Erotica- Forever His/ Spanking

by Skylar Faye

  Sadness swept over her. Loneliness, too. She’d spent so many years basically alone, but this was the first time that she really missed someone. She was afraid that two days would seem like an eternity. Maybe he’d come back sooner.

  She reached to turn off the bedside lamp and then froze. A shiver wiggled up her spine and the hairs on the back of her neck stood up. Someone was watching her. Someone was in the room with her. Her heart raced. She almost disappeared but stopped when she sensed that she recognized the visitor.

  “They know where you are.”

  Tyrone! She turned to face him, pleased to see her old friend, even with this awkward arrival. She pulled the sheet she’d tossed aside earlier back over her naked body. She’d been alone and saw no need to get dressed, now she wished she’d at least put on a night T-shirt. But that was silly. He would be unconcerned with her nakedness, since he was not interested in women.

  “They?” Her stomach had knotted with almost certain knowledge of who he meant.

  The stocky gremlin, all of three feet tall, stood by the dresser, fingering the locket necklace she’d worn for centuries. It was her one tie to her past. “Still carrying it around with you, I see.”

  “Yes,” she admitted, knowing she always would. She didn’t want to talk about it. “They?” she pressed.

  He was never one to be rushed. He glanced around the room, focused on her and quietly studied her. She shifted uncomfortably, knowing he always saw more in a person than they wanted revealed. Finally he gave a saucy grin. “Bet the wolf liked your hot little body.”

  She stiffened, heat spread up her face. He knew she’d made love with Seth earlier. Darn him and his invasion into her private thoughts. She didn’t want to play this game. “Stop annoying me and answer my question.”

  Sniffing, his grin grew bigger, his pointy yellow teeth showing. “I was only guessing, but now I know for sure. You smell of sex. Someone has been naughty, letting a beast have his way with her.”

  “Tyrone,” she warned through gritted teeth. “Do you really want to see my nasty side?”

  He snorted. “You? A nasty side?” Now he chuckled.

  She scowled and curled her hands over the sheet, disgusted with his taunting. Okay, she didn’t have a nasty side, but she could get angry. “Why are you here pestering me?”

  He looked offended. “I’m not here to pester you. I’m here to warn you.” All amusement disappeared from his far less than handsome face. “Queenie Weenie has been searching for you. Her faery detectives have finally located you. Well…at least they know you’re here in the States.”

  Her mother would really hate being referred to as ‘Queenie Weenie.’ Her mother! Everything in her tightened. “Why after all of these years has she decided to look for me?”

  He shrugged and picked up some earrings from the top of the dresser. “I don’t know for sure, but I’ve heard rumors that she’s ready to pass on her position to one of her daughters.” He faced her again. “Maybe you’re not quite the outcast you thought you were. Maybe you’re in the running for Queen Mama of her Faery band.”

  Teri struggled to breathe normally, fought to keep from showing him the depth of her fear. They were hunting for her? How could this be happening? After all this time. After all the horrible things they’d said to one another.

  “I can’t go back,” she whispered, trembling, slumping against the headboard. “I can’t.”

  “Because of what happened?” Tyrone looked directly at her. “Or because of Wolf Boy?”

  Wolf Boy? Now she remembered his other wolf reference. “What are you talking about?” she asked in irritation, momentarily sidetracked from thinking about her mother. She sat up straighter, holding the sheet over her breasts.

  He studied her for a minute and shook his head. “You honestly don’t know, do you? So blinded by his ruggedly handsome looks that you can’t see beneath his surface. And, yes, I’ve seen him. Can I say yum!”

  She narrowed her eyes, aware that Tyrone preferred men as sexual partners. Seth would definitely appeal to him. “Not for you. Understand.” She knew that if Tyrone really wanted someone, he could control the person’s mind and gain whatever he desired. “Stay. Away. From. Him.”

  “Possessive much?” He chuckled and held out his hands, palms up. “Gotcha. Stud man is taken.”

