Romance: My Stepbrother's Plaything

by Valentine, Annie

  “I know you were single by choice and all but I’m glad you found someone you’re actually interested in,” she said.

  “And he’s certainly different from anyone I’ve ever dated,” Jenna admitted. What Kelly didn’t know was just how different he was from anyone they even knew; but that was Michael’s secret to keep and not hers to share.

  He’d spent many more nights after the first one until one evening he’d finally taken her to his house for dinner and subsequent sleepover. It was a large, gated house off in the hills near the park where he’d taken her on their first date. Short as it had been, they both considered it their first date. They also considered it the night they got together. The following day had been spent together at her place, having meals together with trashy movies on the television and sex a couple times in between.

  On the Monday afterward they’d invited Harrison and Tara out to dinner only to announce it was a surprise double date; and surprised they had definitely been. During the two weeks following they’d gone on five dates, each one ending with Michael at Jenna’s place. Each one ended the same– a passionate, sweaty night of pure bliss followed by peaceful sleep in her bed. His shifting came up only in passing as a comment from Jenna, telling how she liked the wild in him or how wonderfully intense his tiger-like hazel eyes were. Other than that, neither of them felt much need to touch on the topic.

  That was until the night he finally took her to his place. It was vulnerable for Michael to invite someone in, even more so to give her unlimited access to any part of his property with complete honesty. He had a huge, landscaped yard that was perfect for him to roam in when he shifted to animal form. That night she learned he mostly shifted at will now but if he went too long without doing so he’d face problems with his mental and even physical well-being.

  “Will I ever get see?”

  It was a question she’d only discovered a couple of nights’ prior she wanted to ask. Michael looked at her hesitantly. She ran her ringer over the thin, white scar on his arm and asked another she’d been holding back for long.

  “So what really happened here?”

  “Fight,” he responded simply but he knew right away that would not cut it. He chuckled and gave her a peck on the cheek before continuing. “I went on a trip to see family I only recently discovered I had. They’re shifters too but one of them has a temper and a problem. Things got nasty pretty quickly. We were in animal form and he made to attack me but this was as far as he got.”

  She wanted to know why things got nasty and how they ended. She wanted to know if he’d ever see that family member again. But she didn’t ask because she didn’t want the answer to those questions even half as badly as the answer to the first one she’d asked.

  She cupped his chin with her hand and asked again. “Will I ever get to see?”

  “Why do you want to see?”

  “Because I want to know you. I want to know every part of you. And I’m not afraid.”

  Michael stood up and took her by the hand. He led her to an art room where there was located a hidden door. Behind the door was a landing and a large staircase. He held her hand tightly and they descended the staircase to a large glass. It was the kind of glass used at zoos for observation but it was so well hidden from outside view she’d missed it when she’d looked around his huge, landscaped yard earlier.

  “Promise me you won’t leave this room,” he implored.

  “Am I not safe outside with you?”

  “Promise me,” he repeated.

  “I promise,” she said, suddenly feeling afraid. She’d never stopped to think about his mind when he was shifted. Did he lose a part of himself and did that make him a danger?

  He kissed her on the lips and ran back up the stairs. She pressed her hands to the glass and stared out, soon seeing a gorgeous tiger running past her. She watched Michael the tiger running about, rolling on the grass, and leaping over small rocks until he finally ran directly at the glass. He stopped and looked up at the sky, roaring. And that was when two white tigers ran out from behind trees near the back of the yard. One ran freely and the other roamed about, simply enjoying the open space. Jenna gasped and covered her mouth. She knew they were just tigers but she hadn’t expected it.

  “They don’t sense you’re different?”

  It was about twenty minutes later and they were spread out on the rug in front of his fireplace, Jenna in Michael’s arms.

  “Not any more than humans can sense I am,” he responded.

  “So that’s a no,” she whispered against his bare chest. Every time he was shirtless she felt a stirring in the pit of her stomach. It was like she couldn’t see him without a strong desire waking up inside her.

  “I’ll never hurt you,” he told her. “At least not as a tiger. I’m just afraid because I feel different when I’m shifted and I take no risks. But as a man,” he paused. “As a man, all I can do is promise I’ll work hard every day not to hurt you.”

  Jenna sat up and kissed him. She kissed him sweetly at first but soon got lost in passion. She showed him she appreciated his words and reciprocated the sentiment by running her hands all over his body until they both sunk into the bliss of being with each other, again and again.

  One month later she discovered she was pregnant.

  “An heir to my herd,” Michael had said with a light heart.

  Just like it had been when she learned Michael’s secret, she was not afraid of the reality. Neither of them feared spending the rest of their lives together; they both wanted it more than anything else.

  9.

  Stuffed and Creamed

  by the Billionaire Alpha Werebear

  By: A. Beaton

  Stuffed and Creamed

  by the Billionaire Alpha Werebear

  © A. Beaton September 2015 – All rights reserved

  Published by Steamy Reads4U

  No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, including electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events are purely coincidental. This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only.

