by Golden Angel
Her hair hung down free, but Bailey had worked magic with the auburn locks, making them soft and fluffy without being frizzy. Jesse kept running her fingers through it, marveling at how silky it felt and how good it looked. There was plenty of volume in her roots, giving her the effortless, natural look of flawless hair that was completely unnatural and nearly impossible to achieve.
Then they'd started putting her into clothes.
Jesse had immediately nixed the red dress they'd put her in as being far too tight and revealing. She didn't want to look like she was trying that hard. Fortunately, Bethany and Bailey had agreed.
She'd tried on two more dresses, neither of them quite right, before finally putting on the purple sheath dress Bailey was currently crowing over. Turning to see her backside in the mirror, Jesse had to admit, it looked damn good.
The cowl neckline gave her a bit of cleavage but not too much, the material was fitted nicely to her body without being too tight, and the skirt went down to her knees but had a slit that went up the back to just a few inches below her ass. It was sexy without trying to be sexy, showing nothing but hinting at everything, and the color was fantastic on her. Her hair looked richer and redder than ever against the violet fabric, and her skin and eyes practically glowed.
"Definitely that one," Bethany said, sounding almost smug. "Brady's going to break his zipper."
"Bethy!" Bailey elbowed her sister, looking horrified. "That's our brother you're talking about! That's so gross!"
Bethany rolled her eyes. "Exactly what is it do you think we're getting her dressed for?"
"Yeah, but we're not supposed to say it."
Jesse started giggling at her two friends' antics, making both of them look at her a little sheepishly.
"Don't worry Jesse, I don't think it's gross if you do him, just if we talk about it," Bailey said earnestly.
"Speak for yourself, I want all the dirt, I don't care if he's my brother," Bethany said, unrepentant.
This time it was Bailey's turn to roll her eyes. "Well yeah, she can talk about it, we just aren't supposed to."
"But you can listen?" Jesse asked, amused.
"Exactly." Bailey turned to her sister, pointing at Jesse. "See? She understands."
"You are too weird for words sometimes," Bethany said, glancing at her watch. "Alrighty Jesse, it's quarter of, time to put on some shoes and get walking!"
Fortunately Bailey had brought shoes along too. She was half a size smaller than Jesse, so they pinched, but for a short walk it was good enough. There was no way she was going to ruin her look with boots or sneakers. While she didn't consider herself that vain, after going to all this effort she wanted the full effect.
******
Completing Task #1 and making Jesse something to romance her had turned out to be harder than Brady expected. He felt like he was doing pretty good on everything else though. Since he did think about her a lot when she wasn't around, that one had been no trouble. The best part about actually being here had been seeing her eyes light up when he'd brought her a flower or nuts after one of his patrols or doing her dishes or spending time with Daniel or the other little kids she liked to run around with.
Brady hadn't been sure how well he'd do with kids, but it turned out he liked them a lot. They were so small but confident, and most of them were pretty funny. He liked to rough house with the aggressive ones and try to draw out the quiet ones, and he couldn't stop watching Jesse with the kids and thinking about what a great mom she'd be. Which should have scared him, but it didn't. He really liked the idea.
Not that he said that. He wasn't a total idiot. While his sister and Steele might have jumped right into their relationship, that was because they hadn't really had a choice. Biology and hormones had pushed them into it. Brady got the option to take his time and that was exactly what he was doing.
In some ways it was both easier and harder than he'd thought it would be. Easy was taking care of Jesse and trying to lighten her load; harder was trying to support her when she was going through fight training and he wanted to jump in and tell her not to, because he wanted her safe. It had driven him a little crazy, knowing she was training to fight, seeing how she did so with reluctance but determination. She wasn't like Bethany and Bailey, who obviously enjoyed sparring; she did it because she felt like she should, not because she wanted to.
He'd tried to suggest that maybe she wasn't needed as a fighter, but she'd shaken her head and insisted she was going to be a real part of Steele's pack. The steel in her voice had made him realize it was about more than fighting, and he'd backed off immediately. Not that she'd been upset with him for suggesting she do something else, just that he'd realized it was a topic on which he should follow Task #3. Even if he wanted to bundle her up and stick her somewhere safe. At least, unlike his sisters, she was perfectly happy being the last line of defense when it came to her position. Bethany wanted to be out in front with Steele and - unfortunately - her physical attributes made her ideal for such a position.
At least he knew Bethany and Bailey were built for defense, though. Jesse was so small when she shifted, and she didn't have the heart of a killer, even in defense. He was still in awe of her bravery, going out and scouting for Meredith's team with Bailey when he knew she would have hated it the entire time.
Talking with Steele about it had helped - especially since Steele kept a close eye on his Pack and their training, so he was well aware of Jesse's strengths and weaknesses. Steele was also where Brady had finally gotten the idea that making Jesse dinner would count as making her something. After all, it had worked for Steele apparently - although they didn't go into detail about exactly how or how well it had worked, since Steele's mate was also Brady's little sister. There were some things he just didn't want to know.
