N. Walters - Legacy Found

James leaned down and pressed a soft kiss on her forehead. “I know you can, Shelley. But all of us need some help sometimes.” He stepped back and headed to the door, leaving her to follow.

She stepped outside, looking around with interest as he shut and locked the wide doors. From the outside, the structure really did look like a barn. Unless you broke inside, you’d never know there were vehicles stored here.

“Which way?” Shelley could see two possible trails, but had no idea which one was the right one.

James put one hand on the small of her back and pointed to the left. “That way.”

They set off. Shelley had an entire colony of butterflies beating inside her stomach. Her skin tingled. Her senses were heightened.

She could smell James next to her, a combination of clean male sweat, a tinge of the woodsy-scented soap he favored, and the unique musky smell that was all hot male. All James.

Her breasts swelled and her nipples puckered. Shelley stumbled over a tree root and would have ended up face down in the dirt if James hadn’t caught her by the arm. Now was not the time to get aroused. Not when she was about to meet his family. What would they think of her?

“Careful.” He held her steady, peering down at her. His nostrils flared and his eyelids lowered. “Shelley.” He said her name, nothing more, but it sent a shaft of heat flaring from her breasts to between her thighs.

He slowly lowered his head and nuzzled the curve of her jaw. His lips grazed over her skin. “I want to touch you,” he murmured against her ear.

The bags dropped to the ground as her fingers opened of their own accord and reached for him. James. Just James. Since the moment he’d stepped into her life, he’d changed everything.

He caught her earlobe between his teeth and nibbled. She moaned as it sent sensual shivers rushing down her neck and arms. She shifted from one foot to the other as she caught his shoulders for support. The leather of his coat crinkled beneath her fingers.

“But this isn’t the time or the place. They’re waiting for us up at the compound.” His words were as effective as a bucket of ice water.

Shelley jolted back. Lungs heaving, eyes wide, she glanced around, hoping no one had seen them. She couldn’t see or sense anyone. Absently, she rubbed her hand over her ear. She didn’t know if she was trying to rub James’s touch into her skin or trying to remove it.

Their stolen moment left her feeling unsettled and too warm. She glanced in dismay at her bags sitting on the damp ground. A small sound of worry escaped as she bent down and jerked them into her hands. On examination, they didn’t appear to have soaked through.

James waited, his expression one of masculine need. His breathing was deep and slow and his muscles were tense. There was also no disguising the erection pressing against the zipper of his jeans.

Shelley glanced away and chewed on her bottom lip. She shouldn’t have come. This wasn’t going to work.

“Come on,” he all but growled.

She took a step back. “Maybe I should just go.”

James put his hands on his hips. He was a very large, very imposing man. His hair was pulled back and tied at his nape with a piece of leather. The silver mixed with brown at his temples, making him look mature, experienced. His golden-brown eyes were piercing as they watched her. She felt naked before him. Exposed.

His hard expression softened slightly. “Trust me.” He held out his hand. It was a large hand. Strong and calloused and male. It was a hand that could hurt or help, depending on his mood.

Taking a deep breath, she gripped both her bags in one hand and reached out with her free one.

His fingers closed around hers. “Come on. They’re waiting.”

For a moment, James feared Shelley was going to flee. He hadn’t meant to give in to the sensual pull that existed between them. But when she’d stumbled and he’d caught her, he’d gotten a whiff of her sweet skin. She was also slightly aroused and that had set off every primal instinct inside him.

He wanted to claim Shelley, to make her his.

But that couldn’t happen. Not yet. It was too soon. Shelley would see it as trading one prison for another and that was something he couldn’t live with.

Still, he hadn’t been able to resist a quick nibble and a kiss. The passion between them flared so fast and hot it had almost gotten out of control. It was only the knowledge that his daughter and some of the pack were waiting that had made him take a step back.

Later. He made the promise to her and to himself. There would be time later to explore the growing sexual attraction between them.

He held her hand firmly, but not so much so that she’d feel trapped. Shelley was wound so tight it wouldn’t take much for her to snap. She’d been through so much in the past few days and was about to face even more.

The compound came into view and he tried to see it through her eyes. A ten-foot wooden fence surrounded the area that contained his home and those of the Striker family. There were five homes and various sheds and other buildings within the clearing. A low mountain backed onto one side of the compound, giving it natural protection.

“What do you think?” He glanced at Shelley and was instantly concerned by her pallor.

She swallowed several times, her throat rippling. “It’s imposing.” He noticed she was eyeing the large gates that now stood open.

“We close them at night for extra protection, but they’re opened every morning.” The last thing she needed to feel was confined in any way.

James could sense several members of his family inside. They were growing more impatient by the second. If they didn’t move soon, Alex wouldn’t wait much longer.

Shelley could hear them too. Smell them. With her preternatural senses, they were too close for her not to be able to. Her bottom lip was red and moist where she’d been worrying it with her teeth.

“Ready?”

She squared her shoulders and gave a single nod. “Let’s do this.”

Pride filled him as he ushered her forward, past the gate and into the compound. The clearing held a small welcoming committee.

James was pleased to see it was only immediate family. Good. Joshua had told only his brothers about their guest.

Still, he could feel Shelley practically vibrating next to him, could smell her growing fear. Yet, her face showed none of her concern. Her expression was calm; her steps slow and measured.

Alex smiled and rushed toward him, arms outstretched. “Dad.”

He caught her easily, returning her hug. Shelley sidled off to his right and he reached out and caught her, returning her to his side. “Alex, honey, I want you to meet Shelley.” He turned to Shelley. “This is my daughter, Alexandra.”

“Call me Alex.” She thrust her hand toward Shelley.

Shelley could only stare at the beautiful woman with her hand outstretched in greeting. There was no doubt she was James’s daughter. They shared the same hair color and she was long and lean like her father. Their eyes were very different though. Alex’s were a pale silvery gray, while James’s were piercing golden brown.

Alex’s smile began to fade, and her hand lowered. Shelley realized she’d been standing and staring for too long. The last thing she wanted to do was offend James’s daughter. That wouldn’t get her off on the right foot here. She thrust out her hand. “I’m very glad to meet you.”

The young woman’s smile widened again and there was no doubting that her greeting was sincere.

“I’m so glad you came home with Dad.” Alex glanced at James. “He told us a little bit about your situation. I’m sure we can help.”

She was overwhelmed by Alex’s willingness to involve herself in Shelley’s problems. She felt nothing but welcome from the other woman. There was no sense of being an unwanted guest or an intruder. She felt herself starting to relax. Then Alex turned to the four large men standing behind her.