by W. H. Vega
And her mind went blissfully blank.
She kissed Zane back.
This time was different. There was a power, a need, a craving that wasn’t there before.
Zane pushed her inside, kicked the door shut and pushed her up against the doorframe. He kissed her harder, sliding his tongue down her neck and along her collarbone. His fingers hitched in her shorts, and she pushed him away, but then, moments later, he was doing it again.
She pushed his hands away again, though her sex clenched and she felt molten hot desire pool deep in her belly.
Oh, this was bad.
Very, very bad.
“Gabby please,” he begged, his voice husky. “Let me make you feel good. Treat you like the princess you are.”
“No, I can’t,” she argued, though she knew she wanted him so badly.
His strong hands traveled up and down her sides, moving along the outsides of her clothing. His hands were so much bigger than she remembered, and when he squeezed her ass, she let out a small cry of pleasure.
He lifted up her shirt, kissing just below her bra, and then trailing his mouth down towards her belly button until he reached the band of her shorts. Again, he slipped his fingers into her shorts and this time she didn’t resist.
She wanted to, but she just didn’t have the willpower.
In one fell swoop, he yanked her shorts down and they fell in a heap at her feet. He pressed his mouth into her underwear, the thin material being the only barrier between him and her sex.
He blew against her, his hot breath against her most sensitive parts sending her out-of-her-mind crazy and she gasped loudly, clutching at him. He reached toward her, rubbing her softly through her underwear, and Gabby knew that her wetness would give herself away.
Zane would know how turned on she really was.
This was so unlike her! And yet, she couldn’t stop herself. And what did it matter? Her old life was over. She was the new Gabby now, and maybe Gabby, daughter-of-a-bear-king, let all her inhibitions go and got half-naked with other werebears.
She was nuts.
Zane gently pulled her underwear to the side, pressing his mouth against her and Gabby couldn’t help the low, throaty moan that escaped her dry lips. She leaned her head back against the wall, greedily pushing her hips further towards Zane, pushing herself deep into his mouth.
Zane happily obliged, opening her delicately before running a gentle finger along her crevices. He pressed his thumb firmly against her clit, rubbing her in small circles, seemingly taking pleasure in the way Gabby’s thighs trembled and the tiny noises she couldn’t help making.
And he didn’t stop there.
Ever so gently, he brought his mouth to her, kissing her on her most sacred place and making her toes curl as she grabbed clumps of his hair. He groaned slightly when she knotted her fingers in his strands, and he seemed to work even harder at pleasuring her.
The rest was a blur of unparalleled pleasure. She was embarrassed to admit that no man had ever made her orgasm; it was something she had come to do on her own. Sure, she had been intimate with a few men, but she had never been able to fully let her guard down and accept what they were willing to give her.
With Zane it was different. She fought against her natural tendency to push him away and resist. And, quite honestly—she couldn’t do it.
Before she knew what was happening, she felt her breath quicken and her heart accelerate even more so. Her thighs trembled uncontrollably, and if she wasn’t leaning up against the wall she surely would have fallen over.
“Oh! Oh! Oh!” She let the waves wash over her, caught up in an experience she had never known before. Zane continued to kiss her, sending her into a frenzy, until she was spent and exhausted, falling limply toward the floor as Zane caught her.
“Hey, hey,” he whispered, scooping her up.
She looked at him with wide eyes, knowing she was giving too much of herself away; she had let her guard down.
He carried her into the living room, laying her down on the couch. Suddenly self-conscious, she fixed her shorts and covered herself back up. She felt Zane’s eyes lingering on her plentiful curves.
“I—I think you should go,” she stuttered. How had she let that happen? Zane was the person responsible for so much of the pain in her life.
“But—’’ he looked at her helplessly, and then his face masked over with pride. “Right,” he said tightly.
“I’m sorry, Zane. I let my guard down. I shouldn’t have done that.”
“Right. Well, don’t worry. At least I was here to get Drake off your case and to service you.”
Gabby gasped at his choice of words. “I’m sorry!” she cried, “I got carried away!”
“It’s fine. I should have known better than to stop by.”
Something snapped inside Gabby, and she jumped off the couch. “You’re right. You should have known better!” she shouted.
“Fuck this,” he muttered, turning and walking towards the door.
How the hell was she supposed to live in this community with him?
“Good!” she cried running after him, hating herself for giving in to him, and more for yelling at him. There didn’t seem to be a healthy way to deal with whatever strange relationship they had.
She watched him walk out of the house and hurry down the porch stairs. She slammed the door.
“Damn him!” she cried, kicking the door for good measure. She let out a sob and clapped her hand over her mouth. How would she ever adjust to this new life? How would she ever find a mate?
Chapter Twenty-Six
Zane hurried back towards his house, fuming. Gabby was hot and cold, and he had dealt with about all he could take. He was supposed to be doing other work for Michael today, but Alicia had screwed that up by not being around. He was too pissed off to do anything else, so he jumped in his car and headed for the park office.
His bear was beating inside him like the angry animal it was and he wanted to let it loose so he wouldn’t have to deal with his emotions. He was angry with Drake, angry with Alicia, angry with Michael and angry with Gabby. He was angry at the entire fucking world.
