Wynter's Captive (5 page)

Outnumbered? Lili glanced around, and that’s when she saw well over a dozen men standing on either side of her. Some were fully shifted into large wolves of different colors while others glared at the intruders. The battle line was drawn, and if Cyrus stayed the odds were against him.

The men left in the time it took her to blink. Kevin stepped up to Cade. “We’ll go make sure he stays away from the cabins.”

Cade nodded, turned, and looked down at her.

She wanted to open her mouth and thank him for coming to her rescue, but the vein throbbing on his cheek kept her quiet. Another shiver racked her body, and before she knew it, she was being carried back to the cabin in Cade’s big, warm arms.

This time she curled her arms around his neck and dropped her head onto his shoulder. She was too tired to argue. The adrenaline high from running and the escape attempt seemed to have evaporated. All she wanted to do was eat, take a shower, and lay down for a nap. She was sure that once all that took place she’d be able to figure a way out of this situation.

Lili jerked awake when she lost the heat from Cade’s arms. She glanced up to meet his worried gaze.

“Are you cold? Does your leg hurt?”

She shook her head. “I don’t think it was a deep cut, but I really want to take a shower. And I’m hungry.” She hoped that his anger didn’t transfer into the keeping her from eating, because she was starving.

“I had someone grab your bags from your car.” He pointed to a table off to a corner with her suitcase sitting on top of it. “If you promise to not run off again, I’ll get you something to eat while you shower.”

Heat crowded her face. But it wasn’t like she’d agreed to stay with him. At this point she’d settle for just a phone to call Jaylin to let her know she wasn’t dead in a ditch.

“I agree to not run off, if you agree to let me use a phone to make a call.” She could see he was ready to deny her request. “You have to understand, my family was waiting for me. I didn’t show up, and they’re probably worried half to death.” She held her breath and watched him think.

“Fine, but not until tomorrow.”

Not looking to argue any further, she walked past him to the bathroom. As she reached for the door, he grabbed her by the arm and turned her to face him. He cupped her face with his hands, lowered his head, and kissed her. Not the rough, wild, desperate one as before. This was a slow, tender meeting of their mouths. A kiss so sweet she wanted to treasure the feelings he brought to the surface.

Their breaths and tongues mingled in a wicked, sexy mating that made her whimper in the back of her throat. She lifted her hands and tunneled them through the soft strands of his hair. Heat curled into a tight ball in her womb and spread outward. Moisture gathered between her thighs, making her slick and ready for him.

He pulled back, their faces just inches from each other. Both panted. She watched his gray eyes glow. She knew the wildness lay beneath, ready to come out and play.

“Have your shower,” he said in that deep, gravelly voice that turned her on. “I’ll get you some food.” He lowered his head and then nuzzled her lips with his. “No leaving.” He reminded her.

He left the bedroom while she stood there like a lovesick fool. It took her a moment to snap out of her kiss-induced idiocy and pull her pajamas out of her case. Why the heck hadn’t she brought any of her naughty lingerie? Because she was supposed to be at a family wedding, not frolicking in the woods with the Big Bad Wolf in an X-rated version of Little Red Riding Hood. So all she had was a pair of snowman pajamas and some fuzzy bunny slippers to go with them.

“Real fucking sexy, Lili.”

At least she packed her toiletries. She would be nice and clean in case there was to be more nookie with sexy Cade. She stripped in the bathroom and dropped cinnamon scented dollops of body wash onto a loofah. After the way he’d sniffed her earlier, she didn’t think he’d mind the scent. She washed and scrubbed her body in the longest shower she’d ever had. When she reached the cut on her leg, she was happy to see the blood had stopped flowing and it didn’t look as bad as it had originally felt.

Once she was showered, dried, and dressed, she left the bedroom and headed for the kitchen area. The cabin seemed much larger now that she really looked at it, spacious and very well decorated. Only necessary amenities filled the space.

She reached the open kitchen and found Cade at a stove. “You cook?”

He glanced over his shoulder at her, nodded, and smiled.

“My mother was of the mind that all men must be able to do for themselves around the house. It makes them better mate material.” He spooned vegetables from a wok onto plates with two large steaks on them already.

