One Night With a Wolf

One Night With a Wolf By Rebecca Royce A 1 Night Stand Story

Smashwords Edition Copyright © 2011 by Rebecca Royce ISBN: 978-1-61333-075-3 Cover art by Dara England The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement (including infringement without monetary gain) is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions and do not participate in, or encourage, the electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated. This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work, in whole or in part, in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher. Published by Decadent Publishing Company, LLC Look for us online at: http://www.decadentpublishing.com

~DEDICATION~ To Stacey Kennedy—whose books bring light, laughter, and the right amount of smuttiness to all of her readers.

Chapter One The bar in a restaurant called The View situated atop The Marriot Marquis Hotel hopped for a Wednesday night. But then Joseph supposed he shouldn’t be surprised. New York City never slept. Maybe his understanding of hopping didn’t hold up. It had been a few years since he’d come out of the woods to visit the big city and this crowd might be considered downright tame. He shrugged. He didn’t really give a shit one way or the other. He took a swig of his massively expensive beer—did people really spend this much on alcohol regularly?—and looked out the moving window. The restaurant rotated around and around, giving its lucky patrons panoramic views of New York City from the top of the hotel. If he focused on it, the spinning made his stomach turn. Why had his sister picked this place to have her birthday dinner and why had she dragged him out to participate in it? His cell phone vibrated on his hip and he looked down at the message that popped up. He didn’t recognize the number or the area code although he felt like he should. Well, hell. Who had his unlisted number that could be contacting him? He clicked on the box to open it. The message read: Hello. He scratched his head. What happened to the days when people who wanted to reach him actually called him? Sighing, he typed back. Hello? A few seconds later the phone vibrated again. It’s been too long, gorgeous. When are you coming back to Vegas? Then he smiled. Only one person would text him who’d want to talk about Las Vegas: Madame Evangeline. He’d known her for years. She’d taken some kind of remote interest in him when he’d worked in the Nevada desert for an oil company investigating alternative fuel supplies. Someone had suggested that stretch of sand would be a good trial for solar energy panels. Joe had made the mistake of being in the wrong part of the deserted desert at night. After that, nothing had been the same. Eve contacted him the first time in the hospital. She’d heard about what happened to him from Jackson Castillo, owner of the Castillo resorts where he’d stayed while working. Jackson had his pulse on everything that went on in his area of the country. It’d been five years since they’d last communicated and Joe found himself more than a little shocked to be receiving a message from her now. He clicked the buttons to respond. Eve. What a surprise to hear from you. What are you doing texting me? Joe. He could practically hear her French accent on the screen. You figured out who wrote you very fast. Most people need more of a clue. Who else could be bringing up Vegas? It’s not like I left a hoard of friends behind. Just the opposite, actually. He slid from his barstool to lean against the bar itself. Are you reaching out to me to say after five years you’ve decided to let me see you in person? I promise, gorgeous, I’ll show you a good time. Joseph chuckled, knowing it would be a cold day in hell before that happened. The

woman had more secrets than anyone he knew and that included her identity. Somewhere in the world someone knew her personally, but he’d long ago given up trying to see her. Like he’d given up most everything else… I’m actually reaching out to say that your sister won’t be showing up for dinner. Joe scratched his head as he took a sip of his drink. You’re texting me to tell me my sister is standing me up for dinner? No, my dear. I am reaching out to tell you that you were never having dinner with your sister to begin with. I’m confused. A headache threatened. These types of conversations with people, the ones he couldn’t quite follow, were what had driven him back into the woods to begin with. Given that opposed to actual speech, he had to type his responses, he felt really out of his element. He preferred simply to be… Your sister and I collaborated to introduce you to a woman who is at the bar tonight. Joe closed his eyes and gritted his teeth. If this weren’t happening to him, he wouldn’t believe it. He opened his eyes and typed frantically. I’m really not in a position to be set up. And why would that be? Her responses were coming much faster than his, she used her cell phone better than he did. As he clenched his jaw, he reminded himself his sister, Judy, loved him and Eve always had the best intentions, even if at the moment they were both making him crazy. Slamming down the phone and storming out of the bar seemed better and better to him. Because of my condition. Eve sent out a smiley faces image sticking out its tongue. He rolled his eyes. Oh yes, your little, as you say, condition. You have long ago learned to control your wolf-side, yes? Well, yes, but— As he typed, another message came in. How had she known his response? Then it is settled. To your left, there is a very beautiful woman. Blonde hair, blue eyes. Joseph dragged his gaze off the floor where it had been fixed in attempt to stop both the moving restaurant and Eve’s scheme from making him want to puke. Eve might as well have been in the room with him. Three stools down from him sat a stunning blonde. Adequately judging her height seemed impossible since she stayed seated. Her hair, long and straight, fell down to the middle of her back. Her face belonged on the cover of magazines selling something. Instead, she bit her lip in worry in this spinning bar in New York City. A luscious red mouth made for hours spent kissing joined high cheekbones with a pert little nose finishing off her cute look. None of those features, however, held a candle to her most stunning feature—her eyes. Eve said she had blue eyes. She’d been wrong. They were so much more than simply blue. His wolf eyes let him see the difference. The blonde’s eye color bordered on violet. He sucked in his breath and looked down at his phone. I see her. Joseph cleared his throat to try to find his footing. How did you know she sat there? Are you here, too? She’s waiting for your sister as well. Her name is Kaylee Post. So, the question you need to ask yourself, Joseph, is if you are willing to let that poor woman sit there all night wondering why she’s been stood up or if you are going to speak to her yourself. I’m going now. I won’t answer anymore if you text me. Au revoir.

