Nightfall

by TK Lawyer

  Tamara watched Nightfall with surprise and amusement.

  Are you okay?

  She cocked her head at the Chihuahua. A small grin plastered across her lips. Yes, but you didn’t have to protect me from that poor little dog. I mean he’s shaking, the sweet thing.

  Big or small, no one treats you like that.

  The corner of her lips curved up into a wide smile. He just scared me with his bark, that’s all.

  I will always protect you, my love, from any situation. Your comfort is essential to me.

  Tamara giggled. Well then, I guess I’m in good hands.

  Nightfall trotted toward Tamara and lowered his head. She caressed her fingers through his fur and asked, “Are we okay now?”

  He licked her lower arm until she giggled again. Then, he raised his head and commanded. Take me home. I’m tired of being in a cage.

  Sporting a sloppy grin, she lifted the collar around his neck and attached the leash. Happily, she walked out of the facility with him beside her.

  ***

  To celebrate Nightfall’s coming home and to thank him for protecting her, Tamara stopped by the local grocery store and purchased a small feast for him. She raced through the deli section and grabbed food from several aisles of the store. Almost at the checkout, she did a double take in the frozen food aisle and stared at sin, itself. Opening one of the glass doors, she grabbed a gallon of ice cream, and rushed to the storefront with her purchases.

  ***

  Josh popped his head up as Tamara approached the car. He whined and lay his head down on the headrest of the back seat, eying Tamara while she packed the groceries into the trunk. With a quick slam, she hurried back toward the store while Josh whipped around in his seat.

  Where is she going?

  He maneuvered his head left and right in the back seat of the car but lost her among the cars in the parking lot. Jumping to the front seat, he tried looking through the side window, but still, she wasn’t in view. He moved his head up and flattened the tip of his nose against the front window. Finally, he found her speaking to a guy holding up a cardboard sign.

  Tamara, what are you doing? Should you be talking to strangers?

  But Tamara wasn’t listening. Instead, she handed a brown paper bag to the stranger, who waved at her as she walked away.

  Upon entering the car, she put her seatbelt on and reached behind her to pat Nightfall’s head. Thankfully, she was oblivious to the fact he’d just been in the passenger seat, breaking one of her unspoken rules. She hummed and turned on the engine.

  Tamara.

  She took her hand off the gearshift and turned toward Josh.

  “What’s up, Sweetie? Are you okay?”

  What were you doing with that stranger in front of the store?

  “Oh, you mean the homeless man? He’s just a sweet, old, guy I’ve seen before. He usually perches himself underneath their awning. The store managers are okay with him doing that because he doesn’t give anyone a hard time and he doesn’t approach anyone. I gave him a bag of food.”

  Josh lowered his head and pawed at the seat.

  That was very kind of you. I didn’t think it was possible to love you any more than I already do, but I was wrong. You honor me.

  She glanced back at him before turning forward in her seat and waving a dismissive hand in the air. “It was nothing. I like helping people and he’s down on his luck. It’s one less meal he has to worry about.” Tamara glanced at him in her rearview mirror. “I mean…I hope I’m never in a situation like that, but if I am, I’d want someone to help me out too, if they could.”

  Truly beautiful.

  Josh’s compliment lingered between them as Tamara shifted the car into reverse.

  ***

  Josh sat at the very edge of the kitchen. Thank goodness he was back to one hundred percent physical capacity because he needed all of his strength and energy to tackle the next event. All shape shifters healed quickly, it more or less came with their other-worldly status. Still, Josh led a healthy lifestyle, not taking any chances that anything less might affect his supernatural abilities.

  He shifted his weight left to right, right to left and sniffed the mouth-watering aroma filling the air. Tamara halved the chicken and spread the slices of cheese and juicy meat on a large platter next to his water bowl while drool dripped from his jowls onto the floor. She brushed the fur on his back, whispered a sweet compliment to him and then left him to enjoy his meal.

  Food, glorious food.