  Teri heaved a sigh, realizing she had all but admitted that she had strong feelings for Seth. “There is nothing between us.” She still carried the scent of their lovemaking, just as Tyrone had noted. Her cheeks heated. “Okay, we had sex. But that’s all there is.”

  “Pretty wild sex, right?” He sounded hopeful, like he wanted her to give him details.

  “I am not talking about it.” But, yes, it had been intense…so intense Seth had passed out. She was still surprised about that, curious, too.

  “Honey, I’m happy that you might have found someone to love after all this time. Maybe even someone worthy of your love, finally. I can see it in your eyes; hear it in your defense of him.”

  He stepped closer to the bed and she noticed the worry in his gaze. “But a match between the two of you…More complicated than you could ever imagine.”

  “I don’t love him.” Had she denied it too quickly? She let Seth do things to her no other man ever had. She enjoyed being with him, even arguing with him. She didn’t want to leave here. “I can’t love him.”

  “Maybe not, but you do. I feel it. My gremlin sense is all whacky that way sometimes, like now.” He held her gaze, sadness in his eyes. “Talk about problems to overcome. Sweetie, you have a ton of them. Your big man isn’t just a rough, tough rancher who likes his life here in the middle of nowhere. Who likes his privacy to the extreme, I might add. I’ve done a bit of research on your lover. You’re one of my oldest friends, after all.”

  Teri tensed, waiting for her long-time friend to tell her something she had clearly not seen about Seth. Finally she snapped, “Just spit it out!”

  He hesitated, looking like he really didn’t want to answer. Then he said grimly, “Seth Stevenson is a werewolf.”

  She gaped at him. “Seriously?” She didn’t believe him for a second. She wouldn’t have missed something like that. Right?

  He nodded. “Seriously. I’ve known it from the moment you came home with him. I watch after you. But I never felt any threat from him. Fact is, everyone around here thinks a lot of him.”

  She knew that already. “Yes, but…”

  “No ‘buts’ about it. You’re living with one strong Alpha male wolf shifter. Your spidy senses must be off for some reason because you should have known it, too.”

  She sat stunned, not worried, in no way frightened. She’d encountered other shape shifting wolves over the years and had no problem with them. Actually, she respected them. They lived in packs, watched after each other, didn’t bother anyone else unless necessary. Some of the other special beings she’d met weren’t as loyal to each other. Generally she tried to steer clear of any people other than full-on mortals. It made her life less of a problem, except for having to move on every five to ten years because she didn’t age. Seth wouldn’t have that tricky problem. Wolves aged, but they could live a very long time. How old was he anyway?

  “Why isn’t he with his pack?” She’d seen the loneliness that haunted him sometimes in his eyes. Had something driven him away from them? Like she’d been driven from her family? Was that why he stayed so much to himself? To keep the others from knowing what he really was?

  “I don’t know. That’s something you’ll have to ask him.” Tyrone moved away, seeming restless. “I’ve got to go.” He tapped his bald head. “Someone else is trying to get my attention. I just wanted to tell you what I’ve heard about Mama Queen.”

  From time to time she had telepathically communicated with him, too, so she understood. Her skills at using such abilities were rusty. Obviously her skills at sensing other special beings were rusty as well, which could be dangerous. She should have picked up on Seth�
�s uniqueness. Maybe she just hadn’t wanted to. But, now that she thought about it, every sign of an Alpha wolf-shifting male was there. Dominant. Determined. Leader. Protective. Defensive. No wonder he’d been so “hot” in bed. She’d sensed a primal side to him. Okay, at least she’d sensed something. Her skills weren’t completely lost.

  “Are you going to be okay?”

  She gave her friend a weak smile. “You’ve thrown me a double whammy, but I’ll figure it out.”

  “Your Wolf Boy has feelings for you. He’s probably confused by them, since you’re not a wolf female.” He glanced toward the window. “I imagine that’s why he took off today. Needs time to think about the matter.”

  She thought about how panicked Seth had looked when he’d first pulled away from her after they’d made love. How desperate he’d been to get away from her. Then how passionately he’d kissed her. Wildness had sparked in his eyes, an animal’s wildness. How could she have been so blind all of this time?

