Chapter Two
The minute the words were out of his mouth, Caleb knew there was no turning back. There. He’d said it, and now the ball was firmly in Sommer’s court. For years, he’d been watching, wanting and waiting to claim her for his own.
Her mouth hung open and then formed a perfect ‘O’. It took every ounce of willpower inside of his being to not get up at this very moment and take her in his arms. Caleb was in love with Sommer McGregor. Everything about her sent his body into a tailspin from her bright smile and big dark brown eyes he often found himself drowning into, those thick bow-shaped lips, gorgeous brown skin and a body that filled his nights with wet dreams.
Often he’d wake up rock hard from wanting her. Yet he had to pretend to be the big brother figure she’d relegated him to. Not anymore. He’d watched jealously on the sidelines when she began to date, going crazy with thoughts of someone else touching her, holding her, kissing her. Nothing angered him more than when some other guy so much as looked in her direction in a lustful way, and she inspired that in a lot of men, much to his dismay.
Biding his time, he knew one day she would be his and he wouldn’t rest until that happened. To hear her saying she was considering taking a lover was the final straw. Caleb refused to stand by and watch another man initiate Sommer in the sexual arts. Of course, he didn’t kid himself into believing she was a virgin, but it was also apparent to him that she hadn’t been satisfied properly. She still had that untouched air about her, but Caleb fully intended to fix that.
He lifted a brow. “Are you going to say something or do you plan on staring at me with your mouth open?”
Sommer blinked a couple times in obvious astonishment. “What am I supposed to say? You were joking, right?”
“I’ve never been more serious about anything in my life. Do you want me to repeat myself? Though it’s not a habit of mine, I’ll do it gladly. The only lover that you’ll have is me,” he declared through gritted teeth, the beast within roused, making him cagey.
She shook her head, her eyes wide with wonder. “Caleb…we’re friends. You’re the big brother I’ve never had.”
That was it. Action was definitely needed where words were failing. Moving with a natural grace inherent of his kind, he stood up and stalked toward her with purposeful strides.
Her mouth fell open. “What are you doing?” she squeaked.
Caleb didn’t answer. He grabbed Sommer’s arm, hauling her out of the leather swivel chair and pulling her into his arms.
She splayed her fingers against his chest, probably to push him away, but his arms tightened around her, bringing Sommer closer still. The accelerated beating of her heart pounded and the softness of her curves molded to his body.
A smile tugged the corners of his mouth. She might feign indifference, but she wanted this as bad as he did. His instincts were rarely wrong and Caleb sensed her arousal—could smell it.
Sommer moistened her lips with the tip of her tongue, panic gleaming in her eyes. “Caleb, this is wrong.”
He unclipped the barrette in her hair, watching the thick dark curtain fall to her shoulders. Then he threaded his fingers through the soft strands before giving it a tug in order to expose the lovely line of her neck to his gaze.
Bending his head, he brushed his lips against her throat. “Nothing has ever felt more right.” Flicking his tongue against her soft flesh, Caleb absorbed her tangy sweet flavor on his taste buds. “Delicious,” he groaned, wanting more.
One taste wasn’t enough. Nowhere close to it.
Sommer gasped, shivering. The slight tremble of her bottom lip begged to be captured. Unable to deny its summons, he nipped it between his teeth.
“Caleb,” she whispered, still standing rigid, but slowly softening to him.
“Don’t say anything, just feel.”
Sommer twisted her headway from his questing mouth. “No, Caleb. This will change things between us forever. I value your friendship too much to throw it away on a brief fling.”
A fling? Is that what she believed he wanted? “Do you think a quick roll in the hay is all I want? Do you know how long I’ve waited to make my move? Watching you with other men…wanting to kill each and every one of those bastards has been torture.”
“But—”
“No buts. You say things will change between us, but that’s exactly what I want and I think you want it too.”
“I don’t,” she said, but her body told another story.
