by Mary Winter
Part of having an efficiency apartment and no pets meant she could leave. She set the alarm as she left, and after stopping for coffee and a sandwich from her favorite cafe, she was on the road and headed north once more. She arrived at her hotel and checked in, surprised to find the room was already waiting for her. Once there, she checked her email. Carmen had replied and she suggested that Stacia come to the Sandy Anchor. A grin spread over Stacia’s face. Being seen there meant everyone in the shifter community, pack or not, would know she was back. That’d send up a flare more than anything else she could do. With her day planned, she booked a mani-pedi at the spa. Today would be her day. A day to rejuvenate and fortify herself, because tomorrow, she was going on the hunt.
~* * *~
The smell of shifter hit her nose as soon as she pulled up to the Sandy Anchor. A bunch of motorcycles sat in the corner of the parking lot and several jeeps and SUVs were parked in front of the building. She sniffed. No trace of Travis. No doubt after his tour he’d planned to come home and relax. She wouldn’t have blamed him. Her boots crunched the gravel as she strode across the parking lot to the door. She wore a black silk blouse, jeans, and black boots. She tucked her small clutch next to her hip, her freshly painted magenta nails tapping against the leather.
When she opened the door, conversation stopped. It took a strong wolf to withstand the stares of wolves, bears, and even…shark shifters…all turning in her direction. That was different. She saw Carmen sitting at a table in the corner and quickly strode through the clear path between tables to her. She looked good. The last time Stacia had seen Carmen, she’d been as young as they had been. Her hair with sun-lightened streaks held no trace of gray and fell in soft waves around her face. She’d clipped it back. Her screen printed shirt boasted the artwork of a local ocean life artist, and she wore jeans and boots. The hand she raised to catch Stacia’s attention had plain, close clipped nails.
“Stacia!” Carmen stood and pulled her into a strong hug. “It’s been so long.” She spoke loud enough that the other wolves heard her name and saw the alpha’s cordial welcome. The unmistakable signal went out. Friend. One of mine. The other patrons turned back to their food and company. “Now that’s over, sit. Have you seen Travis yet?”
Stacia nodded.
“Do we need to go into my office?” She jerked her head toward a closed door at the back of the bar.
“I don’t think so. We saw each other. I think it was just too awkward for both of us.” She thought about saying more, but a young man came to take their order. Carmen ordered the bacon-wrapped chicken breast and steamed vegetables, and Stacia choose the same. The waiter left a basket of fresh rolls and a crock of butter on the table, and brought glasses of water.
“I can imagine. My father was steadfast in his beliefs.” Carmen reached across the table. “I’m so sorry he drove you apart. I’ve spoken with the leader of the Coulee Pack. It’s too late to make any sort of amends, but you don’t need to ask for permission to be with Travis. You have it, and I probably should have spoken to you about it sooner.” She squeezed Stacia’s hand.
Stacia’s throat choked with emotion. Not that she expected Carmen to withhold her permission, though as an alpha it was her right. Rather that it came so freely and from a place of friendship…that meant more to Stacia than she could ever say. “Thank you,” she said. “I really appreciate that.”
“It’s the least I can do. So, you have a job in Belleview? What have you been doing?”
Just like that they were two friends catching up after a very long absence. She talked about her engineering, though it certainly wasn’t as exciting as Carmen’s oceanography work with sharks, never mind the fact that she had a mate who was a shark shifter. It felt good to talk to Carmen. She’d closed herself off, stayed away for so long. For Carmen to open her arms like this, well, it was as if she’d never left the Lime Kiln Pack.
The waiter brought their meals and they paused in the talking to eat. The clientele changed. Those who came to the Sandy Anchor for dinner finished and left with those who were going out for the night taking their place. The noise level grew louder and someone walked up to their table to chat with Carmen. She excused herself and went into her office. The waiter brought the check, and she took care of it—her treat to the alpha. Then, she drove back to the hotel.
