by Sky Winters
“Logging town. People move in for the season, do their work, and leave. Perfect place to stay for the night.”
They stepped into the inn, the elderly woman seated behind the desk snapping out of her nap the moment they entered.
She looked Lexi up and down, and Lexi glanced down at her dress, seeing it was covered in dirt.
“Uh, honeymoon suite?” she asked.
Jason grinned. “That sounds perfect.”
He paid the fee and took the key, a heart-shaped keychain on the end. Moments later, they were around the building, stepping into the second-floor room.
“Oh my God,” said Lexi. “This is...something else.”
The room was about the tackiest thing she’d ever seen. The bed was heart-shaped, the bathtub was heart-shaped, and the switch on the wall allowed them to change the lights from normal to red to orange.
“Humans know how to do romance,” said Jason with a smirk.
Lexi dropped onto the bed, undoing her hair and letting it fall around her. Jason laid down next to her, and without thinking, she leaned her head against his shoulder.
“This is...this is insane,” she said. “Right now, Chad’s probably realizing that I’m not coming.”
“He’s a shithead,” said Jason. “Knowing him, he’s probably too drunk to get what’s going on. Bet you anything he’ll wake up in the morning with a killer hangover and not even think to start looking for you by noon.”
“That’s a hell of an assumption.”
“It’s an assumption based on me knowing what a dumbass he is. But right now, you’re safe. Even if he decides to come looking, he won’t think to check Pine Hills—no one knows about this place, and we’re far from the highway.
Fear washed over Lexi.
“My family,” she said. “They annoy the hell out of me at times, but they’re still my blood. I can’t let them think...”
Jason rolled over on his side, staring deeply into her eyes.
“We’re not going to let them think you’re dead. When the time is right, we’ll drop word that we’re OK. Right now, the only thing that matters is keeping you safe.”
Lexi still didn’t know how much she could trust Jason. But at that moment, for whatever reason, she knew he was the only one who cared about her, who knew what she really wanted.
He grinned.
“Come on—I know what you need.”
She was confused, watching as Jason hopped off the bed and headed over to the heart-shaped tub. He bent over and turned on the faucet, hot water rushing out and into the basin.
“A bath?”
“A bath. Trust me—it’ll do you good. And after all that running, your shifter scent’s going to be more powerful than ever. You get clean and it’ll make it harder for Chad to track you.”
As crazy as it sounded, a bath actually struck her as kind of nice.
“There’re a couple of shops downtown—they might still be open. You hit the tub and relax, and I’ll see if I can find you something to wear other than that, uh, interesting dress.”
Lexi laughed.
“All right. But don’t go too far, OK?”
“I promise I won’t.”
With that, Jason winked and stepped out of the room, the door locking behind him.
Lexi rose, watching as the tub filled, steam rising from the water. She stood in front of the mirror, taking in the sight of her wearing the wedding dress.
“Runaway bride,” she said. “Gotta be top of the list on ‘things I never thought I’d do.’”
Then there was the matter of Jason. Now that he was gone, he was able to process what had happened, that she’d run off with a man she didn’t know all that well.
What if he wasn’t what he’d said he was? What if he had his own motivations for taking her? Could she really trust him?
Her mind swirled with questions, one of which she could answer.
Instead of trying to puzzle them all out at once, Lexi reached behind and unzipped the dress. She slipped the sleeves from her shoulders and shimmied the tight fabric down, letting it drop to her ankles.
Once out of that, she took off her bra and panties and tossed them aside. By this point, the tub was full, and she dipped a toe in.
The water was perfect, and she laughed again at the heart-shaped tub.
Not exactly a honeymoon I’d ever had in mind, she thought as she lowered herself into the water.
Lexi let out a long, slow moan of pleasure as the hot water did its work on her aching muscles. On the rim was a bottle of soap, and she dumped it under the running faucet and watched as the tub filled with suds.
