How Do I Love Thee? Page 9

  Tori stood and dusted off her shorts. ‘Let’s go up to the house.’

  She led the way, the dog following. When she opened the door, the animal hurried inside, as if afraid he wasn’t going to be invited. Tori chuckled. ‘Yeah, I’ll let you come in for now, but don’t get used to it. Dogs belong down at the kennels. And we’ll have to do something about dosing you up for any undesirables. The last thing I want are fleas jumping around my home.’ The dog whined and scooted under the nearest chair, looking at her as if terrified.

  Ross roared with laughter. ‘Don’t think he likes that idea. Why not let him go and see if he heads home? There’s probably a whole stack of people out there wondering where he is.’

  The dog growled, glaring at Ross. Ross perched on the arm of the sofa, a grin curving his mouth as if he indulged in some great joke.

  Tori dropped down beside him. ‘What brings you here today? I thought you’d be at the surgery.’

  ‘No surgeries scheduled for the moment.’ He waved Tori further up the couch and slipped into the vacant space. ‘I needed to talk with you and figured this was the best time.’

  Pulling her legs up, she crossed her arms on her bent knees. ‘What’s the problem?’

  ‘I’ve arranged a bodyguard for you. He’ll stay with you twenty-four hours a day to make certain you’re safe.’

  There was dead silence for a moment and then Tori glared at Ross. ‘No way. I do not need a bodyguard.’

  ‘Victoria, be sensible. This is the second time someone has tried to break into your house in the middle of the night. Then there was that attempt to snatch you at the local supermarket. You need to take care. You didn’t even hear me coming earlier. I could have been anyone.’

  Tori lowered her head onto her arm. Ross was right. She did need to be careful, but she sure as heck didn’t need a bodyguard. ‘The new police sergeant is on the case, but says the would-be abductor could be miles away by now. And the most likely explanation for what I thought were break-in attempts is wild dogs attracted here by the kennels, because of the paw prints found around the house.’

  She glanced over at Ross, frowning at the worry etched on his lined face. ‘All right, you win,’ she suddenly gave in, holding up her hand as Ross released a deep sigh. ‘But there are a few rules. This is only until we find out what’s going on. And he stays in one of the apartments above the kennels along with the other workers.’

  ‘What good is that if something happens in the middle of the night?’

  The dog took that moment to crawl out from under the chair and nudge at Ross’s leg with his long snout. Ross stared at the mutt before getting up to open the front door. The animal zapped out and disappeared around the side of the house.

  Ross shrugged as he closed the door. ‘Okay, I can live with that. Provided you use that intercom system I installed between here and the kennels.’

  Tori inclined her head in agreement. ‘Who did you get?’

  A knock sounded on the front door. Ross opened it before she could move. When she saw who it was, her lips tightened in annoyance, even while her heart started to race.

  ‘Kaeden? What do you want?’

  ‘Hello to you, too, Victoria. I’m your new bodyguard.’

  Tori’s mouth dropped open. She glared at Ross, not surprised he wouldn’t meet her gaze. ‘Kaeden? Kaeden O’Dowell? You have got to be kidding.’

  Damn it, Ross knew she couldn’t stand Kaeden. Something about him pushed her buttons, made her see red whenever he was around. Kaeden had been baiting her since she was thirteen and he didn’t look like stopping any time soon.

  ‘Sorry. We needed the best and Kaeden is it. I’ll leave you to settle the details.’ Ross marched to the front door, Kaeden stepping aside to allow him to pass.

  Kaeden closed the door and dropped the overnight bag he carried at his feet. He leaned back against the stained timber and crossed his arms over his chest. His very bare chest. How the hell had she missed that?

  Tight denim jeans hugged his hips and moulded the musculature of his thighs. A brown leather belt hung unbuckled from the belt loops. She ran her gaze over his naked torso, marking the perfectly delineated pecs, the smattering of dark hair trailing down his stomach.

  Oh, boy!

  She had a sudden desire to trace the tip of her tongue across all that bronzed flesh. Sudden nothing! Here was the real reason she didn’t want to spend time with Kaeden. He made her feel hotter than any other man she’d ever met. He angered the hell out of her most of the time, trying to tell her how to run her life, but she still lusted after him. And maybe, just maybe, if she was honest with herself, it was a little bit more than good old-fashioned lust. Not that she’d admit that to Kaeden.

