by Cara Wylde
They talked for a while longer until their appetizer showed up, the buttery scent of the freshly baked dinner rolls causing Ashley’s stomach to rumble gently. She blushed bright red at that, though if Kevin had heard the sound, he pretended he had not. His hand had pretty much been holding hers this whole time, and since he was sitting right next to her, it gave him ample opportunities to be able to sneak gentle kisses in while they conversed. All his affectionate touches only seemed to coax Ashley into being able to reveal more about herself to him, something she hadn’t thought she could do when he had first asked her.
“What about your love life, if I may ask? I’ve noticed you don’t seem to have a boyfriend here, so am I correct in assuming you are currently single?” Kevin asked eventually, his free hand lifting one of the dinner rolls to his mouth to take a bite. He was trying to disguise the fact that he was nervous. It had taken all of his courage to ask that question, but he needed to be sure.
Ashley sighed, biting her bottom lip at the thought of telling Kevin about her previous boyfriends. She knew he was just making conversation, but a few of her ex-boyfriends had managed to become a sore spot for her, and she wasn’t entirely sure she would be able to calmly talk about them. Something about Kevin’s expression told her he wouldn’t mind, so she squeezed his hand gently before speaking.
“I am very much single, no worries about that,” she chuckled. “So far, I haven’t been able to hold onto a boyfriend for long. They either wanted me for sex, or for money. The one time when I thought I found a guy who seemed to be a keeper, he went and cheated on me because I was spending more time focused on getting my business off the ground than on him. I understand I was probably not the easiest to deal with at the time, but it shouldn’t have given him an excuse to jump in bed with another woman just because I was busy. When I had time for him, I gave him my full attention. I even tried to do little things for him to make up for the fact that I was away so much.”
She removed her hand from his, using it to pull her chocolate brown hair over one shoulder. She was obviously bothered by the topic, and Kevin seemed to pick up on that, because he didn’t say another word about it. It had become clear to him that when Ashley felt uncomfortable, she started fussing with her hair.
Their food arrived shortly afterwards, and it brought about a slight lull in the conversation as the two ate. Ashley didn’t want to talk with her mouth full, and she was mildly curious to see if Kevin’s more wolf-like tendencies would come out while he ate. She was still just learning about shifters, after all, and didn’t know much about them. He had ordered a steak medium rare, a small square of butter already having started to melt over the hot meat. She had ordered a steak as well, though hers had been cooked medium well, since she didn’t fancy the possibility of eating uncooked meat. She had gotten food poisoning once from undercooked beef, and she had promised herself she would never get exposed to that again.
“What kind of business do you run?” He asked finally, using his napkin to wipe his mouth clean of the little bit of steak juice that had started dripping down towards his beard.
To Ashley’s surprise, his table manners were impeccable. None of her exes would have been able to use the fork and knife as he was. And napkins? Who needed napkins when you could use your sleeve? Watching him eat, drink his wine in small sips, and making light conversation all the while, Ashley realized she had only dated douchebags.
“I sell handmade lingerie,” she finally answered. “That is… I make it myself.”
“Oh? Is that so? How long have you been doing that?” He asked, watching her take another bite of her steak. Well… now he was even more curious about her. A curvy, sexy woman who designed lingerie? Yes, please!
“A few years now, though business only really started picking up last year.” She said, letting out a gentle murmur of pleasure at the taste of the steak as it seemed to melt on her tongue.
“I wouldn’t mind seeing some of the items you have for sale.” He said, his tone playful.
Ashley cocked an eyebrow. Oh, she could play along, no problem.
“Well, it might just be your lucky day. I happen to be wearing one of my favorite sets right now.” Her eyes met his in a challenging manner.
“I can’t wait.” He smiled, winked, and started eating faster.
