by Day, Vella
“That might be a good thing.”
She didn’t want to mention it occurred after Dalton had come into her life. “I guess.”
Their meal arrived, and she was suddenly super hungry. “It smells amazing, and my stomach is growling like an animal,” she said.
“Roar.”
She laughed. A silly Dalton was such a high. They both devoured their meals like rabid animals that hadn’t eaten in days. Hamburger juice dripped down his chin, and Anna had the urge to lick it clean.
“You’re staring,” he said.
She touched her chin and Dalton picked up his napkin and dabbed it clean. “Sorry.”
“So what kind of movies do you like?” she asked.
His chin tucked under, acting as if he had either never been to a movie or else no one had ever asked him before. Seconds later, he relaxed back against the seat. He must not have realized the purpose of the question. “Action adventure. You?”
“Horror.”
He chuckled. “Seriously? I pegged you for the romantic comedy type.”
She stuck out her tongue. “I like romance, but I want to experience it for myself, not watch it on the big screen. That stuff in the movies is so fake, especially when I know the actor is married.”
“Good point. Why horror?”
She’d never really questioned her reasoning. “I guess I like the adrenaline rush. When I’m sitting through a scary movie, life is totally pushed aside.”
Dalton finished off his tea then waved for the check. “I might have to try that.”
“You should. It’s when you aren’t actively thinking about the case that your subconscious is at work.”
He winked again. “Then I guess a horror movie is in my future.”
Yes!
Chapter Nine
‡
When Dalton was with Anna, his worldview changed. He was actually able to put work aside and concentrate on the woman he hoped to spend his life with. She was quirky, sassy, forward, and totally delightful. However, he refused to let her alter him in any other way. He liked his ambitious nature, his focus, and his desire to help others.
After he paid for their lunch, they headed to the back room where three of the four pool tables were free.
Anna checked it out. “Is this where the magic happens? I mean the fun?”
He waved a finger at her. “Time will tell. You ready to be schooled in some pool?”
“Totally.” She looked up at the Tiffany style light over the table. “I like the stained glass look. It’s pretty.”
“McKinnon’s is a classy place.”
“I wouldn’t expect you to take me to any other kind of bar.”
Hadn’t she said it was the only pool hall in town? What a flirt. He cleared his throat. “First, we need to find you a stick.” Dalton walked over to the rack on the wall. He wanted to make sure Anna had a stick that was right for her small size. After he picked one out, he handed it to her. “How does this feel?”
The second she ran her hand up and down the wooden shaft, his tiger went wild, imagining her doing that to his cock. From the sparkle in her eyes, the little minx knew exactly what she was doing.
“I like this one just fine.”
He did not respond that he had something like it just as hard, only much thicker, and way more comfortable. He silently grunted at his inappropriate thoughts. He’d promised her a date, and a date he would give her. Dalton didn’t want her to think he was obsessed with sex—or rather his tiger needed the constant gratification.
He racked up the balls.
Mate, mate, his tiger chanted.
Please let me concentrate. Life isn’t all about sex.
His tiger grumbled.
“How about you break so I can see how it’s done?” she asked.
That made him smile. “Watching and doing are two different things.” If Anna broke, he doubted more than a few balls would move.
She placed her cue stick against the table across from him. Placing her hands on the rim of the table, she leaned over, exposing the tops of her breasts. His nails extended and his teeth sharpened.
Down boy. Please. While most in the bar were shifters, not everyone was, which meant he had to be extra cautious. Dalton prided himself on his ability to keep cool under the tensest of situations, but he’d never been tempted like this. Hell, he’d be lucky to even hit the stack of balls.
Returning his focus to the table and not on the luscious woman a few feet away, Dalton drove the stick into the cue ball. It hit off center, not spreading them as he’d hoped. At least a stripe ball managed to land in the pocket—thankfully. While he wasn’t great at pool, he normally sunk more than one ball on the break.
“I guess I’m stripes and you’re solids,” he managed to say with enough calm to fool most people that he had everything under control.
Anna stepped over to the pocket and looked in. “How appropriate! You’re stripes.”
He smiled. “Well, I am partial to them.”
“You go again, right?”
“Yes.” Dalton wanted to impress Anna, so he took his time, walking around the table, looking for the best shot. He wasn’t worried about leaving the ball in a difficult position for her, like he would have with a more experienced competitor.
On his second trip around the table, he swore Anna purposefully was in his way just so he’d have to touch her. As much as he liked being close, his tiger would only stay hidden for so long.
“How long do games usually last?” she asked. While she sounded innocent, it was a dig.
“Not long.” Dalton lined up his shot and sunk another striped ball. Wanting to give her a chance, he clipped the corner on the next ball. “Your turn.”
Anna walked around the table precisely two times, clearly mimicking him. “I think I’ll try for the number two ball. Do I have to tell you which pocket?”
He thought she’d never played. “No.”
She bent over, wiggled her cute little butt a few times while taking aim. Dalton didn’t know whether to scope out her body or tell her to place the tip of the cue stick lower. As much as he wanted to wrap his arms around her and help, he was afraid something catastrophic might happen, especially since they were in public.