  Hormones, Tori, nothing but hormones! Yeah, right, she just wished they weren’t quite so vocal.

  She tilted her head back and stared at the mischievous glint in Kaeden’s amber-tinted eyes. Something familiar about them caught in the back of her mind. She frowned, dismissed the thought and focused on the matter at hand. ‘You could have finished dressing before you reported to your new employer. Kind of tacky, don’t you think?’

  ‘Why, Miss Tori, surely the sight of a bit of naked flesh doesn’t upset you?’ With a lift of his eyebrows, he slid the palm of one hand up his chest. ‘I’ve never had any other woman complain.’

  Tori followed his movement, heat streaking throughout her body. She wanted nothing more than to drag him down onto the floor and—she cut the thought off before it got her into trouble. Damn, this had to stop and right now.

  ‘You arrogant slob.’ She shoved Kaeden away from the door and wrenched it open. ‘Out! You can share the apartment with James or bunk in the kennels along with the rest of the mutts for all I care. You are not staying in the house with me.’

  Kaeden backed her up against the wall. ‘Oh, I’m going out to the kennels all right, but not to sleep. I want to check on the guys. Giles and Steve are joining James on watch duty tonight. They’ll keep an eye on the outside …’ He leaned forward and dropped a quick kiss on her open mouth, ‘and I’ll watch from the inside. Simple.’

  It took a few moments for his words to filter through the sexual tension that turned her brain to mush and sent heat cascading through her veins. By the time she’d collected herself, Kaeden had crossed the front porch and stepped down onto the gravel path that led to the kennels. She moved into the doorway and braced her hands on her hips.

  ‘You think you’re so damn smart, Kaeden McDowell. You. Are. Not. Staying. With. Me.’ She grabbed the handle of his overnight bag and dragged it through the door. ‘Go bed down somewhere else. Those burglars couldn’t get through a locked door the other night and I doubt you’ll do any better.’

  He turned to look at her, and had the cheek to raise those arrogant eyebrows at her again. A little grin kicked the corners of his mouth up. Tori seethed. Did he have to look so cocky?

  ‘You think?’

  She frowned then shook her head. Swinging her arm, she tossed his bag down the front stairs. Presenting her back, she stepped inside, slammed the door and secured the deadbolt, shaking the doorknob to check the lock had engaged. No way he’d get past that.

  Kaeden chuckled as the bag flew through the air and landed at his feet. His amusement morphed into outright laughter when Tori slammed the door. Did she really think that would keep him from her?

  ‘Hey, Boss, everything’s in place.’ Giles jogged up and joined Kaeden. ‘What’s next?’

  ‘Where are the others?’

  ‘Steve and James are checking the perimeter for weak spots. Good thing Tori has these eight-foot fences to keep the dogs in. It’ll help keep the undesirable hounds out.’

  Kaeden shook his head. ‘They want in, they’ll get in. The Drasser pack is the sneakiest and meanest I’ve ever come across. And if Liam Drasser thinks he’s going to mate with Tori—’ He ground his teeth, unable to finish the sentence. Tori was his and no other man, whether lupine or human, would touch her
.

  He turned his wrist over to expose the crude symbol cut into the skin. Two triangles superimposed over each other, with an arrow piercing both. He’d worn the brand since he was a teenager. The sharp lines had faded, grown warped and puckered, but the memory of the day he’d taken part in the bonding ceremony was as clear now as when he was thirteen.

  Enough of this. He needed to focus on protecting Tori. ‘The rest of the pack will be here as soon as it’s completely dark. If Drasser comes, it will be closer to midnight. That seems to be his normal modus operandi. You guys stay alert.’

  Giles flicked him a cheeky grin. ‘What about Tori? I could stay in the house to keep her safe.’ He wiggled his eyebrows. ‘I can think of lots of things we could do to pass the time.’

  Kaeden cuffed him upside the head. ‘You keep your mind on your work. I’ll take care of Tori.’

  His pack-mate burst out laughing and pointed to the overnight bag at Kaeden’s feet. ‘You planning on protecting her from outside the front door? From what I saw, she’s not keen on you entering.’

