Red Moon Rising(29)

He threaded his fingers in her hair and held her head firmly as he increased the pressure of his mouth on hers, and stroked her tongue lightly. She relaxed against him and he squeezed her breast, making her groan, before he moved his hand around to her ass. He kneaded it lightly before pressing her up against his hard body.

He released her mouth and was just starting to lift her up, he wanted to press his cock directly against her warm center, when Tia barked loudly and Bree pulled away. She looked behind him and her cheeks turned pink. He turned to see Leta staring at them, holding Tia in her arms.

“Gross.” She announced. “I’m telling mama you were touching Bree’s butt.”

“Leta.” James said warningly. “What did mom tell you about spying on people?”

“I wasn’t spying!” She protested.

“I told you to stay in the house.”

She gave him a defiant look. “I wanted to make sure Bree was okay.”

“She’s fine. Go back in the house.” Beside him Bree was slipping her sweater over her head, and he had just enough time to see that the red marks were gone from her arm before it was covered in fabric.

“Evan’s going to be mad when he finds out you were kissing Bree. He likes her.” Leta said saucily.

“Leta.” James sighed impatiently. “You need to – “

Bree brushed past him and crouched next to Leta. “Honey, James was just helping me heal. The man grabbed my arm and bruised it, so your brother was kind enough to hug me and help my arm to stop hurting.”

Leta giggled. “He touched your butt Bree.”

Bree grinned at her. “Yeah, I know. Will you do me a favour and not tell anyone he did that?”

Leta nodded. “Yep. Sometimes I see papa patting mama’s butt when she walks by him. She laughs and smacks him.”

She stared at her older brother. “You should have smacked him.”

“I’ll remember that.” Bree put her arm around Leta’s shoulders. “Come, it’s too cold out here.” Without looking at James she led the little girl into the house.





Chapter 9




“Stop being so timid and strike at me Bree.”

“I’m trying!” Bree panted and lunged at Nicholas. He dodged her easily and struck her sword with his own. It tumbled from her hand, and she cursed loudly and picked it up.

Nicholas grinned at her. “You’re doing better.”

She rolled her eyes. “No, I’m not.”

“Sure you are. Two weeks ago you couldn’t even hold the sword up for more than ten minutes at a time.”

“At this rate I’ll be a great swordsman by the time I’m eighty.” Bree said disgustedly.

Nicholas laughed. “You don’t need to be a great swordsman Bree. You just need to be proficient at defending yourself.”

Bree lowered the sword and rubbed her aching arm. She didn’t want to tell Nicholas this but if it wasn’t for sitting with Avery every night, she wasn’t sure she’d be able to train as much as she was. She left every training session with her arms and shoulders aching and throbbing from holding up the sword, and only Avery’s healing powers allowed her to pick up the sword the next day.

“Let’s try again.” Nicholas urged her.

She shrugged out of her sweater, it was cold out but the exercise had warmed her, and flexed her shoulders experimentally.

“Remember to try and think of the sword as an extension of your hand. Shoulders back, head up and – “

Movement caught her eye and she groaned when she saw James, Tristan and Leta come out of the barn. It had been two days since she had kissed James behind the house, and she had avoided him since then. Her cheeks burned with embarrassment. She wanted him badly but she wasn’t sure he felt the same way. She suddenly wished bitterly that she had more experience with men. She thought James wanted her – that hardness pressing against her belly two days ago had been a good indication he did – but she had been here a month, and he only touched her when she was hurt and needed healing.

If he truly did want her would he not go out of his way to touch her like Tristan did with Avery, she wondered. The large Lycan was always holding the Red’s hand or stroking her hair. Last week Bree had caught them in the kitchen making out like they were teenagers. Tristan’s love and affection for Avery was obvious, and it made Bree’s heart happy to watch them together. Perhaps one day she would find someone who would look at her the way Tristan looked at Avery.

“Bree? Pay attention.” Nicholas tapped her leg with the flat side of his sword.

“Sorry.” She muttered. She risked another glance at James and the others, and Nicholas followed her gaze.