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RIDGE WANTED TO SWEEP Noelle into his arms and do as she suggested. The only thing stopping him was the evil-eyed glare her sister was giving them. “Katjie, your sister would notice, and I fear she’d never let you live that down. Come on. Let’s go have a word with her before she leaves.”
Noelle pressed her face against his chest. He felt her take a deep breath and swore he felt their connection all the way to his very soul. This female was made for him. “Fine, but don’t say I didn’t offer to run away with you.”
His chuckle was a little forced as they left the dance floor. Miko caught his eye, giving him a subtle nod.
“Hello again, Merry. Carlton, wonderful evening. Congratulations, man.” Ridge held his hand out, waiting for the smaller man to take his outstretched greeting. As he did, the clammy hand gripped his in a surprisingly firm grip.
“Thank you for coming. We were just getting ready to say our final goodbyes. Noelle, thank you for standing up with us. Have you seen Jerard?” Carlton asked, frowning at Noelle.
Ridge pulled her against him. “Can’t say that we have. You two have a good time. Maybe when you get back from your honeymoon, we can get together.” He didn’t let either of them say another word, already having to force his cat back as a strange scent wafted from the couple.
“We’ll do that,” Carlton agreed.
He made sure Noelle was on the outside of his body so that neither her sister nor Carlton were near enough to brush against her. His instincts were screaming at him to get her far away from both of them. Gazing around the crowded room, he tried to find Zelda or Mac. When he couldn’t spy either, he maneuvered Noelle and himself toward the exit shortly after the bride and groom were ushered out to a loud fanfare.
“What’s wrong?” Noelle asked once they were outside in the parking lot.
Ridge could still see the red taillights of the limo taking Merry and Carlton to the airport. A tingle went down his spine, a warning of things to come maybe. “Are you and your sister close?”
“Not really.”
He lifted his head, allowed his leopard to come forward slightly, and inhaled. As the night air surrounded them, he smelled human sweat, alcohol, and feral shifter.
“I want you to come home with me, Noelle. You can sleep in my sister’s old room. I promise to keep my distance, or if I can’t, I’ll go for a run.” She had to know he fought the greatest urge to mate with her, but his leopard also had a greater need to protect her, mated or not.
“Where’s Zelda and Mac?” Noelle’s voice shook.
Ridge moved in front of her, his body acting as a shield between them and the parking lot. “I know you trust Zelda and her mate, but I promise you, if you put yourself in my care, I’ll protect you with my life.”
“I know that. I sort of expected the two of them to be here with their superhero capes on.” She smiled up at him.
He pictured the tall red-haired witch and her mate in a leotard and cape; a grin flitted across his face. “I think I’ll have someone draw a picture of that and send it to Mac for Christmas.”
“Can we stop by my house? I need to grab a few things, including my cats.”
Ridge pulled her body flush with his. “So, you like cats?”
She wrapped her arms around his waist. “I love cats. Um, I should warn you though. Mrs. Noseby and FatFat are my...familiars.”
He thought of his sister’s talking baby goat Mr. Bixley. “Do they talk?”
Noelle sucked her bottom lip inside her mouth and nodded.
“My sister Torrance has a familiar. He’s a goat that talks like a very proper English butler. Trust me, nothing your familiars can say or do will freak me out.”
His little mate-to-be turned away from him, making him wonder just what her familiars did that would be so shocking.
“I’m ready whenever you two are,” Miko said, coming up beside Ridge alone.
“What happened to your little friend?” he asked, peering over Miko’s shoulder to see if he could find the human who had been attached to Miko like a tick on the backside of a hunting dog.
Miko grinned without humor. “Seems her boyfriend showed up and didn’t like to share.”
Ridge looked down at the healing cut on Miko’s knuckles. “We gonna have any problems?”
“Nah, I let him swing first. Not my problem he missed, three times. I finally had to knock his ass down to get him to stop coming at me. Stupid humans get a six-pack of liquid courage and think they’re ten-feet tall and bullet- proof. You two ready to blow this place or what?” Miko’s one blue eye flashed brightly. His other eye was green, an affliction that marked him as different amongst shifters and humans alike.
“You need to shift, brother?” Ridge asked, seeing the signs Miko was having issues written all over him.
The other man shook his head then his arms like he was wiggling whatever was bothering him right out of his body. “Nope, I’m good.”
His leopard trusted Miko’s, even in the tight confines of his extended cab pickup. They climbed inside, Noelle hopping in from the driver’s side. Her sweet backside had him itching to run his hands over the firm globes.
They drove to Noelle’s house, finding several lights on.
“I leave the living room and kitchen lights on for FatFat. Mrs. Noseby, I think can see in the dark because she’s fine prowling around.”
Miko raised his hand. “Um, you named your cat FatFat?”
“Actually, Mrs. Noseby told me what to call them. However, you’ll see they are well-suited for their names.” Noelle smirked as they pulled up out front of her home.
“Miko will wait out here.”
“Okay, but if the big bad wolf comes and tries to eat me, I’m blaming you.” Miko rolled down the window leaning his arm on the edge.