  ‘Oh, I don’t know. I kind of think there are parts of me she’s quite taken with.’

  He rounded the side of the house, away from the front windows. Once hidden, he stripped off his jeans and tossed them over a bush. Head thrown back, eyes closed, he called on the beast within.

  The Change rushed through him. The air shimmered, an intense wave of heat following a momentary flash of pain. Tendons snapped. Ligaments lengthened. Muscles twisted and realigned. The dark hair on his body thickened, spread. Until it covered his skin with a thick coat of charcoal-grey hair. Hands curled in on themselves, their shape beginning to morph into that of an animal.

  Kaeden dropped to the ground. Hands and feet completed the Change, taking on the shape of the furry paws of the lupine. Bone creaked and his face transformed into a long snout. He stretched his jaw and exposed long canine teeth dripping saliva. A shudder trembled through his large body and the Change was complete.

  He shook his head and turned, slinking back to the front of the house. Giles stood where he’d left him, a smile creasing his face.

  ‘You think she’s going to let you in when she sees your big bad wolf shape, huh? Man, you just might scare her to death.’

  Kaeden swatted him on the leg with one large paw before heading up to the front door. First he whined. Next he scratched at the timber. Then he raised his head, opened his jaw and let loose with a long, eerie, wolf howl.

  That brought the response he wanted. Tori wrenched open the door and dropped to her haunches in front of him. She buried her hands in the thick ruff of fur about his neck and hugged him.

  ‘Oh, you poor thing. Are you still lost?’ She stood and, hand on his head, guided him into the house. ‘Since you’ve got nowhere else to go, you can keep me company tonight.’

  The last thing Kaeden heard before Tori shut and bolted the door was the sound of Giles’s laughter as he headed towards the workers’ quarters.

  Tori curled up on the couch and the dog immediately joined her. He cuddled close, his head up, tongue lolling out. ‘You might look like a fierce wolf, but you’re really a softie, aren’t you?’

  The animal tried to lick her mouth again. She fended him off. ‘No more doggie spit. I think you’re cute, but I don’t like you that much. However, if you’re going to keep coming around, you need a name. Hmm, how about Rover?’

  When the animal flashed his canines at her and shook his head, Tori roared with laughter. For a moment there, she actually thought he’d understood her. ‘Um, okay, Fido. No?’ This time a slight growl accompanied the movement of his head. ‘Blackie? Patch? Rollie?’

  She threw her hands in the air at the dog’s continued negative response. ‘Wow, opinionated for a four-legged beast, aren’t you? You should meet Kaeden. You’d make a good pair.’ She chuckled. ‘There’s a thought. I’ll call you Kaeden. That should get a reaction from him when he knows I’ve named a mutt after him.’

  Her new pet stretched his lips wide and made a strange raspy sound. His body shook, the hair ruffling around his neck. Damn, she’d swear he was laughing. ‘Okay, I guess Kaeden it is.’

  Images of the two-legged Kaeden slid through her mind. For some reason, the dog reminded her of him. The amber eyes. The cocky attitude. A real alpha personality. She lifted her hand and dragged her fingers across her lips. The imprint of his mouth remained, like a fiery brand on her skin.

  She shivered, sensation overwhelming her. Her thoughts took on a decidedly raunchy edge. One little kiss, and here she was, acting like a teenager with her first crush. Heat gathered inside her, spreading out to encompass her entire body. Her skin felt tight. Her breasts ached. Tension gripped her, demanding release.

  ‘Enough already!’ She jumped to her feet, waving a hand in front of her face to cool herself down. She had to stop thinking of Kaeden like this. He’d never given her any indication he wanted to be any more than a friend, and maybe not even that at times.

  Well, except for that kiss …

  ‘Get over it, girl.’ Stalking across to the sideboard, she grabbed a packet of flea-control pipettes and rejoined the dog on the couch. She snapped the end off one of the vials and patted her lap. ‘Okay, K—that’s your new nickname, by the way. I can’t keep calling you Kaeden. It ties me in knots every time I hear his name. Now, let’s get this sorted out. Put your head down here.’

  K lowered his head to her lap, wriggling to get comfortable. He snuffled once or twice until Tori tapped him lightly on the tip of his nose. ‘No sniffing, remember.’ Spreading the thick fur on his neck, she poured the contents of the pipette on the skin. The animal whimpered as if in pain.