“Liar,” he countered, before covering her mouth in a savage kiss. His fingers dug deeper into her thick locks, holding her head steady. Slipping his tongue between slightly parted lips, he sampled her essence, exploring, ravaging—claiming. She tasted of honey, mint and a unique flavor all her own.
The heady sensation of having Sommer pressed so tightly against his frame, savoring her beneath his taste buds and inhaling her scent, sent his hormones reeling. His cock grew painfully hard.
Caleb was by no means a novice when it came to sex, but with Sommer, he felt like an eager schoolboy. Knowing he needed to go slow or else he’d end up ripping her clothes off, he changed the kiss from one of hunger and need to a subtle invitation to drown with him in a sea of desire.
The hands that had only moments before tried to push him away now clutched his shirt, nearly tearing it. Sommer’s tongue pushed forward to meet his, twining, laving and dancing with it in a syncopated rhythm to their beating hearts.
Groaning into his mouth, she rubbed her body against his as if she couldn’t get close enough.
He released the grip on her hair, allowing his hands to trail down the curve of her spine before cupping her voluptuous ass in his palms. For having such a slender frame, her rear would have put many women to shame.
On countless nights he’d dreamt about her luscious derriere and how he wanted to ride it. Fantasies of sliding his cock into that tight ass of hers were closer to becoming a reality.
Kneading and shaping her bottom in his hands, Caleb ground his erection at the juncture of her thighs. “I need you,” he growled.
“Caleb,” she sighed his name against his mouth. He could tell her surrender was close at hand and that within seconds she would succumb to the blistering heat that surrounded them both.
“Yes, that’s it, little one,” he moaned his arousal. “Give in to what you feel. Give in to me.”
This kiss, though wondrous and earth-shattering, no longer satisfied him. Caleb needed more. Craved it. He pulled her down to the floor until he rested on top of her, wedging his knee between her thighs.
Sommer writhed and squirmed beneath him, her small hands running up and down his back. Her touch sent his senses reeling. Just when he’d given up hope of ever having the opportunity to be with Sommer and hold her like this, here they were.
Ten years ago, a few days after her sixteenth birthday, Caleb recognized in Sommer the woman who held his heart—the one who would be his mate.
His epiphany came at her birthday party, which had been celebrated late because she didn’t want to have her Sweet Sixteen party without him in attendance, as he’d been out of town on business during her actual birthday. The McGregor’s had thrown her an elaborate celebration with all the trimmings. When Sommer was introduced to the guests, she’d come down the spiral staircase in a beautiful off-the-shoulder white ball gown. A tiara graced the top of her corkscrew curled hair. Looking every bit the lady, she had taken his breath away.
She’d sought him out in the crowd and smiled. That was the exact moment of realization. Perhaps he’d know all along, but at that moment, Caleb could deny his feelings for Sommer no longer. He’d fallen for her. Hard. But she was too young for him to make a move. So the waiting game had begun.
Now that he had her beneath him, ready to be loved, sucked and fucked, he could hardly believe it was actually happening. Eager to explore her body, he pulled her blouse open, bypassing the fastenings. Buttons popped, flying everywhere. The sight of brown mounds peaking over the lacy cups of her pink lace bra made his mouth water. His cock ached and his pulse raced. The primal urge to claim her gnawed at his belly.
“Caleb, what are you doing to me?” Sommer caught her bottom lip between her small white teeth, clinging to him like a limpet, her nails digging into him, clawing in frantic motions.
“Turning you on, hopefully.”
Her dark brown gaze searched his face. “You are…more than you know. Much, much more. I didn’t know it could be like this.”
He brushed her cheek with his lips. “We’re only just beginning.”
With one deft movement, he unclipped the front clasp of her bra, revealing small but beautifully shaped breasts. They were a work of perfect handful, capped with blackberry-tinted nipples.
Dipping his head, he licked one nubbin, making her squirm. He took the puckered bud fully into his mouth and sucked with vigor while he fumbled with the button on her jeans.