He'd checked in with his sisters to find out how they'd learned to cook - he'd learned to make some staples by the time he was eighteen, before The Company took them, but definitely nothing he'd call romantic. They'd turned him onto searching online and he'd found a whole bunch of recipes that he was pretty sure he could follow. Since he'd been so vocal about his pursuit of Jesse, the entire Pack was willing to help him out, which was great because he doubted basic charm would have gotten the fresh caught salmon away from the cooks otherwise. While everyone could choose to eat in the cafeteria or cook for themselves, most of the foods were basic staples and anything fresh was both popular and limited. The dinners Jesse made were all delicious, but the meat was definitely from the frozen stores the Pack had brought to the Peak; this meal was special.
He'd made pecan encrusted salmon with honey drizzle, green beans with almonds and lemon, and potatoes au gratin, with a chocolate brownie sundaes for dessert. Some of the cooks had teased him about needing oysters or strawberries, but Brady was going for romance, not seduction. Effort, not aphrodisiacs.
Besides, he really didn't need any aphrodisiacs, his balls were already so blue he felt like a Smurf.
A knock on the door had him hurrying over. One glance at the clock told him Jesse was right on time, which made him grin. He hadn't expected anything less, but he had wondered, since Bethany had texted him that they were helping her get ready. While Jesse was a stickler for punctuality, Bethany definitely hadn't been in high school, especially when she was trying to look good for something. It was a trait she'd shared with their mother. Looked like Jesse's timetable won out though.
Brady had dressed up a little too, wearing slacks and a dark green button down shirt that was open at the throat. He didn't have anything particularly fancy, but he thought he looked pretty good, and since Jesse mostly saw him in uniform, anything different was kind of special.
When he opened the door, he almost fell over as it feel like all of the blood in his body rushed to his groin. He actually felt light headed for a moment as he looked down at Jesse, wearing a gorgeous purple dress that looked absolutely stunning on her, and her grey eyes popping against the dark make-up. As much as he liked seeing her
in jeans and without any make-up at all, he had to admit, she looked like a movie star. Not only that, but the amount of effort she'd put into looking good... well, damn. That meant something to him too. No, she didn't need the make-up or the hair, but she'd obviously put a lot of time into dressing up for him - maybe as much time as he'd spent cooking for her - and well... damn.
He was at a loss for words.
Her eyes glinted in amusement as she brushed her hair back over her shoulder. Seeing it down like this, when she normally wore it back in a ponytail or a bun, just made him want to plunge his fingers into it. Spread it across his pillow. Having his brushing over his chest while she rode him.
Romance, not seduction, romance, not seduction, he chanted over and over in his head. It didn't help all that much. Was there a blue bluer than a Smurf? Because that's the territory his balls had now reached. He wasn't even sure he could walk.
"You look amazing," he finally managed to choke out.
Jesse's eyes traveled up and down his body too, obviously admiring, a slow smile spreading across her lips. "You look pretty good yourself. Are you going to let me in?"
"Yes, right." He stepped back, opening the door wider so she could come in, his beast clamoring in his head to get her into their territory and away from anyone else who might see her.
"Mmm, it smells amazing in here," Jesse said as she stepped past him, lifting her head up and sniffing the air.
Her ass looked amazing in that dress, the slit showing off her inner thighs as she walked and doing serious damage to his self-control.
Romance, not seduction, romance, not seduc-
The chant came to an abrupt halt when she turned, grabbed him by the front of his shirt, and pulled him down for a kiss. Her body pressed against his as her lips parted, and Brady groaned as his arms automatically went around her. Heat and need raced through his body as his cock rubbed against her soft belly.
The kiss deepened, Jesse's arms sliding up around his neck as she went on tiptoes to fuse their lips together. One hand slid up the center of her back and into her hair, tipping her head back to give him greater access to her mouth. She moaned, the sound going straight to his aching cock, which was straining to get inside her.
His beast roared with satisfaction, thrilled that they were finally... finally...
Yeah, finally, because he'd been putting it off.
With a gasp and an epic amount of cursing inside his head, Brady ended the kiss and pulled away. Kind of pushed her away, actually, with his hands firmly on her hips to keep her steady even as he separated their bodies. Jesse's grey eyes were almost glassy with desire, her lips slightly swollen and pouting from the kiss.
"We're not doing this."
"What's wrong?" she asked, her eyebrows coming together in confusion.
Brady took a deep breath, desperately trying to order his thoughts. "I brought you here for dinner. I made you dinner."
"Okay," she said, drawing out the second syllable as she tilted her head at him, still confused. Her hands pressed against his chest, rubbed, and he clenched his jaw against his impulse to draw her back in - or, better yet, toss her over his shoulder and carry her off to the bedroom. "Do we have to eat dinner right now or is there time to do... something else first?" The little lick she gave her lips was nearly the end of him, but Brady persevered.
"Dinner, definitely," he said firmly, releasing his hold on her hips and stepping back. His beast roared inside of his head, pacing and demanding to be let free so it could do what Brady wouldn't.
Jesse pouted. "But... don't you want me?"
He would have laughed, because she was so darn cute, but there was a little note of sincere insecurity in her voice. That adorable pout was actually covering up an expression of vulnerability. Yeah, he wasn't going to make Jesse feel undesirable just because he was trying to keep to his plan.