Ridge and Noelle strolled up the cobblestone walkway to her house. The small front porch had a rocking chair on one side and a swing on the other, both appeared well used “You sit out here often?”
She nodded but didn’t say any more. As she pushed the door open, he noticed it hadn’t been locked. He felt his hackles raise at her lack of security. Granted, she lived in a smallish town filled with witches and she was one herself, but she still should follow some security measures.
“I see what’s running through your mind and let me stop you before you go caveman on me. FatFat is enough of a deterrent for anyone...eep,” she yelped.
Ridge found himself holding a cat that had to weigh at least fifty or sixty pounds. The large feline pressed his face toward his, snarling. “Whoa, what’s your problem?”
When the cat tried to take a bite out of his nose, Ridge allowed his leopard to come forward, his own snarl a little louder than he’d planned.
“Why I never. FatFat, you stop it this instant before I swipe my paw across your nose. I have a feeling it would be a lot less painful than what that scrumptious cat-man has planned for you.”
Ridge held the big Main Coon from him with one hand, staring down at the other one. “Hello, beautiful. You must be Mrs. Noseby. I’m assuming this ill-mannered male is FatFat?”
Noelle reached for the animal he held aloft; her exasperated sigh was accompanied by the male cat’s hiss. “You stop that right now. I’m sorry, Ridge. Come on, let’s get some of my things and theirs unless they want to stay here while I’m gone.”
“And just where do you think you’re going, young lady?” FatFat asked
“We are going to stay with Ridge for a couple days. There’s a development and he and I think would be best if I stay with him.”
She dropped the large cat onto a chair as she spoke, but Ridge didn’t miss the way her cheeks turned pink.
He looked back at the male cat, doing a double take as he seemed to be grooming himself a little exuberantly. “Dude, you do that shit in my truck or on my furniture and we’re gonna have a problem.”
“FatFat, quit licking your balls, or I’ll remove them,” Noelle yelled from a room down the hall.
NOELLE WOKE UP THE next day feeling more rested than she had in a very long time. The smell of bacon drew her into a sitting position. She raised her arms over her head and stretched.
“Good morning, gorgeous. I hope you’re hungry,” Ridge said from the doorway.
She jerked the blanket up, to see Ridge smiling back at her. “How long you been standing there, Stalker McStalkerson?” she asked with a smile. Goddess, he looked good, so good she could almost forget about the bacon and whatever else he had cooking and eat him.
“I just opened the door, but you were yawning, quite largely I might add, so you obviously didn’t hear. I can close it and come back, but I must say, you are sexy as fuck in the morning, Katjie.” Ridge walked into the room wearing a pair of low-slung sweats and nothing else.
She tried to get her tongue off the roof of her mouth and say something witty, but it wasn’t every day she had a man as handsome as Ridge wake her.
“What’s the matter, Noelle? Cat got your tongue?” He bent over her, forcing her back against the pile of pillows. His coffee-scented breath feathered over her lips a second before his lips covered hers.
‘Meow’ her cats both spoke up from the doorway, breaking them apart.
“Come on, let me feed you and then we’ll go ride four-wheelers. Have you ever ridden one?” Ridge stood up, the two cats brushing against him. “You two and I are going to have to come to an understanding real soon.”
Mrs. Noseby hopped onto the bed next to Noelle. “Well, have you made enough breakfast for all of us?”
Ridge walked to the door, staring over his shoulder. “I’ll see you all in the kitchen.”
IF HE’D HAVE STAYED in there much longer there was no way he’d have been able to hide his obvious erection. Damn, the woman was sexy first thing in the morning. Shit, who was he kidding? She was sexy at any time of the day or night.
The sound of the shower running had him smiling. He checked the bacon in the oven to make sure it wasn’t burning then went to the fridge to get some eggs out. If he timed it right, he’d have the eggs and toast done by the time she was done. They could eat and then hit the trails with the rest of his crew.
His phone vibrated on the counter. A quick glance showed him Glock’s name on the caller ID. “Hey, brother, what’s going on?”
“The Crew will be there within a half hour. Just wanted to make sure it was still good for you?” Glock’s deep voice growled over the line.
“We’ll be ready. Thanks for checking.” Ridge whipped the eggs in a bowl, adding salt and pepper to the mixture.
“Whoa, you making brekkie?” Glock asked.
Ridge snorted, disconnecting the call without answering. The last thing he wanted was his Crew showing up to eat the first morning he had Noelle at his home. “Hell nah, I ain’t making brekkie, fucker.”
“Excuse me?”
He spun with a spatula in hand, aware he might appear guilty as hell. “Err, I was talking to Glock.”
“Ah huh, and you call him fucker?”
He hid his grin as he turned back to the gas stove, flipping the eggs. “You like scrambled eggs, Katjie?”
Noelle sidled up to him, taking in the two skillets. “That’s an awful lot of eggs there.”
“I’m a growing boy, need lots of protein.” He shuffled the eggs onto the platter to the side, waiting on her to tell him if she liked them scrambled or not.
“Oh, those look good.” Her hand slid forward, snagging a piping hot piece of cheesy egg.
