What the Cuff? Read online

  She must have drifted to sleep because the next time she opened her eyes, Caleb stood before her, shirtless with a plate in his hand. Her mouth watered at the sight, but her stomach rebelled and she buried her face in the pillows. "Go away."

  The man just chuckled. The ass.

  "Not feeling up to eating?"

  She shook her head. The slap of his feet on the tile rang in her ears while he returned to the kitchen and then made his way back to his bedroom. The bed dipped when he crawled in next to her and the world spun when he hauled her against his side. Lyssa breathed through the nausea and the fucking wolf in her head snickered. Bitch.

  "You okay?" Caleb stroked her back and brushed the hair from her face.

  "No." She sniffled, but refused to cry. Byron couldn't make her cry. Ever. "Just…" She squeezed her eyes tight. Not. Crying. "I caught Byron with another woman."

  "Aw, Lyssa." He pulled her closer, hugged her. "I'm sorry, hon."

  "He loves her, Caleb. Her. Some squishy, weak human woman." Damned emotions. "Why couldn't he love me that way? I mean, I get that I'm a little difficult to be with…but why not me? You know, I do want the cute house and white picket fence and kids and maybe even a cat for the cubs to chase occasionally. You know, normal stuff."

  She threw her arm across Caleb's chest, thankful that she had such a good friend she could lean on and be herself with without any fear that he'd use her weakness against her.

  "Why can't anyone love me, Caleb?"

  *

  Caleb could use a drink. Several. Maybe even the four bottles Lyssa had consumed. No, that'd kill him. Maybe just a few shots. Ho-ly. Shit. She wanted a family. She wanted commitment. She wanted…the same damned things he wanted.

  Lyssa snuggled closer, acting as if she wanted to share his skin, wear it for her own. Her curves pressed against him, teasing him with dreams of "what if" that had his cock straining against his boxer-briefs and jeans. Good call about putting the jeans on. Sure, she could probably feel his erection if she brushed it, but the denim and comforter hid the growing bulge.

  Damn. Cubs.

  He willed his heart rate to slow. No sense in revealing just how he was reacting to the news. He'd been waiting for this day…waiting for so long.

  The soft snuffle-snore broke through his haze of arousal, letting him know that Lyssa had finally succumbed to the alcohol she'd consumed. He knew she wouldn't be out for long. An hour tops and she'd be ready to go for another round of drinks. Only…when she awoke, she wouldn't be craving the burn of whisky. Not if he had anything to say, or do, about it.

  He slid from beneath her pliant body, reached into the bedside table drawer and withdrew the custom cuffs he had designed for her so many years ago. His buddies on the force ribbed him something fierce when he'd asked around about where to buy the sterling silver wrist cuffs. The cuffs hadn't been difficult to find online, but for Lyssa, they had to be special. He wanted her restrained, but not uncomfortable.

  Restraint was necessary. She'd either go wolf on him when she heard the news and rip him to shreds or…she'd go wolf on him and fuck him to death. Either way, death seemed to be the only outcome if he didn't keep her under control, at least initially.

  He cradled the silver cuffs with their two feet of steel dangling between them and watched Lyssa sleep. So beautiful…and deadly. He didn't have any illusions about this woman, but he couldn't not do this. Not when they were finally in the same place in their lives. No matter how creepy his plan seemed.

  He clicked one cuff around her wrist, wove the chain around the wrought iron headboard and snicked the other cuff around her free wrist. There. Secured, he knew he could at least get through his shower without being mauled from behind. From everything he'd read, after the first encounter, she'd calm considerably. He swallowed hard. Fuck, he sure hoped so.

  Caleb left her peacefully sleeping in bed and stepped into the master bathroom. He shucked his jeans and boxer-briefs in one swift move. His cock sprang free of the material and he sighed in relief. A quick glance at the bathroom counter revealed the still opened bottle of No Were cologne. He wouldn't be needing that any longer. At least he hoped not.

  Did weres change mates? He'd know soon enough.

  He turned the shower on, hot, and stepped beneath the spray. With quick, efficient movements, he washed the No Were from his body. He'd been wearing the scent for so long, he wondered if it'd seeped into his system and changed his inherent, natural smell over the years. Would she react the same? Too late to back out now.

