"Next house on the right."

  The tires crunched over the gravel drive as the Jeep rocked to a halt. She groaned at the sight of her mother's house. It was a shoebox. Her mother must have stashed the extra cash from the Florida house when she moved back two years ago at the height of the real estate boom.

  Two weeks ago she called begging her to come back and help with Jasper. Nona expected a long recovery after his hospital stay. Cheyenne had already quit her job and packed when she got the call he had died. She didn't have a chance to say good-bye. The unknown stretched before her as she climbed the steps.

  She turned, realizing she didn't have a key.

  Shane rolled out of the truck and drew his key ring from his pocket. Jangling them, he said, "I feed the cat when your mom flies to visit you."

  He was the last person she expected her mother would ask for a favor. Minutes later, all of her boxes and bags sat on the floor of the small spare room while she sat cross-legged on a Chenille bedspread. The house was a replica of Nona's, right down to the cedar paneling. It was like stepping back in time.

  Without warning, a flame of heat crept up her back. Sweat popped out covering her chest and forehead. Her skin itched and burned as if covered in poison ivy. Leaving her high paying job, worry about her future, and seeing Shane had her on stress overload. Christ, she needed a drink before she lost control…

  Rushing to the kitchen, she found Shane seated at the small table. His long fingers wrapped around a frosted glass of whiskey. A bottle of Jack and Stoli sat on the counter. Guess he watered more than the cat while her mother was away.

  "Didn't know your pleasure or if you imbibed," he said lowly, pointing to the liquor bottles. His wicked golden eyes delved into hers.

  Leaning against the counter, she barked a short laugh as her blood pressure spiked under his heated gaze. "Just because I'm adopted, Shane, doesn't mean I didn't pick up family habits." She turned and poured a shot of whisky. Instantly, the liquor stilled the warring cells in her body.

  "Thought that's why Tegan spirited you off to Florida. To get you away from my habits with you." The muscles of his jaw tightened.

  Her mother had never accepted the special bond she had with Shane. So Cheyenne never confided to her mother of their intimacy. Falling in love with Shane wasn't any different than falling for a best friend.

  "Evidently her judgment had been on target. You never answered any of my letters or bothered to pick up the phone." She hated the anger in her voice. More, she hated that she cared.

  Shane's chest puffed. He slammed his drink glass on the table, scowling. "Evidently that's what you wanted when you spilled your guts to her about us."

  The blood drained from her face making her lightheaded. "What? You thought I told her?" Jesus!

  "You didn't?"

  Her shoulders drooped as she shook her head.

  His eyes lightened in surprise.

  She gripped the counter behind her. He'd never believed the bit about her mom changing jobs. If she revealed the real reason they'd left Manteo, he'd think her insane. "I'd never betray you, Shane." Her words spilled out sounding breathless.

  The back of his knees hit the chair. It skidded backward and tipped over as he closed in on her like a predator. His eyes darkened to molten caramel as his nostrils flared. Over two hundred pounds of sinewy muscles trapped her against the counter while large hands rested at her lower back.

  Stunned, she froze. Anger and passion mixed. The pungent aroma of whiskey wafted from masculine lips hovering inches from hers.

  In mocked defiance she lifted her chin. The act forced him to pause, but only for a second before claiming her mouth.

  Savagely. Branding her. As he had when she was sixteen.

  Freewill gone, she melted into his hard embrace and prodding erection. His tongue swept past her teeth with hunger as he lifted her onto the counter.

  "God, Chey," he hissed, squeezing her ass, making her wet with need.

  His hands roved under her skirt, skimming the tops of her thighs, until his fingers caught the band of her silk thong. Like a hunter, he shredded the flimsy barrier.

  Her head fell back in surrender as her hips bucked forward. Far better than whiskey, his touch drugged her, weakened her defenses. Nothing had changed.

  He growled and bent between her legs. Dipping his head, he slowly traced a long trail up the inside of one thigh. Pausing, he inhaled, before sweeping his warm tongue over her ripe slit. Tasting. Tender strokes sent waves of pleasure to her core. He teased her clit. Throbbing pressure built, heightening her need. He buried his tongue deeper. Fucking her weeping pussy.

