“Damn it all, Chase, you know you can’t rip into a couple of campers up from Colorado Springs and expect no one to notice,” Haken snarled, his eyes sparkling with anger. “I suppose you wouldn’t have done anything?” Haken averted his gaze for a moment and Chase knew the truth. “I’d have found a less violent way to solve the situation.” Yeah, right. Chase remembered how easily his claws had slid through their soft white skin and smothered the self-satisfied feeling that their scars would serve as reminders not to mess with poor defenseless animals again. “I get it. I really do. And I’m not saying I don’t understand why you did it.” Chase opened his mouth to speak, but Haken lifted a hand to cut him off. “But just because the council may sympathize with your intentions doesn’t mean we agree with how you handled it.” Chase stood his ground, a cool mountain breeze feathering over his nude body, ready for whatever punishment the council gave him. The other werecats milled around the two men, unwilling to join in the discussion yet too curious not to show up at the rare group gathering. Curiosity may have killed the cat, but these wimps are just plain pussies. Haken stalked to the other side of the small bare patch of land, startling the two cubs wrestling nearby. The boys shifted quickly, returning to their human forms before scampering out of the way. “You need to learn how to deal with humans on their level.” “I don’t like humans and I mix with them only when I have to.” Chase, like most werecats, preferred a solitary life in the woods, living in their cat forms, staying as far from human civilization as possible. Those who liked living in their human forms provided the clan with what few outside provisions they needed. “Times are changing. It’s growing more difficult to stay away from them. When we come in contact with humans, we have to know how to act. Behaving oddly, much less attacking them, only draws unwanted attention.” Haken narrowed his eyes, his lips drawing back in a snarl. The only difference between Haken’s human and cat displays of anger was the laid-back ears of the predator currently hidden inside the man. “The elders and I have decided you need to learn a lesson.” He growled at the female gliding too close to Chase, an obvious gesture of attraction. She purred, her yellow gaze fixing on Chase a second more before heeding the leader’s warning. “Therefore, we’re asking you—” Haken locked eyes with Chase, “—to spend time with the humans. Get to know them. Learn to resolve issues without shifting and tearing them apart.” Asking, my ass. He could refuse, but to do so would insult the leader who had helped him avoid punishment in the past. Aw, shit. I know I’m going to hate what he’s got planned. “What does the council want me to do?” “The human owner of Shiloh Hills Ranch, Bob Tally, knows about us and has agreed to set you up with a job as a ranch hand.” Haken recognized the revulsion in Chase’s expression. “That’s right. Human ranch hands. You can learn how to deal with humans while you’re working alongside them.” “And if I don’t?” “Let’s not go down that road yet. Just go and talk to Tally. Then decide.” He studied the pride leader’s determined yet hopeful face. “Fine. I’ll go. But only to talk.” “Good.” With the council’s message delivered, Haken turned on his heel and strode out of the clearing. The other cats followed his unspoken direction and hurried into the darkness of the surrounding forest. Rage flowed through Chase, followed swiftly by disgust. Spend time among humans? Learn how to interact with them? The idea is ludicrous, not to mention insulting. Hell, I’d rather spend time with a wolf pack. Okay, maybe not. But almost. Tired of standing on two legs, he tucked his chin and shifted, dropping to all fours. With a swish of his tail, he darted down the hillside, rushing as though he could outrun the ridiculous sentence. * “So you’re Chase Reya.” Chase didn’t bother answering since the question sounded more like a statement. Instead, he coolly regarded the seasoned cowboy standing behind the contemporary glass-topped desk that was out of place with the rest of the rustic furnishings in the Shiloh Hills Ranch office. Mounted animal heads—deer, elk, bear but thankfully no pumas—decorated the cabin’s walls. A gun cabinet boasted shotguns and rifles along with one ancient pistol, a collector’s item. If he had to talk to this human, then he’d let the man speak and get the ordeal over with as quickly as possible. Dressed in jeans and a button-down plaid shirt, Bob Tally was the perfect image of an old-time cowboy. Unlike his movie-star counterparts with their perfect smiles and manicured nails, he was wiry