Page 72 of Covert Affections (Shadow Agents/PSI-Ops #5)

Chapter Fifty-Four

Jesse

The cab of the truck managed to feel both too small and too large, all at once.

Each time Jesse thought about confessing the truth to the woman sitting next to him, that she was his wife, that the dream hadn’t been a dream at all, and that he was Fluffy, the cab felt like it was microscopic.

And he felt like the thing was closing in on him, threatening to steal the air from his lungs.

Then, when his gaze found its way to Lindy’s wet shirt, which hugged her curves in all the right spots, the truck cab suddenly felt like there was a million miles between them.

He ached to touch her, to feel her lush body under him as he lost himself in her, again and again.

But he knew that they needed to have a long talk first. That he needed to confess his sins before he dared give into temptation, yet the words never found their way to his lips.

So far, all he’d managed to do was grunt in her general direction and shut her down when she’d tried thanking him for his help.

He glanced at his reflection in the rearview mirror, hoping to will himself into manning up.

Nope.

Didn’t work.

Fuck. Bill was right. I am a pussy.

He couldn’t recall a time in his life when he’d ever been so awkward around the opposite sex. What made it all the worse was that Lindy was his mate—his wife—and he had yet to have a full conversation with her when she was fully awake and alert.

It took Jesse a minute to realize Lindy was talking to him. “What?” he asked, the word coming out harshly when that hadn’t been his intent.

She stiffened and eased closer to the passenger side door. “Nothing.”

Jesse’s mind raced with a way to make it better, but his brain felt like a pinball machine with the ball bouncing off everything. “Shit.”

Lindy’s eyes widened.

Jesse pulled onto the road that led to Lindy’s house. He put the truck in park and took a calming breath. “I’m sorry. I’m not trying to freak you out. I just…” He glanced over shyly at her. “Would you believe me if I said I was a nervous wreck and afraid I’m going to say something to fuck this up?”

A smile spread over her face. “Yes.”

His palms started to sweat and he was thankful Bill wasn’t around to see it and mock him. “Cool.”

Lindy tipped her head slightly, watching him closely. “Jesse?”

“Yes?”

“Thanks for volunteering as tribute,” she said, her husky voice sliding over him, making his cock hard.

“As tribute?” His brow knit as he tried to follow her logic while also resisting the urge to adjust his erection in his wet jeans.

She laughed softly. “At the man-meat market.”

He grinned, remembering when he’d done as much nearly a week ago. “The job fair?”

She nodded. “When I asked if Charley was going to host a hiring event for me.”

He chuckled as he remembered how easy flirting with Lindy had been that day. It had felt natural—unlike now when everything felt like he was overthinking it.

Because he was.

“I stand by my wet-panty material statement,” she said, breaking the ice between them more.

Jesse’s laughter filled the cab of the truck. “I’m one hundred percent in as being tribute. You name it, I’m in.”

Her gaze flashed with something close to hunger and he instantly caught scent of her succubus side flaring.

She tensed, her right hand inching toward the door handle as if she might actually try to open it and leap out.

“I make you nervous?” he asked.

She blinked a few times. “What? No. Um, I’m making me nervous.”

“What do you mean?” he questioned, his hand inching closer to her on the console between them.

A tiny laugh came from her. “If I told you, you’d never believe me. Just trust me when I say, I’m dangerous.”

He couldn’t help but smile. “Sure, if we’re talking about killing me by way of giving me a hard on no amount of jacking off is going to ease.”

Her eyes widened.

It took Jesse a minute to realize he’d said that out loud. He considered trying to walk it back but there was no point. It was the truth.

The next he knew, Lindy tipped her head back and laughed. She stopped looking as if she might bolt and turned toward him a bit, causing her already wet shirt to pull tighter on her breasts.

Jesse whimpered, his gaze locked on her pert nipples, showing through the fabric. “This has to be some kind of penance.”

“What does?” she asked, her hand suddenly close to his on the center console.

He moved his pinkie, caressing the back of her hand lightly. “Me. You. Here in this truck cab with you all wet, and me having to sit here having to behave myself.”

Lindy’s breathing increased as she eased her hand under his. Her gaze found his mouth and the smell of her arousal hit him full on. “W-we should get to my house. We need to find the parts for the sink.”

He nodded but didn’t put the truck in gear.

“We’re not moving,” she said before biting on her lower lip.

He nearly moaned at the sight.

“You’re staring at me,” she said.

He nodded.

“You should stop looking at me like that,” she said as she stiffened.

He jerked his gaze away. “Sorry. I swear I’d never hurt you or anything.

