Pack Mentality: Myra's Mate Read online

  That wasn’t too much to ask, was it? She felt like she knew so little about him.

  “Okay.” He kind of rolled his eyes at her while he took a cannoli off the plate, but he was agreeing, so she didn’t push it.

  Myra clapped her hands and bounced. “Oh, thank you.”

  “Yeah, yeah. Don’t thank me until you’ve seen it. Three bachelor males live there.”

  They finished dessert, probably more quickly than Colin would have liked, but Myra didn’t want to give him time to change his mind. She wanted to see where he lived. She wasn’t nosy, but she really believed you could learn a lot about a man by seeing how he lived. Nature could only do so much. The rest was environmental.

  His house was a big, two story. One of those early 1900s monsters that she loved.

  “So pretty!” she said. “And the yard is so nice.”

  “Gary is a landscaper. He likes to play in the yard.”

  She knew Gary was one of his two roommates, and that Gary was a confirmed bachelor, swinging both ways and swinging hard. “Well, he does a fine job. Do you do the upkeep on the house?”

  “Yeah. I painted last year.” He sounded so proud. Such a boy. “Well, you might as well come in.”

  “So excited,” she teased, following him up the front stairs. “You would think you were ashamed of me.”

  “It’s not you I’m ashamed of,” Colin muttered. Before he could unlock the door it swung open.

  “Myra!” A very familiar man stood in the doorway, staring at her with his mouth hanging open.

  She nodded, sighing at her ex-boyfriend. “Hello, Steve.”

  Chapter 5

  “I should have told you Steve was my roommate, I know,” Colin said, glancing over at Myra every few seconds while he drove her home. She wasn’t all stone faced like her roomie Jenny would be. She wasn’t crying or anything. She had just… kind of shut down, staring out the window, arms crossed over her chest.

  “Why?” she asked, her voice flat and dull. Not like Myra at all. “You said you knew him. It was none of my business, really.”

  “Yeah, but it’s sticky, you know? We don’t talk about you. Hell, I almost kicked his ass the first night we went out because he tried to start.”

  “How chivalrous of you.”

  “Aw, come on, honey. Don’t be that way.” Colin was scrambling, and he hated that. Hated being in the doghouse, especially with someone who got to him like Myra did.

  “What way?” she asked, gathering up her purse when he pulled around to her curb. “I’m just tired.” Myra leaned over the console and kissed his cheek. “Goodnight, Colin.”

  Before he could even blink, she was gone, slipping out the passenger door and leaving him staring at her swaying butt while she sauntered up the little walk and disappeared inside.

  His brow furrowed, and Colin thought about that for a minute. He could leave, let her cool off, and come back. He’d have to wait until after the full moon though, which he could feel pressing down on him like an anvil.

  He didn’t fucking think so.

  Parallel parking, Colin jumped out of the car and strode into Myra’s building, taking the stairs up to her little apartment two at a time and pounding on the door.

  “Myra!” he shouted. “Let me in! We need to talk about this.”

  “No, we don’t. Go away, or I’ll make you a wheat grass smoothie.”

  Lord. Just the thought of that had him pulling a face. He’d tried her smoothies once. Liam was right. They were nasty.

  “Come on, honey. Stop it. I want to talk.” He wanted other things, too. Damned if confrontation didn’t make him horny. So did Myra. The combination was lethal.

  A door down the hall popped open and a lady in curlers and a blue face mask stared out at him. Colin stared back, his lip curling. The lady ducked back into her apartment, her door slamming loudly. “See, I’m scaring your neighbors. Now let me in.”

  Myra opened the door to stare at him. “Why do I feel like my name ought to be Little Pig. Not by the hair of my chinny-chin-chin.”

  “Ha, ha.” Her apartment smelled like her, like she’d been crying a little. It barely showed on her face, only the tiniest bit of red at the tip of her nose letting him know he wasn’t losing his sense of smell. Colin pushed in past her, waiting for her to close the door before he grabbed her and kissed her.