When the tub was full, she turned off the water, let her head hang back, and relaxed. The tension slowly melted from her body, and what had happened with Chad seemed more and more like some strange dream.
Lexi closed her eyes, and it felt like no time had passed at all when the door opened again and Jason stepped in.
“All right,” he said, setting down a couple of bags on the dresser. “Not the most stylish clothes in the world, but it was slim pickings at the twenty-four-hour place. And—”
He stopped mid-sentence when he realized Lexi was still in the tub. But her body was hidden under the suds.
“You want some privacy?” he asked. “I can go for a walk, come back later.”
But at that moment, it wasn’t what she wanted. Lexi looked Jason up and down, and as he stood in front of the tub, she knew exactly what she had in mind.
“No, I don’t want privacy.”
“All right. I’ll—”
“I want you to take off your clothes and get in here with me.”
He raised an eyebrow as if more intrigued than anything else.
“You serious?”
“I’m serious. Come on—I bet you’re as worn-out as I am. The water will do you some good. And there’s plenty of space in here for two.”
“It’s meant for couples,” he said with a smirk. “Not that ‘a couple’ is what we are.”
“Right. Just two friends getting clean. Come on.”
With another grin, he set to work on the buttons of his shirt. He pulled it off and tossed it aside, revealing his gorgeous, sculpted upper body. The notches of his hips poked out of the top of his jeans, the sight causing a rush of arousal to run through Lexi’s body, starting from between her legs and spreading out.
“Don’t tell me you’re thinking of taking a bath in your jeans.”
He grinned again. “Hold on, woman—gotta get the rest.” He undid his button and zipper, hooking his thumbs under the waist and pulling his jeans down. Underneath, he wore a tight-as-hell pair of boxer-briefs, the fabric clinging to his powerful thighs. His cock was half-hard, straining against his underwear.
Lexi wanted him and didn’t even bother pretending otherwise. Jason kicked off his boots and socks before taking off the rest of his clothes. His prick was thick and long and dripping, and all Lexi could think about was what it might taste like.
“Come here.”
She curled her finger toward him, Jason stepping over, his cock at eye-level. She stared at it hungrily for a long moment before licking her lips, leaning forward, and wrapping her mouth around his head.
“Fuck,” Jason said, his voice a growl. He stared down at her, savoring the sight of her mouth full of his cock. Lexi held it there for a moment before moving her lips down, down until nearly half of his impressive length was inside of her. She squeezed his balls with her free hand, rubbing him gently as she lashed his cock with her tongue.
“Guess we’re getting dirty before we get clean,” he said with a smirk.
She smiled up at him, her mouth still full of his hot, pulsing cock. Then Lexi went up, sucking on his head for a long moment before going back down. She repeated this over and over, feeling Jason go stiff on her tongue.
It didn’t take long for her to be totally ready for him. She went up and down one last time, his cock glistening with her saliva.
“Come on,
” she said. “The water’s heavenly.”
“Not the only heavenly thing in that tub.”
He stepped around, his cock pointing straight in front of him. Then, like she did, he lowered himself into the water, sinking under the suds.
Jason didn’t waste any time pouncing on her. He closed the distance between the two of them, locking lips with Lexi and shoving his tongue into her mouth. She eagerly accepted it, running her hands through his thick hair and bringing him close.
As they kissed, Jason reached under the water and put his hand between her thighs, rubbing her pussy, slipping a pair of fingers inside of her. She moaned through their kiss, taking hold of his cock and teasing it with her fingertips.
The kiss went on and on until Lexi needed more.
“Sit back,” she said.
He flicked up his eyebrows. “Someone’s bossy.”
“Someone knows what she wants.”
Another grin, then he did what she asked. Lexi came over to him, opening her legs and straddling Jason, the head of his cock rubbing against her pussy and making her want nothing more than him inside of her.