The stick slipped off the cue ball and it only rolled a few inches. “Ah, crap.” She stood and faced him. “Does it count if the white ball doesn’t hit any balls?”
Yes. “No. Try it again.”
She grinned, and he immediately recognized he’d been taken advantage of. This afternoon, the game wasn’t about winning—it was about having fun. This time, the white ball connected with the number two ball, but she didn’t sink it. “Darn.”
“Next time,” he said, wanting her to enjoy the game and not become discouraged.
Now it was his turn. When he lined up his cue stick, Anna moved next to him. “Don’t mind me,” she said. “I want to see how you’re holding the stick and where on the white ball you’re aiming.”
He couldn’t tell if she was serious or not. “Where I hit the white ball depends on how much spin I want.”
“Oh.”
From her furrowed brows, she didn’t have any idea what that meant. Already, her scent had completely infiltrated every cell, and his tiger was pushing to be balls deep in her sweet body. He doubted he could sink any ball on the table right now. Not only would that make him look bad if he missed, the game would never end, and Dalton had plans for later. He sunk the next one then missed the following one. “Your turn.”
Anna might profess to play just for fun, but she was a fierce competitor too. With a smooth stroke, she sunk the ball and then raised her arms in victory.
“Awesome.” Without thinking, he grabbed her and swung her around. The glee on her face was worth the pain of trying to keep his animal in check.
For the next twenty minutes, they battled it out. He’d sink two, and she’d sink one. Once all the stripes were off the table, he purposefully sunk the cue ball along with the
eight ball.
“Damn. You win,” he said.
“I did?”
As soon as he explained about the eight ball, Anna lifted the stick over her head in a victory stance. “I say we go again.”
Dalton laughed, never expecting that reaction. “I have a better idea. How about we pick up some popcorn, go back to my house, and watch a horror movie?”
Her eyes widened as if he’d given her a present. “Really? I’d love that. Do you have Netflix?”
“No, but we can order something On Demand.”
“That works.”
He’d never dated a woman who was so easy to please. He hoped that if they didn’t finish the movie, she wouldn’t be upset.
*
Anna had to reevaluate her impression of Dalton. He wasn’t as serious as she’d first believed. It was when he was in his cop mode that he seemed overly focused. She’d had a blast shooting pool, and as much as she tried to distract him, Dalton had kept his cool, despite a few random sparks that had escaped.
He did flirt, however, especially when he would lean close and try to help her. She had thought he’d drape himself over her back, but apparently that would have been too much for his tiger.
At the grocery store, they grabbed the promised popcorn as well as another six-pack of beer. She couldn’t wait to show him how amazing horror movies could be. When he pulled into his drive, random sparks shot off her arms in anticipation of snuggling next to him.
Dalton cut the engine and glanced over at her, nodding to the sparks that were streaming off her. “None of that. We’re watching the movie. The whole movie.”
She’d see about that. “Yes, sir.”
Inside, he turned the television to the On Demand channel. “You find something good, and I’ll fix the food.”
Content to do as he asked, Anna dropped down on the sofa and searched through the horror movie section. A few Wes Craven movies showed up, but she decided a classic would be better, so she picked John Carpenter’s Halloween. It would be a great introduction movie to the genre.
As she searched through the menu, loud popping noises came from the kitchen, followed by a divine smell that wafted toward her. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d watched a horror movie with someone while eating popcorn. Seconds later, Dalton arrived with a bowl in hand then returned with two beers.
“Ready to educate me?” he asked.
“Yes. I picked the movie Halloween. It’s a classic.”
“I hope it’s real scary.” He grabbed a handful of popcorn and shoved some into his mouth. “I need to warn you that I’ve seen my share of dead bodies, so don’t expect me to jump when someone pops up out of nowhere.”
She hadn’t thought he’d be that jaded, but it made sense. “That’s okay. For me, at least, these kinds of movies take my mind off of what’s troubling me.”
He picked up her hand. “You’re troubled? I don’t like hearing that.”
She smiled. “Not so much anymore. Mostly, it was in the past when I couldn’t understand why I had these visions. I thought I was a freak.”
“Me too! Maybe that’s why Naliana paired us up. We could be from planet Blue Stripe.”
She punched him. “I love it. Planet Blue Stripe. Or it could be Planet Blue Spark.”
He laughed. “We’d be the Blue Stripe Spark aliens. Watch out world!”
She laughed, and Dalton leaned over. When his eyes turned a delicious shade of amber, her body went wild with need, and the kiss that followed set her body on fire. Their tongues touched, and all of her pent up sexual energy brimmed over.
Twisting toward him, Anna grabbed ahold of his large biceps, and when he flexed his muscles, a rush of endorphins shot through her. Everything about the man thrilled her. He was confident and sincere, all the while capable of enjoying himself—at least while they were together.
He lifted his hand, threaded it through her hair, and then tugged, making her heart beat too fast. Blue sparks shot everywhere. By now she was used to her reaction to Dalton, but when his arms started glowing blue, she almost broke the kiss and shouted for joy. The only way she’d been able to tell his level of enthusiasm had been by the hardness of his cock. The sparks told her more.
