by Flora Dare
He escorted her to the dining room where everyone waited, pulled her seat out, and settled next to her. It was the first time there was a seat next to hers available.
Half-way through dinner, a hand rested on his knee. Lira let her hand tickle up his thigh. The rest of dinner flew by for Jake as her hand teased him beyond reasoning. As dessert was being dished out he finally girded his loins enough to say, "Lira, would you like to go out after dinner? Maybe for a drive."
A drive where he could pull her into the backseat and have his wicked way with her, over and over again. Punish her for that relentless hand every time he spoke.
She smiled, her eyes sparkling with mischief. She might be leery about the whole fated mates business, but the enforced celibacy was wearing rather thin on her. She had picked her evening's outfit very carefully.
"I'd love to. I still haven't seen much of Grayslake."
"I'll give you the nickel tour." Of his room.
Gran interjected, "Oh that sounds like a lovely plan. Nancy will really enjoy that." Gran had a look like butter wouldn't melt in her mouth.
Jake tried not to frown at her. "I'm sure it wouldn't be interesting for her at all." But he would park that wolf pup in the living room if he had too.
Grace barked out a laugh. "She's your chaperone. Unless you'd like one of us to join you?"
Even Magda couldn't keep the amusement off her face. "You said old fashioned courtship. We're being generous letting you take Nancy."
"Well then, Nancy, let's get a move on." Jake would figure something else out.
They left the house and settled in the car.
"Okay, Nance, twenty bucks and I drop you on Main. Pick you up at Midnight?"
"No deal. $100, bowling alley, 9pm. I got a curfew, buddy."
Lira laughed and Jake sighed. "You drive a hard bargain, but it's worth it." He squeezed Lira's knee. "More than worth it."
"And you can't go to your house. You gotta park the car at the bowling alley. Plausible deniability on being at the bowling alley with me. Plus, Helen is meeting me there already."
Jake growled, frustrated beyond belief. He pulled up to the front of the bowling alley. "Out."
Nancy giggled and blew them both kisses.
Jake pulled further into the lot until he could position the car at the furthest, darkest edge.
Lira's voice was on the edge of a giggle. "I guess I'm not going to see much of town tonight, am I?"
Jake just pushed the seat back, pulled her on to his lap and claimed her mouth. His hand dove under the froth of her full skirt, skimming up her knee, tracing the same line she'd taken during dinner, until he got to the edge of her panties.
A flood of moisture dampened them as he flicked against her, teasing her until she moaned. He slipped a finger under the lacy edge and groaned as he explored her soft petals. She was slick against his fingers and he gritted his teeth. What he wanted to do was position her over him and slip his cock deep into her hot, wet pussy and let her ride them both to oblivion.
In the parking lot of the bowling alley.
Instead he focused on her breathy little sounds as he circled her clit with his thumb. He pressed on the nub as he slid a finger into her core. He growled and nipped her ear as she bucked against his hand. He slid a second finger in and she squealed in delight.
His free hand fisted in her hair, pulling it back, hard. He loved having her ear and neck open to his love bites. He wanted to mark her, to leave no question who she belonged to. Plus, every time he used his teeth on her, particularly on that little spot right below her earlobe, he felt a flood of moisture and heat on his fingers.
She was clawing at him, completely lost in passion. Jake didn't think his cock could get any harder until she wailed and exploded around his hand.
Lira slumped against Jake. "Oh my god, in the car, like teenagers."
"Well, not all the way, not yet."
"I want to feel you in me."
He nibbled on her ear lobe, content to hold her for the moment. "And you will." He just had to get them far enough out of town and into the woods. Up against a tree? Over the hood of the car?
Of course, at that moment, they almost leapt out of their skin as someone rapped hard on the window. Jake rolled the window down when he recognized Van Abrams, Grayslake Enforcer and local police officer.
"What the fuck do you want Van?" He didn't give a damn if his tone was less than respectful.
"We're all dying to meet the girl you keep disappearing to see, since you won't introduce us. And the epically steamy windows caught my eyes."
Lira pressed her face into Jake's neck, convinced she was about to find out what dying of embarrassment felt like.
Jake said, "Very funny. Go away." And started to roll the window up.
"Hey, hey! Seriously, bring her over for dinner." Van started to push away from the car, then said to Lira, "Don't let them steam roll you. We really do want to meet you before you move in." With that, the man sauntered away.
"Uhm, he's getting ahead of himself a hair."
"They just like to picture me settling down." He was willing to give it another week. Maybe.
Both of their phones lit up. Nancy had texted something about Van talking to her. Jake groaned as he realized his plans to drag Lira somewhere private were shattered. Jake might never forgive the cockblocker.
They looked at each other and laughed, getting out of the car to meet Nancy in the bowling alley.
Chapter Ten
After the bowling alley date, another week had gone by without a chance to get Lira alone, and Jake was antsy. They sat on the front porch of the B&B. She sat snug against Jake, under his arm on the swing, their legs pressed together.
His days were spent thinking about seeing her at dinner; and his nights? A frustrating exercise in self-gratification that took the edge off but left him so hungry for Lira he could barely see straight. He was a grumpy mess.
