Protecting What's His (To Love and Defend Book 1) Read online

  "What's your poison?"

  "I'm fine with water. Boring, I know, but—"

  He held up a hand to stop her. "Water it is. I'll let the goofballs know."

  "I heard that," one of the guys called over.

  "Damn. If I'd realized, I would've used a more appropriate term." Jasper winked at her, and her stomach twisted in a most pleasant way.

  He walked over to place their drink order, and she admired his backside. Nice ass.

  A moment later, he returned with the waters. "They'll bring the pizza out in a minute."

  "An entire pizza," she said, shocked. "For the two of us."

  "Trust me. You'll love it and will scarf it down."

  "I love pizza, but I'll never be able to eat half—oh, my God, that is huge!"

  Jasper laughed, but the look in his hooded eyes was anything but amused. He wanted her as badly as she did him, but he was willing to wait. He was willing to let her call the shots.

  Damn. She hardly knew him, and she liked him already.

  The guy who ribbed Jasper laid out their pizza. It damn well nearly took up the entire table. He handed them plates and a huge stack of napkins.

  "Take your time." The guy glanced at Alexis and nudged Jasper, nodding as if to say he approved. Alexis didn't mind.

  The guy walked away, and Jasper slowly pulled a corner slice away. Cheese strung together, looking picture worthy.

  "One slice of the square pizza or two?" he asked, already placing the first on her plate.

  "Um, the pizza is rectangular. You know the definition of the word no, which, to your credit, most guys don't, but you don't know your shapes?"

  "Oh, I know my shapes," he murmured in a husky voice. "I know which shapes go into where."

  She shivered and squeezed her thighs tightly together.

  "One for now," she said. "I can always come back for more."

  He just smirked at her, and she winked. Sometimes, getting right down to it was the best course. Other times, the slow build made it that much more worthwhile, and she could not wait for the payoff.

  But first, pizza.

  The cheeses, the tomato basil sauce, the shaved parmesan cheese, the pepperoni and spices, all of it exploded in her mouth. The crust was unlike any other pizza she'd ever had, extra thick, super crispy, just perfect.

  "What do you think?" Jasper asked. He hadn't even served himself yet, just watching her.

  She grinned. "It's divine."

  "It gets better as you go."

  "Mmm. I'm sure."

  They didn't quite eat all of the pizza, but they made a large dent in it. It was clear to Alexis that the place had closed already, but Jasper knew all of the workers. It was fun watching him interact with others. Jasper seemed like a good man and a fierce werewolf.

  Then again, at first, Alpha Asshole, one Melvin Hayes, had seemed not too bad either.

  The laughing, the talking, the flirting, none of that could bring her down, not even thinking about that prick.

  A few of the guys on the staff ended up finishing their pizza, and Jasper paid the bill. Somehow, his hand found hers as they left the joint, their fingers intertwining, and it just felt right.

  Until his thumb rubbed over her knuckles. A bolt of heat went straight to her core, and she hesitated, stopping mid-step. He glanced at her, confused for only a second, and then his mouth descended on hers. He tasted spicy and delicious, and she craved more, needed more, desired more.

  When he pulled back, they were both breathing heavily. A hotel's sign was lit down the street, but he surprised her by flagging down a cab. Hands roved, breathing even heavier now, the buildup almost too much for her. Where the hell were they going and how soon were they going to get there?

  Thankfully, it was only a minute longer. Jasper threw a bill at the cab driver, and he helped her out.

  Jasper's place was a small little house, but she honestly wasn't paying it that much attention. As soon as he opened the door, she bent down to unzip her boots. Before she could remove either, Jasper forced her back up to standing, flush against the door and him too.

  "Do you want this?" he asked.

  To answer, she gripped the side of his face and kissed him hard. His tongue pressed against her lips, and she gave him access both there and spread her legs so that his could press against her. She ground against his thigh. Her panties were already soaking wet, and they hadn't even removed any clothes yet.

  Time to change that.

