Fur-Ever Yours: A BBW Paranormal Shape Shifter Romance (The Protectors Book 2)

by Roxy Wilson

  It felt like her first date. The thought was ridiculous, of course. They had been dating for a while now, and it was only now that they were being open about it in front of Justin. Still, she felt as if she was going to see Keran for the first time. Devyn ran her fingers over her Moroccan blue dress. She shivered at the thought of sitting with Keran, having a conversation, and perhaps—no, she wasn’t going to jump ahead.

  They were determined to take it slow this time around.

  The wait was driving them both mad but it also heightened the tension and the passion. She’d never felt so enamored with a man before. This was the first time that she was actually contemplating a future with a guy. Weird. He wasn’t normal in any sense. He was a werewolf. There were things going on in his life that scared her, and yet she felt right at ease with him. He was her normal.

  Yes, there were things to worry about. Roger and what he was up to. Justin and his anxiety. Her own situation with Keran needed work, time, and patience.

  Yet, her life was right on track. And she couldn’t imagine being with another man. Devyn plucked her phone up from the dresser, and then released it with a slight thud. She was only going as far as the dining room, so there was no need to take it with her. She moved towards the door, took a deep breath, and opened it.

  Keran was waiting for her in the living room. He wore a pale blue shirt and black pants. His gaze met hers.

  She halted. Damn. She could barely breathe. “Hi,” she said, hoping Keran wouldn’t hear the slight tremor in her voice.

  “You look ravishing.”

  “Thanks.” She smiled. “You look pretty good yourself.”

  “Wow. A compliment. I’m flattered.

  She laughed as she walked toward him. The unease faded away but the butterflies continued to beat their wings against her stomach. “It isn’t as if I don’t compliment you.”

  “Not enough. I would love to hear some more good things about me.”

  She linked her arm with his and looked up. There was a mischievous glint in his eyes. She could tell he was looking forward to the date. Well, so was she. And this was a good start. “In that case, I’ll see if I can come up with some great stuff about you,” she teased.

  “And I shall look forward to hearing it.”

  Justin dashed outside his room.

  She intended to step away from Keran but he held onto her arm. They turned to see the boy who was already dressed in his pajamas.

  “Have you started the date yet?” He yawned.

  “Yes, we have.”

  “Okay then. You can come kiss me goodnight and I won’t disturb you.”

  Devyn smiled at the cherubic child who was staring at them with interest. It felt odd to have his blessing. The kid was way too mature for his age.

  Obligingly, they both walked forward and kissed him turn by turn.

  Much to her surprise, he put his arms around her neck and gave her a resounding kiss on her cheek. “Good night,” he muttered.

  “Good night, darling.”

  He walked back in and closed his door.

  They both looked at each other. Keran laughed. “I guess we can formally start our date now.”

  “This is too weird.”

  “Once…things settle down, I’m going to take you away for a weekend. It will be nice to have some privacy.”

  “Shhh…” she said.

  “He wouldn’t mind.” Keran chuckled. “It was actually Justin’s idea.”

  “What?” she squeaked. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

  “He did mention something like that. Of course, I was already planning it.”

  She didn’t know how to react to his statement. “Don’t you find it a little—intimidating that an eight year old is organizing our love life?”

  He sighed. “Knowing my son, he’ll be organizing a lot more as he gets older.”

  He was right, of course. Justin wasn’t an ordinary child. Not only did he lose his mother at a young age, but also he was part wolf. Added to that, he had been kidnapped and held against his will…yet he managed to survive and thrive. She put a hand on her forehead. “I feel a little weak. What else is he planning for us?”

  Keran opened his mouth and then closed it.

  Devyn got the distinct impression that he wanted to say something but held himself back for some reason.

  “Why don’t you come and see what I’ve planned?”

  She linked her arm with him and they walked. Devyn was a little surprised when he turned towards the balcony. He opened the door and she followed him outside. It was a lovely evening. Dusk was settling in, and she could see the orange and red streaks in one corner of the sky. She breathed in the fresh air. She turned her head and looked. Her mouth fell open. A table was set under a white canopy. Fat, white candles burned on it. “I—you—what?”

  “I thought we could eat out here.”

  Her heart melted as she realized he’d tried to make this evening special for her. She would have been happy to have a meal in the dining room, but he made an effort to do something extraordinary. She glanced at him. “It’s—amazing. You didn’t have to do this.”

  “I wanted to.”

  “Don’t tell me this was Justin’s idea too?”

  He laughed as he led her chair. “The boy has to learn from the father, and not the other way around. This was my idea.” He pulled back the chair and assisted her.

  When his hands settled on her arms, she shivered. When she looked up, he stole a quick kiss, giving her a preview of what was to come. Passion and need ran through her veins like a liquid, seductive rush.

