by Ruby Forrest
Now feeling adequately tranquil after a hard workout, she turned off the water and went to bed. She fell asleep quickly and dreamt she was back in the shower. There in her dream, she wasn’t alone. She felt a firm, warm body of a large man behind her. Her head was back on his shoulder with her hands up running through his hair. She felt him squeeze her waist, her hips and thighs. She pressed her round butt against him, inviting him to continue. His hands slipped between her legs just as her own hand was before. He was rubbing her clit and dipping his fingers in perfectly. Her body was filling with a tingling sensation and she pressed harder back against him.
She could feel him growing harder against her lower back. His large arms were tight against her sides as he held her close and kept pleasing her with his fingers. Her legs began to strain as she involuntarily stretched up on to the tips of her toes. Now she could feel his erection dangling over her butt and it made her want desperately. She quickly grabbed his hands, pulling them away from her crotch and bent herself forward.
With her exposed rear giving him a fleshy ultimatum, he responded to it. He took his massive member and thrust it deeply inside of her. She gasped at the sensation of being completely filled. He placed his hands on her shoulders and braced her as he began to pound himself into her. Each time he threw himself forward she was riveted by his strength and the sheer mass that was penetrating her. The passion grew, and the pace became more and more furious. Their bodies slammed together like a hammer on an anvil. Each time he propelled inside of her, a spray of shower water was deflected off his massive chest and chiseled abs.
Her body started to melt as she was being seduced by the pleasure. She felt as though she were about to burst. As she journeyed to climax, her hands press white-knuckled against the shower wall and she felt him suddenly pause. Her body expected the next deft blow of passion inside of her and when it didn’t come, her body trembled in anticipation. The strong hands at her waist spun her around. The man behind her was Stetson.
He stood there, barely able to fit in the space of her shower. With a quick grunt, he lifted her onto him and stepped forward, pressing her to the tiled wall. This time, he pumped smoothly in and out of her with a perfect rhythm. His kisses and caressing hands fell into tempo with the steady percussing of their bodies. She clung to his strong back and her thighs writhed against his sides. She felt like a spinning top, being wound tighter and tighter until she would be released. The warmth in her pussy spread like a flowing river. It shot up through her stomach and into her chest. It poured down her legs, reaching her curled toes. Her eyes rolled back into her head and finally she exploded. She felt like she had become a geyser, venting out tons of pressure and, just as the wave was passed her, his climax followed. He became tense as he released his seed inside of her. She looked hard into his eyes and caressed his cheek as she whispered his name. “Stetson...”
The next night, Poppy pulled off yet another dress, discarding it into a pile of already rejected outfits. Nothing seemed right for the event tonight. She pushed the thought that it was because of Stetson out of her mind. She didn’t get nervous for dates with guys. She never had. She told herself it was just the event, but deep down she didn’t even believe herself.
She did feel invigorated by her pleasurable evening yesterday and the steamy dream that followed. She put the finishing touches on her makeup and hair, sitting at her vanity in a towel. Once she was done with that she put on a pearl necklace and matching earrings. She stood up, leaving the towel sitting on her seat and slowly pulled up her lace thong over her freshly shaved legs. She reveled at how smoothly the panties glided over her skin and how it crested over her curved hips. She put on her matching bra, then her high heeled black suede Jimmy Choo’s. Last of all, she put on her dress she had finally selected for the evening, a black bodycon number that left relatively little to the imagination and showed off her toned body to perfection. The scooped neckline highlighted her cleavage without being indecent, and the curves of the dress silhouetted her hourglass figure.
She strode out of her bedroom to her kitchen where she had a glass of wine and waited for her doorbell to ring.
CHAPTER FOUR
Stetson woke up covered in sweat, completely erect and throbbing. He looked down, confused that he was in his human form. Stetson remembered his journey through the woods, followed by what must’ve been a great transition back into human form. He also recalled a dream, an erotic imagining of him and Poppy, together. He was exasperated by the lust he felt and how he lost control of his body in the current of it. Stetson didn’t bother shifting into his wolf form but rolled over and tried his best to sleep again.
Wednesday night, Stetson had been parked down the street for over an hour before he was supposed to arrive. Noticing the time, he called Brett to confirm the security detail had checked out the venue for the evening. Stetson was accompanying Poppy to a charity benefit she planned for a wildlife preserve. He and Brett coordinated to be sure there would be extra eyes during the ceremony.
Satisfied that everything was in place, Stetson pulled down the street to the valet lane in front of her building. He walked inside to her elevator, acknowledging the classy finishes. It was certainly a nice place, so she did alright for herself in the ‘party planning world’.
Once he was on her floor, he inhaled deeply, already able to smell her scent. It made him think of her at the gym again and flashes of his dream blew through his mind. He quickly dismissed those thoughts and steeled himself again. He rang the bell and waited.
