Strange Neighbors

by Ashlyn Chase

  Merry secretly liked knowing he had limited his experience sexually. Before that, she felt like the young naïve girl some people made her out to be. But falling in love with Jason had changed all of that. Now, every spare minute was spent making love, and she couldn't have been happier about it.

  He took her hand and navigated them to the gas fireplace. Perfect for just such occasions, she thought. One push of the thermostat and a glorious flame illuminated the room. The romantic ambiance added to her arousal. She nipped his ear lobe.

  "Getting frisky, are we?" he asked and smiled.

  "You bet I am."

  As if planned, they sank to the carpet and let their hands and lips explore one another's bodies, through their clothes.

  "I love you, Merry," Jason said between nibbles to her neck and collarbone.

  Merry sighed. "Love you too."

  He knew how to please her. Thinking about how he satisfied her, multiple times, melted anything that was left of her guard. She couldn't be happier when he made love to her, and they could go on for hours or days, for all she cared. Jason could make her forget she had a job.

  It was as if he found buried treasure in the form of the black bra and panties she wore when he uncovered them and he groaned. Merry made a mental note. Must go shopping for lingerie. I want more of those reactions.

  He explored her body thoroughly. He pulled aside the lace that hid her breasts and blew on her nipples. They hardened immediately. He placed his warm mouth on one and suckled, then the other. As he stroked her sensitive inner thighs, she writhed with pleasure.

  When his hand glided to her apex, he barely touched her and she arched, silently pleading with him not to tease. He obliged her fully, zeroing in on the trigger of her most intense sensations and brought her to a shattering orgasm. She gritted her teeth and tried not to cry out as she usually did. He stayed on that sensitive spot until she tore his hand away.

  "I… can't take… much more."

  Jason pulled her close and kissed her with such fervor that their chests rose and fell together.

  "I'm only letting you rest so you won't leave me to get your inhaler."

  "I'll have to keep one in your bedroom."

  He smiled and kissed her hair. "Please do."

  "It's your turn now."

  "Music to my ears. Where do you want me?"

  "Lie back."

  Jason grinned and assumed the position. As she rolled up onto her knees, he said, "Turn around. I'm not quite finished with you."

  Her eyebrows arched. "The sixty-nine position?"

  "Yeah."

  She had barely recovered, but did as he asked. "Go easy on me or I won't have the energy to do what I want to do for you."

  "Sounds promising. You got it."

  She took his length in her mouth and swirled her tongue around from base to tip as if following the stripe in a candy cane—a very thick one.

  He moaned appreciatively.

  "Oh, you liked that! Let me do it again." And she did, several times.

  His rock-hard erection pulsed and perhaps to distract her, he tongued her slit. Still sensitized, she jumped. He grabbed her buttocks and dug his fingers in to hold her still before he bore down on her clit.

  She shattered—again. Her control exploded in shards all around her. Luscious spasms radiated out from her core and beyond her body, like heat waves might pour off a sidewalk on a hot summer day.

  He continued to pleasure her until she begged him to enter, to be inside of her. Jason rolled her gently onto her back and positioned himself to enter. He penetrated her almost reverently.

  Merry's pulse skyrocketed, and she ached with need. His slow, deep thrusts tore at her patience, yet gradually gave way to a faster, more frantic pace that could make lovemaking an Olympic sport. Both of them threw all of their energy into it. The joy of bringing him to climax and anticipation of another deeply rewarding orgasm powered her on. Her moans increased in volume and frequency.

  She gripped his moist shoulders as if they might fly off the floor. The pleasurable friction of their bodies along with the growing love and trust between them led to another explosive release. She let her control go and cried out, spasming in both agony and ecstasy.

  Jason collapsed beside her when they had both reached a thorough climax and milked every aftershock.

  He gathered her in his arms and gazed at her, a golden glow from the fire reflected in his eyes. He tenderly covered her mouth with his. When at last he let go of her lips, he took in a deep breath and pushed back the hair around her face. "I am desperately in love with you, Merry MacKenzie, and don't you forget it."

  "Why would I ever want to?"

  They kissed and cuddled until their breathing returned to normal.

  Exhausted to the point of slap-happiness, they cracked stupid jokes and laughed until sleep overtook them.

  ***

  "Darling?" he asked her the next morning.

  She sat at his breakfast bar, wearing one of his T-shirts, and chuckled. "Yes, dearest?"

  "Come home with me for the holidays. I want you to meet my family."

  "What about meeting mine?"

  "Name the day." Jason reached for a frying pan and hoped that making her breakfast would put her in a conciliatory mood.

  "Um… Christmas? I have to do the cooking."

  "Is that carved in stone? Anyone can cook. Look at me." He poured some oil into the pan and lit the burner. "I'm cooking right now."

