by Selena Kitt
She hoped he was. She was greeted by music and the delicious smell of soup as soon as opened the door. Walking down the hall towards the open space kitchen, she saw Ryan chopping some vegetables and throwing them in a pot. This was a rare sight. Such a tall, beyond well-built, scorching-hot and shirtless model of a guy was cooking in her kitchen, humming to the rhythm of the pop song on the radio. This was the second time he cooked for her. She didn’t get his plan, but it was working.
“Smells wonderful,” she said as she came behind him and wrapped her arms around his wide torso.“What is it?”
“Chicken soup, but it’s not done yet. How are you feeling?”
“Better, and I think you’ve just brought back my appetite,” she laughed at the double meaning. She ran her fingers on his way-too-defined-to-ignore eight-pack.
He snorted a laugh. “I can tell,” he said, putting down the knife and turning to face her. His intention was to kiss her, but she pulled him lower for a kiss first. She was getting bolder. He liked that. He had to explain himself.
“Look, baby… I’m sorry I haven’t been around. I haven’t done this in a while now and I’m not very good at balancing my personal and professional life. I never was.”
Oh, shit! That was the businessman in him talking. She hated being second best. She hated it. He was just like her ex. She didn’t want to be in his arms anymore so she pushed him and walked away. “I didn’t ask you anything, Ryan. Why are you even here?”
“Because I don’t want you to think you were just a quick fuck. You mean more than that to me. Don’t push me away, baby.”
“No, Ryan. I’ve been down this road before and I don’t want to do it again. My ex-boyfriend was just like you and when he left me, I wasn’t the same. He just took a part of me with him. Do you know how much it sucks being second best when you give everything you have until you have nothing more to give?”tears started clouding her vision and she hated herself for crying. She hated him more.
“I don’t know what to say. I’m sorry about what your ex did to you, Celine. I really am.”
“He was a jerk. He’s long gone and I managed to get over it somehow. The problem is you make me feel alive again and I haven’t felt that in a long time. It feels too good to be true and I’m afraid you will dump me any second,” there it was. She had said it. What she was most afraid of. She felt exposed and really tiny now. And God only knew she was by not a tiny person.
He came closer to her and hugged her. It was heaven to have her this close again.
“Listen to me. I’m here because I want to be. I only think of you every waking moment and you haunt my sleep. I’m just not the best at showing how I feel. If you teach me how to love you, I want to do my best to have a chance at making you a very happy woman. You’ve been so accepting of me and my wild ways that I still can’t believe it. Even if I don’t know what to do to solve what I have to deal with at work, I want to be in your life.”
“You can start by calling!” she said as she slapped his shoulder. “You do have a phone, don’t you, big guy?”
“Yes, I do. You’re right. It’s just that I have to deal with this problem of finding a chef as soon as possible by Friday or I’m dead. And that’s in two days.”
“Why a chef? Did the one you had quit?”
“Nah, he just fell off a ladder, broke his leg in the worst way possible and is now in hospital.”
“What’s on Friday?”she asked.
“The town festival, CampFest. Didn’t you know?”
“Of course I know. I’ve lived in this town all my life. It’s my favorite event of the year. I love the fair and the concerts. Oh, all the tourists coming here. I get it now,” she laughed. “Hmm… I might be able to help you with that. I know just the person for the job.”
Chapter 11
Saturday night.
After Celine had recommended Tony for the job, she didn’t feel like going to the town festival on her own. A group of friends were going too, so she joined them.
First she had to find Ryan. As bipolar as she sounded for wanting to get away from him one moment and the other craving for his touch, she had made a present for him. One of the three terrariums was for him. He had made an effort and come to her place every night after the day he cooked her soup. She hoped he would like it. She had put so much love into making them. Having breathing plants in their mini-natural environment in her house made it much more alive.
It only took about one minute on her own at the bar in his restaurant to get picked up by a guy. That had to be the strangest thing ever. Men didn’t flock around her. Like never. And till that night, nobody got punched in the face by a guy saying “She’s not available, man!”
That must have been the sexiest thing she had ever heard a man say about her. It wasn’t entirely true, but she liked the sound of that. They hadn’t even talked about it, but him cooking for her and staying every night after that just to make her feel better must count, no?
He didn’t just stay the night, he gave her orgasm after orgasm. Again. For the third time. And then he snuggled with her. It was kind of unexpected to be with him and not have sex.
Thinking about mind-blowing sex while the new guy tried to get his balance right was making her all warm and needy. She bounced off the chair and positioned herself between Ryan, who was now preparing to throw another punch, and the other guy. Facing Ryan, she touched his arms and stopped him. His eyes glared, his heart was erratic and he combed his fingers through his hair to get it off his face. “You didn’t have to do that. We were just talking,” she breathed and pulled him lower for a kiss. She didn’t even recognize herself for doing this. Who was this new Celine? What had happened to her plan? Was she falling for the mountain of a man in her arms? The force of his kiss took her by surprise and all she could do was to give in to the possessive side of him. She forgot they were in a public place, but her moan made Ryan stop the kiss and hold her closer.
