Santa Wore Leathers Page 8

  A freckle on her jaw drew his attention and he kissed it. “A man doesn’t devour a gourmet meal; he savors it.” He nipped the same place on her jawline. “He nibbles.”

  “Leave it to you to equate sex with eating.”

  He chuckled. “Well now, sweetheart, there is that.”

  A slow smile spread and he was charmed. He leaned over her to whisper sensual thoughts in her ear while his hand took a long, slow journey of her body. He rained kisses over her neck and chest, kissing her breasts before drawing one pink nipple into his mouth. She moaned his name, weaving her fingers into his hair to hold him to her.

  She shifted on the bed. “Wolf, I need you inside me.”

  He rose on his forearms over her and stared into her hazel eyes, more golden now than green. She reached between them and guided him inside her warmth, welcoming him home in the sweetest way possible. He took her hands, entwined their fingers and placed them over her head, and slowly began to make her his own.

  Chapter 10

  Becca was five minutes late for her interview with the owner of Wave of Sensuality. She’d been prepared to pull the old ‘traffic was heavy’ excuse, but the moment Ariel Martine, owner of the boutique, took one look at her bruised face, being late was forgotten.

  The dark-haired woman placed a gentle hand to Becca’s cheek. “My God, girl! Who did this to you?”

  She laughed. “Not who. What. I was trying to carry a huge box of bookshelves into the house by myself. My hunky neighbor pulled up on his Harley and I lost my balance.”

  Ariel nodded with a knowing gleam in her eye. “Uh-huh. Just how hunky is this guy?”

  Just as she’d sighed over and over on her way here, she exhaled another one for Ariel. “He carried me inside, took care of me and held me in his arms all night.”

  An arm slipped around Becca’s waist and Channel #5 wafted over her. “You interview me first. Then I’m gonna interview you, and I’m betting I get the better story.”

  Oh, girlfriend, if you only knew.

  Becca’s gaze swept around the boutique. “Oh my, this looks like sin heaven.”

  “Come.” Ariel made a beckoning motion. “Let me show you around. I have so many last-minute items for men to buy their women. I’m doing something new this year.” She handed Becca an iPad. “Enter your name into the gift registration form. It’s a wish list like newlyweds use, only my female customers list items they’d like their significant other to purchase, complete with the correct sizes.”

  “What a neat idea. Men are so clueless about sizes.”

  Ariel laughed and pointed. “Go ahead, enter your name. With a man in your life, you might as well avail yourself of this service. I mean, you have that glow about you, as if you’ve been loved recently and well.”

  Indeed she had. Her body still hummed from Wolf’s touch—inside and out. “What if a lady registers and no one shops here for her?”

  “While that does happen, I find most men are eager for the help. Men love pleasing their women, do they not?” Her finely waxed eyebrow arched. “And, of course, there’s no obligation.”

  Becca complied and entered her name and sizes. She also added a few sexy lingerie items, just in case. One barely-there item was a passionate purple and silver teddy, which had been designed to lift and emphasize the breasts. Its best feature, Ariel pointed out, was the lace-lined slit in the crotch if a man couldn’t wait to get to the Promised Land.

  When she left, she had the makings for a very nice newspaper article and two pair of crotchless panties and matching bras. She’d wear the emerald set tonight and save the black one for later.

  Her second interview was across town with Slash Harper, the owner of Demons and Dolls Toy Store on Pinella. Slash was not as engaging as Ariel. In fact, something about him gave Becca the creeps. Was it the aura of his store? Or his eerie name.

  He kept pointing out his large inventory of demon and military action figures and dolls of every type, offering curt answers to her questions whenever she questioned him about his holiday specials. Although he did nothing wrong, he set off alarm bells and whistles in her reporter’s mind.

  When she stepped out into the sunlight, a sign a few doors up on the strip mall caught her attention—Cassie’s Wolf Den. Could this be Wolf’s sister’s hair salon? A quick glance at her watch told her she’d missed lunch. Why not take her break at Cassie’s? She hurried along the sidewalk. She could use a trim; it had been months since she’d last had one.

