by Chant, Zoe
She’d seen how handsome Owen was, but it had been from across a room, with the bright stage lights dazzling her eyes. Now she got a clear look at him for the first time.
He was one of the tallest men she’d ever seen— probably 6’4” or 5”— but muscular and well-proportioned. He looked big and strong, not gawky. His broad chest was like a sheltering wall, his arms bulging with tempting muscle. And his arms weren’t the only thing that bulged. As Raina’s gaze strayed downward, she saw a distinct lump in the front of his expensive pants.
Of course he’d be big everywhere, she thought.
Embarrassed, she jerked her gaze upward. The strong features of Owen’s handsome face had looked fierce when he’d scared off Austin, but now his lips were parted in a smile. His black hair looked appealingly soft, not stiff with hair gel. But his most stunning feature was his eyes. They were true green, dark and pure as a forest. She’d never seen eyes like that in her life. They were like pools she could fall into.
“It was my pleasure,” said Owen. Raina loved the sound of his deep, manly voice. “But Raina, I have to ask... Did you actually want to be in that bachelorette auction?”
“No, my best friend talked me into it. She has chicken pox, so I’m taking her place.” Raina saw disappointment creep into Owen’s face. Did he think she didn’t want to go out with him? Hurriedly, she said, “But now I’m glad! You gave a million dollars to feed hungry, homeless people. That’s wonderful!”
“That was my pleasure too. And speaking of pleasure...” Owen took Raina’s hand. She jumped at the contact; it was as if a spark of electricity had leaped from his hand to hers. A wave of desire broke over her, at nothing more than the warm touch of his strong fingers. “Would you like to have dinner with me tonight?”
“Of course I would!”
Raina agreed without thought. There was nothing in the world she wanted more than to spend more time with the sexy billionaire who’d bid one million dollars for her, gazing into those deep green eyes of his and listening to his deep voice. Then she wondered if he really wanted to go out with her, or if he was just living up to the agreement he’d made at the auction.
“I mean,” she stammered, “If you want to...”
“Raina.” Owen stroked the back of her hand with his thumb, rubbing in little circles. It was such a tiny movement, but it made her shiver with desire. She could feel her nipples stiffening within their satin cups, and prayed that he wouldn’t notice. “I would love to. And just to be clear, all I paid for is your company at dinner. And that’s all I’m asking for.”
“I know,” Raina said.
A hot blush crept up her face. That was all that the sort of man she’d want to date ever wanted from her. Company, friendship, and maybe advice on how they should approach the skinny women they had their eye on. It was only creeps like Austin who lusted after her body. How could she have ever imagined that a man like Owen would want anything more from her than conversation?
Well, there was his thumb on her hand. But it was just a thumb. A very sexy thumb! But nothing more.
“Then let’s go,” Owen said.
And, to Raina’s amazement, she found herself walking out of the lobby, arm in arm with the billionaire. She couldn’t feel her feet hitting the ground. It was as if she was walking on air.
He escorted her to the parking lot, where the valet brought him his car, a black Range Rover.
Owen noticed her surprise as it pulled up. “Expecting something different?”
“A limousine,” Raina admitted, as Owen opened the door for her. “With a chauffeur.”
Owen settled into the driver’s seat. “I like driving.”
“Or a sports car.”
“They’re tiny,” Owen said with a laugh. “I couldn’t fit into one.”
Raina looked him over again. Even the big seat of the Range Rover looked small with him sitting in it. Her thoughts strayed again to that bulge in his pants. She’d never been with a man as big as Owen looked to be. What would it be like, to have such a huge cock filling her...?
She had to stop thinking about his cock. It wasn’t like she’d ever get to see it, or touch it, or have anything else to do with it. Though, she thought with a private grin, it would undoubtedly star in her fantasies for the next ten years.
“Besides,” Owen went on, “I need to take it off-road. I have a cabin in the woods, where I like to stay and hike. Soak up some nature. It’s beautiful out there.”
“That sounds nice,” Raina sighed. Another thing she’d never get to see.
