Capturing Carolina Read online

  “I’m sure the main roads are fine. But getting to them from here? Not a chance. That’s just what you have to get used to when you live in the country. Why do you want to know?” Charlie cocked his head to the side. “Are you itching to get out of here already?”

  Was it her imagination or did they seem disappointed, almost sad?

  “No. I mean I should. I need to get back to my job, if I still have a job. It’s strange because I’m a city girl, but I kind of like it here.”

  “Yeah? Why’s that?” Jesse gave her a sexy grin that found its boiling spot in her abdomen.

  They were getting at something, but she wasn’t sure what that was. As long as she got to talk with them, to spend more time with them, then they could ask her all the questions they wanted.

  “I guess I never gave much thought to living in the country. It’s beautiful out here and I love the horses. I could spend all day in the barn.” She sent them a pointed look. “As long as I’m not shoveling horse shit.”

  They drew closer, the warmth of their bodies making the oven’s heat seem like a match compared to their infernos. The way they studied her, their gazes filling with a craving that had nothing to do with food, made her squirm in a good way.

  “We’re sorry we made you muck out the stalls.”

  “Are you, Charlie? Are you really?” She narrowed her eyes, trying to act cold and angry, but it was hard to keep from smiling.

  “Yeah, I am.”

  “We are,” added Jesse.

  “Then why’d you have me do it? I could’ve done other things to help out.” She waved her hand over the pizza. “Like cooking or even cleaning.”

  “You could have, but having you shovel shit was kind of a test.”

  She gaped at Charlie. “A test? Are you kidding me?”

  Jesse’s hand cupped her butt cheek as he leaned closer to her ear. “Yeah. After what happened at the chicken coop, we weren’t sure you’d pass.”

  “What was the test for?” She wanted to get angry, but doing so with their hands on her was impossible.

  “It was a test to see if you could make it on a ranch.”

  Stunned, she shook her head, still trying to make sense of what they’d told her. “And did I pass the test?”

  “Oh, yeah.” Charlie caressed her cheek. “You sure did.”

  The feeling that they were getting at something hit her again. “But why does it matter if I can make it on a ranch or not?”

  Every bit of the joking died. Charlie took her hand and enclosed it in his own. “I would’ve thought that you’d have figured that out by now. We want you to stay.”

  “Stay?” She could barely breathe and when they moved even closer, that made it even harder to drag in a breath.

  Jesse brushed her hair back and nibbled at her neck. “Yeah. Stay.”

  “Why?”

  “Can’t you feel it, sugar? We have the connection. The bond that brings men and their mate together. So stop asking so many questions and just stay. Okay?”

  She swallowed. They wanted her as much as she wanted them. But for how long? She was about to ask when a thunderous noise had her jerking toward the door leading back into the living room. “Are they pounding on the table? For real? Who raised them? A pack of wolves?”

  Damn. Talk about bad timing!

  Jesse let out a bark of a laugh and ducked his head. Charlie, his mouth parted, seemed to recover faster. But what had she said that was so funny?

  “Damn. And yeah, they’ll continue to do that until you get their food to them.” Charlie bumped into her, his massive frame easing her to the side. The pizza cutter he wielded had the pies cut up into large slices in no time. He pointed at the plates on the shelf behind them. “Start serving before they storm the kitchen.”

  “Trust me, he’s not kidding.”

  She grabbed a plate and loaded a slice on it.

  “They’re hungry ranch hands. One slice isn’t going to do it.” Taking the plate from her, he dumped not only a second, but a third slice on top of the first one. “They’ll want more, but three pieces will calm them down. Now go.”

  Feeling like a waitress, she took a plate in each hand and headed for the door. “This is not what I was planning on doing when I put this dress on.”

  Their laughter floated in the air behind her as she used her body to open the swinging door, her focus on the plates she held. Yet when she looked up, she almost dropped them.

  What the hell?

  She blinked once, then twice at the man seated closest to her.