  Cassie squealed when Becca walked in. “I can’t believe you found me! Oh, Becca…,” she stepped closer and peered at her bruises, “Wolf told me earlier about your fall and your face. I thought he was exaggerating.” Her hands reached to touch and then drew back as if afraid she’d cause pain. “Does it hurt?”

  “No. Not like it did last night. You have no idea how much I freaked when I looked in the mirror this morning.” After your brother had ravished me.

  “No doubt. Did Wolf give you my shop’s address?”

  “No. I was interviewing the owner of Demons and Dolls and saw your sign when I was walking to my car.” She glanced around the shop decorated in aquas with splashes of apricot and gold. Next to the cash register stood a fresh tree perfuming the air with pine fragrance. Aqua and gold ornaments and strings of gold beads adorned it. Garlands covered the archway between the reception and hair-care areas. Jazzy Christmas music danced from speakers. A potpourri pot of cinnamon simmered.

  “Demons and Dolls? That creep? You interviewed him?”

  “Yes. Do you think he’s weird, too?” Maybe she’d better do a background check on this guy. He had her reporter radar circling.

  Cassie fiddled with a display of hair products. “Slash—don’t you just love his name?—is more than weird, if you ask me. Before my grand opening, I visited every tenant in this mall, told them about my business and gave them each a certificate for one free haircut. You know, to build up a relationship. Get some word-of-mouth going.” She gave a wave of the hand in emphasis. “Everyone was so nice, except him. I didn’t like how he watches the kids who come into his store either.”

  “You mean he watches to see if they shoplift?” Surely Cassie didn’t mean…

  “No.” The young woman’s dark eyes, so like Wolf’s, widened. “I mean ‘watches.’” She blinked her fingertips in air quotes.

  Becca glanced in the direction of the toy store. “I was thinking of checking into the man’s background. I’m doing it for sure now.”

  “Speaking of your job, I hope my brother has gotten over you being a reporter.”

  A blush warmed her cheeks as she recalled Wolf’s calling her name in climax this morning. “Yes, I think we’ve worked all that out.” Could his baby sister see her after-sex glow? “Wow, love your shop. Wolf said he was in yesterday to help you decorate. Do you take walk-ins?”

  Cassie fingered Becca’s hair. “Wouldn’t matter if I did or not. The way my brother keeps talking about you, I’d give you preferential treatment.” She pushed her to the stylist area. “What can I do for you? Shampoo and style? Or are we going wild and crazy for the holidays?”

  “Wolf is taking me to watch the Holiday Boat Parade from Wendy Anne and Jace’s condo.” Becca glanced at Cassie. “He said you might be coming.”

  Cassie opened a black protective cape before laying it over Becca’s shoulders and snapping it shut at the back. “If Quinn doesn’t forget. I’m not exactly high up on his priority list.”

  Becca studied her in the mirror. “But you’d like to be?”

  The young woman nodded as she combed Becca’s hair. “Yeah. I’ve had a crush on him for a couple years now. The man treats me like his baby sister. How lame is that? The only thing that might work in my favor is the crockpot of Hawaiian meatballs I’m taking. Quinn loves them. Wolf told everyone to bring food so Wendy Anne wouldn’t be overwhelmed.”

  “I thought I’d bring macaroni and cheese and a pan of brownies.”

  “Sounds fabulous. Jenna’s b
ringing her to-die-for crab dip. Megan has to work late, so she’s picking up an order of ready-made tortillas from her favorite Mexican restaurant. I think April said something about a salad. She’s watching her weight for her wedding in April.”

  “April’s getting married in April?” Cute. Kinda.

  Cassie nodded. “She always said she would.” She ran a brush through Becca’s hair. “Okay, what are we doing?”

  “My hair’s almost to my waist. Take about two inches off. Then please can I have a wash and style so I look good for tonight?”

  “Will do.” Cassie smirked and slipped her cell from her pocket. “Let’s rattle big brother’s cage, shall we? She thumbed a number and shared an evil conspiratorial grin. “If he yells and barks, he’s only marginally upset. Oh, but if he’s deathly calm, he is royally pissed. I’ll put it on speaker phone.”

  “Hey, Cassie-Bassie, whatzzup?”

  “Need your opinion on something.” She leaned against her work counter and winked at Becca.

  “Sure.”