***
They found themselves back in Ashley’s room a short while later, their lips locked in a kiss, their tongues moving with a passion that surprised both of them, but especially Ashley. She insistently pressed herself against him, enjoying the feeling of his warmth. She opened her mouth wider to try and deepen the kiss, giggling in surprise when she felt his thick tongue slip inside to slide across her teeth. It was a slightly strange sensation, but one that she didn’t mind at all. She loved a guy who could French-kiss.
Given her past experiences, she was half expecting him to grab her ass, or immediately make a move to squeeze her breasts, but he did nothing of the sort. For the moment, he seemed to focus on nothing else but their kiss. She opened her eyes to sneak a look at him, wondering what was going through his mind. Was he thinking that, maybe, she was jumping in bed with him too fast? She knew some men were like that… They had sex with a woman, then never called. They would even have the audacity of claiming they didn’t respect her and wanted nothing to do with her because she had given herself to them too easily. Jerks. Kevin had his eyes closed, and the expression on his face told Ashely he was completely into what they were about to do. Then, he opened them unexpectedly, and gazed into her own eyes in a way that sent shivers down her spine. She seriously had to stop comparing him to other guys she knew. They were all bad examples, and Kevin was nothing like them. All she had to focus on right now was the pleasure of having his hard, chiseled body wrapped all around her.
Kevin broke the kiss. His thumbs started stroking her cheeks, her temples, then the soft line of her lips, slightly spreading what was left of her red lipstick.
“So, how about letting me take a look at that handmade lingerie of yours?”
Ashley smiled, took a couple of steps back, and her hands reached back to grip the zipper of her dress. She pulled the zipper down slowly, letting the sleeves of her classy dress fall down her shoulders and chest. Kevin’s breath hitched at the sight of the gorgeous black lace bra which was currently containing her shapely breasts, and his reaction made Ashley laugh lightly. She rather enjoyed the look of surprise on Kevin’s face, and it convinced her to tug her dress down entirely, until it pooled around her ankles. She stepped out of it, straightened her back, lifted her chin up, and allowed Kevin to see her in all her glory. She was still wearing the black, elegant high heels which made her legs look longer and smoother.
Ashley felt a little self-conscious, but the approving look in Kevin’s eyes as he took his time to admire her scantily-clad body made it all the easier to ignore. She was quite proud of her lingerie line. She always strived to create unique models in all sized as to cater to a larger demographic, and that decision had served her well. This particular pair of panties had a special surprise, which she wasn’t quite ready to reveal to him.
“What do you think?” She asked, placing a hand on her hip and jutting it out to the side slightly, accentuating her curves as she did a few playful poses for him. Maybe it was all the wine she had had at the restaurant, because this wasn’t like her. On the other hand, none of her exes had made her feel so good about her body. The way Kevin looked at her made her put on a real show for him.
“I think it looks amazing! This might just be the sexiest lingerie I’ve ever seen on a woman. I totally understand why your business has been picking up.” He took a couple of steps towards her, reached out, and let his fingers run over the incredible fabric of her bra.
Ashley bit her bottom lip at the feeling, a shudder of pleasure making her entire body tremble under his touch. She could feel warmth beginning to flare up between her legs, and when she felt him press his lips back against hers, she didn’t even try t
o resist, instead wrapping her arms around the back of his neck to pull him closer.
Kevin lifted her, his arms hooking behind her back and under her legs, and carried her over to the bed, where he gently rested her on top of the mattress. He took a step back, allowing her to watch as he slowly began to unbutton his shirt.
She had seen his naked torso before, but she still couldn’t help being impressed at how muscular he was. Her eyes greedily drank in the sight of his body, watching his hands slowly move down to undo the button on his pants.
Now that he was naked, she had the chance to take a good look at what had been hiding inside his boxers. The glimpse she had stolen a couple of hours before hadn’t been enough. The sizeable cock that hung between his legs was easily eight inches long, and the round head was already covered in pearly beads of pre-cum. She licked her lips in anticipation, the heat inside her core growing. She could feel her pussy getting wetter and more eager by the second. It was time for her to reveal the surprise the special design of her panties held, so she spread her legs widely.