She took hold of him under the water, pointing his prick straight up. Then she lowered herself down, his head splitting her in two, all of his inches filling her in that same incredible way he’d done before.
Lexi closed her eyes and let out a long sigh the moment he was fully inside, his cock stretching her open, waves of pleasure running through her body. She lifted herself up and dropped down again, his cock pushing deeper and deeper inside of her.
She rested her arms on the edge of the tub, her tits hanging down in his face, Jason opening his mouth and sucking on one, then the other. Lexi bounced up and down, feeling his cock stab into her again and again, each full thrust bringing her closer and closer to orgasm.
“All right,” said Jason, putting his hands on her round hips. “It’s cute watching you tell me what to do, but now it’s my turn.”
“Wha—”
Before she could react, Jason stood up. Her legs wrapped around his hips, her tits pressed against his chest. He turned her and set her down on the tub’s edge, his cock staying deep inside of her.
Once there, he grabbed onto her legs and held her in place as he drove into her. Lexi wasn’t prepared for this, how he overpowered her so easily and began shoving himself into her at such a pace. She glanced down and watched his cock vanish into her over and over, the orgasm drawing closer by the second.
“You want to feel me come in you?” he growled, his eyes locked onto hers.
“Yes!” she screamed. “I...I want it so fucking badly.”
“But you first,” he said. “Come on this cock. And do it right now.”
She nodded, compliant and willing. And as if he’d truly given her body permission, an orgasm exploded through her. Lexi felt her body go alight, her nails digging into the thick skin of his powerful back as pleasure took hold.
Then Jason came, his cock pulsing and throbbing inside of her as he drained himself deep. She opened her eyes just enough to watch his expression turn into tight, pleasured concentration, his mouth opened slightly.
Their orgasms rose and fell together, and when she was done, he finished as well. Jason stopped thrusting, holding her close to him, their chests rising and falling together.
“All right,” he said finally. “Time for the ‘getting clean’ part.”
He leaned in and planted a kiss on her lips, grinning before pulling her back into the water, Lexi letting out a happy squeal.
The two of them spend the next few minutes washing one another, rubbing their bodies with suds and soap.
“So,” said Jason. “You regret not getting married?”
“Not even a little. Never in my life did I imagine marrying a man like Chad.”
“Can’t blame you. And out of curiosity, what kind of man did you imagine yourself marrying?”
“I don’t know,” she said, splashing softly in the tub. “A guy who’s handsome and funny and maybe a little of a smartass. And a guy who isn’t afraid to protect me, to do what’s right.”
She stopped herself short, realizing what she’d said.
Lexi had described Jason to a “T.”
“Um, let’s finish up,” she said, her face red. “Long day tomorrow, right?”
“Right.”
They finished and dried off, getting into the provided robes. And when they were dry and warm, the two of them collapsed on the bed. Without thinking, Lexi crawled into Jason’s arms. He held her close, and before too long, they both drifted off into a deep sleep.
CHAPTER 10
JASON
He couldn’t stop staring at her. -
His phone had gone off over a half-hour ago, the alarm blaring and waking him out of his sleep. But he didn’t want to get out of bed. All he wanted was to watch Lexi, to witness her chest rise and fall, to watch the sunlight play on her gorgeous features.
But they didn’t have time. He knew there was a chance Chad would be sleeping off his wild night, not to wake up and realize what was going on until later. He didn’t want to take that chance, however.
Jason sighed, rolling over and checking his phone. It was a little after seven. Not a full night’s sleep exactly, but all they could afford. He got out of bed and let the robe drop to his feet. His cock was hard with his morning erection, and part of him wanted to wake Lexi up and give her another round of the fun they’d had last night.
That’s the last fucking thing that should be on your mind, dumbass. He thought, kicking the robe out of his way and going over to the bathroom. Last night was a mistake. Things are complicated enough without you adding sex to the mix.
