“She isn’t here right now. Where do you know her from?”
He ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t. I mean I have never met her. May I come in?”
Rayna flexed her left hand and popped her claws. “Sure. Come on in. I am Rayna.”
“Randal Forester.” He extended his hand, and she blinked at the courtesy.
Shaking his hand, she kept her left clawed and at the ready. “Please. This way.”
The huge hulk of a man followed her into her home, and she settled on the couch with her popcorn. “Now, tell me why you are looking for my sister.”
He blinked. “Sister? You don’t…you aren’t…”
Rayna laughed. “So, you have actually met her. Yes, I am adopted. The otters in Draycott sent you here in case you were up to no good.”
He relaxed. “Well, I met your sister a few weeks ago, and I haven’t been able to get her out of my mind. Finding her was my focus, but it was a lot more difficult than it had to be.”
Rayna blinked. “You are the stripper!”
He blushed and rubbed the back of his neck. “I was helping out at my cousin’s club that night. I go on stage when there is a cancellation. By the time I finished my set, she was gone, and I have engaged all of my family members to find her. I finally got a name last week, but I had to finish a job before I could come out here. So, that leaves me with a question.”
Rayna winced, knowing what was coming.
“Where is she?”
Rayna sighed, “Have you ever considered going to the Crossroads? I hear it is nice this time of year.”
Randal bolted to his feet, panic on his face. “She went…when?”
“Yesterday. She isn’t home yet, so you still have a fair chance. Are you willing to pursue her there?”
He nodded. “I am, but I haven’t made any preparations.”
Rayna pulled her phone out and flipped through saved numbers. “Just a moment.” She dialed and bit her claw tip. “Hello, Kris?”
“Hello.”
“This is Rayna.”
“Hiya, Rayna. Are you going to trade Gregory in for another model?” Krisia chuckled.
“No. I need a favour. Remember how you sent Augusta to the Crossroads yesterday?”
“Yes. I have not yet surrendered to dementia.”
“Well, the man that triggered my sister’s urge to find a mate is sitting right here in my living room. I was wondering if I could send him to the Crossroads…soon.”
“I am on my way. Does he have the necessary samples?” The transporter asked the practical question.
“I am sure that we can arrange something suitable. I will make some calls.”
“Good. See you in three hours?”
“Excellent. Done and done.” Rayna hung up and looked at Randal. “So, do you have any local family?”
He blinked for a moment, and then, a slow smile crossed his charming features. “I think I can make a few calls.”
Rayna looked at the stunning features and devastating physique. Augusta was in for a wild ride.
Chapter Three
The first night had been fun. Teebie had shown her the pond where several water-loving species were frolicking. After that, it was straight to the bar to learn the ins and outs of dating in the Crossroads.
During breakfast, Teebie walked her through the men of the night before. “So, which was your favourite?”
“The redhead with the penchant for salsa music. I think he was an elk.” Gusty grinned. “It is so weird not being sure what people are.”
Teebie snickered and pushed another platter of muffins across the table. “That isn’t usually an issue in djinn gatherings.”
Gusty looked at the blue skin and shrugged. “Okay, I can see how it would be a little obvious.”
“Not really. My sisters don’t share my pigmentation. My name is Teebie. It stands for Totally Blue. My aunt named me.” She laughed. “I was a bit of a surprise.”
“Oh. Wow. Okay. I was a middle child, so I have my own issues.”
Teebie giggled.
They continued their discussion of the previous evening, and suddenly, Teebie went silent and sat up as if hearing a distant sound.
“Teebie, what is it?”
“I just got a reservation. Funnily enough, it is on your sister’s account.”
“What?”
“You heard me. There is a man arriving shortly and your sister is sending him. Do you know anyone she would post here?”
Gusty was perplexed. “Not a clue. Do you know when he is arriving or who he is?”
“Nope. Just that it is male and arriving later tonight. I am guessing it was a rush job.”
“Does that happen a lot?”
“Often enough. Some folks reach a tipping point and head here as a personal affirmation. Others dream for years of coming to meet their true mate and find themselves in the arms of the one person they never expected. Love is as complicated as it gets, and when you throw destiny into the mix, you end up with quite a tangle.”
Gusty finished breakfast and got to her feet. “Well, if you don’t mind, I am going to hit that pond. It was quite tempting last night.”
“Be my guest. Well, you are my guest, so go nuts?” Teebie laughed and cleared the table with a wave of her hand.
Gusty grabbed a towel and headed out to the pond. Her shifted form wasn’t dramatic; it was cute. She had lived her life being cute and nothing else. Next to Rayna’s vivid colouring, Augusta was a shadow.
No one else was at the pond, so she peeled off her clothes, folded them and put them on a rock, and then, she shifted and slipped into the water, turning on her back and tumbling endlessly as her mind giggled madly.
Freedom of her other shape was something that she always embraced. If her otter wanted to slide down the hill to splash in the water, she would do it. If it wanted to pick up water plants and wear them as a hat, she would do that, too.