  "Christmas dinner is a little more difficult than scrambled eggs."

  "Please. It's important to me. Important to my family. They're all dying to meet you."

  Merry smiled. "You've talked to them about marrying me?"

  "And little else."

  She sighed. "I know we should both get to know each other's family, but the time crunch makes it hard. In a normal relationship, there would be plenty of time for getting acquainted."

  His mood plummeted. "I'm aware of that," he said and turned his back. How many times would he have to listen to everything being different in so-called normal relationships? He broke an egg a little too hard and bits of shell dotted the bowl.

  She remained silent while he fished the pieces out with a spoon. He didn't hear her slip off the stool or come up behind him, but her arms glided around his waist and he whirled around to meet her upturned face.

  "I'm sorry. I hate to keep reminding you that our relationship isn't typical. Maybe that's a better word than normal."

  He smiled. "Much better." He ran his fingers through her hair. "It's not all that unusual for professional athletes, though. Unless they marry their high school or college sweethearts, they have precious little time to date. Most women would find that difficult."

  "I guess I'm not most women."

  "Are you saying you wouldn't miss me for two whole months?"

  She frowned. "Of course not. I'd miss you like crazy."

  Frustrated with this no-win conversation, he had to change the subject. "So, Christmas. All relationships require compromises. Even typical ones."

  "That's true…"

  He sensed a "but" coming so he tried to derail her.

  "How do you like your eggs? Wet, dry, or in between?"

  "You see? There's still so much for us to learn about each other."

  Jason braced his hands on the counter. "Merry, I can't take this."

  "Huh? Can't take what?"

  He couldn't see her face, but she sounded genuinely

  surprised. Didn't she know how much anxiety she created each time she spoke of slowing down or delaying? Just as he was about to admonish her, his cell phone rang, thank God.

  He held up one finger to Merry and flipped open his phone.

  "Hello?"

  "Jason? Is Dottie up there?"

  "No. Is she missing?"

  "Yeah. It's the weirdest thing. Her side of the bed is still tucked in like she never came to bed last night. I pooped out early and left her watching a movie, but here it is morning and sh
e's nowhere to be found."

  "That is weird. Maybe she decided to visit one of the other tenants and got wrapped up in a long conversation. You know how she can talk."

  "I thought of that, but can you picture her spending any length of time with any of these tenants?"

  "Come to think of it, no."

  "That's why I'm worried. Oh, and there's another thing."

  "The power outage?"

  "Yes. You don't happen to have a generator tucked away somewhere do you?"

  "No, I'm afraid not. Why, is it getting cold in the building?"

  "Freezing. Someone left the back door open."

  "Shit. You don't think Dottie…"

  "I don't know what to think."

  Jason watched Merry's brows knit in curiosity. "Look, we're about to have breakfast, but I'll come down and help you figure out what to do in a few minutes."

  "Okay, but don't be long. I'm afraid the pipes might

  freeze and burst."

  "What's wrong?" Merry asked.

  "Apparently Aunt Dottie's missing and the back door was left open last night. Uncle Ralph's afraid the pipes might freeze since there's been no heat in the building."

  "Crap. Now I feel guilty for sleeping in front of your nice warm fireplace."

  "Don't. Just remember all the perks you'll get from living with me. Winters in Florida, a temperaturecontrolled penthouse… You'll never have to suffer." He winked.

  A look of determination stiffened her spine. "Let's go downstairs and check on everyone. We can reheat breakfast later."

  Jason sighed. "Uncle Ralph? Are you still there?"

  "Yeah."

  "We'll be right there. See you in a minute."

  ***

  Nathan's eyes drifted open. An immediate awareness of unfamiliar surroundings startled him awake. Floral wallpaper met the white crown molding of the ceiling. It looked like the same crown molding in his apartment, but he sure as hell didn't recognize the wallpaper. A pink wicker lamp swagged over the bed. Plus something smelled like wet dog.

  Where the hell am I? He rolled and bumped up against a warm lump. Rolling the other way, he encountered the same thing.

  He bolted upright. "What the…?"

  On one side of him, Konrad wiped his eyes and said, "Easy, buddy."

  On the other, Gwyneth stretched and said, "Well, good mornin', sugar. I'm glad y'all made it. We thought you was a goner last night."

  "A goner?" Nathan tried to remember the last thing that had happened to him. He hadn't found what he needed at the first store and had to travel a ways to another one. By the time he located the spring locking mechanism for his door, it was so late he was afraid Sly would clobber him. He had shifted and flown back in the freezing cold with the home improvement bag in his beak. After that…?

  Konrad sprang out of bed fully dressed. "Well, I guess you don't need me anymore, so I'll head downstairs." He strode out of the room.

  "What happened? How did I get here?" Nathan demanded.

