by Lily Harlem
He groaned and looked down at her, loving the sight of her pretty lips stretched around the dark flesh of his shaft. “More…”
She fondled his testicles, rolling them like two snooker balls in a sack with just the right amount of pressure and squeezing. He clenched his ass as a tremble went down his legs. Damn, he missed Malec. If he’d been here, chances were he’d be getting fucked right now as Flo did this, or at least have Malec massaging his prostate.
A sudden wave of shame came over him. He shouldn’t be thinking of Malec right now. Flo was giving him head, glorious, skilled head. She was the center of his world. Had been for so long.
He stroked her hair, forcing himself to be gentle. “I’m gonna come, sweet pea. Real soon… Do you want it…?”
She slipped her mouth from his cock tip. “Yes, I want it. All of it.” Her eyes bored into his. “And if you’re thinking about Malec, then that’s okay. I’m thinking of him, too.”
“Oh God.” She always said just the right thing. As she sank onto his cock and rubbed the patch of skin between his balls and his anus, he held his breath. His orgasm was there, about to claim him. And it was a good, hard, fast one. Blow jobs always did that.
He cried out as he came, not bothering to hold in the guttural sound. Cum spurted up his cock, once, twice, three times, filling Flo’s mouth.
She swallowed fast, the action tugging the skin around his slit and adding to his ecstasy.
“Ah, that’s it…” he gasped as she slid her hands around to his buttocks and gripped him tight. “So fucking good.”
He relaxed his fingers in her hair, realizing he’d tensed around the roots. “You okay?”
She didn’t answer. Instead she slowly drew back, licking his shaft as she went. When the end popped out, she caught it in her hand and kissed the tip.
“Fuck knows how I stayed standing for that,” he said panting. “You’re devilishly good with your mouth.”
She smiled. “I could say the same thing about you.”
“And I’m going to remind you, right now.” He sank to his knees, placed his hands on her thighs and wrinkled her skirt upward. “I hope you’re not wearing panties.”
She placed her palms on his hands and halted their sliding progress. “No.”
“No?”
“Raul…I’m sorry, but let’s wait until we have Malec with us. I want to come with both of you. It hurts my heart without him. Somehow it doesn’t feel right.”
He frowned. “It was only us for years before he came along. And what about just now?”
“I know, and that’s not what I meant. But you and I were both thinking of him then, so let’s go get him and be a threesome again.”
“Okay, if that’s what you want.” He reached forward and kissed her. Her lips were a little puffy and damp. She tasted of salt and musk.
“Yes, it’s what I want.” She smiled.
“Then go pack. We’ll catch the next bus to the coast and find him.”
She nodded. “Yes. That’s what we need to do.”
* * * *
An hour later and they sat side by side on the last bus of the evening that traveled west. Malec was staying on the Pacific coast, working in a gas station. His letters had reported a cheap room that was basic but comfortable and long hours. His boss was a woman who had taken on too much with running a business and trying to raise four children on her own.
Raul wondered if that was why Malec had stayed for such a length of time He was a kind soul and no doubt could see her struggling and didn’t want to add to her burden by leaving.
But enough was enough. Surely he had a thick envelope of cash to bring back to camp by now.
Raul held Flo’s hand as she rested her head on his shoulder. “Sleep if you can.”
“I might doze. I feel ridiculously tired.”
He pressed a kiss to her head then turned to watch the forest slipping by. Soon it would turn to fields, then towns and, if he remembered correctly from his last trip this way, a wind farm. The sun had slipped from the sky and the forest had darkened. He had a sudden urge to shift and run through it. It was always good for him when he was feeling fractious, when something big had happened and he needed to sift through his thoughts.
And there was no doubt about it—something major had happened. He was going to be a father, responsible for a child.
His heart swelled with love for his unborn son or daughter. He could hardly wait to meet him or her. See their face, hear their voice. Run with them, teach them, laugh with them.