“Hey, you little thief.”
She danced away, chewing. “Can I help with anything?”
She appeared young and fresh with her hair piled on top of her head in a messy bun, wearing a pair of cut-off jean shorts and a tank top. Ridge wanted to strip her naked and show her what she could help him with but thought it was a little early for that. Instead he pointed at one of the barstools. “Help yourself to coffee and have a seat. Everything is done.”
Noelle grabbed a mug before doing as he’d suggested. She took a sip and made a little hum. “This is delicious.”
He transferred the bacon from the oven onto a potholder on the island, then did the same with the eggs. He plopped a loaf of bread next to the toaster, made several slices, then with a plate he’d already made up for the both of them, he put both down and sat next to her. “Dig in, Katjie. I think we’ll work up an appetite this morning.”
Her cheeks pinkened, and her sweet orange spice kicked up a notch. “Female, you keep thinking about that and we won’t be eating or leaving my cabin,” he warned.
She opened her mouth then shook her head. “No sense in denying what I think since you’ve got a super sniffer.” Picking up a piece of bacon, she popped it into her mouth, smiling around the bit sticking out.
If he hadn’t already been head-over-tail in love with his little soon-to-be mate, he’d have fallen right then and there. They finished off the breakfast he’d made. He’d piled her plate with a huge heaping of bacon and cheesy eggs, an amount most shifter women would’ve demolished and still demanded more. Noelle ate almost half before pushing her plate toward him. He eyed her leftovers. “You done?” he asked before taking her offering.
Noelle patted her flat stomach. “I couldn’t eat another bite.”
He took her at her word, scooping her food onto his. When he’d eaten every last bite, he sat back with a sigh, realizing she was staring at him. “What?”
“Where do you put it all?”
Ridge stood up. “Shifting takes a lot of energy, Katjie.”
Noelle tilted her head in a very feline way. “Makes sense. Whenever I’ve tried to become one, I’ve been extremely exhausted afterward. I imagine you do a lot more than just become one.”
Her words didn’t startle him this time. “I’ve never heard of a non-shifter becoming one unless they’ve been bitten.”
“Oh, you mean you could turn me into one of you?” She stood up, gathering their plates.
He stopped the words that were on the tip of his tongue. His kind didn’t go around turning or talking about doing such. Hell, the entire situation had his leopard raking at him to make Noelle like them. Only she was a witch, she wasn’t a human, or was she? He’d have to talk to Baba Yaga and find out if it was against their rules.
“Come on, let’s go tear up some ground and have fun. We can think about all that later.” They had forever to think about what they’d do and wouldn’t do. Of course, turning her would be ideal since his life expectancy was longer than a normal human as were witches. Shit, he didn’t want to think about tomorrow. He wanted to have a fun-filled day with Noelle and his Crew.
Looking down at her surprisingly long legs in denim shorts that had been cut off at some point, he whistled through his teeth. “Can I just say how sexy I think you are? No scratch that. I think every male within a hundred-mile radius is gonna think the same thing.”
He was a tits-and ass- male and his mate, she had both in spades. Her ass was heart shaped and her tits, fuck, he wanted to lift the tank top she had on and see if her nipples were little bitty things, or if they were large. Either size would become his favorite.
The sound of ATVs broke through his thoughts of tits and ass and his mate, making him smile. “My Crew is here. You ready for some fun?”
“I’ve never driven any kind of mm...machine like that.”
“You’ll be behind me, baby. All you gotta do is wrap your arms around my waist and hold on tight.” He pulled her in close to his body, wrapping his arms around her. “See, just like this.” Unable to stop himself, he bent his head, covering her lips with his. The little kiss became heated between one heartbeat and the next. He didn’t realize he’d moved them until he no longer was bent and felt a solid wall behind Noelle. Her moan fueled his need. Using his hand to cushion her head, he maneuvered her so he had better access. Her little body wiggled until she had wrapped herself around him. His cock was so fucking hard he knew she felt it between their bodies.
“Yo, Alpha, you ready? Oh, damn, sorry,” Glock yelled.
Ridge pulled his lips away, breathing heavily. “I’d kill him, but he’s damn hard to kill.”
“Plus, he loves me. Come on, you two, kiss later, have fun now.”
“We were having fun, asshole.” Ridge moved so he could help Noelle settle her feet back onto the floor.
“Yeah, that kinda fun is made for two sometimes three people. The fun we’re gonna have is for getting dirty and, well, that’s something you can do when naked, too. I’m just gonna go back out the way I came. Y’all coming out or what? If I have to tell the others you’re in here doing the dirty deed, then I can’t promise you won’t have a crowd coming in to see if you’re doing it right.”
Ridge pressed his forehead to Noelle’s, praying for strength, so he wouldn’t kill half his Crew. Although, he didn’t doubt it one little bit they’d be in his home within five minutes if he and Noelle weren’t outside and ready to roll. He really needed to set better boundaries. Were there any though, that his Crew would uphold? Nah, they were his family, big ass fuckers.
“We better get out there before the lot of them come rolling in here like they own the place. I’d then have to kill ‘em, which would fuck up my plans.”
