"Isn't that amazing?" She breathed, keeping her hand pressed gently over his.
"Yes, it is."
The baby grew still as they went back to watching the movie, but still Roxie couldn't concentrate. Her heartbeat quickened as she dared to move her fingers over his hand. She ran her thumb across the back of his hand, touching his skin. Back and forth, she caressed him lightly.
She felt his body stiffen beneath hers, but she smiled when he didn't object. Slowly, she ran her fingers higher, over his wrist. She leaned her head against the curve of his arm that wrapped around her. Then gently, holding her breath in anticipation of his reaction, she kissed the inner curve of his arm.
A light, gentle press of her lips against his skin.
He didn't move, but she felt his breathing quicken. She continued to place soft kisses across his skin. Then she gently guided his hand from her belly, leading his fingers to her breast. His hand cupped her, his fingers curving around the fullness of her breast. She suddenly wished she'd removed her bra before starting this movie.
His hand moved, his thumb finding the bud of her nipple through the layers of clothing. His touch sparked a fire within her. Her exceptionally sensitive flesh reacted almost instantaneously to his caress. She moaned as she tucked her head into the crook of his arm, kissing and nibbling his skin.
His chin touched the top of her head. She heard him take a deep breath, inhaling her scent.
He moved suddenly, lifting her until she was properly seated across his lap, her head curving into his opposite arm. His gaze was searing, full of heat and desire. Inside, her heart thrilled at the sight. He was as attracted to her as she was to him. She hadn't been imagining it.
An unspoken question flickered within his eyes. Something still held him back. Did he question how she felt toward him? Wanting to remove all uncertainties, she lifted her hand to his neck, tugging him closer. He bent his head, capturing her lips with his. The kiss was all-consuming. The movie forgotten in the background, the voices a dull, incoherent drone as all she could sense was Ben's body touching hers, his kiss claiming her heart and soul.
It was unlike anything she'd ever before felt. She shivered at the intensity of the passion she felt for him, the desire to feel his hands against her bare flesh. And to touch him in return.
She moaned into his mouth as his hand continued fondling her breast, his fingers slipping into the front of her shirt and under her bra until she felt his calloused fingers touching her nipple.
Again, that spark flared within her, straight to her groin. She wiggled her bottom in great anticipation of more.
The sensations he aroused gathered within her until she feared she might burst from the pleasure. But she wanted more, she needed more.
And then, just as suddenly as their heated passion began, he stopped. He pulled back, breaking the kiss.
"I can't..." Ben said, his voice ravaged with despair. "I can't do this."
"What?" Roxie's head reeled back. She thought for a moment he might push her away, but he didn't. He continued to hold her, but he didn't look at her. She reached her hand to his cheek, wanting to soothe whatever ache he had. "Why?"
"Billy..." Ben groaned.
Roxie frowned. "What does Billy have to do with this?"
"I can't betray my brother like this." And then he moved, slipping out from beneath her, gently moving her to the sofa. She wanted to protest, but she was struck speechless, her mind whirling with what he'd told her.
Ben stood, walking to the window, taking several deep breaths.
"I don't understand," Roxie said once she could find her voice again. "Billy has nothing to do with us."
Ben whirled around. His eyes widened. "How can you say that? He brought you here to keep you safe. He loves you. You're carrying Billy's child."
Roxie gasped. Suddenly, everything became clear. She scrambled off the sofa, standing to face him.
"I thought you knew. Billy said he would explain everything to you. That I wouldn't have to worry about telling you."
"Tell me what?"
Roxie looked at her belly, her hands smoothing over the fabric of her shirt. The baby squirmed, kicking again. She smiled, then focused her gaze on Ben.
"Billy's not the father."
Chapter Eight
Ben took a step back, bumping into the window, forgetting for a moment how close he was to the wall.
"What?" Desire and shock blended into a chemical concoction that stole words from his brain. He could only stare as she faced him, her eyes wide, a small sympathetic smile curving her lips.
