Book Three in my Cascadia Wolves series is now available from Samhain Publishing!
First, to correct my horrible oversight in my dedication I want to thank Angie James, editor most fabulous for helping me always write a better book.
An excerpt after the jump!
CASCADIA WOLVES: WOLF UNBOUND BY LAUREN DANE
Copyright 2008, Lauren Dane
All Rights Reserved, Samhain Publishing
Now Available!
She had to close her eyes a moment at the thought of the rope.
“It’s not that.” Waving that away, she picked up her fork and took a fortifying bite of chocolate cake. “You’re Ben Stoner, aren’t you?”
“Yeah, how did you know my last name?”
“I’m Tegan Warden.”
“Shit, you’re Lex and Cade’s sister? Cousin?”
“Sister. And why is that bad?”
He chuckled. “Hey, you’re the one who was all shocked. And well, Lex is a big ass dude, I’m having very, very untoward thoughts about his sister. I better stock up on silver bullets.”
It was Tegan’s turn to laugh and the richness of the sound flowed over them both. “I can’t believe I’ve never met you. In two years, you’ve been doing all this work over Pellini and the Packs, how did I miss you? Because trust me, I would have known if I’d seen you before.”
Ben sat and watched the statuesque redhead across from him talk. Goddamn she was the sexiest woman—werewolf—he’d ever met. Beautiful, sensual, breasts that made every straight man on the planet give thanks for women. Her ass had turned the most beguiling shade of pink when he’d flogged her and she came prettier than he’d thought possible.
And it was clear she was a submissive in the bedroom but a strong woman outside. He liked the contrast. A lot. Those feline green eyes and the fiery red hair completed the package. Tegan Warden was as close to perfect as he’d ever imagined a woman could be. Except she was a werewolf and her brothers were the Alpha and the Enforcer of the local werewolf Pack. Boy could he pick women or what? He might as well hang out in alleys with dollar bills pinned to his clothing and get his ass kicked that way.
Still, he’d bet Tegan Warden was worth it. He greedily soaked in the sight of her bringing the forkful of cake to her lips and eating it. His cock ached when she licked the tines before putting the fork back down. Holy shit, the woman was walking sex.
“I, uh, what was the question? Oh, why we hadn’t met before. I don’t know. I’ve gone out to the house a few times but we usually meet down at my office so we can conference in the representatives of the other Packs and the feds.”
“I’m not usually patrolling in the house when I’m on duty. I prefer to be outside. That may be where I was if you came to the house. Or I was off or something.”
“You still want to go out with me?”
“Yes. You still want to go out with me? Knowing who my brothers are? Because I’ll tell you up front, they’re both nosy old women about this kind of thing and it’s been a while since I’ve dated and so they’re both liable to be a bit, um, forceful about it.”
“Because I’m human?”
She waved that off. “Nina was human. No, because like I said, I haven’t dated in a while and they’re both just very protective. And you know yourself that right now things are very hinky with Pellini out there.”
He nodded. “There’s a story there, isn’t there? About the not dating?”
“Yeah.”
“Okay. Dinner. Tomorrow night. Perhaps a movie? And if things go well… Well, there are other things we could try.” He loved the way her eyes widened and then her pupils enlarged and her breathing quickened. “And you can tell me then. I want to know you.”
He walked her back to her car and she gave him her address and phone number.
As she moved to get inside, he stepped close, his body caging hers against the door. One hand slid up her waist and over the side of her neck, essentially collaring half of her with his palm and fingers.
She fought the limpness that her body wanted to give him. Not in public. She didn’t want to give in to him all the way just yet. But she sure as hell wasn’t going to turn away when his lips met hers.
Her arms slid around his neck as the soft, gentle kiss became more intense. The edge of his mustache tickled her top lip, his scent, the scent of an alpha human male, strong and spicy, filled her nose, rode her senses.
His tongue stroked over the seam of her lips and she opened her mouth to him, letting him inside. His taste, chocolate and coffee and man nearly knocked her off her feet.
Oh how she wanted more but he broke the kiss and took a step back, slowly letting go of her neck. “I could do that all night. But you deserve better than a parking lot. I’ll see you tomorrow night then. Seven.”
She resisted touching her fingertips to her lips until she’d gotten onto the 520 bridge heading back into Seattle.
