Outfoxed

Chapter Three

After putting in a full day teaching a camp full of grade school kids the art of fly fishing, Grady finished some paperwork in the office, then returned to Cougar Falls tired and worn down. He didn’t exactly look forward to returning home.

He hadn’t seen Gabby in two days. She’d been visiting a few of her fox friends and had stayed off the ranch. Miles and his family had decided to give it a good week before they made a decision about staying or going. So everywhere Grady walked, he found himself tripping over a Bermin. He hadn’t had a chance to “help” Miles with anything, either. So much for Rachel’s grand plan of getting everyone else gone while he and Gabby bonded. Although not putting his fist through Miles’s face should count for something. He thought he’d shown remarkable restraint.

Pulling his truck past the main house, he noted Burke’s, Rachel’s and Dean’s vehicles. Maggie and Joel were on vacation, and God knew where Monty had holed up on a Saturday night. Probably sniffing around that pretty she-wolf he’d taken a liking to. Grady continued down the winding dirt road over their land and passed several cabins now belonging to Monty, Ty’s brood and a few of their new guests. Most of the felines had chosen to remain in the big house, but Stacey and Miles preferred the cabins. No doubt they wanted to get away from the unsophisticated members of the Cougar Falls pride.

His attention lit on Gabby’s cabin. His heartbeat sped up when he noticed the lights on inside. Part of him wanted to drop by to see her, but he wasn’t in any condition for company just now. He needed a shower, some food and to get laid. Not necessarily in that order, but since the third option was out, a shower sounded doable.

Continuing not even a quarter mile down the dirt road to his place, he slowed when he saw Gabby approaching from the opposite direction. She must have been out for a walk. The direction from which she came was nothing but grassy fields and a stream that cut through the property. A few trees bordered the area, but the larger grouping of them sat behind Gabby’s cabin. He faced mountains when he looked out his back window. She saw trees.

Her attention seemed fixed on his cabin. Had she been going to meet him?

And then she saw him in the truck and hurried toward him. At the same time, his cell phone rang.

“Yeah?” he answered it and slowed the truck to a crawl.

Dean spoke in a rush, breathing hard. “Oh man. Look bro, you’ll thank me for this later. Just play along with whatever Gabby says, okay?”

“Huh?”

“Gotta go.” Dean hung up.

Grady disconnected and put the phone on the seat next to him. When he reached his cabin, he parked the truck. He took a step outside and had just slammed the door closed when Gabby plastered herself against his chest.

“Whoa.”

Her strong arms wrapped around his waist, and he felt every inch of her curves, from her full breasts to her long, toned legs. Good Christ, was he dreaming?

His erection rose and refused to quit.

She drew in a soft breath when she felt it but didn’t move. What to make of that?

“Not that this isn’t great, but Gabby? You okay, honey?”

She squeezed him hard once, then let him go. “Could you walk me home? There’s something I need to say to you, and it would be best away from here.”

Confused but knowing his idiot brother had something to do with this, he let Gabby lead him away from his cabin. She held his hand, her smaller, softer fingers entwined with his. Dope that he was, he felt waves of affection roll through his body. Her scent whispered to him of belonging, sex and hunger. He wanted to purr and had to forcibly concentrate to stop himself.

“What’s going on?” he asked when he could catch his breath. A loud moan and a male bellow of satisfaction broke the quiet around them.

He stopped in his tracks. The sound had come from his cabin.

“No, no. Come on.” Gabby increased her pace, all but dragging him with her as the moans continued—noises magnified by Ac-taw hearing. By the sound of her, the female making those sexy noises was having a damn fine time.

They reached Gabby’s cabin but didn’t stop there. She pulled him inside and closed the door behind them.

Curious as to the changes she’d made in the short time she’d been living there, he glanced around and smiled. “This place looks like you.” The comfortable, three-bedroom cabin had a generous bathroom, a small kitchen and a living room with a fireplace. Simple yet functional. But under Gabby’s hands, the place shone like a designer showplace. Light fabrics framed the two large windows in the front of the cabin. The kitchen had been done in white and apple green, which made the whole space look bigger. His own kitchen had dark, wooden cabinets and looked tiny.