  She shrugged his jacket off, and he did the same, his hands brushing along her sides, her breasts, and down her arms in the process. Goosebumps tickled over her skin, and she shivered against him.

  "If we don't move to the bed now, I'm going to take you right here," he whispered into her ear before nibbling it.

  She tilted her head to the side, and his hot mouth moved to her neck, sucking and biting. The feel of his smooth lips, probing tongue, and sharp teeth sent her skin on fire. The contrast of the goosebumps and the heat of his passion only served to increase her desire all the more.

  "Here is fine," she murmured. "More than fine."

  But he lifted her. Her legs automatically wrapped around him. His hands gripped her ass, and he carried her deeper into the dark house. They hadn't bothered with a light, and they didn't now. Jasper kicked open his bedroom door and gently laid her on the bed. He removed one of her boots and then her sock, kissing her ankle, just a faint brushing of his lips. He did the same to her other side, and holy fuck was this taking too long.

  She reached to undo her jeans, but he brushed her hands away.

  "Relax," he said, his deep voice rumbling straight through her. "Enjoy."

  Oh, she could do that. She could so do that.

  3

  Jasper's cock felt ready to explode. Alexis was fun, witty, and sexy as fuck. She didn't try. Nothing she did was forced or fake. He'd enjoyed their late night dinner, but dessert was on the menu now.

  His hands slid up her long legs to undo her jeans and then slowly slid down her backside as he peeled them off her. The sight of her black lace thong made his cock jump, straining against his jeans, begging to be freed.

  Ignoring himself and focusing on her, he removed her jeans and tossed them onto the floor. Her legs were so soft, and he loved to watch goosebumps appear on her skin. She closed her eyes, breathing deeply, the movement pulling her shirt even tighter against her tits.

  Fuck.

  Tickling and teasing, he licked and kissed his way up her thighs until he buried his face between her legs, shoving her string thong out of the way without bothering to remove it. She yelped, and he hesitated, licking her lips.

  “What the hell are you stopping for?" she asked, breathlessly.

  He winked at her before diving back in. The taste of her… Damn it all. She was so wet, so ready. Beneath him, she squirmed, thrusting against his face, and he peeked up at her. The sight of her hands beneath her shirt, pinching and teasing her nipples had him so aroused that his cock throbbed painfully.

  Jasper pulled back. A haze of lust shone in her eyes as she sat up and yanked her shirt off. Her bra matched her thong. Her stomach was flat, her curves beautiful. She was strong and powerful and, fuck all, he wanted her now.

  Alexis reached over and yanked off his shirt before shoving him down onto the bed. He had a queen, which made for plenty of room for rolling around in.

  She reached for his jeans, and he lifted his ass so she could slide them off him. The moment she freed his cock, she hesitated, eyes wide with shock and appreciation.

  "You like?" he asked, winking.

  She laughed softly. "You haven't done anything with it yet."

  "Just you wait."

  Alexis blew his cock a kiss and finished removing his jeans. Her soft touch was driving him nuts, and she scraped her nails up his thighs. The closer her hands came to his cock, the harder he grew. His hips pumped the air. He desperately needed some release and soon.

  His eyes closed but flew open the second he
r tongue flicked against his head. A drop of pre-cum oozed out, and he groaned.

  "Alexis," he moaned.

  Damn. He'd wanted her to say his name, and here he was, saying hers. What the hell was she doing to him?

  Her throaty chuckle sounded so damn sexy, but he needed more than her words, her laughter, her touch. He needed everything.

  Jasper sat up and claimed her mouth. She slid into his embrace, accepting him. Her heart beat furiously, he could feel it against his chest. Her tits were amazing, but right now, he was more focused on all of her, every inch. His hands rubbed up and down her back, gripping her ass.

  She reached down between them, gripping his cock, giving it only a few strokes before lining herself up and plunging him deep within her.

  Holy fuck was she tight. The combination of her riding his cock on his lap and her bouncing bra-trapped breasts… Wait. Why was she still wearing her bra?