The fine back lace was split at the crotch, leaving a round open space right where the soft lips of her pussy were waiting invitingly. She reached down and gently spread her lips open, letting Kevin see the wet sheen around her entrance.
He let out a lustful growl, his inner beast ready to jump out of his skin and tackle the naughty woman who was teasing him so mercilessly. Did she have any idea what she was doing to him?
Ashley watched as his cock began to harden even more. He didn’t say a word as he climbed on the bed and took his place between her legs, and she wouldn’t have been able to talk if she had tried. The only thing she could do was focus on the sight of Kevin looming over her, the feeling of his hot body so close to her that she was mildly worried she might burn up. She watched, motionless, as he lined the thick head of his member up with her wet pussy and began to gently push his hips forward.
She groaned as she felt her body forcing itself to open around the thick head of his cock, the feeling of having someone inside of her after so long incredibly refreshing. He moved slowly, sinking his shaft inch by inch inside of her, until he was buried to the hilt. Her walls clenched down on the huge intruder, throbbing around his shaft as he gave her time to adjust to his girth. He didn’t give her long, though, and soon he started pumping his hips slowly back and forth. Her pussy clung to him every time he drew backwards, quickly opening up to take him fully back inside, as if he belonged there.
The sound of their lovemaking filled the room, and when he increased the pace of his thrusts, Ashley moaned, her hands flying to the headboard, then around his neck, looking for something to hold on to. Her pleasure started building towards its peak, and she couldn’t believe this man was capable of giving her an orgasm so quickly. In fact, she had had no idea her own body could be so responsive to the right touches and the right pace. She wrapped her legs around his waist and dug her heels in his thighs, urging him to move faster, fuck her harder.
“Oh yes! Don’t stop, don’t stop…”
She was so close. She closed her eyes and abandoned herself to him.
Kevin leaned down and started kissing her neck, then stopped right above her ear to whisper: “You’re the most amazing woman I’ve ever met.”
His words made her moan in delight. She felt like she could orgasm from hearing his husky voice whispering sweet nothings as his enormous cock worked its magic inside her.
“So beautiful, so sexy,” he continued. “So tight and wet…”
Ashley screamed and arched her back. Her walls clenched down on his cock as her orgasm took over her body. She heard him moan and grunt as he rammed into her harder, his shaft swelling up inside her throbbing pussy, then releasing hot streams of seed. She started moving her hips in time with his, her body milking every drop he had to give. There was something raw and carnal about the feeling of his seed coating her walls, something she had never felt before with any other man. Her nails dug into his back as she shuddered and allowed herself to come down from her orgasm.
Kevin collapsed on top of her. When she groaned in protest, he realized she was a small, fragile human, not a shifter, and he rolled onto his side, gathering her up in his arms. They lay there for a few minutes, both focusing on catching their breath and slowing down their heartbeat. Ashley snuggled against his chest and closed her eyes. For some time, they simply lay there, enjoying the afterglow. But, it couldn’t last forever.
“Where do we go from here?” she eventually asked. She looked up at him, her blue eyes holding his green gaze.
Kevin sighed and considered his answer carefully. This wasn’t going to be easy.
“I’m not entirely sure,” he said. “I never really thought about finding a mate, particularly because I hate the idea of a mail-order bride. The system has improved since the peace treaty was signed and the antidotes for the five types of shifter venom have been discovered, but it’s still a hassle. Also, the women who choose to become mail-order brides always seem to have an agenda. I don’t know… Not all of them, of course, but the thought alone that most of them decided to marry shape-shifters because of their wealth and power creeps me out.”