He could smell the tangy scent of her pussy and he had to have her now.
“Caleb, I…I can’t take this.” Her words came out as breathy gasps for air as she thrashed her head from side to side.
Despite her words, she tugged at his shirt, pulling it from inside his slacks. When her fingers touched his naked skin, a sharp intake of breath filled his lungs. Goddamn, he was horny. Transferring his attention to her other breast, he licked and circled the waiting peak.
Caleb lifted his head to breathe. “You’re so beautiful.” His gaze locked with her dark lust-filled one as he slipped his hands inside her panties. He grazed her outer dew-soaked labia. “You’re wet for me and ready for my cock.”
Sommer opened her mouth, but no words came out. None were needed. If she was feeling half of what he was, then he knew the sensations were damn near overwhelming.
He lowered his head again for a brief kiss and then he eased his middle finger into her damp heat.
Her fingernails dug deeper into him, threatening to break the skin.
Caleb reared himself up just enough to watch her reaction.
Sommer’s breath came out in shallow huffs. She lifted her hips against his probing finger, meeting its thrust. Oh, yeah. She wanted this just as badly as he wanted to give it to her. Her reaction to his caresses pleased him.
He sunk his finger deeper into her cunt. So slick and tight, he wondered how she’d feel around his cock. He’d, of course, have to prepare her, as he was Wulfen and she human. His girth and length were larger than the average human’s. It would probably be slightly uncomfortable for her at first, but once they were mated, there would be no problems. Caleb slid his finger deeper still and then pulled back to the tip.
Her heat was scorching and it was driving him crazy.
“Caleb, Caleb, Caleb!” she chanted his name in near incoherence.
On the verge of slipping another finger into her wet channel, her buzzer sounded off, signaling Sommer had a visitor.
Damn.
He hadn’t intended their first time to be on the floor of Sommer’s office and had every intention of stopping. But once he’d sampled more of her wares, Caleb hadn’t expected this sexual interlude to come to such an abrupt halt either.
Sommer groaned with apparent regret. She placed her hands on his shoulders to give Caleb a shove. “Oh no, what did we just do?”
He wasn’t particularly in the mood to roll off of her. If Caleb had his way, he’d stay like this until Sommer admitted she belonged to him, but then the bell rang again, cutting off what he wanted to say.
“Please get off of me,” Sommer hissed, attempting to wiggle from beneath him.
Reluctantly, he pulled his finger from her pussy. In a deliberate move, he licked her cream from his digit.
Sommer’s jaw dropped and her body shook in reaction. “Don’t do that.”
A smile tugged the corners of his lips. He liked seeing her all hot and bothered. “Why? Because it turns you on?”
“No, because we shouldn’t be doing this.”
His eyes narrowed. “You weren’t saying that a few minutes ago when you were screaming my name.”
Again the buzzer rang, telling him Sommer’s guest wouldn’t be leaving until someone answered the door.
He’d concede to her wishes—for the moment—but now that she knew exactly where he stood, there was no way Caleb would allow things to remain as they had been. “This isn’t over.”
“Oh, yes, it is. Now get off of me.”
Caleb rolled away, giving her the opportunity to stand up. “I thought you said you weren’t expecting anyone else.” It wasn’t his intention to come off sulky, but he wasn’t ready to let her go so soon.
“I don’t know who it is.” She fumbled with her clothes in an attempt to give herself some semblance of respectability.
He resented the hell out of the way Sommer was able to pretend nothing had just happened between them. Besides her clothing that was slightly askew one wouldn’t know that he’d come very close to fucking her until her throat was raw from screaming in pleasure.
A frown marred her pretty face. “Dammit, why did you have to pop my buttons?”
He shrugged. “You didn’t complain earlier.”
“Caleb, could you not be so glib about this situation? I have to see who’s at the door.” She grabbed the blazer resting on the back of her chair and threw it on before dashing out of the office.
Son of a bitch.
