Shifter Nation- East Coast Bears Collection

by Meg Ripley

  I decided I would tack some extra funds for a professional outfit onto the cost of the mechanic when I called Hanson. I would just try to get something I could both wear professionally and look hot on my date.

  3

  Drew

  I checked myself out in the mirror one last time before I headed out the door.

  You look good, man. I had been worried that I was dressed too casually, but I didn’t own a dress suit, so I had to make do with what I had. Besides, I didn’t think Bar Harbor was a suit-wearing kind of town anyway, and especially not at a restaurant like The Looking Glass.

  I had decided on a white polo shirt, black slacks and black dress shoes. I didn’t want to layer up too much because the temperature had only dropped about two degrees in five hours, so I assumed it wouldn’t be too chilly that night.

  I walked out to my garage and thought about taking the pick-up truck as a joke, or even the fire truck, but I didn’t think Knox, my boss, would appreciate that very much. And I kind of wanted to wow her with my Cadillac, anyway. It was a 2008 CTS and the second-best car to come out during its year. It had a sharp muscular style which I was trying to emulate, so I decided it would be a perfect match.

  I punched the Holiday Inn as the destination in my GPS system and headed toward Bar Harbor. I didn’t know her room number, and she didn’t know what I was driving, so it was probably going to be a little hard to find her. And my smart ass had forgotten get her number.

  Those curves of hers had made it easy to forget a lot of things.

  My dashboard said 6:58pm when I pulled up to the front of the building. I noticed her car was parked in the back of the lot, and I only had to wait for a minute before I saw her exit the automatic doors. She was wearing a white camisole, a black ruffled skirt that fell just above her knees, and black flats. I wished I had brought a jacket or something in case she got cold throughout the night, because it didn’t look like she had brought one. I guessed she had thought the same thing that I did. With the temperatures barely moving, it was probably going to be a warm night; I sure hoped so.

  She stood there peering around, looking for me and I honked my horn to let her know where I was. She smiled and waved when she saw me, and padded over to the car.

  “You drive a Black Caddy?” she asked, seemingly surprised when she got in. She looked gorgeous. Her curly, ginger hair cascaded past her shoulders and down her back. Her eyes were a vibrant green, stunning me with their piercing gaze. Her skin looked smooth and creamy and her legs went on for miles. As she sat in the car with me, her skirt had slightly risen, exposing her thigh and I fought hard to resist the urge to place my hand there.

  Not yet…

  “It was one of the best cars of its year, second only to the BMW, so I had to have it. Also, I think it matches my personality pretty well.”

  “Slick and handsome?” she smiled seductively, obviously flirting with me.

  “You don’t look so bad yourself.” I flashed her a smile and selected The Looking Glass as our next destination in the GPS.

  “I went to the mechanic like you recommended. Ten dollars later, my wheels are perfectly safe from falling off,” she said proudly.

  “Good to hear at least someone listens to me every now and then,” I chuckled.

  It only took us a couple of minutes to get there and we continued to make small talk during the ride. When we arrived at the restaurant, it was moderately busy. It was a Friday night, so I had anticipated that there would be some traffic, but I hoped we would be able to get seated quickly. I walked over to the usher.

  “Table for two please?”

  “Certainly, sir. Right this way.”

  Yes!

  The usher brought us to a very quaint corner of the restaurant. All the tables were candle lit by tea lights in mason jars and had miniature vases of flowers as centerpieces. There were no walls by the seating area, just open, thick glass windows with a stunning night view of the sparkling Atlantic; I supposed that’s how they got their name. I had never been there before, but honestly, I hadn’t been on a date with anyone since I had moved to Acadia. I felt pretty proud of my choice in that moment, though.

  I pulled out a chair for Kathleen to take a seat. She smiled brightly at the gesture and sat, scooting the chair closer to the table.

  Now I’ll just have to keep impressing her…

  The waiter came over and introduced himself.