Lira's days were a little different. Magda and Grace had two decades of life to catch up on, and the three of them would go for walks and talk. Afternoons were for a cutthroat game of whist with the addition of Gran.
And, finally ready to come home, Magda also spent time looking for a house in Grayslake.
Resting snugly beneath Jake’s arm, Lira could easily picture a life here, with him. She’d do freelance work during the day and they’d make love all night long.
It all went wrong when he left the B&B and she lay in bed staring at the ceiling, before she could fall asleep. Then her thoughts roiled and boiled. The reality of life here punched her in the gut. She still hadn't met the clan she'd be living with. Everyone seemed to expect her to just be inserted into a life she didn't entirely understand.
She'd be half-human in a world that didn't make much sense to her. And she'd be drifting into it as much as she'd drifted into staying with Ethan all that time. What about her plan to explore the world? She lusted after Jake, but that wasn't love. Magda had been alone for twenty years rather than settle for another man who just staved off loneliness.
Was this love? Or just desire and the need to find her roots?
The questions made her shiver, and Jake squeezed her arm. She looked out over the darkened tree line and frowned. Something was making the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. "This will sound odd, but I feel like we're being watched?"
Jake tilted his head and took a big sniff. "I can’t scent anything, but the wind is blowing the wrong direction, do you want me to go check it out?"
Lira shook her head. She was just really wound up. It was just her nerves playing tricks on her. "It's probably just feeling like everyone in the house is peeking out on us."
He claimed her mouth with his, giving her a scorching kiss that continued on and on as their tongues tangled and explored.
When they finally came up for air he said, "Well, hopefully they enjoyed a little show, then." He trailed kisses along her jaw and then growled against her neck before giving her a stinging nip. "Except
the part where I don't so much want to take my hands off you. I'd rather slip my hands under your skirt, lift it up to your waist, and then bury my face in your sweet pussy."
His hands tightened on her waist as he nibbled his way to her ear. Sharp spikes of desire shot through Lira as his tongue flicked against her earlobe.
He groaned. "I can practically taste you on my tongue, hear you screaming my name. We're both adults, why the hell are we putting up obstacles?"
She took a long and shaky breath, trying to remember anything other than the feel of his hand on her body. "We both thought it was a good idea to try and take it slow."
"I don't think that anymore. I think it's stupid. I think it's beyond stupid that I can't even kiss you without the world watching us. Do you really want to go up to that cold, empty, lonely bed?" His voice pleaded his case.
Lira wanted to agree with him, lust practically blinded her. But the doubt still lingered in the back of her mind. Her experience with Ethan was still too fresh in her mind. Animal attraction wasn't love. She put her arms up between them and pushed him back. He growled angrily but let her go.
Lira pushed herself off the swing. The panicky feeling was back, she felt backed into a corner. If she went straight into whatever this thing was with Jake, would she ever know who she really was? The pressure of the past was a massive weight sitting on her shoulders, pressing her into the ground so she could barely move.
"It's not that I don't want you, I just… this is all a lot." She didn't know how to make him understand. She wanted to be with him, but his intensity was smothering her.
Jake felt her slipping away from him, he had reach out and pull her close. He couldn't let her get away. "I've taken it slow, just like you asked. Although I admit I didn’t anticipate the vigor our more senior relations would take to 'helping' us take it slow."
"I know, it's not you. It's me." She cringed as the words left her mouth. But it was true. Mostly. Although he kept pushing.
"Seriously? Did you seriously just use that line on me?" His bear was getting the better of him. He'd been on an unsatisfying low simmer for way too long. "No, you need to just come with me. I need you."
He stood up, his bear was driving the bus and Jake was ready to just throw Lira over his shoulder and carry her away.
Lira snapped back at him, "That isn't going to happen."
He growled. "You're my mate. You should be with me."
"I'm not your anything. I'm not going to just give up everything in my life to join yours."
"I'm not asking you to! I'm just asking you to be with me, to marry me and join the clan." He would never stop her from following her dream. He just wanted to be by her side when it happened.
"MARRY YOU?" Lira felt her voice hit a whole new high note. She just heard the words 'trapped like a rat' echo in her head. He was trying to trap her, just like Ethan had. "For one thing, you didn't ask me anything. You just demanded I live with you."
Jake could feel what little grip he had on his bear slipping. Why didn't she understand she was his mate? She had to feel the powerful connection between them. It was all he could feel when he was near her. Everything would work out if they were just together. He could kiss her into giving in to him. He reached out for her without thinking, and she skittered away from him, fast.
And it made him want to chase her. To punish her for running. And that just made Jake mad at himself, this wasn't getting either one of them what they wanted. He clamped down on the animal instincts that were pushing him, but his temper was still hot.
"Whatever, I'm out. If you ever decide you actually want to be with me and stop letting Ethan dictate your future, you know my number."
Lira watched him jump down the steps and stride angrily to his car. She clung to the banister column as he roared away, tears pricking at her eyes. She just sighed and rested her head against the cool column.
She muttered, "Stupid, stupid boys." She wasn't asking him to stay away, just to give her breathing room. Or even just to see her point of view.