His brother wasn't the father of her baby.
The fact finally penetrated his thoughts, but instead of the dozens of questions that swirled within him, he could only focus on one thing. Did she love Billy? Did Billy love her?
"This baby isn't Billy's," Roxie said. "Billy and I aren't... together. We're just friends."
"You... you said..." His tongue felt numb and useless. "You said the baby is a shifter."
She nodded. "Yes, but I don't know the father. I was impregnated in Grünwald's lab. I was part of his experiments." She sighed, closing her eyes. Then she muttered, "Billy promised I wouldn't have to talk about this again."
Roxie turned away, walking along the length of the living room, one hand on her belly while the other hand gestured while she spoke.
"I was abducted out of the parking lot of the bar where I worked. They took me to this facility where I met Hans Grünwald. He promised to pay me money... a lot of money... if I would bear the child of a shifter."
Ben leaned forward, placing his hands on the back of the chair next to him.
"I didn't even know what shifters were," she said, glancing at him, worry heavy in her eyes. "Hans explained his version to me. I never knew the supernatural was real."
"You agreed to this?" His voice sounded strange, even to his own ears. "You agreed to bear a child as part of an experiment?"
Roxie stopped walking. Her arms cradled her belly. She faced him, her chin held high, but he could see a shine in her eyes that threatened tears. She bit her lip and nodded.
He looked away, his gaze dropping to the chair. He focused on the fabric, the swirling patterns of red and brown.
Ben remembered Grünwald's laboratory. Time had not erased the horrors he experienced. What had Roxie gone through? He'd wondered it often during their time together, but he'd been too much of a coward to ask her. She remained silent this entire time, thinking he knew. That Billy had explained it all to him.
Billy...
Ben silently cursed his brother. Why hadn't he told him?
"It was a lot of money..." Roxie whispered, but in the cabin’s silence and with his keen cougar ears, it sounded like a shout. He closed his eyes. "You must understand. I was working hard, doing my best to earn an income. I needed to pay for my sister's treatments. She needs round-the-clock care. The insurance doesn't cover all of it. I was working two jobs, and I still didn't have enough money to pay for my apartment and all her treatments. What Hans offered was like a miracle. All I had to do was let them impregnate me and bear a shifter baby. They'd take care of my sister, take care of me. All the prenatal care. Everything. I had nothing to worry about."
"And the baby?" Ben choked on the question, still forcing his gaze away from her. He didn't want her to see the pained expression on his face. Nor the answers to some of her unspoken questions.
"Yeah, the baby..." Roxie sighed, resuming her pacing back and forth. "Well, I didn't think... Hans didn't know..."
She sighed again. He heard her stop in her tracks before starting again. "This is really hard for me."
Ben nodded his understanding. It was equally difficult to listen to her explanation. He'd been there. He'd seen what they did to others around him. The horrors they all experienced under the manic Hans Grünwald and his wish to eliminate all supernatural creatures from the face of the planet.
"Hans didn't know that I couldn't have children." Roxie's voice br
oke over the words. "My sister and I were in an accident when we were teenagers. A terrible car accident. The same accident that left my sister an invalid and took the lives of my parents also left me with injuries that prevented me from having children."
She paused again, taking several deep breaths.
"I agreed to the experiment because I didn't think it would work. Hans promised me the money regardless of whether I conceived. I thought it was the perfect situation. They'd do the experiments, artificially inseminate me, find out I couldn't conceive and then pay me the money on my way out. I never in a million years imagined that I would actually become pregnant."
Ben lifted his gaze at the awe he heard in her voice.
Roxie stood in the center of the room, her hand placed gracefully over her belly, staring at the place where a new life grew within her.
"I never imagined it would happen," she continued. "And I didn't know then how I'd feel..."
She lifted her gaze, seeing him watching her. She smiled. "It's a miracle."
Roxie began walking again. He could see the love in her eyes as she gazed at her belly, caressing it with her hand.