  ‘Don’t be such a wuss. It doesn’t hurt. Now …’ She scratched him behind the ear. ‘I’ll keep you inside tonight and tomorrow I’ll take you over to the surgery. If you’re going to stay with me you have to be fixed.’

  The dog raised its head and stared at her, his lips pulled back, a soft growl coming from its throat.

  ‘Don’t look at me like that. I don’t want you out there tom-catting around. Okay, so dogs don’t tom-cat, but you know what I mean. So tomorrow you get the chop, you hear?’

  K bounded off the couch and skidded across the polished floor. He hit the door with a thump, the timber vibrating with the force of the impact. Then he started to scratch to get out.

  Before Tori could get to the door, he threw himself against it again.

  ‘What’s wrong with you? It’s one tiny little snip.’

  Mouth opened, head raised, the dog howled. The hair on Tori’s arms stood up, goosebumps pebbled her skin. She opened her mouth to tell him to calm down then snapped it shut as shock splintered through her.

  The air around K wavered, circled about the beast and reshaped itself. Like ripples in a pond spreading out from a central point when the surface is disturbed. Sparks shot out from his body, hung in the air a moment and then disappeared. Heat swelled and surrounded him, hot enough for Tori to feel it on her face. His body twisted. Limbs contracted before lengthening, changing. Growls issued from his mouth and the hair on his body receded, leaving behind tanned flesh. The last thing to change was the elongated snout.

  Fear clawed at Tori’s gut. The breath strangled in her throat and she fought to drag fresh air into her lungs. She didn’t know whether to run in horror, or stay and confront whatever was happening.

  With a final burst of flickering light, it was over. Instead of K the dog, there stood Kaeden the man. Naked.

  He advanced on her. Tori backed up until the edge of the couch hit her behind the knees. She blinked and lifted her hands to her head, squeezing, trying to make her brain function.

  Kaeden stopped within an inch of her. ‘Just so you know, ain’t no-one coming anywhere near my family jewels. You start talking the chop and I’ll start biting. Got that?’ He tapped the end of her nose with one long, human finger. ‘And just for the record, I don’t have fleas.’

  Tori flopped ba
ckwards onto the couch, legs splayed, hands hanging limply between her spread thighs. ‘Holy freakin’ nightmares! Toto, I think we just left Kansas.’

  Kaeden grimaced. Hell, this was not the way he’d planned to introduce Tori to her heritage. Her face was pasty white. Sweat beaded on her forehead. The breath wheezed from her chest in a loud exhale.

  ‘Are you okay?’

  Tori opened her mouth to speak and then closed it, shaking her head. She tried again. ‘I just … I thought I saw …’ She broke off and dropped her gaze to the floor.

  ‘It’s all right, Tori. I can explain.’ He bent over the couch, trying to get her to look at him.

  ‘Freakin’ hell,’ she whispered.

  Oh, she was looking all right. Just not where he wanted her to. His body immediately responded to the heat of her gaze. Blood pounded, heading south, and it was all he could do to keep control of various parts of his anatomy.

  Before he could say anything, she jumped up and shoved past him. She rushed into the kitchen, returning moments later with a dishtowel clutched in her hand. She thrust it at him.

  ‘You’re naked.’

  He grinned and looked down at his semi-aroused body then at the cloth she’d shoved into his hands. ‘Ah, yeah, I knew that. What do you want me to do with this?’

  She gestured to his nether regions. ‘Um, cover yourself?’

  A crack of laughter burst from him. He held up the itty-bitty cloth. ‘You’re kidding, right? This won’t cover my front, let alone go around my hips.’

  Satisfaction filled him as he watched a tide of red wash up over Tori’s cheeks. With her blonde hair curling about her face and the crimson blush on her fair skin, she looked sexy as hell. His heartbeat accelerated, driving the blood through his veins to harden his body even more. Biting back a groan, he held the tiny dishtowel in front of him.

  Hell, much more of this and he wouldn’t be responsible for his actions. The animal inside him roared his approval. Kaeden fought to keep it contained, but it was damn hard when Tori’s scent curled about his brain, an earthy, musky aroma his beast recognised.