Her living room had a few throw rugs, a comfy-looking couch and a small television. Neat and organized, the whole cabin even smelled fresh. Did the woman not know how to make a mess?

He turned to tell her how much he liked it when he noted her sober expression.

“What’s wrong? It’s okay, you can tell me.” He needed to ease her worry, to make everything better. She felt like his to protect, as if he’d already claimed her. Knowing something bothered her made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.

“Grady, I think we should sit.” She sat on the couch and patted the space next to her.

Not one to let an opportunity go by, he hurried to join her.

“There’s something you should know.” She paused and bit her lower lip. So fucking sexy, those lips. He’d seen them wrapped around his cock in dreams for months. “It’s about someone you care about.”

He wondered if she’d been with a lot of guys. To his shock, he didn’t care. So long as she was only with him now. No one else but him from here on out. His gaze fell to her breasts. Would her nipples be rosy or pale pink? Would she be sensitive there when he sucked her?

“It’s Joy. She’s found someone else.”

“Joy, right.” God, he could almost taste her. He imagined kissing those breasts, then licking the smooth skin down her belly to her pussy. Man, he’d—

“Grady, listen to me,” she snapped. “This isn’t easy, and I shouldn’t have to be the one to tell you this. But Joy isn’t yours anymore.”

“Not mine. What?” He stared at her, not sure what the hell she meant. “What are you saying?”

She blew out a breath. “I know you and Joy have real feelings for each other. That you were going to ask her to consider staying instead of moving on to Oregon.” She swallowed hard. “Dean told me all about it. But Grady, I think she’s found someone else.”

He wondered what the hell kind of story Dean had fabricated. And why.

Gabby patted his knees. Commiserating with him about Joy?

“So you’re saying Joy isn’t mine anymore. If she ever was,” he said slowly. She nodded. He started to piece the puzzle together. “That moaning I heard earlier, from my cabin.”

Gabby blinked and he saw the sheen of tears. “That was her. She was probably waiting to tell you herself, but then he came.”

“Who?”

She took his hand in hers and squeezed. “Just remember, family is what matters in the end.”

He suddenly understood. “Oh hell. Dean and Joy?” He could just imagine how Burke and Miles would feel knowing Dean was screwing Joy. The feisty little cat had made a few overtures toward him the last time she’d been in town, but as a joke. He’d never thought of her as anything other than a little sister, and she’d never treated him as anything more than a platonic friend. Trust Dean to hook up with her. And only a few days after the tourist in waders. His brother was turning into a whore.

“Are you okay?”

“I don’t know.” How the hell was Dean hooking up with Joy supposed to help him? Then again, Gabby was finally paying him real attention. Touching him, holding his hand. Okay, right. The sympathy card. It had worked for Dean before.

Maybe Dean wasn’t the dumbest one in the family after all.

He looked away, gently pulled his hand from hers and stood. Needing to show some reaction to the thought of his beloved Joy with his asshole brother, he paced away from her and stared out the window. He had to get the right balance of sadness and anger so as not to blow this. Then he had to beat feet and find Dean and Joy. What the hell were they thinking having sex? Or was this all an act for Gabby’s benefit?

He felt a small touch on his back, and his body flared to life once more.

“It’ll be okay, Grady. This happened to me once. It sucks, but you move on. I don’t think Joy and Dean meant to hurt you. Sometimes love just happens.”

He turned around and looked down at her. “You think?” Would that explain why he had trouble eating and sleeping? Why he couldn’t think about another woman, not when she was so close, yet so far from him? Why the sight of dark red hair turned him on like nobody’s business? “You ever been in love, Gabby?”