  He pulled her tight against him, thrusting in time to her own movements, and expertly unhooked her bra. She yanked her arms through, and his hands, as if magnets, cupped her breasts, forming a hand bra. His fingers teased her nipples, and there it was. She threw back her head and whispered his name.

  Not quite good enough.

  Shifting his hands to her ass, Jasper shifted onto his knees, lifting her up. Now he could really pound into her. Her nails gripped into his shoulders, raking down his back. As much as he was giving, she was taking and giving it too.

  She clasped her hands around his neck, drawing him close for a kiss. Her walls squeezed around him, and he couldn't hold back any longer. His body shuddered with the force of his orgasm, and she clung to him, barely able to murmur his name in between more kisses and moans.

  Exhausted, he allowed her to pull away from him. She fell back onto the bed, sprawled out. Her face was flushed, her tits rising and falling with her frantic breathing. It was her contented smile that drew his attention.

  He lay beside her, wrapping an arm around her, nestling her against him.

  "Best dessert ever," she whispered.

  He couldn't agree more.

  They fell asleep in that position, and he fell asleep with a smile on his face.

  When he woke, however, he was frowning.

  Alexis was gone, and a quick search of the bedroom revealed her clothes to be all gone. A long and thorough perusal of the entire house turned up nothing.

  She'd upped and left him.

  That was fine. No big deal. A one-night stand. A true relationship never started out that way. It didn't matter that he'd bought her dinner or that they'd had so much fun. It didn't matter that it had been maybe the best sex he'd ever had. And damn his cock. He was getting hard just thinking about how frustrated he was.

  Whatever. She wasn't from around here, hadn't given him her last name or number. The ball was in her court if she wanted anything to do with him.

  Fuck. Why hadn't he gotten her last name or number? Who the hell was she?

  The first few days were the roughest. He thought about Alexis constantly, even thought he saw her once, but when the woman turned around, he realized his mistake. Disappointment and dismay washed over him, and he vowed then to forget her.

  Those few days morphed into an entire week. His frustration transformed into anger. He never brought women to his house, only ever to hotel rooms. He'd felt a spark with Alexis, something strong and powerful, or else he would've done the same with her. That was some of the reason why he was so furious right now.

  To forget her, more like try to forget her, on two separate occasions, he brought women to a hotel room, but he couldn't. He just couldn't. When they would kiss, he'd imagine Alexis' lips. When they would laugh, he'd cringe, the sound too harsh after Alexis' softness. Not that Alexis couldn't be rough. The scratches had just about healed from his back.

  In the end, he sent both away before anything happened more than a few kisses.

  What the fuck. He was a werewolf, not a lapdog. Maybe Alexis was a werewolf and a witch because he certainly felt hexed.

  One point continually came to mind whenever he thought about her. She had left her pack behind that night. Why? Was she working up the nerve to run away? Was there a problem he didn't know about? Did she need him?

  That damn desire to protect was there again. Alexis wasn't his, and he still wanted to make certain she was safe.

  4

  Confused. Worried. Frightened. But not angry. Not upset.

  Alexis' emotions were all over the place. That was normal. Any time you ran out on someone you had an amazing time with and had to come crawling back would make anyone feel terrible. She shouldn't have left. Why had she?

  Because of Melvin Hayes.

  And why was she returning to Jasper?

  Because of Melvin Hayes.

  She parked the car in front of Jasper's place and hesitated. This was not going to be an easy conversation. Not at all.

  During these past two weeks, she thought about a lot of things. Hazel Park. Detroit. Running away. Making a fresh start.

  And that was when her mind would turn to Jasper. Wolves weren't meant to be solitary creatures. It said something powerful and terrifying that she felt so drawn to him right from the get-go. Somehow, that spark had been there the moment she witnessed him stand up on another's behalf. Jasper wasn't like Melvin. Not at all. Jasper could be good, but he could also be down and dirty, and the second time they'd fucked that night, she thought she would die from orgasming so hard.

  Leaving him had been terrible, but if she hadn't, Melvin would've hunted her down. He would've found her and by extension Jasper. He would've killed Jasper.

