by Anya Nowlan
Karen was dumbfounded.
“I have money saved up, he doesn’t need to… He didn’t even really know me before he invited me up here and…” Karen trailed off.
“Look, I think he just wants you to stay as long as you can and not rush back because of money. Please don’t take it as him thinking you can’t handle things on your own or anything like that,” Joe said, probably regretting he had opened his mouth.
Karen mulled it over.
“I can’t promise I won’t take it up with him.”
Joe sighed.
“I guess that was the risk I had to take. Don’t be too hard on him,” he noted, turning and making his way back to the lobby.
Karen finished her breakfast, went back to her room, changed into her workout gear and then sat outside in the courtyard until nine, soaking up the sunshine and thinking things over.
The sound of footsteps closing in behind her brought her back to reality.
“Joe told me you’d be out here. Ready to go?” Evan said.
Karen turned around with a smile, deciding not to pick a fight before she’d had a chance to really process everything Joe had told her.
“Let’s do this,” she chirped enthusiastically.
The trail was gorgeous. A moss-covered path snaking through dense forest, the sunlight passing the vibrant leaves. They had been hiking for about half an hour when Karen finally felt brave enough to ask the question that was still weighing on her mind.
“Is there anything about my past you want to ask me about? I’m the one who brought up the part about being an exotic dancer, and it’s only fair if you have questions. The way I phrased it, I don’t want you to feel like it’s a taboo topic.”
“Honestly, the only reason I would be interested in it is to know you better. I don’t judge you for it, but it is a part of your history. If you feel like you want to tell me something about it, you can, but it’s fine if you don’t,” Evan said after some consideration.
“I just want to make it clear that I’m not ashamed. At that point in my life, I was spinning. I didn’t know what I wanted and it seemed like easy money. The only reason I feel bad about it is because of how lost I felt,” Karen explained, surprised at how honestly the words flowed out.
“You have been very adamant about not being ashamed. Did someone try to make you feel like you should be?” Evan queried, his brow furrowing.
A perceptive man, Karen’s inner voice noted.
“Well, I don’t think you’re supposed to talk about your exes on dates,” Karen hesitated.
“Screw the rules. Let’s just be who we are,” Evan said with passion in his voice.
Can’t argue with that.
“He started out as a client. I think we connected because he was lost as well. You wouldn’t think it by looking at him, but he’s a trust fund baby. Never had to work a day in his life. And since he didn’t have to do anything, he just kind of coasted. His feelings for me were stronger than mine for him, so I ended it. He didn’t take it well,” Karen recounted, inspired by Evan to just do what felt right. She didn’t want any secrets between them.
“He said something to you, after you broke up?” Evan prodded.
“I think “stripper whore” were the exact words used,” Karen said sourly. “I know he was just hurt and wanted to hurt me back, and it’s not like his opinion carries much weight… But I guess it still stung and brought out some deeper insecurity,” Karen continued with a sigh.
When Karen noticed that Evan had turned silent, she snuck a look at him, only to find that his hands were in fists, his knuckles white.
“What a puny man to say such things to a woman you deem to care about just because she rejected you,” he all but snarled.
Karen was caught off guard by his anger.
“It’s fine, really. It’s all in the past now,” she said, trying to calm him.
“It’s not fine, but you’re right. Let’s not let that ass put a damper on our day,” Evan reassured her, unclenching gingerly.
They made their way to a small clearing and Evan pulled a blanket, a thermos and some sandwiches out of his backpack.
“Time for a little break?” he asked, spreading out the blanket.
They both had some sandwiches and tea before lying down on the blanket and enjoying the rays of the afternoon sun on their faces. Evan inched closer and took her hand in his.
“I really appreciate you opening up to me, I know it can be scary,” he said, turning to face her. “If there’s anything you want to ask me, go ahead.”
“Well,” Karen started, trying to calm down the butterflies in her stomach and ignoring the urge to straddle him right then and there. “I did notice at dinner that you avoided the topic of your job.”
Evan shifted nervously.
“I help manage pack affairs. My brother Ethan is the Alpha and I’m his right hand. Me and Jameson, his lieutenant, take care of the more sensitive matters in clan politics. But I also have… I guess you could call it a hobby. I fight. Mixed martial arts. I have a guy who sets me up with matches in the underground scene.”
Karen mulled that over for a while.
“Isn’t that dangerous?” she finally asked.
“For those I fight, it sure is,” Evan quipped with a little laugh.
“I’m serious,” Karen said. “I can’t stand thinking about you hurt.”
Evan rolled over to his side to face her.
“Everything in this world is dangerous. It can’t stop us from living, from doing the things we love. I like pushing myself physically, testing my body’s limits. I guess part of it’s the animal inside of me, but moreover, it’s who I am.”
Karen turned to look into his hazel eyes. Who was she to judge? If this was what he loved to do, she couldn’t possibly be anything but supportive. Something occurred to her.
“I’ve never even asked you what you shift into,” she said. “Is that a rude question?”
Evan laughed. “Not at all. I could tell you… or I could show you.”