  “Mmfph.” Myra fought him for all of three seconds. He counted. One-one thousand, two-one thousand, three… Then she melted into him, her arms coming up to hold him tight while they kissed, her mouth opening right up for his.

  Colin took full advantage, his tongue pushing into her mouth to taste, pressing in and out, in and out. God, he wanted her. It hit him in a rush, leaving him shaking and panting, and his cock hard enough to hammer nails. One hand dropped to cup her ass and pull her up against him. And there, that was it. Perfect friction.

  “I thought you wanted to talk,” she gasped when they broke for air.

  “Talking is overrated. This is a much better indicator of how I feel.” Colin pressed her back against her door, one leg sliding between hers, giving her something to work with, too. He could smell her, and she didn’t have the scent of tears now. No sir. Now she smelled like lust, hot, and utterly feminine.

  Her hands tangled in his hair, tugging a little, demanding. Grinning a feral grin, Colin gave her more, his lips sliding down her throat, his teeth biting at the base of it just enough to make a mark.

  “I don’t care what Steve says, honey. You got that?” he asked, biting again, just to make sure she knew what was what. Pack or no, there was no mistaking the signals he was sending.

  “Uh-huh. I got it,” she said. “Just… oh. Good. Just hurt my feelings.”

  “I’m an asshole. I’ll do that from time to time.” Grinning, he picked her up, heading for her bedroom, dodging the weird tables she and Jenny seemed so fond of.

  “Will you always apologize like this?” she asked, holding on tight, pressing little kisses to his cheek and neck.

  “Uh-huh.” Jewelry jingled when Colin tossed her on the bed, watching her bounce a moment before sliding right down between her legs and pressing his hips to hers. “I will. Promise.”

  “Oh, good.” Her arms wrapped around his neck again and Myra yanked him down for another scorching kiss. Looked like he was forgiven.

  Which meant he could concentrate on loving her like she deserved.

  Colin let his mouth move, following his fingers which were working on undoing the tiny buttons at the front of Myra’s pretty, blue dress. Every patch of skin he bared got a lick, kiss or bite, and she writhed for him by the time he opened the cloth over her belly.

  Moving back up, he licked at her small nipples, indulging himself for a moment, rubbing his cheek against each small mound of flesh. He loved her breasts, loved the shape and feel of them. The taste.

  Myra twisted and moaned for him, her hands tugging at his hair now, just hard enough for him to feel it. She’d learned, bless her heart, that he liked it that way. It was the damned wolf in him, no doubt.

  “More,” she demanded, and Colin nodded. Yeah. More.

  He pushed down, stripping the dress the rest of the way off, baring her completely but for a scrap of lace and nylon she no doubt called panties. He called them window dressing. Tearing them right off made him feel all big bad wolf, and he laughed, pushing her freckled thighs apart and licking the tender inside of one.

  “God, you smell good, honey.”

  “Do I? You feel good. Even with the beard shadow.”

  “Hey! I shaved twice.”

  She grinned down at him, rising up on her elbows to get a better view. “Well, you’re still scratchy.”

  “I’ll show you scratchy.” Turning his face from side to side, Colin rubbed back and forth against Myra’s thighs, really letting her have it.

  She squealed, kicking and laughing, pushing at his head with her hands. “Uncle! Uncle! I give.”

  “Give? What will you give me?”
he asked, resting his chin on her belly.

  “Whatever you want,” she answered, touching his cheek before stroking the hair at his temple.

  “I didn’t mean to lie to you, Myra.”

  “I know. I do.” She smiled. “You were giving.”

  “I was.” He so was. Hands on her knees, Colin spread Myra, licking his way down between her legs, his mouth finding her wet center, his tongue searching for her clit. There. Just there.

  Her flavor flooded him, sweet and spicy, so ready for him, and he had to fight the urge to take her right then, with no more playing.

  The only reason he resisted was because she wriggled and moaned for him, pushing her hips up, and Colin wanted more of that. More of her pleasure. So he gave it, his tongue curling around her little bud, his lips closing over it.

  She hollered, her hips jerking, her legs moving restlessly. Colin gave her even more, spreading her wider and pushing his tongue inside her.