When the door opened, he could see that lights in her apartment were turned off and she was cloaked in shadow. Even though he had brilliantly keen night vision, it still took a moment for his eyes to adjust. Poppy took one quick step out into the lighted hallway and seemed to explode into view. Stetson felt his heartbeat elevate immediately. From her high heeled shoes, to her curled hair, she looked ravishing. He was so distracted, that he failed to answer her greeting.
With the door locked behind her, Poppy stood there with an expectant look on her face. Stetson jolted back to awareness of his surroundings and said, “I’m sorry. You look amazing. You literally blew me away for a second.” As he spoke, his lips betrayed him and crooked to a half smile.
Poppy’s cheeks blushed slightly as she smiled. “Thank you. You look nice too.”
He looked down at his black suit, hoping that he did look fine. He wasn’t used to having to deliberate over something as mundane as clothes, but looking over her black dress, he realized that she used clothes as both armor and to accentuate her already seductive look.
He’d never been insecure about his own looks, but knew that he wasn’t classically handsome, not like the other guys he’d been reviewing that she’d dated. She obviously had a thing for pretty boys, and he was the farthest thing from that.
Even as he tried to stuff down thoughts about their ‘date’ and focus on work, he couldn’t help but wonder what she was thinking, her beautiful eyes casting downward over his appearance.
***
Poppy couldn’t control the frisson of awareness and shock that coursed through her body. He was damn good looking. She’d knew it before, but now, looking at him dressed for her, she was so attracted to him that it was almost a tangible thing. He was so handsome.
That night he wore a black suit that made him look sleek even though he was a mountain of a man. The black suit was cut to his body much better than the blue suit had been. His muscles still strained against the soft material of the shirt, but not indecently so. It made her think of rendered fabric and flying buttons as she pondered what it would be like to see him without clothes.
“Thanks,” he begrudgingly admitted. She almost laughed. Clearly, he wasn’t as interested in fashion as she was, but it didn’t bother her. She actually enjoyed his masculinity, the difference between the two of them interesting and unusual.
As she swayed down the hallway, she could feel his eyes on her back. It was thrilling. S
he matched the picture of him standing at her doorway to the sensations in her dream. Matching the firm hold of strong arms on her hips to the sight of his massive shoulders in his black blazer. The pure power of his thrusting to his tall and impossibly well-built frame. She felt a heat growing under her dress as she pondered it, unable to keep her thoughts about the event that they were going to.
“Thanks for picking me up,” she said, her voice low and throaty, turning around so he could hear her words.
When he responded, she shivered at his impossibly low voice. “No problem. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
She acknowledged the old-fashioned respect with a smile. It was sweet, actually, that he had been so insistent that he would pick her up instead of meeting her there. It was unlike the other dates she’d brought along to events like these, but she didn’t mind.
Once in the elevator, she felt his sheer size. Stetson was bigger than any guy she’d ever dated, but not unattractively so. She liked feeling small and feminine in his presence. She took a deep breath to steady herself, but instead, was filled with his masculine scent. The smell of him was intoxicating. Masculine but simple.
“Do you normally attend all your events?” He asked, his deep voice sounding from just behind her ear. She shivered with the sensation.
“If I can make it. My events should all run smooth without me, but it’s fun to see my work come true, and sometimes there are adjustments I make before and during the party if I see something that would make it a better experience for my clients or the guests.” It would be stressful if she didn’t enjoy it as much as she did. It was like a puzzle with fifty different pieces all of different shapes and sizes. She just had to figure out how to get them all to come together seamlessly.
***
As they arrived at the wildlife preserve, Stetson kept a disciplined eye on his surroundings. He looked to the line of cars waiting at the valet stand, the crowd of people being ushered inside the observation building and, lastly, to the ridgeline behind it. Without consciously meaning to, he estimated the number of people gathered here and the distances between each of these points.
He got out of the truck and handed the key fob to the valet. He opened Poppy’s door, shaking his head at the valet to indicate that Stetson wanted to be the one to do it. She seemed surprised, but he enjoyed the tug that brought her up and out of the truck, against his body. For just a moment, he let himself think what it would be like to actually have a girl like that at an event like this. She was irritatingly charming, feisty, and incredibly sexy…and it was all a recipe for disaster.
He couldn’t afford to let someone in right now. He’d already accepted Bronte as part of the family, but that had taken a huge measure of trust, especially with a past like Stetson’s. Of anyone, he understood that no one could be trusted. Even someone as beautiful and innocent as Poppy.
“Shall we?” He asked, letting her see the heat in his gaze. Without responding verbally, she nodded. With her safely tucked into his arm, his mind traced their steps toward the door and matched them to the map of the preserve he had memorized in the days beforehand. Stetson was always very cool and collected, but he felt somewhat enflamed with his date holding his arm. His heart was still beating quickly, and his mind was frantic to stay on task.
He was amazed that he was still feeling this attraction. He’d initially been struck by her beauty, but he would’ve thought it would have worn off by now. But each time he looked at her, he noticed little beautifully intricate things about her – a freckle, a shade of color in her eyes, the softness of her skin. He was trying hard to stay professional and keep the expectations he’d had about her – that she was a spoiled, immature party girl. Even though there was relatively little that he’d learned about her that agreed with that thought. She didn’t seem like that at all.