and weather-beaten, with scars marking his hands from years of wrangling cattle and horses. Gray streaked his once-coal-black hair, while wrinkles aged by the sun and laughter framed the intelligent blue eyes scanning him from top to bottom. “Not much on talking, huh?” When Chase merely lifted an eyebrow, he chuckled and reached out his hand. Chase eyed the outstretched hand and fought the urge to ignore it. He knew a handshake was the acceptable human method of greeting. Reluctantly, he grasped Bob’s hand, gripping it with a firm hold. Bob held on, keeping his grip longer than was necessary until Chase brought his eyes up to meet the older man’s. “Look, son, I know you don’t want to be here, but I owe Haken—and your kind—a favor. So let’s make this easy on both of us. Agreed?” Bob finally released his hand. “Yeah, I know what you are, but the others don’t. So no going down on all fours around here, is that clear?” “Clear.” Not that it matters since I’m not staying. Bob leaned over the desk, palms flat on the smudged surface. “Good. We’ll get you settled in the bunkhouse with the rest of the hands.” His body language sent the unmistakable message that he’d brook no arguments. “You shouldn’t have any problems…if you give it a real chance.” Chase caught the underlying warning in the man’s tone and let it roll off his back. “Hold up. I haven’t decided if I’m taking this job.” Surprise flickered across Bob’s features. “I thought this had already been decided.” “No one decides for me.” The cowboy took his full measure. “I see. Well, it’s no skin off my nose but, if you do stay, I don’t want any trouble. Understood?” “I won’t start any trouble. If I stay.” Bob was a smart one, finishing the thought for Chase. “But you won’t run from trouble, either, I bet.” “What’s that about trouble, Cousin Bob?” The older man’s mouth fell open, dropping the toothpick he’d balanced between his teeth. Chase pivoted, uneasy that someone had sneaked up behind him, and drew in a sharp breath at the beautiful woman standing in the doorway. The female grinned first at Bob, then shifted her mocha-colored eyes toward Chase. His body tingled in instinctive sexual recognition, disturbing his calm demeanor. Curly honey-blonde hair framed the sweet face. Full pink lips betrayed the angelic roundness of her features, and Chase wanted nothing more than to take them between his teeth and nibble on the kissable, plump flesh. Soft curves accented her smallish breasts and hips, hips that were perfect for a man to hang on to, and that begged him to force her legs wide to thrust inside her and take a leisurely ride. Saliva flooded his mouth while the material of his jeans pushed back at his cock straining beneath. “Well, I’ll be damned. Shannon, girl, what the hell are you doing here?” Skirting the desk and meeting her halfway, Bob bear-hugged the woman, pressing her arms to her sides and lifting her off her feet. “Figures you’d walk in right when I was talking about trouble. You, my dear cousin, are trouble with a capital T. But you’re the kind of trouble worth having around.” Let her go. The strange thought hit Chase, unnerving him in its intensity. Although Bob’s embrace was not at all sexual in nature, Chase clenched his fists to keep from yanking her out of his hold. What the hell is wrong with me? She’s nothing, no one to me. A human. At last Bob released her and they kissed each other on the cheeks. Chase found he could breathe again. Or at least until she turned her attention to him. He struggled to stone-face his expression. “I’m sorry, Bob. I didn’t mean to interrupt.” She spoke to her cousin, but her eyes were all for Chase. He heard the alluring call of her sexuality in her dulcet tone and frowned as the heat flushed from his face down to tantalize his testicles. Who is this female? “Don’t you worry about that. We were just finishing up.” Bob barely acknowledged Chase with a tilt of his head. “Chase Reya, this is my cousin and reigning cougar, Shannon Tally.” “And damn proud of it, too.” Cougar? Chase sniffed, trying to catch the shifter scent on her. She’s no shifter. So what can he mean? Bob hugged her again. “Tell me what you’re doing here all the way from Georgia.” Shannon—even her name made his desire for her grow—smiled, keeping her gaze squarely on Chase. “I decided it was high time to visit my favorite cousin.” She dropped her eyes, not in the least way demurely, and scanned him from head to toe. “I’d heard Colorado had some amazing sights and I wanted to see them.” A pink tongue peeked out between the ruby lips, enthralling in its brief appearance. “And what I’ve seen so far makes me want to see more.” Is she coming on to me? Although