She shook her head, and he felt worlds better. “No, but it still hurt when the guy I was with found someone else. I found out the hard way, kind of like you just did.” He found the sudden flush on her cheeks entrancing. “Dean had told me they couldn’t meet in the main house, where he and Joy are staying. So they were going to use your place to talk.” She cleared her throat, obviously remembering the moaning they’d both heard. “He’s planning to tell you about them. He’s just trying to find the right words.”

Her sympathy made him feel like a real shit for lying to her, even though it hadn’t been his lie to start with. Then he remembered Miles leering at her, the foxes and other assholes in town constantly bothering her for dates. All’s fair in love and war, he told himself. Besides, the woman was part fox. They were just as shifty and tricky as coyotes. If he didn’t find a way to corner her and tie her down, he’d lose her for sure.

“Thanks for being here with me, Gabby.” He paused. Would he be pushing it? Hell, he didn’t care. He wanted to touch her again, so he reached for her hand. “I’d really appreciate it if you didn’t mention this to anyone. It’s kind of embarrassing.”

She clenched his hand tight, then let him go. “I swear, I won’t say a word. And since you and Joy were keeping it a secret anyway, no one will know she went with Dean after you.”

The little shit. “Right. Dean. He’s my brother, and I love him.” But right now he’s making me look like an ass. Like he could steal a woman from me.

“But he hurt you. I get it. Well, not like that. Julia and Meghan and I never had the same taste in men. And now with both of them married, it’s just me.”

“Guess you’re not angling for Ty.”

She looked horrified.

He grinned, and she smiled with him. “It’s good you can laugh now. Trust me, the pain of this will go away.”

He smothered his laughter. “Right. I hope so.” He coughed and turned away, calling on his acting skills. He couldn’t dance worth shit, but he could lie like a champ. When he turned back to her, he had tears in his eyes. “Gabby? Does it make me a dumbass if I ask you for a hug?”

“You poor thing. Not at all.” She hugged him tight, and he sighed into her embrace. She fit him perfectly. It was heaven and hell at the same time.

When she withdrew, he wanted to cry for real. “Better?”

“I will be, I suppose.”

“Let me get you a beer. You look beat. You worked all day, didn’t you?”

He nodded.

“Go sit down and relax. I’ll be right there. And Grady? You can stay here tonight if you want. I don’t mind.”

He nodded. “Thanks. You’re the best, Gabby.” He turned and found the couch, a huge-ass smile on his face. He composed a mental note to thank Dean tomorrow and made himself comfortable.

Gabby stuck her head in the refrigerator, trying to cool off. Offer comfort, idiot. Stop thinking about what his body feels like. Easy to say, but not so easy to do. Her damn cat wanted to rub up against him, while her fox wanted to curl around him, as close as possible. All this while knowing he had a thing for another woman.

Feeling like a fool but a slave to her libido, she reminded herself Grady wasn’t to blame. The poor man had just learned the cat he’d had feelings for liked his brother better. He’d been hit harder than she had, when she’d walked in on her boyfriend of four months screwing his real estate agent against the wall. So much passion, but it had never been directed at her. She’d been more angry than hurt. And she’d gotten over him pretty fast.

But even then she’d known Clint would never be her mate. From what Dean had told her earlier today, Grady was attached to Joy. They’d spent summers together when they were younger, when the Bermins would visit the Catamount Pride, keeping in touch and making closer bonds. Even though time had passed and Joy didn’t often visit, she and Grady kept in touch. Apparently, so did Dean.

She couldn’t imagine how Grady must feel. She brought the beer to him and stopped in her tracks. He’d taken go sit down and relax to heart. He’d stripped off his boots, socks and shirt and sat back on her couch, his head thrown back, in nothing but jeans.

She had to force her mouth closed and swallowed around a dry throat. She’d never seen a man better put together than Grady Chastell. Though she’d seen him naked enough times—because hell yeah, she’d ogled him like crazy while pretending not to look his way—seeing Grady in nothing but jeans reminded her what was under them.

With his head back, the strong cords of his throat lay bare, and she wanted to sink her canines into the juncture of his throat and neck, to put a mark there for other females to see. For Joy to see.