  “Becca’s here and—”

  “Becca? Let me talk to her.” His voice had that soft post-sex quality to it and her hormones sighed in response.

  “After you answer our question. See, Becca’s thinking about getting a new ‘do’ for Christmas. Nothing drastic. Just some green streaks to go with her red hair. But here’s the thing.” She paused and looked at her fingernails—no doubt for effect. “Should she go with dark green like pines for the traditional Christmas colors or a more eye-catching mint green? We need a man’s opinion.”

  Becca covered her mouth with her hands. Oh, Cassie was so good at this. Becca should take lessons from her.

  Silence ticked by and Cassie counted off her fingers as she mouthed the numbers, “One…two…three…”

  “Put Becca on the phone, please.” Something dangerous in the tone of his voice scared her and turned her on at the same time.

  Cassie pressed the cell to her chest and stomped her feet a couple times. “Oh, he is soooo damn mad.” She leaned side-to-side. “I love it!”

  “Cassie, don’t play with me. Give. Becca. The phone.” Her nipples popped out as if to say they’d talk to him if she wouldn’t. Wetness pooled. Why would one angry male turn her on like this? Because it was Wolf, that’s why. Oh, she was so screwed where he was concerned.

  An effervescent Cassie extended the phone to Becca and she took it. “He…Hello Wolf.”

  “Sweetheart, you want to tell me what’s going on? Why would you want to ruin your beautiful hair?” He sounded so calm, so determined to be in control.

  “I felt I needed a change.”

  “Uh-huh. Why, when you’re perfect the way you are?”

  “Well, I thought some green highlights would show off the green-lace bra and crotchless panties I just bought.”

  There was no response.

  “Hello…hello?” She looked at Cassie. “We must have been cut off.” Her heart sank. “Or he hung up on me.”

  Cassie’s eyes were huge and her mouth gaped open. “Crotchless panties?”

  Becca nodded and laughed, handing Cassie her phone.

  “Oh, you are so perfect for him. He’s such a control freak. It does him good to be knocked off kilter every once in a while. I’m betting you’ll keep him in line.” She slipped her phone into her pocket and folded her arms, her smile sliding from its place of honor. “Wolf also needs to be cared for and pampered. To come first in someone’s life. He’s never had that. It’s he who gives up so much for the family. He was one of the top SEALs and he walked away from the career he loved to take care of us. Me, especially. I was in a really bad place.” She rotated her arms to show Becca fine scars on the inside of both forearms. “I’d started cutting myself.”

  “Oh no.” Becca rubbed her fingers over the fine ridges, wincing at the touch.

  Cassie nodded. “See, I was so numb from losing Mom and Dad, I couldn’t feel anything. I knew I should feel guilt and self-loathing, but hell, I couldn’t even cry.” She shrugged and tears pooled in her eyes. “So, I started cutting to punish myself.”

  “You couldn’t cry because you were in shock. From what I’ve read, we all grieve in different ways. I know I grieved after my ex-husband walked out.” Becca moved her hand to hold Cassie’s. “I was so full of pain and shock, I was numb with it.”

  “Then you understand.” Cassie swiped at a falling tear, and let out a small smile. “Enough of this or you’ll have me blubbering like a baby. See, I can cry now.” She laughed. “Wolf worked two jobs to pay for my counseling. Now do you see why I adore him? Oh, he makes me mad, but that doesn’t change how much I love the big jerk. Come on. Let’s get you shampooed.”

  Cassie talked about her shop and Becca asked her what she was doing especially for Christmas promotion. She might as well include this young entrepreneur in her article about how neighborhood businesses were enticing clients to shop locally.

  “I’m going to put on some deep conditioner. You’ll have to stay here for five minutes for it to work.” Cassie forked fingers through Becca’s hair, massaging in the coconut-scented concoction. The shop’s phone rang. “Be right back.” She hurried off, giving Becca a chance to think.

  Had Wolf hung up on her? He’d gone too quiet after she told him about her recent purchase. Did he think she was being too forward? Or was he angry because she’d mentioned crotchless panties in front of his youngest sister? She closed her eyes and sighed. That had to be it. He was so protective of Cassie, of all his sisters. She must have crossed the line. Had he walked out of her life too? After all he’d told her this morning?

