by C. D. Gorri
“You cook?”
“Matter of fact,” he grinned, and she found herself responding.
Dinner did sound good. She’d snacked on a couple of granola bars during her shift but hadn’t had a lot of time for anything more substantial. Food sounded good. Alone time with Nate, not so much. It was far too dangerous to be alone with him. But she couldn’t seem to help herself.
“I guess I can follow you,” she began, but he was already shaking his head.
“No good, doc, I had the boys drop me off.”
“The boys being those young idiots who almost broke your skull apart?” She frowned and he laughed.
“They’re not so bad. Just need to do some growing up is all.”
“Hmm.”
“You drive, I’ll ride shotgun,” he grinned and she damn near melted in a puddle at his feet.
Surprised that he didn’t demand to drive she found herself agreeing with him. Most Shifter males would’ve taken her keys, but not him, she admitted to herself. He was a cut above. Darn it. If she wasn’t careful, she was gonna wind up head over heels for him. If she wasn’t already.
He shouldn’t be this good looking. It ought to be illegal, she thought as she stopped at a light and tried her best to ignore the deep bass of his voice as he sang along to the classic rock station, she’d always kept her car radio tuned to.
“Baby, baby, got some good lovin’ just for you,” he sang in that sexy as sin voice of his and her knees turned to jelly. Thank God she was sitting. Still, she was so shook up by being near him she almost missed the turn off for Lake Ursa.
“Um, which way?” She asked when they came to a fork in the road.
“Left. The cabin on the right about a mile down the road,” he’d leaned over her to point and she caught a whiff of that incredible autumn sage scent that seemed to cling to his skin.
She nodded and stepped on the gas. The car seemed to hum with anticipation as she pulled into the graveled driveway of a large, two-story cabin that was clearly undergoing some renovation.
“This is yours?” She asked and whistled as she took in the huge wraparound porch and second floor deck that overlooked the lake that sat about a hundred yards away. It had to be twice the size of her childhood home where she still lived.
It was beautiful. A brand-new coat of natural finish gleamed over the authentic wood siding. Her sensitive nose picked up on the fact that he had indeed been updating this place.
“It’s really coming along, Nate,” she smiled.
“I’ve been making some changes here and there. Getting it just right,” he murmured, and she swore his cheeks grew pink in the dim light of the car.
They stepped out and she enjoyed the crunch of the fresh gravel under her sneaker clad feet before following him up the stone pathway to the front door. Evening mist crawled above the ground covering he’d planted across the front yard and she felt like a princess in a fairytale climbing the steps of the mysterious prince’s castle.
But Luisa Sposa was no princess. She was a doctor and Nate Cordoza was a graphic designer and an Enforcer. A warrior not a prince. The thick corded muscles that wrapped round his arms and legs were a testament to that fact.
Her she-Bear approved of his commanding physique almost as much as the woman in her lusted after it. Dinner. It’s just dinner. She repeated the phrase to herself knowing that whatever this was, it would end with something far more satisfying than the pasta sauce she smelled simmering on the stove.
“You really do cook,” she sounded surprised even to her own ears.
“Well, I can’t take all the credit for this here,” he nodded towards the kitchen and guided her inside with a hand on her back, “I have to admit I’m pretty damn good at grilling a steak and potato now and then, but Clary sent the sauce for the pasta over earlier and I set it to simmer while you were finishing up your rounds.”
He rubbed the back of his neck when he talked. She wondered if he was embarrassed by all the effort he’d put into this dinner, or the fact he’d gotten help from Clary, the Devlin’s trusted housekeeper.
Not that he had reason to be. It was incredibly thoughtful of him. For a curvy girl, Luisa couldn’t boil water. Her dinners were mostly takeout or frozen meals from the supermarket. This was especially nice.
Luisa couldn’t help but be touched. He was more thoughtful than she would’ve given him credit for and that was enough to stop her in her tracks. It would be easier to deny him, to deny them, if he just stayed the one-dimensional cave-Bear she’d imagined him to be.
