by Ramona Gray
“We do,” Wes said. “Which one of us is doing it?”
“Not me,” Boone said. “You think I want a sexual harassment charge on my permanent record? Because you know Daisy is going to file one against the guy who tries to convince her to fuck her boss.”
“I’ll talk to her,” Grayson said.
“Take Ryan with you,” Wes said. “Maybe hearing it from another human female will help. Maybe you don’t have to mention the sex thing. If he isn’t too far gone yet, just getting Daisy to spend one-on-one time with him again would help. It would soothe his lion enough to keep it from going mad, right?”
“That’s a good idea,” Grayson said. “But even if we could convince her to spend time with him, that eventually won’t be enough. You know how our cats are. His lion will keep pushing for more and Cooper knows Daisy is terrified of him. He won’t attempt anything sexual with her. He’d rather go mad than scare her like that.”
“It’s the only and best idea we have at the moment,” Wes said. “We get her to spend some alone time with him again and that’ll buy us some time until we can figure out what to do.”
“Maybe we could introduce him to someone else,” Boone said. “Another woman who will make him forget about wanting to fuck Daisy. Maybe, if he gets laid by anyone, that will help?”
“Maybe,” Wes said.
A weird sensation burned in her belly. After a moment, she placed it. Holy shit…was she jealous? She heard Cooper’s office door open and immediately darted down the hallway to reception. She sat down at her desk, her heart thumping like a rabbit and her mouth dry. She was right. Something was wrong with Cooper. He was going insane and she could help him. She swallowed down her jagged laughter.
If she wanted to save Cooper from madness, all she had to do was fuck him.
Chapter Five
“I’m sorry, did you just say you need to have sex with a shifter? And not just a shifter, but your goddamn boss?” Megan stared at Daisy, the shock on her face evident even on Daisy’s phone screen.
“I didn’t say I would have sex with him, I said having sex with him might be the only way to stop him from going insane,” Daisy said.
“I’m sorry, who are you and what have you done with my best friend?” Megan said. “I knew you moving all the way to fucking California was a mistake, but I didn’t realize it would be this epic of a mistake.”
“It isn’t a mistake. Look, Cooper’s been really good to me, okay? He’s a nice guy and I feel bad that he’s going insane because he thinks I’m his mate. I mean, I didn’t even know that could happen to a shifter.”
“Yeah, because you avoid them at all costs and for good reason.” Megan plopped down on a bench. Behind her, Daisy could see children playing in a park. “Honey, maybe it’s time you found another job.”
“What? Are you kidding me? I took this job to help me get over my fear of shifters and it’s working. I’m almost friends with Lusa now and I spent time alone with Cooper all last week. For the first time since I was a kid, I’m not afraid of shifters.”
“No, you’re not afraid of certain shifters. I’m glad you’re making progress, but that doesn’t mean you’re over your fear of shifters. You told me last night that you’re still afraid of the other shifters in the office.”
“Yeah, but Cooper is the biggest of them and I’m not afraid of him.”
“Because he’s nice to you and you like the way he kisses, and you had a sex dream about him.”
Daisy blushed furiously and looked around even though she was in her car with the windows rolled up. “I should never have told you about that stupid dream. Besides, it was barely a sex dream. All we did was kiss in the dream.”
“But you were naked and so was he… that makes it a sex dream, Daze.”
Daisy didn’t reply and Megan held her phone a little closer to her face. “Honey, you can’t seriously be considering sleeping with him, are you? I support your mission to get over your fear of shifters but having sex with one isn’t a good idea. The trauma you went through, the stuff you’ve seen, it doesn’t just disappear.”
“You think I don’t know that?” Daisy said. “I’m the one who was in therapy for years, remember? It was my therapist’s idea to immerse myself in the shifter world, to try and become friends with them.”