  Jasper was strong, yes, but Melvin had already killed once already to become the alpha in the first place. At thirty-three, he was the same age as she was, the strongest, most powerful werewolf she knew. A few others in the pack hated him, but none would dare to go up against him. A fair amount, though, were close with Melvin, loved him as a brother or mentor or just wanted to fuck him. Yes, some women did want him. Alexis sure didn't.

  Maybe that's why he wants me so much.

  The thought of sex with Melvin churned her stomach so badly that she had to cover her mouth and breathe in through her nose to try to calm down. There. That was better.

  It was late, after dinnertime. She'd wanted to leave even later, but she had also wanted to make certain she didn't wake Jasper. He'd be unhappy enough once she spoke with him.

  Taking one last deep breath, she pushed aside her fears and doubts and marched toward the door. She'd just reached the front porch when the door opened and slammed shut behind a tall, willowy blonde.

  The woman glanced at Alexis and rolled her eyes. "Don't bother with that one. He's gay."

  Alexis fought back a smile. She knew full well that wasn't the case. She'd had to wear turtlenecks until three days ago. The marks on her neck had lasted that long.

  She touched her neck now, smiling, remembering. Her nipples tightened, and she could feel herself grow wet. Damn. Not here for sex.

  She sure wished she was.

  The woman huffed away, and Alexis waited until she was out of sight before she screwed up the courage to knock on the door.

  "I'm really not interested," Jasper called through the door.

  "Not even in square pizza that's really a rectangle?" she asked.

  The door flung open, and Jasper stood before her, taller than she remembered. Hotter too. That first night, he'd been clean shaven. Now, he had a five o'clock shadow, and her hand itched to touch it. It tickled against her palm before she realized she'd given into her impulse.

  He gently touched her wrist, and her hand fell to her side. He held her hand but only loosely.

  "Why are you here?" he asked hoarsely. He looked like he'd seen a ghost, and her chest tightened.

  Guilt washed over her, and she blinked it away.

  Wordlessly, Jasper held out his arms, and she fell into his embrace.

  He rubbed her back. "I'm happy to see you."
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  She snuggled against him. His clean scent of earth and spices tickled her nose, and his warm, strong arms around her made her feel safe and protected.

  "I'm happy to see you too," she whispered.

  She just hoped he'd still be happy after her news.

  5

  Jasper had been dumbfounded, shocked, and confused to see Alexis on his doorstep. Especially right after he'd sent a woman away. This chick, Rita Walker, had been trying to seduce him for years. She'd bullied her way into his house, but he wanted none that. He hadn't wanted her before Alexis, and he certainly didn't want her after. All he wanted was Alexis.

  And here she was, Alexis, back in his arms. He felt so drawn to her. He had from the start. Some werewolves swore by the whole soul mate thing. Jasper had always thought it ridiculous before, but now, now he wasn't so certain.

  There was something different about Alexis, though. She seemed a little worried, a little more frightened. Her smile was slow to form and never fully appeared. She nervously backed away and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, her gaze not meeting his.

  "Come on in," he offered.

  She nodded and stepped inside.

  Anger rushed through him, as hot and fierce as his lust for her. He'd been right. Something was wrong.

  "Do you want anything to drink? Beer? Water? I have a bottle of wine too. Hungry? I made some fish. I can heat it up for you if you'd like. Not as good as the pizza, though."

  Again, there was a flash of that small smile. He hated the sight of it. Before, her smile lit up her entire face, her eyes sparkling. Honestly, she seemed like a shell of her former self.

  "I'm fine. Thanks." She crossed over and sank into his couch as if she wanted to be swallowed whole.

  Jasper hesitated before sitting beside her. She leaned forward, almost huddling herself, and he draped his arm casually over the back of the couch.

  "You aren't fine."

  She side-eyed him, and he saw a flash of her old self in that teasing smirk. "You calling me a liar?" she asked dryly.

  "You and every other woman who says they're fine."