"Little bit of a fight?" Lira almost leapt out of her skin. It was Nancy.
"You could say that. He just keeps pushing me.” And it wasn’t something she wanted to talk about at the moment. “Did you need anything in particular?"
"Well, I was sent to offer a second dessert, but that was before Jake roared off into the night in an epic huff."
"Ah, so dessert and cockblocking?"
"You know them all too well. You know, I thought Memaw was a holy terror before, but her and Gran? They are an unstoppable machine of lavender, cookies and slightly judgmental eyebrow lifts."
"Slightly judgmental?"
The teen pointed at the house, "I'm only saying slightly because I'm pretty sure they’re listening in and I don't want to lose dessert privileges."
Lira laughed and let Nancy pull her into the house. They might be holy terrors, but their lemon tart was pretty dynamite.
Chapter Eleven
Lira stomped through the woods, grumbling to herself. "I mean, really, what is the point of this exercise? To get in touch with nature?"
She stopped to flick a mosquito off her arm. Nature could suck it. "That is so much more nature than I want to encounter. Stupid bugs, why do they like me so much?"
She looked at the map and the compass. She still seemed to be on the right track. The meadow should be just ahead. She pushed her way through the overgrown path. The bag was starting to weigh her down. At least after she ate the massive lunch Grace had packed, she's be carrying more of the weight in her belly, not on her back.
Magda swore up and down that Lira would understand once she got to the stupid meadow. That she would feel better about her background and being part shifter. Which was silly.
Still, she had been cooped up at the B&B for a while, and since she and Jake were pretty actively not talking after their fight, the walk couldn't hurt.
Lira looked up at the sky and felt sorry for herself. Why was she fighting against Jake so hard? Her heart sped up when she saw him. She wanted to throw herself in his arms and if she was honest with herself, feel him between her legs again.
The truth she was having trouble admitting to herself, and why she fought against him, was that Ethan never had the power to hurt her. She had been upset catching him with Angela, but it was more the betrayal of trust from her former best friend. She'd been more relieved to be free of Ethan. That's why she never really lost her temper about it.
She'd been happy to have a reason.
And she was scared to death of trusting Jake with her heart because he could hurt her so easily.
As she made the epiphany, she stepped into a glorious meadow. It was a sea of wild flowers with a wide, flat rock in the center. She picked her way through the winding path. It led to a smooth area that was perfect for a picnic. She set her pack down and stared up at the perfect sky.
She felt peace settle over her roiled emotions. She might not be entirely cool with her newly discovered background, but as she rummaged in the bag Magda had packed, she understood the little smile on her face.
Magda had squeezed her hand and said it was a favorite spot of her mother's, and that she often retreated there when she had a lot of things to think over. Lira pulled things out of the pack. At the top was a blanket she spread over the rock. Her lunch was a series of separately wrapped little treats. She pulled out the water bottle and took a swig while she opened them up.
She could imagine her mother sitting with her, showing her all the things about Grayslake that she'd loved. "Stupid cancer. I wish I had gotten to know you better. At all. I was 8. That just isn't enough time. It's not fair." Even as she said the words into the air, Lira knew she was lucky. "Thank you for making sure Magda was there for me."
Lira had another epiphany. Magda and her mother, Deirdre might not have been married or romantic partners, but Magda had been just as much a parent as her biological mother. Magda had been the one to catch Lira when she was born.
T
here had been no question that Magda would keep Lira and had always treated her as her own. Joy burbled inside her heart. She might not know what to do about Jake or entirely understand the shifter world yet, but coming to her mother's spot gave her a chance to recognize exactly what Magda was to her.
She picked up the small tangerine and cracked open the peel of the fruit. Its sharp tang fizzled in her nose and she laid back to watch the clouds while she savored each bite of the fruit.
She'd lay it all out for Magda when she got back and ask her what the hell the best course was.
Lira woke up with a start and sat up. She must have drifted off. She pulled a wet nap out of bag and wiped the sticky residue from the orange off her hands and face. She yelped when she looked at the time. She'd napped for hours!
Thank goodness it was summer or she'd be worried about making it back to the house before the sun set. Still, she double checked that the flashlight worked. She gathered everything up, making sure to pack her trash out.
If shifters were real, maybe ghosts were too, and she'd hate to see her mother again only to be fussed at about littering. Not to mention, she'd be ashamed to return knowing she'd left garbage strewn about.
She hoisted the much lighter pack to her back. Maybe next time she'd bring Jake just so he could be the pack mule. And because she could easily imagine making love all afternoon on the sun-warmed rock.
It put a spring in her step as she headed back to the B&B. Still, by the time she saw the house in the distance she was exhausted. It was a bear of a walk. If she stayed in Grayslake she'd end up in a hell of a lot better shape.
She giggled at the thought of carrying bear spray with her, in case anyone got rowdy. She didn't notice the silhouette in the front room window watching her approach the house, and she opened the kitchen door, dropping the pack at the door.
"Hello? Anyone around?" She called out as she turned on the sink faucet. She wanted to rinse some of the sweat off her face so didn't hear the man approaching until he'd grabbed her by the waist and swung her around.