As soon as she returned to her room, she checked her email. A note from Travis greeted her. She invited him to the hotel. Nice, neutral territory, a restaurant if they wanted to eat, a casino to play. She left him her cell phone and changed into her pajamas. Grabbing the book she bought, she curled up to read. Tonight was for her. Tomorrow hopefully she’d be too busy with Travis to have time to read.
Chapter Three
Any day he was on the water was a good one, but this charter seemed to drag on forever. The two men who had booked it were entrepreneurs from Silicon Valley and they were looking for an activity that their retreat attendees could do. Apparently because the whales wouldn’t appear on cue and they didn’t see any sharks meant that there wouldn’t be enough excitement. As they left the boat, Travis heard them talking about a zip line event. The buzzwords of “team building” and “resilience” made him shudder. Yeah, he’d never fit into new or old corporate America.
He checked his messages and found one from Stacia inviting him to the Silver Reef Hotel & Casino. He hadn’t been there in a while, and hastily typed a reply, then closed up and drove home. He couldn’t wait until tomorrow. In record time he’d showered, packed an overnight bag with a few changes of clothes, changed his cell phone message and was on the road. He arrived at the hotel after dark, his stomach growling with hunger. Another kind of hunger rolled through his body, and he willed his cock to behave. Soon enough, he’d see his mate.
His mate. He let the words rattle through his mind on the elevator ride to the sixth floor. When the doors opened, he followed the signs, going nearly all the way to the end of the hall to her room. Through the thick door he caught a hint of her scent. Shit. He probably should have shown up with flowers or something otherwise this just looked like a booty call. Hell of a way to woo his mate. He knocked on the door.
“Just a moment,” she said. A shadow moved behind the peep hole and then the door opened. Her grin said it all. “Travis! I didn’t expect you until tomorrow.” She fumbled with the chain. “Come in!” She stepped back to let him in. As soon as he passed, she closed the door behind him and locked it.
He turned, unable to stop himself and grabbed her hips. One step brought them both flush to the door. “This is the greeting I should have given you.” He slanted his mouth across hers and kissed her. Desire and a fierce need to claim her roared to life inside him. When she whimpered and opened her mouth, he drew her lower lip into his mouth and sucked. She arched her body against his and speared her fingers through his hair. Pulling him even closer, she rocked her hips to rub against his erection and it was his turn to moan. “I couldn’t stay away,” he said when the need for air parted them.
“I’m glad.” She grabbed the hem of his shirt and pulled it up so she could flatten her palm against his ribs. Warmth seeped from her hand into his side, and he longed to feel her skin on his. She swept her fingers to his abs and worked her way from navel to collarbone. She pushed his shirt up, and he tugged it over his head. She leaned back and gave a soft sound of contentment when she stared at his bare chest. This time, she traced her finger down over his pecs, pausing to circle his nipples, then trail down along the line bisecting his abs to reach the waistband of his jeans. “You know there’s a big bed over there.”
He glanced over his shoulder and saw she had a single king-size bed. He liked the way she thought. He picked her up and twirled her into his arms and carried her over the bed. One spaghetti strap of the camisole fell down over one shoulder. The hem rode up over her soft stomach. The pants, a funky teal with little gray wolves all over slid down her hips. He laid her on the bed, then pulled the pants down, grinning when he saw
she wore a pair of small, black cotton panties.
He reared back to take in the view. Damn, she was sexy. Those long legs, her toenails painted a darker red, the flare of her hips, her breasts pushing against the camisole. She reached for him, beaconing him onto the bed, and he saw her fingernails matched her toes. He liked thinking of her doing something indulgent for herself, pampering herself. Something told him she probably didn’t do it often enough.
“Pants on or off?” he asked, not wanting to move too quickly.
“Off.” She grinned wolfishly.
“Good call.” He unbuttoned his jeans and shoved them down his hips, pausing only when they hung on his boots. He unlaced his work boots and kicked them off before stepping out of his jeans. He stood at the foot of the bed wearing only his black boxer briefs. Before he forgot, he reached into his jeans pocket and tossed a strip of condoms onto the bed next to her.
