Midsummer Heat by Mina Carter Read Free Book Online

his fingers in the delicate strap of her dress, yanking it to the side to bare her shoulder for his lips. Sense fell away, the burning need to take her there and then, before she could run back to the big city and escape him, almost overwhelmed him.
    Only the door and a muttered ‘Sorry man, didn’t know you were out here,’ brought him to his senses. With a snarled curse he put a couple of inches between them, sliding her strap back onto her shoulder. She staggered as he released her, hands out to catch her balance against him. The soft, unfocused look on her face was his undoing.
    “Fuck it. You’re not leaving me. I’ll make you stay.” Bending, he scooped her up into his arms. Turning, he backed through the kitchen door and strode towards the back entrance. Determination and arousal raced through him. Three days to the midsummer moon, and he planned to make every one of them count.
    * * *
    Anger swirled around Max like a superhero’s cape as he bundled her through the kitchen and out of the back door before the heat and sensual lassitude of the kiss faded. The cool night air hit her like a slap in the face, wrapping her up in a cool blanket which lifted goose-flesh on her arms and jarred her back to reality.
    Moonlight shone down, lighting the parking lot as brightly as day to her wolf vision. The lot was full, even though alcohol flowed freely at the festivities inside. Thanks to their increased metabolism, no wolf was at risk of being caught drunk driving, the alcohol burning out of their systems in minutes. As a result, wolves drank a lot to maintain the warm fuzzy feeling alcohol granted.
    “What are you playing at? Max?” she demanded, her voice rising to a shrill pitch as he dropped her to her feet but kept a hard hold on her wrist. She tugged at it anyway, even though she knew it was pointless. “What do you mean, you’ll make me stay?”
    He turned, as quick as a striking snake, and the hard look on his face made her catch her breath. Heat, danger and arousal drew his expression tight, his eyes glittering as he yanked her up against his hard body.
    The thin satin of her sheath dress offered no protection against the heat of his body. She bit back a whimper. It had been so long since she’d felt the heated skin of her own kind sliding against hers during sex that she’d almost forgotten what it was like. Forgotten the feral need that rose and wrapped around her senses, demanding that she yield to the more powerful male.
    “You lied to me,” he ground out, hand hard in her hair as its twin roamed freely, exploring her curves as though committing them to memory. She didn’t stop him. Couldn’t. Every hard touch and rough caress fed the desire which held her in its web. “Made me believe that I had a chance with you, but you were going to leave anyway. I waited ten years for this, so I’m taking what I want.”
    “Don’t be ridiculous. What are you going to do? Tie me to the damn bed, keep me naked and pregnant?” She laughed, the sound strangled and nervous as his lips descended.
    He paused, his mouth a hairs-breadth from hers, as if to consider her words.
    “Don’t tempt me.”
    His mouth crashed down on hers in a hard kiss filled with rage and need. Despite herself, despite her determination not to give him the satisfaction, she couldn’t help but respond. His anger tapped into and fuelled the feral need within her, one she normally kept well under wraps, aiding it to break through the chains of her self-control. Fear at this new side of him—darker and more dangerous than the charming Max she knew—hummed through her, the edge of danger pulling her in.
    Like baiting the tiger’s tail, wolves couldn’t resist the rush of danger. It was why a lot went into the forces or took up high risk occupations like high-speed race driver. Others sought their thrills in dangerous sports, such as base jumping or diving with sharks.
    She was no exception. Kissing him back, she teased and evaded,