  Her desperate moans echoed in her ears.

  "Chey. Sweet as I remember." He slid a digit inside her snug channel, then another curling to an angle for her pleasure.

  She arched for more. Her muscles tensed as she held on. His quickening strokes fed her fury. She whimpered at the touch that thrilled her more than she remembered. Lost in a torrent of sensations, she wound higher.

  Wide black pupils rimmed with golden irises burned through her, sapping her control.

  Memories of their foreplay in the tree house replayed in her mind like an old movie. How quickly he'd learned to drive her insane with his tongue and fingers. She'd never felt his raging cock inside her, but if the sensation were any better, she'd never be free of him.

  His tongue joined his fingers. So close. A little more. With her legs draped over his broad shoulders, she clung to him with a dying need.

  "Come for me, baby." He sucked her swollen bud.

  Her hips rocked forward as white-hot pleasure pulsed deep in her aching pussy. "Shane!"

  Her body convulsed as she rode out her rippling climax against his greedy mouth. After ten years, he could still drive sense and reason from her with his touch. She fell limp as he lapped her juices.

  His dark head rose from between her thighs. Like a lion finishing a feast, he licked his lips. Was she just another one of his prey? Before she could decide, his mouth plundered hers. Kissing her like a man dying of thirst. She tasted her own pleasure as his tongue scraped past her teeth and fought with hers. Utterly male. Totally dominant. Resistance was futile.

  Cheyenne slid off the counter, paying tribute to his broad chest as she fumbled with the buttons of his shirt. Bronzed pectorals accented by ripped abs and defined obliques greeted her when she drew the garment off his shoulders. She flicked a fingernail over a dark nipple and reveled at the puckering response. His crooked smile set her nerves on edge.

  Redirecting her gaze, she yanked down his zipper.

  His cock sprang free, thick and heavy. The broad crest glistened with pre-cum. Invited her. Steel over velvet in her grasp, she eagerly dropped to her knees. With a gentle caress, she grazed his weeping tip. Tasted the saltiness and took pride at his animal moan.

  Dark primal instincts drove her to devour his rigid shaft deep in the cavern of her mouth. His beastly manhood flexed as she swallowed. Tenderly, she cupped his smooth sac and squeezed. He gasped. Time hadn't stripped her of the power to thrill him.

  * * * *

  Shane lost his breath at the dual sensations. Her beauty threaded between his legs as she slowly savored every inch of him. He shivered at the thought of being buried deep inside of her. "Jesus, Chey, you're going to set me off before I'm ready, gorgeous."

  With a gnawing hunger, he swept his fingers through her silken hair. He fought for control as her soft lips slid up and down his entire length, gaining momentum.

  Her wicked tongue lavished his tool as her eyes lanced him with an expression of victory. Then she began to hum.

  The sweet vibration set him afire. Drove his blood to flashpoint.

  Erotic jade green eyes searched his soul, found nirvana, and mirrored it back. In complete and utter surrender he let go. She owned him—always had. He groaned as an electric current shot down his spine. Boiled cum in his balls.

  "Yes, baby. Fuck…yeah," he whispered, driving deep into her eager mouth. His load burst forth in torrid streams from his pulsing head. Her throat tightened, milking every drop. She might as well have drained his brain with his dick.

  All he could do was quietly chant her name.

  The front door squeaked. Chey gasped and scrambled to her feet. He snagged the waistband of his jeans, kissed the top her head, and escaped to the garage.

  Tegan bound into the kitchen a second later.

  "Hey mom. Shane finished unloading…my stuff."

  From the garage, he couldn't help but smile.

  "He's searching for some ice. Did you find any?" She poked her head around the door.

  Still buttoning his shirt, he opened the freezer and winked.

  Chapter 3

  After saying he'd walk to Nona's, Chey's mouth drooped in disappointment, leaving him ashamed. His skin crawled, and he barely reached the tree line before he disappeared into the air. With a downward flap of wings, he glided over grassy marshland where he'd learned to fly with Jasper. The loss weighed heavily in his feathered breast, but Chey's return brightened his outlook.