“Shit.” He ran a hand through his brown hair as he considered Eve’s last text. He knew the woman made a very nice living setting people up. People signed up online using some kind of questionnaire. So why Eve wasted her time with him when he so clearly wanted to be left the fuck alone went beyond his understanding. The girl on the stool—Kaylee—fiddled with the straw in her multi-colored drink. Could he leave her there and not tell her that no one would show up? He sighed. Of course he couldn’t. He might have been changed, against his will, to a werewolf who shifted every time a full moon showed up, but he hadn’t lost all the manners his mother had once instilled in him. As he walked slowly toward the woman, he took a deep breath. Outside of his cabin in the woods, he very rarely allowed himself to use his wolf senses. Tempting fate courted danger, especially since for years after his initial bad-luck-bite he’d occasionally lost control of himself and ended up growling or pawing at some unsuspecting stranger. These days he handled the urges, but still…. On some primal level, Kaylee Post called to him. He had to give Eve credit for getting the physical attraction part down. He’d liked blondes before he’d been bitten. Especially ones who had sad violet eyes and pouty, kissable lips. Wow. Yeah. As he leaned on the bar, he tried to smile in a way that wouldn’t alarm her. Kaylee caught her breath as he approached. Regular humans might not hear the small intake he’d noticed, but increased sensitivity to sound came with the wolf-bite. “Hi.” A slight red hue covered her cheekbones and stained her pale skin. What did that mean? Sickness? Then it struck him and he felt like an idiot. She blushed. He’d come over and his presence had made her blush. To his recollection, that had never happened before. Women didn’t react that strongly when they first met him. “Hello.” Her voice sounded lower than he’d expected. Not too deep, but sexy and sultry in a way he knew would stick with him later. “My name is Joseph Penn. I think we have something in common.” Her violet eyes flared to life with an unknown emotion and it relieved him to see she didn’t seem sad when she spoke to him. “What would that be, Joseph? Or do people call you Joe?” He shrugged. “Either, or.” “Alright, Joe. What do we have in common?” Now his cheeks burned. Maybe because her violet eyes seemed to pierce right into his soul, or perhaps it had been a really long time since he’d had sex, but Kaylee Post turned him on. In a major way. “Well, um…” Okay, get the stammering under control. “We’ve both been stood up by my sister.” She raised her eyebrows. “You’re Carly’s brother? Her older brother who hardly ever comes out of his log cabin in the woods?” He laughed. The woman sure said what she thought. “Yes, that would be me and I’ve no doubt Carly referred to it as a log cabin. I assure you it is not. It’s modern with lots of conveniences and…well, never mind. You don’t need to hear all about it. The point is, Carly isn’t coming and I wanted to let you know that before I left.” “Why isn’t she coming?” Kaylee took a sip from her drink. He watched transfixed

and probably looking like an asshole as her pouty red lips made love to the straw. “Joe?” He blinked. “What?” “Why isn’t she coming?” “Turns out she never planned to come. Carly and a friend of mine collaborated on an elaborate scheme to set us up tonight. They tricked us into meeting.” The room seemed to spin more and he wondered if his beer affected him more than it should or if the revolving floor had sped up. Either way, he wanted out of the restaurant. “So, I guess I’m going to go. Sorry about the screwup. I didn’t know about it either.” Kaylee placed her hand on his arm to stop him from moving. It worked. He absolutely ceased any thought about doing anything at all except standing right there and letting her hand caress his arm. “Don’t go. Sit down. Have a drink with me.” She gestured to the bar stool beside her. “I’m shocked Carly acted so sneaky. She’s usually so up front with everything. But I’m not upset. In fact, I’m kind of thrilled.” She took another dangerous sip of her girlie drink. “Unless you’re uninterested in being set up with me.” “No, it’s not that. You’re gorgeous.” He cleared his throat wishing he could take back his blunt statement the second he’d said it. But then, no one ever called him suave. What the hell should he say? Hey babe, I think you’re hot stuff, but ever since I got attacked in the desert I turn into a wolf every full moon and I have a feeling you’re going to run for the hills? “So sit down and have a drink with me. What can I buy you?” “What can you buy me? No, I’ll buy you a drink.” Her smile lit up the whole bar. “A-ha, I see. You’re a traditionalist, an old-fashioned guy, is that it?” “Where I live, there aren’t that many people around, but those who do live there are pretty old-fashioned, I guess. Men are men, women are women kind of a thing. If that makes any sense.” “It does.” Kaylee played with a strand of her hair. The departed sadness briefly flashed in her eyes again. “It’s been a long time since I didn’t have to pay for someone’s drinks.” “Lady, I don’t know who you’ve been going out with, but someone has been treating you pretty poorly.” Her cheeks turned red again and the sadness fled from her expression. “I’m Kaylee Post.” “I know.” “You know?” She laughed prettily. “How do you know?” “I learned your name when I got called about my sister not showing up.” “Remind me to thank Carly.” His stomach rolled again. “Listen.” He hated to admit what he knew he had to say almost as much as he would hate to confess his wolf-problem. “I’m really not doing well with this spinning restaurant thing. I would love to keep talking to you, maybe buy you dinner or something, but I can’t do it here.” She nodded her head as if she considered his words. “You suffer from motion sickness?” “I never thought I did, but I feel like I am. Here.”

