by Wendi Wilson
She pulled her blouse from the bag to put it back on when there was a loud knock on the door. “Let’s go, Mel! The day’s wasting away!”
Throwing back her shoulders and sucking in her gut, Melanie shoved it back it into the bag and walked to the door. She pulled it open and walked through with her head held high, feigning confidence she didn’t really feel.
“Wow,” Jeremy whispered as she stopped next to him. “Just…wow.”
Melanie smiled in gratitude and let her eyes roam down his body. He had changed into a pair of royal blue swim trunks. Her pupils dilated slightly as she took in his naked torso that tapered down to the low slung shorts.
Jeremy cleared his throat and her eyes shot back to his. With one raised eyebrow, he asked, “Are you done?”
With a nervous laugh, she put her hand on his shoulder and gave him a slight shove. Changing the subject, she asked, “Are you ever going to tell me what we’re doing here?”
“Nope,” he said. “Let’s go. I’ll show you instead.”
He took her bag of clothes and shoved them into his duffel bag. Taking her hand, he led her out of the office and down to a dock. He stopped in front of a large pontoon boat and looked over at her with a grin on his face.
“Hop aboard, matey.”
“Really?” she asked, her excitement showing on her face. At his nod, she opened the small half-door and climbed onto the boat.
There was a large area in the back with long, wide leather seats shaped like a U. She walked over and sat down as Jeremy put the key in the ignition and started up the engine. Above his head was a platform with a long, gently-sloped slide that ended above the water at the front. Melanie looked behind them as they slowly pulled out of the marina and noticed two large round tubes tied to a rack on the back.
She left her seat and walked up behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist and laying her cheek on his muscled back. “So, we’re spending the day on the water?”
He took one hand off the wheel and laid it over hers, which were clasped on his stomach. “Yep. Happy birthday, Mel.”
Melanie released her grip and slid around in front of him. Pressing her body against his, she slipped her hands into his hair and kissed him on the cheek. Resting her head on his shoulder, she said, “Thank you. I love it.”
They cruised around the lake for a while, seeing only a few other boats along the way. It was a Tuesday morning and not even summer yet, so most people were at work or school, leaving the lake practically deserted. Jeremy found a secluded spot around a bend and killed the motor.
After dropping the anchor, Jeremy walked over to where he dropped his duffel bag and unzipped it. Pulling out a black and white checkered blanket, he spread it on the deck and motioned Melanie to sit down. After she complied, he pulled out a bottle of sparkling cider and two red plastic containers.
He sat down in front of her and placed the containers between them. He waved toward them, telling Melanie to pull off the lids while he popped the cork on the cider. Melanie gasped as she opened the first one.
“Chocolate covered strawberries?” she asked, the happiness evident in her voice.
Jeremy smiled. “Yeah. The other one has some ham sandwiches, in case you’re hungry.”
Melanie carefully took out one of the strawberries and bit into it. She groaned in pleasure and Jeremy’s nostrils flared at the sound. He stared at her mouth as she licked the chocolate off her lips.
“These are so good,” she said, closing her eyes.
“I’m glad you like them.”
Jeremy shook his head as if to clear it and poured her a glass of cider. As he handed it over, their fingers brushed against each other and he sucked in a quick breath. Melanie didn’t seem to notice, her attention still riveted on the sweet treat in her other hand.
“Do you want to try out that slide?” Jeremy asked, standing quickly and turning his back to her as he tried to get himself under control.
“I don’t know,” Melanie murmured, looking into the dark depths. “Is it still cold?”
It was an unseasonably warm day and beads of sweat were forming on her nose. A dip in the water sounded wonderful, but it was only early May. The lake back home would still be freezing this time of year.
“Only one way to find out,” Jeremy said with a grin and climbed the small metal ladder leading to the upper deck.
Melanie carefully picked her way up the ladder behind him. She watched him sit on the slide and motion for her to climb onto his lap. She shook her head vigorously.
