Seduced by a Shifter Read online

  “Something wrong with your truck?”

  “Nah.” He ran a gloved hand over his bare head. “I know you’re not up to skiing just yet, but I thought you might like to take a ride with me.”

  Willow flicked her gaze from Ben to the machine and back again, nibbling the corner of her mouth to keep from screaming, hell, yeah! “On that?”

  Ben’s eyes locked on the small movement. “Come on. You need a break from your jailer.” A saucy wink. “You know you want to.”

  Boy howdy, did she want to. She wanted out of the cabin. Having to plaster her body all over Ben’s backside was icing on the cake. It was a win-win scenario to Willow.

  Before she could answer a male voice spoke behind her, giving her a jolt. “I don’t think that’s a good idea, Anderson.” Rome grumbled. “It’ll be dark soon.”

  Ben shrugged. “‘Bout an hour and if you think about it, it’s a great idea. Give you both a break.”

  Willow turned slightly to keep both men in her sight, though she did give Rome puppy eyes. His nostrils flared slightly and he edged back. The action made Willow frown and she barely refrained from sniffing herself. She showered that morning and since she hadn’t done anything more strenuous than sit on her butt, she knew she didn’t stink.

  “I won’t let anything happen to her, Felix, you know that.” Ben responded, his tone a fierce promise.

  Willow was no longer tricked by Rome’s sleepy, slitted-eye gaze. He might seem content, on the verge of napping half the time, but she’d seen it too much over the last several days, cooped up in the cabin together as they were, to know differently. She’d come to understand the look meant several different things, mainly to hide what he was thinking. Possibly now he was analyzing Ben’s ability and willingness to protect her while out of his sight. With a reluctant nod he said, “Half hour, no more.”

  The taut set of Ben’s jaw evaporated as he rolled his eyes in a mock display of exasperation. “Yes, Dad. I promise to have her back before curfew.” He pinned Willow with a captivating grin, skimming her figure from head to toe. When his eyes flicked back to hers, something in that piercing gaze caused a small thrill to tremble low in her belly. “I have a helmet for you, Will, but you need to get a coat and gloves.”

  Excited, Willow dashed inside, snatching what she needed from the hall closet before Rome could change his mind. Or herself, for that matter, since the idea of being alone with Ben was both nerve-wracking and highly appealing. She shrugged into the coat and gloves as she stepped back outside.

  Under the agent’s watchful gaze, Ben secured Willow’s helmet before repeating the action for himself, hen swung a long leg over the seat. “Now you. Put your feet here.” He positioned her when she sat behind him by placing his hands on her calves. Even through the thick material of her jeans she felt the strength in those hands and wondered what they would feel like on her bare skin. She shivered, feeling girly and gooey.

  And ridiculous. Like a teenybopper receiving attention from the boy on whom she had a secret crush. Only Ben was a long way off from being a boy, and Willow’s waking libido was all needy woman.

  “Hold on to me.”

  Hyperaware of their intimate position, her legs pressed around the muscled length of his, her chest close to his back, she struggled to breathe properly. She placed her gloved hands on his waist, fisting his jacket as he started the engine.

  “Ready?” he called back to her.

  “Ready.” The word ended on a breathless squeal as Ben shot forward, the momentum sending Willow’s butt backwards on the smooth seat.

  Ben stopped immediately and curved one arm around, pressing her lightly on her back. “Like glue, Will.”

  Inching forward, Willow did what she’d wanted to do since seeing him. She snuggled up to his back, re-aligning her legs behind his and wrapping her arms around his waist so they crossed over his abdomen. She swallowed her sigh of satisfaction.

  “Don’t let go.”

  Never she thought. Then they were off again. This time Willow clung to Ben like second skin, glorying in the feel of him in her arms, her breasts crushed against his back, the wind rushing by as they sped through trees as Ben took them deep into the forest.

  Several minutes later, curiosity got the better of Willow and she eased her death grip on Ben to peer around. Unused to wearing a helmet, she clunked hers on Ben’s when he went over a small bump. “Sorry,” she shouted, feeling like a moron.

  “Are you doing okay?” Hecalled back, sounding more concerned than irritated.