He’d put it out there. If she turned out to be a bitch and made fun of him he’d simply leave and the next time Eve called with her private number on his cell phone he’d tell her where she could shove her set-up attempts. Sweat rolled down the back of his neck. He couldn’t be sure if his reaction stemmed from the room continuing to move or because Kaylee sat so silently staring at him. Maybe both. He turned to leave and she squeezed his arm tighter. “I would really like to go somewhere else with you and I’m trying to work up the guts to ask you to go there with me.” “You just asked me for a drink, you can’t ask me for dinner? Besides, I pretty much asked you.” “No.” Her smile didn’t meet her eyes. “I’m trying to find the guts to tell you that I have a hotel room downstairs and I’d really like to go there with you. Right. Now. But then I’m afraid you’ll think I’m a slut.” She twirled her straw slowly in her drink. “And maybe I’m a little nervous that you won’t believe me when I tell you I never, ever do this kind of thing.” Joseph worried perhaps his brain had stopped working altogether. The beautiful woman at the bar with the sometimes-sad violet eyes wanted to go to bed with him after five minutes of conversation? The word slut never entered his mind. Lucky me did, though. “Let me pay your bar tab and then we can get out of here. I have a room in the hotel, too. You can pick which one you want. And, for the record, I never even think, let alone use, the word slut.” He didn’t. Not that he’d had many occasions in his life to encounter women who others might refer to in that slanderous way. Of course, those same people would call him a monster. Labels didn’t interest him. By contrast, his baser animal instinct seemed very interested in dragging the gorgeous woman in front of him downstairs to any room in the hotel and having his way with her all night. He threw some money on the bar, hoping it paid for the tremendously overpriced drinks. As he looked at Kaylee he smiled. Her eyes spoke of vulnerability. He needed to make sure she really wanted this. “You sure you want to do this?” “Like you can’t imagine.” He could imagine it just fine since he’d been doing just that since Eve had pointed her out. She scooted off her chair and he took her hand to lead her out of the bar toward the elevators. They walked in silence. He didn’t know why she didn’t make conversation but with every step they took his senses became more alert. Kaylee smelled like vanilla. Not the kind that came out of a perfume bottle, but the type his mother used to cook with during his childhood. He wondered if Kaylee cooked on a regular basis. Why else would someone have that scent attached to their body? But more than that, Kaylee smelled like…heaven. But, he didn’t consider himself a religious man, having lost what little faith he’d ever had in God when he’d been attacked, nearly killed, and finally changed by a werewolf when he’d been doing nothing more than minding his own damn business walking in the Nevada dessert. Joseph took a deep breath to inhale her scent once again into his lungs. Yes, if he’d been a believer in anything otherworldly he would have to say Kaylee’s scent was akin to

ambrosia sent down from heaven to tempt men to sin. Sinning seemed like a great idea. Again and again. The elevators dinged and they stepped inside. He pressed the button for the second floor, the location of his room. Joseph snickered, earning a questioning look from Kaylee in return. “I should have known I would hate this place.” He touched the glass displaying the whole hotel for view from the elevator. “Glass elevators are not exactly my thing. I prefer not to see just how far I could plummet if this thing broke.” She ran her soft hand up his arm. He looked down, stupidly amazed by the fact her fingernails were painted pink. How…sweet. Soft, innocent women had always been his weakness. He wanted to know all the secrets of this woman who Eve had picked out so correctly for him. “The elevator isn’t going to plummet, but I think if I spent as much time in the woods as you do, I might have issues with modern technology, too. Don’t worry, I’m here. I’ll protect you from all the strange tech buzzing around you.” He rolled his eyes. “What has my sister been telling you? I assure you, I am not some weird loner hanging out in the middle of nowhere by myself.” At least he hoped he hadn’t reached that stage yet. He still kept up with things, didn’t he? He had an Internet connection and a Blu-Ray player. “I think it sounds heavenly. Things here have gotten so complicated. I think it might be nice to be able to take myself away from it all, to simply say enough.” She stood up on tiptoes until her mouth hovered right beneath his. Heat radiated off her body and he smelled the sweetness of her breath seconds before she kissed him. He ran his hands through her blonde hair and deepened the kiss. Kaylee made a sound in the back of her throat, half-moan, half-giggle. He pulled back to look at her. It might have been a long time since he’d done this but never in his thirtynine years had he ever elicited that kind of response to his kisses. “What?” She hugged him close to her. “I kept thinking that thanks to the glass elevators, we’re giving everyone in the whole hotel quite a show.” “You’re right. We really are.” Conscious of wanting to protect her dignity as best he could, he pulled her up against him tighter so only he could be seen through the window he leaned against. He pushed down her skirt in case it had hiked up so that anyone who could see them from that angle couldn’t see more than she would want them to. “You’re such a gentleman, Joe. Carly didn’t tell me you were so handsome and thoughtful.” “Sounds like all the facts Carly gave you about me regarded my living in the woods.” He liked that Carly didn’t talk much about him. He didn’t want his sister running off at the mouth. Only six people in the world—including Eve—knew what happened to him in the desert. It would be really, really bad if she told anyone. The elevator dinged as it opened and he pulled her with him to exit. “How do you know my sister?” Maybe he should have asked her that earlier, but with Kaylee there were lots of things he’d rather talk about. Or not talk about, as the case might be. “We used to live in the same building. We met in the laundry room and became instant friends.”

Good enough. He smiled. And it would be the last time they mentioned his manipulative sister that evening. They rounded the corner together toward his room. “Perhaps I should have asked you about this before I propositioned you, but do you have protection for what we’re about to do?” He nodded. “I do, actually.” Which, in retrospect, seemed sort of odd for him since he never went anywhere expecting to get laid. As he stuck his keycard in the door, he knew he would be in for a wild ride with this woman who he couldn’t stop desiring. Maybe he’d actually owe Eve a debt of gratitude when the evening ended.

