Page 86 of The Serpent and the Silver Wolf

She shrugged, pressing her hips into him, her heart pounding as she reached around his waist. “Kiba, I’ll take you any way I can get you.”

“Gods, Aimee.” His hands gripped her ass, and in one swift motion, he lifted her onto his hips and spun to pin her against the rough bark of the tree. “I…”

“Sensei!” Taiga’s voice pierced the air from below the canopy. “Sensei? You up there?! I think I’ve got it!”

“You’re not even close!” Momoka’s voice followed, sounding exasperated. “He’s not even close, Sensei! But I have a couple of questions! Where are you?!”

A deep laugh reverberated in his chest, vibrating through her body as his head fell beside hers, resting against the tree.

“Of all the times to start training you all.” He pulled back just enough to meet her gaze, though his body remained pressed firmly against hers. “I’m sorry, Aimee, but I think I’m going to have to leave you hot and bothered up in this tree.” He grinned mischievously, grinding into her just a little harder. “But if it’s any consolation, I’m equally hot...and very, very bothered.”

“Kiba!” She groaned.

“We will pick this up later,” he growled, carefully lowering her to her feet before disappearing from view.

“Fuck, yes,” she whispered, sinking to her knees, slick between her thighs and shaking with need. “Fuck, yes.”

Chapter twenty-four

“Stop,”Oba-chanraisedherarm in front of Momoka. “We’re almost there.”

All thoughts of her moment up in the trees with Kiba the previous night vanished as Aimee’s focus snapped back to the mission.

She turned to the Squad Leader. “Scout Formation Two?”

He nodded. “Find where they’re holding the children, get a general count and location of the bandits. I’ll stay with Oba-chan and find a defensible position we can fall back to if needed. We’ll regroup there and decide how to engage the enemy.”

Momoka’s lips parted, and her hands fidgeted at her sides. “You’re not coming with us?”

“You’re all more than capable of scouting non-shinobi fighters. Get in, get out, and look for my markers. We’ve drilled this a thousand times.”

“If we can sneak up on that old tomcat, we can do this.” Taiga grinned, reaching out to gently bump Momoka’s shoulder.

“It took us half a day just to get close enough without being mauled!” She swatted him on the head.

“Yeah, but we got him eventually.”

“The cat didn’t want to kill us.” Iruka adjusted the kunai strapped to his belt. “This will be different.”

“Exactly!” Momoka began, but Aimee cut her off.

“They’re counting on us,” Aimee said, her gaze shifting toward Oba-chan, whose brow only furrowed deeper.

“And we can do this.” She paused, glancing back at the group. “Besides, you two are the best at sneaking. I’ll be stuck with the loudmouth over here.” She tilted her head toward Taiga.

“Hey!” The boy protested, only to immediately slap his hands over his mouth and hiss, “I can totally sneak!”

Momoka’s shoulders relaxed slightly. “Yeah, we’ll be fine,” she said, her voice steadier now as she looked to Iruka.

“Just stay low, stay quiet, and follow my lead,” he said.

Momoka’s eyes narrowed, and she nodded.

Then, without another word, the two Tanshi took off in a silent sprint toward the west of where the village would be.

“Aimee, I can stay quiet,” Taiga complained, watching Momoka and Iruka disappear into the distance.

“Then show me.” She took off toward the east, expecting Taiga to follow without another word.