Malec would be so excited. He’d mentioned several times over the years how nice it would be to raise a child the way Aleco and Julie had with their third, Pedro. Neo was a fine young man even if he was a bit of a wanderer.
A bus traveling in the opposite direction filled his vision for a split second, then there was the forest again. It was always a wrench, leaving the Redwoods and the camp, but it had to be done on occasion. And right now, finding Malec and getting to the bottom of what was going on had to be a priority.
A seed of worry had been trying to germinate in his mind for too many days. To start with, Malec had written a few times a week, telling them what he was doing. But now it was barely once a week. The letters were shorter, too, as though he didn’t really have time to write. Raul had tried to tell himself that there wasn’t much to say, that Malec was working or sleeping—hardly exciting.
But somehow Raul felt adrift. As if he were navigating a river and having no control over how he approached the rapids. What was more, now he had his pregnant wife to care for.
What the hell is going on with Malec?
He relaxed his hand, realizing he was squeezing Flo’s fingers. His mounting frustration was creating unwanted tension.
Has Malec found someone else?
Jealousy mixed with fury and pain became a tsunami of emotions to deal with and he squashed it down. If he gave it a chance to surface, to breathe, he wouldn’t be able to control it.
The sooner he saw Malec and straightened out this whole damn situation, the better. He wanted his man and nothing was going to get in his way. He wasn’t a tough, single-minded shifter for nothing.
Eventually, the bus pulled into Garston, the small town he and Flo had been sending letters to. He helped her off. She was still sleepy, and even in the darkness he could see she was pale.
“There’s a motel there,” Raul said, nodding to his right. “Let’s get a room and you can rest.”
“But I rested all the way here.”
The engine roared as the bus pulled away.
Flo coughed as the fumes circled them.
Raul frowned. The situation was out of his comfort zone. A missing mate and the pregnant woman he loved was exhausted. “It’s non-negotiable. We’ll get a room, you can have a drink, a rest, and then I’ll go find Malec.”
“We, you mean we will go and find Malec.”
Raul wrapped his arm around her waist and hoisted their one rucksack onto his back. He made a non-committal sound. He had no intention of letting Flo go anywhere else tonight. Not just because she was worn out, but also because he didn’t know what he would find when he hunted down Malec.
The motel cost more than he would have liked, but Raul passed over some of the cash Malec had sent to them in the first few weeks he’d been away. The room was functional and clean, and decorated in bright purple and white stripes. The bulbs, however, were weak and gave a nice buttery glow, softening the garish colors.
Raul set about making herbal tea for Flo. Out of the corner of his eye he saw her take off her shoes and rub her feet, frowning as she did so. He didn’t know much about pregnancy, and he’d have to learn a hell of a lot more. But seeing her less than her usual effervescent self set his nerves further on edge.
Tea made, he brought it to her. She was on the bed and he reached for more pillows and stacked them behind her. He fussed and fluffed until he was happy she could rest comfortably.
He sat at her side and rested her f
eet on his thigh. Gently, he rubbed them heel to toe.
“That’s nice,” she said, then took a sip of tea.
“Is it normal?” he asked.
“What?”
“For you to be so pale? Tired? For your feet to hurt?”
“Raul, I’m growing another person. Not just a person, a shifter. It’s going to drain my energy.”
“I know, I know.” He ran his hand up to her knee. “But I can’t help worrying about you. I’ll worry until our child is here safe and sound in your arms. Then I’ll relax.”
“Well, that’s a few months away.” She yawned. “So unless you chill out a bit, it’s going to take its toll on you, too.”
“I’ll look after you,” he said, a wave of protectiveness coming over him. “Anything you need, any time, whatever it is, you just have to say. Tea in the middle of the night, back rub, some strange food collecting from town. Just say the word.”
“Well, perhaps it would be nice to have some more help with the goats.”
“Of course, in fact, they’re not your job anymore. When we get home I’ll take over and they’ll be my responsibility, from this point on, even after the baby is born.”
