by Ruby Shae
The asshole had the nerve to laugh.
“What the hell are you laughing at? I’m dying over here and you’re fucking laughing. God dammit. Help me, man. How do I get rid of this feeling?”
“You don’t,” Gage smirked. “That, brother, is the way you should have felt fifty years ago before you asked Elsa to be your bride. It’s the way we shifters react to the woman we want to spend eternity with. Do you think she’s interested?”
“Yes. Maybe. No. I don’t know,” he leaned over and hung his head between his knees. “How did you cope with this for nearly two years? I feel like I’m going crazy.”
“You can learn to control it, but it’s difficult. I kept everything I knew about Kate hidden in the back of my mind. I never let her come to the surface, not even for an instant. I don’t think you need to do that though, in fact, I think the sooner you claim her, the sooner you can ensure her safety.”
Ensure her safety.
Those three words caused him to focus and he sat up and faced his brother.
“What do you know?”
“Not much. She came into town a few days ago and applied for the job at Randy’s. She asked him to pay her daily, in cash, and he agreed. Kate said she arrived on foot carrying a bulky backpack, but she and her clothes were clean. She also didn’t have a place to stay and had asked the location of the nearest hotel. Katie spoke to the Jackson’s and they agreed to rent her their guest apartment for five hundred dollars a month. She paid in cash.”
“That’s a lot of cash to be carrying around,” Seth commented.
“Yeah, and there’s more. She says her name is Ana, but she usually doesn’t respond the first time someone calls her name. Randy, Kate and Dave have all tested the theory and she doesn’t answer them until the third try. I’m pretty sure it’s not because of a hearing problem.”
“What do you think? Do you think she’s running from the law?”
“She’s running, but I don’t think the law is involved. I can go over to the capitol next week and check the database, but without any information, it’s like searching for a needle in a haystack. I can only view the pictures and see if any of them look like her.”
“Do you think she’s dangerous? Should we be concerned she’ll hurt someone in town?”
“What do you think?” Gage asked, clearly not ready to place labels on the newcomer.
“I think she needs protection. My bear is dying to shield her from the world, and it would make sense given how many times she glanced out the window during my lunch.”
“I agree. I think someone is after her. If we can get her to confide in us, we may be able to help her as a community. Either way, it will be easier for you to defend her if you know what you’re up against.”
“I’ll try and get to know her. Maybe she’ll learn to trust me.”
“Keep me posted, and let me know if you need back up,” Gage said. “For now, I suggest you shift and run. It won’t make them go away, but it will dull some of the stronger urges. At least until tomorrow,” Gage laughed.
“Ha, ha. You’re a regular comedian,” Seth said as he got up to leave.
“I’ll be here all week. Stop in anytime,” Gage yelled behind him.
When he stepped out onto the street, he saw Dave walking up to the building.
“Everything okay?” The man asked.
“Yeah, I’m good. Thanks for bugging out for a while.”
“No problem, man,” Dave said. “See you later.”
“Yeah, see you.”
He looked down the street toward the café and ran a hand through his hair. The setting sun reminded him it would soon be dinner time, but as much as he wanted to go back to the café, he decided to take his brother’s advice. He wouldn’t be able to breech her defenses if he acted like a maniac or a sex starved jackass.
He needed to take the edge off.
He forced himself to turn in the opposite direction and walk away. He kept walking up the hill of his brother’s property and into the National Forest. Once there, he surveyed the area and when he deemed it safe, he shifted into his bear form.
Thankfully, the magic allowed them to shift with their clothes on, so he didn’t need to strip first, or find a place to hide his clothes. The ability had saved him from several awkward situations over the years.
In bear form, he sniffed out his surroundings and roamed away from the family he smelled on the other side of the embankment. He kept walking, periodically sniffing the air, until he didn’t detect any humans near enough to spot him.
Then he ran.
***
Ana stood in front of the meat section in the tiny grocery store and compared the two varieties of ground beef. Eventually she opted for the healthier, more expensive variety and moved on to the canned vegetable aisle.
For the past month she’d bounced around from state to state and lived in hotels, hostels and shelters. Each city offered little comfort and within days the thugs searching for her would find her again.
The last time she ran, she headed north and hoped the approaching winter would be too cold for the California men. She’d stayed in southern Montana for a week and when there was no sign of them, she ventured even further north and found Bear Mountain.
The tiny town would offer little security if the residents hated outsiders, but they seemed to welcome her easily. She was tired of running and though she had only been in town for a few days, she somehow felt safe. Her instincts said she could trust the community and she wanted to believe them.
For the first time in weeks, she had the amenities to cook a meal for herself. In order to save as much as possible, she’d decided to make two casseroles and freeze the leftovers. Randy would let her have a free meal at the café on the days she worked, so she only needed to worry about two meals on those days. She added eggs, bacon and cheese to her basket and walked through the freezer section.
