Wolfmates 1 - An American Werewolf in Hoboken

by Dakota Cassidy

  Thats right, girlie. Be afraid, be very afraid .

  Cmon, big guy. Lets go and you behave , JC admonished as she rose and tugged his pink leash.

  Fluffy strolled past all of the mean puppies who had silently mocked him, holding his head high. The nice nurse backed up against the door as far as she could as they passed her. He looked back at the crowd of she-she-foo-foo dogs with their stupid sweaters and hair bows and smirked as if to say, See how scary I am? Even the nurse is afraid of me.

  Fluffy trotted off behind JC, admiring her ass as they entered the examining room. He yawned and sat beside her, nuzzling her leg.

  When the doctor came in the door, he stopped dead in his tracks and gave Fluffy the once over.

  Thaaats right, Doc . Fluffy stuck his chest out. Im mean and ugly and I aint afraid of you and your needles .

  Ms. Jensen, Im Doctor Jacobs. So this is Fluffy when you said he was unusual, I didnt realize how unusual.

  JCs laugh tinkled through the sterile air. The animal shelter said he might be part wolf.

  Dr. Jacobs knelt in front of Fluffy and scratched his head. Hey, big guy. Fluffy eyed him nonchalantly. Hello, Dr. Jacobs. Nice to meet you. Could we do this thing? Im hungry and I want to go home . Damn, he should have hunted last night instead of laying around thinking about JC.

  I think were going to need help getting him on the scale, Dr. Jacobs commented as Fluffy caught him covertly eyeing JCs breasts.

  Well, well like my woman, do you ?

  The doctor poked his head out and called for assistance. A big, burly woman with a mean looking face pushed her way in and stood with her arms crossed, waiting to be instructed.

  Wait, they were going to pick him up and put him on the scale? Fluffy sucked in his gut. Shit As Florence Nightingale grabbed him around his torso he let his body go slack. Her flat, round face turned red as she huffed and puffed to schlep him over to the scale, plopping him down unceremoniously on the cool metal.

  Dr. Jacobs perused the scale, giving sidelong glances to JCs breasts Wow, hes one hundred and fifty pounds

  Of lean, mean, fighting machine, and dont you forget it .

  I think watching what he eats would be a good thing. Hes not overweight, but Id definitely say hes on the husky side and could run toward heavy. Hes a big dog. Youll have to watch his hips. Id ration his food carefully.

  He doesnt seem to like the food I chose for him. Hes been dumping it behind the refrigerator, but he sure likes my steak, JC answered.

  Guilty , he thought. How the hell can a wolf live on kibble alone? A diet? He didnt need a frickin diet but hed better watch his protein nonetheless. He didnt need hip trouble.

  Hows his temperament? Is he difficult, lazy?

  Lazy please. And difficult? Not a lot just when asshole doctors are busy checking out my chick or her stupid ex-boyfriend shows up .

  JC grimaced as she came to stand by Fluffy. Well, he is very overprotective and somehow he keeps getting out of the house. I think he likes to roam. It concerns me that he might get a disease.

  Dr. Jacobs pried Fluffys mouth open with two fingers and frowned. Gingivitis he mumbled. His teeth are pretty yellow. He could use a good cleaning.

  He did not either have gingivitis. Fluffy let out a low, resonant growl because it was pissing him off that this guys fingers were in his mouth accusing him of bad oral hygiene.

  Dr. Jacobs jerked his hand out of Fluffys mouth and watched him skeptically for signs he might rip his hand off at the wrist.

  The thought grew in appeal.

  Well, there was just no pleasing this man was there? He was too fat. His teeth were yellow. He should be on a diet. He was grouchy

  He has fleas, Dr. Jacobs said.

  And to top it all off he had fucking fleas the mere thought made him use his hind leg to scratch furiously at his back.

  JC nodded. I bathed him when I brought him home and did one of those flea dips.

  Dr. Jacobs looked up and smiled at JC, his eyes sweeping over her lush body. You did the right thing by bringing him in. He needs his shots to begin with and we can recommend a healthy diet. As to his roaming, well, that could be cured by neutering him.

  His testicles shrank, tucking themselves safely to his body to protect them from the scalpel.