“Thank you.” She smiled. “But I’ll be okay when I’m back to normal.”
Her eyelids were heavy as she took another sip of tea.
“Why don’t you sleep for a while? It will do you good. Traveling is tiring at the best of times.”
“Mmm, I might do that.”
He took the tea from her, set it aside, then helped her snuggle down. He reached for a blanket and put it over her.
“What are you going to do?” she asked when he placed a kiss on her head.
“I’ll take a shower. I feel like I’ve got road grit and fumes on me.”
“Okay.” She closed her eyes.
For a moment he stared at her, his love for her bubbling inside him and threatening tears. It had been one hell of a day.
But he wasn’t one for crying, so made his way to the bathroom and flicked on the shower. After stripping off he stepped in and held his face up to the stream of hot water. Maybe a tear spilled out, he wasn’t sure. It had been a long time since he’d been in such turmoil. Probably not since he’d been a young shifter coming to terms with the way his body switched from human to a big, dark dog.
Yet he was no longer a teenager. He was a man. A man who took control of situations and didn’t let them control him. He lathered up then rinsed off, a plan forming in his mind. He couldn’t sit around and he was sure he wouldn’t sleep. He’d slip out and find Malec now.
It was best he go alone. Whatever greeted him, whatever was going on, it might not be in Flo’s interest for her see it.
His guts twisted at the thought of finding Malec with someone else, living a new life.
But we’re mates. Together for life.
He knew that was true, but what if things had changed? His feelings hadn’t, but Malec’s might have.
He flicked off the shower and stepped out. Rubbing his hair vigorously, he tried to erase his negative thoughts.
The sooner he found Malec the better.
He dried, dressed and headed into the bedroom. As he’d predicted, Flo was fast asleep. Her lips were slightly parted and she had a bit more color in her cheeks, as though the tea and the rest were doing her good.
She didn’t stir as he moved around the room and scribbled her a note.
I’ll be back soon.
Rest, my love,
R x
He propped it up next to her half empty mug, then slotted the room key into his pocket. With a little luck she’d sleep for hours and when she woke, he’d have returned with good news.
Even better, he’d return with Malec.
Chapter Three
Raul stepped out of the motel room, then crossed the lot. He found a dark corner screened from the road by a semi and shifted. Standing still for a moment, he sniffed the air. The stench of the town, as opposed to the forest, was a bombardment on his senses. Fuel, food, so many people, other dogs, cats too. He caught a whiff of the ocean—a slightly salty undertone to everything else—and to his right he guessed there was a pile of stinking cigarette butts floating in stale water.
He shook, then set off at a trot. Sticking to the back streets and avoiding any late-evening pedestrians, he continued his westward journey. It was certainly a town of canines. He saw several with owners and also a couple of strays hanging around behind a fast food restaurant.
But, undistracted, he made for the gas station Malec worked at. From memory, he knew it was on Kelp Way, just out of town.
Soon he was trotting alongside the ocean. The road was quiet and he didn’t imagine the gas station got a whole load of business. Twice he paused and stepped out of view, once behind a trash bin, another time behind a parked car. The last thing he wanted was to be reported to a dog warden. That happened in places like this. He’d heard stories of it happening. If he were a standard dog, he could understand it. As a shifter, not so much fun being caged for the night.
The few residential homes thinned and the scents wafting toward Raul became more countrified. Trees and flowers, raccoons and other wildlife. Still, the ocean’s briny, tangy smell stuck with him. He could hear the waves now, too, crashing rhythmically over and over.
Finally, the gas station came into view. Seeing it added speed to Raul’s trot. His heart beat faster. Soon he’d see Malec. Get to the bottom of whatever the hell was going on. Not only that, he’d hopefully get to hold him, kiss him, tell him how much he meant to him.
Hopefully.
Still in his dog body, he halted just before the bright lights of the forecourt touched the grassy knoll surrounding the station. He peered into the lone building and saw a man sitting at the till. He was motionless, his head propped on one hand as though resting, half asleep maybe.