  This book may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, please return it to the seller and purchase a copy. Thank you for respecting the author’s work.

  Warning

  This book contains graphic content intended for readers 18+ years old.

  If you are under 18 years old, or are not comfortable with adult content, please close this book now.

  Marina couldn’t handle it anymore. She had been subscribed to the site were-date.com for only three months and already she had met nine losers. She didn’t know where these freaks were coming from, but each encounter seemed worse than the previous one. Being a shifter she was used to being different, and she tended not to judge others, but these guys were ridiculous. All of them had seemed fine online: they all represented themselves as honest, hardworking, normal shifters; all looking for love. When they met in person, four of them had only wanted a one-night stand, two of them were slimy creeps trying who kept trying to touch her, and another two were not who their pictures showed. In spite of the track record, she still had faith that the last one might be a keeper.

  Throughout dinner he seemed nice enough. He asked her about her interests and told her about how he spent his time. After dinner, she agreed to get coffee with him, so they went to a local cafe and sat down to talk. Over coffee, he casually mentioned that he would like to sleep with her.

  Okay, she thought; she could handle that. Then he mentioned
tying her up and dripping candle wax on her.

  "NO, THANK YOU!" she shouted.

  Marina jumped up so fast she nearly knocked over the table and ran back to her car. No way was she going to be the plaything of some freak that wanted to hurt her. As she drove home the tears slowly trailed down her face. She was a pretty girl, beautiful even. She had long brown hair with natural oceanic waves to its form. Her green eyes were always sparking, and she usually wore a smile. She had a slender figure but she was curvy; big boobs – but not too big. She thought her 34 C cups were just the right size. Her hips were a little bigger than she would like.

  What am I going to do, she would often ask herself while criticizing her form in the mirror.

  Her stomach wasn’t completely flat but it wasn’t huge. Her abdomen had a slight roundness, which made Marina feel like a woman. She didn’t know why it was so hard to find a man to love her. She was 29 years old, and so lonesome, she could cry. She had friends, but friends weren’t always enough. She wanted to find someone to spend her life with; someone who would always be there for her; someone to take care of her every need.

  During her deeper bouts of depression, she grew hopeless.

  Maybe I'm destined to be alone, she would muse.

  Marina was Werebear royalty within her territory, and was the equivalent of a princess – if you count hovels in the woods with WIFI luxurious enough for royalty. Her father was in charge of their territory, and this made dating incredibly difficult as she was never quite sure if her suitors were interested in her, or dominance of her family's territory. In order to provide a safeguard for the intentions of her potential mates, she chose not to use real name for the dating site. She was going by Marina Williams; using her mother’s maiden name in order to disguise her true identity.

  Other than her close group of friends, Marina didn’t socialize. She worked at her father’s construction company, where she was an account manager, and filled in for the receptionist occasionally. After a full day at work her usual plan was to head home to relax for the evening. Once in a while she went out with friends or co-workers for a drink or for dinner, but mostly she stayed at home. Shifters weren’t supposed to drink, for fear of losing control, changing, and possibly hurting someone. In consequence, drinking never really appealed to her. As if to aggravate Marina's loneliness, all of the guys in her territory were like brothers to her or they wanted her for what it would get them; that’s why she was on wear-date.com. She was looking for a companion, someone who would love her for who she was. She wanted someone who enjoyed hanging out at home and watching movies. She wanted someone who would roam the territory with her, swim with her, and even fish with her.

  While she was deep in thought her computed pinged to alert of an incoming message. She rolled her eyes. It was probably another asshole asking if she would show them her breasts. Unlike messages she’d received in the past, this one made her smile.

  RoarinMike605: It’s late, want to climb a tree?

  Carebear120: Haha, getting ready to hit the sack.

  Little did this guy know, climbing was one of her favorite ways to release stress. She could stay up in the trees all day if she had the time.

  RoarinMike605: Want company?

  Carebear120: Very funny.

  RoarinMike 605: Just kidding. I saw your profile and was going to email you but I saw that you were online.

  Carebear120: I usually am this late.

  RoarinMike 605: Your profile says you like to fish. Favorite spot?

  Carebear120: Hmmmm, that would have to be Stormy Creek.

  Stormy Creek was a little known hot spot for fishing, she could fish in human form, or in bear form, and no one would bother her. Most people thought Stormy Creek was too small for any good fishing but Marina knew better. She liked the solitude and being close to nature. Her second favorite fishing spot was Black Lake, which wasn’t as secluded as Stormy Creek, but still had great fishing.

  RoarinMike 605: Where’s that?

  Carebear120: about 30 minutes north of the nearest town. Where do you fish?

  RoarinMike 605: Black Lake. Great catches there.

  Carebear120: I know it well.

  RoarinMike 605: Have I seen you there before?