  Hookay. No more Dr. Jacobs. There will be no whacking off of the balls, thank you kindly . It was time to go home or the nice doctor was going to get the surprise of the millennium when he shifted into human form and clocked him one right in his doctor-like face.

  Ill have to wait on something like that. Its really expensive and this visit alone is costing a fortune, JC said.

  Finally, someone with a measure of sanity.

  Dr. Jacobs chuckled. I understand, he said as he patted Fluffy on his backside. Well get you all set up. Vitamins, flea powder, toothbrush, the works. For now, he needs his shots. Gerta, would you help me lift Fluffy to the examining table?

  Gerta scooped him up again and dumped him on the table. JC came to stand in front of him, giving him the opportunity to bury his snout in her breasts. Fluffy sighed contentedly.

  Dr. Jacobs grabbed the scruff of his neck. Hang onto him would you, Gerta?

  Nurse Ratchet placed her arms around his torso and JC held his nose in the palm of her hands. Itll only hurt for a minute, Cujo. So behave, hear me?

  Behave, behave, behave. If he kept behaving hed have no nuts, he mused as the sharp sting of the needle penetrated his thick skin.

  Fuck it. That hurt. Fluffy let out a howl of discomfort, shrill and piercing.

  Dr. Jacobs held his ears.

  Good. He hoped they rang for days on end.

  Chapter Six

  JC took Fluffy home and he collapsed on the floor of her bedroom, snoring softly. She smiled at his big body sprawled out in sleep. Poor thing, one trip to the vet and he was as meek as a kitten. She rubbed the top of his head with affection, then got up. Closing the bedroom door behind her she set out to clean her apartment and forget about Max. Hed niggled at the back of her brain all day long and now it was time to abolish him completely. With like cleansers and stuff.

  Her nipples tightened just thinking of him.

  Shit. What was she going to do? The man lived next door to her and shed nailed him in less than two hours. He was going to label her the apartment house slut and move on to his next prey. Talk about easy

  JC found some old sweats and a T-shirt, changed into them and dug under her kitchen sink to find her cleaning products. Like scrubbing the grout on the kitchen tile was going to wash away the memory of last night.

  She slammed the bucket full of hot water down on the floor and tied her hair back. No man was going to make her tingle like that. So there or was that no man had ever made her tingle like that before ?

  Oh, what difference did it make? Shed done something totally out of character and behaved like the apartment house slut in the process. There was no taking that back now.

  Hey, good lookin. How goes it? a deep voice rumbled from her doorway.

  Damn, she really should remember to lock the friggin door so lust evokers like Max couldnt get in. JCs heart skipped two beats and her legs wobbled from her position on the floor, which just happened to be ass end up.

  Good gravy .

  Without looking up, JC mumbled, Fine, thanks.

  Max came to stand over her, his boot clad feet at her eye level. JC? Are we still not looking at me?

  He was a real brain surgeon.

  Max knelt down in front of her and propped her chin up with his finger. Answer me.

  Her eyes scanned his deep blue ones. Did one-night stands come back to have a two-night stand? Why do I need to look at you?

  Because you think I think youre loose.

  JC groaned. And what of it? Did they have to discuss it? Maybe do a little therapy as a couple over it? Im cleaning my floor. I dont have time to think about whether you think Im loose. Not really anyway.

  His lips moved closer to hers as he grazed
them with a whisper of a kiss. JCs stomach did a nosedive and her loins joined it. I dont think youre loose. I do think you should come have dinner with me and we can get to know one another.

  Dinner? Where? In the den of iniquity across the way? Oh, no. She was not going back to Two-C. No way. Where? she asked tentatively.

  Max grinned and winked. My apartment.

  No, no, no. What time?

  Max nuzzled her jaw and avoided her ear. Six.

  Sex at six worked. Should I bring anything?

  Pulling her upward he fit her body to his. Nope. Just you.

  And my libido? JC gulped. Okay.

  He smiled just before his mouth moved over hers and he slipped his tongue between her lips. JCs body had a will of its own as it molded to Maxs and she let the silky slip of tongue taste her own. A sigh escaped her. His kiss was like coming home to something she didnt fully understand and at the moment didnt care to ponder. It was familiar, yet new and unidentifiable. Her arms wrapped around his neck and her breasts strained against his hard chest.

