Written in the Stars: Wolffe Peak Book 3 Read online

  “And you?” she whispered, her words barely audible over the beating of his heart. “Do you… still love me?”

  * * *

  Jasmine waited with bated breath for Harley’s response. A part of her was sure she knew the answer. Knew he still loved her. He’d infiltrated a jungle full of enemy jaguar shifters and hostile radicals all to rescue her. No man did that just because. Unless he was being paid to do so.

  When Harley opened his eyes, a grin spread across his face. The sight of it loosened something in her chest. She could finally breathe again, as though someone had given her back a reason to exist.

  Before he could speak, Jasmine rose to her knees and looped her arms around his neck, pressing herself against him. His arms tightened around her, holding her so tight. Not that she cared. She only hoped he never let her go.

  After a few moments, she leaned back and eyed him suspiciously. “Is my father paying you to be here right now? Did he offer you something to rescue me?”

  Harley gave a humorless chuckle. “Darling, there’s nothing that man could offer me that I would take. Except you.”

  Elation rose within her. “Then he’s not currently paying you?”

  “Not a cent. He is paying the others, though.”

  Jasmine gave a relieved sigh and pulled Harley’s head down, resting his brow against hers. She hadn’t realized until now how badly she needed this. Just the feel of him in her arms was enough to soothe her inner jaguar. The animal had been on edge since first settling within her. Jasmine had thought it was because she was a new shifter, but that wasn’t it at all. The jaguar sensed the missing piece of the puzzle and ached for the loss of their mate.

  “I still can’t believe this,” she confessed. “My father is many things, but I never thought he’d stoop so low as to hurt me.”

  Harley’s hand rose to cup the back of her head. “But now we know.”

  She nodded. “You don’t think he had anything to do with my kidnapping, do you?”

  “No.” Harley’s steady voice reassured her. “He was a wreck when I last saw him. And he must have been pretty desperate to get you back if he came to me for help.”

  “Why do you think he did? You don’t think Wells and his team could have managed all this?”

  Harley shook his head. “I don’t think your dad believed they could. He wants you home. Who better to come find you than your mate?”

  “But he doesn’t want us together.”

  “Your safety must have superseded that. He has to know we’d figure all this out.”

  Jasmine nodded, her fingers playing with the hair at the back of Harley’s neck. “I hate him.”

  “No, you don’t.”

  “I do. I can’t forgive this, Harley. Ever.”

  His arms tightened around her. “Give it time.”

  “Are you serious?” She pulled back and stared up at him. “I’m not the only one he hurt here, and you think I should forgive him?”

  Harley leaned down and placed a light kiss against the tip of her nose. The action sparked fresh tears. It was something he’d always done when they were together. “I’m not saying forgive him. I’m just saying give it time. He is your father. If you choose to forgive him, I’ll understand. But we both know better now. We know what he’s capable of.”

  “And it’s time he learns what I’m capable of.”

  Harley grinned. “Good. When we get home, you can kick his ass however you please.”

  Home. She liked the sound of that, so long as it involved him. They weren’t safe yet—far from it. But somehow, she knew they’d survive. So long as they did it together.

  “Of course, there’s still one thing standing in our way,” Harley commented.

  “More like two. Humans First and the jaguars.”

  “Oh, sure. But I wasn’t referring to them.”

  Jasmine leaned back and raised a brow. Before she could ask what he meant, Harley cupped her cheeks, then leaned in and claimed her mouth, this time in a searing, heart-stopping kiss. One far more potent than the quick peck he’d given her back in the jungle.

  Gasping, Jasmine melted into him, her arms wrapped around his shoulders for dear life.

  Jesus, she’d almost forgotten how well the man could kiss. The feel of his mouth against hers assured her everything would work out in the end. That they could overcome anything. Just touching him made everything in the world feel right. And after three years, she was delighted to see nothing had changed.

  Harley changed the angle of the kiss, deepening it, his tongue tracing the seam of her mouth. The instant Jasmine opened up to him, fireworks erupted in her head, and her jaguar unleashed a contented sigh.

