Operation Wolf: Eli (Wolf Elite Book 2) Page 6

I SIGHED IN BLISS as my toes curled in the sand, and I watched the waves crash against the shore just a few feet away. A half-eaten plate of grilled chicken and vegetables sat on my right, and Eli sat on my left, still happily munching away at his food, as we eyed the sunset over Lake Champlain. A perfect end to what had not exactly been a perfect day in my mind, though it was still better by far than the previous two days since Eli had kidnapped me for my own safety.

  It had taken us a little longer than I’d thought to finally get out to the beach. Eli’s friend had made sure the electricity and water were turned on and the fridge and pantry were stocked with plenty of food. There was no staff on the premises at all, and we’d needed to rub down and stable the horse and mule ourselves, as well as figure out where everything was in the vast house. After all that was done, Eli had decided he was famished and that we needed dinner, which he’d insisted upon making from scratch instead of just using one of the dinners in the freezer.

  By the time we’d gotten out here, we’d been lucky to catch the sunset. But it was worth it now, sitting in the sand with my belly full and the ache in my ribs having subsided to the point it was barely noticeable.

  “I had no idea you could cook,” I said, glancing sideways at Eli, who was picking up another drumstick. “I definitely don’t remember you doing any cooking for me before.”

  Eli gave me a lopsided grin, one that reminded me of the boy I had grown up with, and it tugged at my heartstrings. “One time, the Army cook was out sick, and there was no one to take over for him, so I offered to pitch in,” he said. He paused to take a huge bite of his chicken. He’d taken two plates out with him, each one heaped with three times the amount of food I had put on mine. And he still showed no signs of being full.

  “After the first two days of death threats, I realized I actually had to become good at it if I wanted to survive, so I stepped up my game.” He chuckled. “I got so good that the cook tried to draft me as his help on three separate occasions.”

  “Well, that’s definitely something to add to your résumé,” I teased. “Former almost Army cook.”

  Eli snorted. “I don’t see you complaining.”

  “I’m not,” I said honestly. “It’s delicious.”

  “Thanks.”

  I finished off my plate and then grimaced at my sticky hands. “Ugh, I’d better go inside and wash these off.” I rose to my feet.

  “Hang on.” Eli reached over and caught one of my wrists. Then he turned it over to examine my hand. “These don’t look too bad,” he said, raising an eyebrow. “You could probably dip them in the lake and be fine.”

  I wrinkled my nose. “Ew. I don’t think so. The water can’t be that clean.”

  “Hmm. Then maybe I can help.”

  Before I could guess at what he meant, Eli ran his tongue along the length of my palm, a flash of warm, wet heat gliding over my skin. A gasp escaped my lips as a bolt of white-hot heat shot through my belly and straight between my thighs. If Eli heard it, he gave no sign, just kept lapping at my palm until it was clean. When he was done, he turned my palm over, took my pointer finger into his mouth, and then began sucking on it.

  Oh my fucking God.

  I collapsed to my knees with a moan as my cunt pulsed so hard I almost saw stars. My pussy began a slow, steady throb that beat in time with Eli’s rhythmic sucking, and I started trembling uncontrollably. He opened his eyes, giving me a positively devilish look as he switched one digit for another and then another until I was at the point where I wanted him to rip off my clothes and fuck me like a recently released prisoner.

  What the hell am I thinking? This is the same guy who left me for a better life and then came back to the shithole after he promised me he wouldn’t. The same guy who got me into this whole mess. The same guy who walked out on me after I kissed him on the train.

  Coming to my senses, I snatched my hand back from him and got to my feet again. “I’ll be inside if you need me,” I said, refusing to look at him as I walked back across the sand with my head held high.

  I didn’t want to know if my actions had hurt him as much as his had hurt me, and if they did, I didn’t want to care.

  CHAPTER 14

  Eli

  WHEN I WOKE UP in the morning, Olivia was gone.