  Ouch! Max yelped as he tore his lips from hers. His hand went to the back of his neck and he rubbed it.

  Whats wrong?

  Max shrugged his shoulders and smiled again. Just a kink in my neck, which I assure you will be fine by the time you get to my place for dinner and that means I have to go if Im going to cook.

  JC couldnt help but laugh. Are you going to dial the pizza guy up again?

  He squeezed her one last time around the waist before letting her go. Hey, I can dial more than just the pizza guy. I have all sorts of take-out menus. Youll see, and Ill see you tonight, he said over his shoulder with a wink. Max shut the door behind him and JC sank to a kitchen chair, her knees weak and her thoughts fuzzy.

  There was just no resisting him. Max was virile and funny and hotter than molten lava and shed had the best sex of her life with him. What was a girl to do when he blatantly made his intentions clear?

  He wants to make you dinner, tramp. He didnt say anything about more sex .

  Well, why not? Was she unattractive? Did he just want to make up for being a cad and ripping her clothes off the night before by making her dinner? Was he a man-tramp with a conscience?

  That would suck. She didnt need a kiss-off meal, thank you.

  The phone rang -- a sharp shrill intrusion on her thoughts. Diving across the kitchen, JC grabbed it. Hello.

  Its Max.

  Ah, the man-tramp calling to cancel. JC tried to sound casual, like it didnt bother her at all. Whats up?

  Could you leave the earrings off tonight? My eyes watered for an hour after you left.

  If he kept his lips to himself he neednt worry, now need he? But she found herself chuckling instead and said, Okay, no earrings.

  His deep rumble of a laugh came through the receiver. Cool. Ill see you at six. Bye, JC.

  JC hung up breathless and pissed at herself for agreeing to do anything. If this was a kiss-off meal then so be it.

  It better be good.

  * * *

  Yak, yak, yak. Fluffy yawned and eyed the alarm clock on the bedside table. If JC didnt quit talking to him like he was an Oprah episode shed be late for their dinner date and so would he. Good thing hed snuck off and pre-ordered everything. His stomach growled, intruding on their little heart-to-heart. Christ, he could devour a stable full of steer.

  I dont know, Fluffy, what do you think? I mean why would he want to make me dinner if he just wanted to make up for last night? JC sat at the edge of her bed and played with the edge of her red, silky dress.

  Damn she looked hot in it.

  This is nuts dont you think, Fluff? We hardly know each other and I had sex with him. I never do things like that. Ive never had a one-night stand.

  Good to know, now get over it because its going to happen again and again and again . Tonight if he could help it.

  But hes so incredibly magnetic. When I see Max, hear his voice, Im drawn to him and I cant stop myself and I cant explain it.

  Fluffy stretched from his place on the floor and cocked his head toward her. Naturally his cock rose to the occasion of sex with JC.

  I will not have sex with him again tonight. And thats a promise --

  What? No sex? Fluffys ears perked up. Wait a minute here

  -- no matter how sexy he is. Im only asking to be hurt and I dont need that. He lives right across the hall. How will I feel when he dumps me and moves on to the next available woman?

  Oh that was low. JC didnt even know him and she was making assumptions and not very nice ones either.

  He was not a player.

  But he was in a hurry. According to Eva if he didnt get a fire under his ass and present JC to the pack soon, that bad mojo thing was going to happen. None of it made sense to him, but he wasnt risking any bad karma. God knew the pack didnt need any trouble. They were in deep -- just in misfits alone. Another thing he didnt have time to dwell on. Being the Alpha male of his pack was nothing short of organized chaos.

  Flopping back on the bed, JC stared up at the ceiling. If she didnt get her cute butt in gear he wouldnt have enough time to shift, let alone set the table. Okay, enough of this. JC knew him all of one night and theyd done the wild thing for the better part of it. She was worried about something that she didnt quite understand and he didnt have a lot of time to dwell on how to get her back to the pack while trying to make her understand. So he had to move quickly or hed be lifemate-less and that was beginning to disturb him far more than hed anticipated.

