Rosalie Undone (The Shifters Series Book 6)

by Elizabeth Kelly

  The cat lifted his back leg and lazily licked his ass. She laughed and hugged herself before whispering, “I stood up for myself. I didn’t let her guilt me into doing what she wanted.”

  I’ll say. Too bad most of the stuff you told her about Hudson was a lie.

  She frowned. It wasn’t a lie. Hudson was sweet and smart, and he kept her safe. She did care about him, and this was the first time in a long time that she could honestly say she was happy.

  That’s great, Rosie. Glad you’re so happy…but you remember that Hudson isn’t looking for anything but sex, right?

  Yeah, she remembered. They’d just fought about it yesterday, for God’s sake. Still, she didn’t regret anything she had said to her mother. She wanted to be with Hudson and as long as she kept it casual, as long as she followed his rules, she could probably drag this ‘teach me to be kinky’ thing out for months.

  Uh, Rosie? Are you forgetting about someone? What about Lincoln?

  She closed her eyes. Fuck, what about Lincoln? Did she still want to seduce him? Did she still even love him?

  “No,” she said. “I mean… maybe?” She buried her face in her hands. “Shit, I don’t fucking know.”

  “Don’t know what?”

  She lifted her head and smiled at Hudson who was standing at the base of the stairs. “Hey there.”

  “Hi. I heard your mom leaving. Everything okay with her?”

  She shrugged. “It will be. She’s still in a bit of shock I think.”

  “I’m sorry about what happened.”

  “It isn’t your fault.”

  “Maybe. But meeting your mom first as a polar bear and then butt naked wasn’t my finest moment.”

  She stared at him before bursting into wild out-of-control laughter. She knew it was partly the stress of the situation, but she couldn’t stop giggling as Hudson stared solemnly at her.

  “Oh God,” she gasped out, “oh God, my mom has seen your penis.”

  He winced. “Don’t remind me.”

  She snorted more laughter and when a smile cracked his face, she walked to him and threw her arms around his waist. “Just so you know, I do not approve of you showing off your penis to other women, and that includes my mother.”

  “Please stop talking about my penis and your mother in the same sentence,” Hudson said.

  She laughed and palmed his crotch before giving him a saucy smile. “This is mine. Say it.”

  He picked her up, and she wrapped her legs around his waist as he turned and headed up the stairs. “Yours, little human.”

  She nipped his neck and then kissed the stubble on his jawline. “That’s right it is. Now take me to the bedroom and fuck me. If you give me another g-spot orgasm, I’ll make you pancakes afterward.”

  He growled and reached down to squeeze her ass. “Sex and pancakes? Best fucking day off ever.”

  She pressed a kiss against his mouth. “Agreed.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  “So,” Maggie blew on her coffee before taking a sip, “tomorrow is the big day. How are you feeling about it?”

  Rosalie picked at the piece of banana bread sitting in front of her. “I’m not going to the kink dance party thing.”

  “What? Why not?”

  “I still, um, smell like Hudson.”

  “It’s Thursday. If you stopped sleeping with Hudson by the end of the weekend, then it should…” Maggie’s eyes widened, “You’re still sleeping with Hudson.”

  “I didn’t want - I mean, Monday was his day off and there was this whole thing with my mother and I was upset, and I didn’t want to be alone, you know? Then Tuesday I forgot to ask him for my key back before he went to work. He crawled into bed with me that night after work like he always does, and I couldn’t just kick him out at one in the morning.”

  Maggie stared silently at her and Rosalie gave her a defensive look. “I still don’t know enough kinky stuff anyway. Hudson still has to, um, teach me some more things.”

  “What did he teach you this week?” Maggie asked.

  Rosalie stared blankly at her, trying desperately to think of something, anything.

  “You just had regular sex all week, didn’t you?” Maggie said.

  “Maybe.”

  “Do you think you want to be with Hudson, not Lincoln?” Maggie asked.

  “I love Lincoln,” Rosalie replied.

  “Do you, though?”

  “Fuck!” Rosalie ran her hands through her hair. “I don’t even know. I thought I did, but now…”

  She sighed and stared morosely at her coffee. “It doesn’t matter anyway. I think Hudson is finished with me.”