“Yeah, friends, not lovers,” Megan said. “Look, I get it. I went to Shadow Security’s website and creeped on Cooper’s profile and his Facebook page. He’s hot and I get why you’d might want to bang him. But, at the end of the day, he’s a shifter and your boss. Even if you could get over your fear of him, sleeping with him is a quick way to get fired.”
“But they said he was going insane,” Daisy said.
“I’m not trying to sound cold-hearted, but how is that your problem?” Megan said. “You haven’t done anything to make him think you’re his mate. That’s on him. You’re not even friends with the guy.”
She held up her hand before Daisy could protest. “I know, I know, you were at his house every night last week making him dinner and hanging out with him. But you said you didn’t even talk to him. Right?”
“Well, I didn’t know what to say and he didn’t really talk, and I didn’t want to upset him or make him -”
She stopped abruptly but it was too late. Megan stared at her in sympathy. “Or make him angry.”
“I’m not afraid of him,” Daisy said.
“Not being afraid of him and not wanting to be afraid of him are two different things, Daze,” Megan said gently.
“He’s a good guy and he saved me from that crazy jaguar shifter.”
“Yep, he did,” Megan said, “and if I ever get the chance to meet him, I’m gonna let him know how awesome he is for coming to your rescue. But that doesn’t mean you have to fuck him as some kind of thank you for helping you.”
“I know that,” Daisy said. “but they said spending time with him would help so maybe I just hang out with him again. What’s the harm in that?”
“Plenty of harm, especially if what they said about his lion pushing for more is true. Maybe he’ll stay sane being just friends, but what if it isn’t enough? What if he does push you for sex? You haven’t slept with a shifter before, but I have. They like sex, okay? They like sex a lot. Let’s say you did get over your fear enough to have sex with your boss and stop him from going insane.” Megan made a face. “Jesus, even saying that makes me sound crazy. Anyway, say you could do it, what happens if he wants sex again? You gonna keep banging him just for funsies? That isn’t your style, babe.”
“Just because Jeff thought I was a cold fish in bed doesn’t mean it’s true,” Daisy said. “I told you that I tried with him but he -”
“Honey, I know. He’s a lying sack of shit. I’m just saying that he’s also the only guy you’ve slept with and since he didn’t make that great of an impression sex wise, your lady boner seems to be in permanent stasis.”
Daisy laughed. “You’re so gross, Megan.”
“I know. But it’s true. You’re the least interested in sex of any of my friends. I’m not trying to hurt your feelings, but you are.”
“I just don’t see what the big deal is. I can get myself off faster and better,” Daisy said.
“Yeah, because Jeff the con artist sucked in bed,” Megan said. “Get the right guy touching your crumpet and you’re going to hornytown…trust me.”
“Did you just call my vagina a crumpet?” Daisy said.
“Would you prefer me to call it your pink taco?” Megan said.
“Oh my God, I hate you,” Daisy said with a laugh.
“No, you love me. Look, you need this job. If you get fired, you’ll be homeless. Although, from what you’ve told me about your apartment, that might be an improvement.”
Shame made her cheeks hot. They must have been bright red because Megan squinted at the screen. “It’s not your fault, Daze. You’re only in an assload of debt because Jeff conned you into thinking he would actually get an inheritance. You w
ouldn’t be in money trouble if it wasn’t for him.”
“Yeah, I know,” Daisy said. “Doesn’t mean I don’t feel stupid about trusting him.”
“You were with him for three years. You were supposed to trust him. I hate what he did to you and I hate even more that you had to move across the goddamn country because of him.”
“I didn’t have to move. I wanted to,” Daisy said. “I needed a fresh start.”
“Fine, but don’t pretend he’s not ten pounds of shit crammed into a five pound bag, because he fucking is. Anyway, my point is, you have a good job that you need. Sleeping with your boss puts that in jeopardy.”
“I know, you’re right,” Daisy said. “But I’m worried about him. And if he goes insane, I’d lose my job anyway.”
“You don’t know that for sure,” Megan said. “Besides, didn’t the other guys in the firm say they had a plan to get him to sleep with someone else?”