And I’m only kind of creepy. Not like a full-on stalker or anything.

I mean, I might have those tendencies, but I’d never wear a mask and break into your place or anything.

Shit. Well, I’d break in, but not…only to be sure you’re all right and to maybe place some cameras or… Fuck. I need to shut up.”

No one said a word for several long minutes.

The sound of a cell phone ringing cut through the silence and made Jesse jump slightly.

Lindy sat up some and pulled her bedazzled phone from her back pocket. She answered it. “Hey, Teresa, can I call you back in a bit?”

Jesse’s sensitive hearing made it easy for him to pick up the other side of the call.

“No can do, Kitten,” said a familiar voice from the other end of the phone. “What’s going on up there?”

“What do you mean?” asked Lindy, concern in her voice.

“My nephew isn’t returning my calls and when I texted him about you, asking if everything was all right, he told me to tell you congratulations are in order,” said the woman.

Jesse was instantly struck with the memory of coming upon Lindy behind the grocery store when Efren had accosted her.

There had been a middle-aged woman there in leopard print with a cigarette hanging out of her mouth and a bat in her hands.

She sounded exactly like the woman on the phone.

Was that the woman Lindy was speaking with?

“Tell me why Robert would think congratulations are in order?” demanded the other woman. “Did something happen between you and that blond hottie from the man-meat market? Did you have sex with him? Did you finally feed your succubus side? Did he bite you during sex and say anything?”

Lindy squeaked and held the phone tighter to her ear as if that would prevent Jesse from overhearing details that he knew she wanted kept private.

He sat on what felt like pins and needles as he waited for her response. Would she mention the dream? It took him a full minute before it registered the woman talked about Robert as if she was related to him. Great. One more tie to the wolf-shifter.

Lindy’s gaze slid down the length of Jesse slowly.

He could only hope she was mentally undressing him.

Then again, he didn’t want his erection to scare her off so he tried and failed to get his wet T-shirt to cover the bulge in his pants.

All he succeeded in doing was making a large wet suction sound when he pulled at the hem of his shirt, causing the material to pull loudly from his wet body.

The fabric slapped right back into place, suctioning to his torso as if drawing a fucking roadmap to his groin and the unmistakable bulge in his jeans.

My wife is going to think I’m a total pervert.

He instantly recalled the number of times she’d told him he was one while he was in cat form.

“Fluffy-the-Pervy-Kitty is right,” he mumbled before realizing he’d done as much out loud.

Lindy stiffened, her gaze narrowing on him as she continued to speak to the woman on the phone.

Jesse wasn’t even sure what she and the woman were talking about now seeing as how his thoughts were all over the place and his dick was erect enough to possibly pick up radio signals.

The truck cab felt as if it were closing in on Jesse. He needed out—needed to breathe—needed to put some distance between Lindy and himself before he blurted the truth, or begged her to fuck him. “I, um, am going to go grab a dry shirt.”

With that, he shoved the truck door open with more gusto than planned. The hinges moaned and he cringed; thankful he’d not torn the door off with his current state of mind. He’d have to confess to everything then and there if she saw his strength.

Jesse took a deep breath, the evening bringing with it slightly cooler air. Too bad the cooler air did nothing to help calm the inferno raging beneath his skin, or the bulge in his jeans.

He headed straight for the Airstream and went around to the side with the door. His jeans chafed with each movement, a constant reminder of how badly he wanted her. There were no other cars on the road right now which was perfect since Jesse used that moment to reach down and adjust his erection.

Jesse took the metal steps in one stride and left the Airstream door hanging open behind him as he entered the RV.

He knew the interior like the back of his hand and didn’t need to open blinds for extra lighting or kick on any lights.

He crossed to the small closet and yanked it open, grabbing the first clean T-shirt his fingers touched.

He peeled the wet one off and it made another obscene sucking sound. That only made him think about having Lindy’s mouth around his cock.

Yep. I’m a total pervert.

Jesse tossed the wet shirt aside, not caring where it landed. The air felt cool against his bare chest, a momentary relief that vanished the instant the sensation of being watched crawled up his spine. Fae power filled the small space. It was familiar.

Jesse turned, every muscle tensing.

Lindy stood in the doorway, her phone still pressed to her ear, her gaze locked on him with an intensity that stole what little breath he had left. Her lips were parted, her chest rising and falling in quick, shallow breaths.

The smell of her arousal increased and his shifter side went nuts, slamming into him, shouting at him to go for it—to fuck his mate.

He froze, the dry shirt dangling from his hand.