  He rinsed the soap from his body, letting the warmth of the water relax him as he prepared to bare his soul to the woman he had secured to the bed. Technically, he was holding her prisoner and breaking more laws than he cared to count. If this turned out bad, she could have him locked up for…years. The justice system didn't take kindly to cops breaking the law.

  He skimmed his chest and abdomen, making sure he was soap free. He ran his fingers through the closely cropped hair surrounding his cock. He definitely didn't want soap there if all went well tonight. A moan escaped his lips when he encircled his shaft. So hard. So fucking hard. It was always this way around Lyssa and he wondered if she was oblivious naturally or if she avoided the topic of his cock on purpose.

  After as many years as they'd been friends, she had to have noticed by now. Right?

  His dick throbbed in his hand, making its demands known.

  He stroked himself from root to tip, lingering on the sweet spot just beneath the crown for before retracing his path. Up and down, in slow even strokes, he rubbed his cock. Just to take the edge off, he thought. No sense in going after her like a raging beast…if she was willing.

  Caleb braced his weight on the tile wall, forearm against the cool, smooth surface while his other hand stroked his dick. The water worked as an adequate lubricant while he stroked himself, thoughts drifting back to the woman in his bed. Her blonde hair seemed to sparkle in the moonlight that she loved. And her eyes…they were the brightest, clearest blue he'd ever seen. And being a cop, he'd seen a lot of people. But Lyssa…Lyssa was different. His thoughts kept drifting. From her gorgeous hair, to her startling blue eyes on down to her pale pink, bow-shaped mouth. Those full lips, he'd give anything to have those lips wrapped around his cock right now…just about anything.

  And damn if she didn't have a body worth praying about.

  Curve after curve after curve covered her from head to toe.

  She'd joked in the bathroom about her ass and it'd been all he could do to not paddle her for the comment. Her ass was beautiful, round and lush with just the right amount of jiggle and bounce when she walked. Her thighs weren't twigs, but thick and solid, showing him she was a real woman and not some waif. Her waist curved above her hips slightly, but not too much. And her breasts were just the perfect size. Big. Not fake big, but they fit her body and he knew, if she'd give him the chance, they'd fit just right in his hands as well.

  Thoughts of her, on her knees before him, spurned his arousal higher. Those pink lips around his dick, those blue eyes staring into his while the wet curtain of hair trailed down her back and traced her spine to her ass…

  Caleb's balls drew up tight with the thought of her sucking him, letting him fuck her pretty mouth. Yeah, she'd be so good, so hot and sweet while she sucked him. A tingling built and formed at the base of his spine. Any second now…

  A billowing bark followed by a howl filtered and burst over the sounds of the shower. Fuck. She was awake. And pissed.

  Chapter Three

  Caleb burst through the bathroom door, naked as the day was long, glistening with the remnants of his shower and…hard as a wolf near a bitch in heat.

  "What the…" She shook her wrists at the bastard. "Cuffs?

  Seriously? I knew you were still pissed about what happened when we were kids. You swore you were over it, Caleb." She eyed his erection, her pussy growing damper by the second. "And they're silver, asshole. Sil-ver." She enunciated the word, just in ca
se he wasn't listening since his eyes seemed to be occupied a bit further south. Dammit. Why hadn't she put her panties on after using the bathroom?

  Oh, that's right. I couldn't.

  And now, awake, her body was betraying her. Great. First her emotions decide to jump all over the map, and now her body and her wolf were going haywire. The bitch crawling beneath the surface was all slobbery kisses and puppy whines, rolling to her back to expose her stomach before hopping to her feet and shifting her tail out of the way.

  Traitorous bitch. She wanted a fuck from their best friend.

  And for some reason, it wasn't sounding too bad right about now.

  "Lyssa, I can explain." He came forward with slow steps.

  Her mouth watered with each inch he neared, her lips tingling and tongue aching to swirl around the head of his cock. Oh, good lord, no. She wiggled away from the edge of the bed, trying to get away from him as much as the cuffs and chain would allow.