The kind of mate who’d demand his woman stay home and cook and clean and make babies. The kind who would object to her chosen career. But he wasn’t cooperating. Darn Bear has to go and be all wonderful and stuff…Ugh!
“Take a load off, honey, I’ll bring you a plate.”
She sat down at the enormous granite table that sat in the far corner of the large kitchen. Unlike most of the cabins that dotted the shore, this one had all modern appliances and was obviously recently redone. She approved of the clean lines and expensive materials that he’d chosen. Not that she was concerned with having the best, not by any means. It just looked neater and cleaner that way. She did love a clean kitchen.
Even the color palette was not unlike what she’d have done. Warm yellows and oranges looked well with the soft wood cabinets and chairs. The Granite was a mixture of browns with gold veins that accentuated the light dandelion colored walls.
It was a dream of a room. Comforting and inviting. Just the kind of kitchen mom and Krissy always raved about. She smiled thinking of her family. Mom was finally at peace. Krissy was married. Luisa was a doctor. Holy cow! When did she grow up?
It seemed to have happened suddenly. Like some sort of dream or nightmare when she thought about her mother’s passing. She’d never really known her father. The bastard had abandoned them years ago, and she couldn’t muster any desire to track him down. Not now anyway.
Krissy had been her rock. The one who’d take care of things when their mom was ill. And that had been far too often for a single mother with two Bear Shifter daughters. Still, she’d done her best.
Luisa’s interest in a career in medicine stemmed from her mother’s illness. Determined to fight cancer and all manner of disease she’d studied hard throughout her life as a student. Of course, that meant leaving the more mundane, everyday things to Krissy. Not that her older sister complained.
Now that she was back in Barvale, she’d moved into her childhood home. Sadness plagued her every time she stepped over the threshold. In fact, she’d been dragging her feet the last fifteen minutes of her shift, hating the idea of returning to the old house that held so many memories for her.
“Would you like some pepper or cheese on your pasta?” Nate asked, jogging her from her reverie.
“Please,” she answered.
“Alrighty, then,” his Texas accent was slight at times, but she still picked it up. It kind of tickled her senses, like that crazy good scent of his.
She smiled at the homey picture he made, dishing up some delicious smelling fusilli and serving her as if he’d done it a million times. He was at home in the kitchen, unlike herself. She was a certifiable mess when it came to cooking. Always been too busy studying to do anything like that. She frowned.
“What’s wrong?” Nate cocked his head to the side as he placed the dish in front of her.
“I was just thinking,” she began.
“Well now, that will get you into all kinds of trouble, honey girl.”
“I don’t cook.”
There. She’d said it. Just left it lying there out in the open unlike the dirty little secret she’d been hiding for years. Female Shifters knew how to cook for their men.
“And?” One sleek eyebrow raised; Nate looked at her as if she’d lost her mind.
“What do you mean and? I don’t cook, Nate. At all. I could burn water.”
“Seeing as how Clary loves to cook in bulk, I imagine she’d be happ
y to feed you. But just in case this has anything to do with me and you and that big ol’ elephant in the room otherwise known as our mating, well now, honey mine, I gotta say, I don’t give a rat’s ass if you cook. Got it?” He wouldn’t let her look away. Not until she nodded while staring at the arrogant gleam in his glittery green eyes.
“Now try this,” he grinned and held a fork full of fusilli coated in thick, red sauce to her mouth.
She accepted the bite, allowing him to feed her. It was sensual and sexy and made her stomach clench and her head spin. The spicy flavors burst on her tongue. Sausage, garlic, crushed red pepper, sea salt, ripe plum tomatoes, and olive oil.
It was fucking, er, frigging delicious. But not as good as what came next.
Heat flared in Nate’s eyes with every bite he fed her. When she shook her head, he held his glass of red sangria to her lips, watching as she swallowed a good, long slip. Then he pulled his chair right against hers.