  “Good evening, my name is Oliver, and I’ll be your waiter tonight.” He bowed before asking, “May I start you off with a bottle of wine?”

  Kathleen seemed surprised by this and just stared at him.

  “Um. We’ll have the 2010 Geyser Peak Sauvignon Blanc.” I chose the second wine on the list because the first one was a dry Riesling, which I hated. I wasn’t much of a wine drinker in general, but I had a little pep talk from Ramon and Trent, the biologist and law enforcement officer of the park, and they had assured me that most women loved wine and it would help us both break the ice and relax more into the evening. I hoped they were right because I was trying really hard not to sweat through my shirt; I was so nervous. Also, the Sauvignon Blanc was about thirteen dollars a bottle, whereas the Riesling was twenty-four dollars. If I was going to make it seem like she was paying, I didn’t want to order expensive things and make her anxious.

  Then, I looked at the menu.

  Fuck! Look at these prices! It wasn’t like I couldn’t afford them, I was concerned that perhaps she would think I picked an expensive place on purpose just because she was treating me. And I really didn’t want her to think that. I looked up to check her reaction to the menu and her eyes were wide. Was it because of the menu selection? The prices? I couldn’t really tell what that meant. So much for my plan to surprise pay. I should probably say something now.

  “Hey, when I picked this place, I’d actually never been here before, and I could never justify having you spend this much to treat me for barely fixing your car. Please, allow me to treat you. Your company is enough repayment.” I flashed her a smile and hoped I charmed her into letting me pay. She stared at me for a moment and then put the menu down.

  “You did this on purpose, didn’t you?” She looked at me suspiciously and I was slightly taken aback. “You picked an expensive restaurant so you could convince me to let you pay.”

  “No, that wasn’t my intention at all; I really haven’t been here before—”

  “I’m just kidding!” She laughed. “I must admit, though, it is a little out of my price range.”

  “Oh. Haha.” My heart was racing, and I took a breath to steady it. “Well, then please, allow me.”

  “Sorry if my joke was too serious. You looked a little tense, so I figured I’d scare you a little.” She winked at me playfully and my heart stopped beating altogether. She really was beautiful.

  We went back to consulting the menu, and since we had agreed on me paying, I thought about changing the wine, but I decided not to.

  “Would you like to order an appetizer?” I asked her.

  “The lobster rangoon sound delicious!”

  “It does. I’m still not sure what I want for my entrée, though. What are you thinking of having?”

  “I thought the gnocchi and mushrooms sounded great.”

  “Well, I won’t be having that, that’s for sure. I hate mushrooms,” I laughed.

  “Well, that’s one thing you can cross off then,” she winked.

  “Have you both decided?” Oliver had returned with our wine and two glasses. He opened the bottle and poured a sample for each of us, while looking back and forth between us, waiting for an answer.

  “May we please have the lobster rangoon to start, and I’ll have the gnocchi and mushrooms. I’m not sure if he knows what he wants yet, though.”

  I was surprised by her forwardness. I had never had a woman order before and be so assertive, and I found it quite sexy. But, she had put me on the spot.

  “I’ll have the maple miso glazed salmon, please,”
I said curtly, taking her menu and handing them both to the waiter. Kathleen had already started on her glass of wine.

  “Do you like it?” I asked.

  “It tastes kind of like grapefruit and…grass. But I like it!” She laughed as she spoke, and I chuckled as I took a sip from my own glass. I could see where she was picking up those flavors, but it tasted more tropical to me. “So, have you ever saved a kitten from a tree?”

  I almost spit out my wine.

  “Oh, so we’re doing firefighter jokes now, huh? No, I haven’t, and even if there was a kitten stuck in a tree, the park has a search and rescue person for that kind of thing. That’s one of Sophia’s duties at Acadia.”

  “Have you ever slid down a pole?” She wiggled her eyebrows at me.

  “Yes actually, but not for anyone’s entertainment.”

  “Have you ever had to pose for a calendar?”

