by L A Moore
Ari had had enough of her attitude and he knew what her real problem was, and fighting wasn’t going to fix it. He didn’t want to waste time fighting when he was trying to make her fall in love with him. He could see she was about to leave in a snit, so he did the only thing he could do and kissed her …thoroughly. He kissed her hard and pulled her up into him, sliding his hands around her back, one going for her bra and the other cupping her butt and kneading it, hard. She wasn’t fighting him anymore; instead she was fighting to keep in position. He stood her up on her feet and slid his hand from her butt up her body and unzipped her dress. He slid his hands in and felt her bite his lip. He undid her bra and moved his hands up to her shoulders, sliding her dress and bra down her willing arms onto the floor. Immediately, she pressed her body against his and he could feel her warm breast and hard nipples through his t shirt. She was pulling at his shirt, tugging it up between them at his sides and he pulled away from her long enough to allow her to remove it. They were chest to chest before the shirt fell to the floor, their need building. She felt so good naked against him, but it wasn’t enough. She was reading his mind, undoing his pants and tugging them down until he had had to assist her and, using his feet, stepped out of the pants and pulled her against him, his hard on pressing into her. He bent and picked her up, wrapping her legs around his waist and carried her through the hall way to his bedroom and laid her carefully down on the bed and began kissing his way down her body. She shuddered with need beneath him, her body feeling cold unless he was touching her. He worked his way down to her navel and dipped his tongue into it as he slid her panties down her legs. He kissed her then making her cry out and ride his face, her body convulsing as her first orgasm hit her. She tasted like fresh berries and it drove him wild.
“Oh please, fuck me!” Poppy begged.
Ari hadn’t planned to go all the way with her today, only to satisfy her, but she was begging him and his own body needed release too. He slid up her body, bringing her knees as he went and holding her knees, he entered her making her moan out loud and arch her body, meeting him part way.
“Ohh yessss!” Poppy moaned and ground up on him.
Ari nearly lost it but managed to get a grip by biting his lip hard and began working her hard and fast. Poppy reached up and rubbed her nipples, pinching them while Ari worked her hard and fast, just the way she wanted it. He fit her perfectly, stretching her in all the right ways and filling her just right. Her head lulled back as another orgasm wracked her body. Ari couldn’t hold back anymore when she began spasming around him; he let go and let himself orgasm with her.
They lay and loved enjoying each other’s bodies for the rest of the day until they had finally got up to raid the basket Avianna had brought over at lunch. Inside they found fried chicken, potato salad, green beans, rolls, and chocolate cake for dessert. They ate, talking and laughing, enjoying each other’s company. Afterwards, Poppy redressed and said goodnight as Ari begged her to stay with him.
“I can’t stay; if I stay I might not want to leave; besides I’ll see you tomorrow.” Poppy explained and left, kissing him goodnight before she did. She couldn’t remember feeling more satisfied with any other lover than she did with Ari, but she was starting to feel things for him she wasn’t so sure he felt for her and she wanted there to be more between them than just sex.
“Goodnight, drive safe.” Ari said and watched her go.
Chapter 17
Poppy drove home, thinking about Ari and how the day had gone. It was all the small things he did for her and to her that really had her heart going pitty pat and she was afraid of what that might mean if things progressed. She hadn’t had much luck in the commitment department and most of it was her fault. With her damaged upbringing, she had learned that nothing lasts forever, and that had carried into adulthood to the point that she was barely able to commit to any relationship for longer than six months. It was over dessert that it had hit her all of a sudden and she had known she couldn’t stay. Having feelings for him was fine as long as she didn’t get hurt, and the way things were going, there was a good chance of that. She supposed it would depend on how he acted with her over the course of this next week. If he was only after her for sex, he wouldn’t have anything more to do with her, but he if liked her for her he would. It was simple, and it was complicated. He was so attentive and sweet and kind and open with her in a way she had never known before. On the flip side he was unlike anyone else she had ever known and didn’t know what to expect from him. It was hard to read him. It made her nervous and excited, all at the same time. Maybe, just maybe, he could be the one to break her six month record. Poppy thought with hope that for the first time in her life that a relationship would actually last.
Ari had followed her in deer form all the way to town to make sure she got home safely, and then he walked back in his true form, concealed by the darkness of night. She was spectacular, unlike any woman he had met to date. She was so full of life that it was contagious. He couldn’t remember a time he had felt at such ease with her, just being himself. He could talk to her, really talk to her, about things that mattered to him and she listened and understood, unlike the other girls he had dated who had seemed bored when he talked about work. He thought it had to do with the fact that she was interested in nature photography, that she was just naturally curious about the animals she photographed. He had meant to keep his work and love life separate but, lately with her, the line often blurred as they had kissed and watched the animals and tonight when they made love and discussed the mating rituals of the deer. He supposed it was a bit unromantic and, to most women, it would have been but not to her. She had enjoyed the conversation, asking questions and making comments, though most had been flirty, funny comments about acting like a deer, she had still been interested. Ari was so deep in thought about Poppy that he forgot to keep an ear and eye out for hunters. So when he had come up on one unexpectedly, it had surprised him and the hunter. They both screamed and Ari roared and puffed up and threw rocks at the hunter as he had run as fast as he could away. Great! Now I’ll have to stop taking my true form for a while until the rumors die down. Ari said to himself. He was irate that he had let a hunter get the drop on him. He could have been killed! He stalked home as fast as he could after that, this time listening and watching for hunters and not thinking about Poppy.
