“I think I have bigger issues than trying to have a roll in the hay.”
Katie chirped, “I dunno, a good roll in the hay can fix a lot of issues.”
Willow yawned. “Maybe a good night’s sleep in my own bed will help shed a little light on things.” She reached across the seat to give Katie a little hug. “Thanks for coming to the rescue. Your friendship means a lot to me.”
“No worries, I think we’re going to find out we have a lot in common—except maybe the hallucinations.” They both laughed. “Come by the diner whenever you wake up.”
It was ten in the morning when Willow finally woke, and she realized she had already missed a day of work, and now she was tardy for another. She called Samuel and explained what had happened. He teased her a little about being glad he didn’t have to fire her and told her that Grace would come by later to check on her. He also told her to take as much time off as she needed to get back on her feet.
Willow felt a little guilty as she hung up the phone but she decided that she did need to make sure that her hallucinations were over. She stretched and headed toward the shower.
Standing under the hot water, Willow realized she was a little stiff and had some sore spots, but all in all she didn’t feel much worse than if she had done a really hard workout at the gym. Already the red lines crisscrossing her back had faded to pink. Getting out of the shower, she slipped on a short bathrobe and toweled off her hair, heading to the kitchen to find something to eat. She realized she hadn’t had anything to eat but a milkshake in more than two days, and she was starving. Opening the fridge, she pawed around inside, first pouring a glass of milk, which she downed in one gulp. There was a bag of salad, but it was distinctly unappetizing. Then she saw a package of hamburger she had planned to use to make spaghetti sauce. She pulled it out and started to make a burger, but before she could get out a frying pan, she found herself nibbling on the uncooked meat. The nibbles became bites, and in moments, she had devoured a pound of raw ground beef.
The empty foam tray that had contained the meat stared at Willow with an accusing eye. What on earth had made her do that? She’d never been one to go in for steak tartar or the like, and everyone knows that uncooked ground beef could harbor all kinds of nasty bugs. The most surprising thing was...the meat was delicious! Maybe she did need to get back to the hospital and Dr. Amara.
Someone knocking at her door interrupted this train of thought, though. Assuming it was Grace, Willow flung the door open to find none other than Guy Beaugrand standing on her step.
Immediately feeling self-conscious in her shorty robe, she pulled it more tightly around her and tried to smile.
“Guy! Hi—sorry, I, uh, I thought you were Grace Wetherwell.”
“I’m sorry to come by unannounced. I heard about you getting attacked by the cat, and I just wanted to see if you needed anything.” Guy shifted his weight restlessly and seemed to avoid looking directly into Willow’s eyes.
“That’s really kind of you. Come on in, I was just going to make some coffee, if you don’t mind giving me a moment to get dressed.”
Guy nodded. “Thanks.”
Willow gestured toward the kitchen table. “Have a seat, I’ll be right back.”
“I can start the coffee if you like,” Guy offered. His eyes finally caught Willow’s; the invitation into her home had emboldened him. His tone lightened, “And you don’t have to get dressed on my account.”
Willow smiled; serious Guy Beaugrand was flirting with her! She watched as he headed toward the kitchen counter, his movements displaying a feline grace. His muscles rolled under his T-shirt and jeans, and she had to admit he had an amazingly fine ass. Guy started making the coffee, his gestures both familiar and intimate. He looked like he was exactly where he was meant to be, as if he had made coffee in Willow’s kitchen a hundred times. He turned his head to look at her over his shoulder, and finally he smiled a genuine smile. “So you’re not getting dressed on my account.”
Guy clicked the coffeepot on, then turned and leaned back seductively on the counter. He was aware of the effect his body would have on any woman with a pulse, and displayed himself for Willow’s discriminating perusal. God, he was a stunning package. Guy straightened up and took a step toward Willow, taking her hand in his as he did.
“I’m sorry we never got a proper introduction. Things with me and Katie…they’re a little complicated.”
“Were you…” Willow corrected herself. “Are you two an item?”
“No, it’s not like that. More of a family history thing.”