“Amen to that. Your mom certainly knew what she was talking about.” She grinned.

One side of the table had been set. He pointed for her to sit and brought their plates to the table. She admired the view for a moment before taking a bite of steak.

“
Mmm,
” she groaned and glanced up. He’d been watching for her reaction and smiled when she moaned. “This is really good. And I love stir fry.”

A dark red color covered his cheeks.

“Thanks,” he mumbled and started eating.

An amicable silence ensued while both ate, but she wanted to know more about what happened in the woods. “So…Cyrus, he’s your brother, huh?” That was lame, but she wasn’t going to pussyfoot around when she was dying of curiosity.

He stopped eating, put his fork down, and frowned. “Yes. We’ve been estranged for years, but he’s recently decided he wants to lead the pack.”

Lili snorted.

“As if he could.” She saw him widen his eyes and stare at her. “I don’t mean he’s stupid, because he’s not. But clearly your people are loyal to you.” She sipped her tea and continued. “It’s true,” she said at his questioning look. “I tried bribing both Kevin and Korbin into letting me go. With money I don’t have…” She scrunched her nose and sighed. “Well I do have it, but it’s a long story. Anyway I tried to get them to sell you out just to let me go, and neither of them would have any of it. I think Korbin laughed when I suggested it.”

Cade watched Lili eat with pride. His mate didn’t hold back when it came to eating, which was great because his kind ate a lot. And he didn’t want someone who would only pick at her plate and be uncomfortable around him when he ate large portions.

She cut up strips of steak into small cubes and chewed on them slowly while thinking. Then she’d sip her drink and voice her opinion. Some strange emotion filled his chest. It was the domesticity of the scene. Here he was with his mate, the only woman to connect both with his human and wolf sides, and it felt absolutely perfect.

“So yeah, I don’t think your brother would have much luck getting your people to follow his lead. Besides…” She shuddered and put her fork down. “He’s scary.”

Something about the way she said it made his hackles rise.

“Did he do something to you?” A deep growl rose from within; his wolf didn’t like the fear he scented coming from her.

She shook her head, bit her lip, and frowned. “No.”

Both he and his animal wanted to let her know that she would be safe with them. Moving a hand across the table, he held her much smaller one in his grasp. “Don’t worry, Lili. As long as I’m around, nobody will hurt you. They’ll have to go through me first, and that includes Cyrus.”

Their gazes locked. An electrical current of arousal swelled between them. She licked her lips, looked down at his mouth, and then back up at his eyes. “I know that. For some reason, I’m not afraid of you. I…I trust you.”

Her words filled him with satisfaction. Of all the things she could’ve said, those were the words he wanted to hear. He watched a sexy blush sweep across her face.

“Can you tell me something, without getting angry?” She stared at his lips again.

Did she want to talk or to go to the bedroom? His cock throbbed in his pants, hard as a rock and ready to slide into her soft, warm body. His heartbeat increased with each heated glance she gave his lips. “What do you want to know?”

“Why are you so against me going to my cousin’s wedding? Or is it the whole winter-wedding thing you’ve got a problem with?”

For a moment her words didn’t register. Until he replayed them in slow motion. Her cousin? His breathing faltered.

“Are you OK? You look kind of pale,” she asked, a worried frown covering her face.

He nodded. “I’m fine.” They grabbed the wrong woman? She was never meant to be Brandon’s wife? “This wedding, what was your role in it?” He tried to keep his voice neutral.

She smiled. “I’m the maid of honor.”

Holy fuck. He mated the maid of honor. “And the bride is your cousin?”

“Yeah.” She nodded. “And she’s probably going to kill me for not being there. Or better said, Brandon’s going to kill me.”

A loud growl rushed out of his throat. “What?”

She giggled and patted his hand. “Not in the literal sense. Jaylin, my cousin, told Brandon that there wouldn’t be a wedding unless I was there.”

He stared at her, and she rolled her eyes.

“I’m not there, but I’m not sure if there’s been a wedding. Brandon’s been dying to marry Jay, so it’s probably a big mess right now. Plus Jay is pregnant, and I know she wants to marry Brandon before Aunt Patty finds out.” She sighed. “It’s going to be one hot mess.” She gave him one of those slow, sultry looks that make his dick swell. “So why did you kidnap me to keep me from going to the wedding?”