"As soon as I realized it was true... I was pregnant... I knew I couldn't let Hans, or his scientists get their hands on my baby." She brushed back a few strands of golden hair, tucking it back behind her ear. "I tried to leave. They wouldn't let me. I tried to escape, but there was no way out. And then one night, the explosions happened and the door to my room opened."
Ben nodded. He remembered it well. He'd found out later what had happened. "My uncle and some friends discovered what had happened to us. They rescued us."
"Billy told me." Roxie nodded. "A daring escape. That's how I met Billy. He helped me get out."
Ben frowned. "I don't remember seeing you."
She shook her head. "Billy said you'd gone back to help some others. I met up with Billy a few months later. I thought it was by accident, but he said he'd been looking for me. Wondering how I was doing. We kept in contact, which I was glad for because a couple of weeks before Billy brought me here, some men came to my apartment."
"Grünwald's men." It wasn't a question. He already knew. That would be the only thing that could frighten her.
"I wasn't home at the time, thankfully." She bit her lip. "I called Billy as soon as I found out. He came and got me, then promised he'd keep me safe. He brought me to you."
Icy dread shivered down Ben's spine. Billy brought Roxie to him, promising Ben could keep her safe. But could he? Even he wondered if Grünwald's men might come back to this mountain, eventually. That's why he set all the traps. One day, they might return.
Was this place safe for Roxie? Was Billy's twisted logic sound? Bringing her here... Were they keeping her safe or placing her as a potential target?
Either way, Ben knew that he couldn't allow Grünwald's men to ever get their hands on Roxie or her baby. He'd grown to care for her over these last several weeks. He'd been attracted to her from the first, but getting to know her... He realized she was a treasure. He felt grateful every day that Billy had brought her to him.
And now, discovering the truth... the baby was not Billy's... opened doors of opportunity he thought he'd never be allowed through.
Ben stepped away from the chair and took determined steps toward Roxie. She caught sight of his movement and stopped her pacing. He immediately curled his arms around her, bringing her into his embrace. She came willingly, resting her cheek on his shoulder as he hugged her.
"I thought the baby was Billy's," he explained. "This whole time, I didn't know... didn't think to ask. It seemed so obvious to me that you were with Billy."
"No," she said, shaking her head. "Billy's a great guy and all. He's nice, but... no. He's entirely too reckless and cocky for my taste. He reminds me of a boy where I need a man. And I know he's your brother and all, but... he's not as handsome as you. I'm not attracted to Billy like I am to you."
Ben brought his hand to her chin where he lifted his gaze to meet hers. His head dipped to capture her lips with his. Now that there were no perceived obstacles between them, Ben's heart pounded fiercely as he felt a possessiveness wash over him. He wanted to claim Roxie as his own. He wanted to take her, make her his. Mark her in such a way that all would know she was his and no one else's.
It was the animal instinct within him to claim his mate. The human side wasn't much less aggressive, but he wanted to ease her. Woo her. Make her want him as much as he wanted her.
When her hands slipped around his neck, pulling him in for a deeper, more passionate kiss, his heart doubled its beat. His hands caressed her body, lifting her shirt and tossing it onto the sofa. Her bra came next, joining her shirt. Taking her breasts within the palms of his hands, teasing her nipples, Roxie flung her head back, moaning.
Ben wanted to make love to her. He wanted it to last all night long, but he feared he might burst if he didn't have her right now.
He scooped her legs into his arms, lifting her with ease. With her breasts closer to his face, he dipped his head again, capturing a nipple in his mouth. She gasped, her arms wrapping around his neck as he carried her to the bedroom, setting her carefully on the mattress.
As he suckled her, his hand moved down her body, over her belly bump and lower. He slipped his hand beneath the stretchy fabric of her pants and undies to the thick patch of curls at the juncture of her thighs. He found her wet and ready. He easily slipped a single digit into her folds.
She moaned, her hands grasping his shirt, pulling at the fabric. With his free hand, he let her help him remove his shirt, then her hands were stroking his chest, tracing the curve of his muscles. He stretched out beside her, kissing her.