Caleb wanted to kill whoever it was at the door.
“Uncle Seth! I didn’t expect to see you today.” Sommer’s squeal of delight made Caleb’s ears perk up. Out of all the people it could have been, why did it have to be his father?
“Of course I’d come and check this place out. I’m very proud of you, sweetheart. I saw my son’s car outside. Is he here?” Caleb heard his father ask.
“Uh, well…y-yes, he is,” Sommer stammered.
Caleb groaned, smoothing out his suit. He’d never hear the end of this if his father figured out what just transpired on the floor of Sommer’s office. He squared his shoulders, composing himself, and walked out to the front to face the music.
“Dad, I wasn’t expecting to see you here today,” Caleb greeted.
Shrewd blue eyes surveyed him up and down. He was thirty-five years old, vice president of a major corporation and Alpha-in-Waiting, yet his father could reduce him to a little boy all over again with one stern look. Seth Masters didn’t say a word to indicate one way or other whether he knew what had happened because his look said it all.
You fucked up, son.
Caleb groaned inwardly, knowing he was in for it later.
Sommer broke the uneasy silence. “Can I show you around, Uncle Seth?”
The wide grin returned to Seth’s face for his much-loved goddaughter. “I’d like that very much, sweetheart.”
Caleb shifted from side to side with impatience, knowing he wouldn’t have the chance to talk to Sommer with his father around. “I have to head out, but I’ll see you at the party tomorrow, Sommer.”
“Okay,” she answered, not quite meeting his eyes. She sounded like continuing where they left off was the last thing she wanted.
If she believed for a second he’d let her forget what they shared, the only person she was fooling was herself. As he headed out the door, his father halted him.
“Don’t go far, son, I’d like to talk to you. I won’t be long.”
“Can’t it wait? I need to get back to the office.”
Steely blue eyes turned in his direction that brokered no argument. “I said I’d be a moment.”
Caleb turned on his heel and walked out, realizing it was pointless to argue. He left the two of them in the shop, but heeding his father’s words, he hung out by his car. No matter what was said, he wouldn’t be told how to feel and how to act when it came to Sommer.
He knew how protective his father was towards her, but Caleb had vowed not to let anyone stand in the way of claiming his woman. Fortunately, he didn’t have to wait long before his father came striding out of Afternoon Delights.
At nearly sixty, Seth Masters was still as spry as men half his age. Except for the liberal strands of gray peppering his dark hair, he could easily pass for a much younger man. Caleb had been told many times he was the spitting image his father, and that they could pass for brothers rather than father and son.
There was no one he admired more than the man standing before him, but at times when they didn’t agree, Seth made no secret of his feelings.
“Dad.” Caleb nodded his head in acknowledgment.
“What the hell was going on in there before I arrived?” his father asked without preamble.
Caleb shrugged. Why volunteer information? Besides, the older man was astute enough to figure it out on his own. “Like you, I stopped by to check out Sommer’s new shop.”
Sky blue eyes, so like his own, went a silver-shimmery color, a sign that his father wasn’t happy. “Care to repeat that, Caleb? Because if you lie to me again, I will make you regret it. You may be younger than me but I can still kick your ass.” His tone was ice cold. “I could smell sex the second I walked into the shop. Her scent is all over you. How long has this been going on?”
Caleb lifted his chin in defiance. He wasn’t ashamed of what happened. It was probably best his father find out now rather than later. “Today is the first time we were intimate, although we didn’t get as far as I would have liked.”
“What the hell were you thinking, Caleb? I’ve put up with your whoring in hopes you’d eventually settle down and have a few cubs of your own. It’s about time you made me and your mother, grandparents, but I won’t sit back and watch you play with Sommer’s affections. How could you? She’s innocent, and will only get hurt when you tire of her like the other women you mess around with. She isn’t the kind of woman to go in for casual affairs and walk away unscathed. I won’t stand for it!”