  I didn’t notice it at first because her room was at the opposite end of the hall from mine on the third floor. She’d deliberately chosen that room, no doubt wanting to keep her distance. I couldn’t blame her, not after the way I’d treated her. She should be furious about me coming on to her at the beach after spurning her just days ago. I hated it when people gave mixed signals, and I was ashamed I’d done so myself.

  But for whatever reason, I found it impossible to decide between what my head knew was right and what my heart wanted when it came to Olivia Giordano. And I feared it was going to drive me fucking crazy.

  It had been days since that first evening at the beach. Days of Olivia dividing her time between her room and the art studio on the second floor, which was everything Hunter had promised it would be. I alternated between working out, swimming in the lake, riding the mare along the trails to make sure we were still secure, and occasionally venturing into town to procure supplies and pick up the latest news. Shelburne was a smaller version of Burlington but with much less crime and activity, and there was never any news about anything more serious than the latest bar fight, and certainly much less Mafia activity. I almost wished something would happen just so I could alleviate the sheer boredom.

  Even the full moon, which had come two weeks ago, hadn’t been all that damn exciting. My wolf had simply run through the forest that night while Olivia slept, picking off the wildlife and then curling up on the sandy beach by the surf after he’d had his fill. There hadn’t even been a hint of danger that I’d run into a human.

  Ambling down to the kitchen to start some eggs, I expected to see Olivia already sitting in the breakfast nook, bundled in a bathrobe, nursing a cup of coffee and reading a book as she normally did, but she was gone. There was a pot of coffee, but it was lukewarm, as though it had been made hours ago, and I went on instant alert.

  “Olivia?” I called.

  I went out to the front porch to see if maybe she’d decided to switch things up by sitting outside by the fire pit. She usually only did that at night, though, and a quick check confirmed she wasn’t there. Racing up the balcony stairs, I dashed over to the art studio, but only landscapes greeted me, lake and forest scenes reminiscent of our current surroundings. In a full panic now, I ran back up to the third floor to check her room, but that too was empty, the bed made. Then I saw that her shoes were missing.

  Holy shit, I thought, sinking down onto the bed. “Where the fuck did you go, Olivia?”

  Was she foolish enough to actually attempt to go back to Chicago? Or maybe she decided to take another route and go find her father in Mexico?

  “God, I’m a fucking idiot.” I should have paid closer attention to her, should have forced her to live in the room next to mine so I could hear her coming and going.

  Springing up from the bed, I rushed to my room and grabbed my shoes and coat, intent on searching the forest for her. If I didn’t find her, I was going to have to go all the way to town and purchase a burner phone to call my contacts, something I was never to do unless in a dire emergency.

  Of all the things the luxury cabin had, a working telephone system was not among them. I had to find her and quick.

  * * *

  Three hours later, I walked into town, my anxiety and fury mounting. I hadn’t found Olivia anywhere so far, not at the beach or on any of the forest trails, and I was about ready to kill someone. I headed for the local pub, and if I didn’t find any word of her there—

  A warm, familiar feminine laugh rang out, stopping me dead in my tracks.

  “Hey, that’s not fair, Billy!” Olivia called, her voice faint but nearby. “You have to pass the ball.”

  The wind changed direction then, carrying Oli
via’s scent straight to me, a combination of honeysuckle and spice that drained all the fury out of me instantly. Following the combination of scent and sound, my feet led me to a park on the west end of town where Olivia was playing Monkey in the Middle with two blond children who looked about seven. She was on her knees to make herself of comparable height, and her face, hands, and clothing were streaked with grass and dirt, likely from falling over as she strained to catch the ball.

  She turned my way then, and some of the light faded from her eyes as she saw me standing there. “Sorry, boys, I have to go.”

  The children protested loudly, and something in my heart melted as she knelt down and gave them each a hug before returning them to their mother. She looked so at home with the two children, and I felt guilty as she dusted herself off and crossed the grass to meet me. I definitely felt guilty that I’d robbed her of some of her joy . . . and couldn’t help but wonder if there was some way to give some of it back to her.