"Can we do this?" He asked between kisses, his tongue tracing the line of her lips. "You're pregnant. I don't want to hurt you or the baby."
He felt her smile against his lips. "We'll be fine. As long as we find a position that's comfortable."
He nodded and continued pleasuring her in all ways possible. He enjoyed listening to her moans and sighs of ecstasy. It thrilled him to know that he created the sensations that stimulated her. It didn't take long before his cock was throbbing with need, wanting to claim her, but still he hesitated.
He'd never had sex with a pregnant woman. He had never imagined how erotic the thought was to him until now. Roxie's body was beyond gorgeous. Every one of her curves enticed him. He couldn't stop touching her, feeling her against his skin.
Finally, he couldn't take any more.
"I must have you," he growled into her ear. Her quick intake of breath excited him. Slowly, they removed the rest of their clothes, touching each other as they proceeded. He stood to drag his jeans and boxers off his legs. When he was free from his clothes, he turned to face her. Her slim, delicate hand slipped around the hard length of his cock. His body grew still, his pleasure becoming so intense, he thought he might orgasm from her mere touch.
Before that could happen, he pulled her legs to the side of the bed, sliding her to the edge. From there, he positioned himself at her opening. Slowly, he pushed, entering her.
"Ben," she moaned, her hands going into her hair.
He drew back out and gently pushed into her again.
"Roxanne..." He groaned her name, wanting to say more. Wanting to share how he felt about her, but words escaped him. All he could focus on was the intensity building between them. He thrust gently, taking care with her. She tossed her head to the side, her hands sweeping down from her hair and onto her breasts where she caressed herself.
The sight of her pleasuring herself sent his body into turmoil. He quickened the pace, thrusting within her again and again. The tension built, his cock grew harder if that was possible, the blood flowing from his body into his groin, preparing him for the ecstasy that he wished so desperately to share with her.
It didn't take her long to reach her peak.
She screamed his name, "Ben, Ben, Ben!"
And then her walls spasmed aro
und him. He couldn't hold back any longer after that. His cocked throbbed as the orgasm hit. He clasped his hands along her thighs, holding her in place as he came. His eyes closed, his heart pounding with satisfaction and love.
"Roxanne!" Her name tore from his throat, a sound so primal, one word to claim her as his. Her name. She was his and no one else's.
Afterward, he carefully slid her languid body back on the bed, resting her head on the pillows. He joined her on the mattress, sliding his body around hers, molding himself to fit alongside her. He held her in his arms as she rested her cheek against his chest. He drew the blankets around them as he listened to her breathing grow soft and slow.
They held each other for a long time, content and satisfied. But Ben's mind whirled with the many possibilities of their future. Now that he'd learned the truth, he didn't want this opportunity with Roxie to end. She was perfect in so many ways. He feared Billy's return. When it was safe for her, his brother would come back and take Roxie back to the life she left.
His chest ached at the thought.
"When this is over..." Ben whispered, his voice somewhat loud in the quiet room. "After Billy makes sure it’s safe for you again, I know you'll want to return to the city."
He'd wondered if Roxie had fallen asleep, but from the way she stiffened suddenly in his arms, he knew she was awake.
"You've said many times you're a city girl, and this lifestyle doesn't suit you." Ben propped himself on his elbow so he could see her face. He brushed his fingers through her hair, tucking the golden strands behind her ear. "I wonder if I might come along with you."
"Really?" She turned her head so she could face him. "But I thought you loved it out here."
"I do." He nodded. "It's been my home for a long time. And it’s easy for me to shift whenever I want. But... Maybe it’s time I went back into the world. I’ve been hiding here. Licking my wounds, so to speak. After escaping the lab… I just wanted to be alone. Now, I want to be with you more. These last few weeks... months... have been the happiest I've felt in a long time. I know it’s because of you. I love you, Roxie."
Falling for Shifters: A Limited Edition Autumn Shifters Collection Page 116