A low growl eddied within, and she froze. What the hell did she care if he’d had designs on the female? He’d never come on to her, not until Julia had encouraged him to make her feel like a part of the pride.

But maybe she could offer him comfort. A friendly woman who wouldn’t take advantage of his weakened emotional state. Someone not her, apparently, because it was a struggle to make her cat back down. And her fox came up with a dozen devious ways to trick the male into claiming her as mate.

As mate?

“Oh thanks, honey. I appreciate it.” He took the bottle from her stiff fingers.

She followed the motion of his forearm and biceps as they bunched, the muscles sure, strong. He brought the bottle to his lips and guzzled, and his throat worked as he swallowed.

What would his lips feel like against her, she wondered, and frantically slapped her lecherous self for thinking of sex when he was clearly hurting.

He put the half-finished beer on a coaster on her coffee table. Considerate as always. Then he patted the space next to him. “Sit with me, Gabby. You’re good at making me feel better.”

Oh boy, I could make you feel so much better. She eyed his crotch, unable to look away from what seemed like a long, thick erection beneath the denim.

“Gabby?”

Her cat purred at the thought of tasting him there, and the sound vibrated through her chest. How embarrassing. She threw herself onto the couch next to him but gasped when he dragged her onto his lap.

Then he did nothing but hold her tight, his flesh warm and hard beneath her. God, he even smelled good. Her purr grew louder.

“I like that.” He chuckled and tucked her chin under his head. Bad move, because it put her face closer to his throat, and he smelled like every fantasy she’d ever had about sweets, sex and need combined. “So what exactly did Dean tell you about me and Joy?”

Mention of Joy’s name should have dampened her ardor, but it only made her cat and fox that much more determined to erase the woman from his memory.

“N-not much. Just that you two have always been close. Great friends for years, and that seeing her again now, you just knew she was it for you.”

His arms tightened, and she cursed herself for being so tactless. “I don’t think I’d say I knew she was it for me. I like Joy. Hell, I like all the Bermins.”

“Except for Miles.”

He snorted. “That ass—ah, particular cat is not my favorite, no.” He paused. “What about you? Do you like Miles?”

“He seems nice. And you can’t miss how handsome he is, but I don’t know him that well.”

“To anything female, he’s a paragon. But God forbid you don’t wear the right shoes with your pants. He’s a frickin’ woman when it comes to clothes.”

She felt him take in a deep breath, his chest rising and falling beneath her.

“Sorry. I mean, you’re not like that. You’re sexy and beautiful, but not into labels. Not like a lot of women I know.”

“You know a lot of women?” she teased. His crack about Miles being like a woman didn’t bother her because he’d called her beautiful. I’m such a moron. Her fox echoed the sentiment. But her stupid cat preened.

Grady chuckled, and she wished she could have seen his face. “Gabby, don’t listen to everything you hear. Sure I’ve dated women. I’m no saint. But I’m ready to settle down. My cat wants to mate a cat. Funny thing is, not just any cat. She has to be right for me.”

She felt so bad for him. She just wished her body would heed his feelings and stop thinking about ways to get those jeans off him. “Maybe Joy wasn’t right for you. I’m not saying she’s a bad person or anything,” she hurried to add. “But sometimes things happen for a reason.”

“Yeah? What about you? I still don’t get why you’re available. I’ve never met anyone like you before.”

“Thanks, I think.”

He shifted and rubbed his chin over her head. “That’s a compliment. I’ve told you a thousand times, but you never believe me. You’re beautiful. All the guys want you, and it has nothing to do with you being able to take on two animal spirits.”

Didn’t it? Where had all her supposed suitors been before?

“Yeah, well they never bothered me before Julia spilled the truth about our family.”

“Maybe because they’re men, and all men are by definition assholes.”

She laughed hard and pulled back to look at him. The sly smile made him that much more handsome. Her fox loved mischief, and Grady had enough in him to have made a fine silver fox. “Aren’t you the one in need of a pep talk?”