werecat females tended to be aggressive in attracting sexual partners, Chase wasn’t sure if human females were the same. Should I ask? Am I supposed to respond in a certain way? He’d never considered sex with a human female, but this one had him ready to rut her up, down and every way in between. “I’m glad you’re here. How about I show you the guest room and let Chase find his own way to the bunkhouse?” Bob lifted an eyebrow at him. “If you’re signing on.” “Yeah. I’m staying.” The words were out of his mouth in an instant. No way could he walk away from this female. At least not until he’d gotten inside her. His cock twitched, already feeling her warmth wrapped around him. “Good. Then head on out and let the boys fix you up.” Bob pulled Shannon around, breaking her visual lock on Chase. He jerked, physically thrown by the loss of her attention. He followed the pair, silently watching her delectable behind sway as the older man led her out of the office and up the stairs to the second floor. He tilted his head, still watching them until they turned the corner on the second story and disappeared down the long hallway. His mouth dried up and he gripped the stair railing for support. I have to have her. One way or another, I have to have her. * Please be outside. Shannon rushed to the guest bedroom window, hoping Bob hadn’t delayed her too long. If he’d yakked at me any longer, my ear would’ve fallen off. At last she’d complained of needing a rest. But maybe she hadn’t gotten away fast enough. Granted, she would still find Chase around the ranch during the next few days, but she needed to see that animal of a man right now. Otherwise she might think she’d dreamed their meeting. Throwing the curtains aside, she pressed her nose against the window pane and scanned the yard below. Ranch hands milled around, hurrying to do whatever ranch hands did. Where is he? She bit her lip, nerves threatening to take over, and searched the area between the main house and the bunkhouse. There he is. His yellow hair shone in the bright light, setting him apart from the other men. But if his hair hadn’t marked him, she would’ve noticed him simply from his confident, powerful swagger. He stopped for a moment, listening as another hand spoke to him. The flutter in her abdomen signaled another wave of excitement. Shannon, girl, you’ve got to get yourself some of that. She’d come to visit Bob with the single-minded purpose of screwing as many hunky cowboys as she could get between the sheets and anywhere else she could take them. But she’d never expected to run into a man like Chase. He was different from the others, wilder than any man she’d ever met. He was everything she’d fantasized in a cowboy—young, tall, tanned and sporting a major bulge in his jeans. Be careful. The familiar warning sounded in her mind yet, unlike all the times before, she pushed it aside and allowed the dangerous thought entry. This man could be more than just an amazing hunk of sexuality. She hadn’t felt that particular type of yearning since Jarrod had left her alone and sobbing in front of all her family and friends. A lump formed in her throat and she resolutely swallowed. I will never let any man hurt me again. Men are for sex and only for sex. And she could feel the sexual attraction in her gut. Her body was ready for a hot time in the not-so-old west. One way or another, she’d have him riding her long and hard. * “Name’s Chase.” Chase met the frank looks of the ranch hands with a hard one of his own and waited for someone to question his arrival. Damn, I hate this. Within a few moments, however, they’d grown uneasy with his defiant stare and dropped their gazes to continue doing whatever they’d been doing. All of them except for one. The non-human one. The werewolf in cowboy’s clothing, his legs crossed at the ankles in a careless fashion, leaned against the wall next to a bunk bed and grinned at him. A grin that said, “I know what you are, too.” Chase smothered a low growl. If he keeps grinning like that I’m gonna have to shove that smirk all the way down his throat. When the wolf moved, slowly, deliberately, Chase paralleled him, keeping a safe distance between them. Come on, wolfman, make the first move. “Where are you planning on sleeping, c—” Wolfman’s grin grew wider. “Chase, was it?” He started to call me cat. Chase fought the urge to tell him to go chase a car and never come back. Instead, he walked over to a different bunk bed and tossed his pack on the lower bed. “Here will do. If it’s free.” Wolfman placed a hand on a young redheaded cowboy sitting at the table where five men were playing poker and acting as if they hadn’t noticed Chase’s arrival. “It’s