“Do you like hiking?”
“I love it.” Self-conscious, she added, “I know I don’t look like I exercise, but—”
“Why would you say that?” Owen asked, looking sincerely baffled. “I can see that you’re strong. And fit. And beautiful.”
Raina stared at him. No one ever said she looked strong and fit. But it was true. She did exercise, when she could find the time. But nobody ever looked past her soft plumpness to see her strength. And nobody but Madison ever called her beautiful. Flustered, she didn’t reply.
“You should come hiking with me some time,” Owen said, after an awkward silence. “You’d enjoy it. I’d enjoy it.”
Raina tried to simultaneously not stare at Owen while also examining his face to see if he was coming on to her or just being friendly. It was impossible. She caught a quick glimpse of his deep green eyes, then hastily dropped her gaze.
Another silence fell. She could feel Owen’s presence next to her, radiating warmth. A flutter of nervous desire made her stomach quiver. Was the billionaire really flirting with her? Was she getting mixed messages because he was trying not to scare her by coming on too strong? Or did she just want him so much that she was imagining things?
He pulled up in front of a restaurant, gave the keys to a valet, and opened the door for Raina. Not only that, but he took her elbow to help her down. Men never did that sort of thing for her: opening car doors, or defending her from creeps. He’d been so protective of her, even though he hadn’t yet exchanged a single word with her. She liked that. It made her feel warm and safe.
She smiled. “You’re a real gentleman.”
“Sometimes.” His voice lowered, giving that simple word a heady sexual promise. Before Raina could think she’d imagined it, he added, “I have a wild side, too.”
His words made Raina imagine all sorts of things, in a split second: Owen naked, his muscular body gleaming with sweat. Having sex with Owen outdoors. Having sex with Owen up against the wall. Owen’s huge cock filling her...
She threw caution to the winds. “So do I.”
His strong fingers tightened on her elbow as he escorted her into the restaurant. “Tell me about it.”
“You first,” Raina said, as they sat at a table with a beautiful ocean view. The restaurant was elegant but not intimidating. The table was set with crystal wine glasses, but also with ordinary silverware rather than the twelve forks she’d briefly imagined as she walked in. “What’s the wildest thing you’ve ever done?”
Owen hesitated long enough that she couldn’t resist teasing him.
“Are you making something up to impress me?” Raina inquired.
“No, no,” he protested. “It’s just... How about this. I’ll tell you one of the wildest things I’ve done. It just won’t be the wildest. I need to save something for later.”
So he thinks there’ll be a later, Raina thought. She hoped he was right.
A waiter handed them drink menus before Owen could begin his story. Raina lost herself in delighted contemplation of the fanciest-sounding cocktails she’d ever encountered, from a Strawberry Tarragon Flip to a Grapefruit Rickey.
“A Scotch and soda,” Owen ordered.
With a giggle, Raina told the waiter, “I’d like a Lavender Bee’s Knees.”
Owen chuckled, but she could see that he was laughing with her, not at her. “What is that? Other than the girliest drink in existence— not that there’s anything
wrong with that.”
With great dignity, the waiter replied, “Bombay Sapphire East gin, pressed basil, clover honey syrup, and lavender bitters.”
As the waiter left, Owen said, “I didn’t know there was such a thing as lavender bitters. I wonder what it tastes like.”
“Got me. But I don’t get that many chances to be girly, so I had to try it. I have to wear a uniform at work. It...” It makes me look fat and ugly, she thought. “It’s not very flattering. I stand there in my brown apron, ringing up groceries, and imagine girly things.”
“What’s your girliest fantasy?” Owen spoke lightly, but he obviously wanted to know.
Normally Raina would have changed the subject, but she felt sure that he wouldn’t laugh at her. And she so rarely met men who were genuinely interested in her, let alone her girliest fantasies, that she threw caution to the winds and told him.
“I never knew my biological parents. I spent my entire childhood in a series of foster homes.” Raina looked Owen right in the eyes as she told him, mentally daring him to pity her.