Chapter Two Kaylee couldn’t remember the last time she’d been so attracted to anyone. She certainly hadn’t expected to feel that way tonight, her last night in town before she left for…wherever. Pressing her body far closer to his than would be considered respectable, she kissed him again. His mouth felt firm and sensuous. One night with this strong, outdoorsy type who, if the bulge in his expensive slacks indicated anything, wanted her as much as she wanted him and could get her over what happened during the last year. He opened his mouth and their tongues began to dance as the door slammed behind them. Damn. They hadn’t even fully made it into the room and this ranked as the hottest time she’d had, well, ever. She didn’t do this type of thing. Joe’s hands tugged at the back of her hair. She loved the way the act hurt a little bit even as it felt wonderful at the same time. She’d never thought of herself as being particularly masochistic but maybe in this new life she needed to forge for herself, she would turn out to be. She bit down on his lip and he grinned at her. Good, he liked to play. It would be a lousy one-night stand if he turned out to be dull. Not that she could imagine the strong, tall, physically imposing man as anything but exciting. Even living in his log cabin in the woods…. “You are so damn hot, lady.” She liked how he spoke to her. He made her feel like a woman. In general, Kaylee never felt very petite. Five foot eight and curvaceous described her politely, and she’d heard less flattering words about her figure. But pushed about against Joe Penn, she felt downright tiny. And the way he looked at her with his dark brown eyes could be called almost predatory. She shivered at the thought. How silly. He acted like a nice man. Not some kind of…animal. They moved, pressed together like puzzle pieces, making visceral noises of appreciation for each touch, each caress over their still fully-dressed bodies. Soon, he had pushed her against the outside window of the room. She found herself tangled up with Joe and the full-length curtains that blocked them from being viewed by everyone who walked around Times Square outside. Her hearing consisted of only his breathing and her loud heartbeat. He pulled back to look at her, his callused, strong hands embracing her face with a gentleness that shocked her. “I want to make sure we’re on the same page here, Kaylee. You want this, too, don’t you?” She leveled what she hoped amounted to her best are you kidding look in her repertoire. “Would I be here with you if I didn’t?” “I wouldn’t want to assume. Maybe you simply want to make out.” She smiled. His expression was so genuine, so concerned for her welfare. One would think he thought he took advantage of her and not the other way around. “I’m thirty years

old. Not sixteen. I’ve done this before. If we just ended up making out, I’d be really, really disappointed.” His mouth found her neck and she shivered. Yes, he found her spot. It had taken Leo years to find it and even then he’d hardly ever nuzzled her there. Joe seemed to like to sniff her. It made her even hotter, like he legitimately enjoyed smelling her. His tongue licked her tender flesh and she grew even wetter inside. Too much more of this and she would soak herself with her clothes still on. She tugged at his shirt and he took a step back to help her get it over his head. Her mouth fell open as she saw his sculpted abs. Covered with thick, beautiful hair, his chest took her breath away. The man appeared utterly flawless except for a giant red scar marring his otherwise perfect skin. Compelled by a force she couldn’t have explained, she reached out to touch it with the tips of her fingers. “What happened to you here?” She spoke quietly, feeling like the moment called for softness, even in her voice. He blinked a few times before he raised her hand to his mouth, kissing her knuckles. “I had something bad happen to me. Something that changed me forever.” Kaylee sucked in her breath. His gaze on her face was hot and intense, like he waited for a response from her, something that would end their evening together before it had ever really begun. “I’m so sorry. Did some kind of animal do that?” She touched it again. The longer she stared at the scar, the more it seemed like claw marks. “Let’s not talk about it now.” He moved forward until he could kiss both her cheeks. “Afterwards, if you want to know about it, I’ll tell you the whole sordid story. But for right now, I’d rather focus on you.” His mouth met hers again. She raised her hands to touch his chest. He didn’t look like the men who hung around the gyms of New York City. No, she could imagine he’d earned his muscle outside splitting wood and hauling rocks. Joe hadn’t manicured himself into perfection. He came across as a man’s man whose physique came from hard work that also happened to be exercise. “Your turn now, lady. I get to see your luscious flesh.” She looked down at the floor. Up until that moment, coming to his room had seemed like a wonderful idea. “I’m not beautiful like you.” Joe made the strangest noise and she jerked her head up. For a moment, she’d thought he’d growled. But that would be impossible. She pushed away the weirdness because he stared at her with a mixture of possession and tenderness. “You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. Anywhere. And I used to work in the oil business; I’ve traveled all over the world and seen many lovely women.” She smiled. “This dress.” She fiddled with the cotton material of the summer outfit she’d put on for what she’d thought to be an evening with a girlfriend. “It’s designed to hide a lot of things. I look a lot better in it than I do out of it.” He tipped her chin up and she shuddered at the tenderness in his gaze. “Don’t you dare talk about yourself that way. I don’t know how you think you should look, but every curve I see is making me hard as hell. I like women to look like women and, lady, you do.” Feeling confident not only from his words, but the way he stared at her like he wanted to eat her up, she pulled the dress over her head. Faster than she could blink, his hands