“What the hell, man? I didn’t know she was taken,” the shifter in front of him lied. Of course he knew she was taken. He could smell him all over her and he still made a move on his woman. What the fuck was his problem?
“I’d like to take this conversation in private, but just leave,” Ryan forced himself to say before he launched himself on the stranger again for flirting with Celine, who, apparently, was oblivious to it all. She was human after all and couldn’t sense the pheromones coming from the shifter. He buried his nose in her hair, taking in her mint flavored shampoo and allowing her closeness, especially how moist her sex was, to help him cool off.
“I’m not afraid of you,” he smirked as if he knew something Ryan didn’t.
“I said get out!” Ryan roared.
Security got the hint before the shifter did and appeared out of nowhere to escort him out.
“You didn’t have to treat him like that, Ryan. I can take care of myself,” she laughed with less confidence than she wanted to show.
He was still holding her. “Yeah, I did. He was all over you, and you’re mine. I don’t like to share.”
She pushed him away, but he didn’t even budge. “Since when am I yours? I don’t recall having this conversation. Let go of me, you’re suffocating me!”
He complied, but that didn’t mean he was letting her go.“Thank you for your present. It’s going to be the most cherished object in my office now. How are you feeling, baby?” he said, brushing her right cheek.
“You’re welcome. I’m better. I’m heading to the concert with some friends and then home.”
“Are you sure you’re up to it? Have you had dinner yet?” It was late for dinner, but she looked so pale that he had to ask.
“Yeah, I grabbed a sandwich. I’m good. Anyway, I’m off. They’re waiting for me.” She turned around with the clear intention of leaving, but Ryan grabbed her arm.
“Can I meet your friends?”
Silence. He wanted to meet her friends now. Tony couldn’t stop talking about him and now her other
friends were going to ask questions about him. Shit! She didn’t know how to say no, so she only nodded, hoping it wouldn’t be awkward.
As soon as they got to the car, Celine introduced him to Jack, the driver, and to the other girls in the car.
“Hi Jack, I’m Celine’s boyfriend,” Ryan said as he snaked one hand around her waist and the other he held out to shake Jack’s.
“Wow, you move fast, man! Congrats!” a wide-eyed Jack mumbled. The rest of the group was surprised by Ryan’s admission too, but it was nothing compared with how stunned Celine was.
“Listen, do you mind if I steal her for a little while? I just want to make sure she eats something. She isn’t feeling that well,” Ryan asked, but the words didn’t even hit Celine’s ears. He has introduced himself as her boyfriend. That meant what? That he was serious about their new relationship? She had to clarify that before she got in too deep. It sounded like a joke. He was absolutely stunning and he cooked for her, after all! What wasn’t there to fall in love with?
The car was no longer there when she realized he was asking her about food.
“Sorry, what?” she tried.
“Let’s have dinner, sugar.”
“Don’t worry, I don’t want to eat. My body has food in storage for the next ten years anyway,” she joked when in fact just the thought of food made her nauseous.
“I’m sorry, what did you say?”
“I said….” She didn’t get a chance to repeat anything because Ryan cupped her cheeks, groaned and fused their lips together in less than an instant, forcing her to return the scorching kiss. She parted her lips, allowing him to engulf her in the storm he created with his intimidating presence. She had never been kissed like this. Like he had something to prove to her. He tasted like ginger. It was so refreshing. As refreshing as his arrival in her life.
“Baby. You are the most beautiful woman to me. I don’t care about extra pounds. I love them actually.”
He leaned in and whispered:“I have fantasies about your full breasts, your curvy, lovely ass and the way you bounce up and down my cock like a goddess.”
She blushed all over and almost let out a moan.
That night, Celine didn’t make it to the concert.
She was the vocalist in her own bedroom.
Ryan liked his private concert more than the real one and man, the woman drove him crazy with lust. If she weren’t so weak from all those days of being sick, he would have fucked her senseless, but he was more than satisfied about slow, cuddly love-making. He had mentally prepared for this for days and had been in the forest in his bear form every day. His bear didn’t seem interested in taking control over him anymore, so this time he used protection.
He had had a hard-on since she showed up at the restaurant, carrying a terrarium in the shape of a bauble. It was a gift for him. It was also a sign she thought of him enough to work on it. He had hoped that would happen when he left the plants in her living room. He wanted this to work, but what he wanted more was for her to accept him.
They hadn’t been intimate since that night in the mountains and he ached for her touch. Despite still feeling sick with that strange flu, Celine was horny. So horny she could barely keep her hands to herself. She wanted to get back home after dinner and take advantage of having the house to herself tonight. Tony had been staying with her ever since she arrived and if this job was more permanent than a weekend, then she had to ask her friend to get her own place. She needed time alone with Ryan. A lot of it. As long as she could get with him. She was still afraid he would get bored of her and leave, but tonight had made her a bit more confident about their relationship.