“Nuh-uh. No way. You go first and tell me if it’s freezing or not.”
“Scaredy cat,” he said.
He gave her a wink and pushed off. He flew down the slide and was airborne for a second before he hit the water with a big splash. He surfaced with a shout and started treading water. Shaking the wet hair out of his eyes, he waved up at Melanie.
“Come on in, the water’s great!” he yelled.
“Is it cold?”
“Nah, not really. It’s refreshing. Come on!”
Melanie slipped her shorts off and sat down on the slide. Jeremy dove under the water, then resurfaced a few feet out. “Let’s go slowpoke!”
Melanie took a deep breath and shoved off. She felt exhilarated as she sped down the slide and experienced a brief moment of weightlessness before hitting the water.
“Eek!” she yelled as she surfaced. “Oh my God, Jeremy! You are such a liar!”
Her teeth started chattering as she started to doggy paddle back to the boat. Before she got two feet, she felt Jeremy’s arms come around her waist and pull her back against his chest. He felt so warm, she turned in his arms and wrapped her arms and legs around him. As soon as she did, they slipped under the water, Jeremy unable to keep them both afloat.
Melanie released him and propelled herself back to the surface. Jeremy popped up beside her and she sputtered out an apology. She turned and lunged for the side of the boat, now within reach, and felt Jeremy swim up behind her again.
He reached around her with one hand and grabbed the rope ladder hanging off the side. With his other hand he turned her around and pulled her close, wordlessly inviting her to wrap herself around him, knowing they wouldn’t sink again.
He pressed his forehead against hers and whispered in a husky voice, “You just have to get used to it. You’ll warm up in a minute.”
The words barely left his mouth before he was kissing her. The sensations were almost overwhelming in their intensity. The warm sun on her shoulders. The cold water swirling around her back and Jeremy’s warm body pressing against her front. His mouth on hers.
Suddenly, Jeremy pushed her up and she was sitting on the swim platform. She scooted backwards quickly as he climbed the ladder. He climbed into the boat and pulled her behind him without saying a word.
Walking to the leather seats, Jeremy sat down and pulled her onto his lap so that she was straddling him. He wrapped his fingers into Melanie’s wet hair and pulled her head down until their lips met again. Melanie wrapped her arms around his neck and tangled her fingers into the hair at his nape.
Melanie felt flames leap through her body as his hands slowly made their way down her bare back to her butt. Her mind registered that she was barely dressed and probably had stomach rolls showing, but the thought flew out as quickly as it had come when Jeremy’s hands kneaded her butt and slid to the backs of her thighs.
She shifted her weight to her knees and lifted up slightly to give him better access. This position put her at a slight height advantage, which she realized she liked, a lot. A light growl vibrated in her chest, which seemed to ignite Jeremy’s passion even further.
He stood quickly and, with Melanie still wrapped around him like a spider monkey, turned so that he could lay her on the seat and cover her body with his. The seats were deep, so if another boat happened to cruise by, no one on board would be able to see them. After another long, scorching kiss, he pushed himself up, bracing his weight on his arms, a
nd looked into her eyes.
“Are you sure you’re ready for this? It’s what you want?”
Melanie paused for a brief second. Thinking of how much she loved him and everything he meant to her, she nodded her head thoughtfully. “I’m sure,” she whispered, pulling at his arms and lifting her lips back to his.
Chapter 19
Melanie and Jeremy were laughing and holding hands when they walked through the front door of the house later that afternoon. She looked up and saw Declan standing in the foyer, frozen in place, with his hand in the air as if he was about to wave. It quickly dropped to his side and she saw his nostrils flare and lips turn down into a frown.
“Oh, hey Declan,” she said, feeling Jeremy stiffen beside her. “What’s up?”
“Melanie, can I talk to you for a minute?”
“Uh, sure, I guess. Jeremy?”
