Chapter Ten
It took Rory long minutes to come down from the high of releasing his soul into Rhetta. His bum foot protested the additional weight. Rory ignored its complaint as Rhetta shivered in his arms. He couldn’t tell if her trembling was an aftershock of their coming together or if it was because she was exposed to the elements.
There was a draft coming into the barn. And so Rory did the gentlemanly thing. He pressed himself against her, nestling deeper into her thighs to keep her warm. His dick was still semi-hard and hungry.
His canines found his spot on her neck. He first licked and then nipped at it, redefining his claim to her. Anyone who saw her would know that she was his.
She was worried about his ex? It had been the first day he hadn’t thought constantly about Rosalind and her rejection. The pain that had been the hollow of his heart was now filled with nothing but Rhetta.
Rory wasn’t good with flowery words. He was a man of action, a hunter. He’d slay some large beast, gut it, fillet it and lay it on the dining room table for her. Surely, that would show Rhetta that she was the center of his world now and would be for the rest of his days.
There was a scratch at the door. Rory’s wolf sprang to the surface and growled, low and menacing. Rory barely got hold of its leash as a feminine voice called out.
“Hey,” said the woman. “I’m waving the white flag out here.”
Rory recognized the voice as Rhetta’s sister. Apparently, they were twins, but they looked nothing alike to him. The other woman, Viviane, stayed on the other side of the closed door as she continued her interruption.
“Rhetta, there’s a phone call for you.”
“She’s busy,” growled Rory.
It wasn’t a lie. She was very busy. She had a two-hundred twenty-pound man between her thighs and a barely tamed wolf breathing down her neck. Rory flashed his teeth as Rhetta blinked hard. Her gaze slowly sharpening its focus as she began regaining consciousness from her orgasmic haze.
“It’s Jordan,” called Viviane.
Rory felt Rhetta gasp. Her head fell forward as she looked down at their joined hips. She groaned, slamming the back of her head against the wall.
“That would feel so much better with me thrusting my hips into you,” Rory purred as he nipped at her chin. “Do you want me to take you hard? Make you squeal like a pig?”
Her eyes, which had been wide and aimed at the roof of the barn, narrowed into tiny slits as she glared at him. “Did you just call me a pig?”
“It was a joke.”
But Rhetta wasn’t laughing. He realized he had yet to hear her laugh. It hadn’t been a top priority for him. Making her squeal with delight had been his main goal.
“Let me go.” Rhetta scrambled to get out of Rory’s hold, which was absolute.
All her movements served to do was to excite him even more. He grew firm against her squirming core, and he pressed the head of his dick farther into her. She stopped struggling and glared at him.
“It’s not funny,” she said. “This is my life you’re screwing with.”
Rory’s lips kicked up, preparing another smart comment, but his hellcat’s look of outrage stopped him.
“Don’t you dare,” she said. “I will clock you in the face again.”
The comment caught Rory off guard. He reared his head back and laughed. As he did, his hold loosened and Rhetta broke free. She straightened her clothing and dashed out the barn door before he had his pants pulled up. His wolf licked its chops preparing for another chase.
Rory made it inside the house as Rhetta was placing the phone receiver to her ear. Her family sat around the dining table finishing off the last of the roast. Every eye was on him with a knowing glint as to what they’d been doing in the barn.
Rory took a moment to re-zip and buckle up his pants. He gave them all a nonchalant shrug telling them he was completely unashamed. If they didn’t understand before, they understood now. Rhetta was his.
“Jordan?” Rhetta said into the receiver. “I’ve been trying to get a hold of you.”
Rory stalked over to the phone. Rhetta held out her hand and glared at him. He ignored her.
“Yes, I did see your brother,” said Rhetta.
Rory leaned into her other ear. “Tell him I said hi.”
Rhetta shoved her hand over Rory’s mouth. “No, I’m sorry, Jordan. I tried to talk some sense into him, but he doesn’t forgive you. He said he won’t come to our wedding.”
Rory licked the palm of her hand. When she went to pull it away he latched on to it, wrapping all five of his fingers around her palm and kissing the inside of her wrist.
“He’s delusional and an animal, and I don’t want him at my wedding,” she said. “You’ll just have to tell your mother he’s not coming.”
Rory chuckled, pressing his lips into her racing pulse at the underside of her wrist. The only wedding that would be happening would be between him and Rhetta, and Jordan would not be welcome. Beneath his tongue, Rory felt Rhetta’s pulse race even faster.
