by R. E. Butler
“Okay, now I have to ask. What’s up?” she said.
“Just trust me, it’ll make sense when we get up to the roof.”
“All right.”
He gave her a quick kiss and hurried up the ladder. When he was on the roof, he turned and watched her climb the ladder, reaching out his hand to help her off. She straightened and let out a gasp.
That afternoon before he’d picked her up from work, he’d created a little rooftop sanctuary for them. A blow-up mattress was covered with blankets and lined with pillows, a cooler held drinks, and a low table had been set up with covered dishes holding the special dessert he’d asked Lexy to make for them.
“Oh, Atticus,” she said, her voice breathy. “It looks amazing.”
“I’m glad you like it. I thought we could have our dessert and look at the stars.”
“That’s the best idea,” she said. “I love it.”
He led her to the mattress, and they sank down onto it, kicking off their shoes and settling back onto the pillows. They talked for a while, then ate the dark chocolate cheesecake and fruit salad. By the time they’d finished dessert and been ready to call an end to the date, he was one hundred percent head over heels for her. She was sweet and funny, protective and honest. And she made his heart sing.
It had only been a day since they met, but he felt like he’d known her forever, and he thought that was how it was supposed to be with soulmates. They just clicked.
If this was their first date, and it was damn spectacular, he couldn’t wait to see what would happen on date number two.
Chapter Eleven
Lori’s heart was pounding a mile a minute as they walked up the stairs to her apartment. Their date had been amazing. She’d never felt so cared for and pampered. Atticus was as charming and sweet as he was gorgeous. She felt like a queen with him. Her past hadn’t mattered, and the only thing on her mind as she unlocked her door was that for the first time in a very long time, she felt like she was coming home.
And it was because of him.
“I want you to come in,” she said, taking his hand. “I don’t want our night to be over.”
“I’d love to.”
He followed her inside, and she shut and locked the door. “Lori, I—” he said, but she cut him off with a kiss. They’d kissed and touched throughout the date, but it hadn’t been enough. She liked holding his hand, running her fingers over his muscles, kissing him. But she wanted more.
She wanted all of him.
Giving him a gentle nudge toward the bedroom, she reached for his belt and he broke the kiss with a low chuckle. “Hold on, sweetheart.”
She paused and looked at him curiously. He was obviously turned on. It would be hard to miss the ridge of his erection through his dress pants.
“I want this,” she said. She’d never really been bold when it came to guys. But she was feeling deliciously bold. “I want you. I’m ready for more than just being friends or taking things slowly. I want to go to sleep tonight and wake up with you.”
“I want that too, I just want you to know that I really care for you.” He cupped her face with one big, warm hand, and she just about melted into a pile of goo right there.
“I care for you too.”
“I’ve wanted you since the moment I met you, but I didn’t want you to feel pressured or rushed. Just know that I’m fine with whatever happens with us tonight.”
“Do you want me?”
“More than anything.” His voice went all low and husky, and her body heated in response.
“Good, because I want you too.”
She saw his eyes flash from brown to gold for a moment and a wave of his cologne hit her full force. Damn he smelled intoxicating.
He swung her up into his arms and turned toward the bedroom. “I want you to be mine, Lori. I want you to be my...girlfriend.”
“I’d love to be your girlfriend.” She wrapped her arms around him and kissed his smooth jaw, her fingers tangling in his soft hair.
He climbed onto the bed and set her down. He kissed her, running his fingers down her throat and over her shoulders, skimming them down her sides to her waist.
Her hands went to his belt, and this time he didn’t push them away or tell her to stop, and she was freaking glad about that. She undid the belt and unfastened his pants, then tugged his shirt up. She made quick work of his shirt buttons and pushed it off his shoulders.
Damn. He was even sexier without his shirt on, all thick muscles and smooth skin.
“You too, sweetheart,” he said huskily.
She sat up and he unzipped her dress and slowly tugged it down her body. She stretched back out on the bed and lifted her hips so he could pull the dress free. It went airborne, followed by his shirt. He slipped from the bed and stripped fully, then straightened. She gasped as she saw his thick length, and she actually shivered in anticipation.
“I love how you’re looking at me,” he said.
“You’re amazing.”
“From where I’m standing, you’re the amazing one.”
“Atticus?” she whispered.
“Yeah, baby?”
“Put your face here for a little while. Or a long while.” She pressed her fingertips to the apex of her thighs and she swore that he let out a gruff, growling sound, but then he cleared his throat and smiled at her.
“A long while works for me,” he said with a wink.
He pulled off her panties and tossed them aside, then grasped her ankles and pushed them slowly apart. He kissed up her legs, alternating between them, his big shoulders pushing her legs farther apart. He reached the apex of her thighs and inhaled deeply. “Fuck, you smell good.”