  Marina paused in reflection. Had he? She wondered.

  The possibility seemed likely. Everyone from her territory and the surrounding territories went there in the summer to boat, swim, and fish. She would have to be careful with her answers. If he frequented Black Lake, he probably knew who she was, and that could cause her problems. Her father owned the biggest yacht that was docked at Black Lake; it is difficult to remain inconspicuous while riding a yacht.

  Carebear120: Maybe.

  RoarinMike 605: Maybe?

  Carebear120: Yeah, maybe.

  RoarinMike 605: What’s your name? Or should I just all you Carebear?

  Carebear120: Nicole. And, you are Mike? LOL.

  Being the equivalent of royalty, Marina knew that whomever she chose as her mate would become leader of their territory. She had to be careful of who she chose, as she needed to protect her family and friends.

  RoarinMike 605: You found me out. What else do you do for fun?

  Carebear120: I like to climb, go to the movies, go camping… You?

  RoarinMike 605: Same. Though I do like to bungee jump, and sky dive.

  Carebear120: Never! I like my feet flat on the ground or at least secured in a harness. : )

  They continued to talk for several hours until finally Marina had to say goodnight, but they agreed to meet online once more on Sunday night. Marina grumbled when she realized she only had three hours before she had to be up work. She was going to be useless tomorrow.

  At least tomorrow is Friday and I'll be able to sleep in on the weekend, she reassured herself.

  As soon as she arrived in the officer, her father was yelling for her.

  “Marinnnnaaaa!!!" he bellowed.

  “Yes, Papa,” she replied.

  “You’re late!” he informed her.

  “Five minutes Papa,” she said in an exasperated tone. “But I am here. What do you need?”

  “Lindsay is out sick." he replied. "Can you answer the phones today? Oh, and I need the proposal for the Ericson building. I have a meeting at ten o’clock, and I need to go over the cost analysis.”

  Marina walked over to her desk and opened the top drawer.

  “I knew you would want to look at them again so I printed them out before I left last night,” she replied, while passing the small stack of papers to her father.

  "Good girl Marina!" he laughed. "Always taking care of your Papa. Your mother would be proud! I know your Momma is looking down on you, and she is so proud of the woman you have become – even if you were five minutes late.”

  Her mother had passed away due to an aneurysm in her brain. The blood vessels had burst, and she passed away one night in her sleep; that was ten years ago. Marina and her father had been devastated.

  “I have work to do," Marina informed her father, "so go review your reports.”

  Marina didn’t like to cry here at work. Sometimes she became heavily emotional while thinking about her mother, and she felt it was good for her father if she remained strong.

  “I’ll show the Ericson crew into the conference room, and buzz you when they arrive,” she concluded.

  As soon as her father walked away, her best friend Lauren walked up and handed her a cup of coffee, just the way she liked it; light brown and super sweet. Lauren was also a Werebear, and she was Marina’s best friend. They had been best-beasties since third grade, when Lauren’s family moved into their territory.

  “Soooo, why were you late?” Lauren asked in a teasing tone.

  Marina told Lauren all about her late night conversation with "RoarinMike605", and how they planned to meet up and chat on Sunday. Marina also shared how she had given Mike a fake name. Technically, her name was Nicole, but it was a middle name; Marina Nicole Richardson. Lauren unde
rstood her reasoning for not revealing her true identity. The last thing they all needed was a jerk running the territory after Marina’s father retired.

  After about 15 minutes of gossiping, the two women parted to resume their work. Before leaving, the two women agreed to get lunch together and talk more about Marina’s long night.

  Joe walked in to Richardson Construction at 9:45 AM. He had a thing about being early. He felt that being early made it seem as though he was in control; and he liked control. Joe needed control. Without his fetish for control, Joe's business and life in general would not have been successful. He was a millionaire because he worked hard, and put in the time. He had resolved not end up back where he started out in life; only forward momentum was permitted in his mind. Moving further into the room he noticed the receptionist was engrossed in her computer screen and worrying away at her bottom lip. From what he could see of her she was beautiful.

  Hmm...Large full breasts, plump juicy lips, and hair with brown, shiny waves, he thought. I would do anything to run my fingers through... Shit! Where did that thought come from?

  Joe's libido had challenged his consciousness's control. His next thought was of how good it would feel to bite those juicy lips while taking her mouth; around that time, he cleared his throat, and blinked with an intention to recenter himself. Joe didn’t know what had come over him.

  At 9:50 a.m. Marina was scrolling through her inbox when a cleared throat made her jump and look up. She had forgotten she was on receptionist duty again. When she looked up, she was met with dark blue eyes looking back at her. Those blue eyes were the color of a stormy night and they looked like they held a thousand secrets. When she finally took in his entire face, she found a gorgeous man was looking back at her; his lips twisted into a strange combination of smirk and smile.

  “I’m so sorry. Welcome to Richardson Construction. How can I help you?” Marina asked.