free. John won’t mind using the top bunk from now on. Will you, John-boy?” John, his Adam’s apple bobbing with a swallow, nervously glanced between them, then agreed with a curt nod. He averted his gaze and returned to the game. “You got a last name?” This hound is getting under my nerves real fast. Even faster than a dog normally would. “Reya.” He leaned over and tested the firmness of the mattress but kept his eyes on the werewolf. Neither Haken or Bob mentioned a werewolf. “And who are you?” The humans’ mascot? “Dirk Claxton from around Denver. Ever heard of the Cannons of Denver?” The Cannons as in Cannon wolf pack. Of course he had. Although he’d never met any of them, he knew their reputation. They were considered the ruling werewolf pack in the state. Maybe even the entire western half of the country. The squeal of a chair’s hind legs on tortured wood floor announced the departure of another cowhand. They’d started clearing out, alone or in small groups, a minute after Chase walked in. Good noses can always smell a fight brewing and good brains know when to get out of the way. “Yeah, I know of them. Never met any of them, though.” He didn’t like the way the wolf had edged toward him, almost as though sizing him up for an attack. Figures. I haven’t been here an hour before I get thrown out for fighting. But at least this time it’s not with a human. He took a deep breath, rose and got ready for whatever the shifter threw at him. Even then he wasn’t ready for Shannon Tally. “Hi, guys.” She scanned first Chase then Dirk, her eyes glistening with intense interest. “Or should I say howdy instead? Do ranch hands really speak cowboy like they do on television?” The scent of lust filled the room. Chase closed his eyes and sniffed, taking in the heady aroma. Yet the scent wasn’t purely hers. His instant reaction to Shannon’s appearance was met in force by Dirk’s. The werewolf’s attraction to the female was so strong Chase could do more than merely smell it. He could feel it pressing against his skin. Yet, surprisingly, her scent filtered into the mix with as much passion as the combined weres’ desires. She smells hot and ready for a sweaty romp. Chase took in the easy seductive way she moved, obviously aware of their interest, yet accustomed to the admiration. She’s regal. Like a queen in her castle. Maybe her carriage came with her age, since she was older. While she had the confidence of a woman well into her late thirties, she retained the vitality, the allure, the beauty of a young female. Her hips flared nicely in the skin-tight jeans while the vee of her blouse highlighted her small but perky chest. A knowing smile lifted the corners of her lips, highlighting the turned-up nose that crinkled when the smile turned into a grin. Again the urge hit him, making him momentarily forget about the werewolf. I have to have her. And once I do, I can get the hell out of this place. * “What’s wrong, boys?” Shannon paused, dragging their attention to her and only her. “Did I interrupt a little male bonding?” She smothered the urge to giggle. Why weren’t these two talking? Sure, she was used to having a strong effect on the opposite sex, but this was ridiculous. Hell, their tongues are almost hanging out of their mouths. Yep, this is gonna be fun. Of course, she’d known that the second she’d laid eyes on delectable Chase. Although finding him alone with another hunk had thrown her for a moment, she’d recovered quickly. Please, God, tell me they’re not gay. Not that she had anything against players from the other team, but she so wanted a good long taste of Chase. And the second cowboy, too. Nope. No maybe about it. She wanted them both. Preferably together. All she had to do was make it happen. Her gaze drifted back to Chase. Maybe I’ll play with him more than the other… Nope, girl, keep it fun and free. No attachments_—_other than the physical ones tenting up their jeans. She dropped her attention to their crotches, focusing on the goal in mind. She moved a little closer to the shorter, stockier man. He was the exact opposite of Chase but just as yummy. Where Chase was lean, he was broad. Where Chase radiated a cheetah-like smoothness, a sleek animal ready to spring at her in the next second, this one exuded a slow but steady brute-like quality. Just as she’d hoped, the ripples of tension wafting off Chase hyped up. “Hi, I’m Shannon Tally. Bob’s cousin from the South.” Giving him an ooh-you-are-so-yummy look, she imagined the tall lanky cowboy naked and positioned between her legs while the other sucked on her tits. Or maybe they’d stand, with one nailing her from the front and the other from the back. “And you are…?” “No one. He’s