She splished and splashed for hours, scampering around the pond until the sky turned red. Her inner otter sighed happily and encouraged her to take her human form again. It had dancing to do, and it needed her limbs to do it.
Dancing was the otter’s favourite human activity, and if it needed to get dressed to do it, it would suffer clothing and shoes.
Gusty towelled off and climbed back into her clothes. With a swing in her step, she headed back to the Open Heart.
Time to dress for dinner.
The Crossed Star was bustling with energy. New arrivals introduced themselves, men who had met her the previous evening asked for another dance and Chuck renewed his acquaintance with her preferences for soda.
It was nearing midnight when a murmur ran through the ladies in the crowd.
Gusty turned in the arms of a handsome moose and stumbled as her legs refused to hold her up. She knew that jaw, those shoulders and those eyes.
“Gusty, are you all right?” Daniel, the moose, held her tight as she fought for balance.
Gusty’s mystery man came directly to her.
“May I cut in?”
His voice shook her from the inside out. She blinked up into his dark brown eyes.
Daniel made a small sound and let her go.
She went into the arms of the man from that weird night, and he placed one of her hands in his while covering most of her back with the other.
The song wasn’t particularly slow, but he moved easily through the crowd without a hint of rush. Her mind scrambled for things to say, but his hands on her were so delightful, she enjoyed the moment.
When the song ended, he kept hold of her hand. “I am pleased to have found you, Augusta Samuels. My name is Randal Forester.”
She smiled and bit her lip. “I am pleased that you came looking, Randal. How did you find me?”
Another slow song started up, and he pulled her against him. “It is a long story, but I can tell you that my family, your family and several guilds and packs in between have all put in that extra effort to help me track down
the woman that I spoke to that night.”
Augusta blushed. “I didn’t mean to be any trouble.”
“You could have called the club and asked about me.”
She snorted. “Like dozens of other women? I am sorry, but I could not ask for the number for the Handiest Man Alive.”
His cheeks darkened, and she realised she had triggered a blush.
“I didn’t pick the name, and it was far less perverse than the other monikers my cousin could have picked. I was subbing in for the Silken Shadow. He called in sick, so I had to go on.”
“Why?”
“My cousin’s establishment promises no less than ten dancers per night. None of the alternates were available, so I went on as a last resort.”
She licked her lips. “Do you do that a lot?”
“Not anymore. After this little disaster, it became clear to me that my time on the stage was over.” He smiled.
“Disaster?”
“Well, I suppose it could be filed under event. If I hadn’t been there, I never would have seen you, never would have tried to find you and certainly, would not be here.” He bent down and whispered, “I am really glad that I am here.”
She turned her head and whispered, “So am I.”
“I don’t suppose you know anywhere to swim at this time of night?”
She leaned back and smiled, “Funny you should ask.”
He raised one eyebrow, and her heart thudded in her chest. His slow smile crept into her heart and made itself at home.
She was in so much trouble and her inner beast was delighted. With a grin on her lips, she pulled him out of the Crossed Star and down the lane.
“Where are we going?” Randal chuckled.
“A pond where we can frolic in the moonlight.”
“It sounds charming. Will we be alone?”
“I doubt it. Last night, there were two couples dabbling in the water.” She blushed but kept forging onward past the buildings, onto the path and through the woods.
They burst out of the woods, and the moonlight was skittering across the surface of the slowly rippling pond. “Ta-da.”
He stepped up behind her. “It reminds me of home.”
“You live in a pond?”
“No, I have one in my backyard. It is a lake really.”
She heard the slithering of fabric and took a few steps toward the pond. She kicked off her shoes and pulled her dress up and over her head. With economical movements, she shucked out of her underwear and she quickly stepped toward the edge of the water.
She shifted into her otter form and gambolled into the pond.
She dove under the water, and when a large, dark figure entered after her, she looked up at the moonlit silhouette of a large beaver paddling through the water above her.
He dove and took her in his paws, pulling her up and over him. They tumbled together in the water, playing tag and splashing each other. She was nimbler, but he had the wide paddle of his tail to use.
When they finally left the water, she was exhausted. Two frolics in one day were tiring. She sat on the rock and waited for her body to dry.
Randal waddled out of the water and shook himself. As he rippled his fur, he shifted with bone-sliding grace.
Gusty watched, enthralled, as he stood up, wet muscle and skin gleaming in the moonlight. “Oh, my.”
He looked down and blushed, his erection bobbed as he shifted. “I have an active job. It keeps me in shape.”
Her pale, smooth body seemed feeble in comparison. “I work as a clerk. It doesn’t build a lot of muscle.”
Randal laughed and ran his hands through his hair. “It isn’t a contest. I want you just the way you are.”
“Why? I saw some of those women. They were climbing all over you.” She bit her lip and tried to sit casually, not an easy feat when you were nude.
“And yet, you looked me in the eye and spoke to me. Not to my chest, not to my dick. To me.”
His blunt words made her appreciate that looking the way he did, attention was something he always ended up with.