  “What do you mean?” Maggie asked.

  “He’s really grumpy.”

  “Porter says Hudson’s always grumpy,” Maggie replied.

  Rosalie smiled a little. “Not with me, at least not lately. But the last few days, his mood has just gotten worse and worse. This morning he barely said two words and he left around two. Normally he stays with me until he leaves for work.”

  “Did you talk to him about what’s wrong?”

  “I tried, but he changes the subject or…distracts me.”

  Hudson distracted her all right. She hadn’t thought it would be possible, but they’d had even more sex this week than last. In fact, they’d spent almost all of their time in bed this week. Hudson even woke her up when he got home each night for a quick but intense bout of sex.

  They hadn’t spoken once about more kink lessons, and while she still enjoyed their lovemaking, it almost felt like Hudson grew more distant with each round of sex they had.

  “Rosalie?” Maggie squeezed her hand. “You okay?”

  Suddenly near tears, Rosalie whispered, “He left the key on the table today. After lunch, he took me to bed and afterward I fell asleep. When I woke up, he was gone and the house key I gave him was sitting on the table.”

  Now the tears did fall, and Maggie handed her a napkin. “I’m sorry, honey.”

  “Screw this.” Rosalie straightened and dabbed at the tears on her face. “I’m done feeling sorry for myself. Hudson gave the key back because he thought I wanted this to be over by Friday. All I have to do is tell him I want more lessons and things will go back to normal.”

  “Normal?” Maggie said.

  “You know what I mean,” Rosalie replied. “Anyway, I’ll make Hudson a nice dinner and take it to him tonight at work. I’ll ask him for another few weeks of kink lessons and give him back the key.”

  “What if he doesn’t want to?” Maggie asked delicately. “Hudson isn’t looking for a relationship, right?”

  “This isn’t a relationship,” Rosalie said. “Nothing has changed, I just want a few more lessons, that’s all.”

  “Are you sure?” Maggie said. “Because I kind of feel like maybe you’re becoming infatuated with a guy who isn’t looking for the same things you are.”

  “I’m not,” Rosalie said. “I know what Hudson wants, and I also know that it’s not me. At least, not in the typical relationship sense. I’m fine with what he can give me. Besides, it’s mutually beneficial to both of us, right? Hudson gets as much casual sex as he wants, and I gain a bunch of experience to use to seduce Lincoln.”

  “Rosalie, I -”

  She stood up abruptly and gave Maggie a strained smile. “I have to go. I need to stop at the grocery store and pick up a few things to make Hudson’s dinner. I’ll talk to you later, Maggie. Okay?”

  Maggie gave her a troubled look but nodded. “Yeah, okay. Bye, Rosalie.”

  * * *

  “Well, if it isn’t my favourite girl.” The low purr drifted down the aisle of the grocery store.

  Rosalie turned with the package of pasta in her hand. “Lincoln?”

  “Hello, Rosie-girl.” Lincoln, holding a basket piled high with meat, ambled down the aisle toward her. “How’s my favourite -”

  He stopped abruptly and inhaled before a look of surprise crossed his face. He stared at her for a moment
then cleared his throat. “How’s my favourite girl doing?”

  “Good. How is your vacation?” She studied his handsome face. He actually looked a little tired and worn out with dark circles under his eyes, and his face looked a bit thin.

  Probably all the sex he’s been having at the kink fest. No time to sleep or eat.

  Probably. She waited for the jealousy to wash over her, but she was curiously unaffected by the thought of Lincoln banging a bunch of women. Two weeks ago, the jealousy would have been eating her up inside.

  “It’s been good. Busy.” He looked her up and down, his gaze lingering on her tits before he smiled at her. “You look…different.”

  “Do I?” She put the pasta in her basket and checked her watch. If she wanted to get the spaghetti made in time for Hudson’s dinner break, she really needed to get out of here.

  “Yes. You look beautiful today, Rosie-girl.”

  “Thank you.” His compliment didn’t bring its usual flush of pleasure to her.

  He inhaled again before moving close. “So, what’s new? You enjoying your time off?”

  “I am. Not much is new. Just grabbing a few groceries.”