  After a lengthy flight, he circled back and plucked his clothes from the ground before landing in a secluded line of shrubbery. Years of practice had trained his animal brain to hunt for them.

  When he was ten, Chey had found him nude in the forest. He'd convinced her he'd lost a dare with his buddies. She'd kept his secret and thereafter they were sealed in a bond.

  She blossomed in her teens. He'd fought conflicting emotions for the friend he loved and the emerging woman capturing his heart. One afternoon after school, he found her in the tree house crying. He'd only sought to comfort her, but she returned his kiss with fervor.

  Fearing judgment, they'd agreed to keep their relationship a secret. They weren't related by blood, but had been raised as cousins. He hadn't realized he was actually in love with her until she moved away.

  He'd wondered about Tegan's real reason for suddenly up-rooting them and moving to Florida. They'd lost so much time.

  Would she accept him if he told her the truth?

  Shane slipped into his pants then tugged on his shirt as he jogged around the corner for home. The lingering essence of his grandfather was a painful reminder of life's short walk, but it fortified his decision to confront Chey with his real nature.

  He rummaged through his closet trying to dispel the vivid images of their oral play in the kitchen. He wanted more. Every inch of her tawny skin under his tongue. Every inch of his dick buried deep inside of her sweet pussy. To feel her contractions milk him as she came. Elation as he spurt forth his seed to mark her as his.

  With a heavy sigh, he tapped his forehead on the doorframe. Zapping his erotic fantasy. Quickly, he donned a clean pair of worn jeans and carefully zipped over his partial erection that refused to wither. Throwing on a clean T-shirt, he headed out the door.

  He reached Nona's drive and spied the older men rallied around the garage on a smoke break. He bummed a cigarette. The instant infusion of nicotine provided much-needed energy after his shift.

  He bet Chey had a few choice names for him after he cut out on her. And what if Dory had stopped in and mouthed off to Chey about their fuckfests. After a final drag, he stamped the butt with his boot.

  Without a breeze, the tiny house felt sweltering on the warm day. Shane found Chey in the kitchen. He started to apologize, but a hand snagged him. Turning, he came face to face with Dory.

  "Hey, babe, sorry I didn't get to sit with you at the service." Bright pink lips brushed his.

  Her voice caught Chey's attention before he could step away.

  Damn.

  "Isn't she your cousin?" Dory asked, tugging him over to the taller woman.

  Chey slid a pie into the oven. Shut the door and shot him a glare.

  "Hi, I'm Dory," she said extending her hand. "You must be Cheyenne, the long lost cuz."

  Chey accepted the shake with her still mitted hand. Her face masked any thoughts she had regarding the obnoxious blonde.

  Why had he ever revealed his sentiment for Chey to her?

  Now she decided to play the jealous bitch.

  "Dory and your mom are friends. They used to work together." He moved closer to Chey.

  Dory's eyes roved his body and whispered, "We worked together for a while too, hot stuff."

  His spine went rigid. If he mentioned her affair with Ed, he'd sound envious. "Not anymore. That was a long time ago."

  "Not that long." Dory giggled.

  As he lasered Dory, Chey raised a dark brow and winked. "Still the same old Shane. "I imagine summer is quite the hunting season for you, Cuz. All those bikini babes looking for a vacation to remember."

  Chey's zing forced him to grin as Dory's face contorted into an expression of pure hatred.

  And his hunting skills far surpassed anything they might imagine…

  * * * *

  What in the hell had she been thinking? She'd become another notch to Shane's headboard. Her body had betrayed her. Always had where the handsome rogue was concerned. She cursed under her breath for caring and busied herself with kitchen clean up.

  The house emptied and Shane had left without a word. So much for reunions. He'd broken through her defenses and clouded her judgment with sentiment. Certainly lived up to his bad boy reputation.

  The heat of the day vanished with the sun by the time she stepped from the house. Her skin itched as the cool, woodsy evening enveloped her. A night run would ease her tension. She opened the door of her Jeep and a rustling of leaves pricked her senses.

  She scanned the shadows. Shane. Masculine, predatory and wild. She drank in the exotic mix. "The Rangers certainly taught you stealth."

