A Mate's Bite

2

A warm breeze ruffled the trees, and she glanced at her camera. The stupid tripod didn’t want to stay in place. She grumbled under her breath. Squatting down, she jiggled the tiny metal legs into the earth, hoping to steady it. A couple of rocks would help. She grabbed a few of the biggest ones and circled the tripod legs with them to keep it stable.

Long strands of frizzy hair kept falling forward out of her ponytail, tickling the side of her face. She tugged the annoying hair behind her ear and continued to mess with the tripod.

“Stupid, friggin’, piece of—”

A low growl sounded close. Too close. She whipped up to her feet, still holding one of the rocks in her hands and turned in a flash. Unfortunately, she was also one of the clumsiest people and tripped on her own feet. She lost her balance, and she fell on her ass.

“Carajo!”

A howl sounded from the ceremony site, and she scrambled to her knees to watch one of the wolves, she'd guess it was Marco because he was bigger, sniffing Kelly’s behind.

“Just like a man to go straight for the goods.” She snorted.

But she didn’t get a chance to keep watching. Something bumped her backside, pushing her forward. She tangled on the tripod and fell on her face.

“Oh, for crying out loud.” Clearly, she sucked at being inconspicuous. Strands of hair fell forward, covering her vision. She lifted on all four and flipped to sit on her ass. There he was, the one shifter that drove her absolutely crazy in every way possible.

“Spot? What are you doing here? And why did you bury your nose in my ass, you pervert?”

Not that it turned her on that he put his nose in her ass. It was…weird. He growled. The low deep sound twisted her belly into all kinds of knots. Oh, boy. She was in trouble. Staring at his cute furry face, she was very tempted to lift a hand and pet him.

Nathan, big, bad, sexy, pierced hunk of male candy stood not more than five feet in front of her in his wolf form. The form that looked like a cute Dalmatian-wolf with a white spot over his muzzle, hence the name she’d given him, “Spot.”

His eyes glittered in that golden shade from his animal. A shiver raced down her spine.

“I know how this must look, but it’s not what you think.” She felt like a moron talking to him when he was a giant wolf. He took a step toward her. She squiggled an inch further away. With a quick swipe, she moistened her dry lips with the tip of her tongue. “We were invited to be here. I swear.”

Where the hell was the conviction she always spoke with in front of him? Oh, gone into the depths of hell it seemed. He took another step closer, between her open legs.

“Spot? Nathan—Nate,” she murmured, hoping he’d forget she was there and not tell the others he’d found her. “I’ll go now. I…I’m here for research purposes only.”

Her mind ran a million miles per hour. What should she do? Another step. His muzzle got too close to her crotch for comfort.

What was he doing?

“Hey!” She instinctively slapped his nose and scooted back. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

Her temper rose and deflated as she watched him shift in front of her. Wow. She’d never actually seen him do this up close before. Okay, she’d never seen him go from wolf to man, only man to wolf and that had been one time. This was…new. Different. And very interesting. There was no looking away. Bones popped, fur receded, and oh dear God, what was left behind should be on a calendar of lickable hot bodies. Hell, she wouldn’t mind having a photo of him on the ceiling of her bedroom like a teen heartthrob. That body was one she wouldn’t mind panting over for hours.

Muscles replaced fur. Bulging arms and legs replaced paws, and yes, there it was, a straining erection between his legs. His big body loomed over her.

She swallowed hard. “You’re…um…you’re naked.”

She’d never seen him naked. Ever. She’d definitely imagined him naked, but this was better than her imagination. A quick flare of curiosity burst free. Stop it! She would end up in even bigger trouble if she did what she wanted and ran her nails down his body. What a body.

His nostrils flared. “I know.”

“No. I mean…you’re really, really naked,” she repeated in stupefied fascination. He had the kind of body she could stare at for hours and not get bored. The kind of body she could pet and kiss and lick and suck and erm, yeah, that kind of body.

“Karla…”

Good God she was in trouble. Deep trouble. The kind of trouble her brother said followed her around. Her throat went sandpaper dry watching his c**k gleam with his own need. And the way he said her name, rough and low and possessive, it deleted all thoughts of everything but him. Him and his big sexy body and the fact she’d wanted him for too damn long. Their eyes met, and heat spread down to her p***y. He crawled between her legs, coming closer and closer, so slowly she held her breath and dared not move. He continued moving forward, pushing her to lean back on her elbows, until he was on all fours above her.

“What…um…what are you doing?” She asked in a voice sexy, husky. She had a hard time believing it was her own. She breathed hard, as if she’d been running for dear life instead of sitting still watching him crawl all over her.

He rubbed his nose on her tummy and growled. “It’s for research purposes only.”

What the hell kind of research was he doing that he needed to be sniffing her? She tried, but couldn’t stop the wetness that pooled in her panties.

“Baby,” he groaned. A quick flick of his wet tongue and he licked her belly in a circle. “You smell delicious.”

She did? She was sweaty and hadn’t showered since they left hours ago. “Are you drunk? I thought your kind couldn’t get drunk?”

He chuckled into her tank top, his hot breath slipping between the threads of the fabric to caress her overheated skin. Her n*****s scrunched up into tight little points.

“Not drunk…” He growled, rubbing his nose up her collarbone. “Want you.”