  “Maybe I should leave.” But she didn’t want to, even if it would make both of their lives easier.

  “He’d come after you.”

  Would he? Her heart raced. Would she want him to? “I told him I’d stay until he came back.” Her excuse for not leaving and she was latching onto it.

  “Give him a chance, honey.” Tyrone started fading, but added sternly, “Watch your back. Watch for your mother’s trackers.”

  As Tyrone disappeared she lay back. She hadn’t showered and she smelled Seth’s scent. A wolf’s scent. Her body ached for him, for his touch. Moisture beaded between her legs. Her nipples hardened. She wanted him, desperately.

  Pulling in a ragged breath, she tried to calm her body. Was he thinking about her? Did he ache for her, too?

  She wished he would come back so they could discuss the situation. She had so many questions, wanted to know his past and how he had ended up here. Now she understood more about why he kept refusing to go on book tours. He couldn’t trust himself in certain situations, something she’d learned from being around other wolf-shifters. Stress pushed them to the edge.

  She smiled. She had pushed him to the edge…rather their lovemaking had. He’d fought changing in front of her. Probably feared hurting her, too. She could have prevented that easily enough, but he wouldn’t know that. While she’d been naïve about what he really was, she should have sensed his shifter abilities. But he would never guess that she was a faery. Faeries rarely had dealings with any other beings. She being the exception. But then she was out in the real world far more than any faeries she knew. Still, she was fairly certain Seth would not have encountered one before. Would he even believe her…if she admitted it? Should she tell him? Such an admission could cause even more problems.

  Her head hurt from all the troubles that now faced her. Seth and her possible feelings for him and what could possibly be done about them. His reaction when she confronted him about his secret, because they had to deal with it. His reaction should she decide to admit her secret. Oh, and let’s not forget the other huge issue of her mother and the faeries looking for her.

  She squeezed her eyes shut. Maybe she should just end her life.

  No! She had to stop thinking that way.

  Maybe she should leave before Seth came back. She could keep on hiding from her family. She could keep them from having anything to do with Seth. He didn’t deserve to get caught up in the mess that was her life. But how could she walk away from him?

  Chapter Six

  For two days Seth had waged a war with himself in the small cabin. He ached for Teri, for everything about her. The way she struggled with cooking, grumbling under her breath when something didn’t turn out like it should have. At first, he’d been irritated with her obvious lack of cooking skills. Yet he’d eaten whatever she’d made and he certainly hadn’t lost any weight. The way she’d washed his blue jeans with his white briefs, turning them a bluish-gray. She’d huffed in annoyance when he’d questioned her about them, and then thrust that chin of hers up and all but dared him to fire her because of the problem. He’d honestly thought about it—for all of two seconds. In truth, he’d been kind of amused at her lack of any sort of typical housekeeping abilities for cooking or cleaning or doing the laundry. And she hated sticking to any kind of strict schedule, another problem they had.

  He drew in a breath and thought about how she’d narrowed her eyes in disgust at him and stomped off in a snit after the laundry incident. He’d almost gone after her to warm her pretty little bottom for attitude. But he’d simply smiled instead. Smiled. It had been so long since he’d felt anything close to happiness, or been tempted to smile about anything. It had taken a tiny bit of a woman with car problems and a huge box of condoms—whatever had happened to those?—to shake his world up. She had shaken it up in a “good” way as opposed to his horrendous disaster of a marriage to Sarah.

  What was he going to do about Teri Pennington? For all of the talking—okay, mainly she’d talked—they had done while watching movies some nights, he still knew next to nothing about her. Except that she’d been a photographer and she was tired of that. He had a feeling she had some history that she didn’t want to share with anyone. Secrets. But then he did, too. At least they had that in common, which wasn’t really a good thing. He’d been here two days and still didn’t have a clue about what to do with her.

  Okay, he’d spent a great deal of time thinking about having the pretty blond naked and at his mercy. He wanted to mate with her in every position possible…and then do it all over again. But he couldn’t. When he’d taken her from behind after giving her a belting, he’d barely stayed sane. Not that she’d complained. Still, he couldn’t chance hurting her. Even now his dick was so damn hard, shoving at the front of his jeans.