  "Y'all are one lucky shapeshifter, Nathan. Konrad found you half frozen on the back steps. He carried y'all up here for Morgaine and me to heal you."

  "What did you do to me?"

  "Well, there was nuthin' we could do other than warm you up. Morgaine isn't here, so I asked Konrad to help me by puttin' his body heat on the other side of you. Then we piled all kinds of quilts and covers over all three of us. You must've been toasty warm in the middle."

  "Oh…" The drawn window shade blocked some of the light, but clearly sunrise had already happened. Damn. Sly is gonna be pissed!

  Nathan leaped out of bed and realized he was naked. He whirled away from her and covered his privates with his hands. "Yikes. Sorry about the flash."

  Gwyneth sat up and the covers fell away, exposing her naked torso, red curls tumbling over her shoulders. "Don't apologize for what mother nature gave y'all. There ain't no need to be ashamed or embarrassed in front of little ol' me. I think you have a fine body."

  He took in the view over his shoulder. Hers was mighty fine too but he didn't have time to stand around and admire it. "Well, um—thanks. And thanks for saving my life, but I have to get downstairs. You don't happen to have any men's clothes I could borrow, do you?"

  "I'm afraid not, sugar. You can wear my robe, though." She pointed to a long floral printed dressing gown hung from a hook on the back of the door.

  Nathan shrugged. "Better than nuthin'."

  He struggled into the tight garment and pulled it around as far as he could. He'd have to hold it closed over his privates since only an inch overlapped. "I'll return it as soon as I can. And, uh…" One last look at her unabashed nakedness later, he mumbled, "Thanks again."

  "Stay warm, now." Gwyneth waved as he took off running.

  On his way to the basement, he bypassed his apartment, too worried to stop and throw on some jeans. If Sly hadn't thought to cover Dottie, she'd be half frozen by now too.

  At the bottom of the basement steps, he halted. A workman paused in his effort to wrap the water pipes with heat tapes and glanced over at him. No one besides this man occupied the basement, at least no one he could see. Sly had probably holed up in his wall, but… Where the hell is Dottie?

  What could he say? Uh, excuse me. Did you see a gagged woman tied to a chair down here?

  The workman and Nathan stared at each other for a few seconds. At last, Nathan cleared his throat. "Sorry to bother you. Has anyone been down here besides you?"

  The man shrugged. "Just the landlord, I guess. He's the one who called me."

  Shit. I'm toast.

  "Can I help you?"

  Nathan heaved a sigh. "Not unless you have a vacant apartment I can rent."

  The man gave him the once over as Nathan stood there in Gwyneth's bathrobe and said, "I don't think so."

  Chapter 16

  "I WANT THEM OUT!" DOTTIE YELLED. "ALL OF THEM! This place is full of dangerous psychotics and nut bags with illegal pets."

  In as soothing a tone as he could manage Jason said, "Aunt Dottie, I know it may seem that way—"

  "Seem? Baloney! It is!"

  Shaking inwardly, he hoped his voice would help calm himself, even though he doubted it would change her tone. The last thing she needed right now was to watch her nephew shift into one of those feathered predators.

  Ralph returned from the kitchen with a glass of Scotch and handed it to her. "Dottie, try to remember who owns the building. If Jason doesn't want to evict anyone, we don't have the right to make demands like that."

  She took a giant gulp of the liquor. "Gaaah!" Then she rasped, "That burns all the way down."

  Good, maybe that will shut her up. Jason took a deep breath. "Try to hear me out, Aunt Dottie. I have something to tell you."

  "I knew it! It's your deep dark secret, isn't it?"

  Shocked silent, Jason froze with his mouth agape. Fortunately, Ralph jumped in front of him to block her line of sight and perhaps distract her from him.

  "Honey, he asked you to listen. Now I'm sure he wants to recommend we take that vacation he offered us before. That way he can deal with things on this end the way he thinks they should be handled. Isn't that right, Jason?" He twisted his torso to watch his face without Dottie seeing it.

  Jason nodded and inhaled a deep breath. Thanks, Uncle Ralph. That's a much better idea than trying to explain away everything she's seen. "I was thinking of buying a vacation getaway in the islands. Someplace where no one would recognize me and I could really relax with Merry in the off season. I'd like you to check out a few places for me."

  Ralph stepped aside. "There, you see, Dottie? The only secret is where he'll be spending his vacations so he can have complete peace. And I think it would do us a world of good too."

  "Humph. I doubt that's his only secret."

  "Please, honey. Don't insult our nephew by calling him a liar. He's been more than kind and understanding."

  "I think I'm the one who's been more than understanding. I've put up with wolves at
my door, birds in the hallway, and a vampire somewhere in the basement where I do our laundry."

  "Aunt Dottie, there's no such thing as vampires, and I saw no one in our basement when I found you. Neither did you. Doesn't that tell you something?"