“Confident are we?” She picked up the condoms and ran her fingers over them with a sly smile. He swore he felt the caress along the length of his cock.
He never thought the act of tearing a condom off the strip and opening it could be sexy, but when Stacia did it, her lips curling in that little I’m going to eat you up smile, he was hard enough to pound nails. He hooked his thumbs in the waistband of his boxer briefs and slowly pushed them down, making a show of gently freeing his erection before bending over to step out of them. When he straightened up again, the hungry, needy look on her face made it all worthwhile. He was so thankful his awkwardness, driven mostly by shock at seeing her, hadn’t messed things up the other day.
He rested a knee on the bed and just looked at her. She lay against the pillows, legs spread just enough to see the strip of black cotton covering her sex. She lifted her arm to entice him closer, and a crook of her finger had him crawling across the bed. His gaze held hers as if he could devour her from sight alone. Instead of crawling next to her, he moved over her, then bent down and kissed her again.
The soft bed beneath them, the light floral scent of her, the fact that he could tear the camisole from her and have her breasts bare to him aroused his beast. She opened her mouth to him, and he accepted all he offered. The carnal movements of his tongue mimicked what he wanted to do to her body, and when she wound her arms around him and arched her body so her breasts brushed his chest, he knew she was his.
He’d waited over twenty-five years for this moment, and it was certainly worth the wait. Her womanly curves had become more generous with age. The promise of the long, sleek legs, and toned arms had been fulfilled in the woman beneath him. Her soft noises and the brush of her beast against his threatened to push him over the edge. For her sake, for their sake, he had to retain control.
The need for air parted them, but not for long. He rained kisses over her jaw, the column of her neck until he met her shoulder and followed the slope to one impossibly thin strap. Using one finger, he worked it back and forth, following the movement with sweeps of his lips until she writhed and moaned beneath him. Her legs scissored against the bed, and he longed to settle his hips between them. One touch of his cock against her soft pussy and he’d be gone. He wanted this to last forever.
He teased the strap down, then moved lower, nuzzling the camisole between her breasts. The fabric teased her nipples enough to turn one into a hard bead. He drew it into his mouth and sucked her through her camisole.
“Travis,” she whispered as she reached for him. Her fingers slid into his hair and held him at her breast, while her other hand swept down his back as far as she could reach. The skim of her manicured nails sent a shiver through him. He was close, and yet he needed to watch her explode before he filled her. He grabbed the condom she’d forgotten on the bed as he moved lower, sheathing himself before shoving her camisole up to reveal her stomach. She raised her shoulders and pulled it over her head.
His breath whooshed from his lungs. Her breasts, two perfect handfuls, and their hard nipples pointing right at him filled his vision. His cock twitched. A growl wound its way from his throat. “It’s been a long time,” he said by way of apology.
“Same here. I want you. Now.” She wiggled out of her underwear and tossed them off the bed.
The first sight of her pussy, all natural and beautiful, nearly pushed him over the edge. He inhaled to steady himself then moved between her legs. He lifted first one, then the other over his shoulders, before turning his face to nuzzle the inside of her thigh. Even if it killed him, he wanted to watch her come. He moved slowly to her center, blowing warm puffs of air across her folds before reaching out to stroke them. Back and forth, he moved his finger until she raised and lowered her hips with his movements. Her juices coated his fingers. He slipped one between her folds to circle her opening before caressing her clit. She whimpered and tightened her thighs around his head, and he couldn’t help but pull his finger back to his mouth and lick it. “You taste like heaven.” His voice rumbled against her, and she answered with a moan.