Jeremy released her hand and put both of his on her cheeks. “I’ll see you at dinner,” he said, planting a small, sweet kiss on her lips before heading up the stairs.
“What is it, Declan?”
Declan walked up to her, invading her personal space, and asked, “Did you have a good time today?”
“Yes, I did,” she responded in a tight voice. She didn’t like his tone.
“Well, you might want to take a shower before seeing anyone else.”
“What is that supposed to mean?” she asked defensively.
“Melanie, I could smell the pheromones wafting off the two of you as soon as you walked through the door. Really? Birthday sex?” he said with a nasty edge to his voice.
Melanie blushed a bright scarlet, both from embarrassment and anger. “That is none of your damn business, Declan.”
“Well, you made it my business when you walked in here reeking of it. A real man would warn you of the possibility and at least let you clean up first.”
Instinct took over and Melanie lashed out, striking her palm against his cheek with all her strength. A loud pop echoed through the foyer, and brought them both out of the heated rage they were succumbing to.
“Mel, I’m sorr-” he started, but she cut him off.
“Save it,” she said quietly, tears forming in her eyes. She turned and ran for the stairs and, taking them two at a time, rushed to her bedroom and slammed the door behind her.
She heard the shower turn off and waited for the sound of Jeremy’s bedroom door to close before grabbing her clothes and rushing into the bathroom. She needed to calm down before she faced Jeremy again. She didn’t want him to see her so upset.
Setting the water as hot as she could stand it, she got in and started vigorously scrubbing her body. Thinking about what she was doing, she dropped the washcloth and started to cry. What she and Jeremy had done was amazing and beautiful, not something to be ashamed of.
Melanie wiped her tears and pulled herself together. She would not let Declan ruin her day. She washed her face and hair then shut off the water. Wrapping a towel around herself, she got out of the shower and wiped the fog off of the mirror.
She opened the towel and looked at herself. I don’t look any different, she thought. Shaking her head, she dried herself off and got dressed. After applying some mascara and lip gloss, she flipped off the light and walked back to her room.
Shutting the door behind her, she leaned against it and closed her eyes. She thought about her day with Jeremy, how amazing it was, and tried to block out that whole scene with Declan afterward. Trying not to think about it made her think about it and she could feel her anger rising to the surface again.
“How dare he?” she whispered softly, lest someone be walking down the hall and hear her. “It’s none of his business what I do or when I do it!”
Birthday sex, she thought. Is that what it was to Jeremy? Finally give the girl what she wants, just because it’s her birthday?
“No,” she said aloud. “I don’t believe that.”
She glanced at the clock and saw that it was only five o’clock, so she still had an hour to kill before her mom’s big surprise. She grabbed her copy of Cynanthrope Physiology and lay down on her bed.
This will take my mind off of it.
Melanie scanned the table of contents and found a chapter titled “Cynanthrope Relationships: The Physical and Emotional Side Effects of Friendship, Love, and Sex.” She quickly turned to the page number noted and started to read, skimming the subtitles.
Finding what she was looking for, she read aloud softly, “When a male and female are attracted to one another, a small amount of pheromones are secreted through the axillary (armpit) sweat glands, which heightens the feelings of lust and attraction. Should those feelings be acted upon, a much larger amount is secreted during said act, which can be sensed through the olfactory system of other Cynanthropes for up to four hours.”
“Seriously? Oh my God,” she whispered, then scanned the chapter for other tidbits like that one.
“When Two Males Desire the Same Female,” she read. “Let’s see.”
Flipping the page quickly, she began reading again, “If two male Cynanthropes develop feelings of desire and/or love for the same female, instinct will cause an immediate dislike and distrust between the two of them, no matter their previous relationship. Older and more experienced males may be able to see this change in themselves for what it is and avoid confrontation until the feelings pass or are held under tight control.
“However, younger, more hormonal males will rarely exhibit this type of control. Their feelings of mistrust will lead to a power struggle to obtain dominance. This struggle generally leads to verbal and, in most cases, physical disputes.