were on her and his mouth devoured her lips as though he wanted to memorize her with his touch alone. She’d worn pretty bland panties, white cotton, made for comfort, and matching bra. She wondered if Joe cared about that kind of thing. Not that it would matter. She wouldn’t be getting the chance to parade around in front of him in lacy negligee and silk panties. This encounter could only be about one night. Their one night consisted of a cotton dress and cotton undergarments. That suited her just fine. “You smell like vanilla.” He growled in her ear. “And it makes me hot as hell.” “It’s probably seeped into my skin. I’m a pastry chef.” Her words seemed to excite him and he pushed her down on the bed. He stood next to it, staring down at her with what she would always think of as his hot look. She wondered if anyone would ever look at her again quite so intensely. “That made you more turned on? That I work as a pastry chef?” Her chosen profession—her art, if she let herself be honest—didn’t usually make men horny. Hungry, maybe, but turned on, no. “Everything about you makes me hard as hell.” She looked down to where his large, erect member stood, prominently obvious through his pants. He climbed on top of her, supporting his weight on his forearms. His mouth found hers again and they continued their sensual play of tongue on tongue. For the first time in her adult life, Kaylee lost herself in the moment. Nothing but Joe and the way he tasted, smelled, and touched her existed. Before she knew it, he’d gotten her bra off. And at some point, she saw it thrown across the room. His hands shaped her big breasts and she arched into his touch. He pulled his mouth from hers to suck on her nipples. She groaned, her hands going into her own hair as she desperately looked for some place to hold, to center herself from the flurry of pleasure passing through her body and into the universe. Finally she grabbed his hair, pulling him back to her mouth. If he could touch, she could touch, and she needed better access. She trailed her fingers down through the thick, gorgeous hair on his chest until she reached the top of his pants. How had he ended up still partially dressed while she’d ended up so naked and accessible? “Take them off.” The new Kaylee was done pretending she existed only to be easygoing with no demands. She could be a strong, confident woman with talent coming out of her pores. If she wanted something, she’d get it. And right now she wanted Joe’s pants off. Remembering all this newfound confidence out of the bedroom might be harder. “Yes, ma’am.” He laughed as he maneuvered himself out of his slacks. They weren’t inexpensive clothes. She’d spent enough time working in the men’s section of a department store to put herself through culinary school to know designer labels when she saw them. Maybe Joe didn’t spend all his time in a log cabin. It would be something to consider later. That and the used to work for the oil company comment. For now, all she needed to handle involved staring at his erection, partially visible above his boxer shorts. His penis was hard, thick, long, and highly veined. She wanted to caress it. How incredible would it look fully exposed? “Boxer shorts. Off. Now.” “Why, Kaylee, I had no idea you had this part of your personality. Give me more,

lady. I aim to please. If you want my boxers off, I’ll take them off.” He did as she asked, sliding his underwear off onto the floor. She leaned forward, feeling powerful and more turned on than she’d ever been. “I get to order you around, too.” She grinned. “Oh, yes? What can I do for you?” “Your panties. Off. Now.” He raised an eyebrow as he imitated her earlier instructions. She didn’t answer, but did as he told her to. “Wow.” Kaylee shook her head. “What?” “You match. Blonde.” He pointed at the hair on the top of her head. “Blonde.” His eyes traveled the path down to her pussy. She closed her eyes, suddenly embarrassed. “I cannot believe you just said that.” His hand caressed her cheeks again. “Don’t be silly, I love it or I wouldn’t have mentioned it.” “Still.” She opened her eyes. “I’m totally feeling like I want to cover up.” “Don’t you dare.” He pushed down on top of her until his body covered hers. She felt engulfed in his size, in his heat, in his weight on top of hers. The sensation showed her what it should feel like to be taken by a lover so much stronger than her, and to know instinctively he wouldn’t hurt her. His every touch caressed her gently, even if his words were playful. His fingers moved inside of her, searching until they found her sweet spot. She closed her eyes and let her own hand explore until she made contact with his hard member. She stroked him as he touched her. Soon their hands were in a rhythm, her strokes matching his swirls inside her hot core. Wow. He knew how to touch her, how to make her pant. She’d never felt like this before and any embarrassment fled in the wake of deeper, stronger feelings of trust. Those emotions should be out of place for such a quick acquaintance but she felt they were still very real. “We need to stop or I’m going to come in your hand, when all I want is to be deep inside of you.” She pouted as she opened her eyes. “But I wanted to get my mouth on you first.” “Maybe later. I would love that, lady. But you are so damn hot, I don’t think I can hold out against that kind of sweet torture.” How great to be so powerful. She’d never been this way before. “Well, we can’t have that.” “No,” he laughed. “We can’t.” “Do you have the condom?” He nodded. “I do.” Joe reached over her to the side drawer next to the bed. He opened it and pulled out a box of latex condoms. “I stopped for these on my way into town. I have no idea why. It occurred to me that I should pick up a pack when I ran into the drugstore. Guess it meant we were supposed to be together tonight.” “Whatever the reason, I’m glad you have them.” Because if he didn’t then they’d have to stop or finish in what she imagined would be a far less satisfying way.

He raised an eyebrow. “Want to help me get it on?” “I’ll help you get it on so we can both get off.” She laughed even as she said the words. They were silly, but she felt silly. And ecstatic. And happy for the first time in such a long time. He kissed her on her nose as he chuckled. “Good idea.” She pushed the condom gently on him and he groaned. As she looked up to make sure she’d heard a good groan and not a hey, you are hurting me sound, she swore for a second his eyes changed colors. One second they were dark brown depths and the next they were still brown…but changed. She blinked to clear her vision and when she glanced again they were Joe’s beautiful brown eyes. Okay. She did a mental shake of her head. This wouldn’t be a good time to lose her mind. “That’s it. Playtime is over.” He kissed her hard. She reveled in the feel of his mouth claiming hers. Joe had lost control and she’d done it to him. He positioned himself at the opening of her core and in one swift movement entered her. She moaned as a wave of emotion threatened to overtake her. How could anything feel this good? Tears filled her eyes and she blinked them away. She wouldn’t let him see how deeply the moment affected her. He pulled out and entered her again. They moaned together and she closed her eyes in ecstasy. “No, this isn’t right.” “What?” Her eyes flew open. He pulled out gently. “Roll over, sweetheart.” She paused. “You want to do it that way?” She’d never particularly liked it from behind. With her ex, it always seemed he wanted her to roll over so he didn’t have to look at her, so he could pretend he made love to someone else. “I want to hold you up against my body. I want to be able to penetrate you more deeply. It feels more natural to me. But if you don’t like it….” “No.” She smiled as she tried to catch her breath. “Let’s do it. I’m game.” As he withdrew the rest of the way, she rolled over to face the headboard. Scooting forward, she gripped it tightly in her hands. It might not have been as she envisioned them making love but she was determined to make the most of it. “Let go.” She shook her head. “I need to hold. I don’t want to fall forward onto the bed. I know it’s soft, but face planting will still hurt like hell.” “I’m not going to let you fall. Up on your knees.” She complied, even as she regretted it. She knew she wouldn’t be comfortable. But then Joe pulled her against his chest, holding her body pressed close against his own even as he entered her from behind. Gasping, her eyes closed. He’d been right. This position let him go deeper, more penetrating, and she loved being held so close in front of him. And Joe wasn’t ignoring her or pretending her to be someone else. He spoke constantly in her ear, whispering endearments, little nothings that meant the world to her. “That’s it, sweetheart. You feel so good, squeezing me like that, making me even