  "Oh god, I think I'm still drunk, Caleb. Something's really wrong." Her heart rate sped, breath came in gasps. "I think you should call my parents or something…"

  She whimpered and leaned into his palm as he caressed her cheek, tenderly cupping her face. His scent overwhelmed her with heady, thick spice and a deep musk tinged with the slightest hint of sweet. Unable to stop herself, she turned her head and licked his wrist, whimpering more as his taste exploded on her tongue. More the wolf cried, demanded.

  More.

  She wrenched free of his touch and buried her face in the comforter. "You really need to put clothes on and get away from me right now before I ruin our friendship, Caleb. Too much longer and I'm going to fuck your brains out, silver cuffs or not." She ended with a growl while Caleb edged even closer.

  "Lyssa, I've got a confession—"

  The melody of Bad Boys by Inner Circle filled the room, the melody made popular by the show COPS. Man, her friend had a really twisted sense of humor and his work had a shitty sense of timing.

  "Fuck." Caleb fixed her with a hard stare. "Don't move."

  She snorted. Thanks to him, it wasn't like she could really go anywhere coupled with the fact that her wolf would be live and in living fur if she even tried to leave the house at this point. It clawed and whined, dancing in circles within, begging her to do…what?

  Caleb pushed away from the bed and snatched his phone from the bedside table, flipping it open as he brought it to his ear. "Johnson," he barked into the phone. A jumbled voice responded, distorted by shitty cell phone reception.

  Dang, what was the use of wolf hearing if she couldn't figure out who was calling her man at nearly two in the morning? The thought brought her up short and panic squeezed her heart while her wolf yipped for joy. No. Oh, hell no. She was still feeling the after effects of too much alcohol and emotional upheaval, Caleb was not hers.

  Do you hear me, wolf? No. Bad dog!

  "Noise? Nah, I haven't heard any noise." The man had the audacity to glare at her. At. Her. She hadn't locked herself up while asleep. Was he forgetting that fact?

  She bared her teeth at him and struggled against the steel and silver.

  "No, haven't heard a thing." He turned his back on her which gave her the perfect view of his perfectly sculpted ass.

  She wanted to nibble and bite it, spend hours learning the dips and curves of his body.

  No. Bad. Dog. Stop making me fantasize about my best friend, Bitch. The wolf growled at her. Fucking curse.

  "Maybe Miss Thompson is just hearing things, Miguel. You know how she is. We're always getting called out here when I'm on duty."

  She licked her lips, mouth-watering for just the tiniest nibble of that bouncing-quarter worthy behind.

  "Uh, huh. I'll keep alert, but there's no reason. I'm sure…" he narrowed his eyes at her and she feigned innocence. "That there won't be any other disturbances tonight. Probably just some kids messing with her or something. Uh huh…yeah. Talk to you later." Caleb snapped the phone closed and placed it on the table before he turned around to face her again. Of course, her gaze zeroed in on his cock and it twitched under her attention. Yum.

  "Hey, eyes up here, Lyssa."

  She tore her attention away from his dick, slowly of course. Her eyes wandered over his lower abdomen, mentally tracing the carved muscle that framed his hips before venturing further north to count the ripples of his abdomen.

  Six-pack. And she was thirsty. His pecs were cut from marble as well, the whole man a statue worthy of Michelangelo. With each passing second, her arousal and desire rose…until she got to his face and noticed his knowing smirk. "Ass."

  "Love you too, babes." He sat on the bed, just out of reach. "Now, got anything we need to talk about?"

  She shook her head.

  "You sure?" He leaned closer, face inches from hers, and inhaled. "Cause I smell your heat, Lyss. You hot for me?"

  She growled and snapped her jaws at him, missing his nose by millimeters. "Bastard. You know the whiskey is fucking with me. Are you doing this on purpose ‘cause I embarrassed you when we were kids? I knew it. That's it, isn't it? Swear to God, Caleb. When I get lose I will go wolf-shit on your ass."

  Caleb pinned her before she could blink. His body was pressed on top of hers so intimately that her need rose to a fever pitch. "Listen and listen good, Lyssa. This is not some fucking game of retaliation. You asked for this. You said you were ready for it and fuck knows I've been patient and waited like a fucking omega begging for scraps. But no more."