  He was standing beside her now, and he gave her a flirty little grin as he stared at the ingredients in her basket. “Looks like you’re making some pasta.”

  “I am.” She checked her watch again.

  “Hey,” Lincoln traced his fingers down her forearm. “I’ve missed seeing your gorgeous face while I’ve been on vacation. You still want to get together and chat about being an agent? I’m busy tonight and tomorrow night, but my Saturday night is free. You could drop by my place, we could have a few drinks and I can tell you anything and everything you want to know. What do you say, sweetheart?”

  “Are you asking me out on a date?” She said.

  “I guess I am, Rosie-girl.”

  She stared at him. Lincoln, the man she’d been in love with for two years was asking her out. Her dream was coming true in a goddamn grocery store. What she’d wanted was finally happening and she… she couldn’t care less.

  Holy shit. She couldn’t care less.

  She didn’t want Lincoln. She wanted Hudson.

  Grumpy, quiet, possessive, and oh so sweet, Hudson.

  “Rosie?”

  A smile broke out across her face. “You’re kidding me, right?”

  Lincoln shook his head. “No. I’ve been thinking a lot about you lately and -”

  “Bullshit,” she said. “You don’t think about me at all, unless it’s whether or not you can get me to pick up your dry-cleaning, or do your work for you at the office, or drive you to a party when your car breaks down so you can fuck another girl.”

  “Rosalie, I -”

  She shook her head. “No, don’t bother. You’ve been using my crush on you to your advantage for the last two years and you know what? That’s okay. Because I’m a big girl and I let you take advantage of me. But not anymore, Lincoln.”

  “Then let me take you to dinner to apologize,” Lincoln said as he took her hand. “Saturday night we can -”

  “Seriously? Are you telling me that all this time, all I had to do to make you want me was to blow you off?” She couldn’t stop her laughter.

  He gave her a cocky little grin. “I like it when lovely ladies like you play hard to get.”

  She snorted more laughter. “I’m not playing hard to get. I’m just not interested.”

  He raised her hand to his mouth and kissed her knuckles. “Maybe I can change your mind.”

  “I know you can smell him on me, Lincoln. What do you think he’ll do to you if he smells your scent on me?” Rosalie said softly.

  Lincoln dropped her hand and took a step back. “You don’t seem like the type to fall for a bartender, Rosalie.”

  “How would you know? You don’t know anything about me.”

  The smile fell from his face, and she patted his arm. “It was really good to see you, Lincoln. Enjoy the rest of your vacation. I’ll see you at the office on Monday.”

  She walked away without looking back, as a wave of giddiness washed over her. Holy shit, she really didn’t love Lincoln. Why she thought she did…she’d never know. But did it really matter? No, she decided, it didn’t. She knew now with one hundred percent certainty, what she wanted.

  Hudson.

  She hurried toward the register, eager to get home and make dinner for him.

  Uh, Rosie? Are you forgetting something? Hudson doesn’t want you. At least, not the same way you want him.

  Her steps slowed, and she took a deep breath. Okay, so maybe he didn’t. But that didn’t mean she couldn’t change his mind over the next couple of months. She’d win him over with amazing sex and a really good meal plan.

  She laughed inwardly – it was probably the dorkiest plan ever for winning a man’s heart, but Hudson loved sex and food, it would work.

  Rosie, you’re just exchanging Lincoln for Hudson. You know that, don’t you? You’re going from one man who will never want you, to another.

  No, she wasn’t. Lincoln and Hudson were nothing alike, and it was stupid of her to think she’d ever get someone like Lincoln to fall for her. Hudson liked her, she knew he did, he just needed more time to get used to the idea of dating her.

  * * *

  “Jesus Christ, Hudson, what the hell is going on with you tonight?” Judd asked. “Your goddamn grandmother die or something? You’re an even bigger asshole than usual.”

  Hudson glared at Judd. “Nothing’s wrong.”

  “Well, ain’t that the biggest load of bullshit I ever heard,” Judd said cheerfully. “I don’t know what the fuck you’re so miserable about. I haven’t had sex in like a month, but I know you’ve been gettin’ it on the regular from that curvy little human. She’s practically swimming in your scent.”