He spoke with sympathy, not pity. “That must have been tough.”
Raina nodded, not wanting to dwell on it. “Anyway, I imagine that I’m actually a princess who got kidnapped and then abandoned because of some scheme by someone trying to inherit the throne. I imagine that the king and queen have been trying to track me down this entire time, and finally they find me. And their royal messenger comes to the supermarket and says, ‘Your highness! At last we have found you!’”
Owen smiled. “And then they take you back to the palace?”
“To the beautiful palace in some tiny European country. And they throw a ball in my honor. I wear a gorgeous gown and diamonds, and princes come and beg to dance with me.” Blushing a little, she said, “I know, it’s so girly. But you asked!”
“What’s wrong with girly?” Owen’s voice lowered to a sexy rumble. “I’d wear whatever a prince wears— a sword, an embroidered coat, a crown— to get the opportunity to dance with Princess Raina.”
“You could have a broadsword,” Raina suggested. “You’d wield it in two hands. It would be so heavy, you’d be the only prince strong enough to lift it, let alone fight with it. Prince Owen the Strong!”
“I like that.”
The waiter returned with their drinks. The Lavender Bee’s Knees was bright purple, and had a swizzle stick topped with a blown-glass bee. Raina sipped it. The drink was sweet but not too sweet, floral but not soapy.
“Well?” Owen asked.
“It tastes like a field of wildflowers smells,” Raina said.
“Can I try it?” Owen asked.
“Sure.” Raina passed him the drink, secretly amused that a manly man like him would want to try her girly drink.
Owen turned the glass so his lips would touch where hers had. It was obvious that he’d done it deliberately, like a knight in a fairy tale kissing the glove that his lady’s hand had touched. It was a romantic gesture, but also deeply sensual. He wanted his lips on hers so much that he’d even press his to something that hers had touched.
At that moment, she knew that he hadn’t bid on her for charity or to keep his obligation. As she watched his full lips linger on the rim of her glass, and met the hunger in his deep green eyes, she knew that he wanted her. Wanted to talk to her, wanted her company, but also wanted her body.
Raina couldn’t deny it any longer. Owen wanted her— wanted all of her, as much as she wanted him. It was hard to believe, but she felt in her bones— in her heart— that it was true.
She swallowed, feeling the heat of desire course through her body. Her nipples felt suddenly tight and tingly, hardening against the satin that covered them.
Owen passed her back her drink. His fingers brushed against hers, warm and caressing, and another shock of desire jolted her. Raina was burning with the longing to lean across the table and kiss him, or reach under it to stroke his cock. She wondered if it was hard. Raina squirmed as she felt herself getting wet.
“Can I try yours?” Raina asked.
Instead of handing it to her, he reached out and held it to her lips. The intimacy of the gesture made her head swim. She could feel the heat of his fingers, almost at her lips. Raina opened her mouth. Owen tilted the glass, and a sip of the Scotch and soda flowed into her mouth. Bubbles burst on her tongue, prickling it. She swallowed. The liquid was cold, but it burned as it flowed down her throat.
Owen took back the drink. Again, he turned it to sip where her lips had touched. They’d never even kissed— they’d barely so much as touched each other— but a true intimacy had sprung up between them. Raina knew that he would kiss her, some time that night. Her own billionaire Prince Charming.
The waiter came up and handed them menus. Raina had always been a big girl. She exercised and sometimes she dieted it, but her body didn’t change. She’d gotten it from genetics, not from what she ate. But she’d seen how men looked at her, with disgust and contempt, when they saw her eating the same donut or pastry or hamburger they were stuffing their own faces with. She’d gotten in the habit of ordering a salad on dates, just to make sure she didn’t get that look, and then having a real dinner afterward, at home.
But surely Owen, who looked at her with both admiration and hunger— who was eyeing her every curve with naked lust— wouldn’t judge her for eating...
As if he’d read her mind, he said, “I hope you’re not one of those women who only eats salad. I was hoping to try a bite of whatever you get.”
“And you’re not a man who likes salad, huh?”