The few flavors of ice cream called to her and she quickly calculated the amount in her basket to see if she could afford to indulge in her favorite snack. She’d made a budget for herself and she still needed to pick up a quart of milk. Although she could probably spend a few more dollars without much consequence, the unknown kept her from buying something she could live without.
“What’s your favorite flavor?”
She jumped back and released a tiny scream before she looked up into Seth’s brown eyes. She swayed, and would have fallen to the floor if his large hand hadn’t reached out, grabbed her bicep, and steadied her. His swift reaction charmed her, but his hand on her bicep sent electricity racing to her core. He was everything she’d ever wanted in a man, and somehow he was still touching her.
“Easy there,” he said.
The compact aisle seemed to shrink with his presence and his hand lingered longer than necessary as they stared at each other in the small confined space.
Too soon he loosened his grip and rubbed her arm where he’d held on.
“Sorry. I hope I didn’t hurt you by holding on too tight,” he said.
Never!
His touch had been perfect and she wanted to feel his strength everywhere.
“No, it was—” she cut herself off before she revealed too much. “Thank you.”
The heat from his touch blazed and spread like wildfire all over her body. Her cheeks warmed when she thought about what he would feel like on top of her, pressing her into the mattress.
“You’re welcome, although technically it was my fault for startling you in the first place,” he laughed. “So, you never answered me. What’s your favorite flavor?”
She stood in the frozen food aisle, sweating, and when she noticed he seemed unaffected, she couldn’t hide her embarrassment. Instead of trying to impress him, she blurted out the truth.
“All of them. I’d buy one of every flavor if I could.”
Oh. My. God. Shut up, idiot!
What the hell was she saying? No man wanted a woman that looked like her, let alone one who admitted to b
eing addicted to ice cream.
Tears pricked her eyes and she abruptly turned and raced her cart toward the check-out counter, blinking rapidly. If the older woman behind the counter noticed her glossy, red-rimmed eyes, she didn’t comment.
She heard Seth approach, and she knew he’d purposely created a racket so she wouldn’t jump again. The man might be big, but he was light on his feet. The woman behind the counter glanced at Seth and then smiled at her as if she knew a secret.
“I got mint chip, pecan praline and rocky road,” he said as he placed the three half gallon tubs on the little conveyor belt. “My freezer won’t hold one of every flavor, so we’ll get another three next time.”
She shook her head, on the verge of rejecting his gift, but when she looked up at him a wide smile lit up his face. He went from handsome and sexy to downright lethal. If she got too close, she’d never recover, but his smile was contagious. She couldn’t help smiling in return.
She didn’t know his intentions, but the simple gesture touched her heart and her eyes welled up with unshed tears, causing his image to become blurry. A single drop escaped out of her right eye and she turned to wipe it away.
He used her momentary weakness to his advantage.
“Add these on, Cora. I’m paying for everything.”
“Seth—” She snapped her head toward him.
He looked at her and raised an eyebrow, as if daring her to protest, and she held her tongue. She didn’t need to cause a commotion her first week in town. As it stood, the rumor mill would go crazy knowing he’d not only bought her ice cream, but he’d paid for her groceries, too.
He picked up both bags and she led them out of the store. She continued walking toward her apartment and he followed.
“So, we’ve got dessert. How about I make us dinner to go with it?”
She contemplated how to answer. She wanted to spend time with him and he’d offered the perfect opportunity. She’d get to see the inside of his apartment, and still get to taste a home cooked meal.
Made by him.
If things went well, she might get the chance to touch him.
That was the danger. She feared if she touched him, he’d ruin her for all other men, but then what did it matter? She already knew she’d live out the rest of her life alone, and if the thugs caught up to her, she’d be dead sooner than later anyway. It would be nice to have some fun.
“Before you say no, keep in mind that I’m the one with the ice cream. Three flavors, too,” he winked and she couldn’t stop the laugh that escaped.
“Okay, you win. Dinner sounds great.”
They made a quick stop at her apartment and he waited outside while she ran in and put her single bag of groceries away. Then he escorted her to his home.
The layout was bigger than her living space, but it hadn’t been what she expected, though she couldn’t put her finger on why. She looked around the room and realized the furniture, though old and well kept, had a feminine quality to it.
Dread washed over her as she briefly wondered about his marital status. It hadn’t come up in conversation, but she didn’t want to be caught in the middle of a lover’s quarrel or worse. Besides, the thought of him with another woman made her sick to her stomach. She wouldn’t be able to handle seeing him around town with another woman on his arm.
“Are you married?” She yelled a little too loud.
He popped out of the kitchen, and studied her quizzically as he wiped his hands on a dishtowel.
“If I were married, I wouldn’t be here with you,” he responded as if she’d insulted him.
“I didn’t think so, but we didn’t discuss it so I thought I should check. Your furniture isn’t what I expected.”
He visibly relaxed upon hearing her explanation.
“Oh, that’s because it isn’t mine. This was Kate’s old place before she moved in with my brother. He let her redecorate and she left almost everything behind.”