  She was only joking before, but now she wasn’t so sure. She really was going crazy. Did that man have really large, pointed eye teeth? Like a wolf’s? Blinking, she looked again, but this time his wide grin didn’t look different from anyone else’s.

  “Food. Finally.” He took the first plate and passed it to the woman next to him, then took the second one. She kept it going, passing the food down the line until it had made it to the far end.

  The woman gave her a sympathetic look. “Don’t worry, Carolina. No one’s going to bite you.”

  Yet the grumbles—and growls?—she heard weren’t reassuring.

  “Stop it, y’all. Don’t go frightening her off before—” The woman paused, caught in the middle of saying whatever she was going to say. “Well, you know. Before.”

  Before what? The virginal sacrifice? I need to tell them I’m not a virgin.

  The man who’d taken the plates tilted his head at her, reminding her of the way a dog would question its master. “Well, girly, are you planning on digging roots through the floor? Or are you going to get us more food?”

  The woman slapped him on the shoulder. “What’d I just say, Burt? Drink your beer and have some patience.”

  Carolina eased back against the door, then spun around and into the kitchen. “Do you two cook for that group every night? Because if you do, I’ll plan on taking my meals upstairs from now on.”

  Concern flooded Charlie’s face while Jesse let out a chuckle. He plopped several meatballs onto a pizza, slid it onto the cooking board, then shoved it into the oven. “Better get used to them. They’re kind of rough around the edges, but they won’t hurt you. They wouldn’t dare.”

  She wasn’t sure where it came from, but the words were out and gone before she knew they were coming. “Why? Because you’re my men?”

  Charlie dropped the cheese bag and studied her. “Your men? Where’d you hear that?”

  “You know where.”

  They said the name together. “Lisa-May.”

  “Exactly.”

  Jesse finished loading another pizza, shoved it onto the oven’s second shelf, then strode over to her. He moved fast and hard, scaring her. She moved away but didn’t get far when she backed into the other counter.

  “Don’t listen to everything Lisa-May says. She’s young, naïve, and a starry-eyed, romantic girl.”

  He was all man and almost on top of her. She couldn’t think straight for the want of having his body over hers, his cock in her pussy, and his lips anywhere he wanted. “I’m not that much older than her.”

  “Sugar”—he slid his gaze down, then back up—“the numbers don’t matter. You’re a woman and she’s a girl. You couldn’t be farther apart.

  She sucked in a hard breath and gave him a perusal that matched the one he’d given her. “Are you?”

  “Am I what?”

  She glanced at Charlie, then back. “Are you my men?”

  “As much as you’re our woman. Don’t think about it. Just know it. Are you our woman?”

  “What kind of an answer is that?” Her breasts brushed against his chest.

  “A true one. So answer. Are you our woman?”

  “I don’t even know you.”

  “Bullshit.” He nuzzled her neck, drawing in a breath, before staring straight into her eyes. “You know us all right. And don’t judge by what’s going on between your legs. You know us down deep where it counts.”

  She le
t out a breath she hadn’t known she was holding until Charlie grabbed Jesse’s arm and hauled him back.

  “Down, boy. We still have a dinner to get out.” Charlie put his body between them. “To answer your question…”

  She couldn’t stand it if he said no.

  “No, we don’t cook dinner every night. Every hand takes a turn at cooking.” With a caress swept across her cheek, he went back to making pizzas.

  Damn it. Answer the real questions. Am I your woman? Are you my men?

  And yet she couldn’t give them a voice. They’d already returned to spreading cheese and making more meatballs. She’d have to wait until dinner was over. Until then, she’d work to keep the pounding and the growling complaints to a minimum.

  “Pizza up, Carolina,” called Charlie.

  Again, she took a couple of plates out to the crowd. She studied them as she handed off the food, scanning their faces and looking for anyone she’d already met. Where was Ms. Millicent? Or Lisa-May and Joey? Or God forbid, the men who’d watched them in the barn?

  When she saw the one person she knew, she froze.