harder for you.” Kaylee had never been so wet in her life. Her muscles clenched against his strong erection, desperate for more. In the past, she’d liked sex but she’d never really understood the fuss. At the very least, she’d thought it turned out better for the man than for the woman. But right then? She might die if she didn’t get to come soon and even then she’d probably die anyway from the sheer pleasure of it all. The tears she’d tried not to shed fell unchecked. She didn’t care, too far gone to control them by then. “Oh, yes, sweetheart. Never like this. It’s never felt like this for me.” She needed, oh, she needed something. “Please, Joe. It’s too much.” “You can take more of me. I know you can. Take more.” Kaylee wanted to and as he managed to press even further inside of her, she gasped. Yes, she needed that penetration. “Come for me, sweetheart. Come for me.” Kaylee’s world exploded around her. Her muscles spasmed as her body embraced the pleasure threatening to overtake her. Finally, she lost herself. Bright, intense colors passed before her eyes. Maybe she did die for a second. She had no idea. If asked, she might swear she left her body and came back changed. Joe followed her into the abyss, calling out her name, and came seconds before he bit down on her shoulder. She shuddered from the assault, not caring if he marked her. She’d show it off proudly. Anyone who dared to ask would hear she’d experienced the most incredible sex of her life and that the man who’d shared the night with her had bitten the heck out of her shoulder when he finished. Joe released her shoulder. “I’m sorry, Kaylee. I shouldn’t have bit you.” She opened her eyes as she leaned her head back against his chest. She smiled. He still held her up against him. “Don’t you dare apologize. I’ve never been bitten before and if asked, I wouldn’t have thought I’d like it but I did. I really, really liked it.” He kissed the mark he had made. “That’s good. That’s really good.” Unsure why he said it like that, she really didn’t care. She’d been blissfully fucked. Everything seemed wonderful right now.

Chapter Three Joseph stroked Kaylee’s back. She lay pressed against him on his chest with his arm around her. He felt…peaceful. Unable to stop it, he yawned, which earned a snicker from Kaylee. The woman had a wicked sense of humor. She’d said the funniest things when they’d been making love. He blinked at the thought. Making love. Yes, that described what they had done, even if she didn’t know it. The bite on her shoulder could mean only one thing —she was his mate. He’d been warned that would happen when he met the one. He hadn’t believed it, but as with all things werewolf-related, it seemed the things he’d once thought couldn’t possibly be true were absolutely factual. In this case, he wouldn’t complain except for the small issue of having to figure out how to tell his little pastry chef this encounter meant more to him than a one-night stand. Because, since he lived as a werewolf, she now belonged to him. He had to get out of his own head and back to the present or she’d think he’d fallen asleep. “You giggling at my yawn?” “We wore you out.” He leaned over to kiss her on her forehead. They lay now face-to-face, her beautiful violet eyes piercing into his soul. “And you’re still full of energy?” “No.” She kissed him gently on the lips. “I just yawn more quietly than you.” “I’m sorry I bit you. It felt like an unconscious thing. I didn’t know it would happen until it did, if that makes any sense.” He suspected it wouldn’t. She didn’t spend her life as a werewolf with all of the strange instincts and needs that came with the condition. “I like that I made you lose control. I never thought of myself as that kind of girl.” Joe shook his head. “What kind of girl?” “The kind that inspires men to bite.” He tapped his teeth together in a mock-bite. “Taken a good look at yourself lately? You’re gorgeous.” “No.” She rolled over. “But thank you for thinking I am.” He patted her on her ass. They would work on the problem of her self-confidence at another time. For now, he needed her not to leave. “Remind me to thank your sister for standing me up.” She sighed. “But I guess she stood us both up. We would have met anyway, over dinner.” “Not just my sister. A woman named Eve from Las Vegas got involved in the planning, too. Madame Evangeline. They were in cahoots. I think I’m going to owe her a fee—one I will gladly pay.” “Madame Evangeline?” Kaylee rolled over again. “My friend used her services at the Castillo hotel for a one-night stand. I applied for a job there once in the catering department.” “Eve is kind of mysterious and she finds out things about people that no one else knows. Some kind of divination or something.”

