“We have to stop him before he ruins everything.”
Lance’s voice was harsh, a low, barely whispered growl of sounds, the words garbled as he fought to keep his own wolf at bay.
If they didn’t stop Duncan, there’d be no return.
But she wants him. And she’ll want us, too.
“Damn it, Grant.”
Grant snarled, yet knew Lance was right. Still he waited, sure that as soon as she became aware of what was happening that she’d back off. If she became aware before it was too late.
It took a few more moments, then her body tensed and her hands pushed against Duncan. He resisted at first, as any man would, then jerked away from her. His lust for her was written in agonized lines across his face.
She sucked in a breath as awareness flashed across her face. Yet even as astonishment filled her, it was another moment longer before she moved away.
Duncan’s face fell and Grant’s sympathy went out to him. To have her in his arms, then to have her push him away, had to have hurt harder than anything he’d ever suffered.
“I, I, uh, don’t know what happened.” She smoothed down her shirt.
Duncan couldn’t speak. Instead, he got away from her, putting as much distance between them as the small apartment would allow.
“It’s okay, Christy. We understand.” Yet it was obvious that his words didn’t help her. Grant tried again. “It was just a kiss.”
That’s the biggest load of bullcrap I’ve ever slung.
That kiss was the beginning of their lives together. She’d know that in time. Until then, however, he had to make her feel better.
“I guess I’m really tired.”
He saw the torture warring with her desire. “Sure. And Duncan should’ve never done that. Right, man?”
Duncan nodded once, and even that seemed to be an effort for him. “Yeah. It’s my fault. I’m sorry, Christy.”
Any other man would’ve followed that apology with a promise that it would never happen again. But Grant knew Duncan wasn’t about to lie that much.
Once more, like a nervous habit, she ran her hands over her shirt to smooth it. “Uh, okay. We’ll just chalk that up to a huge mistake.” She smiled, doing her best to put them at ease.
She could call it a mistake now, but she’d change her mind about that later, too. So much would happen later.
“Um, I don’t know if this is some kind of town secret, but no one’s yet told me about what’s going on.” Christy started toward the fridge, her movements no longer graceful, but jerky.
The three men exchanged a look, each knowing they couldn’t tell her the truth. Knowing about the amber moon and werewolves might keep her safer, but it could also scare her off. A frightened woman could do almost anything, including running off into the night when werewolves were on a wild streak.
“It’s kind of a celebration.” Grant struggled to go on, but Lance was ready to add his help.
“Yeah. Kind of like Mardi Gras in New Orleans, but even wilder.”
“Wilder? How?”
Duncan cleared his throat. “Folks in our small town aren’t big partiers, so when they cut loose, they really cut loose.”
She wasn’t buying it. Doubt oozed from her like mist off a waterfall. “So how is it dangerous?”
“Because you’re a beautiful, single woman and we have a lot of macho men who might take advantage of that.”
They turned toward Milly as she swept into the apartment carrying a large take-out box and a six-pack of bottled water. She dropped the box and the water on top of the kitchen counter then confronted the men.
But no one, not even a strong female like Milly, could dissuade Grant.
“You are single, right?” Taking another man’s woman wasn’t allowed, whether that man was a shifter or not. Still, Grant couldn’t fathom the idea of another man’s hands on her. He didn’t even realize he was holding his breath until she answered.
“I’m single, all right.”
Their eyes met and the connection, even though they weren’t touching, scorched between them. The tightness in his chest, fighting against the knowledge that she might already be taken by another, lessened. His cock jerked to life, ready to claim her as his.
The air in the room thickened as the men moved closer, like the wolves they were. They’d surround her, placing her in the middle where she belonged. Her lips parted, a welcome if ever he’d seen one. Her chest rose higher with each breath and he sniffed, pulling in the scent of her breath. The stronger aroma of the heat between her legs had him dragging in even more air. He wondered if he could ever breathe the air again if it didn’t contain her fragrance.