  She’d desperately missed this. Missed him. Their connection. And everything they were together.

  Breaking from the kiss, Harley leaned back with a wicked grin. “You ready?”

  “For what?” she asked, her eyes still half-closed as she reveled in the sensation he inspired.

  “This.”

  Before she could figure out what this meant, Harley’s arms wrapped around her sides, and suddenly, they were airborne. Jasmine instinctively sucked in a deep breath, about to scream, when a rush of warm water closed over their heads. Holy hell, he’d thrown them into the pool beneath the waterfall with barely a warning.

  She came up for air, laughing alongside Harley, who immediately swept her back up into his arms. She hooked her legs around his waist and bobbed in the water with him, tracing the drops of water streaming down his face.

  “God, I missed you,” he breathed, pushing her wet hair back from her face.

  He stole another kiss before she could respond, as equally demanding and amorous as the last. Jasmine purred as she leaned into him, her knees digging into his hips to keep her above water.

  “Follow me,” he said, launching them away from the edge of the pool and over to the falls.

  Jasmine swam next to him, matching his powerful strokes with her own as he led them beneath the water. She almost squealed the moment it cascaded over her. She stood beneath the falls and tipped her head back, reveling in the feel of the warm water washing away every bit of filth covering her body. Laughter bubbled up from her throat as she slicked her hair back.

  Who knew something as small as a shower would affect her like this?

  It was more than that, though. It was everything. The freedom she felt right now. The feel of Harley pressed up behind her. The water washing away every bit of Luis’s touch.

  Grinning, she turned in Harley’s arms.

  She felt like a new woman, and right now, she knew exactly how she wanted to celebrate.

  13

  Harley gazed at Jasmine, his heart beating like a jackhammer. The way she stared at him, like he was something to devour—Lord, how he’d missed that devilish gleam in her eye, missed her very touch, and how she made him feel. Like he was something she wanted to eat up.

  He couldn’t believe the twist his life had recently taken. Not a week ago, he’d stood in the church watching Wyatt and Sky take their vows, determined he’d never see the day for himself. His heart wanted one specific woman, a woman he’d thought had abandoned him to the darkness and misery.

  And oh how wrong he’d been.

  Part of him wanted to thank Humans First for dragging them into this mess. Without them, he and Jasmine never would have reconnected. Not that he intended to give them a free pass. He still had every intention of killing the bastards. He’d just thank them along the way.

  But now wasn’t the time to be thinking about killing.

  The only thing he needed to focus on was Jasmine.

  Harley plunged his fingers into her sopping wet hair and smoothed the strands back from her face. This face. Damn, he’d missed this face. Her pinked cheeks, plump mouth, and most of all, the tiny freckle dotting the side of her jaw.

  Tilting up her chin, Harley leaned in and claimed her mouth in a slow, possessive kiss. She tasted divine, like smooth Tennessee whiskey. He ta
sted every inch of her mouth, recommitting her kiss to memory. If he had it his way, they’d never be apart again. But life never worked like that. So, instead, he would take his time with her tonight. Burn away every bad memory and replace them with the memory of his touch.

  Harley eased his arms down around Jasmine’s waist and drew her farther under the warm water, the thunderous roar enough to muffle even his hearing. Dampening his senses might have worried him earlier, but the two of them were well hidden here, tucked behind a small rock outcrop and shielded by the tree line.

  Bending to her height, Harley grabbed the hem of her shirt and lifted it over her head, baring her perfect breasts to the pale moonlight. He groaned and leaned in to taste them, one at a time, licking the water droplets from her pebbled nipples. The ambient noise swallowed the sound of her soft sigh, but he watched as her mouth parted and her head tipped back beneath the falls. Water crested over her slick skin, washing away all evidence of their hard couple of days.