Karen pulled herself up to a sitting position, excited. “Really? Oh my god, yes!”
Evan got up and backed away from Karen as his skin started to ripple and twist around him. He was a large man already but somehow seemed to grow even bigger. Fur exploded out of his body, covering him in a shiny light brown coat.
Before Karen could even properly process what was happening in front of her, Evan had been replaced by a grizzly bear, slowly padding towards her. He lay down next to Karen, head on his paws, big black eyes staring up at her. She put her hand on his head, feeling the soft fur between her fingers. The bear sighed, closing his eyes and nudging his head into Karen’s lap, almost knocking her over. Karen giggled and started to pet him.
“Well aren’t you just a teddy bear?” she cooed.
Seven
Evan
Evan had long mastered his animal side. He knew when to release it and how to hold it back. But when he opened up that part of him to Karen, he was shocked at how different it felt. The bear was so calm, Evan didn’t even need to pull on the reins. The big beast was putty in Karen’s hands.
We have that in common, he thought wryly.
He had fallen completely under her spell. The way he caught Karen looking at him gave him hope that the feeling was mutual. They had spent hours out on the clearing, lying next to each other, talking and laughing. It was a perfect lazy Sunday. Driving back into town, they started making plans for the evening.
Dinner again tonight?” Evan asked.
“Sure,” Karen agreed. “But I got the feeling Pierre’s isn’t your usual hangout. Just take me somewhere you’d usually go. You don’t need to impress me, I’m plenty impressed already.”
“I’ve got just the place in mind,” Evan said, stopping the car in front of Bluejay’s.
He opened the door for her and watched her disappear into the building.
Evan used the couple of free hours he had to clean his apartment and get a quick work
out in. He had barely gotten back home when his cellphone rang. It was Everett, his youngest brother.
“Hey, bro, what you been up to?” Everett said with laughter in his voice.
“Oh you know, same old. What’s up, you need something?”
“Dude, same old my ass. Don’t think I haven’t heard about you running around town with some smoking hot redhead. Spill!” Everett’s tone was both accusatory and playful.
Evan sighed deeply. Guess it was just a matter of time.
“Her name is Karen and I met her on a dating site, okay?”
“Am I running out of single brothers or what… Is it serious? Can I meet her? How long is she in town for?” Everett rattled off excitedly.
“Cool down, brother. You’ll meet her when I say you’ll meet her, okay? Now I’ve got stuff to do, I’ll talk to you later.”
Everett got out a, “This isn’t over!” before Evan hung up on him.
Evan shook his head. He’d thought he’d have her all to himself for a while longer. Now that the cat was out of the bag, they’d all start hounding him.
Better warn her at dinner tonight.
Evan met Karen at the bed and breakfast at around eight. She was wearing a plain white t-shirt and a black skirt, showing off her gorgeous legs. They walked to Maisy’s diner hand in hand, the air around them thick and heady with something Evan couldn’t quite name. As they entered, he guided them to his favorite booth by a window in the back. Maisy appeared within seconds with menus.
“Hey ya, lovebirds. Just signal when you’re ready to order,” she said, giving Karen a friendly smile.
They both decided on a burger and fries, stealing glances at each other between bites.
“I really like this place. It feels comfortable,” Karen spoke, breaking the silence.
“I’m not much of a cook so I come here quite often. Plus Maisy’s a friend,” Evan commented, happy to hear Karen shared his appreciation for the diner.
“Has your family always lived in Sweetwater?”
“Yes, the Grimpaw clan settled here a long time ago. We shifters don’t do well in big cities and the nature here is still relatively untouched. A lot of space for bears to roam. There’s a wolf pack in the area as well, for the same reasons. Clans don’t usually like living this close to each other, but we’ve been able to keep things civil,” Evan explained.
Most of the time, anyway, he added in his thoughts, not wanting to scare Karen.
“While we’re on the subject of family, I think mine has grown interested in you. I got a call from my brother Everett earlier. I told him I wasn’t ready to share you just yet, but knowing my brothers… Just a heads up.”
“You and your brothers are very close, aren’t you,” Karen marked.
“We’re the only family we’ve got left,” Evan replied, sounding slightly melancholy.
“I’ve only got my mom. I’ve always wanted to be part of a big family, lots of brothers and sisters… didn’t turn out that way. You’re lucky,” she mused.
“I guess I am. I’d do anything for them, and they’d do anything for me,” Evan said matter-of-factly.
He noticed that Karen was fidgeting with the straw of her milkshake, distracted, looking like she was gearing up for something.
“Is something wrong?” Evan asked.
She took a deep breath, her gaze flicking up to him.
“I talked to Joe this morning. I was worried about how long my savings were going to last, and he said you’d already offered to pay for my room. I know it’s coming from a good place, but I am my own woman and I wouldn’t feel comfortable taking your money. And I don’t know how I feel about you making this kind of decision for me,” Karen said, sounding a bit rehearsed.
She had obviously put a lot of thought into it. Evan’s heart sank. It was never his intention to make her feel underestimated or bought off.
