She scooted over as he got under the covers with her, but he didn’t miss the way her dark eyes hungrily roved over his bare chest. Damn, she really was going to make this hard for him.

“What does slower mean for someone like you?” she finally asked.

“Someone like me?” He wasn’t sure if he should be offended.

Her cheeks stained an even darker shade of pink. “You know what I mean, Alpha. I’m sure you have a ton of experience with females, so I don’t know if this slow thing is something you can even do.” There was a blend of sarcasm and uncertainty in her words that was tempered with a hint of jealousy when she’d said the word females.

He wouldn’t deny he’d had a lot of experience before her, but after was a completely different story. And also not something he wanted to talk about. Ever. Right now was about the two of them. “I can do slow and soft.” He lowered his voice as he leaned closer. “And fast and hard, or a mix of the two. Whatever you want, Ana.”

She didn’t say anything as she stared, but her breathing had increased and her eyes were dilated slightly.

He bit back a grin. “We need to do this in steps. Kissing is the only thing on the menu for tonight.”

“Kissing?” One dark eyebrow rose and the heat he’d witnessed moments before was replaced by pure skepticism.

“That’s right.” It pained him to think, let alone say, the words, but if he wanted to do this right he had to gain her trust first. That meant hands off. For the most part.

She eyed him warily until he reached out and cupped her cheek. Holding her like this, touching her in this way, was almost too much. His hand actually shook as he caressed her soft skin. And they hadn’t even kissed yet.

He slid his fingers through her thick hair as he leaned forward. Raw hunger flowed through him as her tongue darted out to moisten her lips. Taking him off guard, she covered the short distance between them. It took a moment to register that when their lips clashed, so did their bodies. She was half draped across him. Her sweet scent wrapped around him, enveloping him completely. They might not be mating tonight, but he planned to make sure his scent covered her.

Through her top her nipples rubbed against his bare chest, and he didn’t bother to bite back his groan. The feel of her moving against him tested the stupid promise he’d made. Her tongue met his, almost shyly, in an erotic little dance. It wasn’t the hungry way he’d imagined. It was somehow better.

She tasted minty and fresh, and as their tongues intertwined he could feel the tension leaving her. It was subtle, but she trusted him. At least with her body. That was something.

Reaching between them, he freed the first three buttons of her long-sleeved top. She didn’t even seem aware of his movements until he cupped one of her breasts. It felt almost heavy in his hands, though it wasn’t much more than a handful. He hadn’t gotten a good view of her breasts yet, but he planned to change that. Soon.

A surprised moan escaped her as he rubbed a lazy thumb over her hardening nipple. She started to pull back, but he tightened his grip on her head. If she’d insisted, he’d have let her go. But she sighed into his mouth and a shudder rolled over her.

Gripping her hips, he rolled her onto her back and moved so that he was nestled between her thighs. Even with his jeans and her pajamas as a barrier, there was no denying how much he wanted her. His cock pressed painfully against the denim, begging to be freed.

When his hips surged against her, she pulled her head back a fraction and seemed to be shocked. “What are you doing?”

In response, he nibbled along her jaw, raking his teeth across her skin. “What do you think?”

“You said kissing only,” she whispered.

He wasn’t exactly sure why she was whispering but he decided to go with it. “Kissing covers a lot of things, love.”

Moving lower, he continued kissing her, even though he felt her tense when he hovered over one of her breasts. Her top was splayed open, perfectly revealing both her breasts. In all his fantasies he’d had to wonder what they looked like. He’d imagined, sure, but nothing was better than the real thing. Soft, perfectly rounded. Not too big; just enough for him to hold. To kiss. And her nipples were a light brown. Many nights he’d lain awake wondering what color they’d be.

Lightly he blew on her exposed skin. “Do you think you’d like it if I kissed you here?”

Her breath hitched in response.

Smiling to himself, he started to lower his head. Before he got the chance, lightning fast she jerked her top together, covering all that smooth, satiny skin and denying him what he wanted.

“We … need to stop.” Her voice was ragged and unsteady but her jaw was firm.

She was hot and ready for him. Even if he hadn’t been a shifter, he’d be able to scent it. He wanted to argue, convince her to keep going, but he was an Alpha. He had some pride. Sort of. With how he felt, he’d sell his soul for one more taste of her. Then she wiggled out from underneath him and started buttoning up.

“Fucking restraint,” he muttered through gritted teeth as his head fell against the pillow.

