Falke’s Renegade

His eyes were closed, and his only response was to draw her down the last few inches and kiss her on the mouth.

“Jav—” His tongue darted past her lips to cut her off, and though she had tried to stop him before, she couldn’t summon the strength to protest anymore.

He tasted far too good, and the rampant passion behind the kiss scrambled her thoughts and overwhelmed the best of her intentions. While he kissed her hard, one hand at her nape, he slid his other along her spine to cup her ass and press her against an obvious and impressive erection.

Heidi moaned with sudden need. She ground herself against his body as he broke their kiss to plant a trail of lust along her jaw line, the side of her neck. He nipped her earlobe, and she bucked a little, burrowing closer.

“Isabela...” he whispered, dousing every flicker of arousal that burned within Heidi.

“Oh my God!” She shoved at him, punched his arm and jolted him awake.

He released her the instant his eyes shot open, and she scrambled from the bed.

Breathless and upset, with herself more so than with him, she spun to see him struggling to sit up.

For a brief second, the thought of adjusting his pillows to help him flashed through her mind, but she didn’t act upon it. Distance was called for now, since close proximity proved the worst line of defense.

He looked at her with equal bits drowsy confusion and irritated suspicion.

For a long moment, neither of them spoke. She couldn’t. Her lungs weren’t functioning correctly, and her heart pumped way too much blood to her neck and face. Embarrassed beyond belief, she couldn’t divert her gaze either, although she wanted to do that and more.

Why wouldn’t he say something?

She caved in to the urge to wipe her palms against her thighs. Then she remembered his meal.

“I...um...I brought you something to eat.” She retrieved the tray and set it across his lap, backing up to give him—or rather herself—some much needed space. She didn’t mention the noticeable bulge underneath the covers.

Maybe if they just didn’t talk about it...

But he had to say something. His silent stare was driving her insane.

“I hope you like venison stew.”

He lifted one hand and, without breaking eye contact, swiped a thumb across his moist, well-kissed lips.

Her face would combust any second.

She didn’t blame him for what happened. He’d been dreaming of another woman.

“Who’s Isabela?”

His expression shut down in the blink of an eye, and his deep bass voice gave her chills. “Get the fuck out. Now.”

Chapter Six

“How did Fridrik and Burke take him?” Beth joined Heidi in the kitchen to help prepare dinner.

When Kelan and Reidar first moved Beth into their family home as their mate, Heidi had been a little put out with having another woman under foot, usurping her authority. But things had changed over the last year. She loved the sisterly camaraderie her sister-in-law provided. Heidi had been the only girl in a houseful of men for so long she’d forgotten how having more estrogen in the house could be a good thing.

“Things were a little tense at first.” She tore lettuce into a bowl. “After Javier went to sleep, I was called into the den for a discussion.”

Beth winced. Everyone knew the den was a sacred place into which the children were rarely invited.

If they were summoned into the den, it wasn’t to sit and chat about the weather.

“They’re leery of him and warned me to be careful, but they also realize I couldn’t turn him out while he can’t fend for himself.”

Beth sliced cucumber for the salad. “How’s he doing?”

The kiss—and her reaction to it—flashed through Heidi’s mind. She wanted nothing more than to share what happened with Beth, but she bit her tongue. She wasn’t ready to tell anyone about it yet, and she honestly didn’t know how much Beth would tell her husbands. Heidi definitely didn’t need her brothers knowing.

“He’s getting stronger by the minute.” All his parts seem to be working at any rate, she silently added, reliving the feel of his solid arousal against her hip. Never in her life, in the more than a decade since her first date, had she felt so aroused so quickly. If he hadn’t said that other woman’s name, she would have fucked him without a moment’s hesitation.

“What?” Beth asked.

Heidi looked up from the green pepper she’d been chopping. “What, what?”

“You have a strange look on your face. Did something happen?”

She licked her lips, and her face heated. “Uh...yeah...some—”

“What the hell is that smell?” she heard from the other room.

Reidar!

“Oh, no.” Heidi gasped and dashed from the kitchen, down the back hallway, and just barely headed off her brothers as they came from the other end of the hall toward her room. “No,” she cried as she body checked Reidar away from her door and threw herself against it to block their entry.

Kelan snarled in puma form. Get out of the way, little sister.

“No. Go away. This is my room.”

“What’s in there?” Reidar demanded.

“None of your damn business.”

This is our house.

“It’s my room.” She glared at Kelan but kept a wary eye on Reidar.

“What’s in there?” Reidar repeated, undaunted by her declaration.

“A patient who needs rest. Go away.”

Move her, Kelan told Reidar, who wrapped his arms around Heidi’s waist and lifted her. She grabbed hold of the doorknob with both hands and clung with all she was worth while kicking at her overbearing, much stronger brother.

“Put me down, you asshole,” she shouted. “It’s my room. You know you’re not allowed in there.”

A childish reaction, but it was all she could come up with. Her room was off limits to her brothers, had been since she hit puberty. Her one sanctuary in a house full of testosterone. A girl needed privacy, her mother had said when Heidi had been granted a bedroom as far away from her brothers as her own parents’ room at the other end of the main floor.

She feared for Javier’s safety if the boys got their hands on him. He couldn’t defend himself, and in their state of mind, they wouldn’t stop to listen to her or him. Impulsive to a fault, the pair rarely stopped to listen.

“Ow,” Reidar shouted when her heel connected with his shin. “Don’t make me hurt you, Heidi.” He all but growled as he grabbed her wrist and jerked it from the doorknob.

“Daaaad,” she cried, her last resort.

“Put her down, Reidar,” Burke said, his voice even and calm, as always.

“Dad, she’s got something in there that shouldn’t be in this house. Can’t you smell it?”

She’s too protective of whatever it is, Kelan added. She’s hiding something bad.

“He’s injured and helpless. Nothing to get so uptight about.” Beth stepped up next to Burke.

Obviously she’d gone to fetch him, and Heidi gave her a little smile of thanks.

“What?” Reidar practically dropped Heidi to the floor.

You know what’s in there? Kelan’s telepathic shout caused Beth to blink and Heidi’s head to throb.

Beth nodded with wide-eyed innocence that might fool her husbands, but made Heidi roll her eyes.