She grinned and blushed. No one had ever said anything like that about her before. Hell, no one had ever looked at her the way that he did, like the sun rose and set on her whims. He spread her open with his thumbs and licked a slow line from her entrance around her clit, giving the nub a flick with his tongue. He slipped his hands under her bottom and lifted her up. He stroked her with his tongue, circling her clit and diving into her entrance. Then he closed his lips around her clit and began to lick and suck, finding just the right spot to send pleasure through her. He pushed a finger into her, twisting it around and rubbing her walls, her legs shaking as he added a second finger and began to work her, flicking his tongue rapidly over her nub as he worked her with his fingers.
She tossed her head back with a throaty groan as heat washed over her. Bliss wove through her like she’d never experienced before, her whole body locking up in a spiral of pleasure that made her nerve endings sing and stars light in her vision. She shouted his name and reached for him, anxious to feel him inside her. He kissed his way up her trembling body then slowly sank inside until their bodies were tightly wed.
He hovered over her, his arms extended as he looked down at her with his golden eyes.
“You feel amazing,” he said gruffly.
She cupped his face and leaned up for a kiss, throwing her head back when he pulled out of her and pushed back in.
“You too,” she said.
He dropped his head to the crux of her neck and began to move, pulling out and thrusting in, caging her with his arms and driving them both to another height of pleasure. She wrapped her arms around him tightly and crossed her ankles at his lower back, urging him to move faster, fuck her harder.
He kissed and sucked on her neck, sending riots of sensation cascading through her. Her lower body was hauled up as he slipped a hand under her and changed the angle of his thrusts.
She didn’t think she could come again, but he was hitting places inside her just right, and in moments everything went white hot and her body exploded into another height of pleasure, her voice cracking as she shouted his name.
He followed her into bliss, her name on his lips as he filled her. He kissed up her neck to her ear and whispered with a rough voice, “You’re the most incredible female I’ve ever known.”
She hugged hi
m a little closer, not wanting to feel the loss of him yet.
“You’re amazing too, Atticus.”
They held each other as their bodies came down from the heavens, and then he rolled to his back with a groan. She followed, resting her head on his chest and listening to his heart beating.
“I didn’t know it could be like that,” she confessed. “It’s never been anything close to that for me.”
“It wasn’t ever like that for me before either. It’s because you’re mine, Lori. Every beautiful inch, every sexy curve.”
For the first time in two decades, she didn’t get freaked out by a guy wanting to be close to her. She wanted to belong to him, to be his in every way. Even if it meant doing something she was completely scared to do—stay in one place and build a life for herself with someone.
“You’re mine too,” she said.
“One thousand percent.”
She lifted her head and he smiled at her, looking sexy and sated. “You’ll stay with me?”
“Absolutely. I can’t think of anything better than waking up with you.”
“Me too.”
She closed her eyes as a yawn worked through her. Her last thought was how safe she felt in Atticus’s arms.
Chapter Twelve
Atticus’s gorilla was one hundred percent disgruntled with where he was—driving Lori to work the morning after they’d made love and semi-declared themselves together. For him, she was his soulmate and that was it, end of story. But since she didn’t know the truth of what he was, she couldn’t be truly his until she knew. If only he could fucking tell her.
He stifled an unhappy growl that wanted to roll up his throat. Barely.
Her hand was on the back of his neck, and she was rubbing her fingers lightly against the short hair, humming a tune he didn’t recognize.
I want you to quit. I want you to stay with me. Let me show you I’m a gorilla.
But he didn’t say any of the things that were on his mind. He had no right to make any demands of her right now, even though it was killing him.
Trying to draw his focus from leaving her at work for the next six hours, he cleared his throat and said, “Do you want to have dinner tonight?”
“Sure. I can cook for us.”
His gorilla liked that she wanted to take care of him, but he also wanted to take care of her. “Do you like cooking?”
“Yeah. When we were moving around so much, cooking and baking was something I could do with Novi that kept us home and away from the public.”
“I’d love for you to cook for us tonight, but only if you let me help.”
He glanced at her and saw she was smiling, her eyes lit up like he’d given her a gift.
“That would be awesome. What do you like to eat?”
You.
He mentally kicked himself in the ass. “I’m a meat and potatoes kind of guy, but I’d be happy with anything you make.”
“Oh shoot,” she said, her fingers stilling on his neck and taking away the delicious friction that made his blood sing.
“What?”
“I don’t have my car so I can’t go shopping for ingredients.”
“When I pick you up, we can make a grocery trip, or I can pick up whatever you need before I get you.”
“I’d like to go with you. That sounds really fun.”
He gave her another glance with a raised eyebrow. “Grocery shopping sounds fun?”
Her face scrunched as she smiled. “I’ve never gone grocery shopping with a guy before.”
Okay, that was definitely awesome. “Then let’s do it.”
“I’ll make a list.”
As he pulled into the parking lot, his bad mood resurfaced. He parked and left the engine idling, getting out and coming around to her side to open the door.
“You’re so chivalrous, you’re like one of those heroes from Novi’s romance novels.”
He gave her an exaggerated bow. “You deserve to be treated like a queen.”