Malec.
Raul pulled in a deep breath as love filled his veins. There was his man, right where he said he’d be. And he was alone, not in some passion-infused embrace with another.
Of course he isn’t.
Rising onto his hind legs, Raul shifted into his human body. He hiked up his jeans and straightened his white T-shirt, thankful as always for the ancient magic that allowed him to shift with an outfit covering his modesty.
There were no customers at the gas station. Each pump sat idle. But just as Raul stepped from the shadows, a bike appeared. The low rumble of its engine bounced around the forecourt and roused Malec.
Raul retreated and watched from behind a tree trunk as Malec wandered out, lethargy in his swagger, and spoke to the driver. He began to add fuel to the bike’s tank as the driver tugged off his helmet and walked toward Raul’s hiding place. But he stopped short of the grass, plucked a cell from his pocket and made a call. He was obviously late and had to placate the person on the other end of the line.
When he’d finished he wandered over to his bike, paid Malec and jammed on his helmet.
As the bike roared off, the low rumble seeping into the distance, Malec idled back into the gas station store.
Raul’s heartstrings tugged. His mate was exhausted, that much was clear. Just how many hours was he doing here? He was a fit young man. Working in a gas station shouldn’t be taking a toll on him this way. Hell, if Raul had known it would be such a drain, he’d have come to town and earned their cash.
He could stand and watch no more, and stepped out into the bright light of the forecourt. Malec was inside the store, moving around. It wasn’t until Raul pushed open the door that Malec became aware of another presence.
“I’m closing…” Malec’s spun, then as his gaze landed on Raul his mouth hung open. He rubbed his eyes. They had bags beneath them. “Raul?”
“What’s going on?” Raul rushed up to him and cupped his cheeks. “We’ve been so worried and clearly we were right to be.”
“Are you really here?” Malec searched Raul’s face.
“Yes, I am. And Flo, too, back
at the motel.”
Malec sighed and his shoulders sagged. His eyes fluttered as though giving into his weariness.
Raul pulled him into a tight hug. He’d get to the bottom of what the heck was going on soon enough, but right now he just needed to hold his mate.
He closed his eyes and inhaled Malec’s familiar scent—oh, how he’d missed that—and ran his hands over the contours of his back.
Malec snuggled closer, burying his face in Raul’s neck and breathing deep.
“It’s okay,” Raul said. “It’ll all be okay. We don’t need bucks this badly.”
“I know…it’s just…”
“Shh.” Raul silenced him by sweeping his lips over Malec’s mouth. “We can talk later. Right now you need to rest.”
“Yes, it’s been a long day.”
“How many hours have you done?” Raul frowned.
“Eight here at the station.”
“But…?”
“And five somewhere else, too.”
Raul clicked his tongue on the roof of his mouth. Two jobs, he should’ve guessed.
“Come on, let’s lock up and get out of here.” Raul reached for a metal shutter on the window and slid it into place.
Malec went to the till and closed it down. He then put the takings in a safe, out of view.
Raul fidgeted as he waited for Malec to finish up.
Eventually Malec pulled on a pale green sweater and swung a bunch of keys from his finger. “All done. Let’s go.”
They stepped into the fresh air and once Malec had locked the door, Raul took his hand. “Shall we get a cab?”
“To where?”
“The motel. See Flo.”
“No.”
“No?” Raul frowned. Was Flo the problem? Had Malec fallen out of love with her? Shit. How the hell would he explain that to her? How would they move on from this? He had to be with Malec, he loved him. But he loved Flo, too.
Panic swarmed within Raul. His mind fired off a glut of painful scenarios and awful consequences. He swallowed, his mouth suddenly dry. “Why don’t you want to see Flo?”
“Oh I do, really I do. I’ve missed her desperately.” Malec stopped and pulled Raul to face him. “Please don’t think otherwise.”