“And?” His beautiful eyes stayed on her.
“And what?”
“What was wrong with the dog…with Maverick?” His mouth curled up slightly at the edges and his eyes crinkled.
“He had a blade of grass stuck in his eye, under the top lid. It’s a good thing she brought him in. I was able to flush out the grass. He has a mild case of conjunctivitis. Thankfully though, there were no scratches to the cornea.”
“Yeah, that’s a good thing.” He smiled, making her stomach do little flip flops.
Ignore it, Jackie. Ignore the hell out of it. She’d spent the last few years in Sweetwater, moving there after she and Todd had broken up. No one had snagged her interest as of yet. Not a single soul. Now was so not the time to have her libido fire up and in full force. “I prescribed him a topical antibiotic and a mild painkiller. Maverick is going to be just fine.” She shrugged. “We close in half an hour, but I’ll stay until you are ready to leave.”
“Give me another hour or two and I’ll be good to go.”
She frowned. There was no way he was going anywhere so soon. Jackie decided not to argue though. “What brought you to town?” She paused. “Then again, it’s probably top secret. Forget I asked.”
Tyler shook his head. A devastating smile on his lips. “Not at all. We were headed to town. The plan is to go to the Christmas Festival.”
“We?”
“I came with two pack mates.” He put his free arm behind his head, propping himself up.
She felt herself frown. “Where are they then? Why were you alone earlier? Should I call them?” It was as if she turned into a blithering idiot around this guy. It irritated her.
Tyler smiled. “No. I lost them on purpose. Although I love my pack, it can get a bit stifling. I wanted some time.” Then his face turned serious. “I’m in Sweetwater to find a mate.”
Jackie felt her eyes widen. “Oh…I see. I didn’t realize. Are there a lot of wolves living in Sweetwater?”
Tyler shook his head, looking amused. “I’m looking for a human female. The plan is to go to the festival later. There will be a lot of human females there.”
She nodded. “There will be. Everyone in Sweetwater goes.” She felt strangely disappointed.
“Are you going?” He asked.
Jackie shook her head. “Nah. I’m on standby. There might be an emergency. Besides, I’m not leaving you.” She realized how it had sounded. “Being that you are a patient in my care.”
“I will be fine. I still plan on going.” His eyes dropped for a second and if she didn’t know better, she would think that he was checking her out. Just as quickly as they dropped, they snapped back up to hers, his expression neutral.
There was no way a guy like him was looking at a girl like her in that way. She wore glasses and had a little too much in the way of buns and thighs. Her hair was curly and wild if left to its own devices.
Tyler looked like the kind of guy that dated supermodel types. Tall, athletic women with long straight hair that always looked perfect. Then she realized what he had just said. “You can’t possibly go to the festival. You have broken bones, damaged internal organs. You’re staying right where you are.”
He narrowed his eyes. “We’ll see.”
“Can I get you anything? Something to drink? To eat?”
“I could do with a bath or a shower.” His voice was low and gravelly. She had to suppress a shiver.
“We have a shower, but I don’t think that you should be getting up. You could faint…hurt yourself.” She shook her head. “I’m sorry, I can’t allow it.”
“You will need to help me then.” His eyes twinkled.
“No freaking way.” She shook her head harder. “You can forget it. If I was a nurse and this was a hospital…” She looked around the room. “Then I would give you a sponge bath, but I’m not a nurse and we treat animals here.”
Tyler smiled. He had dimples in his cheeks. Honest to god dimples. One on the left cheek and two on the right. His level of hotness was obscene. “You are a doctor and I happen to be a shifter…more animal than most. I think that qualifies for a sponge bath. Don’t you?”
“Hell no,” she squeaked. Just the thought of coming anywhere near all of that skin, those hard muscles, left her breathless. It had been a very long time since she had, had sex. Too damned long now that she thought about it.
His brows lifted. “You’re a doctor and I’m your patient. You promised to take care of me. I’m covered in dirt and blood.”