It was Caleb’s turn to be angry. It offended him to know his father thought of him as a reckless skirt chaser, and especially, that he’d treat Sommer so callously. “What makes you think this is just a fling? Give me some credit, Dad. I care about her way too much to become involved with her for some random romp.” He pounded his fist in his palm, driving the point home. “And furthermore, Sommer’s the one I want as my mate and I’m laying claim to her.”
Seth crinkled his forehead and folded his arms across his chest. “Do you know what you’re saying?”
“Of course I do. I know in my heart she’s my mate, and nothing will stop me from making her mine.”
Lifting one bushy brow, his father eyed him sternly. “Oh? Have you forgotten that, as my heir, you need my permission to take a mate? I may be your father, but I’m also your Alpha.”
Caleb stared his father dead in the eye. “Though it would mean the world to me to have your blessing, it won’t matter if you don’t grant it. I’d defy you if it came down to it.”
“Our laws dictate that you’d be shunned from the pack if you went against me on such an issue. Is this a risk you’re willing to take—losing everything?”
“Without her, I would have lost everything anyway. She’s worth it. Sommer is special, and I need you to understand, no matter what happens, I won’t back down. I love her.”
Seth remained silent for several moments, lips pursed and brows knitted together as though he were in deep contemplation. For a moment, Caleb didn’t think he’d say anything at all until he finally sighed. “You’ve hidden this well. Why have you never said anything about this before? You used to tell me everything.” There was a tinge of disappointment in his father’s voice.
Caleb shook his head. “Not about this. I know how special she is to you. You’ve been in her life since she was a baby and have looked at her as your daughter. Besides, I knew you’d go ballistic when you found out. I won’t deny I’ve screwed around a lot, but those other women were placeholders. They didn’t mean anything to me, not like Sommer does.”
“I thought your feelings toward her were brotherly.”
“In the beginning they were, but then I matured and she grew up. Not a day goes by when I don’t ache for her. I can’t hold my feelings in for her any longer.”
“Why now?”
“Think about it. Sommer needed time to grow and come into her own. Had I declared my feelings sooner, it probably would have scared her away. Maybe what we did in there shouldn’t have happened when it did, but it was going to occur eventually. I would have seen to it.”
Seth tilted his head, studying his son with shrewd eyes. “And what if she doesn’t love you back?”
“It’s a dilemma I’ve struggled with for a while, but today, for the first time, I found she’s not so indifferent to me. I swear on my life, on my honor as Alpha-in-Waiting, Dad, that I’d never do anything to harm her.”
His father grunted. “I guess I won’t stand in your way, then. I remember how it was when I met your mother. She was eighteen, just blooming into womanhood. Her family moved to our territory and sought your grandfather’s protection when their Alpha went mad. I fell hard, but she was reluctant to get involved with me because she thought I was a womanizer. I pursued her relentlessly until she caved.” A slow smile crossed the older man’s face.
Caleb wanted what his parents had. After nearly forty years of marriage, the two still carried on like a couple of teenagers. Any observer could see how deeply in love they were.
Seth continued, “I suppose if you had to choose a human mate, you couldn’t do any better than Sommer. Your mother and I already love her like a daughter and she’s in the fold. Your union, at least, should be easier for the other pack members to accept.”
That could only mean one thing. Although Sommer had been raised within the pack, there were still some who resented her presence. But because she had the Alpha’s support, most of the dissenters kept their opinions to themselves. The Alpha-in-Waiting taking her for a mate would create another uproar, and this time, unlike when the McGregor’s took her in, some of the pack would be more vocal.
“Again, it’s a chance I have to take.”
Seth patted him on the arm. “You have my full support then, Caleb, but good luck telling this to Trevor. If you think I was tough, he’ll make me look like a cub.”
Caleb nodded solemnly. “I’ll break it to him gently. Thanks, Dad.”
“The more I think about you two joining, the more I approve. But if you hurt her in any way, I’ll break your goddamn neck.”
Caleb instinctively knew that was no mere jest.