“How many of these people do you know?” He asked her, leaning in closer under the guise of being heard. He breathed in the floral scent of her shampoo, even her scent driving him crazy with lust.
“Maybe half? Obviously, I see the guest list, but I don’t always recognize all the names,” she said, her eyes gazing out into the crowd and seeking out familiar faces. “But a lot of the ones I do recognize are from events like this, sort of like a networking engagement.”
He took in her words, saw the way her spine steeled as they walked in. He’d never really thought about how much work would go into a party like this, but was suddenly taking notice of the décor, the floral arrangements, the signature cocktails. It was a lot of work, and he started to see Poppy’s job through a new light.
Suddenly he saw some familiar faces in the otherwise unknown crowd. He viewed Brett and Bronte, who were obvious candidates for an event like this one. They were in their usual public appearance garb and mingling with a group of other likely outrageously wealthy couples from the city. Stetson and Brett caught each other’s eyes and silently understood that they were each ready for the night to continue.
He couldn’t see Darian, but he knew that he was close by too and ready to be called to action if the need arose. Brett and Stetson each carried two small capsules in their pockets. These capsules were filled with car freshener scents. One was lavender and the other was pine. With their heightened sense of smell, they could each break the capsule and the odor would alert the other without anyone else knowing. Lavender was the signal for all clear and pine was the signal to evacuate.
Stetson continued scanning the room and noted two of the high-profile people that were being sought after by Lila’s blackmailers. Making a mental note of what they wore and where they were in the room, Stetson turned his attention back to his date.
He felt Poppy gently squeeze his arm, whispering, “I hope you’re ready for a real dog and pony show tonight.”
He felt himself smirk at her mention of animals, especially of the canine variety. Oh, if only she knew. But she didn’t. And she never could.
She whisked him over to a group of well-to-do-women, clearly knowing who to invite to these events and, more importantly, who to make sure she was seen by at these events. She was obviously good at what she did, just like him. He felt bad for judging her so harshly originally.
“Maria, Sandra, and Amber, this is Stetson Hardy. Stetson, these three women have pretty much taken on the entire task of protecting the animals in the city from harm.” She introduced him to the circle of very pretty, obviously wealthy women. All three had heavy jewelry, including rocks on their hands that were the size of grapes. He was amazed they could even hold their hands up.
They shook his hand limply, allowing him to grasp their hands. He disliked their bird-like grips instantly but was careful not to let it show. “A pleasure to meet the three of you.”
CHAPTER FIVE
Poppy could see the three women’s curious expressions roaming over Stetson and tamped down a bit of jealousy. He was an attractive man, and incredibly virile, unlike most of the tanned, slim, vain men that were in attendance tonight. Even she herself was usually accompanied by sharply dressed, well-groomed men who were attractive, but of a rather soft nature. Stetson cleaned up very well in his black suit but was obviously a rougher breed than she normally ran with.
“Hardy…You must be the eldest of the three brothers then?” Amber asked, a calculated smile on her pretty face. Poppy tried to follow her line of questioning. Hardy brothers?
“I am,” Stetson acknowledged, dipping his head. He was what?
“And what do you do, Mr. Hardy? We’ve just been chatting with your brother and his beautiful wife. Seems that his business has really taken off. Do you work for him?” Sandra jutted in, motioning towards Bretty Hardy and his new wife, Bronte.
Suddenly she started to connect the dots. Hardy. That’s why it had sounded so familiar. Bretty Hardy, the billionaire. Was Stetson’s little brother? Her mind reeled with the meaning of that. She didn’t know enough of the familiar history to know if it was family money or from Brett’
s successful business, but Stetson clearly was part of a very affluent family now.
Stetson let out a masculine snort. “No, I don’t work for my baby brother.”
She bit back a laugh, seeing the strain of those words evident on his face. She couldn’t really see Stetson working for anyone. He seemed like a lone wolf, someone that didn’t take orders from anyone else.
“Then what…” Amber’s words were cut off as Stetson deftly nodded and turned Poppy around, headed towards the buffet table.
She smiled, enjoying his discomfort. “You’re Brett Hardy’s brother?”
“Yes…” He answered, dragging it out. “Is that a problem?”
She shook her head, her curls bobby. “Not at all. Just curious, that’s all.”
“Why is that curious?” He asked, his steely gaze not letting her avoid his own.
“Brett’s amazing. A true success story, both in his business life and his personal. Bronte is amazing.”
He nodded, “She is. Annoying, but amazing.”
She laughed. Clearly, he was a typical big brother, not just to Brett but also to Bronte. “So, is that how you find your celebrity clients? Because of your family connection?”
He chuckled. “I’m not sure what ‘family connections’ there would be. I grew up with just my brothers. And we certainly didn’t come from money. Brett made it on his own two feet, as did myself and my other brother, Darian. And I never said my job is working for celebrities. It’s much more…private sector than that.”