Dalton broke the kiss and dragged her shirt over her head. “I can’t get enough of you,” he said in what sounded more like a groan.
“There’s a lot more to explore for both of us.” Because he’d started the seduction, Anna saw no reason not to continue it. As soon as she undid the top button on his jeans, a woman on the television screamed. Anna pretended that person was warning her about what might happen tonight, and that her life might change forever, but she wasn’t worried. She was totally ready for it.
“I need more room,” he said. In a flash, he stood then lifted her in his arms. “You’re coming with me.”
Anna wrapped her arms around his neck, never wanting to leave his embrace. She loved his strength, his determination, and his need for her. Once in the hallway, the photos on the wall flashed by, but she was too busy watching him to pay much attention.
At the end of the hall, he turned left into his room. It was dark and for some reason Dalton didn’t seem to need any lights. She’d play along. He turned down the spread then placed her on the made bed.
“I need you naked.” He flicked on the dimly lit lamp next to the bed, creating a soothing ambience. The room appeared small, but that might have been because he had a king-sized bed taking up half the space. Besides the nightstand, there was a dresser on the far wall. She liked everything about the room except for the ugly brown floral wallpaper. Some aspects of rentals sucked.
Before she could flick off her shoes, he tugged them off. “Wait,” she said. “I want to take off your clothes first.”
“You know what might happen. I’m already on edge.” He gritted his teeth, probably to show off his longer and sharper eyeteeth.
Oh, my. “I’ll go slowly.”
Dalton groaned. “That will make it worse.”
Anna would store that tidbit for later. Dalton was standing in front of her so she stood and slipped her hands under his T-shirt. She ran her palms up his chest, not able to get enough of his ripped body. “I could drag my hands all over you for hours.”
“I’d have to stop you because I’d never last.”
That was probably true. Anna stood and slipped the soft white T-shirt over his head. When she leaned over and licked one flat nipple, he growled. Just as she moved to the other side, Dalton grabbed her shoulders and eased her onto the bed. In one quick tug, he removed her shorts and panties. Reaching around her back with one hand, he unclasped her bra on the first try. A second later, it was history. And to think she’d spent all that time just to pick out the perfect one.
“How come I’m always naked first?” she asked.
“Because I’m bigger, stronger, and faster than you. Also, I just want you more.”
She held out her hands, and they glowed blue. “How can you say that?”
He grinned. “Gotcha.”
Anna attempted to punch him, but he caught her fist and brought it to his lips. The moment he kissed her knuckles, she melted into the bed. “So undress already.”
Dalton saluted then toed off his boots and divested himself of his jeans in a flash. “There.”
As Anna stared openly at his body, a trail of heat slid over her. When he picked up his jeans to fold them, she couldn’t hold her tongue. “Drop the pants officer and get on the bed, or I will have to use force.”
The jeans found the floor and landed in a heap. Dalton stalked toward her. “I was stalling to control my desire, not because I had the urge to be neat.”
“Uh-huh. You don’t need to control your desire around me.” He smiled, and when he climbed on top of her, she tapped him on the shoulder then pointed downward. “Did you forget something, Officer Garner?”
Dalton gave her a lustful stare. “I figured you might like to unholster my weapon, but be forewarned. It is fu
lly loaded.”
Anna giggled and grabbed the waistband of his underwear. “Oh my, why Officer Garner, what a big gun you have!”
Dalton laughed as he leaned down and kissed her playfully; a kiss that quickly turned heated and passionate. He looked at her with heavy eyes filled with desire, and Anna couldn’t wait for what came next.
Chapter Ten
‡
Anna slowly slipped his briefs over his hips, but with Dalton on top, she wasn’t able to remove them completely. What she was able to do was reach between them and grab his exposed shaft. He growled as soon as she touched him then dipped his head to kiss her again. The man could rival Houdini because he kept the seal on the kiss while he discarded his briefs. Just being naked with him had her glowing fiercely.
Anna didn’t want to dwell on whether he’d bite her or not. She just wanted to enjoy their second encounter. Dalton slipped down between her legs and stopped when his lips hovered above her breasts. The first swirl of his tongue around her sensitive nipple had her arching her back and clamping down hard on his shoulders. He seemed to know exactly where to lick, how hard, and how often. No doubt about it, Dalton was a master seducer.
Wetness pooled between her legs, but she refrained from begging him to take her. He deserved to enjoy the seduction, even if it drove her wild.
Just when she thought she couldn’t take it any longer, he slipped lower and dipped two fingers into her wet hole then wiggled them around. Her inner walls contracted with need, forcing her to claw his skin. Maybe she was a shifter in disguise and didn’t know it, because her need was growing by the second.
Dalton leaned over and when he nudged her clit with his tongue, waves of delicious delight swamped her, accelerating her heart rate.
“Let me suck on you,” she begged.
“You know what happened the last time.”
A squirt of cum had risen up, but it hadn’t affected his performance in the least. “I’m willing to chance it. Please, Dalton.”