  Shit. Not him.

  Chapter Five

  Carolina forced herself to keep moving and smiling. The man she’d run into outside the barn had his dark gaze fixed on her. When trying to act like it didn’t bother her didn’t work, she decided to confront him head on.

  “Is there a problem?” Damn. Now I sound like a real waitress.

  A glint of irritation sparked across his face, then was gone, replaced by the slight lift of one corner of his mouth. “Of course not, Carolina.”

  “Then why are you staring at me?”

  Although the crowd had gone quiet, the tension in the room shouted. All eyes were on them, intense and expectant. Maybe even eager.

  The irritation she’d seen came back, unhidden. “I didn’t know I was.”

  “Yeah. You were. You are.”

  A low rumble came to her left, and she looked back toward the kitchen door to find Charlie and Jesse watching. Their gazes swept over her and landed on him. Jesse lifted his lip in a snarl that was all too real.

  “Bill, what’s going on?” Charlie appeared less intense than Jesse, but the tone of his voice said otherwise.

  Bill shook his head and shrugged. “Not a thing. I’m not sure what I did wrong, but I apologize.”

  Had she made a big deal out of nothing, letting her nerves get the better of her? She wished she could think so, but she didn’t. The man still freaked her out.

  “Okay then. Carolina?”

  She forced her attention to Charlie, hating the idea of turning her attention from Bill. He seemed like the type who’d stab a person in the back. “Yeah?”

  “You okay?”

  “I’m fine.” She smoothed her dress down and started toward him on stiffened legs. “Are there any more pizzas ready?”

  * * * *

  By the time they’d served everyone, including the women, at least three entire pizzas of their own, the kitchen was a mess. The dough they’d used to make the crusts and shredded mozzarella cheese was scattered over the island. Leftover meatballs were dumped in a bowl, covered, and placed in the huge refrigerator. Pizza wasn’t difficult to make, and although it was a fallback that a lot of the men made when it was their turn to cook, Jesse didn’t think they needed to change their menu. Maybe they’d add a few more vegetables for Rae Barnes when she showed up, but that was it.

  But pizza wasn’t the only thing that had been cooking. His lust for Carolina had been put on a slow burn, ever since the barn. Charlie had gotten the best end of that deal, but he was bound and determined to make up for his loss.

  Carolina reached over the island with a rag and pushed some of the flour and cheese into the trashcan. Her rump was round and firm, just the way he liked it. By the way she’d reacted earlier when he’d explored her asshole, she was a butt-fuck virgin, too. That only made his dick grow harder, pressing against his zipper in a very painful way.

  The growl came from his gut, powering out of him before he could stop it. She turned at the sound, her eyes wide.

  “I heard that sound before. Are you…growling?”

  He launched his body at her. “And if I was?”

  “Easy, Jesse, don’t attack her.” Yet in the same breath, Charlie moved closer.

  Jesse glared at his brother. “And who’s going to stop me?”

  “Yeah, Charlie. Who’s going to stop him?”

  Her supporting his idea thrilled him. He slammed his hands down on the island counter, pinning her between them. She smelled so good, so sweet, even if she didn’t smell like watermelon.

  “Watermelon.”

  Her seductive green eyes sought his. “What?”

  “Why don’t you smell like watermelon anymore?”

  She leaned back, pressing against the island. “I don’t know. Maybe because I don’t have my shampoo with me.”

  “Charlie?”

  “Yeah, bro?”

  “Let’s ask Lisa-May if she can find some watermelon shampoo.”

  “Good idea.”

  That sexy, innocent-yet-not smile of hers stirred his cock more.

  “Why would you do that? I might be leaving soon.” The end of her tongue peeked out from between her lips. “The rain has stopped.”

  He hadn’t noticed that the downpour had ceased during the dinner hour. “We’ll see about that. We told you we wanted you to stay.”

  “I know. But you never said how long. I have a job, an apartment, a life to get back to. What does all this mean?”

  “You ask a lot of questions, you know that?”

