Although, truthfully, the smell of Alain’s musky testosterone made him want to smash his fist into something, preferably Alain’s face, but that was his problem, not Pepper’s. He couldn’t fault her and other than the addicting biochemical in her mouth, she wasn’t putting off the vibes that she was hunting for a man to bed her. In fact, she was clearly stating, without a word, that she was taken.
“Alain, we’ve found a couple of pairs Pepper would like to try on.”
Alain moved in close, reaching around Pepper to take the boots and heels from Wyatt’s hand. His shoulder grazed Pepper’s breast. She didn’t glance at him, but moved into Wyatt, wrapping her arm around his waist and settling her breasts into his back.
“You’re going to love those heels on me, baby,” she said, nuzzling him with her chin. “I promise. It will be worth it.”
Her voice was so sexy he had to close his eyes and just absorb it into his skin and bones and other particular more sensitive parts. Alain’s mouth watered. His breathing changed. Wyatt almost made the mistake of telling her to tone it down when he realized she wasn’t trying to affect anyone but him.
His hand swept down the fall of her hair, fingers tangling in the silk. “I love everythin’ on you, honey. I have fun takin’ it off.”
Alain cleared his throat several times. “Size. I need a shoe size.”
It was Wyatt who answered. “She’s a six and a half.”
Pepper sank into the chair Wyatt indicated. “How could you possibly know that, Wyatt? I don’t know.”
“I know every measurement on your body, sugar,” he admitted with a small grin. “I’ve committed every inch of you to memory and that’s the plain truth.”
Her eyes moved over his face for a long time. Finally, she sighed and shook her head. “You take my breath away. Sometimes I can’t believe you’re real.”
Pepper felt lost again. She had no trouble with Wyatt when he was being bossy or arrogant. She had no trouble with his demands in bed. She had trouble with his tender. His gentle. His taking care of her. That mystified her. Threw her into confusion. Sent her stomach somersaulting and her body naturally growing damp for him. He could be so sweet she wanted to cry. Like now. Did other men say such things to women?
He swept his hand through her hair, tucked it behind her ear, his fingers lingering against the pulse in her neck. “I’m real, baby. You’re mine, I take care of you.”
Wyatt made her feel special. Cared for. Protected even. She knew she was relying on his strengths, so she didn’t mind at all when he directed her. She had enormous gaps in her education. And his directions so far had always been rewarding. She’d gone hours without the terrible, clawing need rising to swallow her whole. Wyatt had given her that. Wyatt, who wanted her to be the mother of his children – who trusted her enough to bring her into his home with his wonderful grandmother.
She might not understand family, but the moment she’d entered that house, when Nonny still thought there was a possibility of a Rougarou loose in the neighborhood, she’d known she was somewhere special. The house had smelled different from anywhere she’d ever been. It had felt different to her. She wanted that for herself, for her three little girls. The laughter and music and flowing conversations in Wyatt’s home both warmed and intrigued her. Wyatt. It all came back to him.
Alain returned and drew up a short little bench, positioning himself between her legs. Pepper pressed her lips together and glanced sideways at Wyatt, hoping to get a cue from him. Was it normal for a salesman to do that? He reached out and took her ankle in his hands. A shiver of alarm went down her spine. Every cell in her body recoiled, shrunk back. Every muscle tightened. She could feel something lethal beginning to coil in her belly.
To her horror, Pepper felt the sudden leak of venom in her mouth. That hadn’t happened since she’d been in Braden’s office. Quickly she turned her face away from Wyatt.
I can’t do this, Wyatt. I’m sorry. I want to please you, but his hands on me…
Wyatt reached out instantly and clamped his hand over Alain’s, forcibly removing his fingers from Pepper’s bare skin. “Step back away from her.”
Wyatt’s voice was quiet, low even, but commanding. She felt the faint trembling of the floor beneath their feet. The warning was too clear for anyone, even Alain to miss. He dropped his hands immediately and leapt up. Wyatt shifted position to the small stool, bending to reach for her ankle.
You want him? You want to fuck him?
His tone made her tremble. His hands were gentle, belying the fierce temper rising. She felt it like a gathering hurricane, a volcano set to blow any moment. The relief of feeling Wyatt’s fingers against her bare skin was tremendous. She gave a little shudder, shocked at how repulsed she’d been. More shocked that she hadn’t felt the least little tingle of hunger.
You misunderstand, she said softly, her fingers twisting in the material of her skirt, bunching the fabric into her fist nervously. He triggered aggression in me. Venom. I was so repulsed I wanted – even needed – to protect myself. I didn’t know if I was supposed to allow him to touch me like that, but it felt wrong. I didn’t like it at all.
She felt the change in him instantly. His hands stroked up her leg and back over her calf. He gently removed her shoe, his head down as his hands glided over her foot. He lifted her foot just a little, his palm sliding over the heel, the arch and finally to the ball and toes, a caress. She felt his touch as if it was an arrow piercing her heart.
The venom receded. The tight coil in her belly unfurled. Her muscles relaxed and the tingles were not only in her feminine core, but her breasts as well. With just his small touch, Wyatt erased the memory of the other man’s hands on her skin.
Are you angry with me, Wyatt? She felt anxious, as if she’d let him down.
No, baby, I’m angry with myself. I should have protected you better. Not misunderstood or allowed my jealousy free rein. It won’t happen again. I’ll do better. This is a learning process for both of us.
Wyatt slipped the high heel on her foot. It was black with black leather lacy cutout all the way up from the middle of the shoe to her ankle. It was the sexiest shoe she’d ever seen. It felt sexy on, or maybe it was the way his hands kept stroking her skin.
Wyatt? She waited until his eyes met hers. I didn’t feel anything sexual at all. Whatever you did took it away. His touch repulsed me. She took a deep breath before she made her confession. But when you touched me, I went damp. My breasts ached all over again.
His gaze turned hot. Intense. He reached up, curled his hand around the nape of her neck and brought her head down to his. His mouth claimed her. Hot. On fire hot. She was fairly certain no other man on Earth could kiss like him. He was a brilliant kisser. She never wanted him to stop. She forgot where they were. Forgot her own name. There was only Wyatt pouring himself down her throat and into her heart.