Chapter 18
“How could you let that happen Ari? How many times have I told you not to take your true form anywhere but here on private land, and even then you have to be careful! You’re a grown man and I expect you to take this more seriously. Do I need to ban you from taking your true form? Jeez, do you know what this is going to do? You’ve not only put yourself in danger but me as well! If your Daddy was here…” Avianna ranted. She hadn’t said if his Daddy had been here none of this would have happened, but she had stopped herself, knowing that wasn’t true. It would have happened either way; Ari was in love and not thinking with the right head. She had only one thing she could do; she hated to do it, but it was necessary if they were going to stay safe. She had to ban him, temporarily of course, but it had to be done. “I’m sorry Ari, but I see no other choice. I have to ban you until this dies down. I forbid you from taking your true form until further notice.” Avianna had stated harshly and then turned and left the cabin. It had made her sick to do it to him, but it was a necessity. She just couldn’t stand to see the look on Ari’s face once she had done it.
Ari had come clean to his mom about what had happened in the woods the night before. He hadn’t wanted to, knowing she would most likely ban him, but it had needed to be done for her safety too. He wasn’t surprised that she was pissed, nor that she had banned him, but it had still hurt to be banned from his true form. Just like when he was a child, he had hung his head and sulked. He hadn’t seen her this upset since the first time he had been spotted as boy in his true form by hunters. He had known he wasn’t supposed to transform near town. But he had been being bullied at school
, and had run off to the woods and took his true form and stalked around in the woods, kicking rocks and throwing saplings to burn off his anger. A hunter had been coming back through the woods from a hunting trip and had spotted him. He had had to run up high into the woods, dodging bullets as he went, until he could transform into a sapling to lose the hunter. His mother had been furious at him then, but she had gone easy on him that time, explaining how they had to stay hidden from the humans so they wouldn’t be discovered, rounded up and treated like lab rats or worse. The whole experience had really opened his eyes and from that moment he hadn’t taken his true form outside of their land again until he was an adult. He was still sulking by the time Poppy arrived, dressed and ready, as it was their usual ritual to go up into the woods.
Poppy was excited to see Ari, but also because he had promised to take her further up into the woods to get a picture of a bobcat. He had explained he had run across the creatures den while out walking one morning and his next assignment he was going to do on the illustrious and much sought after bobcat. It surprised her, living in the gully with the mountains all around her that so much life teemed in the woods without there being so much as a trace of them in and around the towns. It seemed to her that more of these creatures would be seen, at least by the hunters, but Ari had explained few ventured very far up the mountains, that most of the animals they hunted tended to lay in the lower levels of the mountains and so there wasn’t a real need to go very high up to hunt and, with the mountains teeming with prey, hunting was easy. He knew so much about the mountains and the creatures that inhabited them that it made her stare in wonder at him. She wondered if one day she, too, would come to know the Earth’s creatures as well as he did. “Good evening, lover, are you ready to go?” Poppy asked, coming in the door her usual self.
“Yeah, I’m ready. Just let me get my boots on and we will go.” Ari said, trying to not act as mopey as he felt.
Poppy stood by the door, waiting for him to get his shoes on and then leaned over and kissed him on the mouth.
Ari kissed her back, but his heart just wasn’t in it and he knew Poppy could tell. “Forgive me, my Mom and I had a few words, and I’m just not in the greatest of moods today.” Ari said, expecting that to be all the explanation Poppy would need.
“I’m sorry, if you want, we could talk about it and maybe I could help you work things out.” Poppy offered, smiling up at him.
“No, we worked things out on our own, but thank you anyway.” Ari replied and kissed her and walked out the door.
“You wouldn’t believe what I heard today when I stopped in at the grocery store.” Poppy said, trying to change the subject and take his mind off of his Mom.
“What did you hear?” Ari asked, still sulky, but trying for Poppy’s sake to take interest.
“A hunter was in the woods last night and swears that he saw a big foot! A real life big foot! I mean, can you believe it?” Poppy asked, amazed.
“Hmm, that’s definitely interesting.” Ari replied, uninterestedly.
Poppy followed, but sensed there was more than he was telling her. She decided to let it go for now and just try to cheer him up instead. “I’m so excited to see the bobcat today! Tell me about them.” Poppy urged, as she followed him down the now familiar path to the woods.
Ari couldn’t help but smile to himself at her eagerness, and let into a big long speech about the illustrious bobcat and its lesser known facts while leading her up deep into the woods.
Poppy found his knowledge of the bobcat to be fascinating, but she hoped he didn’t expect her to remember everything he told her. He knew so much it would be impossible to remember it all.
They walked and talked, with Poppy asking a question here or there, and Ari talking away until they got close to the bobcat’s den.