His smile faded. “Not really.”

Not really?

“I mean, I do, but this is helping a lot.” He stared at her, looking at her with an intensity that brought her attention to the stiff part of him growing stiffer under her bottom. “I’m sorry I had to dance for you the other night. ‘Foxy Lady’ isn’t one of my better tunes.”

“Um, that’s okay.” She wanted badly to move, but she didn’t want him to think she was paying attention to his arousal. What if she’d reminded him of how he normally held Joy, and that’s why he was hard? Physical stimulation could get most guys off—partners didn’t matter.

“I think Monty and Dean cheated. I lost a bet.”

“Right.”

“Yeah.” He sighed. They continued to stare at one another, and she wasn’t sure, but it felt as if Grady really looked at her. “You’re so nice to me, Gabby. Thanks.”

“It’s okay,” she said, sounding way too breathless. Her nipples hurt, aching to be touched, kissed. God, it had been nearly a year since she’d last had sex. Had to be the reason why she couldn’t think of anything but his mouth right now.

“I want to thank you back. Will you let me?”

“You don’t need to thank me. I’m your friend.”

He frowned.

“What’s wrong?”

The frown faded as quickly as it had appeared. “Nothing. It’s just, I don’t want to piss you off, but I want to… I need to… Hell.”

Before she could ask what was wrong, he kissed her. Three long months of unfulfilled Grady fantasies pushed her cat and fox in front of the woman. They refused to be denied a moment longer.

Grady wanted to punch Dean for putting him in this position as he much as he wanted to thank him. Gabby had comforted him, offered him her home. He loved the damn woman, and she smelled so fucking sweet. The scent of arousal mixed with feline and fox was driving him absolutely crazy.

He wanted nothing more than to thrust up inside her and come, to fill her womb with his seed and let everyone know she belonged to him. But doing it under false pretenses was wrong. So wrong.

Yet the kiss couldn’t be more right. Damn it. He wouldn’t fuck her. But he could do a lot else. Her lips softened under his, but she didn’t relent from pursuing his tongue with her own. Aggressive and demanding, she made his pulse race. His cock throbbed, and he feared losing it right in his pants.

Her hands against his chest and arms rocked his entire world. That she participated in the kiss, that she wanted him, stoked him to new levels of hunger. And then there was the purring. She’d started it, but now he couldn’t stop himself. His chest vibrated, his entire being content now that he finally had this woman in his arms.

But it wasn’t enough. He wanted to feel her need, to taste it.

She moaned when he caught her lower lip in his teeth and nipped. Then he trailed his lips over her cheek to her chin and back, toward her ear. He shifted her silky hair out of the way, all too aware of the need to wrap his hand in the stuff and draw her down his frame. To watch her suck him off while he dominated her body and laid claim to her heart.

“Thank you,” he whispered into her ear before he thrust his tongue inside.

She cried out and rubbed those hard nipples against him. She might as well not have been wearing a top for all the protection her clothes gave her breasts. Heat blossomed between them, and he couldn’t wait.

He shifted her over him so that she straddled his waist. Her position gave her some room, enough for him to push his hands between them. One hand went immediately under her shirt to her bra. He pulled it down and ran his thumb over her nipple, gratified when she growled low and shoved her breast harder into his palm.

“Oh yeah. Touch me. Please.”

“Whatever you want, honey. This is for you. All for you.” I’m for you. Grady withdrew his hands to quickly unfasten her jeans, then returned one hand to her breasts. The other delved down, past her jeans and panties into the heat of her.

He found her slick and hot, and he couldn’t help thrusting up, wishing nothing separated them. But he knew lies stood between them, so he contented himself with pleasing her, hoping she’d forgive him when she found out the truth. He slid a finger over her clit, rubbing the hard nub as he returned to her mouth. Her lips, her breasts and her pussy, all his, finally.