He circled her clit until her cries came one after another and the ragged tempo of her breathing told him she was close. Then, keeping his thumb on her hardened nub, he slid two fingers into her. She cried out, her muscles tightening around his fingers as she rode his hand. He let her set the pace, finding all the ways she could bring herself off on his fingers, then with a long, shuddering moan, she came. He watched the rising bliss change her expression, then the shudders work out from her thighs and stomach, up over her breasts, to the hands clutching the comforter, until she finally gave voice to the waves rolling through her. He stilled his fingers, and she sank against the bed, satisfied.
He waited a moment, then pulled his hand away and moved her legs back to the bed. Careful not to crush her, he moved over hers and positioned his cock at her opening. She opened her eyes then, and their gazes locked. Mate. The word reverberated through his entire being and as he thrust slowly forward, her wet heat welcomed him home.
She lifted her legs to hook her heels behind his thighs, wrapping her arms around him. She lifted her face to his, and they kissed, all lips and tongues as he thrust slowly into her. He kept the pace slow until her hips bucked and he gave into the primal desires clawing at him. Quick, hard thrusts brought her to the peak again, and with a shout of triumph, he came hard.
Then he kissed her, his mate for whom he’d waited. And no matter what happened, he vowed never to let her out of his sight.
Chapter Four
Stacia looked at the man sleeping next to her. The Travis who had shown up at her hotel room was a different man than the one she’d met. She sensed that the human got out of the way of the beast who was more than ready to claim his mate. Her beast agreed sleepily. Now that the beast was sated, the human mind, the one that got so awkward when she’d seen him after so long, took over. She was nearly forty-five. Not quite to menopause, but could see it threatening to knock on the door. As much as she had—and honestly still-loved Travis, the truth was she was settled with a career and after living so long on her own, would she really be able to live with someone else, even if that person was her mate?
If she allowed herself, she could run through a litany of things in her mind. She had her favorite brand of coffee, preferred the bed made a certain way. When she listed it out in her head, it seemed silly and foolish to think that those petty things would keep them apart. No matter how much she tried to ignore them, questions bothered her. Why hadn’t he come looking for her as soon as the old alpha had passed away? Why hadn’t he asked Carmen for permission and gone after her?
She rolled over and glanced at the clock. Almost two in the morning. After making love to him, they’d cleaned up before quickly falling asleep. Now, her stomach rumbled, and she wondered if room service delivered. She hadn’t really eaten much dinner. Slipping out of bed, she grabbed her phone for light and grabbed the room service menu out of the desk. Looked like a limited menu overnight, but a big burger and fries would do.
“Hey,” Travis’ sleepy voice startled her.
“I didn’t mean to wake you. Was thinking about getting some food. Want some?”
“Yeah. What are you having?”
“Burger and fries. That’s about all they have overnights.”
“Sounds great.”
She phoned the kitchen and placed the order, adding a couple of bottles of Perrier. Once she was done, she found her clothes and pulled on her shirt and panties, then her pajama pants so she’d be decent when the waiter arrived. Then, she crawled into bed.
Travis leaned over and kissed her.
She fell into his kiss, the caress of his mouth, the way his tongue stroked her lower lip. Reluctantly, she pulled away. “If we keep doing that we might miss the food.”
“Shame,” he said, and they both chuckled.
“You’re different tonight. Why?” She trailed her fingers down his arm, a low arousal thrumming through her body at his nearness. The scent of sex filled the room, though it wouldn’t be noticeable to a human.
He went silent, and she wondered if he was going to answer. At his place she’d taken her cues from him, and though he’d kissed her with all the passion he’d shown tonight, in other ways he’d held himself at arm’s length.
He swallowed hard. At that moment the soft knock and “Room Service,” came from the hall.
“I’ll be right back.” She went to the door, checking to make sure he was covered up before inviting the waiter inside. It took only a few moments for the waiter to set the tray down and have her sign the slip, before making a quick exit.
She brought Travis’ food to him, then grabbed her plate and sat next to him. Neither spoke as they bit into their burgers, and she made quick work of hers, polishing off it and the fries, before grabbing the bottle of sparkling mineral water. She waited for him to answer her.