  Jumping up on the bed with his front paws he licked her cheek, then headed for the door, signaling the need to go potty as she called it. JC ruffled the top of his head. Okay, Ill walk you before I have to go to Maxs. Will you be okay alone for a little while?

  Yeah, yeah, lets go already . He pranced on the floor and JC chuckled, snapping his leash onto his collar. When she opened the door to the apartment he bolted, yanking free of her and running as fast as he could down the stairs. JC yelled after him, but he ignored her in favor of his opportunity to fly through the door just as someone else was coming in.

  Bad dog , he thought, no biscuits for you . He was going to be in a shit load of trouble when JC got home.

  Now he just needed to shift, shave and change. Oh, and brush his teeth so they wouldnt be yellow . Stupid vet. He couldnt help it that his wolf form had bad teeth. They worked just fine when he was gnawing on meat.

  Shaking off his brisk run, Max/Fluffy stopped in the alleyway under his apartment to shift. He clenched his teeth, gritting them.

  Nothing.

  Well, shit. Must be all the shifting getting to him.

  Okay, Max, my boy, focus . Think tall, dark and handsome. He willed himself to relax as the tension from his wolf form released in small bursts. The crunch of bone flexing and stretching took over. He busied himself thinking about JC until he stood erect and in human form.

  Ahh, that was better. Max cracked his neck and looked down.

  Oops .

  Fuck, he was naked and it was more than a little evident hed been thinking of JC. Despite the cold night air, his little buddy didnt seem to feel the effects.

  Sighing, he climbed up the stairwell to his window and slipped into the warm apartment. Seeing the time on the microwave he rushed to throw some plates and silverware on the table, then headed for the shower.

  He caught a glimpse of his reflection in the mirror and stopped to inspect his teeth. Pulling his lips back he examined them.

  Max snorted. He did not have gingivitis.

  Chapter Seven

  Damn dog. Maybe having him neutered was exactly what he needed , JC thought as she knocked on Maxs door. Max opened it smiling and smelling of a vaguely familiar cologne. His burgundy knit shirt hugged his muscled chest and jeans that fit snugly over every ripple in his thighs made her mouth water.

  JCs nipples responded in kind. Hells bells. Girls, could you please give me a break? Absolutely no sex. Are we clear? We are celibate -- as in sexless
in Hoboken .

  Maxs eyes roamed over her body appreciatively before he leaned in to kiss her cheek and murmured, I like red on you.

  Her body leaned against his momentarily before she reminded herself this was a non-sex date.

  No sex .

  Letting Max lead her into the kitchen, she hung back just enough to keep a distance between them. Pulling out a chair, he offered it to her and she sat down, scooting around his bulky frame to avoid touching him.

  I hope you like steak, he said.

  Yes, steak, no sex, please . I like steak. JC smiled politely.

  Good. Max began to bring covered dishes to the table. Whatever it was it smelled heavenly. Steak Diane, he commented absently as he served her.

  Yeah, Ill bet. Did Diane teach you to make it too? As he placed his serving of steak on his plate, JC grimaced. It jiggled.

  Max sat down beside her and chuckled at the face she made. I love mine rare, but I pegged you for a medium kind of girl.

  JC cut into hers and found that it was just right. After she slid a piece in her mouth she decided Max could cook for her anytime.

  Cook, but not boink. No boinking. Nosexnosexnosex .

  They talked about a little of everything as they ate and JC found herself warming to his every word, giggling like a stupid girl in high school when he said something clever. Which was nearly every sentence that came out of his mouth.

  He was particularly quiet when they talked family, mentioning only that he came from a large brood and they all lived back in Columbia . Then why would he move so far away? The smile on his face told her he obviously loved them. JC decided not to push the issue as she gabbed about her own parents and her salon.

  JC helped him clear the dishes. The moment they were washed and dried she said, Well, Max, this was very nice. Thank you. I dont think Ive had a meal that was this good in a long time. JC began to back away toward the kitchen doorway. So maybe we can do this again sometime, okay? That was very noncommittal. She congratulated herself.

  Max was beside her in a matter of seconds, hovering over her with his big body. You were going to just eat and run? I feel cheap, used, he teased.