  “What are you doing here, Eli?” She looked almost defensive as she approached, wiping at a spot of dirt on her face but failing to get most of it off. “I didn’t—”

  I swept her off her feet before she could say another word, crushing her mouth against mine and pouring all the pent-up emotion from the last few hours into the kiss. Distantly, I heard the little boys making more noises of protest and excitement as well as someone whistling off in the distance, but Olivia’s mouth opened to mine, and it all faded into nothingness as I lost myself in the sweetness of her taste. The smell of her arousal filled the air around us, and my erection swelled against my jeans in answer, pressing against her belly.

  “Woman, you scared the shit out of me,” I rasped against her lips, pulling back a little so we could both get our breath. “I thought you’d left me.”

  “I’d never do that to you,” she said, sounding rather breathless though not at all put off, as I’d feared she’d be for stealing a kiss in broad daylight. “I was just tired of being cooped up in the house, and my ribs are all healed up, so—”

  “It’s fine.” I kissed her again, reveling in the fact that I could hold her so tightly against me without worrying about causing her pain. Thrilled I could even hold her in my arms at all. “Say, why don’t you and I have a picnic? There’s a really nice spot by the trails I’ve been wanting to show you for a while.”

  She gazed up at me warily, but I didn’t miss the spark in her eye. “You’re not going to make me ride the horse?”

  I grinned. “No horses, I promise. Though, if you want, you can ride me. Don’t you remember?”

  She arched a brow. “Remember what?”

  “That I give great piggybacks?”

  Olivia laughed. “Great? I don’t think so. As I recall, the last time you gave me a piggyback ride, we were in high school, on the football field, and you tripped and dropped me like a sack of potatoes. I ended up in an arm cast for six weeks, remember?”

  “But you got a lot of attention. So, I helped you become the most popular girl in high school that year, didn’t I?” I grinned.

  She rolled her eyes. “I was already popular.”

  “But I helped take you to another ‘It Girl’ level,” I countered. “You became prom queen.” I grinned.

  “True, but that’s not the point. You suck at piggybacks.” She jammed her hands on her hips.

  “Come on, Olivia. Cut me some slack. I was only seventeen and a hundred and twenty-five pounds soaking wet. Now, I’m six feet four and two hundred and forty-two pounds of solid muscles.” I flexed my biceps, striking several back-to-back body-builder poses.

  “Cut it out. You’ve made your point. Blah. Blah. Blah. You have a smoking hot body.”

  “I’m just happy you’ve finally noticed. Now, get on, baby!” I ordered before turning around and crouching down with my wide back facing her.

  “Okay, but you better not drop my ass, Eli.” She reached around my neck, clasping her hands together tightly.

  “Jump, Liv.”

  As she leaped onto my back, I reached back with both hands, resting them on her sexy backside. She wrapped her long legs around me, and I gave her ass a hard squeeze just for the hell for it.

  Damn. I love her ass.

  “Hey!” she squealed. “That sure didn’t happen the last time we did this. And by the way, shouldn’t you be holding my legs and not be groping my ass?”

  “But your ass has gotten a whole lot sexier since high school.”

  She quipped, “I won’t argue with that. But what about the basket?”

  I knelt to the side and grasped the basket, with one hand still clutching her ass. “Let’s go.” I walked slowly with her in the piggyback position, allowing both of us to acclimate to the ride.

  We journeyed in comfortable silence until she said, “Eli, we’ve come a long way since high school. We’ve endured trials and tribulations that have tested us. And despite the years apart, our bond is still there and even stronger.”

  “Yes, I agree.” Now, I fully understood what soul mates truly meant.

  “Only three words.” She laughed. “Eli, you never were a man of many words, but despite that one little flaw, I still care about you.”

  “Ditto, Liv.”

  After a while, we arrived at the site.

  “Wow,” Olivia breathed as we emerged from the forest path. “This is really beautiful.”

  “I knew you’d like it.”