“It’s a long story.” He gulped. The last thing he wanted was for her to realize she was the wrong woman and think he wanted her cousin. What started out as a way to get back at Brandon by keeping his fiancée from him had turned into a mess.

“I’ve got time.” She grinned. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“No, you’re not,” he added to appease the worried wolf pacing inside him. He was glad that it hadn’t been the fiancée in the car because he wouldn’t have been able to keep a pregnant woman without feeling like shit. Lili was another story. She was his mate.

Concern over what she might think once she found out the truth made it hard for him to sit still. So he stood and took their dishes to the sink. Then he opened the fridge. The cool air calmed his nerves a little. He pulled out dessert.

“Oh my god. Is that strawberry cheesecake?” She stared at the platter with wide eyes.

He smiled, cut two pieces, and placed them on small plates. After he put away the cheesecake platter in the fridge, he turned to catch her having eaten half of her piece.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered.

“This is so good! And why are you sorry?” She frowned and licked the fork.

He gulped, trying to ignore the raging hard-on in his pants. “I’m sorry your cousin’s wedding has turned into a mess because of me.”

She grinned. “Sorry enough to let me use your phone now?”

“I said tomorrow.” And he’d need the time to figure out how to convince her to stay with him once she realized what he’d done. Because Brandon was a wolf just like him. And he was sure that Brandon’s wife would know about how wolves mated, but he had a pretty good idea that Lili had no clue.

“Oh fine.” She pouted her full lips at him. Staring at him, she licked the last of the cheesecake from her fork. Then she dropped the fork with a tiny clatter on the plate. She stood and walked around the table toward him. “Come here, my big sexy wolf.”

Chapter Five

And that’s all it took to make him forget everything other than her. She was his mate. The right woman for him and his wolf, and there would be no turning back. Even if he could change things he wouldn’t. Lili was perfect for him in every way, and he intended to keep her.

He grabbed her outstretched hand and stood. She twined her fingers into his hair and pulled his head down. Her boldness sparked a roaring inside him. Passionate urgency spread through his limbs. She licked his lips and rubbed her tongue over his. Blood pounded in his ears as arousal swelled inside him.

“Argh!” She growled at his lip and tugged at his shirt, wanting it off.

He grinned, pulled the material over his head, and left his chest and upper body devoid of clothing.

“
Yesss,
” she moaned. Tracing every line of his chest with her fingertips, she slowly moved her nimble hands down his torso.

“Oh, baby.” He groaned with each kiss of her lips on his chest.

She licked his nipples, first one and then the other, sucked the tiny bud into her mouth and twirled her tongue on the flat disc.

“Lili,” he groaned.

Moving his hands to the table’s edge, she silently commanded him to hang on. He watched her lick, kiss, and nip his pecs, abs, and down to his belly button. There, she dipped her tongue into the hole and bit down while gazing up at him. Aroused amber eyes glittered at him. She was so beautiful. His cock jerked as soon as her hands gripped his base and squeezed. He hissed out a breath.

He held on to the table’s edge so hard he heard cracking of wood. She did a slow pump up his entire length. Then he watched her use the moisture dripping from his slit as lubrication. With one long lick, she worked her way from his balls, up the throbbing underside vein, and to the crown of his cock. Once there she licked his mushroomed head in a circle and followed that by sucking his dick into her mouth.

Suck after suck, she raised the bar on his pleasure. She jerked and licked with enthusiasm, her lips tight and wet around his cock. He loved listening to her soft little moans when he thrust into her mouth. Sparks gathered at his spine.

He drew her off his cock and kissed her swollen lips. Shifting positions, he pulled the pajama top and bottom off her body in quick moves. She leaned back on the edge of the heavy wood table. Warm, curvy flesh filled his hands when he grabbed her by the waist, lifted her to the smooth wood table, and sat her on the edge.

“Lean back, love.”

She glanced over her shoulder, but no dishes sat on that side of the long table. He watched her lean until she was held up by her elbows. She peered at him with passion-dazed eyes.