  “I’m busy, Judd,” Hudson growled as he poured a beer and handed it to the tiger shifter waiting impatiently. “Three bucks.”

  The tiger handed him a five and walked away. Hudson rang it through the register and threw the tip into the tip jar under the bar.

  “Seriously, what is going on?” Judd said. “You’d think a shifter with a woman as hot as -”

  “It’s over,” Hudson snapped. “Me and Rosalie are done, and I don’t want to fucking talk about it.”

  “You sure you’re done?” Judd said.

  “Why the fuck wouldn’t I be?” He growled as he swiped at the top of the already-gleaming bar with a rag.

  “Because your little human just walked into the bar and she’s headed right for you.”

  Hudson’s head jerked up and he stared in shock at Rosalie. His polar bear’s roar of happiness was so loud that he winced. Fuck, she looked good. She was wearing his favourite dress, her long curly hair cascaded down her back, and her lips were painted a bright red. He had a vision of those red lips sliding down his cock and pressed his lower body against the bar to hide his immediate erection.

  “Hello, Rosalie.” Judd grinned at her when she joined them. He glanced at the container in her hand. “Bringing my boy Hudson his dinner?”

  “Hi, Judd. Um, yes.” Rosalie gave Hudson a nervous smile. “Hi, Hudson.”

  “Hey.” He told himself not to read anything into it. Rosalie was a nice girl, she was probably just bringing him dinner because she made too much or something.

  Too bad he couldn’t get his fucking polar bear to calm down. It was practically dancing a goddamn jig at the sight of her. He didn’t know what was worse to deal with – it’s unabashed excitement over seeing Rosie, or the overwhelming despair and depression it had been in since the moment he left Rosalie’s house this afternoon.

  “Do you have a minute?” She asked.

  “I can’t take my dinner break yet,” he said.

  “I know. I just need a minute.”

  “Yeah, okay.” He headed to the end of the bar where there was no one sitting on the stools. Rosalie sat down and placed the container in front of him.

>   “It’s spaghetti,” she said. “I wanted to make biscuits for you, but I, uh, ran out of time.”

  “That’s okay,” he replied. “You didn’t have to bring me dinner.”

  “I wanted to.” She gave him a searching look. “You left without saying goodbye to me.”

  He stared at the container of pasta before mumbling, “Sorry.”

  Rosalie’s long fingers placed the house key on top of the container. He glanced up at her, and she smiled at him. “You forgot this at home.”

  “We were done,” he said. His polar bear reared up and growled angrily at him as the smile dropped from Rosalie’s face.

  “I was thinking,” she said tentatively, “that maybe we could extend the kink lessons for a few weeks longer. I don’t feel like I’ve learned everything I, um, can from you.”

  Tell her no. You can’t keep doing this. If Corden finds you, he’ll –

  “There is some more stuff I could teach you,” he said.

  Her smile returned, and happiness flooded through him. She picked up the key and held it out to him. “You’ll need this.”

  He took it from her, stuffing it into his pocket as she gave him a sweet look of affection.

  “You look really pretty,” he said. “I’m sorry I was being such a dick the last couple of days.”

  “You can make it up to me tonight.” She said with a pert grin. She hesitated and then took his hand. He linked their fingers together and she squeezed his hand. “So, I’ll see you at home?”

  “Yes.” He kept a hold of her hand when she tried to slide off the stool. “If you don’t mind waiting around for an hour or so, I’ll be taking my dinner break and you could join me.”

  “Sure,” she said happily. “I don’t mind waiting.”

  “All right. I’ll bring you a glass of wine, okay?”

  “Okay. Thanks, Hudson.”

  * * *

  Rosalie drank the last of her wine and set the empty glass on the bar. Another fifteen minutes or so and Hudson would be on his dinner break. She studied him as he mixed a drink for an incredibly tall and thin shifter. God, Hudson was handsome. She couldn’t wait until he got home tonight. She’d drink five cups of coffee if she had to, just to make sure she was awake. She had plans to blow his socks off with the sex tonight. In the morning she’d ply him with French toast and bacon and be well on her way with Operation ‘Make Hudson Want to Date Her’.