  I stopped and crouched to place the basket on the ground, and she slid down my back. We both stood for a moment, looking out at the shining view of the lake and cloudless blue sky. I’d taken Sunshine, our mare, up this way a few days ago, and I’d immediately fallen in love with the grassy clearing nestled up against the edge of the cliff. It was an open yet secluded place where anyone could feel like they were one with the elements yet completely alone in the world, and it was the most peaceful spot I’d ever known.

  “Come, let’s sit down.” I caught Olivia by the hand and led her to the middle of the clearing, close enough that we could see the lake below but far enough away that there was no chance a strong breeze would push us over the edge. “I haven’t eaten all day, and this picnic basket is calling my name.”

  I whipped the checkered tablecloth off the basket, which I’d bought from the local deli along with the larder’s worth of food items inside. As I spread the cloth on the ground, I caught a flash of guilt on Olivia’s face.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked, putting the basket aside.

  She sighed a little and then sat on her knees next to me. “I’m just sorry that I worried you. I know you were probably looking for me for hours without the benefit of any food or drink. It was selfish of me.”

  “Don’t be sorry,” I insisted, taking her hand in mine again.

  Her fingers curled around my palm, so slender and delicate against my callused, tanned flesh, and I lifted them to my lips to press a kiss against her fingers.

  “It’s true, you gave me a scare, but I’m happy to see that you’re so well again. And if you hadn’t run off, we wouldn’t be here right now with this nice view and all this great food.”

  She cleared her throat. “Let’s start over. I don’t want to talk about the train incident or anything that happened to cause so much angst between us. Life is too short to hang on to trivial shit and animosity. Besides, we need each other right now.” She smiled. “Deal?”

  “Deal,” I replied.

  My stomach rumbled as if on cue, and Olivia laughed, the guilt vanishing from her eyes.

  “Well, all right, then,” she said, flipping open the picnic basket lid. “Let’s get this picnic underway before you decide to eat me instead.”

  Shit. Wouldn’t I love to? Parting her legs and diving in . . .

  Olivia pulled out sandwich fixings, but I wasn’t thinking about the food. Watching her prepare ham and cheese sandwiches for us, all I could think about was pulling her into my arms and taking her hard and then slow right here on the soft grass. My eyes trail
ed down the length of her curvaceous body, which she’d chosen to dress in a pair of skintight jeans and a pink top that bared one of her creamy shoulders and showed just a hint of her full cleavage, teasing my imagination to greater heights.

  Does she look just as good naked as she did ten years ago? Or does she look even better now that she’s filled out even more?

  “Here you go,” she said quietly, breaking the fantasy as she handed me a sandwich.

  I took it gratefully and bit into it, but even the maple flavor of the ham and the sharp cheddar melting on my tongue weren’t enough to distract me as I watched her pick up her own sandwich and take a bite.

  “Mmm.” Her eyes briefly fluttered closed. “That’s delicious. I’ve never tasted ham this good in my life.”

  “Local is always the best,” I agreed, already polishing off my sandwich and reaching for another. “And Vermont farmers are especially conscientious, so their meat is better than most.”

  “Well, it’s damn delicious. Mmm.” She moaned again, and my cock hardened as her tongue darted out to lick a few stray crumbs from her bottom lip. “I never thought I’d be so excited about a sandwich.”

  I laughed. “It must be the fresh air,” I said before taking another bite. “Always makes everything taste better.”

  She turned my way then, a hungry look in her eyes that I knew had nothing to do with the food. “Everything?” she asked, the corner of her mouth curling upward into a sexy smirk that kicked my pulse up.

  “I think so,” I drawled, playing along. “Although I suppose I can’t say for sure unless you tell me what you’ve got in mind to taste.”

  “Oh, I think you know what I have in mind,” she murmured, drawing closer.

  The wind shifted, bringing me the incredibly potent smell of her arousal. Closing my eyes, I drew in a breath to steady myself, and suddenly, she was on me, straddling my hips as she pressed her lips against mine, slowly kissing me as if she were savoring a decadent piece of chocolate.

  “Mmm,” she moaned again, flicking her tongue against my lips. “I think you’re right. You do taste better in the fresh air.”