“That’s weird.” She had no idea. “So, um, you applied for a job? You want to live in Vegas?” “It’s not so much that I want to live in Vegas as much as I can no longer live in New York City. I would pretty much work anywhere that would hire me and even that is proving to be difficult.” She rubbed her nose and he wanted to reach out and kiss it. He had a sudden, overwhelming desire to make all of her problems go away. Not that he could actually do that for someone else, but he really wanted to. “Why can’t you live in New York?” “You don’t really want to hear all the sordid details of my life, do you?” She turned her head so she looked him straight in the eyes. His heart flip-flopped. Wow, I’ve fallen hard and fast for this woman. No turning back now. “I do.” She fell quiet for a moment and he didn’t know if she’d answer. He didn’t want to push. He needed her to trust him so when he dropped the bomb about his furry side she didn’t flip out and never speak to him again. “I’m a really good pastry chef. When I went to culinary school, I met this man—Leo —and he attended that school, too. He didn’t have my talent, but that didn’t bother me and I didn’t think he cared either. Apparently, he did, but I never knew it. He had a hard time finding and keeping a job. I supported us. I didn’t mind. He didn’t want to get married. He didn’t believe in that, and I convinced myself I felt fine with that, too.” Joseph wanted to kill the man. He’d never met this Leo, but he wanted him dead for causing her pain, clearly responsible for putting the sadness in Kaylee’s eyes. “I got a job in a restaurant. If you lived in New York you would know the name but I’m going to guess that you don’t care much about haute cuisine, do you?” He laughed. She had him pegged well. “That would be a good guess.” “Anyway, we had good reviews. The desserts were well-received.” He wanted her to cook for him. He had a sweet tooth. He’d show her just how well dessert would go over… “What happened?” “Leo started sleeping with the head chef’s wife. He found out and, understandably, got really upset. What I couldn’t understand—and still can’t—is why he blames me for it. He’s blacklisted me all over the city. Not only did I get fired but I an un-hirable here. Maybe everywhere.” She sighed. “Who knows?” Now, he wanted to kill the chef, too. She continued speaking. “I know it doesn’t make any sense. But then, talented and dramatic artistic types frequently don’t make any sense.” “Excuse my language…but fuck him.” Kaylee’s laugh started out as a small giggle and finished as a full-on bout of hysterics. He grinned, he might not be able to fix all of her problems but he could at least amuse her. “Did you ever think…no, never mind. I’m sure I don’t know what I’m talking about.” And he really didn’t want to make an ass out of himself. “No, what were you going to say? Please, tell me.” “I wondered if you ever thought about opening a bakery. Isn’t that the point of baking professionally? To show off your own work?” Kaylee sat up in the bed and he loved to see she didn’t cover herself. She had great curves and if he had any say in it, he’d make fast friends with her delectable breasts. His

cock got hard at the thought of touching them again. He needed to pay attention to what she said. “My grandmother owned a bakery. She lived in this small little town in the Deep South, somewhere in Alabama. My parents used to take me there sometimes during the summer. It seemed so hot but her treats were so delicious.” She closed her eyes like she could hold onto the memory better; a small smile appeared on her face. “I used to love going there. My parents always suggested I got my talent from her. But I hardly knew her. She died before I turned ten.” She opened her eyes. “I’d love to do something like that but it would have to be the right place and it’s so hard to know where to go.” “Deer Creek doesn’t have a bakery. Not a good one. About ten miles away at the big grocery store we can buy pies and stuff, but for a town that is all about locally owned, small family businesses, there is no bakery.” Kaylee scratched her head. “Deer Creek is where you live?” “That’s right.” He nodded as he stroked her thigh. “It doesn’t sound like much for people who really want to stay in a big city, but to those of us who live there—it’s heaven.” Like Kaylee’s sweet scent. “I don’t love living in the big city, I guess I never imagined I could make it work anywhere else.” She chewed on her lip, like he’d seen her do in the bar. Obviously a habit she had when deep in thought. He needed to say something. “I love it. I mean, it can be quiet, but it’s beautiful and, well, safe.” For him. For the one night a month when he had to disappear somewhere where no one could see him change him into a wolf or wake up naked and covered with sweat. No one would ask him any questions when he dragged himself home and shivered in his bed, miserable and alone. He forced the thought out of his head. It didn’t do any good to dwell on what couldn’t be changed. “Ahh.” She shook her head. “I’d have to find a bank willing to take a chance on funding something like a bakery, and are you sure you want me to come up to your safe place? I mean, we just met.” He continued to gently stroke the part of her leg he could reach. “I could fund the bakery.” She stared at him in silence. “You could do that?” He cleared his throat, suddenly a little uncomfortable. She didn’t know what he did for a living. “I could. I have enough to take care of it.” “You’ve never even tasted my food.” She held up her hand. “Wait a minute, what do you do?” She covered her face with her hands. “I totally had the most amazing sex with a man who has a job I know nothing about. I’m definitely a—” He interrupted her. “Don’t say that word. I don’t like it. And you’re not.” He sat up and pulled her into his arms. “I write a very popular series of fantasy novels. Elves, wizards, that kind of a thing. It has a good following.” She frowned. “Should I have heard of you?” “Not unless you frequent the science fiction, fantasy section of bookstores or recently attended any kind of comic convention.” “I haven’t.” He shrugged. “Then I doubt you would know my work. But needless to say, it’s very

popular and it has a good following. I could certainly open you a bakery. In Deer Creek. If you want.” Her frown turned into a grin. “I love that you do that. My mom’s family came from Ireland; she used to tell me lots of stories growing up, about the Fae. I would lie in my bed and pretend those things were real.” “Let me ask you a question.” He ignored the fact his heart rate picked up, knowing they’d reached a pivotal moment. “What if those things were real? What if you were going through your life and then one day you discovered that fiction, in fact, existed in real life?” Kaylee reached out and touched the red scar from his werewolf attack. “Is that what happened to you, Joe?” He shuddered under her soft touch. “I’m not crazy.” “I never suggested you were.” As he tried to smile, he ran a hand through his hair. “I got attacked by a werewolf.” Now she would get up from the bed and run for the hills. He couldn’t blame her. Anyone would. Instead, she stayed put, staring him straight in the eyes. Her violet gaze pierced his soul. “That’s why you gave everything up. That’s why you went to Deer Creek. That’s why you’ve been all alone.” “That’s right.” She continued to trace her fingers up and down his scar. “Does it hurt?” “Not anymore.” But it had. He’d never be able to explain to anyone how much pain he had endured. Praying for death had become commonplace over the weeks of his recovery. “Can you control it?” Why did she seem so reasonable about this? “Yes.” He paused. “Except during the full moon. Then I can’t. I have to become a wolf.” “And all of this time, you’ve been alone. With no one to help you.” She didn’t ask it as a question. Just as if she already understood. She lifted her hand to touch the side of his face. “Your eyes changed during sex, too.” “They did?” The idea made him nauseous. How could that have happened without his knowledge? He closed them. So much for a normal life. Every time he thought he got the nastiness under control…. “Joe.” Her soft voice had him opening his eyes. “Yes?” “You’re so gentle. It seems amazing because I just met you, but I trust you, okay? I’m not afraid. There are so many things under heaven and earth that we can’t understand. But I have to ask you something.” He raised an eyebrow. “Only one thing?” There appeared to be a bit of trepidation in her gaze, even as she tried to hide it from him. He saw it. “You bit me. Am I going to become a werewolf now?” Taking her hand, he grasped her warm fingers in his own. “No, I would have to be a wolf to do that. Something about my canine teeth. I can’t hurt you otherwise, and I’m never, ever around anyone when I’m like that. I spent some time with the werewolves in Nevada. But I guess you could say I’m a lone wolf.” Her lips pressed to his. “It must have been really frightening.”

