by Cara Adams
“I agree. I also think someone who is talented but being overlooked in their field is much more likely to be acknowledged for their talent if they do something a little bit different. If she’d carved these heads with a knife likely no one would know or care and they certainly wouldn’t be on display here like this,” said Lewis.
“That’s a very perceptive comment, Lewis. I agree with you,” said Dakota.
Andreas was content to let Lewis lead them down to the lake. The man seemed to have an amazing memory for geography and Andreas had no doubt once he became accustomed to city traffic Lewis would have no trouble driving around the neighborhood.
On the far side of the lake they walked over a little wooden bridge and sat close together on a seat in the sunshine, Dakota tucked tightly between them. She leaned back, completely relaxed, letting her body heat burn his side and his thigh. Andreas knew her other leg would be raising Lewis’s blood pressure as much as it was doing to his. Damn, she was lovely and he wanted her so much.
* * * *
Lewis was in heaven. It wasn’t the mountains but it was just as quiet and peaceful, and very pretty to look at. Besides, it was much better than his old home, in that his friend and the woman he adored were with him. The mountains were beautiful and he missed them so much. It was a never-ending pain in his heart, but he needed people too. Not a lot of people, just a few special ones who cared about him and who he could care about. More importantly, he wanted Dakota with a passion he’d never felt for anyone or anything before, not even for the mountains.
They’d all been silent for a little while, when Andreas turned Dakota’s head toward him and said, “Can we kiss you?”
“Since we’re quite alone, you may.”
“Does that mean we can’t kiss you in public?” worried Lewis.
“You certainly can’t kiss me when I’m at work, or even when I’m wearing my uniform.”
“I can cope with that.” Now it was his turn and he gently held her chin, wanting her mouth at just the right angle to mesh with his. Her lips were soft and sweet, and she tasted amazing. Keeping his lips on hers, he let go of her chin and held her shoulders, needing to touch more of her as he deepened the kiss. She opened her mouth as he licked the seam of her lips, and he very gently inserted his tongue inside, not wanting to be too demanding on a first kiss.
By the time they broke apart his dick was throbbing with the need to touch her, hold her, possess her, but it was much too soon. However he was determined to kiss her good-bye if nothing more today.
They walked around the lake, all three holding hands now, and for the first time since he’d left his pack, Lewis really felt as if he belonged somewhere, here, and to someone, these two people.
He was leading them back toward the Green Gate when Dakota said, “Have you always had such an amazing sense of direction, Lewis?”
“Huh?”
“You instinctively seem to know whether to go right or left whenever the path diverges, and after all, you found your way here from Wyoming all alone.”
“Wyoming was easy. It’s almost directly due east to get here from there. The gardens now, it’s just a matter of remembering which plants I’ve seen already, and those I haven’t.”
“I’ll take your word for it. I like looking at them, but I wouldn’t really know which was which,” said Andreas.
“All I know is since we’re going to the Green Gate, and the other gate is the North Gate, presumably north is not the right direction,” said Dakota.
Lewis laughed, but he really couldn’t explain how he knew which way to go. The world itself told him the correct direction, and he couldn’t explain it. Perhaps it was a mountains skill, or born in him. He’d never gotten lost on the mountains, even as a kid.
He and Andreas had looked at the map of the Botanical Gardens and had planned the next step, after she’d seen the sections of the gardens that she’d asked to look at first. Confidently Lewis led them into the heart of the gardens where there was a kiosk and a huge fountain. Andreas pulled out a chair for Dakota and pointed at the menu written on a chalkboard. “What would you like to eat for lunch?”
While Andreas lined up for their food, Lewis tilted the sun umbrella above their table, until it shaded their three chairs, before sitting down again.
“Thank you. That was very thoughtful of you.”
“I’d hate it if you were sunburned.” What he longed to say was that he wanted to serve her in much bigger, more dramatic ways. He wanted to protect her and keep her safe. He wanted to smooth the paths she walked so her life was easier and more pleasant. Instead he listened as they talked of everyday ordinary things as they ate, and let himself luxuriate in her presence. For these few hours she belonged to him and Andreas, even if this special time would be over all too soon.