  He’d shunned the dog food at the hospital for as long as possible, but, unfortunately, he’d tried a few morsels this morning out of pure hunger before he spit them back out in disgust. Starving himself was no good plus it zapped his strength. Now he was more than ready to enjoy the feast set before him.

  He looked down at his near-empty plate, determined to lick it completely clean. If only the food was spread out over Tamara’s delicious body instead.

  He grinned as salaciously as a wolf could grin.

  Too bad he wasn’t in human form. He’d search out Tamara, and they’d feed each other…in bed or anywhere else Tamara desired. Sudden warmth that wasn’t unpleasant spread across his lower half. If only she’d accept him as Josh. He wanted to howl but he remembered where that got him last time—in a heap of trouble.

  Josh was in the middle of slurping water from his bowl when he heard an unusual sound. His ears perked, he turned his head to determine the direction of it and walked toward the bedroom door and found it open. How odd.

  Stepping over the threshold, he followed the sound to the bathroom door and found it ajar. With one paw, he nudged it open, shoving it open further with the tip of his nose before scrambling backward when a powerful blast of damp, humid air startled him. He shook the moisture off his head and peeked around the door. Was his beloved showering? Did he dare move? She would be naked, and he must remain a gentleman. He told himself that he should do the right thing and run back to the living room where he belonged.

  That’s what a gentleman would do.

  Yet, Josh never considered himself a gentleman. More a rogue with a fondness for one curvy, delectable girl.

  He pressed forward through the opening.

  A beige shower curtain made of a heavy material he couldn’t see through loomed before him. Should he proceed further? He knew his future actions might upset Tamara. Yet, images of her naked danced across his mind. His eyes glazed over as curiosity got the better of him. One little peek wouldn’t hurt.

  He poked his head around the curtain and found himself under a clear vinyl curtain liner. His irises widened. Beads of moisture formed on areas presently untouched by the water. He stood transfixed, unable to tear his gaze away. Maybe he shouldn’t have ventured into the bathroom, after all. Watching her was proving to be pure torture.

  She washed her hair and raised her arms to clear out the shampoo. Josh groaned, happy she couldn’t hear him over the noisy rush of water. Her motions raised her luscious breasts higher. He stared as each one, bounced playfully before his eyes, teasing his self-control. He strained his head against the liner, yearning to touch each of the soft globes, working his way inward to her dusty pink nipples, aching for his attention. Tamara’s back arched further with each lift of her arms.

  Yes, Baby…yes…get every last bit of that nasty shampoo out of your hair.

  He sniffed the air. His breathing labored in between heavy pants. Whimpers escaped him while she swayed her body through the spray of water.

  Please, just one taste, just one, and I swear I’ll be good.

  He considered joining her, but also knew if he showed up naked in the shower next to her she’d banish him forever and set them back infinitely. That would be a definite blow to his ultimate plan.

  Tamara arched her back, ran her hands across her savory nipples, circled back around to her sides, and did the unthinkable—she moaned.

  Josh cried out for satisfaction.

  Tamara’s eyes flashed open, as she
turned toward the sound. The curtain rustled as she threw it back and shouted, “Nightfall!”

  But he was already gone.

  - CHAPTER NINE -

  Josh whined and pawed at the closed bedroom door. Since the shower incident, Tamara kept her distance from him. To his chagrin, she seemed to prefer the company of others. One of them, in particular, was male—Keith.

  Josh gnashed his teeth at the sound of the man’s name. Keith was trespassing on Josh’s territory.

  Please let me in, Tamara. I need you. He paused and waited. Please, Tamara.

  He whined.

  A stern reply came from the other side of the door. “No, Nightfall. Stop it. You know what you did wrong.”

  I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were showering. Please, let me be with you.

  When she didn’t respond, Josh groaned. Apparently, Tamara was dishing out a lengthy punishment for him. Yet, Josh remained tenacious. He wouldn’t stop until she caved.