When he spoke, his voice shook and he didn’t care. “Yes.” “Do a lot of people know about this?” He exhaled a breath he hadn’t realized he held. “No, I can count on two hands how many people know, including you now. My sister knows and that woman—Eve— somehow she knows, although how she came to know I’ve never been able to figure out. I can’t believe I told you. I know we both thought this to be a one-night thing, but you are so incredible and—” She interrupted him. “Joe, I’d like to do two things.” “Anything.” Really? Had she really taken it that well? “I’d like to see Deer Creek and I’d like to make you my cinnamon buns.” She rubbed his back. “If you’ll let me, I’d like to be with you, to take care of you.” He’d been right. Everything about Kaylee constituted heaven. He would make sure she had all the things she ever wanted or needed. She’d been a gift and he would never give her back. *** One month later… Kaylee looked at the clock. Six thirty a.m. She wrapped the blanket more firmly around herself and tried not to pace. She’d been up for two hours. Shouldn’t Joe be back by now? She chewed on her lip. Should she go out looking for him? Steps on the outside porch made her jump and she spun around. Covered in sweat, Joe leaned against the doorframe, totally naked and looking more exhausted than she’d ever seen him. She rushed forward, wrapping her flannel blanket around him. He might be sweating now, but it felt cold in there—worse outside—and she wouldn’t let him catch a chill. He groaned. “Kaylee, I thought we agreed you would stay in the apartment over the bakery on full moons so you didn’t have to see me like this.” “Yeah, I never agreed to that. You suggested it. I ignored you.” She took him by the arm, leading him to the bed. “Lie down.” He nodded. “Yes, ma’am.” Joe lay down on the bed, staring up at her with so much love, her heart skipped a beat. “Much worse this time?” He tried to shrug and groaned instead. The change hurt him. It made him ache for days. “About the same.” “Get some rest. When you wake up, I’ll feed you, and then we can watch some movies or something.” “Kaylee, are you mothering me?” She grinned. “Maybe just a little.” “Don’t you need to go to the store today?” “The renovations are progressing. I’ll go in later today and make sure everything is as it should be. For now, all I want to do is snuggle with you.” He patted the bed. She settled down next to him, not surprised when seconds later he passed out cold and snoring. Grinning, she rolled over to get a better look at him. It didn’t even bother her that he snored. It reminded her he slept next to her, that she didn’t have to

be alone. That he loved her, which he had finally said the week before. She’d known he’d been struggling with the courage to tell her and had let him get there in his own time. Next to the bed, his cell phone vibrated. She grabbed it before it could disturb him and ran into the other room to answer it. When she looked down, she saw a text message addressed to her. How could that be? Hello, Kaylee. Who in the world could know she’d be looking at Joe’s phone? The answer dawned on her like a light bulb turning on. The same someone who had set up this wonderful relationship she’d been lucky enough to stumble into. She texted back. Madame Evangeline? So you and Joe have discussed me. Kaylee felt the need to explain why she possessed Joe’s phone. It’s the day after a full moon. Joe is sleeping off the night. Yes, I know, which is why I am talking to you. You can give him a message for me, yes? Ah…sure. Kaylee looked around for a piece of paper to take down whatever Eve needed. He did not hire me but I will assume he is happy with my services. You may tell him my bill is in the mail. Your bill is in the mail? For a second, Kaylee was confused until she realized what Eve meant. Eve had provided Joe with Kaylee. I’ll let him know. She flipped the phone closed, slightly uncomfortable with the thought. Joe might not like the intrusion. He had the biggest heart in the world, but needed to be immensely private. Well, if he wouldn’t pay it, she would. Truthfully, she knew herself to be the luckiest woman in the world. She’d had one night with a wolf and it had changed her life so tremendously that the memories of how terrible it had been before faded from her mind more each day she was with Joe. Quietly, she crept back into the bedroom. As she repositioned herself on the bed next to Joe, she smiled. His home belonged to her, too, and she’d never have to leave it. Leaning over she whispered in his ear. “I love you, too.”

~ABOUT THE AUTHOR~ As a teenager, Rebecca would hide in her room to read her favorite romance novels when she was supposed to be doing her homework. She hopes, these days, that her parents think it was worth it. She is the mother of three adorable boys and she is fortunate to be married to her best friend. They live in northern New Jersey and try not to freeze too badly during the winter months. She is in love with science fiction, fantasy, and the paranormal and tries to use all of these elements in her writing. She’s been told she’s a little bloodthirsty so she hopes that when you read her work you'll enjoy the action packed ride that always ends in romance. She loves to write series because she loves to see characters develop over time and it always makes her happy to see her favorite characters make guest appearances in other books. In her world anything is possible, anything can happen, and you should suspect that it will. Visit Rebecca online at: http://www.rebeccaroyce.com