“It was your voice. The moment you spoke, you had my full and undivided attention. You could have been a talking meatball on a stick, I still would have spoken with you.”
He laughed. “Not the most flattering description of a first meeting, but I will take it. Now, may I escort you to your residence?”
Gusty grinned. “I think I need to get dressed first. You may be used to exposure, but I only strip down in public to shift.”
He laughed and turned to his own clothing.
She used his distraction to pull on her panties before wiggling into her bra. Once she had fought her dress over her head, she only needed to slip on her sandals to be ready for the walk back.
He finished a moment after she did and held his hand out. She slipped her fingers along his, and he closed his calloused grip against her digits. Whatever he did for a living, he used his hands.
“I am staying at the Open Heart.” She twisted her lips shyly.
“That is a charming coincidence.”
“What is?”
“I am also staying at the Open Heart. Teebie has been most hospitable.” He laughed, and they were on their way through the woods and down the lanes toward the glowing, bright light of the hospitality lane.
He kept her close to him when they passed other males, and he bristled with hostility when a few of her dance partners said hello.
Gusty was a little uncertain when they finally arrived at the Open Heart. She had the man she had been dreaming about, but there was only one problem. What was she going to do with him?
Chapter Four
Teebie waved them into the morning room, and glasses of wine floated in and settled next to them on the end tables.
Gusty smiled, “It takes getting used to.”
“I can see that.” He picked up his glass and took a sip.
“So, I am guessing that you have met my sister. How was she?”
Randal smiled, “Surprisingly hospitable once she got over the fact that I was the stripper.”
Gusty chuckled. “Yeah, it was a hurdle, but if I wanted you, she was all for it. Frankly, I am amazed that you didn’t have any claw marks on you. She can be a little pointy if she isn’t expecting guests.”
“Well, she did force me to watch a chick flick. We shared the popcorn and the tissue box.” He blushed.
“Ouch. It must have been movie night.”
“Well, she kept her left hand clawed for most of it. She relaxed about halfway through the movie.”
“That’s impressive. Rayna can keep herself in a state of readiness for hours.”
“That is what her husband said. He was less surprised to see me there than she had been.”
Gusty laughed. “Gregory has known my sister since high school. He is aware of her temperament. If you were dangerous, you would have been bleeding.”
She sat sideways, facing him while he sipped at the wine.
He mimicked her like a bookend. “So, how did a lady like you end up watching peelers and staying sober?”
“Ah, well, Bekka was having a bachelorette and she needed a designated driver. I rarely drink, so it wasn’t a hardship. I sat in the back to let more eager fans get the full view of the men on offer.” She twisted her lips. “Once you were finished, Bekka was overheated, so I hauled her to the next bar, hoping that the break would do her some good. It didn’t.”
Silence slipped between them.
She could watch him forever, but she guessed that it would freak him out, so she reached behind her and grabbed her wineglass. A sip told her what she needed to know. It was a black currant cordial with no alcohol in it. It looked like wine and that was good enough for her.
“What do you want out of life, Augusta?”
“Call me Gusty.”
“Gusty, then. What do you want out of life?”
She thought about it. “I want a family, if possible. A home of my own and a man who is mine alone fr
om the moment we join until we die.”
He cocked his head. “That all seems doable.”
“What do you want?”
“I want a woman who will look me in the face, speak to me and listen to my thoughts and opinions. I would, also, like a family. I have two brothers and two sisters, three nieces and four nephews. I would enjoy adding to the tally.” There was a soft expression in his eyes. “A little girl with your eyes would be ideal.”
She blushed. “It might be a boy with your eyes or some combination of the two.”
“It might be nothing at all, though I am not averse to trying.” There was a delighted gleam in his eyes.
“That sounds good, but I don’t think that tonight is the night to start.”
He inclined his head. “Of course. May I escort you to your room?”
“Please.” She got up and held her wineglass.
He drained his and got to his feet. He towered over her, and she felt warm and protected. When he slipped his arm around her back, she shivered from head to toe. She could see his smile, but he merely guided her up the stairs and to the door with the lily pad icon on it.
He leaned down, and she leaned up to kiss him. She smiled in surprise at the black currant flavour of his lips. She had given him the non-alcoholic option as well. Teebie was a classy lady.
His kiss was better than she had imagined it. His body swamped hers on all sides and warmed every inch of her. She cupped his jaw with one hand and held tight as his lips teased hers into parting for the light flick of his tongue.
She tasted him for a moment before breaking the kiss and nuzzling at the cords of his neck. Her otter enjoyed the smell of him, wanted to roll around on top of the slabs of muscle and bone. That mental image was enough for her to pull back with shaking hands and wet thighs.
Gusty cleared her throat. “I will see you in the morning.”
Randal grinned, “You can bet on that.”
Augusta tried to fumble her door open while not breaking eye contact, but she finally had to look down. The door swung open, and she scuttled inside, closing the door in his amused face.
Getting Wet Page 2