form. Was she cold, angry, scared … or all three? “Watch.”

The rough sound of bones rubbing against each other preceded the distinct visual show in front of them. Alejandro was prepared to force her to watch if need be. He had his arm around her shoulders, her head locked forward without her realizing it. And she was shaking like a leaf.

It only took about fifteen seconds to shift, hair extending, jaw elongating, eyes receding into the fur. And there he stood before them. Alex had to admit he was a beauty. His fur had so many hues he couldn’t pick a particular one to call him exactly blond, brown, or black.

“Great. Now you think I’m sexy too.”
Ryan rolled his deep brown eyes.

“Did I say anything to you?”

“Where did the dog come from?” Lindsey shook uncontrollably now and glanced at the window and the door.

“I … am … not … a … fucking … puppy.”

“You’re growling like one.”

To the woman who thought she’d gone completely insane, he said, “Wolf, babe.” He didn’t want to sound condescending, but… “We don’t really appreciate it when someone calls us dogs.”

Her face turned to his, her glare meant to kill. “A huge mammal just appeared in the room, seemingly taking the place of Ryan, and you want to argue semantics?”

Lindsey let go of the sheet once again to wipe her eyes.

Alex reached for the robe that luckily hung close enough to grab and stuffed it over her nearly nude chest.

He loved breasts just as much as the next guy, but right now, he was hanging on by a thread, and if he pounced her he’d surely lose her forever.

Fate may have brought them together, but a smidge of free will on her part could put a quick end to this charade. They hadn’t even claimed her yet. Not even close.

The rise and fall of her chest under his hand was almost his undoing even with the silk impediment.

His partner in this debacle ambled over to the bed and set his huge head on the mattress.

“He’s gorgeous.” Her breath released in shallow pants. “Wolves you say?”

“Yes.” She was coming around.

“How did he do that? Where’s Ryan?”

“This is Ryan.”
Or maybe not
.

“Okay… Ryan, my love,” she mocked, “would you go get Kara for me?”

“That’s not a bad idea.”
Ryan lifted his head and turned for the door, nudging it open with his muzzle.

The moment he was gone, Lindsey relaxed marginally. Although, she continued to shake uncontrollably and didn’t seem to notice.

“Please hurry,”
he nearly screamed through the connection.
“I think she’s in shock or something.”

“Almost there. She’s in the yard.”

Alejandro simply held Lindsey as tight as he dared. Words would only make things worse right now.

Luckily, Kara flew around the corner and nearly pounced across the bed, nudging Alejandro out of the way. “Let me talk to her.”

He reluctantly slipped from the room without a sound.

The next time Lindsey woke up it was dark out. Her face was toward the window and she simply stared at the rays of moonlight peeking through the clouds.

She didn’t move a muscle. Maybe if she stayed really still, she could return to dreamland and continue pretending the last forty-eight hours had all been a figment of her imagination.

Someone was in the room with her. She could sense their presence, which was peculiar since she’d never had that sort of sixth sense before. If she wasn’t so damn hungry, she’d stay there for the rest of her life, pretending not to know someone was watching her, pretending her life hadn’t just taken a right turn … into a ditch.

“Are you hungry, babe? You must be starving.”

Alejandro. She’d recognize the unique lilt in his voice anywhere. And she was so bone tired, she didn’t even want to fight her attraction to his Latin self right now.

She rolled over and found him sitting in the chair next to the bed, leaning his forearms over his knees. How long had he been like that?

No matter what, he must really like her to be so persistent.

“Ryan is getting you something to eat.”

“I don’t even want to ask how he could possibly know I’m awake.”

The smile she gleaned through the moonlight streaming through the window was genuine. He didn’t attempt to placate her, which she appreciated.

Right on cue, Ryan backed into the room. “Are you up? You’ve been dead to the world for hours. That pill of Kara’s must have been strong. I bet you’re starving.” He turned to set a tray of steaming food on the dresser. He was rambling. She could feel his nervousness wafting off him.

The smell of Kara’s beef stew tugged at her stomach, which took the opportunity to growl loudly.

“No one can resist Kara’s cooking.” She sat up, noticing she now wore a T-shirt of Kara’s over her bra. It was better than the last time she’d woken.

Two men eagerly fiddled around her, arranging the blankets and settling the tray in front of her. Ryan pulled a bottle of water seemingly out of thin air and handed it to her. Bless him.

“I can get you … well, anything you want, from the kitchen that is, just name it.”

“Why are you both still here? Don’t you have lives? I know it’s a Saturday and all, but did you spend the entire day hanging around here basically waiting for my lucid moments so you could weave tall tales of shape-shifting every time I opened my eyes?” Lindsey gulped. They were tales, right?

“Yep,” Alex replied. “We are here to stay. Well, not here precisely, but in your life.”

“And if I don’t like that idea?”

“It’s rare.”

“What’s rare? That a woman rejects your advances?” That she could believe.

“You could … turn us down that is. But you most likely won’t. I’ve never known it to happen.”

She had just stuck the first forkful of the mouthwatering stew between her lips when he spoke, and she turned her face to see Alex’s self-confident sincerity.

She swallowed the spicy tomato sauce. “Do you know how ridiculous and cocky you sound?” She took another bite, the potatoes, beef, and carrots melting on her tongue.

“Do you know you moan aloud when you enjoy your food?” He smiled.

“Does she do that often?” She jerked when the other male model in the room spoke from where he’d perched himself on the other side of her.

“Every time. Makes me squirm in my seat wishing those lips were wrapped around
me
instead of that damn fork.”

“Did you seriously just mention wanting a blowjob? I’ve been awake all of three minutes and that’s the best thing you can think to say?” Why exactly did the idea make her cheeks inflame? Ignoring the telltale signs of her own arousal, she continued, not bothering to wait for her mouth to be empty.