“Katie’s the only real friend I have in the Kingdom, and I’m not going to do anything to screw that up,” Willow said, trying to muster conviction. She could feel her resolve melting, though, as Guy pulled her closer to him and slipped his arms around her waist.
“You’re a very beautiful woman, Willow. We don’t see too many fresh faces here in the NEK, and I want to throw my hat into the ring. I’d like to have the chance for us to get to know each other.” One of his hands strayed down to the top of Willow’s butt, softly kneading her firm flesh. “Mmm,” Guy intoned, “I like an athletic girl.”
His words were those of a gentleman, but his actions were those of a rake, and Willow found the combination more than a little appealing.
“Say something,” Guy said, as he began to loosen the sash on her bathrobe. “One word and I’ll stop, but I’m the kind of man who goes after what he wants until he encounters a real roadblock.”
One hand sneaked inside her bathrobe, sliding around Willow’s waist to the small of her back and then down to her ass. His strokes started as feathery tracings and as she gave herself over to his ministrations, the pressure grew and he pulled her body tight to his. Even through his jeans she could tell he was hard, and he pushed his crotch into her pelvis as his hand urged her to grind against him. Willow could feel her breath catch in her throat, and at that moment any last bit of resistance melted. Guy leaned in and kissed her, his lips gentle at first then more and more eager as she opened to the gentle probing of his tongue.
Suddenly, he picked her up by the waist and set her on the kitchen counter, her robe open to reveal her firm breasts as well as her most intimate parts. He kissed down her body until he took one nipple in his mouth, lavishing it with attention from his tongue and teeth. Seeing that Willow was getting more and more excited, Guy moved to her other breast and did the same, while softly rubbing and pinching the other nipple.
It had been a very long time since Willow had been with anyone, and she felt ready to explode. Her lower parts ached for attention, and Guy seemed to understand the exact pacing she desired. He suckled at her breast, as he slowly drew circles around her clit with an index finger, raising her to a fever pitch. Then he slid his finger inside of her to test that she was wet and ready.
He straightened a little to whisper in her ear as his finger gently moved inside her. “What do you want?”
Willow whimpered a little, wordless in her state of excitation.
Guy repeated the question more forcefully. “Tell me what you want Willow, or we can go on like this forever.” He started to slowly remove his finger, and Willow grabbed his hand, not letting him escape.
Laughing under his breath, Guy nuzzled her neck, the very spot from which she had almost bled to death. e He He nipped at her softly, using his teeth, and he could feel Willow moving against his hand. “Say it, say what you want. Own your desire.”
Willow grabbed a handful of Guy’s hair at the nape of his neck and bent his ear to her mouth. “I want you to make me come.”
Guy smiled. “That’s right, be fierce, my little wildcat.”
Willow leaned back, holding on to Guy’s muscular shoulders as his tongue lapped at the seat of her desire. His mouth moved against her in a way that she had never experienced, and in moments, he fulfilled her command.
The bliss that rolled over her was amazing, and she wasn’t going to worry about things moving too fast with
Guy. She was going to enjoy the fact that a really hot guy was enjoying making her come. Then she opened her eyes. It wasn’t Guy who rested his head between her breasts as her passion was spent, but a beautiful, reddish-brown bobcat.
There is nothing quite like a piercing scream to ruin the afterglow of a fantastic orgasm. Willow tried to get control of her runaway emotions as Guy scrambled to disentangle their bodies.
Stepping away from her, Guy looked at Willow in bewilderment. “What is it? Did I hurt you?”
Willow shook her head. “I’m so sorry, I—I think I must have taken a shot to the head, because I’ve been seeing things since I woke up in the hospital.”
Guy pulled Willow’s robe closed and put his arms around her in a comforting gesture. “What kind of things?” He smiled softly. “I promise I won’t let the bogey man get you.”
“No, it’s…silly.” Willow didn’t want to tell Guy anything else to spoil the moment between them. “I need to go have a few things checked out, that’s all.” She snuggled her face against his shoulder.
Stroking her hair, Guy whispered in her ear, “There’s nothing to worry about, my little wildcat. Nothing at all.”
