Aware she was wasting time, Suzie undressed and set her discarded clothes beside Niall’s.She could feel him watching her, appreciating her body and tried hard not to blush.
Niall pulled her into his arms, and she breathed in his honied scent.He always smelled so decadent and enticing.
“How are you feeling after my brothers manhandled you?”he asked.“We’ve been discussing our plan and suspicions, but I should’ve been cossetting you instead.”
Suzie kissed his cheek, savoring the slight abrasion of whiskers.She slipped her arms around his neck.“A few bumps and bruises, but they’re not too bad.My shifter side has mostly healed my ouchies.”
“I’m sorry it happened.It’s all my fault.”
“Rubbish.The problem lies with your brothers and the person at the top.Even though I laughed at your honey trap, it’s the perfect idea to flush out the leader.If he wants your honey so much, let him think he has it.What did the investigator say?”
“I haven’t caught up with him yet.He was busy when I rang a few minutes ago.”
“Okay.Enough of this discussion.Let’s come up with more enjoyable activities.”
Niall nuzzled her cheek.“Do tell.”
Suzie stretched up on tiptoes and wound her arms around his neck.She grinned, and seconds later, he covered her mouth with his, kissing her until her knees went weak and her head spun.She felt weightless and opened her eyes to find Niall had scooped her up.He placed her on the bed and followed her down.His smile was wide and flirtatious, his expression reminding her of a marauding pirate.
“Sir, now that you have me in your clutches, whatever shall I do?”
Niall rolled his eyes.“Do I have to spell it out, lass?”
“Yes,” Suzie said, and a bubble of laughter filled her, aching for freedom.She’d never thought of fun and laughter in conjunction with making love.She loved seeing Niall’s playful side.
“I’m a lucky man.”Niall kissed the side of her neck.“You smell good.”
“It’s your shower gel.”
“Yes,” he said with quiet satisfaction.“I thought having a woman in my life would change everything.It has, but I like the differences.I enjoy having you here to discuss my honey, the gathering, or the weather.My life was lacking before you came along.”
Suzie laughed, her green eyes twinkling.“You’ve changed everything for me as well.”She initiated a kiss, and intense yearning crawled through her.Although sex was new to her, she wanted to touch him and receive touches in return.As if he could read her mind, his hips pressed into hers, and he took over the kiss.He nibbled and licked until she gasped and dragged him even closer, surrendering to his greater experience.
She ran her hands over his shoulders, her nails digging into his flesh.Niall’s mouth shifted into a smile, or at least, it felt that way.When she opened her eyes to look, she found she was right.She wriggled and moved her hips against him, her breath hitching at the bulge of his cock.She wriggled again and laughed at the growl that emerged from him.Niall sucked lightly on the skin of her neck.It was enough for her to feel the suction but not enough to bruise for everyone to see later.
Meanwhile, Suzie made free with Niall’s body, touching everywhere she could reach.Her hand smoothed over his butt and lingered.Now that he was naked, it was much easier to appreciate his splendor.
“You keep drifting off,” he murmured against her breasts.
“Nope.Merely thinking about your biteable muscles and how much I’d like to see my teeth marks on your butt.”
Niall blinked, and she glimpsed his bear in his eyes.Suzie laughed, a bark of hilarity that sounded more like a cackle.But heck, Niall’s bear was totally on board with biting and the resulting badges of honor.
Niall stared at her, blinking several more times, his manner uncharacteristically diffident.Suzie laughed again and was still laughing when her cell phone rang.She jumped at the burst of familiar music—the upbeat tune about family telling her it was a call from home.One she wasn’t expecting.Tension slid through her, canceling her merriment.She wrenched from Niall’s embrace and groped for her phone.
“Suzie?”The surprise in his voice told her he didn’t understand why she wouldn’t let the caller leave a message.It was late now—close to midnight.The ringing continued, becoming more insistent, and panic rose in her.Where the devil was her phone?She ran her hand over the bedside cabinet and finally, finally she located it.The phone thumped to the floor, and she scrambled after it.A tremble darted through her, settling in her fingers and making her fumble as she attempted to answer the call.“Dad?Mum?”
Instead, it was Charlie, her brother, the sibling closest to her age.“Suzie?”His voice wasn’t more than a whisper.
“What’s wrong?”Her breath burst in and out, audible to her and probably to Niall.She shot a glance at him.He wore a scowl, and she jerked, shocked at this reaction.
“Mum and Dad were in an accident.Gran told me not to ring,” he blurted.
“You’ve done the right thing,” she reassured him, hearing the quiver in his voice.“Mum and Dad—”
“Dad has bad bruises.Mum is worse.She’s still unconscious.”
Suzie heard the unshed tears.The shock.Her family needed her.“I’ll catch the first flight home.”