  Hard muscle taut and thrumming with anger and fear molded to her, the thin cloth of her dress separating them.

  "Caleb?"

  One hand cupped her cheek for a brief moment before he sifted his fingers through her hair and fisted the strands, forcing her to his will. He pressed her face against his neck.

  "Breathe. Inhale. Tell me what you smell."

  She rebelled, struggling against him, her wolf, for once, in accordance. "Caleb, stop."

  "Inhale," he ground out.

  She did as he bade, grudgingly taking a deep breath, presumably taking in his scent as he demanded. Only…this was different. Stronger, deeper, more musk with that hint of sweetness her wolf had previously begged to roll in. She inhaled again, filling her lungs with the scent that called to her, that melded and danced with her own. Her wolf whined within and she agreed wholeheartedly. She wanted more.

  Lyssa licked his neck, tasting the sweet and salty mix of Caleb's skin. She rolled his flavor over her tongue for a second and went back for more. This scent…this taste. She wanted it all. Wanted to feel it on her tongue forever and have it fill her body and soul for all time. She'd defend, fight and kill to protect this…her mate.

  She gasped and jerked her face away from his neck, turning away from him as much as the position would allow.

  "What did you do? You haven't always been this… What happened, Caleb?"

  He nuzzled her neck, nipping her shoulder. She shivered.

  "You want me, Lyss? Still feel those same things from years ago?"

  "We're friends. Friends. I had…some sort of coming of age episode then. My parents told you, us."

  He propped himself up on his hands, pale brown eyes staring at her. "Still think that? Still think that we're just friends. I can smell you and you sure as hell can feel how hard I am." He shifted to the side, staying near her, but no longer pinning her to the mattress. "I'm your mate. Have been since your thirteenth birthday. Didn't you notice that my scent changed then?"

  Lyssa thought back to the time, back to her thirteenth birthday when she'd woken up a woman, a wolf, going through her first heat. Her dad had been appalled that his little girl had become a woman while her mom cried and excitedly called the other bitches in their family. She…hadn't thought much of it other than the fact that swimming was totally out for five to seven days. Dang. Oh, and she would totally live on Advil for like…ever.

  Her birthday came with dawn the very next day and she and her mother went through the house, cleaning
and preparing for the party that afternoon. Before long, Caleb, gangly and all dirty blonde hair, arms and legs arrived. At first, she couldn't quite figure out what had been wrong with him. He seemed different. But since her mother kept her busy, she didn't have much of a chance to dwell on the change and chalked it up to her wolf going crazy from the increased hormones coursing through her body. Her mother had told her things would change with her first heat and she hadn't been lying.

  Hours later, exhausted from dancing and partying with her friends, she and Caleb cleaned up the backyard, tossing remnants of food and empty glasses away. Yard clean, covered in sweat, they trudged toward the house, bags in hand. That's when she'd smelled this musky, sweetness, must-have-it-now scent. Just then, at twilight on her birthday, the breeze carried that perfect aroma and awakened her wolf like the full moon on crack. The next few minutes were hazy in her mind, arms and limbs tangling, teeth distending. She remembered tackling Caleb…and doing what? She couldn't recall. Her parents broke them apart, separated them.

  Days later, Caleb returned, a few scratches marring his face and arms, but otherwise, no worse for wear. But by then, the scent that had driven her wild disappeared and she'd never smelled it again. Until now.

  He must have sensed her confusion, because he filled her in on what exactly had happened. "You discovered I was your mate and at thirteen, didn't really know what to do about it and I was freaked out." His cheeks turned red in the cutest blush… No. Stop it. Listen, bitch. He cleared his throat.

  "Anyway, your dad explained everything. Well, not everything, but enough and then they gave me a bottle of No Were. I've been wearing it every day ever since."

  "No Were? Seriously?" He nodded. He'd been wearing the specially designed scent-hiding cologne ever since her thirteenth birthday. Seventeen years. "But why tonight? Why now? What's with the cuffs? And…why?"