He was being honest, and she appreciated it. Ten years ago, the human females who married shifters didn’t have much of a choice because of the clause stipulated in the peace treaty between the species. It said humans had to offer shifters brides to bear their children. All over the world, boarding schools for shifter-brides started taking in orphan girls to raise them and teach them about the shifters’ culture. When they came of age, they were married off to those who wanted them, and their consent didn’t really matter. Now, things had changed. It was still against the law for a shifter to bite and turn a human female, but that wasn’t a problem anymore. With the antidotes for shifter venom, a shifter could bite his mate, then she could take the cure and become a hybrid, which gave her all the abilities of her husband. However, she couldn’t shift. The advantage was that she could have as many children as she wanted, as she wasn’t a full shifter. Why did shifters and humans have to go through all this madness? Because somewhere along the way, nature decided shifter females couldn’t bear children. Scientists hadn’t discovered the real reason yet, nor how to fix the problem, but they all believed it had something to do with genetics and nature’s attempt to balance things out and never allow shape-shifters to become the dominant species.
“I like you,” he said, looking deep into her eyes. “I really do. Now that I’ve met you, I realize I want a mate. You’re perfect.”
Ashley smiled.
“I like you too, Kevin. Today has been incredible… like a dream. But… I don’t know if I want to become a shifter-bride.” She hesitated. She didn’t know enough about the mail-order bride system. All she knew was that the boarding schools from ten years ago had turned into mail-order bride agencies, and women from all over the world could choose to sign themselves up. “I would have to go to a mail-order bride agency, right? Then study your culture and traditions for a couple of months… not to mention give up some of my humanity to become a hybrid… It’s just… so complicated.”
She looked up at him apologetically. She hated that she had probably killed the mood, but it would have been more of a disservice to herself to keep such feelings and thoughts hidden. If he was disappointed, he was doing a great job of not showing it.
She still felt pretty bad, though, and as she slipped off the bed to grab her clothes, the silence that hung between them was palpable. She heard his footsteps behind her, and out of the corner of her eye, she saw his hand reaching to pick up his shirt and pants, as well. They got dressed in silence, then simply stood facing each other. He sighed and cupped her cheeks, his thumbs stroking them gently. Ashley didn’t shy away from his touch, but her heart sank at the feeling of disappointment she could feel emanating from him.
“I think you should leave for now, Kevin,” she said weakly.
He hesitated, but he didn’t have
a choice. He had to respect her decision.
“All right. See you later, maybe?”
She nodded.
***
Ashley’s mood was a complete mess the next day. It hadn’t improved at all since Kevin had left the night before, and even the walk she had decided to take in an attempt to clear her thoughts didn’t help. She couldn’t get Kevin out of her mind, but she knew things would only get more complicated if the two of them tried to take their relationship further. She had heard rumors about how much she had to give up and change about her life if she wanted to become a mail-order bride, and was she willing to go through all of that for a man she had just met yesterday? A part of her said she was, while the other part of her told her she was rushing things. Either way, she was lost, and she let out a groan of frustration as she finally made her way back to the hotel. The town had failed to provide the much-needed distraction she had been hoping for.
When she got there, she was surprised to find a young man waiting for her in the main lobby. Reluctantly, he approached her and handed her an envelope.
“Miss Woods?”
“Yes.”
“My name is Daniel. I’m one of the Deltas of Clan Blackmane.”
“Err… nice to meet you. Ashley Woods.”
She offered him her hand, and he shook it lightly. He smiled. “Why are werewolves so hot?” she thought. Now she wasn’t so sure the women who wanted to become mail-order brides did it for money and power.
It seemed like he was waiting for her to open the envelope, so she did. It contained an invitation from Max Blackmane, the Alpha himself. He wanted her to join his family for dinner.
Ashley pursed her lips, looking from the note to the young blond-haired man standing before her, then back to the note. She had no idea what she was supposed to do. It would have been rude to refuse, but, on the other hand, if she accepted, what would it mean for her and Kevin? After the night before, she wasn’t entirely sure she was brave enough to see the Beta so soon. It would most likely make things more awkward. However, the more she thought about it, the more she had the feeling this was one of those invitations she wouldn’t be able to refuse.