Page 36 of Stolen Mate

“How worried should I be about her?”

“Not too. I had to do something I never thought I would. I called Colby Reynolds. He has assets all over the world, and I know he has a number of them in Seattle and is connected far more closely to the Shadow Sisters than anyone might have thought. He very smugly told me he already had people watching her. He’s keen to meet you, by the way.”

“What do you think? A lot of people say he’s a gangster and not to be trusted, but Derek likes him and thinks there is far more to him than most believe.”

“My brother is a wise man, which makes him an excellent lawman. He also has exceptional taste in women.” He tipped his ballcap to her. “You have a good day. I’ll see you this evening.”

Zak turned and headed back down the dock. He was as much of an enigma as his younger brother.

Hugging her journal to her chest, she walked back up to her room. Zak had given her a lot to think about. One thing was for sure, she needed to go back to Seattle and talk to Lara. She understood the shifters’ need for secrecy, but Tess knew for a fact that Lara would never betray them. Ever.

Tess went into her closet and brought out her bags but stopped to look at them. She didn’t need both if she was coming back. That was a good question—was she coming back? She thought about what Zak had said. She still wanted to know more about where she’d come from, what it was like to be a shifter, what it might mean to become a part of this community, and perhaps more importantly, what it would mean to move forward in a relationship with Derek.

She could feel Derek as he approached the cottage. No longer was there an inordinate amount of buzzing in her head accompanied by headaches, nausea, and dizziness. Now, it was just a pleasant buzz that let her know he was here. He tapped on the partially closed door before coming into her room.

“What’s this?” he said, looking at her bags. “Were you just going to leave and not tell me?”

“Nothing of the sort,” she said as she turned to face him.

“Then what’s with the luggage?”

“I want to see my sister. I need to talk to her.”

“That’s what phones are for,” he said, getting a stubborn set to his lips.

Tess closed the small distance between them, laying her hand on his forearm. “I need to talk to her in person. I need to tell her what I’ve found out so far.”

“It is forbidden to tell humans of our existence. You would put everyone in danger.”

“Zak didn’t seem to think so. In fact, when I joked that she would be jealous because I was one and she wasn’t, he offered to turn her.”

“He did?”

Tess nodded. “Yes. He said she was in danger either way and thought she’d be safer up here.”

“She would be; so would you.”

“He also said there was trouble coming and that medical people would be needed. He thought she could make a place for herself in Otter Cove as a vet. I understand your boss’s wife is a vet in Mystic River, but it’s not like they’re right around the corner.”

“That’s all true. But you don’t need to go to Seattle,” he said, sounding almost petulant. But he was a polar bear. She didn’t think polar bears could be petulant. They were too big to sulk. “Have her come here.”

“I don’t want her to feel pressured, and no, I don’t think any of you would allow that to happen. But I know my little sister.”

“I don’t like it.”

“So I gather,” said Tess, wryly. “I was just trying to decide if I needed to pack everything or just what I’d need for a couple of days. In fact, I’m not sure I need to pack at all. After all, I’ll be back before the end of the week, and I have a whole loft full of my stuff…”

Tess knew she was rambling and probably not making any sense. Before she could figure out how to do that, Derek was behind her, spinning her around and setting her up on the dresser, moving between her legs and making a place for himself. Tess wasn’t sure how to respond. Usually Derek was polite and kind, but she could all but feel the passion and tension rolling off of him.

He loomed over her, invading her personal space as she sat on the dresser. He trailed his fingers up the outside of her legs, and she wondered if somehow fate had intervened when she’d opted to put on a heavy, full knit skirt with a pair of boots and a belted sweater. His hands continued to move up underneath her skirt.

She inhaled deeply, breathing in the scent of him. There was no cologne or aftershave, only the fresh clean aroma of the sea and his masculinity. She could feel the heat and arousal rolling off him like the waves that lapped the shoreline.

Derek slid one hand down her leg only to place it on her arm and draw his finger to the hollow of her throat before sliding under her hair to cradle the base of her head. Her nipples perked up and her pussy began to soften as he lowered his head, his mouth covering hers. Heat sizzled along her synapses and desire flashed through her system, encompassing her entire being.

He kissed her with a mixture of sweetness and seduction. He nibbled along her bottom lip, teasing and coaxing as his tongue traced the seam of her mouth. There was something about the way Derek kissed. It wasn’t so much intoxicating as it was inebriating. She felt more drugged than drunk, and yet she never felt intimidated. Her mouth seemed to soften of its own accord and his fingers wound in the hair at the base of her neck as his tongue surged in.

Derek didn’t have the kind of in-your-face dominance that his brother had. Derek’s was quieter, more persuasive, but there was no doubt in either of their minds as to who was in control. His tongue tangled and danced with hers as he used his hand to angle her head into the precise position he wanted it.

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