But he couldn’t stop thinking about it. Jason couldn’t stop picturing Lexi’s body, wet and covered with clumps of white suds, moving up and down on his cock, bringing him closer and closer to orgasm. And the way she felt wrapped around his prick as he came, shooting his thick load deep inside of her...it was enough to make him lose his concentration.
He leaned in front of the sink and splashed cold water on his face, hoping it would both wake him up and put the thoughts of Lexi out of his mind. After that, he brushed his teeth and put on his clothes. He’d bought a pack of simple white V-neck shirts for himself, along with a pair of rugged blue jeans. It wasn’t his normal look, but it’d do.
“What time is it?”
He stepped out of the bathroom to see Lexi seated on the edge of the bed, her robe open enough that he could see her tits on full display. But Jason averted his eyes, not wanting to stare.
“Time to get moving,” he said, tossing the bag of clothes onto the bed. “We need to get to Seattle soon.”
She nodded, reaching into the bag and pulling out a pair of simple white panties and a matching bra. She glanced over at Jason before she slipped off her robe, and he turned away to give her some privacy.
Not that we haven’t seen each other naked already, he thought. But then again, not like either of us know the proper protocol for this situation.
“OK,” she said. “Not my size, but it’ll do.”
Jason turned and laughed when he saw her. The T-shirt was way too big for her body, the size managing to cover up her curves. And the shorts weren’t much better, her shapely legs sticking out the bottom.
“Looking sharp,” he said with a grin.
She laughed and gave him the finger.
“Come on,” he said. “I think we’ve got time for breakfast if we hurry. There’s a diner right on the way to the bus station.”
“Good, because I’m starving.”
They gathered up what little things they had before heading out, Jason taking one last look at the lovers-themed room before shutting the door.
“Wait,” said Jason. “What about that?” He pointed to the wedding dress draped on the back of the nearby chair. It was a little dirty from their trek through the woods, but still wearable.
“Leave it,” she said without a moment’s pause. �
�Maybe whoever rents this room next will get better use out of it than I did.”
The two of them returned the key to the front desk and, fifteen minutes later, were seated at the booth of the diner near the bus station after purchasing a pair of tickets. Jason ordered coffee along with steak and eggs, Lexi getting the same.
“All right,” he said. “We’re going to be in Seattle by noon.”
Lexi beamed. Jason could tell she was all sorts of excited about the idea.
“I can’t wait.”
“Don’t get too ahead of yourself,” he said. “Seattle’s not like living in the middle of the woods.”
He poured a mug of coffee for the two of them.
“Good—that’s exactly what I want.”
Jason shook his head, frustrated. “No, you don’t get it. Out in the woods, it’s quiet, you’ve got family. You don’t see any other shifters unless you want to, and humans don’t ever come knocking. The city’s different. All the clan warfare you know about? It’s worse. And there are humans there, ones who know about shifters and want to kill us.”
“Are you serious? Like, shifter hunters?”
“Exactly like that. A human’s no match for a shifter, but they’re clever. And I’ve heard more than a few stories about hunters ganging up on lone shifters and taking them out.”
“I’m a quick learner,” she said. “I’ll know how to handle it.”
“Maybe. But don’t ever take the city for granted, and don’t ever think you don’t have anything to worry about. The moment you do, that’s when you’ll find yourself in trouble.”
She nodded. “And we need to find somewhere to stay. You have any ideas?”
“There’s my Uncle Stone.”
Her eyes went wide. “Wait, you want to stay with a member of your family? Doesn’t that defeat the whole purpose of this?”
“Not exactly,” said Jason. “Stone’s part of the pack, but he and my dad don’t exactly get along. If we ask him for help and tell him what happened with you and Chad, I’m sure he’ll cut us some slack, let us stay under the radar for a little while.”
“That’s a risky assumption.”
“But it’s the best one we’ve got. And if we’re lucky, he’ll let me do a little freelance business work for him. I could make some serious money if I had that chance.”