  He reached down and gently massaged it with the hope of calming down his erection. Instead his mind envisioned Teri on her knees in front of him, her sweet mouth administering to his need.

  Damn! All he wanted to do was fuck her blind. Damn, damn, damn!

  Angry with himself for wanting a woman he shouldn’t—couldn’t—have…angry with her for enticing him, he released his erection and a growl of frustration. His wolf wanted out, desperately.

  He fought the change and sucked in a breath of the cool morning air from where he stood in the open doorway. Think of something else. Forget Teri. Forget mating.

  Again a growl curled up from deep inside him and burst out, echoing across the acres and acres of rolling hills down to the small patch of trees by a pond that stretched out before him. Somehow it seemed to settle him, a little bit.

  Breathing easier, he focused on why he was here at this part of the ranch. Privacy. He never allowed cattle to be brought to this part for grazing, which meant his men never had reason to ride here. The only ranch hand who had been to this area from time to time was Walker. His friend, a man every bit as troubled by his life as Seth felt. Walker, too, needed somewhere to go occasionally to work through the frustrations he dealt with. Seth couldn’t imagine surviving nearly five years in prison for a crime he hadn’t committed. Acquitted or not, Walker was still judged as an ex-con.

  He ran a hand through his hair, thinking he needed a haircut. Now that he thought about it, the Double S was the home of a whole bunch of society’s misfits. His ex-con foreman. His odd group of ranch hands included five young men who had come to him one at a time from a troubled youth camp. They’d settled in well and were extremely loyal to him now. Then there were the two brothers who had ridden in one day looking for a chance, desperate for jobs. They’d been alcoholics and spent some time in jail for DUIs. They hadn’t had a drink as far as Seth knew since coming here almost two years ago. Rounding out his crew were two former rodeo cowboys, both slightly disabled but damn hard workers. And, of course, his motley crew included him…a shape-shifting wolf who couldn’t let anyone know his dark secret.

  He frowned and the worry he carried with him at all times surfaced once more. If something happened
to him for whatever reason, what would become of this group of men? This had become their home, their safe haven against a world who judged them unfairly. He’d been thinking for a while now about making Walker a partner in the ranch so he could spend more time writing, something he really enjoyed. He would build a new house here to replace this old line shack. Maybe he should make each of the other men partners as well, in much smaller portions.

  It was all too much to think about right now. His body was tense. He needed distance from all of his problems, needed to run off some of his frustration. Maybe if he let himself change, let the wolf run freely around this part of the ranch for a while, he could settle enough to deal with it all. He’d fought changing, as he always did. It was a natural instinct, but he’d learned to carefully guard his secret since he’d settled here. He liked it here, liked the townspeople, and liked his men. Finally, he’d been able to let go of Catherine’s death, the death of their baby, and the loss of his ties to his pack. With the exception of his screw-up with Sarah, his life was all right.

  All right? Just all right. Was he willing to settle for that for the rest of his years? Did he want more? Did he want Teri in his life for more than just as his housekeeper?

  He shuddered with the growing need to become the other part of him, the wilder part. He shouldn’t do this. Usually he only allowed his change to overtake him at night, and then he made sure he stayed well away from anyone the next day if he hadn’t changed back. Uneasiness fluttered through him. Yet as he took another look around the area, he didn’t see anyone, heard no sounds of horses or trucks headed this way. Still he hesitated.

  He listened again; let all of his heightened senses do their thing. Nothing. No sounds other than some birds chirping to each other as a small flock flew overhead toward the pond. No strange scents drifting on the breeze.

  Even though a strange uneasiness remained, he stepped back into the shack and began removing his clothes. When he stood naked in the middle of the cabin, he felt free, at last. He could give in to his nature and let the beast out for a short while. Just long enough to tame the wildness that had built inside him. Maybe once he’d had a good run and cleared out that tension he could finally go home. Finally face Teri.