  “Can I help it if I’m curious?”

  “Curiosity killed the cat.”

  She flicked her tongue over her lips, teasing him. “Haven’t you noticed? I’m not a cat.”

  Damn, she was irritating, but in a good kind of way. “Sugar, do me a favor. Do us all a favor.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Again with the questions?” He chuckled, then swiped his tongue along her neck and felt her tremble. “Just shut up and do what we say.”

  “Not until you answer my other question.”

  Her questions were irritating, but he was pleased to see how her eyes gazed over with desire. She was theirs all right. All they had to do was claim her. “Ask it again.”

  “Are you my men?”

  She couldn’t have made him happier if she’d told him she wanted his cock in her mouth. A simple “yes” would’ve answered her question, but he liked to verbally spar with her.

  “What do you think?”

  She groaned and rolled her eyes. “Damn it, Jesse, will you do me a favor?”

  “What’s that?” He grinned, loving the playtime with her.

  “Just shut the hell up and fuck me.”

  Her demand flared his inner wolf to life. It moaned and clawed at his insides, commanding him to set it free. He promised it that one day soon he would, but until then, he’d have to hold back. Showing her the beast within him would scare her. Maybe even send her running away in the night.

  Instead, he did the only thing he could do. He stepped back and began to remove his clothes. Her eyes clouded with renewed lust, homing in on the waistband of his jeans. He opened them as slowly as he could, wanting her to need him as much as he needed her. He almost laughed with joy when he slid down his zipper and she licked her lips. He toed off his boots as his jeans fell to the floor and his cock sprang free.

  She blew out a soft “oh” and started toward him.

  “Stop.”

  She did, then turned her gaze toward Charlie, who had begun to undress, too. Her attention jumped between them.

  “Charlie, take her dress off.”

  She thought he’d unzip her and let it slide to the floor. Instead, his brother took it by the collar and tore it away from her. He was more than pleased to see that she hadn’t worn underwear.

  “Shit. That’s not my dress.”

  “Don’
t worry. We’ll replace it. And trust me, whoever she is will understand.”

  “If you say so.” She started toward him again.

  Charlie took her hair, letting it flow between his fingers. “You were hoping for this, weren’t you, babe?”

  She tried to play coy, but he knew better. “Maybe.”

  Jesse loved the way her mind worked. “Un-huh. No maybe about it. Or do you go around without wearing underwear all the time?”

  The lift of an eyebrow was her only answer.

  Charlie ran his hand along her spine, then leaned over to whisper. If he didn’t have a werewolf’s hearing, Jesse wouldn’t have heard his brother’s question.

  “Do you like what you see, babe? Do you want to put his cock in your mouth?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then do it.”

  She didn’t hesitate. She fell to her knees, took his cock in her hand, and brought it into her mouth.

  He almost lost his wad when she flicked her tongue over the top, wiping his pre-cum away. Taking her silky hair in hand, he pushed his hips toward her, moving his cock deeper inside her mouth. She gagged a bit but adjusted to the new position and lapped her tongue around his length again. Her moans reverberated over him, giving him an incredible vibrating sensation, and he had to plant his feet apart to stay steady. She hollowed her mouth around him and sucked harder, creating more friction. Cupping his balls, she moved her fingers, making them dance.

  He worked his hips back and forth, helping her, needing to have some control. She’d taken most of it when she’d taken his cock.

  “Shit, but she’s got a pretty ass.”

  “You can say that again, brother.” He moaned, again barely hanging on as she whipped her tongue around him. “Wiggle your ass for Charlie, sugar.”

  She did, and he had to look away to keep from coming. Yet when she moaned again, he knew he’d have to take a break from her sweet mouth.

  “Stand up, woman.”

  When she didn’t respond at once, he mustered all the resolve he had to push her away. “Up.”

  She stood, her mouth pink and covered with his juices. “Did you call me woman?”

  “I’ll call you anything you want. But to answer your question, you are our woman. Remember that.”