Sitting on it sideways, he opened his long legs and fit hers in between. She chewed the slice of fresh fruit he fed her from his wine glass. She moaned at the burst of citrus and sweet wine flooded her senses.
Luisa swallowed it down and licked her lips, her gaze never wavering from his. His face was serious as any hunter as he fed her another bite of fruit, and another until she pushed his fork away.
“I can’t eat anymore,” she whispered. The room was growing warm. Or was that just the wine? She swallowed and licked her lips again, aware of the way his predatory eyes followed the movement.
“Aren’t you having anything?” She asked, only now realizing he’d fed her but not himself.
“Good idea,” he answered.
Next thing she knew, Nate had closed in on her. One hand wrapped firmly, yet gently around the back of her neck while the other tilted her face up to his.
“I’ve been waiting a week for this,” he growled as he claimed her lips.
This was no tender meeting of mouths, no sir. It was heat and passion. His work roughened hands felt good as they trailed along her arms and soft belly, touching her everywhere. She knew where they were going, where this was heading, but she was powerless to stop the force of sensations that threatened to overwhelm her.
He was so big, so powerful and she loved his easy strength as he stood up and lifted her swiftly into his arms. She’d never been one of those dainty little girls people liked to carry. Luisa was a Shifter. A curvy one. Strong as a, well, as a Bear. She also enjoyed food and didn’t let modern day sensibilities dictate her appetite.
She loved her curves. Was at home in her short yet fluffy body. She had no doubt that Nate found it attractive. Especially if the way he was currently feeling her up said anything about his thoughts on the subject. He laid her down on his enormous bed and hovered over her just looking. Must be custom made, she thought idly as she bounced on the hard surface.
“You are so beautiful, honey,” he murmured and caught her mouth again in a kiss that was soul shattering. Touching nothing but her face he devoured her lips as if he could not get enough. She knew she couldn’t. Oh Nate.
The past year had been rough. Sure, she’d gotten that inkling that he was her mate when she’d met him, but she hardly knew what that meant. She’d been finishing her residency over at the nearby St. Francis Hospital and couldn’t afford to follow her natural instinct.
Of course, knowing all that didn’t mean her sow was okay with it. Oh no. Her she-Bear always seemed to be on edge. Then of course the biggest life-altering event in her life up until now had happened.
Her mother’s illness had grown worse until she’d succumbed to it. Patricia Sposa deserved to rest in peace, but Luisa still missed her. Through it all, Krissy had been her rock. Her sister had always been more mother than sibling, but Luisa had been hit just as hard by their mother’s death.
But Krissy wasn’t the only one who’d walked with her through these times. Nate had been there too, she finally realized as his mouth made love to hers. Always in the background, still he’d been there. A solid, calming force, available whenever she’d needed him. And she had alternately ignored him or maintained her distance. Until last week at the wedding.
“Look at me, honey, stay right here with me,” he spoke softly, and she obeyed the subtle command. She wanted this. Wanted him. So much.
In a flurry of motion their clothing was gone, she felt him against her as he nuzzled her neck, down to her breast, brushing over the claiming mark he’d left on her body. Sensation sizzled through her, tightening her stomach, making her pussy weep for him.
“Nate,” she cried out as his thick fingers stroked her slick entrance. So good, the burning press of his fingers stretching her sent tendrils of pleasure snaking through her body. More. She wanted more.
She ran her nails down his back and through his hair. Needing that tactile connection she didn’t, no, she couldn’t stop. Touching him wherever she could reach was of the utmost importance.
“Want you,” she moaned as he licked a trail down her gently rounded belly to the soft blonde curls that shielded her sex from his eyes.
Nate growled deep in his throat as he pushed her legs further apart. His chest rumbled as he looked his fill, parting her folds and gaping at her exposed heat. Luisa grew even wetter under his stare.
Never before had she been so revealed to any man. Her she-Bear was strong and dominant in her own right. The beast hated the idea of submitting to anyone. Except him. Mate.