The rest of the day seemed to race past to Lewis. He wanted to grab onto time and hold it still. To breathe in deeply and rest knowing that there would be other occasions when he could hold Dakota and kiss her. Maybe even do more than that. But all too soon they’d arrived back at her apartment building.
“May we walk you to your apartment?” asked Andreas, stopping the car.
“I don’t think so. Helena or Quintana might already be there.”
“Damn.”
Andreas sounded quite upset so Lewis said hesitantly, “Would you like to go back to the mall? We could go up to the roof and maybe draw some plans for the roof garden. I’ve already gotten some ideas but I’d love to hear what other people would like as well.”
“I’d like that. Let’s do it,” said Dakota.
Andreas grinned and pulled out of the parking lot.
Lewis heaved a sigh of relief. Now he wouldn’t have to say good-bye to Dakota just yet.
When they reached the mall they parked on the fourth level and entered into the professional suites, where Lewis swiped them up to the roof. His keycard had been altered to give him access, but other people’s cards hadn’t been changed and wouldn’t be until the roof garden was complete, which wouldn’t be for many months yet.
Carefully he paced across the roof telling them the plants and garden beds he planned. When he finally stopped he realized he’d been talking for a while and his face flamed bright red with embarrassment. Had he bored Dakota and Andreas?
But Dakota was smiling and nodding and Andreas was looking thoughtful.
“I like the way you’re going to blend herbs and flowers with shrubs and trees. That’s awesome,” said Dakota.
“What will you do when the project is over? Will you go back to the mountains?” asked Andreas.
“No. There’s no future for werewolves in those mountains. I need a job and a community and I hope I have found them here. I expect Mr. Hanson will let me stay to care for the garden. I understand that might only be a day or two’s work each week, but there might be other things I can do for the mall. Jobs where I wouldn’t have to be in a crowd. I don’t know, maybe maintenance after hours? Cleaning perhaps, or stocking the shelves.” He shrugged. It was all many months ahead of him and if he could stay out here on the roof sometimes and enjoy the silence and the big open sky, he’d manage somehow.
Once again Andreas pulled Dakota into his arms and signaled Lewis to come closer to her as well. When Andreas held her, Lewis stepped up behind her, rubbing his face against her neck and gently resting his palms on her shoulders as he’d done when he kissed her.
As Andreas kissed her mouth, Lewis pressed kisses to her neck. He lifted up her ponytail and kissed the sides of her neck and the base of it, licking and sucking the sensitive place where it joined her shoulders.
Andreas stepped closer to Dakota leaning his body into hers, and Lewis mimicked him from behind, finally letting his heavy aching dick rest against her sweet, rounded ass. He pressed against her back, sandwiching her between him and Andreas, wanting her to know they would both please her, if she’d only give them the opportunity.
“If I go get a blanket, will you stay here with us for a while?” as
ked Andreas. Lewis was certain Andreas was asking Dakota’s permission for them to do more than press sweet kisses to her mouth and neck. He found himself wound as tight as a spring, waiting to hear Dakota’s answer.
“Yes.”
Lewis stepped back from Dakota’s tantalizing warmth and pulled his swipe card out of his pocket, handing it to Andreas. The other man nodded, and ran across the roof to the elevator. Lewis held out his hand to Dakota. “Come over here. This is my favorite place. If you lie down here all you can see is sky.”
He stretched out on the concrete, then placed her head on his lap so her hair wouldn’t be on the hard ground. And for the first time ever, he watched her face instead of the sky. Lewis thought that maybe watching Dakota at peace would be just as good as watching the clouds cross over the stars, seeing them dim and blink out for a time, and then grow brighter as they reappeared. He hoped nothing would ever dim the sparkle in Dakota’s hazel eyes. He prayed to all the gods that he would never be the cause of her happiness dimming, only of it increasing.