  More of her juices flowed for him, the color of her skin going a deep rose, her breathing labored in her chest. He could smell her sweat now too, the scents of her mixing with his, tickling his nose and making his balls draw up.

  He lapped at her, addicted to the taste, to the way she thrashed and begged.

  Tugging at him, Myra finally got him to glance up by the simple means of yanking his hair.

  “What, honey?” he asked, licking his lips, tasting her, his cock jumping like crazy.

  “I want you, Colin.” Her green eyes seemed to glow for him, her smile as mysterious as the mother goddess.

  “You got me. Do you have the condoms?” After that first night in the park, he’d made sure she was stocked. Because damn. If he had that little control in a public place, he knew he’d never make it behind closed doors, and if she got pregnant… well, who knew what they might produce?

  Her hand groped along the side of the bed. “On the nightstand,” she said.

  Colin reached out and got one, ripping it open with less care than he probably should have, but damn, he couldn’t wait. Not when he could smell how ready she was for him, how wild.

  “Now, Colin.” Her nails dug into his shoulders, the tiny flare of sensation making him fumble.

  He got the condom on though, got it smoothed into place before pushing inside her with one motion.

  It wasn’t as good as before. No, that was wrong. It was fucking amazing the way she tightened around him, her muscles pulling him in. He just missed her heat, missed her wetness on his skin.

  His body still knew what to do though, and Colin moved, driving his cock in and out of her. Breathing became a difficult thing, his chest heaving. Everything was Myra. Her hands clenched on his arms, her hair slid along his hands like a caress, and her legs wrapped around his hips. She was everywhere.

  “Colin. Oh, God,” she said, sounding almost drugged. He loved that, loved the way her hands pulled at him, flattening under his shoulder blades to pull him down for more.

  “Uh-huh. Fuck, babe.” So not coherent. How could a man talk when he was inside a woman as beautiful and giving as she was? He rocked into her over and over, shifting so the base of his cock rubbed at her.

  She threw her head back and cried out, arching up off the bed and into his thrusts. Her red hair fanned out on the pillow, the mass of curls begging for his hands.

  Bracing himself on his elbows, Colin sank his fingers into the tips of her hair, feeling the silky texture like a caress all its own. It had him shivering, had his nipples and balls drawing up even tighter. Leaning down, he kissed Myra hard, pushing her toward orgasm, his pelvic bone rubbing her clit. He needed to come. Needed her to go first.

  A soft cry fed into his mouth, Myra shaking under him, her legs squeezing his hips with surprising strength. She squeezed him other places as she came, too, and goddamn…

  Colin shouted, thrusting into her one last time before he shot hot come, filling the damned condom full to overflowing. Regretting that he wasn’t filling her, which was a damned odd feeling for him.

  They rested together, his face buried in her hair while she stroked his back, tracing each bump of his spine.

  “So is this where we talk?” she asked.

  “Mmm?” He was so sleepy he could hardly think, only wanting to curl around her protectively and doze off.

  Distantly, he heard her chuckle. “Nothing, lover. Nothing at all.”

  Oh, good. No talking. Colin went out like the proverbial light.

  * * *

  Myra had to work to slide out from under Colin the next morning. She didn’t want to wake him, as it was still early, and he’d really worn himself out the night before. She would make him coffee, not a smoothie, and some breakfast, just as a reward.

  Usually when she got in a snit like that men just let her go, let her stew on it. He’d come back for her, and defended her from Steve, which sort of made him her hero.

  That and the way the man fucked like a well-oiled machine.

  She about jumped out of her skin when she found Jenny sitting at the kitchen table, hands wrapped around a cup of coffee, looking mussed and groggy.

  “Oh!” she exclaimed, hand going to her chest. “You startled me. What are you doing here, honey? I thought you’d still be with the boys.”

  “I have an early interview with a new vet tech this morning,” Jenny said, blinking and yawning.

  “Cool. Want some breakfast?”

  “Only if it resembles something dead.”

  “No tofu or wheatgrass, I promise.”

  “Thanks.” She got a smile then. “So Colin is still here?”