  Tamara, he pleaded.

  He chuffed and partially sighed. He couldn’t help it. It was her fault for being so incredibly delectable. Could he help being a virile male?

  Josh scratched at the door and growled. Let me in. I want to be with you.

  “No, I told you to stop it. Now, go lie down.”

  Josh tensed his jaw and grumbled but finally relented. He’d just try again later.

  ***

  Tamara stood in her walk-in closet and breathed in long and slow.

  “Thank goodness,” she murmured. “He must’ve lied down somewhere.”

  She hated ignoring Nightfall. When he pleaded with her, she almost let him in. Hearing him beg had her gut wrenching into two. Yet, finding him in her bathroom upset her, especially when he wasn’t supposed to be in the room, to begin with. Still, she couldn’t focus on that right now. Her attention was elsewhere at the moment, and she needed time to plan and prepare.

  She turned to the vast array of clothes hanging on either side of her and grabbed the dress she had saved specifically for tonight. She was excited. Actually, she was beyond that. She didn’t know if she had the capability of containing within her the array of emotions threatening to explode out of her at any moment. Tamara was going out on an actual date. The last time she went out on a date was…

  Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock.

  She pictured herself on the game show Jeopardy and her time was running out. Truthfully, she couldn’t recall the last time she dated, and she figured it must’ve been with her last boyfriend—the jerk. Tonight, she was going to make up for lost time and have fun, fun, and fun…finally.

  She draped the short, sleeveless, dark-blue dress over her and nodded her approval. The date with Keith was set for last Friday, yet she postponed it due to Nightfall’s injury and her worry over her sweet boy. Today was Tuesday. She didn’t like going out in the middle of a workweek, but Nightfall was, amazingly, fully healed. No more excuses, and nothing was holding her back.

  “Nothing,” she murmured under her breath.

  It seemed like ever since she added Nightfall to her family Tamara’s life had been placed on hold. Her limited free time revolved around others—particularly one incorrigible, male dog. As a result, she didn’t venture out of the house much. It’d been a while, too long in fact, since she did something for herself. Well, tonight was going to be different.

  Keith was a nice-looking man. Even so, she kept her attraction for him a secret until recently. For the first time in a long while she was willing to try and see where they ended up. If he was willing to take it slow, maybe they had the potential to really be something.

  Keith was tall, dark and desirable. She’d seen hints of his firm chest muscles flexing underneath the tailored long-sleeved shirts he wore when he worked in her office. Just picturing his nude body made her swoon. Seriously, was it getting hot in her closet?

  She was looking forward to snuggling up against that warm, dreamy body of his on the dance floor. She grinned, picturing the obscenely delicious scene in her mind. Keith was in for a treat. He just didn’t know it, yet.

  Tamara squeezed her curvy plus-sized body into her dress and looked into the mirror. The gold, square-shaped sequins that covered the front of the dress looked like small mirrors, reflecting the light. The extremely long zipper along the back was gold as well, almost bronze. It enticed the viewer, starting from the top of her dress proceeding down to the curve of her bottom. The dress was alluring, lovingly hugging her curves. It enhanced her voluptuous body while hiding any flaws. Most dresses did nothing for her curvy figure, but this one easily captivated the viewer and, she hoped, enchanted him, as well.

  Tamara paired the dress with pantyhose, strappy black heels, and a pair of long, golden earrings that contrasted well with her dark hair. She lined her eyes with black mascara and brushed a, glittery powder across her cheeks. Taking one final glance at her image in the mirror, she smiled, relatively satisfied with what she found.

  Sadly, her view switched to the rows of wrinkles across her forehead, and she sighed. Why did people have to age? Her skin used to be beautiful, vibrant, and young. Her thirties were proving chaos on her skin. It was getting harder to cover up the mischievous whimsy of time.

  She turned to view her back. “Well, this will have to do. At least you look good in the dress.”

  Tamara opened the door and glanced at the space in front of it, finding it strangely empty.