“In these situations, it falls to the alpha to bring the two males in question under his control and resolve the situation by having the female voice her preference, or in some circumstances, choosing for her.”
Screw that! Melanie’s mind screamed at the thought of having her father choose her boyfriend.
She closed the book and lay back against her pillows. Maybe Jeremy was right. Maybe Declan was attracted to her. That would explain Jeremy’s instant dislike of him and Declan’s strange behavior. She smiled. Even though she was completely devoted to Jeremy, the thought of having a hot guy like Declan actually want her gave her a little thrill.
She heard a soft knock on her door and a voice call out, “Mel? You in there?”
She jumped up and ran to the door, threw it open and flew into Jeremy’s arms. He hugged her tightly and she kissed his neck before whispering, “I love you.”
“I love you, too. You ready to get this party started?”
“Yeah,” she breathed, pulling back and taking his hand. “Let’s go.”
Chapter 20
“Tara?” Melanie squealed as she walked into the dining room and saw her best friend chatting with her mom.
“Mel!”
They practically sprinted toward one another and met in the middle of the room. They hugged and laughed and both started talking at once, which made them laugh again.
“What are you doing here?” Mel asked, once she could get the words out.
“Duh. It’s your birthday, brainiac. I wouldn’t miss it!”
“But…how?”
“I called her parents,” Elaine said as she walked up to join them. “Surprise! Happy birthday, baby.”
Melanie hugged her mom. “Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!” she squealed, then looked back at Tara. “Did you drive all this way by yourself?”
“Nope,” came a voice from behind her. She turned swiftly and saw Chris standing there with Jeremy. “I drove.”
“Chris!” Melanie exclaimed and launched herself into his arms. “I’m so glad you came. Thanks for bringing my bestie. I owe you one.”
Before Melanie could say anything else, Tara nudged her in the ribs and whispered, “Who’s the hottie?”
Melanie grimaced, knowing that everyone in the room besides Chris and Elaine heard her, which was evident by the smirk on Declan’s face as he walked towards th
em. Melanie hadn’t had a chance to talk to Tara about Declan at all.
This is going to be an interesting night, Melanie thought. With Tara’s big mouth and everyone else’s supersonic hearing, there’s no telling what’s going to happen.
Melanie forced the frown off her face and smiled tightly when Declan reached them. “Tara, this is Declan. His dad and mine are…best friends. Declan, this is my best friend, Tara. And this,” she added, grabbing Chris’s hand and pulling him forward, “is her boyfriend, Chris. He and Jeremy are cousins.”
“Cousins?” Declan asked, and seemed to sniff in his direction.
Melanie discreetly dug her heel onto the top of Declan’s foot. He inhaled sharply and shot his eyes to hers. “Not a dog,” she mouthed silently as the others drifted away toward the table. Declan nodded once and followed them.
Once they were all seated for dinner, Melanie glanced around the table with a big smile on her face. She had Tara on one side and Jeremy on the other. She couldn’t have asked for more.
“Mom, how did you get Tara’s mom to let her come?” Melanie asked, then, after the caterers place a plate of chicken and cheese enchiladas in front of her, she exclaimed, “Enchiladas!”
“Of course. It’s your favorite. I called Tara’s mom and asked her if she could come for your birthday party. After discussing it, we both decided that she should stay through the weekend to make the drive worth it.”
“All week?” Melanie asked looking from Elaine to Tara.
“Yep,” Tara answered. “I don’t know what kind of voodoo magic your mom used, but I get to stay until Sunday morning.”
“What about school?”
“I’m ahead in all my classes. My teachers gave me the homework for the week and said I could turn it in Monday.”
Melanie started to smile, then it dropped. She looked from her parents to Chad and Willow, then back again. Darren seemed to understand her unspoken question and gave her a reassuring nod of his head. Somehow, the pack could hide their true nature for a week. Melanie nodded back.