Her White Wolf

Chapter Nine

AN: smut warning

Cleo hadn't slept that hard in a very long time. The sounds of chirping birds and waking animals filtered into her consciousness and as she blinked her eyes open, it took a moment to remember that she was outside. With James. At some point in the night, she'd ended up next to him and as she pushed herself up into a seated position. She puffed out her cheeks before she blew some of her hair out of her face, combing it back with her fingers. It took just a moment, but she turned and caught sight of James tossing a stick to Eagle a short distance away.

She carefully rose and wrapped her sweater around herself, smiling at the gorgeous blue-eyed man as she approached. "What about now? Did you sleep at all this time?" she asked teasingly, but her sentiment was genuine.

James turned to face Cleo with a smile, opening his arm and inviting her into his embrace. "More than I have for some time, honestly." He bent down and kissed her cheek. "Did you sleep alright?"

It wasn't lost on Cleo how well she fit into his frame. She released a contented breath as she raised her eyes to look up at him. "I did. I'm not normally that deep a sleeper though," she admitted. His presence had made the difference. "What do you have planned for today?" she asked, turning into him as she smoothed her arms around his center.

"Nothing that I can think of," he answered. "Steve and I normally go on a morning run, but I'm free after that." James bent his head to run his nose gently along her cheek.

"That's right, gotta get in your, what... ten miles a day? Or is that just a light day?" she said with a laugh. "I need to go to the clinic. I have two surgeries today, but I should be finished by lunch." She felt a shiver move through her, the skin of her cheek tingling before she lifted her chin and caught his lips.

James sighed softly, his arm tightening around her waist as he kissed her back. The kiss quickly turned heated as he gently grazed her bottom lip with his teeth. "I don't think I'll get enough of this," he breathed.

Goosebumps rose on Cleo's skin as that kiss warmed her deep inside. She grinned against his lips and kissed him once more. "There are plenty more where this comes from," she replied, a slightly husky quality to her voice. "How about I find you around noon? And we can... revisit this?"

"I'd be okay with that," he murmured, but didn't make a move to let her go. James bent to kiss her cheek just as Eagle sat against his leg.

Cleo didn't exactly want to leave him. She had work to do, and it was important to her, but for the first time she wished she could call out. Being the only veterinarian though, there wasn't a replacement. She groaned and leaned into him a bit further. "I have to go... but I don't want to go. You're gonna have to make me," she whined teasingly.

"Cleo, you have animal lives to save." He kissed her cheek again. "I'm not going anywhere. I can even walk you to the clinic."

She groaned again but broke into a light laugh. "Okay, fine," she agreed with sarcastic reluctance. "I have to change into my scrubs. I'll meet you back here and you can walk me to work." Cleo raised up on her toes and caught his lips one last time.

Pulling herself away from James was the hardest thing she'd done in a long time, but he was right. She had animal lives to save. It didn't take her more than ten minutes to get dressed and as she climbed the hill once more, she was dressed in fitted purple scrubs, hair gathered in a bun at the top of her head. "Did you miss me?" she asked with a girlish smile at the corners of her lips.

James turned from looking out at the view of Wakanda only to smile and look over her figure. "Purple looks amazing on you, doll."

Cleo's face immediately flushed, and she laughed nervously. Doll... I could get used to doll. "Thank you... Shuri says that purple is the color of royalty, and I am royalty by extension," she replied, playfully pretending to flip her hair over her shoulder. She turned in the direction of the village before she reached out, offering him her hand. But then she suddenly realized that it was possible that James wasn't anywhere near public displays of affection. It was a risk, but she'd already taken it.