When Andreas returned he’d bought two thick rugs, which they placed one over the other for double softness, then they lay together and Lewis pointed out the constellations. But gradually their conversation stopped as Andreas ran his hand over Dakota’s arms and legs and Lewis rolled onto his side so he could touch her, too.
Dakota sighed. “I should probably go home.”
“We could stay up here. I often stay here until the early hours of the morning,” said Lewis.
“Has anyone ever come up here?” asked Andreas.
“No. Never.”
“Dakota, wouldn’t you like to stay here with us a little longer? We’ll take you home in plenty of time for your next shift,” said Andreas.
“Only if I get to touch both of you when you touch me.”
“That seems a perfectly reasonable request,” said Andreas. Lewis could hear the laughter just under his voice.
Lewis pulled off his shirt. “My shirt is off. Can I take yours off now, please?”
“All right.”
Andreas carefully peeled her shirt from her skin and then both men licked and kissed her ribs and sides. Lewis wanted to take her bra off but needed her to give permission first, so he enjoyed every inch of skin he already had access to, trying to imprint the taste of her on his mind.
Andreas was bolder than him and turned her to face Lewis while he unfastened her bra. Lewis took the opportunity to kiss her mouth and distract her. She was so sweet and soft, yet her body was toned and fit as well. He couldn’t really describe it to his own satisfaction. Her flesh was soft and tender, but her muscles were there, just below the skin, unable to be ignored. He knew all human women weren’t so fit but he guessed most of them would have the softly rounded sweetness of his Dakota. Or maybe not. She might be one of a kind, designed purely to arouse his senses and those of Andreas. Whatever the truth might be, her body was perfection personified. Every rib, every swell was in exactly the right place to make her a delight for his hands and mouth.
Lewis took his courage in both hands and unzipped her jeans. They fit her skin tightly and he wasn’t even sure how one removed such a garment. He hoped pulling them down her legs didn’t drag on her skin. He’d never owned skintight clothing as far as he could recall. But it seemed the fabric had plenty of stretch still unutilized as the jeans slid down her legs and as far as her ankles without clinging to her skin. Of course, he realized he should have taken her shoes off first when the pants were caught at her ankles, but he wiggled off the blanket and removed her shoes then finished taking her jeans off and folded them neatly, placing them on the end of the blanket. While he was standing up he took his own shoes off as well.
When he lay back down beside her Andreas had one of her breasts in his mouth so Lewis began licking a line from her hip up to her belly button and all around the tiny indentation. From there he tickled and teased the inside of her arm, from her wrist to her elbow. Only then did he join Andreas and suck a breast into his mouth. She tasted wonderful. Every inch of her was delicious. She was all woman with the faintest overlay of salt. Ambrosia from the gods without a doubt.
Andreas looked at Lewis and dipped his head toward Dakota’s panties. They were plain white with a narrow strip of lace at the waist and around the legs. He thought they looked sweet and innocent, yet erotic at the same time. Rather like Dakota herself. He got the message that Andreas thought it was time to remove them. Oh hell yes, his dick agreed with that idea. His cock had never ever been so long, so engorged, so hot, and so needy in his entire life. He’d known for weeks that he was attracted to Dakota but he’d never expected this surge of lust and desperation to overtake him. This incredible need to claim her, and possess her, and mark her as his. Well, his and Andreas’s, he supposed. Still, he was the inexperienced one here, the guest, the new boy. He was content to follow Andreas’s lead and Andreas was clearly saying it was time to move their romance a step closer to fulfillment.
Lewis matched his movements to Andreas’s pulling her panties down carefully, lifting them off her feet and adding them to pile of clothing at the end of the blanket. Then they both lay down again and sucked her breasts once more, but this time Lewis rested a hand on her hip, gently circling it on her skin, teasing and touching her as his hand moved very slowly toward her cunt.