He shouldn’t be upset that Gabby threw him out; he knew how she felt about him, but it still made him furious. He knew he didn’t deserve to be forgiven, but when he was near her, she was all he could think about.
In the parking lot, he threw the car into park and hopped out, striding irately towards the office. He stormed inside and came face-to-face with Alicia.
“What are you doing here?” he exploded.
Alicia gaped at him. “What the hell, Zane? I’m working.”
He took a deep breath. “Sorry. That was uncalled for. I just came from your house.”
Alicia stared at him. “Well, that sounds pretty stupid.”
Zane tried not to snap back at her. “Michael sent me over to talk to you about some business things.”
“Yes, I know,” she said, running her hand over her shiny ponytail. “I just came from his office. We’re going to put some money into new security measures.”
Zane nodded, aware of the plan.
“Well, since you don’t seem to need me, I’ll be going now.” She moved past him but Zane called out after her.
“Just so you know, Drake came by this morning.”
“What?”
“He was pestering Gabby when I showed up. I guess he thinks the rules don’t apply to him.”
Alicia’s eyes narrowed. “I’ll keep my eye out for him. You better tell Michael too.”
Zane nodded and headed towards Michael’s office.
“Sorry,” Michael apologized. “I didn’t realize Alicia was planning on stopping by this morning.”
Zane didn’t react. He was angry, yet his visit to Alicia’s had still been worth it, all things considered. Gabby had tasted amazing and his bear senses had been able to pick up on the heavy smell of her arousal. She could tell Zane she hated him all she wanted, but she couldn’t deny physio
logy.
“Drake was bothering Gabby when I showed up, so it’s a good thing I went over.”
“What the hell?” Michael scoffed, “He knows when calling hours are.”
“Yeah, well he didn’t seem to give a shit.”
“How my aunt ever gave birth to him, I’ll never know,” he trailed off. Zane wasn’t sure of the story exactly, but it was his understanding that his aunt had been raped. She had refused to give up the child, and hence, Drake arrived nine months later. He had never quite fit in, and since he was a shifter, the attacker must have been a shifter too.
“And how did Gabby take it?” Michael asked.
“She seemed to be handling him, but let’s just say it was a good thing that I arrived when I did.”
Michael nodded gravely. “I’ll speak to him.” He paused. “It seems we’re having no luck finding Gabby a suitor.”
“No,” he said shortly.
“It’s a lot for her to take in,” Michael pointed out, “I know we’re asking quite a lot from her.”
Zane nodded, lost in thoughts of Gabby. “Yes,” he agreed, “I think we are.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Gabby was sulking at the kitchen table when Alicia walked in the front door.
“Well, it sounds like you had an interesting morning,” she quipped, putting her bag down on the counter.
Gabby rolled her eyes. “Who did you bump into? Zane or Drake?”
“Zane. Nobody wants to bump into Drake, trust me.”
“No wonder,” she muttered.
Alicia sighed and sat down next to her. “It’s tough, isn’t it?”
Gabby laughed bitterly. “What part? Being forced to marry someone I don’t know? Being ripped away from my life? Learning that creatures from horror stories exist?”
Alicia looked slightly offended but seemed to let it go. “Yes. I guess all of that is hard.”
“I mean—how the hell am I supposed to just meet someone and agree to be with them?” she burst out, throwing her hands in the air.
“I know. It must seem strange to you. To us, well, we know that we should find a mate among us so that we can keep the blood line going.”
“It’s impossible. I’ll never find someone. And it’s not that I don’t appreciate all that you’re doing for me, but I miss my own space. I can’t keep living like this!”
Alicia nodded understandingly. “Did you know that Zane and I were engaged?”
Gabby’s jaw dropped. “What?”
“Yep.”
“What happened?”
“I did something pretty shitty. I cheated on him with Grayson and then left him.”
Gabby’s mind was blown. As much as she despised Zane, he certainly seemed the better choice than Grayson. And she was shocked that Alicia would bring it up out of the blue.
“Why?”
Alicia shrugged. “I can’t explain it. Grayson balanced me out better somehow. I know he comes off as a prick, but I promise you, deep down he’s very sweet.” She quickly continued. “Though that’s not to say that Zane isn’t a great guy! He really is. I felt awful for the way I hurt him. He didn’t deserve it. But, we just weren’t right for each other.”
She got up and poured herself a glass of water as she gathered her things to go into her office. “I’m not quite sure what’s going on between the two of you,” she said, holding up her hand before Gabby could interrupt her. “But I can’t help seeing that you two would get along well together. You both have very,” she paused, looking for the right words, “fiery spirits.”
Gabby rolled her eyes. “That’s one way to put it.
“Think about it.” She went to leave the room and then stopped. “Oh, I meant to tell you. I saw Michael this morning, and we’re taking on a big new project to help beef up our security. It’s going to keep me very busy for a while, and I really could use some extra help.”
Gabby perked up.