He shrugged. “Salad’s fine. On the side. If we were meant to live on nothing but greens, we’d have rabbit teeth to munch them with.”
Raina chuckled and returned to the menu, now thinking both of what she wanted and what Owen might like.
When the waiter came, she looked the black-jacketed man right in the eyes, daring him to judge her, and said, “I’d like the butter-poached lobster appetizer, and a medium-rare steak.”
The waiter merely said, “An excellent choice, madam.”
Owen ordered, “The grilled shrimp appetizer, please. And I’ll have a steak too. Rare.”
“So tell me about that wild thing you did,” Raina said as the waiter left.
***
Owen watched his beautiful mate as he told her about charging into a dark alley to scare off a mugger trying to steal an old lady’s purse. It was a true story. But he wished he could tell about the actual wild things he’d done, in his bear form.
What was he going to tell her? And how? His parents had both been shifters; he’d always assumed his mate would be one too, until he’d met all the eligible shifter women his family knew, and not one had called to his heart and soul like Raina did.
He had to believe that his mate wouldn’t be put off or frightened by learning that he could become a bear. Mates meant that you would be together forever, didn’t it? Or did it only mean that you should be? If Owen scared her off, would they both be lonely forever?
Their appetizers arrived, and Owen didn’t miss the glance Raina shot him, as if she expected him to judge her for eating her own dinner. A fierce anger swept over him at the thought of all the people who must have been cruel to his gorgeous mate, to do such a good job of convincing her that she wasn’t beautiful and desirable, and needed to hide her perfect self.
Track them down and rip their heads off, his bear suggested. They hurt our mate!
Owen shushed his bear, and instead told Raina she was beautiful and offered her a share of his shrimp. He saw that she was enjoying her food, and he enjoyed watching her enjoy it. But he barely tasted his own. All he could think of was how sexy she was, and how maddening it was to have her within touching distance and keep his hands off her.
But she’d obviously been hurt before. She kept shooting him wary looks. He didn’t want to frighten her by coming on too strong... especially since he had a secret that might be much scarier to her than a premature pass.
Owen gritted his teeth and tried not to be overwhelmed by the sight of his mate, with him at last. He breathed in the intoxicating scent of her, a delicate rose perfume and a womanly warmth beneath it, and didn’t let himself lean across the table to inhale it direct from the hollow of her throat.
When she’d told him about the foster homes, he’d longed to hold her in his arms and tell her that she’d never be lonely and unwanted again. But he’d seen that it would have been too much too soon. He’d tell her later.
The waiter cleared their appetizer plates, and brought them dinner.
Owen watched Raina bite into her rare steak. A drop of juice escaped, and she quickly swiped it up with a lick of her pink tongue. He imagined how that tongue would feel as it licked its way along his body. Licked his cock. Those luscious lips of hers, sucking his cock...
He forced his thoughts away from those fantasies. He was already so hard just from watching her, he thought he was going to rip through his pants.
They kept talking through the rest of their dinner. The time flew by. The waiter cleared away their steak plates, then offered them the dessert menus.
“Oh, I shouldn’t,” Raina said, though she shot the menu a longing look. “I’ve eaten so much tonight already. I’m supposed to be dieting.”
Owen put his hand over hers. Deliberately, he traced the delicious softness of her hand, her plump wrist, the delicate skin of her forearm. “Raina, eat as much as you want. I know people have told you that you should starve yourself to be thin, but you weren’t made to be thin. You were made to be a beautiful, big woman, and you wouldn’t be half so gorgeous if you were skinny. So you’re a big girl— so what? I’m a big guy. I can’t even buy clothes at a normal store— they have to be custom-made for me. But there’s nothing wrong with me, and there’s nothing wrong with you. You don’t have to try to change a thing. You’re perfect exactly the way you are.”
Maybe she believed him. She ordered, anyway. The next thing he knew, the waiter had brought him chocolate mousse with raspberry sauce and whipped cream. Raina got butterscotch pudding with caramel sauce and whipped cream.