Moaning his pleasure, he thrust a finger inside her and began fucking her with it. She rode him hard, so he added another finger. Her nipples taunted him, her lips tugged at him, and he wanted nothing more than to yell out his feelings. Gabby Easton responded to him as if made for him. Her cat purred and growled. Her fox sniffed at him too, curious and surprisingly accepting. His cat welcomed the attention, which told him what words couldn’t.

Gabby was truly his—she just didn’t know it yet.

Wanting to give her something to remember, to show her he had more than a pitiable situation going for him, he centered his attention on her. All for her.

Grady pulled back from her mouth and watched her face while he excited her. “I want you to come, Gabby. That scent is driving me wild. So hot and spicy. Sexy. Cat and fox. You’re so fucking beautiful. Come for me, baby.”

She opened eyes that had been closed, and he stared into pure gold surrounded by thick lashes. Fucking perfect.

“Yes, Grady. Oh yes. More. Harder.”

He added more pressure to her clit and continued to stab his fingers inside her. It was awkward with her jeans in the way until she rose on her knees, which put her breasts at eye level.

Giving her what she needed had never been more enjoyable. Without asking, he took her nipple in his mouth, clothes and all, and bit down while at the same time he rubbed the heel of his palm over her clit.

She bucked and cried out his name, clamping down on his fingers as warm cream covered his hand. He was on the verge of coming. But something about it seemed wrong. He couldn’t take joy from this… Joy.

Fuck.

He watched her finish, totally, helplessly in love with the woman. His future mate, the cat he’d just brought to orgasm, the same one he’d lied to in order to get here. Oh man.

Hurting and knowing he deserved it, he held tight to his desire and refused to let himself come while he withdrew his hands from her.

“Grady. Oh my God. That was incredible.” She pressed soft kisses over his face. “But you’re still hard. Let me help you.”

“This was for you, Gabby. I’m okay. Really,” he rasped, trying like hell not to look as desperate as he felt.

“No, you’re not. But you will be.” Her eyes were kind, and he felt like the worst type of heel. Until she leaned back and unsnapped his jeans. “I can see your cat, Grady. He’s so hot. So hungry.”

He groaned. He could almost feel her touching him. Christ, he’d come in two seconds. How would that impress her?

The buttons undone, his fly parted, she pushed her hand beneath his jeans and underwear and gripped him.

“Oh fuck,” he whispered and his eyes rolled to the back of his head. “Gabby, I’m gonna come so hard. Take your hand away, baby. It’s okay. This was for you.”

She refused to listen to him as she pumped his thick cock. He watched her watching him teeter on the verge of climax. “Do it, Grady. Come for me.”

For her. Anything she wanted, he’d do. And then she rubbed the underside of his cockhead and licked her lips, and he lost his mind.

“Oh yeah. Gabby, baby. Fuck.” He came hard, thick jets of come shooting over his belly and her hand. His orgasm lasted for what felt like forever, the release more than welcome, a testament to the power she held over him. She milked him dry and then let him go. But he didn’t want her to wipe him off.

He grabbed her hand and shoved it under her shirt. “Wipe it into your skin,” he commanded, his voice low and gravelly, his cat more than ready to come out and claim the hell out of her. “I want to smell me all over you.”

Her eyes wide, she let him wipe his semen over her belly. And then he remembered where his fingers had been. He held his hand up and opened his mouth. He sucked his fingers clean, memorizing her taste.

When he finished, he wiped his hand on his belly, mixing faint remnants of her scent and his come into his own skin. “Thank you, Gabby.” I love you, Gabby.

She nodded and rose on wobbly legs. She didn’t speak but cupped his chin with her hand. The tender moment lengthened between them. Then she left and closed the door of her bedroom behind her.

Trying to gather his thoughts, he stared down at his still semi-hard cock and wondered if he’d made things between them better or worse. Better, because she knew how good sex could be between them, or worse, because she’d learned on a lie.

Tired and too sated to care, he staggered to the bathroom, hastily cleaned himself and found her couch once more. He closed his eyes and dreamed about Gabby. But this time he knew her by scent and taste, and he carried her with him into tomorrow.