  “Is that really a thing?” I was genuinely surprised. I had never heard of firefighters having to do that in real life, only models.

  “Where I live, they did it to raise money for guide and therapy dogs. Needless to say, they raised a lot of money,” she laughed.

  “Well, I guess I’ve been lucky enough not to have to do that. Not sure how I would feel about having all the women in the area gawking at me as I hung on their refrigerators. It’s too small of a town and I feel like I’d be easily recognizable.” The thought alone made me shudder.

  “Yeah, but you’d be a local celebrity. All the girls would want a picture with you and for you to autograph their calendars! And it would be for a good cause.” She shrugged. And she was right. I wasn’t sure about the celebrity bit, but if it was for a good cause, maybe I could take a picture covering my face with my hat or something.

  “Any more firefighter questions you’re dying to ask me?” I chuckled.

  “Oh, if you open the hose to full blast, is it really strong enough to lift you off the ground if you’re holding it?” She looked intrigued and took a sip of her wine. It was a silly question, but not one I got asked often.

  “Well, it depends. A fire hose can only lift about two hundred pounds on its own at full blast, but it would have to be pointed at the ground. We usually have people who weigh at least two hundred and fifty pounds man the hose because they can’t be lifted by the water pressure. They also have to be able to lift someone who is two hundred pounds because that will help them control the hose at that pressure. We usually never have to open the hose to full blast, though. It can do more harm than good at that power level in most situations.”

  Oh great, Drew, you’re going on one of your fireman rants again. She probably zoned out halfway through.

  “So, I’m guessing you’re the one who mans the hose, huh?”

  Nope. She’s listening. Just has a two-track mind.

  “Yes, actually, I do.”

  “I can tell.” She was flirting hard. I couldn’t believe this gorgeous girl wanted me. It couldn’t be because she thought I was rich or something because she hadn’t seen my car until now. And I most definitely wasn’t rich; I just had acquired a lot of assets. When you work for a national park, the government pays for your lodging to make up for the four thousand dollars month they pay us. That adds up when you live by yourself and only have to buy groceries and provisions for one person. I saved up for seven months to get the Caddy that I had, and it felt good to buy it. It was really the only expensive item I owned, but I was incredibly proud to have it.

  But she seemed to really like me and that was a great boost to the ego. I just had to get through dinner to see how far it could go.

  The waiter returned with our appetizer of eight fried wontons. I waited for her to grab one first, but I didn’t have to wait long. She reached for one and bit into it immediately, blowing air from her lips and fanning herself.

  “Are you okay?”

  “Yah juh haw!”

  “Huh?” I watched her swallow the bite and sip some wine.

  “I said it was hot!” We laughed. “I guess I shouldn’t have just dove in like that.”

  “Was it good at least?”

  “Oh, it’s incredible. I’m just lucky I didn’t burn my mouth on it!”

  “What a shame that would be…” I had decided to flirt back. What did I have to lose?

  She smiled, but didn’t respond. I decided to try a wonton myself and transferred it over to one of the small plates the waiter had provided us with. To avoid the unpleasant experience she had, I cut mine in half and blew on the center before taking a bite. I could taste the lobster and scallion, but there was a sauce. I think I remembered the menu it saying it was cream cheese and blueberry, which surprisingly went quite well with the seafood and I was floored by how delicious it was.

  Our entrees came out shortly after, and hers actually looked better than I had imagined it would. The gnocchi had been seasoned with cracked black pepper and freshly shaven parmesan, nestled on top of a white bean puree with a red pepper sauce. There was also a small serving of beet and carrot slaw piled near the corner of the plate.

  But I wouldn’t have passed mine up for hers any day. The salmon was pan seared over a vegetable soba noodle salad. I thoroughly enjoyed the flavors of Asian dishes and it definitely quelled my hunger. We ate in mostly silence, which I took as a good sign that the food was to her liking.

  “How was it?” I asked when she seemed to have finished.

  “Fantastic! But I’m always up for dessert…”

  “I don’t think they have dessert here,” I joked.