no one.” Ooh, jealous already? Very juicy. “Wow, Chase, talk about rude.” She flattened her palm on the other man’s chest and delighted in the way his heart picked up speed. “And you’re wrong. I’m sure he’s someone. Someone very special.” She met the shorter man’s sky-blue eyes and held on. “Tell me your name, cowboy.” “Dirk. Dirk Claxton, sugar.” Sugar. How cute. She lowered her gaze to slide over his slightly opened mouth then back to his eyes. “I’m happy to meet you, Dirk, Dirk Claxton.” Did his eyes change color? Naw, couldn’t have. But I would’ve sworn… A low rumble from Chase interrupted her thoughts. How odd. Did Chase just growl? And he’d moved closer. Sweet. She placed her other palm on his chest, holding back both men. His heart, just like Dirk’s, raced against her skin. Slowly, seductively, she ran her palms in circles around their chests, delighting in the rugged firmness of each man. I wonder if they’re both as hard down there? She let her hands skim down their shirts, enjoying the way their abs tightened beneath the thick material, and stopped an inch above the waistlines of their jeans. Easy, Shannon. Take your time. She paused, giving them a chance to back away, take her hand—something. But neither man moved, neither one giving an inch to the other. She dropped her hands to her side, closed her eyes and took a breath to enjoy the palpable sexual awareness between the cowboys. Holy shit. I do believe I’ve won the horny sweepstakes with these two. Without warning, she pushed against Dirk, pressing her breasts against his chest. He stiffened, but in a good way. She ran her hands along his arms until she took his face in her hands. I bet Chase is watching this big-time. Are you jealous, Chase? Dirk exhaled the moment their lips touched, breathing warm air into her mouth. She took his breath inside her. Sticking her tongue in his mouth, she lapped up the taste of him. His hands gripped her ass, thrusting her pelvis against his bulging crotch. The flame of her desire surprised her and, for a moment, she was tempted—hell, more than tempted—to push her jeans down and beg him to eat her. She teetered on the brink, closer than she’d ever expected to come and pushed against him. Dirk, however, kept her there and nibbled on her lips. Damn. What have I started? I don’t want Chase to think I’ve chosen Dirk over him. She nipped him back and struggled between what she knew she should do and what she wanted to do. Oh, screw it. Screw me. Even with Chase standing by, watching. Hell, especially with Chase watching. Suddenly, Dirk wrenched away from her, leaving her bereft and unsatisfied. What the hell? A furious Dirk pulled Chase’s hand off his arm, then stood chest to chest with the angry man. “Back the hell up, cat-man. In fact, why don’t you scat and leave us alone?” Cat-man? But Shannon didn’t have time to wonder about the odd name. Forget that. Check out the expression on Chase’s face. Jealous doesn’t remotely cover it. Chase chest-bumped Dirk, his hands clenched at his side. “Leave her alone, dog face.” What is it with these two and their weird name-calling? Shannon could almost see the steam radiating from the men. Any other woman would try and cool them down. Or run away. But she wasn’t any other woman. Instead, she stepped between them, getting squashed against them. “Settle down, boys. No harm done. In fact…” she turned to confront the tawny-headed hunk, “…if you’d waited another minute or two, I’d have had time to do this.” Grabbing him by the shirt, she tugged Chase forward and slammed her mouth on his. He beat her to the punch, however, by getting his tongue into her mouth first. She fought to keep her triumph from showing on her face. She fondled the firm roundness of his ass and groaned into his kiss. He tasted musky, like Dirk had, yet different. His kiss had something else. A tangy indefinable something, reminding her of the untamed outdoors she longed to explore. He took her breast and rubbed his thumb over her already-taut nipple. A soft mew escaped her. Covering his hand with hers, she encouraged him to do more, take more. Where Dirk had excited her, Chase drove her crazy. Ram into me. Hard. Over and over again. Damn, how I want to make my fantasy come true. Without warning, the kiss ended, making her gasp in surprise and disappointment. She stepped away, unsteady on her feet, turning her head to try and hide her emotions. Shit. When did I lose control of the situation? I was supposed to be the tease, not them. Pulling herself together, she got ready for their gloating. After all, they’d taken control and used her horniness against her. What she saw on their faces, however, nearly buckled her knees.