“What do you mean you haven’t told her yet?” Rhetta’s eyes blazed. She turned her body away from Rory as though she could block him from this conversation. Her shoulders went rigid and her free hand, the one that had been in his mouth, went on her hip. “You need to tell her that we’re getting married, Jordan. She’s far too much in control of your life, and I won’t have that. I’m supposed to be the most important person to you.”
Rory slipped his arm around her body and pressed her bottom back into his groin. He bent his head and licked the back of her neck. “If it were me, I’d tell my mother you’re mine and not care what she thought.”
Rhetta swatted at him, but not before she shivered. “You’ll tell her today … Yes, I told my family. They’re thrilled.”
Both Rhetta and Rory looked over their shoulders at her family. The roast had been devoured and they were all staring rapt at the entertainment. They looked thrilled, but Rory was willing to bet it had nothing to do with her joke of an engagement.
Still, Rhetta remained defiant. “So, I’ll see you in a couple of days? Good, I can’t wait. Goodbye, Jordan.” She clicked off and hung up the phone.
“What?” said Rory. “No ‘I love yous’?”
“We’re not a bunch of teenagers.”
“When you marry me, I’ll shout it in the streets every day.”
Rhetta grit her teeth as she turned in his hold to face him. “I already told you, I’m not marrying you.”
“We all know that you are, lamb chop.”
“No, I’m not.” She shoved him hard, but he didn’t budge. “When a wolf finds his mate, it’s forever. If she rejects him, it doesn’t change the way he feels. Jordan is only half wolf. He doesn’t have those mating inclinations. You still love someone else. I don’t want to be anyone’s second choice again.”
Rory let her go. When he did, instead of bolting away from him, Rhetta reached behind her for the wall. Her nails dug into the wood paneling as though she needed it to hold her up now that he wasn’t holding onto her.
“You make excellent points, Rhetta. I am one-hundred percent wolf. Life with me will be crazy and unpredictable. Full of passion and wild sex and love bites. But understand this, you are second to no one.”
Rhetta’s gaze searched his. He watched as her throat worked as though swallowing down one set of words and making room for something unpalatable.
“I’ve made my decision,” she said. “I choose Jordan.”
Rory reached out toward her temple. Rhetta inhaled, as though bracing herself. Rory took the end of one of her curls between his thumb and forefinger. “Are you sure?”
Rhetta let out a shaky breath. Instead of forcing any more words, she nodded her head. It was a barely perceptible bob.
Rory nodded. “I’ll respect your wishes then.”
Rhetta’s gaze widened. He didn’t miss the fear and uncertainty that tinged the corners. She swallowed again. Her teeth chewed on her lower lip.
“I do have one condition,” Rory amended, letting go of the tendril of hair. “One date. With me. Just one night. After which, if you still feel the same need to ruin your life with my brother, I’ll never pursue you again. I’ll forgive Jordan. I’ll come to the wedding and bring a gift. I’ll stand by him and behave like a good, little dog. If you can convince me in one night that this is what will make you happy, then I’ll subvert my own will to give your heart’s desire to you.”
“How can I trust you to keep your word?” she said.
“I never lie. And if I did, I’m sure your mother would have my balls.”
“I would,” said Gloria from her place at the head of the table.
“Okay, then,” said Rhetta. Her voice was still a bit shaky, but her words weren’t forced. “If that’s what it’ll take to get rid of you.”
“Tomorrow night,” said Rory.
“What are we going to do?”
“It’ll be a surprise.”
“But I’ll need to know what to wear.”
Rory looked at her body. His suggestion would be for her to not wear anything at all. But he had to make at least a pretense of playing fair. “Wear whatever makes you happy.”
He figured he’d be pressing his luck if he stole a kiss. But he did it anyway. Rhetta put her hand up a second too late to push him away. By then he’d already swiped his tongue over her up-tilted lips.
He grinned down at her. She turned her head away from him with a clenched jaw. Rory turned to say his goodbyes to her family who all waved good-naturedly at him and wished him a good evening.
As he rounded the table, his foot sickled. Without his cane, he stumbled and had to grab out for a chair.
Rhetta was by his side in an instant. Her face was the picture of concern. Part of him wanted to use it to his advantage, but he didn’t want her pity. He stood and stepped out of her embrace.
“Looks like I’ve done more than enough chasing for the day,” he said. He stepped carefully toward the door. He took his time, but he didn’t stumble again. He maintained his dignity and walked out of the house on his own accord.