Cougar Falls: Foxy Lady Part 5

Though his lips curled in pleasure when he looked at her, anger shone in his eyes. "Nice to see you again, Julia." Ned's fake smile annoyed her. As did the meaty hand he reached out for her.

Ty slid effortlessly between her and Ned, caging her in a strong arm as he guided her up the steps. "Williams." He deliberately knocked into Ned when the larger man refused to back away from the front door. "We'll talk later about you paying for our tires. Now, Jason, why don't you introduce us to your mother."

Julia hated to admit it, but she felt a whole lot safer in Ty's arms than she would have arriving alone. Ty possessed an air of invincibility that encouraged others to believe in him. The strength and integrity inherent in the s.h.i.+fty but stubborn fox lent itself to trust. She'd seen more Ac-taw back down from a fight simply because of the way he looked at them. Like he could see into a body's very soul.

Kind of the way he'd looked at her yesterday.

His hand tightened around her shoulder, and he kissed her on the head as they entered the house. Instead of calming her, his innocent kiss aroused her.

She still couldn't believe she'd had almost-s.e.x with Ty Roderick. And he wanted to do it again, to come inside of her. G.o.d willing, she could resist another tryst, because where Ty was concerned, Julia had little sense. Her only defense against him for so many years had been to remain aloof, to act as if she didn't see him, when in reality he was all she ever saw.

Every time he came into the office to talk to Gerald, when she saw him around town, or when he spoke at the Silver Fox Clan meetings, her animal soul cried out for his. The fox inside her knew she'd found something special in the male, but Julia couldn't afford to trust him. Not when her family's existence in Cougar Falls depended upon keeping the deep, dark family secret. Sometimes she really hated her parents for falling in love. She snorted. More like an unfathomable l.u.s.t and selfish need for pleasure.

"Um, Julia?" Ty stared down at her. "You okay? I'm sensing some real distress, baby."

"You can smell that?" she whispered, conscious of all the men coming out of the woodwork. A lot of relatives joined them in the large living room.

"That, and your nails are digging into my forearm," he whispered back.

She immediately released him.

"That's better. Now we can hold hands." He gave her a smug smile and tugged her after him.

Ned stood with his brothers and father, glaring at Ty. Jason's mother seemed to be a sweetheart, and his uncles and cousins had manners the younger Williams men sorely lacked. Apparently, Ned Sr. was the hardhead in his generation, and most of his progeny took after him.

h.e.l.l, every family had a black sheep. She glanced at Meghan and exhaled with frustration.

One of Jason's uncles on his mother's side said, "Don't mind the Neds, as we call them. Bunch of stubborn morons. We're pleased as punch to have Jason and Meghan for a visit. And it's right nice of your sisters to visit as well, Meghan."

Meghan blushed and sat next to Tilda, Jason's mom. "Well, I haven't been home much since college. And Jason and I are planning to live in Seattle far away from all of you, so it's nice to be with family again." She dared Julia to contradict her with a sharp smile.

"So you're not going to go live back home?" Tilda asked.

"No."

Ned and his brothers joined them. "Where is it you're from again?" he asked. He kept his attention on Julia while he spoke. "I don't remember Meghan or Jason saying."

"It's a small town near Glacier Falls National Park. You wouldn't believe how cold it gets out there," Ty said with a smile at Tilda. He blatantly ignored Ned, who didn't like that one bit.

Julia bit her lip to keep from grinning. Ty had a subtle way of letting someone know his displeasure. Trust a fox to be sneaky.

"Oh, I don't know about that," Tilda said. "Last year we had a record low of thirteen degrees."

Gabby chimed in and soon everyone smiled and laughed, sharing stories ranging from the weather to Jason's antics as a young child, which had Tilda and her brothers vying to outdo one another. Ned Sr. remained conspicuously mute.

Throughout dinner, Julia enjoyed herself. Ned and his brothers remained distant. His father outright ignored them all in favor of the television and some stupid basketball game in the other room.

"Would you excuse me, please?" Ty asked Tilda.

"Bathroom's down the hall on the right," one of the uncles offered and threw himself into another story, this one involving Tilda and his youngest brother.

After Ty disappeared from the dining table big enough to seat sixteen comfortably, Gabby leaned in to say, "Not what you were expecting, huh?"

"Well, I can see now where Jason gets his disposition. The family's actually quite nice, if you ignore Ned Sr. and three of his four sons."

Gabby nodded. "Ned's been staring at you since you arrived. You're going to have to talk to him at some point."

"I know. No time like the present."

Tilda and Meghan stood to gather plates. Though the men didn't offer to help, they did compliment her for the meal. Gabby and Julia rose as well and helped clear the table.