She took his offered hand and stepped out. She smiled up at him. “You make me feel like one.”
“Good. You’re important to me. I want you to be happy.”
Her head tilted slightly and she hummed. “I think I’m the happiest I can ever remember. At least in a romantic way. Novi and I have had some pretty amazing days, but being with you is...well, I feel young again. Like you’ve given me a do-over.” She cupped his face and went onto her toes. “I cherish you. Truly. And not just ‘cause you rocked my world last night.”
He banded an arm around her waist and hauled her close. “And this morning.”
“You know it.”
“You rocked mine too.”
“Think of me today?” she whispered before brushing her lips across his.
“Every second.”
They kissed and he had a hard time not taking the kiss further, not slipping a hand up her shirt to touch her soft skin, or down the front of her leggings to see if she was wet for him. Instead of doing either of those things, he eased from the kiss and told her to have a good day.
“It’ll be hard without you around.”
“Maybe that’ll change soon and you can work at the park.”
“I’d love that.”
“Be careful today,” he cautioned as he released his hold on her. “Call me immediately if you even have the inkling that something isn’t right.”
“I will, I promise. You be careful too.”
With a final kiss, she left him and headed into the store.
It was a small building with a bright orange sign at the road. The square lot was bordered at the back with woods and on both sides by a medical office and an auto shop. He waited until the door closed behind her and then he shut the SUV door and got behind the wheel. Alone in the SUV, he let out a deep, unhappy grumble. If he was in his shift, he’d be pounding his chest at the loss.
He sent a quick text to the two park vehicles that were nearby to say he’d dropped her off and was heading back to the park, then he backed away from the store and left. Which was the very last thing he wanted to do.
* * *
Keir Montague watched a white SUV park in front of the discount store. Inside was the human female Lori and a male he hadn’t seen her with in the past. She’d been getting driven to work by a white SUV for the last few weeks. The SUV was never alone—there was always at least one other vehicle riding with them, acting as security most likely.
He let out a low growl as the male opened her door and Lori got out, the two embracing. They were clearly together, which meant she was moving on.
Unacceptable!
She was not allowed to have a shred of happiness.
That one night—that one fucking night with her—had altered his future in ways he’d never imagined. He could kick his own ass for going home with a human, but at the time it had been a good alternative to finding a polar bear female to fuck. Bears didn’t fuck without thinking about a potential mating, so taking one to bed was making a declaration about intentions. At the time—twenty-four years ago—he’d just wanted to fuck and release some pent-up frustration. He’d met her at a human bar, he’d been mildly attracted to her, and she’d been a decent lay. One and done was what he’d planned.
Then he’d discovered the condom failed and she was pregnant. He’d tried to kill the baby in the hospital. She’d gone into hiding. He’d found them a little later at a relative’s house and tried to kill them again but was thwarted. Then she’d gone on the run with the little girl. His alpha had declared him trapped in his current state with no hope of rank promotion or mating until he killed the two humans. For over two decades he’d chased Lori and the spawn across the country and back. She was good at staying hidden. Seemed to have a sixth sense about him and danger.
He had three males with him—his brothers Donovan and Dorian, and Brandon, a male he trusted. If it weren’t for their support, he would’ve gone off the rails years ago. They kept him grounded, kept his eye on the prize. Once he kil
led the two females, he could have everything he’d ever wanted—a mate, a family, and higher ranks.
He sat back from the ledge of the rooftop and said, “Is that vehicle tagged?”
“Yep,” Donovan said. “So are the other two.”
“Good.”
“What’s the plan?” Dorian asked.
A few weeks ago, he’d found the humans’ home and waited to capture one or both, but the girl had moved out already and Lori never came inside, instead running away and hiding. Again! A few hours later, some males arrived and packed up some things.
They’d tagged their vehicles and followed as they left, the journey ending at some sort of animal park. It hadn’t taken long for them to figure out that many of the people in the park were shifters. Lori never did go back to the house, but instead moved into an apartment complex at the back of the park along with her daughter.
The shifters complicated things. He’d scented several different ones: lions, gorillas, bears, wolves, and elephants. That they all lived in the same place was surprising as most groups kept to themselves. The park had a huge iron gate at the front and was surrounded by tall stone walls covered with security cameras and motion detectors, making it impossible for them to get into the park without being discovered.
“I have an idea,” Brandon said.
“Yeah?” Keir asked.
“Let’s just leave. She’s clearly under the protection of the shifters in that park and we’re never going to get to her. She doesn’t leave the store when she’s working either. If you can’t have the life you want with our people, then leave and start your own group. I’m sure Donovan and Dorian would join you, and I would too. Then you could be alpha and mate whoever you wanted.”
Keir stared at the male who was only a little younger than him. “You used to be on board with my plans.”
“Well, we’ve been away from home for weeks. I’m tired and I’m ready to walk away.”
Instead of saying anything, Keir punched him square in the face. Brandon grunted and took a step back, pressing his hand to his bleeding nose. “What the fuck was that for?”