He was right. Smears of dirt and blood streaked his chest and arms.
“It would be a quick wipe down. That, or you can join me in the shower…just to be sure I was safe of course.” He winked at her.
Winked.
At.
Her.
The air in the room thinned. Her eyes felt wide. Her blood drained. Jackie shook her head. Then she reminded herself that flirting came naturally to guys like Tyler. They did it without thinking. It didn’t mean anything. “No. It’s not happening. A little bit of blood and grime never killed anyone. All of your wounds have since healed so you won’t get an infection.”
Tyler shrugged. “I understand.” He slid his legs over the side of the bed and pulled the sheet the rest of the way off himself.
Oh god! His back was broad and beautiful. She’d never found a back beautiful before but his was truly magnificent. Well muscled and sun kissed and…
Wait just a minute.
“What are you doing?” A soft squeak. She cleared her throat.
Tyler stood up on a hard grunt.
Holy freaking hell, his ass was every dream she had ever had come true. Hard and sculpted. Just as tanned as the rest of him.
“I’m going to look for a shower. You might want to point me in the right direction.” He threw her an amused look and her mouth dropped open.
Then he chuckled. “Do you check out all your patients’ asses?”
Jackie made a noise born from shock and embarrassment. “I was making sure you were…still okay.” Weak, but she had to say something.
“You didn’t hit my ass with your car.” He smirked and turned. “You hit me more to the front of my body.” He pointed to the right side, including his chest and hip.
Oh wow! Her mouth dried up and she struggled to breathe. Broad shoulders, a strong chest, ripped abs - even more so now that he was awake, he had that vee thing going on. Her eyes lowered. Oh lord! Oh hell!
“You didn’t hit my cock with your car either.” Tyler chuckled.
She made a pained noise and averted her eyes. “Y-you shouldn’t walk a-around naked. It’s not right. It’s…”
“You’re a doctor. Besides, I don’t mind if you look at my cock, or my ass. Is it true that human males have much smaller dicks?”
Understatement of the century.
“I would rather not talk about…such things. You need to get back into bed.” Just as she said it, he swayed on his feet. “Dammit!” She rushed over to him and threw an arm around him to support him.
“I’m…good.” He said, his voice deep and low. “Take me to the shower.”
“No. You nearly fell. You need to get back in bed.”
“One quick shower. You can stay with me to make sure I’m okay.” He secured an arm around her hip. It wasn’t lost on her how he leaned on her.
She raised her brows. “You’re not okay. Get back into bed right now.” She put as much force into her words as she could muster. “Doctor’s orders. You are in no shape to be walking around. You may have enhanced healing, but—”
“Okay.” He sighed, allowing her to help him back into bed. “Please, can you bring some water and a cloth? I won’t make you wash me…I can mostly do it myself. It’s just…look at me.” He gestured down his body and her eyes tracked the movement.
Crusted blood. Streaks of dirt and grime. Blue and black bruising along his ribs. He still smelled pretty darned good though, which was crazy. Musky, manly, pretty dammed delicious. Wa
it just a freaking minute. “Why are you…you know…why is that there?” She pointed at his erection. Thick and long. It jutted from his body like a beacon. The head was bulbous and red. A long vein throbbed along his entire length. She had to work hard to pull her eyes from between his legs.
“I thought you were a doctor.” His voice was deep and gravelly. It held a humorous edge. “Do you really need me to explain anatomy basics to you?”
“I know what it is. What is it doing there? Why are you…you know?” Heat infused her cheeks.
He smiled, looking so damned attractive. “You know what?” he raised his brows.
“You know…” She swallowed hard.
Tyler shook his head. That infuriating smile still on his lips. Lips that were made for kissing, dammit. Not just kissing but sucking, licking and biting as well. Then again…lots of parts on this man were made for all of those things. “Hard. Why are you hard?”
