His hands lowered to his sides and he eased back. “Does your father have reason to suspect she’s helping you?”
“It doesn’t matter. She’s the only one left within his power that I give a damn about. As soon as he figures that out, he’ll use her to get to me.”
Jake nodded and motioned to the bench submerged in the water. “Sit back down. I’m going to summon one of my sentinels.”
Happy to oblige him, she sank into the water and pressed her back against one corner of the spa. Jake rested his hands on the tub’s rim and lifted his face. There was no audible signal but Heather could sense the ripple of psychic energy.
A few moments passed and then a black-clad woman leapt onto the lower level of the deck. With brown hair and ordinary features, at first glance she seemed to pose no threat. She stood slightly taller than average and moved with confident strength and obvious athleticism. The hillside was incredibly steep at that end of the property. Where the heck had she come from?
“What can I do for you, sir?” The woman’s dark gaze darted to Heather as she waited for Jake’s reply. Her hair was pulled straight back into a ponytail and her expression was anything but approachable. This had to be Natasha. Unless Jake surrounded himself with fearless females. Heather found the possibility mildly annoying.
“I need one of our human contacts to hustle down to Silverthorne and pick up Lexxie. The wolves cannot realize cats are involved.”
The woman nodded. “I have a man in the area already. Is Lexxie expecting to be picked up?”
“No, so he’ll need to be creative. Make sure Lexxie knows this is being done to protect her and she shouldn’t be too much trouble.”
“Famous last words.” Without elaboration, the woman turned and left, leaping the railing and disappearing as suddenly as she’d appeared.
“Was that Natasha?”
“Now that you’ve seen her, are you still jealous?” He grinned as he sat on the adjacent bench.
“That’s cruel and I wasn’t jealous.”
He caught her wrist and pulled her toward him. The water made the maneuver easier than it should have been. Rather than resist him, she straddled his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck. She’d wanted to touch him and be touched by him for months. Why should she pretend indifference now?
“I didn’t mean to imply that Natasha was unworthy of affection, only that I prefer a less militant female.”
“I see.” She combed his damp hair with her fingers, savoring the silken pull of the thick strands. “I think you’re too vain to be seen with someone so utterly unconcerned with outward appearance.”
The criticism didn’t faze him at all. “Isn’t that what I just said?”
Without warning, his hand tangled in the back of her hair and his mouth sealed over hers. She tensed for a second, unprepared for his sudden aggression. Then heat and hunger crept over her soul and she surrendered to the kiss. This is what she’d wanted, what she’d imagined all those nights alone in bed. It was finally happening. Her head began to spin and giddy excitement sped her heartbeat.
But Jake was a cat, her pack’s sworn enemy. Could she do this to… She cut the thought short, refusing to give in to the conditioned response. She didn’t hate cats, certainly didn’t hate Jake, and that was all that mattered.
His lips moved with careful command while his tongue teased the seam of her lips. She opened to him, expecting a deep plunge yet receiving more teasing caresses. He beckoned her, melting her inhibitions as the kiss went on and on. She touched his tongue with the tip of hers then pushed deeper, exploring with the boldness he withheld.
A growl rumbled in his throat as she filled his mouth with her taste. She shifted the angle of her head and greedily absorbed his taste as well. Rich yet earthy, with just a hint of crisp wine, his flavor was every bit as addictive as she’d feared.
He released her hair and pulled the t-shirt off, forcing their mouths apart. She tried to reestablish the kiss but he held her at arm’s length. “It will take a lot more than sex. You realize that, don’t you?” His gaze drifted to her breasts, lingering with obvious interest before returning to her face. “I’ll need to link our minds and we’ll have to exchange energy over and over if we hope to convince your father this is a mating bond.”
A crisp mountain breeze wafted across her breasts, beading her nipples and raising goose bumps across her exposed skin. Were Jake’s guards out there watching? Insecurities barreled to the surface, threatening her composure. She wanted Jake but she was not comfortable with this semipublic setting. She’d spent her entire life on display, being coveted or judged or ridiculed depending on who her father had provoked. She wanted this to be private, something shared between Jake and her.