  “Just can’t see very well.”

  His chest rumbled under her hands in a low chuckle and he slowed. “Sorry. I was too anxious to get you alone. You can sit up if you want, but keep a tight grip on me.” He covered her hands with one of his, as if she needed the reminder, and gave them a squeeze.

  Willow knew she was all leg, and because of the size and breadth of Ben’s torso, she couldn’t see over his shoulder. Now she straightened and was able to turn her head. Ben guided the snowmobile through a clearing, the dimming sun reflecting sharp and bright on the pristine snow. She might have felt bad about marring the smooth surface, but she was having too much fun.

  Several more minutes and a zillion more trees passed before they came to a stop some distance from a dropoff. Ben shut off the powerful machine and they sat in companionable silence, gazing out over the valley that lay in snowy hibernation before them.

  Willow scooted back when Ben raised his helmet. “I wanted to show you this. How beautiful winter can be up here in the mountains.”

  She lifted off her own headgear and rose on shaky legs. “Oh.”

  Ben steadied her, caught her close, one arm around her shoulders, the other at her waist. “Sorry. I should have warned you.”

  His face filled her vision. “N-no problem.”

  He brushed her hair off her face. Conscious that she no doubt had helmet hair, she raised her own hand to run it through for some lift. “It’s probably all flat.”

  Evidently Ben didn’t agree. He bit off his glove and threaded the silky strands through his bare fingers. “It’s beautiful. Like a warm, welcoming fire. So many glowing colors.”

  Willow’s cheeks flushed. She loved her hair and always thought it her best feature. Now, looking into Ben’s appreciative gaze, she wished she hadn’t cut it so short. “It used to be longer, but then I usually had it in a bun or braid.” Good, Willow. Because that sounds so sexy.

  “It suits you.” His fingers whispered over her hair, drifted light as a feather down over her cheek, her jaw. Her lips. “As do these.”

  Her breath hitched. “Yeah?”

  “Oh, yeah.” He closed the distance until their breath mingled. “I’m going to kiss you now, Will.” He hesitated, his lips less than an inch away, as if giving her time to tell him no. Only she didn’t.

  Ben lowered his head that final fraction and pressed his lips to hers, her face still cradled in his hand. He sipped her, slowly, softly. The unexpected gentleness floored her, and warmed her. She let out a soft sigh and dropped the helmet to lay both hands on his chest.

  He opened his lips slightly, caressing them over hers before closing them again, drawing her bottom lip in for a gentle suckle. Widening again, he tickled the seam of her mouth with his tongue. Another throaty sound escaped, giving her a nanosecond of embarrassment at the neediness of it.

  Ben raised his head slightly, his tongue a moist caress along her lips. “Open up, Will,” he murmured. “Let me in.”

  Her lips slowly opened and with a growl of approval, Ben’s tongue slid in, dancing over the slick inner lining of her lips, slipped further into her mouth. His taste burst in her throat, her head. Better, richer than the double cream Oreo cookie ice cream Jade had introduced her to. More addictive than she could have ever imagined. Then he angled his head, sealed his lips tighter against hers, and, with another growl, this one fierce and demanding, proceeded to devour her.

  Willow slid her arms up his chest and tw
ined them around his neck, all but crawling into his skin. She lifted her tongue and met his in a lusty duel.

  Somewhere along the way Ben lost his other glove because she felt a warm bare hand slip under the hem of her sweater to spread wide across her back, the one on her cheek sliding to clasp the nape of her neck. She wrenched her own gloves off so she could dive in and fist his hair, rising on tiptoes to meet him, kiss for kiss, heat for heat, need for need.

  She let out a moan of protest that turned to a sigh of delight when his mouth left hers to trail sweet, open-mouthed kisses along the long column of her neck. “I love your scent, Will.” Ben breathed deeply, tendrils of desire rooting deep with each press of his lips, each erotic flick of his tongue. “It makes me crazed for a taste of you.”

  A careful little nip of his teeth followed, right at the base of her neck, sending a shiver of pleasure down her spine. “Yes,” she whispered, lost to the sensations bombarding her.