“That makes more sense.”
He returned to the kitchen, and she looked around again. She noted the flat screen TV on the wall opposite the couch. She’d bet money it was the only thing in the room that he’d actually picked out and purchased for himself.
Twenty minutes later, Seth placed their plates on the little, blue dining room table. His plate held two large steaks and hers held one slightly smaller one. Both plates were piled with a heaping scoop of both mashed potatoes and corn. He offered her a soda and she happily accepted.
“Thank you for cooking, but there’s no way I can eat all of this,” she said, sitting down at the table.
“Eat until you’re full and I’ll save the leftovers for later.”
She tried to keep her bites slow and refined, but feared she’d failed. It had been a long time since she’d had a steak, especially one cooked to perfection. In the end, there wasn’t much left over.
They ate like they were old friends and she liked that he talked to her, but didn’t feel the need to fill up every bit of silence with chatter. He also kept the personal questions to a minimum. She appreciated his attempt to make her feel comfortable. When the meal was over, he dropped their plates in the sink and rejoined her at the table.
“You didn’t comment on how much I ate,” he noted.
“I don’t like it when people do it to me, so I don’t do it to others. Besides, you’re a big guy. I’m guessing you need a lot of fuel to keep going.”
“You’re right about that,” he smiled. “Do you want some ice cream?”
“Maybe later. I can’t eat another bite.”
“How about movie?”
“A movie sounds great.”
He sat in the middle of the couch, giving her no choice but to sit beside him. She chose the right side and once they decided on a title, he put his arm around her shoulders. Minutes into the movie her eyes drooped and she leaned toward him, tucking her legs under her.
He pulled her against his chest and wrapped his arm around her back. She took advantage and slid her hand across his stomach. Her palm skated over his muscles and heat surged up her arm and spread throughout her body. She wanted to touch him more, but sleep threatened and she felt exhausted. She fit in his arms perfectly, and she snuggled closer, and tightened her grip. Minutes later, she let go and drifted to sleep, safe in his arms.
She thought she felt him kiss the top of her head, but realized she must already be dreaming. He might want her tonight, but there was no way his lust would last until morning.
***
Ana woke in a dark room except for the bright light shining off the TV. Something had jolted her awake, and fear crept in as she glanced around the room without moving.
“It’s okay. You were having a bad dream,” Seth’s voice soothed her and he rubbed her back in comforting circles.
She pulled back to look at him and noticed the movie had ended.
“What time is it?” she asked.
“It’s almost midnight.”
“Have you been awake this whole time?”
“Yeah.” That meant he’d been stuck holding her for nearly four hours.
“I’m so sorry. You should have woken me,” she tried to pull away.
“Why are you sorry? I like holding you,” he said, pulling her back toward him.
The simple admission caused heat to flare in her core. She pressed her legs together in an attempt to stop the growing need, but she couldn’t stop the tingling surrounding her pussy.
She’d never taken the initiative with a man before, but she’d never wanted a man with the same blinding hot intensity that she felt whenever she was around him. Instead of resting her head back on his shoulder, she slid her hand up his chest and cupped the nape of his neck.
She pulled him down toward her and he complied, letting her lead. She brushed her lips against his in barely a whisper, and he let out a low grunt. Instead of being turned off by the sound, her desire escalated. She kissed him again, harder, and slid her tongue across his lips. He opened for her ea
sily and kissed her back with the same urgency.
His hands gripped her waist and he lifted her like a ragdoll and pulled her across his lap. She straddled him and when she felt the size of his cock through their clothes, she felt her panties dampen. He was larger than any man she’d ever been with and she couldn’t wait to be filled by him.
She rocked back and forth, sliding her clit over his dick, and squealed when he grabbed her ass and roughly pulled her toward him. His hands moved to the small of her back and held her in place, spread open for him. He took over the kiss and dominated her mouth. She gripped his shoulders and ground against him
His lips left her mouth and he kissed a trail down her neck. She felt his teeth graze the space between her neck and shoulder and though she hated to be marked after sex, she wanted him to bite her. She craved it with a desperate need she didn’t understand, and she would have begged if he didn’t start kissing her breast through her shirt.
She’d barely noticed his hands move to her upper back, or the freedom he gave her to lean back. He’d guided her wordlessly. He grabbed her shirt with his teeth and pulled it up as far as he could.
“I want this off,” he growled.
She grabbed the hem and yanked the fabric over her head. He unclasped her bra and threw it in the direction of her shirt.
“You are so beautiful,” he said as he filled his hands with her breasts.
His hands massaged the ample flesh and then he leaned down and sucked one of her hard nipples into his mouth. A moan escaped her lips and he switched to the other side. He assaulted her breasts with his tongue and teeth until she was on the verge of orgasm.
“Stop, please. I don’t want to come yet,” she whispered.
She unbuttoned his pants and pulled down the zipper.
“Wait,” he yelled and lifted her off him.
Disappointment flooded her. How could he reject her now?