She watched his head dip and felt his mouth on her, insistent yet gentle. He licked and suckled her into oblivion. Seeming to savor every drop of her moisture, he caressed her with his lips and tongue, even using a fang to scrape against her sensitive nub. Luisa was still gasping with the force of her first orgasm when he flipped them over and lifted her onto his body.
He kissed her lips, and she tasted herself on him. The sweet musk should have been strange, but it was sexy and natural coming from him. She moaned and tangled her tongue with his, licking her way to his neck and shoulders, to the place that bore her mark.
She loved the shudder that racked his powerful body. Reveled in the power she had over him like this. Their mutual desire crested, and Nate’s firm hands gripped her ass and hips as he lifted her and slammed her down hard on his thick shaft.
“Fuck, honey, so tight,” he groaned.
His girth stretched her to the limit, filling her so good. She yelled his name and rode him like she was born to. That feeling of rightness reached all the way down to her bones as Luisa lifted back up and slammed herself down on his engorged sex.
His head was arched back, he gasped for air and grit his teeth as she took the reins. Luisa watched greedily as his movements became jerky, his pleasure just out of reach.
“Not without you, honey,” he growled as his thumb found her clit. She moaned low and hard as he stroked her sensitive nub in time with her shaky movements. Nate flashed his fangs as the Bear came out to play, but he managed to control the animal.
She cried out, explosive ecstasy crashing over her just as his own body went rigid. He pulled her to him, teeth slicing through her skin as he marked her once more, this time on her shoulder.
Their matebond pulsed around them, tightening and winding. An unbreakable thing. Or was it. Her father had married her mother, called her mate, then up and left.
She was too afraid to believe in it, in him. Too afraid he wouldn’t accept her career or her life choices. It shattered her just thinking about it. Luisa felt that pain and fear all the way to her core.
Chapter 6
She left. Again. Nate punched a whole clean through his living room wall when he’d finally realized Luisa was gone the morning after they’d made love.
He thought for sure she was going to stay this time, acknowledge their mating as she hadn’t done after the wedding, but no. Fuck it all to hell, he growled. He was wrong. Again.
What was he going to have to do to make her see? He frowned as he saw the hole in his sheetrock wall
and cursed the extra work, he’d made for himself. Shit.
Well, there was no use delaying the inevitable. His headache was gone and any danger of him having a concussion was over. Despite the doctor’s orders to stay off his feet, he ambled over to the garage and got some supplies.
He had the hole patched in under fifteen minutes and went on to take a look at the addition he’d been working on. Luisa didn’t know it yet, but he’d bought this place with her in mind. Determined to make it their den. A place he could finally call home.
He opened a can of pale blue paint and went to work on the second coat. Krissy had assured him it was Luisa’s favorite color. The blue would really pop once he had the white trim finished. It would be just fine for the tiny medical examination room he was adding onto the side of the garage for her.
Back in Flint, the Clan doc had something similar though not as modern. He figured Luisa would enjoy having someplace handy to care for her patients should they come a knockin’ in the middle of the night as Shifters were known to do.
The medical table had already arrived along with several other top of the line machines he’d purchased for her. Once the paint dried, he’d polish the tile floor one more time, then he’d be able to move everything in. Next to the examination room was a large airy office space for her. Other than the basics, he’d left it empty, figuring she’d like to choose her furnishings.
The entire house was something of a testament to his feelings for her, but instead of showing her that last night he’d jumped her bones. Idiot. But it wasn’t as if he could help it. Whenever he was within twenty feet of her the only thing his Bear could think of was sinking into her sweet heat. Double shit.
He needed to Change, to walk through the woods and commune with his inner animal. It was the only way he could ground the beast and satisfy the urge to simply grab her caveman style and hide her away until she accepted him. Not that that would work. Would it? Oh fuck it, he had enough for the day. After he put away the paint and supplies, he went to the woods behind the cabin.