  Hmmm, where did Nightfall go? Tamara found him monitoring a squirrel through the French doors. Typical. All dogs love squirrels.

  Nightfall turned as she entered the room. His eyes followed her, and his head tilted to one side.

  “What do you think?” she asked, twirling to give him the full effect.

  Where are we going?

  “We’re going nowhere. I, on the other hand, have a date.”

  A date! Nightfall growled.

  She scrunched her shoulders up and smiled shyly. “Am I presentable?”

  Nightfall snorted in disapproval. You look fine.

  Tamara’s face fell. “Just fine? I was hoping for a little more of a reaction.” She tapped her finger against her chin. “Maybe I should add something.”

  Nightfall followed her to the edge of the bedroom.

  “Well…” She held up two gel-filled items. “I could add these.”

  Nightfall walked over and sniffed them. He tilted his chin up and sat back with a curious look across his face.

  “What do you think? Do they make me more beautiful?”

  What are they?

  “They go like this.” Tamara turned away from him, yet she wasn’t sure why. Maybe because Nightfall talked to her and she felt self-conscious and hyper-vigilant about what she exposed in front of him. She modified her outfit into a more uncomfortable version and turned around.

  Nightfall’s jaw dropped. He froze. Then he wheezed.

  Tamara looked down at her chest. “Yeah, you might be right. They are a bit much.”

  The thin fabric in the V-shaped area of her dress strained to hold in everything. Frankly, she was embarrassed and uneasy with how she looked, but Nightfall said she only looked “fine.” That spurred her to do something. Still, looking slutty was probably not the better alternative.

  She jerked back in fright when a message slammed into her brain. You don’t need those.

  The voice softened. Sorry, you just surprised me. You look gorgeous, and you don’t need to enhance yourself for any man. You’re beautiful as you are.

  Her heart lifted. “You think so?”

  Wait a minute. Why was she getting opinions on how to dress from a dog? And hold on, did Nightfall just call her gorgeous?

  She drew in a deep breath of air and held it for several seconds before blowing it out. Okay, Nightfall was her pet. Naturally, he’d consider her the most beautiful woman in the world.

  “I think your opinion is a little biased, but thanks.”

  Tamara turned away from him to lift out each breast enhancer, and
then returned them to her dresser drawer.

  Actually, I probably am a little biased. That doesn’t mean it isn’t true. You’re incredible. You don’t need anything to enhance your beauty, Tamara.

  A shy smile formed across her lips as heat rushed her cheeks. Nightfall watched her with a sloppy grin. She grabbed her purse, her keys, and a shawl and locked the bedroom door behind her.

  You’re still going on the date?

  Tamara laughed. “Yes, I told you that before.”

  He barked. You can’t. I won’t let you.

  She laughed out of nervousness. “Wait. What? How are you going to stop me? And… why would you?”

  He stepped in front of her, using his body to block her from moving forward. I can’t let you date.

  Her eyebrows furrowed together in confusion. “Nightfall? Get out of my way.”

  Tamara lifted her leg, attempting to step over him, and Nightfall growled. Then, he backed up and found himself trapped underneath the tight fabric of her dress. His head caressed her inner thighs, and he sniffed her and whimpered.

  Oh my. You smell delicious.

  She tried pushing his head out without falling over him and yelled at him some more. “Nightfall! Get out from under me. You bad boy, get out.”

  Grabbing his muzzle, she shoved it aside and attempted to get away. He snarled and followed her to the front door. She thrust her arms out, in front of her, for emphasis. “Stop it! What’s wrong with you? I’m entitled to date. Do you expect me to stay home with you all of the time?”

  Yes, I do.

  Her jaw dropped. “What? No. You couldn’t mean that.” She shook her head. “But you did, didn’t you? I mean, why would you want that for me? Don’t you want me to be happy?”

  Nightfall hung his head. Yes, but you can be happy with me. You don’t need anyone else.