“I’m sure Dr. Amara will figure out what is going on. I guess I need to go back to the hospital.”
Willow felt Guy stiffen against her. He leaned back to look in her face. “Christovao Amara?” he asked, his voice hardening.
“You know him? Is he as good a doc as he seems?”
“Stay away from him, Willow, he’s not what he seems.”
“What do you mean?” Willow questioned.
“He’s one of those people trying to change things in the Kingdom, and I don’t mean in a good way.” Guy shook his head, clearly dismayed. “You can’t flaunt two hundred years of tradition—nothing good ever comes of it.”
“I don’t understand. What’s he trying to do?”
But Guy silenced Willow’s questions with a long and ardent kiss. “I’ve got to go meet a client. Can I see you tomorrow night?” Guy gently touched Willow’s face. “I’d love to take you on a night hike. It’s amazing what you can see around here after dark.”
Willow smiled. “That sounds awesome. Around eight?”
Guy nodded. “Now go crawl into bed and get some rest. You’ve been through a lot, and I imagine you are still shifting.”
“You mean healing.”
Guy seemed to stumble a little as he corrected himself. “Exactly, I’m sure you still have some healing to do.”
He kissed her again, and Willow felt a little giddy as she closed the door after him, but as she went to lie down on the sofa, she pondered what Guy had meant about Dr. Amara, and why of all words, he had said ‘shifting.’
***
When Willow woke up from her short nap, she stretched and realized that she was starving again. Nothing in the fridge or cupboard looked very inviting. Finally she opened a can of tuna and inhaled the contents in two bites, not bothering to even make a sandwich. She burped a little and decided to go to the diner and have a proper meal and catch up with Katie. She also felt like she owed it to Katie to tell her that she was getting involved with Guy—despite her friend’s warnings that Guy was “complicated.”
By the time Willow got to the diner it was 3:30 and it closed for the day at 4:00. When she pushed through the door, no one was in sight, but at the jangle of the bell, Katie appeared from the kitchen with a box of salt in her hand.
“Hey! You look more yourself!” Katie said cheerily. “Are you hungry?”
Willow nodded. “I’m totally craving a burger, very rare.”
Katie pushed the box of salt into Willow’s hand. “Fill the salt shakers for me so we can get out of here and go do something fun!” She rang the kitchen bell and called back to the cook, “One burger, very rare.” She turned back to Willow. “Do you want fries or a side salad or anything else?”
Willow shook her head. “Nah, I think I’ll be good with the burger.” Willow started filling the saltshakers that Katie had gathered on a tray, while Katie refilled ketchup dispensers from a giant bottle.
“So what’s shaking? Any more animal people come to visit?” Katie asked.
“No more hallucinations. I feel entirely normal except my cuts are completely healed.”
“You mean the wounds have closed?”
“No, I mean it’s almost like the attack never happened.” Willow raised her shirt a little to show Katie her back. “Yesterday I had fifty-three stitches in my back, and today I have tiny little scars like the stitches were taken out a year ago.”
Bending her head to inspect Willow’s back, Katie nodded. “Granted, that’s a little weird.” She screwed the lid back on a ketchup bottle. “Maybe you need to go back and talk to hot doc about it.”
Willow exhaled heavily. “There’s something else I need to tell you. Don’t get mad at me, okay?”
“I can’t promise I won’t get mad if I don’t know what it is!” Katie teased. “Do you have skeletons in your closet? Bodies in the backyard?”
“I’ve got…a date.”
“A date?” Katie almost squealed. “Who? Hot doc? You’ve been in town barely a week and you’re cornering the market on eligible thirty-somethings in the NEK. How could I possible not hate you?” She laughed.
“It’s…not the doctor.” Willow cleared her throat nervously.
“Oh my god! Mace came to his senses—you’ve managed to get sexy, famous and rich!”
Willow looked sheepish. “Not Mace either.”
“If you tell me you’re having an affair with George at Samuel’s office, I’m going to know you’ve really lowered your standards.”
“George is nice.”
“George is forty and lives with his mother.”