  Harley slowly rose, his tongue laving away all the small droplets that lingered on her breasts and throat. Once he reached her jaw, he slipped his hands into her waistband and slowly eased the wet pants down, baring her to the warm night air. His whole body came to life as he stared at her standing gloriously nude before him.

  For so long, this was all he’d thought about. Being with her again, touching her, holding her, loving her. Their entire time apart, it was like a piece of him had been missing. But none of that mattered anymore. Because their time had finally arrived. The moment he’d been waiting for was finally here. And he refused to squander a single moment.

  As did Jasmine, it seemed.

  She made quick work of his buttoned shirt, tossing it aside before helping him out of his pants. Due to limited rucksack space, he’d forgone any underwear, a surprise that brought a wicked grin to Jasmine’s lips. Harley’s eyes fluttered shut when she cupped him in the palm of her hand, her fingers expertly stroking him in just the right way. Seemed she hadn’t forgotten what he liked. Which worked well for him.

  Hand flat against his chest, she guided him under the waterfall and tipped his head beneath the water. Harley reveled in the sensation of the water and her hand working in tandem. But it wasn’t until the hot heat of her mouth touched his length that he jumped. His eyes flashed open and he stared down at Jasmine only to find her kneeling on a rock, mouth and hand wrapped around him.

  She moved slowly, her lips creeping up inch by inch, her tongue teasing his swollen head.

  Harley unleashed a shivery breath, his hands fisting at his sides. He hadn’t intended for her to take control, but Jasmine had never been one to simply lay back. Watching him from below, Jasmine pulled back only to quickly take his entire length into her mouth once more, this time adding a little suction.

  Cursing under his breath, Harley slid his fingers into her hair, gently cupping the side of her head as she continued to move against him. With every stroke, she quickened her pace and increased the suction until she nearly brought him to the brink.

  Harley pulled back and guided her to her feet, stealing another heated kiss. He’d never experienced anything like this before, deafened by the roaring water so that all they could do was see and feel. He couldn’t hear her soft sighs or moans, but he could revel in her touch.

  He ran his hands down her back and cupped her ass in his palms. Without warning, he lifted and seated her against him before easing back under the spray. If they were going to do this, they were going to do it right.

  With her legs locked around his waist and her arms braced around his neck, he had the freedom to move his hands. He slipped one hand between them and started to slowly stroke her. He caught the fluttering of her eyes and felt her body tense against him as he increased the speed and pressure. Within seconds, he had Jasmine writhing, her hips subtly grinding against him.

  He felt rather than heard the moment she orgasmed. She threw her head back and her entire body shuddered, and a flush spread across her skin. Harley cursed under his breath and inserted a finger, basking in the feel of her inner walls spasming around his fingers.

  When she lifted her head, her wild gaze caught his. Harley knew exactly how she felt. Like it wasn’t enough. Like it’d never be enough.

  Wordlessly, Jasmine leaned in and kissed him. Her hips shifted and her center brushed against his cock. Her lips slid away from his and found their way to his ear.

  Two simple words, but they were enough to rock him to his very core.

  “Fuck me,” she murmured in his ear.

  Christ. Never had something so hot been uttered in his ear. Eager to please, Harley gripped her hips and immediately guided her down on top of him. Jasmine shuddered, her entire body perfectly fitted to him.

  Harley started to move, slowly at first, thrusting in rhythm a few well-timed strokes of her clit. The scent of her arousal was its own aphrodisiac. He could smell her approaching climax, knew it wouldn’t take much more to push her over the edge. Him either.

  Jasmine clutched at his shoulders and fed from his mouth, her fingers kneading his skin and her tongue tangling with his. This close, he could hear her little moans and feel her body tightening around him. Her hips moved in time with his, her knees digging into his waist.

  She tore her mouth from his the instant her next orgasm slammed into her. Mouth parted and eyes half-glazed, she reached down and cupped his balls, teasing them as she climaxed around his length. If he’d thought the waterfall was wet, it was nothing compared to her. A part of him wanted to ease her off him and take a taste, but Jasmine seemed more interested in riding him.