  “Well, you’ll just have to come up with something, won’t you?” I felt her shoe graze my thigh and my eyes widened.

  Quick guys, I need your help! I reached out with my mind to telepathically reach Trent and Ramon, hoping one of my clan-mates would answer quickly.

  How’s the date going? I heard Trent ask me smugly.

  She’s rubbing my leg with her shoe and says she wants dessert! What do I do? My voice sounded a little more panicked than I would have liked, but I was more worried about time at that point.

  Aye, amigo! You’d better take her back to your place. That’s a very clear sign that she wants the D. There was laughter in Ramon’s voice, but I realized he was right. I ended our communication before they said something else embarrassing.

  “I might have some whipped cream and strawberries in my refrigerator if that would do?” I stroked the top of her foot.

  “Here is the check whenever you’re ready. I hope everything was to your liking.”

  “It was, thank you.” I didn’t even look at him. I was too focused on Kathleen biting her lip in front of me. I glanced at the check to see the total was eighty dollars. I had anticipated a hundred, so I just left the hundred-dollar bill on the table and grabbed Kathleen’s hand, escorting her out of the restaurant. We barely made it to the car before I pushed her right up against the hood and kissed her. My lips were powerful and dominant over her soft, supple ones. It had been a while since I’d last kissed a woman, and it felt damned good. I crushed my body against hers, feeling her well-endowed chest press firmly against mine; I couldn’t wait to fondle those gorgeous breasts of hers. I let one hand tangle in her lovely ginger curls, and it was as if I was touching a cloud. Her hands were on my back and I grabbed her left thigh and lifted it to wrap around my hip which exposed quite a bit of her leg to my touch. I took advantage of it and ran my hand up to her bottom, cupping and squeezing it in my palm. It was a generous handful and I couldn’t help but be pleased with myself when a moan escaped her lips.

  Then, I heard a whistle and my head whipped around to find it. There was a group of guys heading to a nearby bar who were cheering and looking in our direction. I glared and growled, but quickly realized she might think that was a bit uncharacteristic of me, so I tried to clear my throat to mask it.

  “Your place?” She sounded breathless, her chest rising and falling. Her eyes were hooded and dark green in the moonlight, filled with lust and desire. I nodded, and
gently placed her leg down, opening the passenger side for her. I got in and drove us quickly back to my cabin, my hand stroking her thigh throughout the entire drive. She squirmed under my touch.

  “Shouldn’t you have both hands on the wheel?” she half asked, half moaned.

  “I like to live dangerously,” I smirked, squeezing her upper thigh, making her back arch. My manhood had grown, bulging against my pants, which were growing uncomfortable more and more by the moment. I rejoiced inwardly when I saw the indent of my road up ahead.

  The car swerved slightly, and my heartbeat raced when I felt a hand in my lap, stroking my member through my pants. She laughed at my surprise.

  “I, too, like to live dangerously,” she admitted with a sly smile.

  I could’ve exploded in my pants right there. Jesus, she’s hot…

  I tried to concentrate on pulling into my driveway and parking the car, which was a little hard with her trying to unzip my pants.

  “Whoa, there. Let’s get inside first.” I laughed, grabbing her hand and kissing it. She practically ran out of the car and I shook my head. By the time I reached the door, she was already there, waiting for me to open it.

  “Time to see if you are the homey type or the bachelor pad type,” she giggled.

  I wasn’t sure which category I fit into, but maybe a little bit of both? I let her be the judge as I unlocked the door and swung it open.

  We entered my living room, which had a blue and beige color scheme with stained oak-paneled walls and a fireplace. There were two sets of rustic chandelier style lights hanging from the ceiling. I had a leather sofa, a matching arm chair and oak shelves full of records, which stood next to an end table with my record player on top of it.

  “No way, you have records?” She ran to the shelves and checked out my selection. “And you like classical music? And here I was thinking you’d play country music from your iPod or something.”