“I’m very sorry. I guess I didn’t think it through. I have no doubt that you are a very capable, strong woman. It’s just that you came all the way out here to see me, it didn’t seem fair,” Evan said, reaching across the table to take Karen’s hand.
“I did come a long way to see you, but it was my decision and I knew what I was getting into. I really do appreciate the gesture, I just needed to clear the air,” she explained, seemingly relieved as she squeezed his hand.
“I don’t want this evening to end,” Evan said as they were walking out of the diner.
“What do you have in mind?” Karen asked.
“Why don’t I show you my place? It’s nothing fancy, but it’s mine.”
Karen considered it for a moment as Evan waited nervously. He didn’t have many visitors – his home was his sanctuary. For whatever reason, he wanted Karen to see his world. The desire to share every part of him was unlike anything he’d ever felt before.
“I’d love to see your place,” she finally said.
Eight
Karen
Evan’s place was a reflection of him, masculine and minimalist. It was a one-bedroom apartment with a spacious living room and a small kitchen area. Everything was streamlined and monochrome, top of the notch electronics, including a PlayStation and an Xbox.
Karen made her way through the living room, glancing at the framed photos on the way. A couple of him and his family, one of him skydiving with someone who looked enough like him for her to assume that it was one of his brothers. She had noted a mountain bike attached to the wall in the hallway.
“So… you have a lot of hobbies,” she remarked cautiously.
“You think I’m an adrenaline junkie?” Evan laughed and seemed to think about it for a second. “I guess that’s not far off, to be fair.”
“Aren’t you afraid at all?” Karen asked. Living life to the fullest was one thing but chasing an adrenaline high with little to no consideration for one’s safety was quite another. Evan closed the distance between them.
“It’s only dangerous if you’re bad at it,” he said, leaning into her, his breath caressing her neck.
Karen couldn’t hide the shiver that ran down her spine and she could see the smile tugging at Evan’s lips.
Two can play at this game, she thought.
She got on her tiptoes, brushing her body up against him, dragging her lips across his cheek until she could reach his ear.
“And I bet you’re real good at it,” she whispered.
A low, guttural groan escaped Evan’s throat.
“You’re not playing fair.”
“Neither were you,” Karen answered, excited and pleased by the effect she had on him.
Evan slowly and deliberately walked her back until she bumped against the wall. He slipped his hand to the back of her neck, softly massaging his way up, tangling his fingers in her hair. His hard body pressed against hers, creating friction in the most delicious places.
Karen got on her tiptoes again, reaching to his lips. That was all the invitation Evan needed to drown her in a kiss that quite literally took her breath away. She wrapped her arms around him, pulling him even closer.
Slipping her fingers underneath his shirt, she felt the cool, toned skin of his back. Evan’s hand dipped to her thigh, sliding up under her skirt. Karen felt the blood rushing to the pit of her stomach as Evan’s deft fingers found their way to just the right spot, slowly swirling, driving her mad. She moaned into his mouth, prompting him to move faster, but he tore his lips from hers.
“Still wanna play?” he said raspily, wild eyes roaming her face.
“Why don’t you show me the bedroom next,” Karen got out between panting breaths.
Evan grabbed her into his arms, pulling her legs around his waist and making his way to the bed. They fell onto it together, a tangled mess of limbs and desire.
Karen all but tore off Evan’s shirt so she could run her hands over the smooth muscles of his chest. She didn’t want anything between them, just skin on skin. Evan slid off her t-shirt and unclasped her bra in record time and started kissing down her
neck, making his way to her breasts. His hand was back under her skirt, making her insides quiver.
Karen started fumbling with his belt, her attention faltering when Evan started teasing her nipples with his tongue. Excruciating pleasure started mounting within her body, building and building to unreachable heights until it exploded through her, forcing a scream from her mouth as her back arched.
Evan wrapped his arms around her, planting soft kisses on her neck and arms as she recovered. She slid her hand down his stomach to the bulge in his jeans. Slowly stroking him, she moved her lips to his, teasingly planting little kisses around his mouth. Evan’s eyes closed, his body starting to move along with her hand.
She pushed him on his back, pulling down his pants and underwear, and then her eyes grew wide.
He is definitely well-endowed, she thought.
She wrapped her lips around him, enjoying the gasp it drew from Evan. As her head moved up and down, Evan’s moans grew louder. Suddenly he pulled her back up to him, drawing her into a feral kiss.
He got a condom out of a drawer from the bedside table and put it on. Karen straddled him, slowly moving up and down his shaft before taking him inside. She started slowly riding him while his hands roamed whatever parts of her body he could reach, finally stopping at her bottom, squeezing and kneading.
Karen could feel the pressure start to build inside her again as she began moving faster and faster. In one swift move, Evan flipped them over. Karen was now on her back, her legs still wrapped around him. He moved hard and fast, using his hands to lift her butt, hitting just the right spot inside her.
Karen’s thoughts grew frenzied as her body started to shake under overwhelming waves of pleasure. Another scream reverberated through the apartment, this time echoed by Evan’s.