  His groan coincided with the flexing of his fingers on her back. “You shouldn’t do that.”

  “Do what?”

  “Entice me.” He lifted his head, eyes blazing, a strange ring of amber barely discernible against the natural color that so enthralled her.

  Her lids lowered, not in shyness but in sheer hunger. “But I want you to.”

  A hungry growl left his lips, then he was kissing her again, this time his male dominance in full effect. He plundered and took, thrusting his tongue deep. Willow tried to keep up, tried to match him stroke for stroke, but she was starting to weaken, her knees shaking from the onslaught of his touch, his passionate kisses.

  Suddenly he jerked away, a harsh curse filling the air. Dizzy from desire, she blindly followed his retreat, knowing only she wanted more of his lips, more of his hard body pressed to hers.

  “I gotta take this, sweetheart.” Ben murmured, lips brushing her forehead. “It’s the emergency number.” Belatedly she heard the ringing of a phone and he removed the hand at her back to answer it. The one on her nape remained, coaxing her to lay her head in the crook of his neck.

  “Anderson,” he said into the phone, his fingers gently kneading her scalp, easing her down from the shaking want that had all but consumed her. While she silently mourned the loss of his intense focus, she used the few minutes to gather her wits.

  Because, seriously. What was wrong with her? Making out with a man she barely knew. Given the racing of her heart, the heat pumping through her body, she’d been minutes away from tearing at his clothes to find bare skin. Maybe for Ben this wasn’t an oddity—hell, he was sexy enough that this might even be a daily event—but for Willow, it was completely foreign.

  Yeah, she’d been kissed a few times, but never like this. Not to where her breasts ached to be touched, her nipples hard little pebbles pushing against her clothes. And she hurt. Her belly felt tight, and between her thighs-. —sShe shuddered, not even wanting to think about how wet she felt.

  Had she really told him she wanted him to taste her? She pressed her lips together, feeling how swollen they were from Ben’s kisses and wanted to moan. Instead she hid her face in Ben’s neck, alternately savoring his scent and wanting to die from embarrassment.

  Ben ended his call and ran his now free hand over her hair, followed by a kiss at the crown of her head. “I’m sorry, Willow. I need to get back. Four people are missing and we need to start searching for them before we lose the light.”

  Willow knew Ben worked at the lodge and was part of the search-and-rescue team from their conversation last night. They’d played cards when he’d shown up for protection duty, only to be kicked out by Rome a few hours later. Willow had been concerned again about the cold. Rome only huffed out a breath, reminding her that Ben had full use of one of the other cabins if he needed to warm up and that he wouldn’t be alone for long, what with a second guard coming in less than two hours.

  The thought of being cold and alone filled her with enough sympathy for the idiots whose misadventure had ruined her time with Ben that she was able to step back. “They’re probably freaking out.”

  “Willow?”

  “Hmm?” Rather than look at him, she bent down to pick up her abandoned helmet and gloves. Intent on brushing the snow clear, she didn’t see his lips press into a mulish line. “If not. they will be when I’m done with them.”

  Now she blinked up at him, unsure she just heard what she heard. “Pardon?”

  Ben reached out and caught her chin between his thumb and fingers. “I’m only sorry for the interruption, not for kissing you. I want to do that again. We will do it again.” A thick pause, the desire in his eyes echoed by the throbbing arousal between her thighs. He drew in a harsh breath, every facet of his features taut with hunger. “And so much more.”

  Willow nearly choked on her saliva. If this aching, almost painful need was caused by Ben’s mere kiss, she didn’t know if she could handle his idea of more.

  But she really wanted to find out.

  Chapter Eight

  Much too soon, they returned to the clearing in front of the cabins. Understanding that Ben had obligations, and that lives were quite possibly on the line, did little to ease the disappointment of their brief outing. She didn’t want to peel her body from the masculine warmth of his, didn’t want to watch him leave, didn’t want his attention on anyone or anything but her.

  She stiffened at the unprecedented greed, brows furrowed in confusion. Where in the world did that come from?