Julia reached for Ned's plate. "Ned, can we talk?"

Chapter Five.

Ned pushed back his chair and stood faster than she could blink. "Been waiting all night to talk to you." He glanced in the direction Ty had gone and nodded to himself.

Julia sighed, handed Gabby the plate, then motioned to the back door. "How about on the porch?" In private. She looked pointedly at his brothers.

Itchy quickly said, "We'll go with you."

"Yeah. I don't want to miss this," Snitchy added with an evil grin.

Julia held back a growl. "Ned? I want to talk to you. Alone."

He glanced from Itchy and Snitchy to her. "Good idea." He shoved his brothers back and herded her toward the back door.

From the other room, Julia heard Ty and Ned's father swearing over the muted sound of the television. What the h.e.l.l was he doing with Ned Sr.?

The pair of them bemoaned Gonzaga and cheered Syracuse. Good Lord. He was bonding with that odious man over basketball?

Ned prodded her outside, past the surprised faces of his mother and her sister, and she s.h.i.+vered at the brisk wind slapping her face.

"Nice weather, huh?" He leaned against the porch rail and crossed his arms. "See, I can make small talk."

"Ah, okay. Ned, I just wanted you to understand-"

"I cut my hair. Had Mama iron my jeans."

She stared at him in bemus.e.m.e.nt. "Right. So I just thought we should clear the air. You don't-"

"Don't need fancy manners to impress a woman. I drive a big rig, did you know that? An International."

"International?"

"Yeah. I drive a flatbed from the mill to lumber factories around the state. It's my own rig."

"Rig?"

"My own truck," he said with pride. "I'm an independent contractor, Julia. Make a good living."

"Er, okay."

"So about Sat.u.r.day-"

This time she interrupted him. "Ned, you won't take no for an answer. You shot out the tires on my SUV!" Not to mention Ty's tires, but she didn't think it prudent to mention Ty just now.

He frowned. "I got angry. What the h.e.l.l did you expect me to do when you're parading around with that jacka.s.s? What do you see in a guy like that?"

Besides smarts, a s.e.xy body and a wily fox? "I've known Ty since we were young. We grew up together. He's the love of my life." All so true, and so devastating to a young woman who had nothing to offer a prodigal son from one of the finest fox families in town.

"Love." He snorted. "That's not real. h.e.l.l, look around you. You really think Jason and Meghan are going to last?"

She didn't, and the notion suddenly depressed her. She sighed. "Ned, I don't love you. I don't even like you half the time. The only things I know about you are that you're a bully and you're stubborn. You live here, right?"

He scowled. "You like me fine enough. Yeah, I live here. Nowhere is my home."

"Well, mine is in Montana, and I don't ever plan on leaving it."

"You're here now."

Like talking to a brick wall. "I'm here for Meghan. She's only here because of Jason. She's leaving for Seattle in a few days." The sooner the better. Julia preferred Seattle to this place. For all that Ned's relatives seemed friendlier than she'd expected, there were still way too many Williamses in the area for comfort.

"Look, Julia, I know this is sudden for you. But I like you. I really like you." He sounded so earnest.

She felt her first stirring of sympathy for the big guy. Though a bully with a temper, he had feelings. And then he finished his thought, and her empathy vanished.

"You're f.u.c.kin' hot. I'm the town catch. You and me together? Perfect. I'll give it to you good, baby. And h.e.l.l, things work out, maybe we'll make a go of it. A kid would make Mama happy. I don't see the problem."

"You wouldn't. Sorry to break it to you, Ned, but we-you and me-are not happening."

The meanness returned to his gaze. Danger threatened. Flight or fight for Julia meant flight. On four feet, no one had ever managed to catch her. Unfortunately, she didn't have the freedom to turn at random in Nowhere. She was really starting to hate this place.

"I'm sick of asking. So now I'm telling you. No one says no to Ned Williams. You're mine." The smile didn't reach his eyes. "Think of it this way. I can take care of you and your sisters. Nothing bad can happen to Gabby and Meghan if I'm with you, you get me?"

His obstinacy she'd tolerated. Threats against her family ended it. Rage swelled, and the careful control she exercised at all times started to slip.

"You don't like to be told no. I get it. But I don't like to be told what to do either." He'd hurt her family if she refused him? She gave her fury full reign. Stubborn men. A sister who wouldn't listen. Relatives who hated her. Responsibilities for everything thanks to a foolish mother and an irresponsible father. No longer keeping her att.i.tude in check, Julia railed at Ned, heaping her frustrations and indignities upon him.