  She rose up over him, her arms returning to his neck and reclaimed his mouth, biting gently at his bottom lip. “I want you to come with me,” she rasped.

  “Not yet.”

  She nodded. “Now. I need to feel you coming inside me.”

  Well, how could he argue with that? Thank goodness for his enhanced senses, which assured him she wasn’t currently fertile.

  “Harley,” she growled, her inner cat lighting up her eyes.

  Jesus. He’d never seen anything so beautiful as that. Shifter and woman as one, both demanding pleasure. Harley placed a hand on her back and guided her against the rock wall, careful to protect her skin from any scrapes. Once braced, Harley relinquished all control and slammed into her.

  Jasmine gasped and gripped his hair, hanging on for dear life as he thrust wildly, bringing them both to the peak of pleasure. Harley gritted his teeth as he staved off his orgasm as best he could. He wanted to enjoy this just a little moment longer, long enough to watch Jasmine spiral out of control.

  He could feel her pleasure mounting until finally, she broke apart around him. He stifled her sharp cries with his mouth just as he succumbed himself. Ecstasy roared through him, a mindless euphoria that completely spun him. He’d hardly been a saint in their time apart, but no one ever made him feel as alive as Jasmine did.

  Humming under her breath, Jasmine eased off him and leaned her head against his chest. With a content smile, Harley wrapped his arms around her and held her close. If he had things his way, he’d never let her go again. But life had other plans for them. And soon, reality came crashing down around their ears.

  With a regretful sigh, he gathered up their clothes and rinsed them off in the pool.

  “For the first time since this whole mess began, I finally feel safe and home,” Jasmine said.

  “I know what you mean.”

  “But what happens when we’re back in Colorado?”

  He turned toward Jasmine, noting the fear in her eyes.

  Harley dropped his shirt onto the rocks, then took her hand and pulled her close, his palm cupping her jaw. “Whatever we want. I swore to you that I’d protect you, and that’s never going to change. We’ll deal with whatever comes our way.”

  “Including my father?”

  “Especially your father,” he grumbled. “Now that I know the lengths he’ll go to keep us apart, I can prepare
better. Nothing will separate us again.”

  Darkness chased across her face. “You can’t promise that.”

  Harley frowned, unsure what she meant.

  “We’re being chased by a jaguar clan and on the run because a radical hate group kidnapped me. What if something happens to one of us?”

  Harley silenced her concerns with a touching kiss, his arms tight around her waist. When he pulled back, he thumbed her cheek with a reassuring smile. “Nothing is going to happen to us. I won’t let it.”

  Jasmine sucked her bottom lip into her mouth, a sign of nervousness, but she nodded.

  “Hey.” Harley tipped her head up. “I mean it, kiddo. We’re in it together now, forever.”

  Another silent nod.

  “Come on. We still need to get some sleep.”

  An unsettling third nod.

  Harley took her by the hand and led her into the woods. Whatever else life had in store for them, they’d see it through together. Because now, he refused to ever let her go again.

  * * *

  Jasmine lay tucked into Harley’s side, her hand idly caressing his chest and playing with what little chest hair he had. After a quick discussion, they’d opted not to shift. They’d found enough clean clothes in the pack to keep them warm and shared the rucksack as a pillow. Truth be told, Jasmine hadn’t been interested in shifting, not after everything they’d shared tonight. For some reason, she felt this need to cuddle, and not as animals. Harley had agreed, then located a small glade far enough away from the waterfall that she could barely hear the rushing water.

  Thankfully, the ground felt cushioned. Moss, Harley had told her. It was enough that she felt she’d be able to sleep tonight. If she ever managed to fall asleep, that was. Even though her body was spent, her mind was whirling. She kept replaying tonight over and over in her head. Sex under a waterfall had never even made her top ten fantasies, but now it ranked number one. Her skin tingled as she recalled the feel of the water pouring over her as Harley brought her to an orgasm, how the water cooled her heated skin.