“I also said they’d have to at least stay the night. The sun will be fully set in another hour—I don’t want them trying to get back to St. Mary’s in the dark.”
He wasn’t sure why but, even knowing he couldn’t have her, he needed to meet this woman. Nodding toward the front door, he said, “We’ll just have to be sure the basement door stays locked at all times to avoid awkward questions. Let her in.”
The older man sighed and turned back to the door. Pursing his lips, he swung open the door and stepped back as Taite’s raised fist nearly caught him on the nose. “Come in, miss,” he said in a long-suffering tone. He waited until she’d picked up her suitcases and walked into the house, then he went out and collected the other two suitcases Declan had left on the small portico.
Coming back inside, Cobb set the suitcases down and closed the door, shutting out the cool November wind.
Ryder could see the flecks of gold in her dark eyes, could smell her beguiling scent so much more clearly. Her lips were slightly parted, showing small, white teeth, and he clenched his fists against the desire that slammed into him with the force of a gale.
God, she was lovely. Why couldn’t the person with Declan have been a man? He wouldn’t have been tempted by a man. Oh, his condition would still flare but, without sexual arousal, it would have been…manageable. Throw his hard dick into the mix, and he wasn’t so sure he could maintain control.
But as great and as immediate his need of her was, she was off-limits. He didn’t trust himself with her, not with the time of his Change so close. More determined than ever to get her and Declan off the island in the morning, he moved forward.
Chapter 4
Taite’s breath hitched in her throat as a tall, dark-haired man walked with sensual grace toward her. Cobalt blue eyes stared into hers from under the dark slash of heavy eyebrows. His hair, worn a little long, curled against the top of his shoulders, drawing her eyes to the strong column of his throat. A thin scar ran along his left jaw, from ear to chin, white against the dark stubble of his day-old beard.
Her lips parted. Her breath came faster. Some power she didn’t understand—was it just physical attraction amplified?—tugged at her. She opened her mouth to say something, anything, but her voice seemed frozen.
Passion flared in his gaze for a moment before he hid it by dropping his lashes and looking at her from under hooded eyes. He was, without a doubt, one of the best-looking men she’d ever seen. And the sexiest.
Her nipples tightened, and she hugged her arms over her chest even though she knew neither man could see them through her jacket. The closer he got, the more her insides clenched until, when he stood directly in front of her, her core loosened and moistened, dampening her panties with the beginnings of arousal.
“Hello, Ms. Gibson.” A large, square-fingered hand came out, and she automatically put hers in it. The slide of his palm against hers sent a shiver through her. He held her hand for a fraction longer than was necessary, his thumb brushing over her skin in a motion both soothing and arousing at the same time. “I’m Ryder Merrick. We weren’t expecting you for another few days.”
It was nice of him to phrase it like that. Especially since he’d told Declan not to come at all.
He slowly released her hand. She quickly folded her arms again. His mouth twitched. For a moment she thought he might smile, but he remained stony faced. “I’m afraid you’ve caught us a bit by surprise, and so our hospitality has been less than satisfactory. I hope you’ll give us another chance to make a good first impression.” His tone didn’t suggest he meant it, yet she’d be surprised if he was a man who ever said something he didn’t mean.
She didn’t think he’d be bothered to put on a social face if it didn’t benefit him in some way. And welcoming a stranger into his house—a woman uninvited and unannounced—would hardly bring him personal gain.
For such a handsome man, he looked harsh. Unyielding. But his deep voice enthralled her, holding her in a spell, dark and sexy and making her wonder what he’d sound like when he was lost in passion.
She had an image of sweat-slicked bodies on tangled sheets. Raw, earthy lust drove his cock into the clinging depths of her pussy. Taite clenched her thighs against the increasing arousal flowing from deep inside her body.
Her gaze flicked down, traveling over the knit turtleneck he wore. A leather belt with a large silver buckle bisected his middle and drew her eyes to the center of his body. His thick erection, clearly outlined beneath the material of his jeans, lay along one muscled thigh. She pulled her startled gaze back to his.
She had the nonsensical thought of asking, “Is that a gun in your pocket or are you happy to see me?” but wasn’t sure he’d appreciate her calling attention to his arousal.
His eyes were narrowed, nostrils flared as if he were…Was he sniffing her?
Her overtaxed mind must be on the edge of toppling into oblivion, she decided. Why in the world would he sniff her? Unbidden, her gaze darted once more to his midsection.
Realizing he was waiting for a response from her, her cheeks heated even more. She looked into his face and stuttered, “I-I’m sorry. We, um—”
“We had to come on ahead,” Declan interrupted from behind them. He walked into the foyer from a narrow hallway. After a quick glance at him, Taite kept her gaze fixed on Ryder and saw a frown darken his features before it was lightened by a genuine smile for his friend.
Seeing them together, Taite was struck by how similar the two men were. Both were tall with dark hair and muscular, fit bodies. It appeared that Ryder was an inch or two taller than Declan, which would put him somewhere around six-four or six-five. Nearly identical broad shoulders tapered to narrow waists and hips, down to long legs and big feet.
The two men grasped hands and briefly hugged, pounding each other on the back with their free hands. When they parted, Ryder asked, “How did you get in?”
Dark eyebrows rose and a grin crooked a corner of Declan’s mouth. “Your back door isn’t as secure as it should be, Ry.” Looking past Taite, he added, “Good to see you again, Cobb.”
Taite glanced at Cobb, too, and saw his lips tighten briefly before he assumed the solemn, bored expression he’d maintained with her. The little man matched the house, that was for sure.
Dark, somber, with understated but evident wealth in both the cut of his suit and the architecture of the mansion. She’d been impressed by the place from the outside. Now that she was inside…
The floor of the foyer was a beautiful gray shot through with streaks of dark green. Crimson cushioned antique chairs lined one wall. Above the chairs were two crossed swords and a coat of arms that had a snarling wolf, his massive paw planted on a snake.
Even here, it seemed, she couldn’t get away from wolves. At least this one was a normal one and not something right out of a horror movie.
“Mr. O’Connell.” With a slight sniff, Cobb looked from Declan to Taite and said, “I assume you’re hungry after your travels. I’ll fix something straight away.”
“Can I help?” Taite asked, not wanting to put the man to any trouble.
Cobb looked surprised, then thoughtful. He glanced at his employer and gave a nod. “Yes, miss, I would appreciate the assistance. The kitchen is this way.” Without waiting to see if she followed, he turned and walked through the large foyer and down a hallway on the opposite side of the stairs that led to the second floor.
With a small shrug, Taite followed the little man. As she left the room, she felt eyes burning into her back and knew Ryder Merrick was staring at her. Trying to ignore the shiver of awareness that coursed through her, she quickened her pace to catch up to Cobb.
“Come into my study and let’s talk,” she heard Ryder say. Declan murmured something in response.
Now