Page 7 of Juneau Heat (Urban Heat 1)

Something in the way she said “if I need it” made him think her family had pressured her to get it done. Didn’t she do this kind of thing all the time? He wondered just how much of the personal information she shared with him was true, and what was all a part of the hunter’s plan. They had no conscience when it came to getting what they wanted.

When their dinner arrived, they ate and chatted about what Shiya wanted to do the next day. Taking the tram up Roberts Mountain stood at the top of the list. He had no problem escorting her, but his and Kotori’s goal included getting her into bed by the next day.

The night turned bitter cold by the time they left the restaurant. Birk yielded to Kotori when he wrapped an arm around Shiya’s shoulders and drew her into his side. She moaned softly, a sound that vibrated along his nerve endings and ended in his ball sac.

“You’re so warm, Kotori,” she murmured from his chest, and when they climbed into the SUV, Kotori took the front seat across from him, putting Shiya on his lap. Yeah, they would have her tomorrow for sure.

At the entrance to Shiya’s room, Birk decided to take things to the next level so there would be no misunderstandings. He stood above her, crowding her space. She had nowhere to go but into his arms with the door at her back. “I think it’s time for me to show you what you’re missing.”

“You’re that confident, huh? I’d heard that . . .”

He leaned down, bringing his lips within an inch of hers. The warmth of their breaths mingled, and he tilted his head a little, but waited to claim what he desired. “You’d heard what?”

She seemed to change her mind about whatever it was she’d intended to say. “I heard Alaskan men are bold.”

“Hm, I can’t speak for the rest. I know what I want, and I don’t hesitate to take it.”

/> “And if I said no?”

He grinned. “You won’t say no.”

Then he covered her mouth and explored the sweet interior. He cupped her face just beneath her ear and took the kiss deeper. Sweeping her tongue with his own, he tangled the two together and showed her what he had in store. A hand around her waist, he drew her tight to his chest until he flattened her breasts. A cry of pleasure escaped her, and only then did he raise his head and take a step back. She reached a hand to her swollen lips, her gaze unfocused, but before she could recover, Kotori moved in.

He laid his hands at her waist. “My turn.” She had just enough time make a small noise of surprise when he raised her off her feet. Kotori crushed her to him, molding her body to his and giving Birk visions of the two of them taking her—one in front, the other in back. His friend ran a hand over Shiya’s back until he reached her ass, and then he squeezed the round cheek until she murmured against his mouth. He forced her head back and assaulted her mouth with a hunger Birk knew Kotori fought to contain.

The grip Shiya held on Kotori’s jacket sleeves went limp, and Birk touched his buddy’s shoulder. Kotori kissed her moments longer and then set her on her feet. Shiya wobbled, and Kotori steadied her. “Shall I carry you inside?” he teased.

“Please, I’m fine. Good night, boys. See you in the morning.”

Birk chuckled under his breath when she stumbled after opening the door and walking across the threshold. Once again, he wondered if she could take them both, but he refused to back down now. One taste had him determined to eat Shiya up.

He and Kotori returned to the SUV, and Birk threw it into first gear. “You heading home?”

“No, I’ll have to visit my grandmother,” Kotori said. The frown on his face told Birk he wasn’t looking forward to it. Kotori might be head of his family, but his grandmother could be a handful.

“Think she knows about Shiya?”

Kotori swore. “Of course she knows. She always does. I didn’t tell her anything, but I’m sure she will say the spirits told her Shiya’s from a family of shifter hunters. Damn it, sometimes I wish she was wrong once in a while. Then I could get peace.”

Birk laughed. “Oh, you’re not going to get peace anytime soon, my friend. She’ll have you married with kids before long.”

Kotori sneered at him, and Birk shook his head, amused. What would his grandmother say if she knew they would both share the hunter’s daughter?

“At least she respects me as the leader—well, around others.”

“Private lectures, huh?”

Kotori winced. “Enough to make my ears bleed.”

They rode in silence for a while as Birk thought over the situation. “She is right, though. Shiya here means trouble. She didn’t come alone. I smelled a human near her place tonight, the same scent I picked up outside the restaurant and near a couple of the shops we visited. It could be a coincidence, but I doubt it.”

Kotori nodded. “The tip-off we got that the famous Keith hunters coming to Alaska was right. They always send in someone to scope out the situation, who confirms the presence of shifters. Then they move in. Backers and investments mean they can afford to do this full-time and pay off whoever they need to keep it all quiet.”

Birk slammed a fist against the steering wheel. A new idea struck him. “If we capture her heart, she might betray her family.”

Kotori’s eyes widened. “Do we want to do that? We’ve never deliberately set out to make a woman fall in love. We’ve always made it plain it’s about the sex and nothing else. Neither of us wants a mate.”

“It’s below the belt, I admit, but she knows her family’s intentions, doesn’t she? She came here knowing if she learns what we are, her father or his men will try to kill us. Should we give a shit if she gets hurt?”

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