“Yeah,” Daisy said as her gut twisted.
“So, there you go. Problem solved.”
“Maybe,” she said. “Listen, I’d better go. My lunch hour is almost over, and I want to grab a coffee before I head back to the office. Love you, Megan. Thanks for listening to me babble on your lunch hour.”
“Anytime, babe. I love you and I miss you so much.”
“I miss you too. I’ll text you later.”
She ended the video call and stared blankly at the office building for a couple of minutes before shoving her phone into her purse and sliding out of the car. She locked the door and headed across the street toward the Starbucks.
Everything Megan said was true. Thinking she could even get over her fear of shifters to try and sleep with Cooper was stupid.
No harm in trying. He’s a great kisser.
She opened the door and stepped inside the busy coffee shop. There was a huge difference between kissing a guy and having sex with him and she’d be a fool to forget that.
* * *
“You’re okay. You’re fine. You’re safe.” Daisy didn’t know if muttering that mantra repeatedly helped or not, but it did stop her from bursting into tears.
Pain etched across her knuckles and she stared at the cup of coffee. Her hand was trembling so much that hot liquid spilled out even with the lid on it.
Numb with terror, she set the coffee on her desk and wiped her hand with a tissue. She stared at the mail that was sitting next to her computer before sorting through it.
Her hands were still too shaky, and she pressed her lips together when the pile of mail dropped on the floor. She crouched and tried to gather it up as her breath sawed in and out of her lungs and her heart tried to trample its way through her ribcage.
“You’re okay,” she said again. “She didn’t hurt you. You’re okay.”
There was a piece of registered mail for Cooper. She staggered her way down the hallway toward his office. Her trembling legs would barely support her, and she clung to the wall as she walked. She kept seeing the shifter’s fangs as they pushed past the perfectly painted lips, kept seeing the way her manicured nails had thickened and lengthened into razor sharp claws.
Claws that could hurt, claws that could tear, claws that could slice open Daisy’s jugular and spray the walls with her blood.
A low moan escaped her throat and she clamped her hand over her mouth before knocking on Cooper’s door. At his gruff ‘come in,’ she opened the door and stumbled into his office.
He was sitting on the small leather couch in his office, his head back and his eyes closed.
“Cooper?”
He stiffened, his nostrils flaring delicately. He lifted his head and opened his eyes as she forced her trembling legs to cross the room to the couch. She held out the piece of mail, ashamed at how obviously shaky she was. “You have a piece of registered mail.”
“What happened? Why are you so afraid?” He sat up straight on the couch and ignored the mail she was holding out.
“Nothing,” she whispered. “I’m okay.”
“You’re not. Tell me what happened,” he said.
Her lower lip trembled, and she wanted to die of shame when she started to cry. But there was no holding back the tears or the fear. “I went for a coffee and I bumped her and spilled her coffee, and I said I was sorry, but she was so mad, and she scared me. She scared me so much and I c-c-couldn’t get away and-and-and…”
“Baby, it’s okay,” Cooper said. His big warm hand gripped her wrist and when he gave it a gentle tug, she didn’t even stop to think. She dropped the mail and practically fell into his lap, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and burying her face in his thick neck.
“It’s all right, Daisy.” Cooper’s hands rubbed her back in slow circles. “You’re safe. I won’t let anyone hurt you.”
She sat in his lap and clung to him like a frightened little kid. She was embarrassed by her behaviour, but the irrational fear didn’t care how stupid she looked. She hadn’t been this badly frightened by a shifter since she was a kid. She both hated and was filled with a bone-aching weariness that the progress she thought she had made was nothing but a lie.
“Will you purr for me?” she blurted.
Oh my God, what was wrong with her? She was making a total fool of herself.
Cooper started to purr, and she rested one hand on his chest, feeling the vibrations under her palm as he purred. God, she loved that sound. It was weirdly comforting to her.