  The contemplation of her selfishness ended when she caught sight of a second SUV parked adjacent to one of the unused cabins. The front door of her cabin opened, and because she expected to see Rome, she was thrown when two large and unfamiliar men exited. The strangers quickly shut the door behind them, yet didn’t move forward, effectively barring the entrance with their bodies. Willow unconsciously clung tighter to Ben as he braked near the bottom of the porch stairs.

  Feeling her arms tighten around his waist, Ben ran one hand soothingly along her forearm. “It’s okay, Will. Joe and Scott might look like wannabe hit men.”

  The change in the two men as they turned to one another in feigned shock had Willow re-evaluating. As they play-fought, ducking and throwing mock punches, it took her a moment to realize the men couldn’t possibly have heard Ben. Though they were only a short distance away, Ben hadn’t raised his voice to compensate for his helmet, or the still-running motor. Even at idle, the snowmobile was loud enough that Willow, closer to him than skin at the moment, barely heard the words.

  Ben cut the engine, his words easing one concern even as another took hold. “But they’re here to protect you. As I’ve known them for some time now, I can vouch for their keen ability.” At their smug smiles, Ben added with wry amusement, “just not their intelligence.”

  At his gentle coaxing, Willow swung off the machine and waited patiently as Ben undid her helmet and then his own, her eyes flitting from his to the faces staring intently at them from atop the porch. Rome was still nowhere to be seen, which worried her. Ben wound an arm around her, his palm wide open and firm as he rested it on her hip.

  “Willow, this is Joe Feider.” The lighter-haired man gave her a friendly grin, though he didn’t stray from his position.

  “And Scott Boeing,” Ben said as

  Scott bounded down the wooden stairs, his grin a little more interested. “Nice,” Scott murmured, taking her gloved hand in his bare one.

  Willow tensed at the blatant come-on, and felt Ben’s grip on her tighten. “Mine.”

  Dumbfounded by the husky word, she blinked up at Ben, then dropped her jaw when Scott dropped her hand and asked, “How fast she go?”

  For several thick seconds the only sound heard was the ticking of the snowmobile’s cooling engine before Ben relaxed and let out a soft chuckle. “She can hit sixty, depending on the snow condition, of course.” Ben stroked Willow’s back, a caress she felt all the way through her clothes. She would have arched into his touch but he was gone, having moved off
several paces with Scott to admire the snowmobile.

  Willow shook her head. Of course that was what Ben meant when he said “mine.” The machine, not the girl. Just because he’d kissed her didn’t mean he thought of her as his. People kissed all the time without making a big production out of it. So maybe she’d felt a bit greedy earlier, wanting Ben all to herself. She dismissed it as a natural reaction to the man’s sensual appeal. He was hot, sexy, funny, charming, and most definitely knew how to use his mouth to make a woman swoon with pleasure. She would have to be dead not to want more of his special attention, especially the lips and tongue part.

  Thinking of where else she’d like to have his lips and tongue had her crossing one booted foot over the other.

  “Scott’s a geek gearhead,” Joe informed her as he alighted the stairs, making her blink away the erotic thought. He lounged against the bottom rail, seemingly to keep his distance from Willow without looking like he was keeping a distance. “If it lights, rings, or moves, he’s all over it.”

  “Uh, okay.” She paused, polite manners demanding she ask something of him. “And you?”

  Joe laughed. “I make sure he stays out of trouble.”

  Willow’s frown was back. “That happen often?”

  Possibly clueing in on Willow’s unease, Joe’s tone turned serious. “Not while he’s working, and until you’re no longer in danger, consider us working, no matter what happens.”

  Despite her new bodyguard’s words, Willow wasn’t comforted. At all. Her gaze went past Joe to the closed door, wondering again where Rome was and hoping the appearance of the newcomers didn’t mean the agent had to leave. She felt safe with Rome. Bored stupid, but safe.

  Strangely enough, she also felt safe with Ben.

  She peeked over at where Ben and Scott chatted amicably, feeling that warmth steel over her whenever she saw him. She might not feel bored with Ben but at times she could cop to feeling stupid. He was totally out of her league, and not only due to his hotness factor. Based on their kiss, Willow figured he had a lot of experience with women and pleasure of the not-so-innocent kind. Whereas she—well, not so much.