As he cursed the cold for the hundredth time that night, Chuck glanced at his watch again. December’s bedroom lights had gone off half an hour ago. She should be asleep by now.

After the last incident, he couldn’t afford to fuck up this kidnapping. If he somehow forgot how important this was, he had the bruised ribs and sore jaw to remind him. Adler might be a nasty-looking bastard, but he knew how to fight. Something Chuck wouldn’t forget anytime soon.

Going after the sheriff’s sister was stupid, but one of Adler’s contacts had heard December arguing with the sheriff about going to dinner with one of the new shifters in town. At this point Chuck wasn’t sure if she was a shifter whore or not, but either way she was still the sheriff’s sister. Chuck had tried to make a case with Adler about his decision to target her, but that’s when Adler had clocked him across the face.

Apparently Adler had also heard that the big shifter, Liam, had been talking to a real estate agent in town and he’d shown more than passing interest in the bookstore owner. Once Adler heard the shifter had a definite interest in a human female, he’d called his boss at the APL. Chuck wasn’t exactly sure who Adler’s boss was, but the guy was obviously high up in the food chain and he wanted December kidnapped. He seemed to get Adler worked up enough every time they talked, and that was a pain in the ass for Chuck. Nothing he said could convince the other man that this was too big of a risk.

Adler’s plan to use the female to lure the shifter, Liam, into a trap was actually good, even if it was risky. He wanted to see how much the shifters would sacrifice to save a human female. It would go a long way in telling the APL exactly what buttons they could push with these animals in the future. There might be more to the plan but right now Chuck didn’t know. His boss told him stuff only when he felt like it.

Instinctively he rubbed his jaw, then winced at the painful contact. “Bastard,” he muttered.

His cold breath curled in front of him. Glancing around the quiet street, he rose from his hiding spot across from her house. December’s neighbors were out of town for a couple weeks, so he’d used one of their giant oak trees as cover.

Adler was parked a block over, waiting for his call. Once he knocked the girl out he wouldn’t have to drag her far. Not like she weighed much anyway. And she was pretty. Soft, white skin he wouldn’t mind running his hands over. Hell, he might even break his rules about not touching their captives. It didn’t sound like she’d actually fucked one of those animals yet, but he’d wear a rubber just in case. After the beating he’d gotten from Adler, fucking the sheriff’s sister would take off the edge. His cock started to harden just thinking about it.

He smiled to himself as he crossed the street. This job might be chancy but at least it would have a perk afterward. Every house on her block was quiet. After midnight most people would be dead to the world. His shoes thudded lightly as he walked across the frosty asphalt, but once he made it to her front yard he was silent again.

She’d parked in the driveway instead of pulling into her garage and he wasn’t sure why. He wasn’t going in that way so it didn’t matter. Stupid bitch left a “hidden” key on her back porch.

Not in plain sight, but it hadn’t taken much searching to find the hide-a-key tucked into one of the dried-up potted plants. Using the key, he twisted the lock and opened the door. He pushed out a quiet, relieved breath when an alarm didn’t sound.

Adler had told him she didn’t have one, but Chuck hadn’t been entirely sure he’d been telling him the truth. It was like that prick wanted him to fail.

Chuck pulled his black ski mask down over his face. The stairs were right next to the kitchen. He inched his way up them. A floorboard creaked halfway up and he paused.

His heart thumped against his chest in a staccato rhythm. After a moment he continued. The stairs creaked a few more times but he hurried up the rest of the way. When he reached the top he waited again.

From the street earlier he’d seen a light upstairs in the window to the far right. It had to be her bedroom. Out of habit he patted the side of his belt. His knife was there but he wouldn’t be using that tonight. He’d become accustomed to using his knife to scare people, but after the other night he wasn’t going to risk dealing with another screamer.

Withdrawing the medium-sized stun gun, he started toward the bedroom. Raw adrenaline hummed through him. He was doing to enjoy this. Pausing at the door, he listened. When he heard muted movements he froze. Blood rushed loudly in his ears as he took a small step back. Had she heard him? Before he could move, the door swung open.

It was dark but he could make her out well enough to see the terror on her face when she spotted him. The sight of it made him smile. This bitch was definitely coming with him tonight.

She shrieked and at the same time swung out with her hand. He easily ducked her attempted blow. She tried to kick at him but he tackled her to the ground. A surprising surge of lust coursed through him as she struggled underneath him.