"You don't own me, Ned. No one does. I'm tired of being told what to do, how to act, what to say. I don't like Nowhere. I don't like my sister falling for an outsider. I don't like arrogant a.s.sholes who think they know what's best for me and everyone around me." She poked him in the chest, startling him with her aggression. Take that Ned, Uncle Harry, Aunt Lynn and Ty. "I'm going home. Gabby and Meghan are coming with me. And if you so much as look at my family the wrong way, I'll cut you off at the knees."

The animal desire to defend herself came out of nowhere. A lifetime of hiding secrets, of fitting in despite her need to live her own life, and wis.h.i.+ng for what could never be, bombarded her like sharp needles p.r.i.c.kling at her flesh. Now, for the first time, she intended to fight. Pain pushed through her fingertips until the lethal edge of claws appeared. Her teeth p.r.i.c.ked her gums, and the bones of her jaw tingled with the need to realign.

Ned stared in horror at her face, but she didn't care. Before she could strike out at him, Ty wrapped his arms around her from behind. She hadn't heard him approach.

"Easy, baby. It's okay. No one's forcing you to do anything you don't want to do," he crooned in her ear, his scent so alluring she inhaled deeply to take more of it in.

It took her a moment to calm down, and when she did, she noticed Ned's shock.

h.e.l.l.

"Son of a b.i.t.c.h," he whispered, turned on his heel without another word and slammed into the house.

Julia shook as the rage left her. Appalled to have lost control like that, she struggled in Ty's arms.

"It's okay," he said softly. "It really is. You didn't change more than your eyes and claws, a trick of the light. Everything else will keep. Don't worry. You're fine." His soothing voice transitioned her discomfort into another form altogether. Her s.e.x throbbed as he spoke, and then his words suddenly ceased into an intense silence.

He turned her in his arms and kissed her. A wild, earthy, s.e.xual meeting of the mouths that promised a blissful outcome if they hurried out of their clothes.

Ty ended the kiss and nipped her lip. "d.a.m.n, Julia. I want you. But our timing sucks. I'm with you on not liking this place. We need to get home." He lifted her hips and ground into her, his erection imposing and so very welcome.

Think, Julia. s.e.x with Ty is bad. Julia wished she could remember why, because her hormones screamed at her to finish what he teased with that kiss.

She licked the flesh of his throat then bit hard enough to leave a mark. He groaned and tightened his hold on her.

"f.u.c.k, Julia. Stop before I come in my pants. I swear, you're driving me crazy."

"Hmm?" She continued to kiss him, trailing her lips down his throat to the parted V of his s.h.i.+rt.

"The last time I came on your s.h.i.+rt. I'm about to come in my pants. Stop," he rasped when her hand slid under his jeans and wrapped around his c.o.c.k. "G.o.d, you are so s.e.xy. I've dreamed of taking you in so many ways." He moaned and thrust against her palm. "If you don't let me go, I'm going to f.u.c.k you in full view of anyone who comes out the back door." His growly warning forced her to look up at him. The slit pupils staring back at her showed her how close he straddled the edge of reason.

With regret, she drew back. A drop of come clung to her finger and she licked it, daring him to protest.

His gaze brightened, like orbs of molten silver. "You're really pus.h.i.+ng it, baby. Flat on your back, my c.o.c.k up that p.u.s.s.y. In about five seconds if you don't turn away and walk back into the house," he hissed.

His posture screamed dominance, and she wanted to show her belly and submit. Then turn over onto her hands and knees and present herself for a true mating, lifting her tail in the air and- h.e.l.l, I'm really losing it. Julia jumped back as common sense returned. She blushed at the harsh look of l.u.s.t on Ty's face. "Oh, man. What was I thinking?"

"You weren't. And neither was I." Ty swore under his breath and s.h.i.+fted his arousal in his tight jeans. "Go into the house, Julia. Your scent is h.e.l.l on my control. Tell Jason we need to leave. Pretend you're sick or something. Then as soon as we get home, we'll finish this."

"No." She took a deep breath for calm. "As soon as we get home, we're leaving Nowhere. We can s.h.i.+ft and run to the nearest town for transportation. You and I are a mistake waiting to happen."

His eyes narrowed. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Just what I said. You don't need another notch on your bedpost, Ty," she said nastily but unable to help it. Oh G.o.d, I sound catty.

"Notch on my what? Don't tell me you listen to rumors, Julia. You should know that half the stories floating in town are bulls.h.i.+t." He scoffed.

"Oh? So Katie Heasting? Reggie Ross? Were they lying when they talked about how hot you are between the sheets?"

The dull flush on his cheeks answered for him. She slowly, deliberately walked away.

"Oh, come on, Julia. That was a while ago."