  "We need to talk," he said softly. He stepped toward her, his face devoid of emotion.

  "There's nothing to say." Jealously laced her words. "I apologize if I was out of line with your girlfriend. Our sex play in the kitchen shouldn't have happened." She slid into the truck and keyed the ignition.

  "Dory and I were never anything and I'm sorry for her remarks." He paused. Reaching inside the truck, he tenderly traced her cheek. "How long are you staying?"

  She shrugged.

  His shoulder's fell.

  Then, something in him shifted.

  "All these years, Chey, you've held my heart. God knows I still love you. But you're right. You deserve better…than someone like me."

  Seconds passed as his words sunk in. He loved her. Someone like him? What did he mean? She certainly didn't have any right to judge his sexual promiscuousness. Hell, she'd done the same, but for her own reasons.

  "How do you know what I deserve?" she asked, blinking against tears.

  "You're right." His gaze lowered as he scrubbed his jaw.

  "You don't know me. I'm the not the girl who moved away, Shane. How could you feel the same about me?"

  "You're a beautiful woman now," he said huskily, "but deep inside, you're still my Chey."

  His golden stare hypnotized her, held her captive. She cleared her throat. "Nona and mom didn't tell you that they asked me to come home and help take care of Jasper."

  His dark brows rose high on his forehead.

  "I didn't think so. I'd already given my notice at work and started packing when the call came. So, I'll be staying a while."

  His contented sigh reassured her.

  "And I'll need a job." She inhaled a deep breath. "Where would the man about town suggest I look?"

  His stance relaxed. With a smile, he slipped his cell phone from his pocket. "Doubt you'll be able to rake in the big bucks here like in Florida, but I'll check around. What's your number and your line of work?"

  Her cheeks burned so hot she expected to incinerate. It seemed an eternity before her lips moved. "Probably not a big call for exotic dancers on the Outer Banks."

  His jaw fell slack.

  Priceless.

  "There's a dance club at Point Harbor," he finally said, sounding like he'd swallowed a wad of cotton.

  "Know it well, do ya?" His reaction somehow cheered her. She bit her lip to keep from grinning.

  With his hand resting on the Jeep's door, he shifted in his jeans. A sheepish grin crept across his face. "I've been there a couple of times, but it's only open in summer. You know, my prime hunting season."

  His eyes glowed hot again.

  "Sorry about that." Caught off guard, she glanced below his waist where soft denim cupped his sex. She licked her lips. "I'm going to need something until then."

  He nodded.

  Cheyenne dropped the Jeep into gear and drove off.

  At her mom's house, she readied for her run with Shane's words ringing in her ears. He loved her. He accepted her after he learned she stripped. Could he love the real her, though? The time had come to quit hiding. To quit being a victim. She needed to take a stand for what she wanted and who she was.

  After kicking off her shoes, she sprinted into the woods. Stars shimmered above a dense canopy of pine. Her bones lengthened and her muscles stretched painfully as she dropped to all fours. A second later, her long legs propelled her forward, gaining speed with each stride.

  Into the dark. Always alone.

  * * * *

  Tangled sheets scorched Shane's skin as he rolled off his bed, emerging from a dream of flight. The clock struck midnight. He wanted to shift. Needed to shift. Fatigue kept him human.

  Chey consumed his thoughts. He burned for her more than he did at seventeen. She could've knocked him over with a flick of a long coral fingernail when she revealed she'd been a stripper. Jesus. The memory of her full lips around his cock boiled his blood.

  In less than a day he'd fucked up his chance. Thanks to Dory springing her possessive claws, he'd play hell gaining Chey's trust. When he'd said he loved her, he thought he saw affection in her eyes, only to be replaced with unshed tears. He sensed something weighed on her that had nothing to do with him.

  Stretching, he padded onto the small screened in porch for some fresh air. Smooth concrete cooled the soles of his feet as an autumn breeze caressed his bare skin. Licked between his thighs. Stiffened his cock. Lazily, he stroked his shaft as images of Chey floated behind his eyelids. Naked. Chestnut skin. Lean and beautiful as her sensuous lips trailed over his body.

 

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