She didn’t know how long she sat on Cooper’s lap listening to him purr and breathing in his scent, but it was long enough for her shaking to stop and for the tears to dry up. She took a deep shuddering breath, twitching when she heard the phone ring.
She tried to slide off Cooper’s lap and his arms tightened around her as his purring cut out. “Stay with me.”
“The phone is ringing,” she said.
“It can go to voicemail.”
“It’s my job to answer it.”
“I’ll tell the boss that I gave you permission not to answer it.”
She smiled before relaxing in his lap again. Sitting on your boss’s lap and crying was the biggest career ending move ever, but she couldn’t bring herself to care. Sitting on Cooper’s lap had taken the fear away. She’d sit on his lap forever if it meant never being that afraid again.
“Will you tell me what happened?” Cooper’s hand was rubbing her back again.
She didn’t want to tell him, it was such a small thing, but how could she not tell him? She had sat in his lap and cried on his shoulder, she owed him an explanation for… shit, his shoulder!
She sat up straight, staring horrified at his right shoulder. “Oh my God, have I hurt you? Did I reinjure your shoulder?”
He shook his head, one big hand still rubbing her lower back, the other resting on her thigh. “No, it’s fine.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“I messed up your shirt,” she said. His collar was wet, and she could see some smears of makeup on the fabric. Thank God she wore waterproof mascara. “I’ll pay to have it cleaned.”
“I don’t care about my shirt. Tell me who frightened you,” Cooper said.
She didn’t even have the urge to flinch when he reached up and wiped the tear streaks from her face with his thumb. “Tell me, baby.”
“I went to Starbucks at the end of my lunch to get a coffee. I was leaving but I was looking at my phone and not paying attention. I bumped into this woman pretty hard and I spilled her coffee a little. Some of it splashed on her shirt.”
She was starting to shake again, and she was grateful when Cooper rubbed her back and purred to her. It helped calm her. “I apologized and said I would buy her a new coffee, but she was so mad. She started yelling at me about being clumsy and staring at my phone instead of watching where I was going.”
She took a deep breath, staring intently at Cooper’s face. “I didn’t even know she was a shifter at first. I thought she was human but then she kept yelling at me, and she was getting
angrier and her eyes they- they switched to yellow. Her pupils narrowed, and I could see her fangs.”
Her throat was dry. She didn’t know how Cooper knew it, but he grabbed his glass of water sitting on the small end table next to the couch and handed it to her. She took a large swallow, easing the dryness. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” He took the glass from her trembling hand and set it back on the table. “What happened then?”
“She called me a stupid human bitch and started ranting about how all humans were idiots. Her fingernails were… they were turning into claws… and I wanted to run but she had me trapped against the wall and I couldn’t – I couldn’t get away.”
Her breath hitched in her throat and Cooper tugged her against his chest again. “It’s okay, baby. You’re safe.”
She rested her forehead against his throat, the rumbling of his purring a soothing balm. “This guy finally stepped in – I don’t know if he was human or a shifter – and told her she needed to calm down. She started yelling at him, and I squeezed past them and ran out of the shop. I thought she was going to slice my throat open. She was so mad.”
“I’m sorry, baby. I wish that hadn’t happened to you.” Cooper rubbed her back.
“I looked like an idiot,” she said. “I was starting to cry, and I know I was shaking, and my face was red and -”
“You were afraid, and she was the asshole who looked like an idiot,” Cooper said. “It was a simple mistake, nothing to lose her shit over.”
“I hate that I’m so afraid,” she whispered. “I hate that I can’t go out in public without being frightened. I stare at every person around me and wonder if they’re human or shifter. I hate that I’m always looking for exits in every room I’m in. I hate that any shifter I meet immediately knows I’m afraid of them. I look like such a fool all the time, but I don’t know how to stop being afraid that the shifter might hurt me.”
She waited for him to ask her why she so afraid, waited for him to ask the question that she wouldn’t answer. Would he get upset with her? Would he get angry?