She knew they had to talk about everything they hadn’t said to each other and hoped that would happen tonight. She was doing things backwards. Before she got naked with him that Saturday morning when he showed up at her place, she should have asked what his intentions were, but she never thought it would get to the level it got. Him introducing himself as her boyfriend.
He carried her from the car to her apartment door, not interrupting their kiss. He took the key from her hand and unlocked the door. Her house was cooler than it was outside, so being inside felt great. She was exhausted from all the commotion anyway.
“Put me down, Ryan. I can walk,” she giggled.
“I know you can, but carrying you around gives me extra time to be close to your soft skin, so please… allow me to worship you in any way I can.” He was dead serious. Whatever he said. She could get used to all this worshiping.
“I missed you,” she said, still clinging to his neck and burying her nose into his white shirt. He was dressed all business-like tonight and he was so handsome she wanted to just stare at him for hours just to convince herself he was indeed real and he wanted her.
He locked the front door. “Same here, but we’re together now, so let’s stop wasting time,” he silenced her with a burning kiss.
Here they were again. Saturday night. One week had passed and they were this close again. And alone. Having the house to themselves. She was beaming with excitement at the thought of what he might do to her. Her pussy still got more excited than she wanted it whenever she thought of the last time they were together. Some parts of her body still hurt.
Before getting on with it they needed to talk, but he didn’t want to break the kiss. That was why he walked to her room, put her down on the bed, but when she tried to pull him over her, he stopped her.
“Wait, baby. As much as I need to be inside you right now, we have to talk,” he said as he kneeled on the floor. He caressed her warm cheek. “I meant what I said back there to your friend, Jack. You are mine and I want you to know that. I know it’s too soon to be saying this, but I can’t stop thinking about you and waking up alone makes me angry. I know it’s tough for you to believe me given that your ex probably said the same things, but I will do my best to be around more.”He had to test the waters and mention cubs, but he didn’t know how and he felt the wound in his heart open even more every time he thought about it.
The smile on her face lit up the whole room. Seeing him so vulnerable and sincere made Celine believe him. She hoped she wasn’t making the worst mistake of her life.“Nobody has ever taken care of me like you have these past few days. I didn’t dare to ask you to stay the night on Sunday because I’m very scared of getting too attached to you. It might take a long time till I get over this. I can’t guarantee I ever will, but I can try. You make me feel alive again and I can’t stop thinking about you either. I really wanted to hurt you for not calling after you did all those things to me at the chalet.” She avoided saying that he fucked her back to life because that would only feed his ego and he had enough of that.
“You can start hurting me now. I can take it!” he smirked and kissed his way into her bed. Literally. Towering over his beautiful woman, Ryan ran his finger over her soft thigh and lifted her leg, making her cling to him. He rubbed his shaft on her stomach and left a trail of shivers over her stomach and slowly slipped his hand under her t-shirt. The way their tongues played wild games made him even harder. His hair was tied up, so it didn’t bother them.
He kissed and licked her neck. It drove him crazy that she smelled like him.It gave him a sense of security and he wanted to burry himself inside of her. His cock inside her warm chamber was the best feeling in the world, but he was prepared to stand his ground and use a condom this time. As many condoms as necessary, even though it was probably useless.
She unbuttoned his shirt with shaky fingers, but she did it. He tenderly sucked and nibbled on her earlobe. She moaned. Loud. “That’s the sound I’m dying to hear, baby.”
The shirt was finally off and he took the opportunity to undress her completely. She was a bit shy about being fully naked in front of him, but when he licked her lower lip, she forgot all about it. Her breasts and her pussy were calling to him. She had been aroused ever since he punched that bastard and he was finally going to give her more orgasms.
His
dick hurt from being confined in his pants all day and his balls were hot. That had to wait, though. She was his top priority now.
He teased her with brushing his finger on the exterior of her pussy lips, but he didn’t kiss her breasts. He just circled them with the tip of his tongue. Her nipples turned into hard beads from the moment his tongue touched her skin. Dipping his finger into her warm wetness, he used his seductive husky voice to tease her even more. She moaned several times and finally took matters into her hands.“Please. Please,” she begged, trying to pull his head to her nipple.
“Please what?” He licked one nipple. “What do you want, sugar?”
“Make me come,” she breathed.“I can’t take it anymore.”
He dipped two fingers inside her, pumping her as she rode his finger. Sucking her breast only added fire to the passion burning brighter inside of her. He bit her nipple and she saw fireworks. Everything exploded around her and her pussy walls clenched around his fingers. This time she wanted to watch what he would do next, so she struggled to open her eyes and focus her eyes on him. He was getting naked and he was commando. He was holding something that shined in the moonlight. A condom. He cared about her and her health. Wait. She was on the pill.