“You smell good.” He growled softly. “Really good.”
“That’s your explanation?”
He nodded. “I’m a male. I get hard easily. Don’t let my dick bother you”—he pulled a sheet over himself—“there. Is that better?”
She nodded, still feeling a little hot and a lot bothered. Jackie sighed. “Much better, thanks. I’m just not used to big, sexy, naked guys parading around at the practice.”
“You think I’m sexy?”
Shit. Her big damned mouth was going to get the better of her one day. “Um…” She squeaked. “You’re not bad.”
He smiled like she was full of it…which she was. “Which is it then, sexy or not bad?”
“Not bad,” she said quickly. “I’ll go and get some soap and water.”
It was tempting to get cold water. For herself.
“Thank you.” He smiled. “I won’t be in your way for much longer.”
“Stay as long as you need. I shouldn’t have taken my eyes off the road. It was stupid.”
His eyes turned serious. “I didn’t mean it when I said those things earlier. You are not a bad driver. I wasn’t paying attention. My focus was on getting away from my pack mates. It is my own fault. Do not feel guilty.”
She nodded. “Don’t worry. I don’t.” A total lie. “I still think that you might need glasses though. I should probably check your eyes before you go…just to be sure.”
Tyler laughed. “You can check anything you want, Jackie.”
She turned to leave, her heart racing. Was he flirting with her as opposed to teasing her? Then she pushed out the breath she was holding. Nah! He was just teasing her.
Chapter Four
The human female was a sight to behold. Her scent damn near killed him. Her shy smile was true beauty. All bashed up and he couldn’t seem to get his dick under control. Hard and throbbing. It had been months since he had last had a female.
Her blue eyes moved to him as she set the steaming bowl down on the table next to the bed. There was a sponge in the soapy depths. She put a dry towel down on the bed next to him, and held a larger towel in her hands.
“Let’s put this one underneath you so you don’t wet the bed while you clean yourself. I don’t have a spare set of sheets.”
He nodded. “Thank you. I appreciate the help...even though you owe me.”
She narrowed her eyes at him and she scrunched up her nose. “Rubbish. I can’t help that you ran in front of me and that you are short sighted.”
Tyler smiled. “Don’t blame your bad driving skills on me.” His smile grew as she pretended to scowl at him.
Careful to keep his dick covered, Tyler grimaced as he moved forward so that she could slip the towel behind his back. Supporting his weight on his hands, he lifted his body so that she could pull the fabric all the way beneath him. Her hand brushed his ass.
Tyler watched as her cheeks flushed red. He heard her heart quicken. How she drew in a deep breath. He caught her fruity scent of arousal. Berries. Fresh, ripe, oh so fucking juicy.
“I’ll leave you to it,” she said. It came out sounding breathless. His dick twitched beneath the bunched up sheet. “Just shout if you need help.”
“I need help.” He kept his eyes on her as he spoke.
She frowned. “You haven’t even tried to…wash yourself.” It was so cute. She actually looked afraid of touching him even though he knew she wanted to.
“Would you mind washing my back and maybe my legs?” He raised his brows.
Jackie licked her lips. He was fucked if the tip of her little tongue didn’t have him salivating.
She finally nodded. “O-okay.” Another swipe of her tongue. “But you will have to do the rest yourself. I need to go and lock up.” She glanced at her watch. “It’s closing time.”
“Go and lock up then,” Tyler said. “That water still looks a bit hot.” It was true, steam drifted off the soapy water. It wasn’t too hot though. He was just stretching the truth a little. He might be bashed up and weak, but he liked the little human. There was something about her that drew him in. Tyler was here in Sweetwater to find a female. There was a possibility that his future mate may have found him. There was only one way to find out though.
She frowned, looking down at the steaming bowl. “You might be right. I’ll go and lock up.”
“Oh and, Jackie.”
Her eyes snapped to him.