  “Uh-huh.” Long ago Myra had learned that pack could smell almost anything, and she shouldn’t try to deny it. It just made her feel dishonest, and made people like Jenny distrustful. So it was a little embarrassing. So what?

  “You know…” Jenny paused, looking like she was searching for the words.

  “That Steve is his roommate? Yes. I found out last night. That was why you didn’t want me to go to his place.”

  “Oh. You’re still…”

  “Sleeping with him? Seeing him? Yes. We hashed it out.”

  “Oh, thank goodness. Now we don’t have to tiptoe around it,” Jenny said before sipping more coffee.

  “You could have told me,” Myra said mildly. “Then it wouldn’t have been a surprise.”

  “Oh, no. That’s his job.” Jenny blew her bangs off her forehead. “I do not get between two lovebirds.”

  “Yes, but he doesn’t know what happened with Steve. You do. He has no reason to think I would be upset beyond Steve thinking I’m a freak.”

  “Yeah, yeah. Still not going there.” Standing, Jenny went to the sink and plopped her cup down in it with a thunk, yawning hugely. “I think I should skip breakfast. I’ll take some of your trail mix. Later, My.”

  “See ya.” Myra watched Jenny go, sighing. She missed some of the girl time they used to have. Oh, she didn’t begrudge Jenny the boys at all. She just knew that soon Jenny would move out and then there would be very little face-to-face time with her.

  “I hope that forlorn sigh wasn’t because of me,” Colin said, making her jump again when he slid his hands around her waist from behind. His big body felt hot, hot against her back, like he had his own kerosene heater inside or something.

  “Nope. It wasn’t really forlorn, either. More one of acceptance.” Her hands closed over his, rubbing along the backs of his fingers. “Want some eggs? I was making enough for Jenny, but she left.”

  His chin landed on her shoulder so he could peer into the bowl in front of her. “That’s enough for me, right there. Are you making some for you?”

  Goodness he could eat a lot. She cracked two more eggs into the six she’d already put in before adding salt and pepper. “Do you like yours with ham and cheese and peppers?”

  “Do I live in Colorado?”

  Myra laughed. They didn’t call it the Denver Omelet for nothing. “Yes, you do. Okay, gimme some room. Oh, and I think all we
have is red onion.”

  “Don’t I even get a good morning kiss?”

  How could she resist that growly morning voice making such a plea? Turning in his arms, Myra draped her hands around the back of his neck and yanked him down for a kiss, his blond hair curling around her fingers.

  Oh, Colin could kiss. She loved the way his lips rubbed over hers, the way his tongue dragged along the seam when her mouth closed, demanding entry. It made her think of what his mouth felt like on her pussy, made her want to go back to bed and forget the eggs.

  His stomach growled, and they broke the kiss, laughing. Looked liked going back to bed wasn’t an option. He had to go to work.

  Colin let her go with one last shivery kiss to the back of her neck. “I’ll let you cook. Do you mind if I use your shower?”

  “Have I minded before?”

  “No. It’s polite to ask though.”

  He wandered off, scratching a little, and Myra nodded to herself while she cooked. This was why he was infinitely better than someone like Steve.

  Colin was trainable.

  She pottered about, making her omelets and some toast and frying up some potatoes she found leftover in the fridge. Then she made herself a morning smoothie. Myra sang while she dropped things in the blender, adding a teaspoon of flax seed and a wee bit of soy powder to it.

  “I thought you said no smoothies,” Colin said, coming out into the kitchen wrapped in nothing but a towel.

  The food sat forgotten on the counter. Myra stared at him, just taking in how beautiful he was. Her hand went to her chest, her fingers worrying at the little wolf’s head she wore on a chain. Jenny had given it to her for Christmas the year after she’d found out about the pack.

  God, Colin was hot.

  “The smoothie is for me”, she said. “I made your omelet and all.”

  “You’re a doll.” Giving her a kiss, Colin grabbed a plate and leaned against the counter to eat. The towel fell open just a little, and Myra squeezed her legs together at the view she got.

  “Uh-huh. I guess you really have to go to work, huh?”