Lewis found her clit, a hot, hard little button hidden in its hood, and began stroking it as he sucked her nipple harder, teasing and playing with the nipple and her soft flesh. Andreas moved down her body and when his head reached her cunt, Lewis used both hands and mouth on her breasts, stroking and petting the mounds, pinching and elongating her nipples, and doing his very best to bring her to climax.
Andreas’s head was buried in her pussy now, her legs locked around Andreas’s neck. Lewis kneeled up and kissed her mouth, fucking her with his tongue as he hoped one day to do with his cock. He was side-on to her, her head turned to him full face, but the rest of her where she needed to be for Andreas. Nevertheless she gripped one of his shoulders and held onto him as he kissed her with all his heart, trying to show her how much he worshipped her and wanted to love her.
And then she came, gasping into his mouth, her body shaking. He gentled his touch, stroking, smoothing, and petting her, kissing her lightly now, wanting to ease her down from her emotional high. Once again he and Andreas lay beside her, pulling her tightly between them, holding her tucked inside their four arms.
“Thank you. That was a wonderful end to a lovely day,” she said softly.
“I hope there’ll be many more days spent together,” said Andreas.
“I’d like that.”
“I would too.” Lewis’s words were heartfelt. But he could see they really needed somewhere they could be together and it appeared her apartment wouldn’t work. There was his apartment, of course, but it was only furnished as a guest apartment, and the Hanson Mall Werewolf pack might need it back at any time. It wasn’t really his as such.
“I’ve been thinking for a while now I’d like to ask permission to build myself a tiny home here on the roof. One where I would be free to look at the stars at night and enjoy the silence. If Mr. Hanson allows me to build it, would you agree to spend some nights up here with me? Both of you?”
Dakota sat up and grabbed for her clothes. As she got dressed she said, “Yes, I would, but what sort of house are you talking about? One with a glass roof like the dome of the mall or what?”
“I hadn’t thought of a glass roof but a skylight over the bed would be wonderful. I was thinking of something very small and simple. Just a bedroom really, tucked in a hidden corner of the roof. It would be impossible to stay here in the middle of winter, but for most of the year it’d suit me so well.”
“I don’t see why you couldn’t stay here year-round. With double glazing, insulation, and a decent furnace it’d be possible. In particular a small place would be easy to heat even with a glass dome or a skylight. Maybe you could have a blind to close out the
worst of the heat loss and just open it when you want to see the sky. It’s workable,” said Andreas.
Excitement ripped through Lewis. His little house was workable. Of course a thick blind would minimize heat loss and he wouldn’t need to look out the ceiling all the time. He needed to finish designing the garden and also design a little house for him. For the three of them. A retreat where they could be together and he could see the sky. It was possible. And with Dakota and Andreas he’d be blissfully happy always.
“How is your work schedule planned? When can we see you again, Dakota?” asked Andreas.
“I can’t make any commitments at the moment. I have to call back Jackson Hamilton and make a time to visit the well-being center with him.”
Ah fuck! If Hamilton sees me I’ll be locked up all over again, yet I have to protect Dakota. How can I do it? Her safety is more important than mine.
Chapter Four
“You can’t go alone. The man is dangerous. Hell, he locked up Lewis for no reason.” Andreas’s handsome face was creased with a frown and his hands rested on his hips.
Dakota wouldn’t have minded spending a while longer just looking at Andreas, but she was out of time and needed to get moving to her meeting with Jackson Hamilton. “He locked up Lewis because Lewis is a wolf. Just like you. I’m human, I’m a trained security guard, and I’m a paying customer. Well, that is, he thinks I’m about to be a paying customer and I feel certain the prices at the well-being center will be mighty high.”
“Dakota, we care about you. Jackson Hamilton is evil. We all know this. I know you’ve arranged to visit him, and Mr. Hanson and Mr. Harrison agree with your plans, but can’t you see the danger you’re walking into?” asked Lewis.
“The danger is minimized because I expect it and because everyone knows where I’m going and what I’m doing. You were in danger because you were alone and unsupported, Lewis. Now, please, both of you, loosen up. I need to get going. I won’t be stupid and I will keep in touch.”