“Please, can you bring your cell phone. I need to let my pack mates know that I am safe. That I will meet them at the festival later.”
She nodded and gave him a small smile. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
Tyler had to bite back a snarl when she returned moments later. She was no longer wearing her white, shapeless coat. Her pink sweater pulled tight around her mammary glands. Tyler clenched his jaw. Although she was stunning before, now that he was less focused on his pain, he could really get a good look at her. She had plump nipples behind the human encasings. More of her hair had escaped from her ponytail. She licked her lips as she handed him the phone.
Tyler nodded once, sure to keep his eyes on hers. Human females didn’t like having their breasts stared at for too long.
“I won’t be a minute.” His voice was a deep rumble, belying his arousal.
She nodded and smiled, folding her arms across her chest. By all that was furry, her breasts plumped out even more as her arms closed around them.
Fuck!
Female wolves were just as lush. Not that he had ever been with one. He’d had numerous encounters with human females, yet his dick had never ached quite as much as this before. Then again, he had been injured and sex would help with the healing process. Maybe this was his body’s way of expressing its needs to him.
Jared answered almost immediately. Tyler could hear how relieved the male sounded and instantly felt like a dick for losing his friends. He explained that he was with a female, omitting any information about the accident. They made plans to meet at the festival later and Tyler hung up, while staring into the disapproving eyes of the female doctor.
“You can’t go to the festival.” She dipped her hand into the water, retrieving the sponge before squeezing it. Most of the water trickled back into the still steaming bowl. “Lean forward.” She instructed. All business.
“I told you that I would be fine in an hour or two.” The sheet was wadded over his still hard dick. Tyler did as she said, grimacing at the stabbing pains that radiated through his chest and abdomen.
“Like hell you will.” Her hand shook as she wiped across his back, her fingers touching him every so often. Tyler couldn’t help it when a groan of pleasure escaped.
Berries.
A ripe burst of sweetness hit him deep in the snout. A rumble vibrated from deep in his chest.
Her hand stopped moving. “Are you okay?”
“More than okay. Your hands feel really good on me.”
He heard her swallow and how her heart rate picked up. “Oh”—a pause—“It must feel good to be cleaned. I don’t like being dirty either…” She su
cked in a breath. “Not that you smell or anything. Don’t worry about that.”
The scent of berries grew stronger and he inhaled through his nose.
Tyler had to smile. She was as nervous as hell. Her hand continued to shake as she moved the sponge over his skin in even strokes. “Yes, it feels good to be cleaned but I also like your hands on me.”
A sharper intake of breath and her hand stopped its current trajectory. “Um…that’s not really appropriate. You’re my patient.”
Tyler had to chuckle. His shoulders shook and his ribs hurt like a bitch so he groaned while putting a hand to his chest.
“Lean back,” she instructed. Her voice stern and no nonsense. Although she’d said that she wasn’t going to wash him beyond his back and lower legs, she dipped the sponge back into the water and wiped carefully across his shoulders. Her eyes focused on what she was doing. Her full lips were pursed in concentration.
“You’re an animal doctor, right?”
She nodded, rinsing the sponge.
“You might be the one that needs those glasses. Do I look like I’m still in my fur? The whole doctor patient thing doesn’t apply.”
Her beautiful blue eyes drifted to his face as she moved the sponge across his pecs. “It doesn’t matter what form you’re in, you’re in my care. Stop flirting with me. I don’t like it.” Her body told him otherwise.
The fresh, sweet scent of ripe berries wafted all around them. Her nipples were hard. Her breasts straining. He noticed that her fingers trailed his skin more than was necessary. This female wanted him.
Tyler raised a brow. “You don’t like it when I flirt with you?” He watched her closely.
Her cheeks flushed and she gave a quick shake of the head. “I don’t like it.” She thrust the sponge into his hand. “I think you can take it from here.”
Shifter Wonderland: Twelve BBW Paranormal Holiday Shape Shifter Romances Page 20