"I'm pretty sure it's obvious how much I want you," he said, pointing down at his cock, which was straining against the front of his pants like a dog on a leash. The pout on her lips softened into a little smile. "But I want all of you, Jesse. Not just sex. So until I'm sure you're not just using me for my body, no sexy times." He wagged his finger at her as her eyes widened in obvious disbelief.
Walking stiffly, he curved around her, keeping a bit of space, as he headed for the kitchen.
******
"Use you for your body?!" Her voice sounded kind of shrill as his words echoed in her head.
I do want you. All of you.
As much as her heart fluttered over that, she was still kind of stuck on the "use him for his body" comment.
"Excuse me?" she asked, following him into the kitchen and putting her hands on her hips. "Did you just accuse me of using you for your body?"
Her mouth salivated as he pulled a tray with an amazing looking piece of pecan encrusted salmon out of the oven. Holy smokes that smelled amazing. Maybe it was a bit of a cliché to enjoy nuts so much when she was a squirrel shifter, but why fight nature? Still, she wasn't going to let him totally off the hook when her own body was still pulsing with need and he'd just accused her of using him for sex.
"Yup. And I'm not letting you get the milk for free this time," he said blithely, giving her an outrageous wink that made her either want to smother him with kisses or smother him with a pillow... was it possible for someone to be adorable and infuriating at the same time? Because she felt like it shouldn't be, but that's definitely the territory he was falling into right now. "You want my body, you have to commit first."
Adorable won out over infuriating and she felt her lips twitch with amusement. Really, she probably wouldn't be so annoyed anyway if she wasn't so darn horny!
But seriously, how could the walls she'd put up around her heart not come tumbling down when faced with all the effort he'd put into scaling them? She'd already been half in love with him; the past week had just shown how much he wanted to be with her too. How was she supposed to hold out against that?
Even this dinner showed a serious amount of effort on his part. But it wasn't like he was showing off or acting like she should be grateful for his attention; this was just the way he wanted them to be. Jesse was really tired of fighting it.
"Okay, I'm ready to commit," she said, her chin tilting up as she finally admitted the truth to both of them.
Brady's eyebrows went up and then he grinned. "Good, because I'm in love with you. Now let's eat dinner."
Her jaw dropped, eyes bugging slightly at his ridiculously casual pronouncement. Ignoring her reaction, Brady plated their food while Jesse found her voice.
"You love me?! You... you can't just say that and then act like it's no big deal!"
Her squirrel chittered in her head, almost sounding like it was laughing at her. Stupid squirrel.
A plate in each hand, Brady dropped a quick kiss on her lips as he moved into the next room where the table was. Unlit candles sat on a white tablecloth, the place settings already set up. It wasn't anything fancy, but it was still a romantic gesture that made her heart flutter - or would have, if it hadn't already been beating crazily.
"Dinner," he said, grinning as he stepped up to one of the chairs and pulled it out for her to sit down.
On wobbly legs, Jesse made her way over and sat down. She felt completely flummoxed. Aroused. Confused. Overwhelmed. Happy. Brady sat down across from her, his gaze soft as he looked at her.
"Don't you want to say anything back?" he asked hopefully.
She couldn't help but smile. "I love you too... but I'm also feeling really confused and kind of overwhelmed. I feel like this is all happening really fast."
"It is," he admitted as he picked up his fork. "But I've had feelings for you ever since we met and they've just grown stronger with time. I thought that stepping back from you was the right thing to do, but it just made me realize how much I want you in my life. You're one of the bravest, best people I've ever met and I don't want to give you up. I'm willing to compromise to make us work. Although, you'll
have to keep being patient with me... I'm not exactly experienced when it comes to real relationships."
"Ha, like I am," she said with a rueful smile. "I guess neither of our lives were really set up to help us with that."
"Nope. Now start eating," he said, a hungry glint in his eye. "You're going to need your energy now that we're in a relationship."
Giggling, Jesse took a bite of her salmon and moaned. "Oh my god, this is amazing."
Across the table from her, Brady swallowed hard at the noises she was making. She wasn't exaggerating though, it really was amazing. Which just made her reactions even better since she didn't have to fake it to tease him. She grinned as she lifted another bite to her mouth and another completely sincere groan of pleasure slipped from her lips.
******
He made it halfway through the meal before he couldn't take Jesse's moans and the blissful expression on her face any longer. The conversation - when he could concentrate - had mostly revolved around their days, neither of which had any shocking revelations, although she had fun telling him about playing dress-up with his sisters. Mostly they just concentrated on eating and looking at each other, sappy smiles on their faces.
Brady felt like his heart was full to bursting. Of course, every time she moaned, his cock felt that way too.
So when another sensual "Mmmmmm" broke his restraint, he decided half of dinner was good enough. It took him only seconds to vault out of his chair and pick Jesse up from hers, his lips latching onto hers with all the pent-up need in his body. She made that same moaning sound again as her lips parted, her arms wrapping around his neck and her legs wrapping around his waist. The skirt she was wearing had a huge slit up the back, but it still rode up her hips, leaving her lower body almost completely bare.