“Well, it’s not George.”
Katie snapped a dishtowel playfully at Willow. “Stop hemming and hawing and spill the beans.”
“It’s—it’s Guy.”
“Of course it’s a guy, unless there’s something you haven’t told me,” Katie laughed.
Willow took a deep breath. “Not a guy, it is Guy.”
Katie froze. “Guy Beaugrand?”
“Yeah, you’re not mad are you? He told me that you two aren’t involved.”
The look on Katie’s face made Willow’s stomach roll over. “Oh god, Katie, it’s just that he’s so handsome, and he seems really cool, and—and I don’t want to screw up our friendship. I’ll break it off if it’s upsetting to you.” Breaking it off with Guy was the last thing Willow wanted to do, but Katie looked totally crestfallen. Willow kicked herself; she was moving too fast in a place where she didn’t really know people and their histories yet.
Katie’s voice was almost a whisper, “No, it’s okay. You don’t need to do that on my account, it’s that…I don’t want you to get hurt. Like I said before, he’s…complicated. But maybe things will work out for you. I hope so.” The kitchen bell rang, and Katie grabbed Willow’s food from the window. “Here, enjoy your burger.”
If she hadn’t been so ravenous, Willow would have pushed away the plate, but instead she launched into the hamburger like there was no tomorrow. As she chewed and swallowed, she tried to get a handle on Katie’s feelings. Clearly she had stepped right in the middle of some very deep crap between Katie and Guy, and she hoped she would be able to extricate herself without losing either her new friend or her new lover.
As Katie turned to take the condiments to the refrigerator in the back, Willow sucked in a very deep breath. Katie’s sad face mingled with that of a very beautiful, silvery wolf.
***
Katie tried to put on a good face as Willow offered an awkward goodbye and told her that she needed to get back for more medical tests. Maybe Katie only needed a little time to digest the news that Willow and Guy might soon be an item. Willow was glad that she hadn’t blurted out the fact that the two of them had already made love, even though they were virtual strangers. She truly didn’t like seeing Katie look so sa
d.
The fact that she was still seeing things was of enough concern that Willow immediately drove back to Mountainview Hospital. She felt fine physically, actually, she realized, she felt better than fine. Willow’s body hummed with energy, and it seemed like she could go run a marathon—which made no sense considering that she had almost bled to death less than seventy-two hours earlier. She was hungry, horny and ready to take on the world, except for this little problem of seeing animal people.
Bursting into the emergency room, Willow looked around for Dr. Amara. The ER seemed fairly quiet: a woman with a broken ankle was getting a cast, a kid needing stitches in his chin, and an older man who was short of breath. Then she saw the raccoon nurse, who—thankfully—at that moment looked like a normal nurse.
“Dr. Ryersen! We’ve been so concerned!” The nurse hustled toward her when she saw Willow. “Why on earth did you leave? You’re not taking the trauma you suffered seriously enough,” she chided.
“I need to see Dr. Amara.”
The nurse waved off the emergency room intake clerk and guided Willow to one of the treatment bays. She pointed at the bed. “Lay back and relax. I’ll send Dr. Amara as soon as he frees up.” She pulled the privacy curtain around Willow and the bed, disappearing to attend to other patients.
Sighing, Willow kicked off her sandals and flopped back on the bed. She looked around to see if there was a magazine or anything with which to occupy her mind, but the area was bare save for a box of latex gloves and a glass jar filled with tongue dispensers. In moments, Willow felt restless and bored, and decided to entertain herself with the materials at hand. She grabbed a glove and blew it up like a balloon. It looked like one half of a set of antlers. Grabbing another glove, she inflated it to make a pair. What would it be like to be a human with antlers? What if Dr. Amara really was a deer? She held the balloon antlers up to her head and studied her distorted features in the polished stainless steel cabinet on the wall opposite her. The effect was disconcerting, as if a human was morphing into some kind of creature. Suddenly, the curtain swooshed back, and there stood handsome Dr. Amara. Hastily, Willow lowered her balloon antlers, blushing red from embarrassment.
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