“I told Michael that I thought you were bored being cooped up in here with nothing to do. He said if you wanted, you could come on and help me. You’ll be paid of course, and right now, it would be maybe fifteen to twenty hours a week and-’’
“Yes!” Gabby cried before Alicia could even finish. “Yes! Please!! I’m going out of my mind!”
Alicia laughed. “I thought so. I’ll work on getting some things together today, and maybe I can start training you tomorrow. It’s just basic finance stuff. I promise, once you learn the systems, you’ll be able to do it. We’ll get a workstation set up for you, too.”
“That would be great!” Gabby cried happily, her mood lifting. Alicia smiled and left the room, leaving Gabby in high spirits.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
The following week passed much more quickly, and Gabby relished having a purpose and being able to work. Alicia had been right, it wasn’t hard work, but it kept her focused and it helped fill her time.
And having her time filled was quickly becoming a priority since she was having less and less hope of finding a mate. Michael hadn’t actually given her a timetable, but it had been two weeks now and Gabby knew she was running out of choices.
She had attended Lucy’s graduation, which had been bittersweet. It reminded her of the life that she no longer had, yet it also made her proud of her little sister. She had gone out to dinner with Lucy afterwards, and Andrea had even tried her best to act like a normal person throughout the meal. Lucy was enrolled in three classes in the fall, and was on a waiting list for one more course should they open another section.
Lucy didn’t quite understand Gabby’s situation, but she had finally seemed to accept it, and was placated by the fact that she and Gabby could still spend time together. Gabby had every intention of keeping her eye on Lucy, especially when her studies started in the fall. For now, Gabby was happy to let Lucy enjoy her summer.
Gabby drummed her fingers along the keyboard, daydreaming. The sound of the front door opening brought her back to reality, and Alicia came walking into the small room where she and Gabby did most of their work.
“Hey,” she greeted Gabby, setting her bag down. “I just came from the park and I think we’re going to test one of the security measures this evening, which means I will probably be up most of the night.”
Gabby nodded, not really sure what that meant for her.
“So, I think I’m going to lay down and try to get some rest now.” Alicia glanced at her. “Unless you need me.”
“No. I’m fine. Sounds like you need some rest.”
“Are you sure?” Alicia asked.
Gabby felt like she was being treated with kid gloves and she knew why. Zane had stopped by last night to bring Alicia some papers, and like always there had been explosive chemistry between Gabby and Zane, though Gabby had been sharp-tongued.
Gabby pasted a smile on her face. “Really. I’ll be fine.”
Alicia didn’t seem to be buying it. “Okay. If you say so.”
Gabby nodded. “I hope you have a good nap.” She turned back around to her computer, hoping to send the message that the conversation was closed.
The thing that made her so angry was that she knew that she and Zane could have had great potential aside from the one minor detail of him killing her father. And even though it happened long before Gabby had ever met Zane, she couldn’t wrap her mind around it. Every time she looked at Zane, she saw the bear that killed her dad.
She focused back on her work, forcing her mind away from Zane and his protectiveness, not to mention possessiveness. And she couldn’t even start thinking about all of his sex appeal.
Ugh. She was getting wet just thinking about him.
Focus, focus, focus.
Somehow she got herself back on track and when she looked at the clock it was nearly six. She had gotten a late start that morning, but still she was surprised to see that it was that late.
She stood up and stretched, feeling her muscles relax. She went into the kitchen to make some dinner, and once again, she longed fo
r her own place. Alicia came pounding down the stairs, dressed in all black, with her hair in a high ponytail.
“Hi,” she said cheerfully, pulling out some fruit.
“Why are you so happy?” Gabby muttered.
“I just had a long nap and now I get to work on something really exciting.’’
Gabby rolled her eyes. “I’m getting tired of not having my own privacy,” she lamented.
Alicia laughed. “Sorry. Were you hoping to eat dinner in the nude?”
“Maybe,” Gabby sulked. “At least I would have the option if I lived alone.”
“Well, at least you have the place to yourself tonight!” She smiled, took a big bite of her apple and waved before heading out the door.
Gabby made herself a sandwich and settled down to eat alone. She never realized how much she craved alone time until she had been forced to live with someone. And it wouldn’t be any different when she found a mate! She would just go from living with Alicia to someone else! A guy, nonetheless.
Gabby shuddered.
That seemed even worse.
She cleaned up her plate and went into the living room. She felt like a caged animal and she decided she would do some yoga to unwind. She had never been a big yoga person, but she had picked it up once she started living with Alicia. Alicia had an entire stack of yoga DVDs plus a few mats, and Gabby took the things out and settled herself.
She moved from upward dog into downward dog, taking a deep breath as she tried to clear her mind. She was determined to feel relaxed. She moved into tree pose, closing her eyes as she brought her hands in to her chest. She was just beginning to feel relaxed, when she heard a knock at the door.
Sighing, she went to see who was disrupting her peaceful yoga session.
She pulled the door opened and scowled.
“Zane. What are you doing here?” She was suddenly acutely aware of her tight shorts and tank top.
“Alicia needed me to drop something off.”
Gabby crossed her arms. “Alicia isn’t here right now.”