“That’s all I can tell you for now” Ari said “because we are nearly there and need to be quiet. Watch your footing on these rocks.” He added.
Poppy mouthed a quick ok and followed him the rest of the way in silence. It had been a hard trek up the mountain but they had made it. She was finally here, about to photograph one of the illusive and illustrious bobcats. She made quick work of setting up her camera and sat down on the ground within eyesight of the den. From this angle, she should get some pretty spectacular photographs of the bobcat coming or going.
They sat so long Poppy was sure they would have to come back tomorrow for her to get her shots. She was just turning to put the camera up and tell Ari she had had enough for one day, when she caught movement out of the corner of her eye and turned back around. Sure enough, it was the bobcat! She got into position and began firing away, taking shot after shot inching closer as she went. She was so focused on getting her shot that all of Ari warning’s about watching out for the rocks and not to get too close to the bobcat totally slipped her mind. She was within several feet when two things happened simultaneously. The bobcat , until now, had been otherwise occupied turned and noticed her creeping up on it and jumped at her, ready to attack while at the same time she lost her balance and went sliding down the mountain on her stomach.
Ari knocked the bobcat aside as easily as flicking off a fly and went chasing after, who had slid a couple of a hundred feet down the mountain. Thankfully, she had been so busy sliding while trying to hold her precious camera up, that she hadn’t seen what he had done to the bobcat. “Are you ok?” he asked when he caught up to her.
“Yes, I’m ok. A bit shook up, and I think I have a few scrapes and scratches, but I’m alright.” Poppy responded, setting her camera carefully down on the ground and assessing herself. But Ari didn’t wait for her to respond; he turned her over and examined her from one end to the other. Poppy knew she had scared him, and that he truly cared for her, or he wouldn’t be so upset about her little tumble. “Hey, I’m ok! I just slid is all.” She reassured him. “I have a first aid kit in my bag. A few band aids and some disinfectant and I’ll be right as rain” she added, and went to stand up to show him she really was ok. She made it up onto her hands and feet, and then the whole world spun as she fell backwards and tumbled down the mountain, hitting her head on a rock and being stopped by a tree that had caught her body, bending her back in an unusual and scary pose.
Ari watched as she made to get up, and tried to grab for her the moment he saw her going back, but didn’t get a good hold on her fingers and she slipped out of his hand like fine grains of sand. All he could do was run after her and pray she survived the fall. When he reached her, blood was pouring down from a cut at the top of her head but she didn’t have any broken bones that he could tell.
“Ari?” Poppy asked, confused, and passed out.
Ari was terrified! Poppy was bleeding pretty badly from her head, and she had passed out on him just as he had gotten to her. He pulled his cell from his pocket, but didn’t have reception. Damn it! He thought to himself. He needed to get her medical attention, and fast. He didn’t want to leave her this far up the mountain alone to go get help in case she woke up and tried to make it down the mountain on her own. He had only one option, and that was to carry her down the mountain. But it wasn’t something he could do in his human form. He hated to go against what his mother had told him, but he saw no other way out of the situation. He was going to have to carry her in his true form, Sasquatch style. Transforming, he lifted her easily up and over his shoulder, taking as much care as he could and began running down the mountainside, his large feet easily maneuvering the steep inclines, rocks, and debris.
Chapter 19
Poppy came to, and saw she was being carried down the mountain by what looked like a large golden haired, hairy ape with really big feet. I must have hit my head harder than I realized, she thought to herself, and passed promptly back out. When she came to again, she was laying on Ari’s couch with Avianna standing over her and Ari on the phone with nine-one-one.
“You took a good fall up in the woods and hit your head, kiddo.” Avianna explained, continuing to wipe bl
ood from Poppy’s face, while holding a bandage to the top of her head. “How do you feel?” she asked, but Poppy wasn’t able to answer as she had passed back out again.
The ambulance pulled up to Ari’s driveway and loaded the still unconscious Poppy onto the gurney, put her neck in a cervical collar, and finally, into the back of the ambulance assessing her as they went. Ari wanted to ride along but they had refused since he wasn’t family.
“Come on Ari, we will follow them in the truck.” Avianna said, grabbing her son’s keys from the coffee table and urging him to follow her.
They kept pace with the ambulance the whole way and, once there, they were directed to a waiting room by one of the nurses while they took Poppy back to work on her.
Four hours later a nurse came into the waiting room and motioned for them to follow her. “We have finally gotten her stable, but she will need to stay overnight in the hospital to be sure she is ok. She had a concussion, and a laceration on the top of her, but no broken bones just quite a few scratches, scrapes, and bruises. She is one lucky girl to fall that far and not have one broken bone, and to hit her head like that and not have done further damage.” The nurse explained. “She’s just in here; you can go in, but be quiet, she is resting and likely has one heck of a headache despite the pain meds.” She added, showing them to Poppy’s room.
Ari and Avianna entered the dimly lit room quietly and slowly not to make any noise. Poppy lay in the hospital bed, her head bandaged, hooked up to machines, her skin covered here and there in what looked like saran wrap, but was meant to protect her scrapes. The machines beeped steadily and the room smelled of alcohol and disinfectant.