He stifled a groan and concentrated on his breathing. Yes, his brothers would never let him forget this if they ever found out. He had no intention of ever telling them.
The door to the bathroom opened and Alex stepped out, a tentative smile on her face. It slowly faded as she stared at him. He could well imagine what he looked like in her eyes. His hair was disheveled because he’d raked his fingers through it as he’d walked, his body was stiff and his face felt as if it had been chiseled from stone.
“Is everything all right?” She took a tentative step toward him.
“Everything is fine.” He walked stiffly to the side of the bed and tugged back the covers. It was impossible to walk any other way with his dick at attention and his balls heavy and aching. “Get into bed.”
He could see the question in her eyes, but thankfully she said nothing. As she slid beneath the covers, he caught a whiff of her arousal and a glimpse of her pussy. A picture of those slick, pink folds was forever burned into his brain. He licked his lips, wanting another taste of her sweet nectar.
She blushed as he tucked the sheet over her. Her gray eyes were soft and smoky. A man could easily fall into her seductive gaze and never find his way out again. Never want to.
“I’ll be back in a few minutes. I need a quick shower.”
“Of course.” She picked at the top of the covers, her gaze darting away from his.
He caught her chin with his fingers and tipped her head up. “I won’t bother if you’re afraid to be alone.”
“No! No,” she replied more calmly the second time. “I’m fine. I should have thought of that and let you have the bathroom first. The water should be hot again by now.” She closed her mouth abruptly as if aware she was starting to babble.
He was beginning to know her well and knew she only talked this fast when she was nervous. Joshua grabbed her knives and gun, which were still at the bottom of the bed. Laying the knives on the nightstand, he then handed her the gun. “Keep that with you and if you hear anything come and get me. I won’t be long.” Unable to resist, he dropped a quick kiss on her lips before disappearing into the bathroom, leaving Alex all warm and snug in the bed.
A cold shower sounded real good right about now.
Stripping off his clothes, he left them in a pile on the floor. It was only when he was naked and reaching out to turn on the taps that he noticed the cotton bra and panties. The fabric was practical but their pink color spoke of the woman who wore them. They were so like Alex, practical, yet with a softness she hid behind a layer of toughness. He doubted many people knew the true woman beneath the tough façade.
The bikini underwear looked ridiculously tiny as he lifted them off the rack and held them to his nose. Her scent was gone, replaced by the smell of soap. Sighing, he carefully draped the delicate fabric back over the rack to dry. He’d love to see her in lace or better yet in nothing at all, spread across his bed at home waiting for him.
Growling, he flicked on the taps, keeping the temperature low. Stepping beneath it, he allowed the spray to cool his heated flesh. He grabbed the bar of soap and began to scrub his body. When he was done, he soaped his hand and slid it over his cock, wrapping his fingers around the hard length. It throbbed against his palm, demanding he do something to release the pressure.
There was no way he could sleep beside Alex all night unless he got some control over himself. If he didn’t she was just as liable to wake up in the middle of the night with him buried deep inside her.
The way he’d been feeling since the moment he’d laid eyes on her, he knew this wouldn’t take long. Closing his eyes, he began to pump his fist up and down his shaft. The sac between his legs was heavy and he gripped it with his other hand, massaging his balls. The water beat down on his body as his hand moved quicker and quicker. Images of Alex filled his mind. He could see her standing against the sink in the bathroom of the restaurant this morning, her naked breasts swaying as she rolled her hips toward him.
His balls pulled up snug against his body. He pumped his hand harder with each stroke.
He could feel the soft slickness of her pussy as he stroked his fingers over it. Remembered the way her inner muscles clasped his fingers, drawing them deeper. His cock jerked in his hand. Yeah, he wanted to bury his cock so deep inside her that she’d never ever forget him, would always want him.
He’d barely touched her when she’d come. God, she was gorgeous when she came. There had been no holding back. She’d given him everything. Every cry, every gasp had been music to his ears. The scent of her cream had been rich and thick. He wanted to taste it, to lap it from the soft, pink folds of her pussy, teasing her clit with his tongue and his teeth until she came again. He wanted to make her come over and over until she was screaming at him to fuck her, begging him to fill her.
His harsh breathing filled the room. He kept pumping his hand as his balls pulled up tighter against his body. Semen sprayed from the tip, some of the whitish fluid covered his belly, while the rest of it was washed down the drain. Releasing his grip on himself, he leaned against the shower walls and lowered his head, spent. The cold water rained down on him as he gasped for breath.
When Joshua recovered, he raised his head and pushed away from the wall. Grabbing the soap, he lathered his belly and his relaxed penis, making sure he was clean before he turned off the water and stepped out of the shower.
He dried off and hauled back on his jeans, as well as his socks and boots. There was no way he’d do more than catch a quick nap or two tonight. He had to be on guard and ready for anything. He did leave off his T-shirt, tossing it over his shoulder as he left the clammy bathroom.
Alex was curled on her side with one hand tucked under her head, the other wrapped around the gun. Her silky brown lashes were resting against her cheeks and her mouth was parted ever so slightly as she emitted a soft snoring noise. He smiled, imagining that she’d deny the fact she snored. And it wasn’t really snoring. More of a soft whistle. It was actually very cute.
Tossing his shirt over the back of one of the chairs, he stood and stared at her for the longest time. In less than a day, this woman meant everything to him. How the hell had that happened?
He had no answer. He only knew deep in his gut that she belonged to him. They belonged together. Reaching down, he carefully removed the gun from her grasp and placed it within easy reach on the bedside table. She made a snuffling noise, but she didn’t wake.
Turning off the light, he eased down on the bed beside her and gathered her into his arms. She came easily, settling against his chest as if she’d been doing it for years. He sifted his fingers through her short hair. It was soft and silky, clinging to his fingers as he continued to stroke her.
Contentment filled him. He took a deep breath and felt his entire body relax. Even the wolf within him was content. All it took was this particular woman lying in his arms. There was no doubt in his mind that she was his, and he’d move heaven and earth itself in order to claim her.
Chapter Eleven
James leaned back against the outside wall of the roof of the apartment building where he was currently situated. He glanced down the fire escape that led from the roof to the first floor, making sure it was still clear. The brick was hard and warm against his back even though the sun had gone down a while ago. He’d been hunkered down here most of the day. Watching. Waiting.
After he’d eaten breakfast at the diner this morning, he’d made his way back home using a roundabout route. Making sure no one had seen him, he’d gone into the rundown apartment building across from the garage and climbed up to the rooftop. Avoiding broken glass and some abandoned patio chairs, he’d settled in. Then the long day of surveillance had begun.