  Woodsy cologne assailed her nose before warm lips touched hers. Her eyes popped open. Wolf. She moaned and ran her hands over his shoulders. His hands slid under her and lifted her from the chair. Demanding lips slanted and nipped and commanded. Her legs wrapped around his waist and he walked her back against a wall. Just as she teetered before a meltdown, he pulled back and leaned his forehead against hers. “Missed you.”

  She wiggled against his erection and waggled her eyebrows. “I was about to ask if that was your flashlight or if you were glad to see me.”

  He leaned in and bit her lower lip. “You drive me crazy. Do you know that? You get me on the phone and taunt me with crotchless panties. God, woman. I rode the whole way here on my bike sporting a massive woody.”

  She tilted her head. He was so adorable when he was frustrated with arousal. “Huh…guess we’ll have to call your bike a Hard Davidson.”

  Dark eyes blinked twice at her before Wolf leaned his head back and laughed.

  “What are you two doing? Get her head away from my newly painted wall. You’ll have conditioner all over it.”

  He leaned his forehead against hers again. “Busted by a mouthy brat.” Becca kept her legs wrapped around his waist as he carried her back to the shampoo station. Once he had her settled on the chair, he kissed her again. He glanced at Cassie. “Did the landlord send an electrician to fix those two outlets?”

  She started rinsing Becca’s hair. “Nope. Haven’t heard a word from him.”

  “Is his number still in the top drawer?”

  “Yes.” She turned off the water and squeezed water from Becca’s long hair.

  “I’ll give him a call. Tell him I’ll report him to the city if he doesn’t get this building up to code. Hell, sparks flew from it when I plugged in my saw the other day.” He leaned over and smacked a kiss against Becca’s lips. “You ever need a flashlight, sweetheart, you know where to find one.”

  Indeed, she did.

  Chapter 11

  Einstein started whining before her doorbell rang.

  “What’s up with you? Is your buddy out there?” Becca opened the door and the dog charged upstairs. She had a sneaky idea what he was after.

  “Hey, beautiful.” Wolf stepped inside and enveloped her in his arms. His lips were nearly on hers when a noise upstairs turned his head. “Is that Einstein? What’s he doing?”


  She exhaled a long-suffering sigh. “Opening my underwear drawer.”

  He looked at her and then glanced up the steps, the corners of his mouth twitching. “No, seriously, what’s he…?”

  Her German shepherd proudly galloped down the steps with a pair of pale-blue thongs in his mouth. Wolf started laughing and crouched in front of the dog. His fit of hysterics ratcheted up a couple of notches when Einstein dropped her panties onto his thigh. She crossed her arms and waited. Finally Wolf wiped his eyes. “Oh, God, I haven’t laughed like that in ages. What a helluva dog.” He stood and waved the sheer blue thongs. “These are mine, sweetheart. I mean, how can I refuse Einstein’s gift?” He shoved them into the pocket of his khakis.

  “Both of you are on my shit list.” She’d taken special pains with her appearance tonight to impress Wolf. She’d had her hair done and worn her new lingerie. She’d borrowed a Christmas green sweater with a deep u-neckline from Brittany to wear with her good taupe slacks she’d bought on sale last year. Brittany even loaned her a pair of deep-green strappy heels that were a perfect match with the sweater—and, for all her efforts, her dog had taken center stage.

  “Hey, come here. Is that a pout?” Wolf ran the pad of his finger over her lips. “I’m thinking the best way to get rid of a pout is to kiss it off.” He tugged her close. “You look great, by the way.” Then he covered her lips with his and very slowly erased her bad mood.

  Kissing Wolf was like having her body massaged in a sauna while someone pumped her hormones full of pleasure juice and drained her mind of all rational thought. The man simply took control of her body. He liquefied her so she sighed into his mouth and melted—simply melted into him.

  His hand slid under her hair to cup her neck, and a shiver slithered through every muscle of her body. He backed her against the front door and pressed his thigh between her legs. Wetness pooled in her core. His warm, calloused hand slid under her sweater and feathered up her side to cup her breast, and she moaned. Once again she was astonished at her response to him. It was as if he were the other half to her soul—and didn’t that just scare the bejusus out of her?