  He let go quickly enough and took a seat. A bottle of champagne was already in a bucket. He popped it open and poured for her. She took the glass from his hand. He clinked his with hers. “Cheers.”

  “Cheers,” she said before taking a sip. “Thank you, Keran. I am quite impressed.”

  “Wow! That was easy. And here I was thinking that I would have to go through hoops to make you sit up and take notice.”

  She winked at him. “Oh, I have been noticing you for a long time.”

  “Really? Good then. Half my job is done.”

  It was easy to sit across and talk. They could tease each other, laugh at and with each other. She’d never felt such ease with a man before. After all that they went through, they were much closer than she ever anticipated.

  There were no reservations, no qualifications.

  They had the freedom to concentrate on each other and their relationship—and it was amazing to feel that way. “So what else have you planned?”

  “Don’t spoil the surprise, darling. Wait and see.”

  His voice sent shivers down her spine. Devyn felt more alive than she ever had in her life. Even though there was a twinkle in his eyes, she could see he was very serious. What did he have on his mind? This wasn’t just a date…there was something else going on. She wanted to ask him, but like he stated a few seconds ago, she was prepared to wait and see. She sipped some more champagne. The slight buzz made her more relaxed. She leaned back. “Technically speaking, this is the first date that we have ever had.”

  He cocked his head. “You’re right. Our relationship has been chaotic, to say the least. I wanted to…do something ordinary.”

  She swept her hand over the tableau before her. “I wouldn’t call this ordinary.”

  “No, I mean…I wanted to do something that ordinary, normal people do on dates. Frankly, we started with a bang and then—sort of slid into a pattern that hasn’t been productive. Kidnapping. Accusations. Danger. Nothing’s normal about the way we interacted with each other.” He frowned. “Much of that has been my fault. You’ve been an angel throughout all that.”

  “Angel? Now that’s a word no one has ever used to describe me.” He really put her on a pedestal. Sometimes, she worried that he saw her as someone who was perfect, and well—she wasn’t. At least, she didn’t think she was. Yet, when he looked at her, she felt as if she was perfect. For him.r />
  “You are.” He took her hand.

  The slight contact made her skin hum with fresh need.

  “I don’t think I have thanked you enough for what you’ve done for Justin and me. If it wasn’t for you, I don’t think I would have survived the horror of losing my child. I—you’ve been a pillar of strength, and I gave you nothing but grief.”

  “I thought we agreed to put the past behind us.”

  “Only after I’ve told you how sorry I am that I treated you so horribly a million times more.”

  She squeezed his hand. “Keran, I don’t hold it against you. Whatever you did, you did to protect your son. And as a father, I admire you. You never allowed anyone to come between you and your mission to find Justin. It was your duty, and you did it well.”

  He shook his head, regret imprinted on his face. “I wish I’d trusted you right from the start.”

  “But you trust me now, and that’s what counts. Frankly, if I were in your shoes, I would have done a lot worse. You were brilliant. The way you rescued him—I was bowled over.” She winked. “You’re fishing for compliments, aren’t you?”

  He laughed, raised her hand to his lips, and kissed it. “Maybe I am.” His smile dimmed slightly, his face becoming more serious. “No, really. I want to apologize over and over again.”

  “You don’t have to. We’ll not speak about that again. That man, Roger, has already taken away too much from us, and I absolutely forbid you to indulge in regrets and waste even more time on him. He doesn’t deserve our attention anymore, and we’re not going to give it to him.”

  He leaned back and let her hand go. “You’re right, as always. All that matters is that we are still together.”

  “Yeah, we are.” Devyn cocked her head as she heard the doorbell chime. “Who can that be?”

  “That will be the hotel staff delivering the food. Let me get it.”

  “I’ll come and help you.”

  “No way.” He stood. “You will sit right here and enjoy the evening. I’ll be right back.”

  She watched him leave. It was sweet the way he was doing everything and making it into such a grand date. Devyn lifted her glass and sipped some champagne. Keran came back, and she was surprised to see the two waiters who walked behind him with a completely laden trolley. They set it up in one corner, had a discussion with Keran, and then left. She picked up her drink and finished it as he brought a platter over. “Do you need help?”

  “No, I’ve got everything under control.” He set the platter down and sat. “Help yourself.”

  She glanced down at the finger food. It looked delicious. “You’re planning to serve us yourself?”

  “That’s the plan.”

  He could have kept the waiters but she bet he concluded it would have taken away from the intimacy of their date. Keran was a man who was used to luxuries, but he was also someone who knew the value of personal gestures.

  She picked up a vegetable roll and offered it to him. He took a bite and she ate the rest. They fed each other. It felt as if they were the only two people in the world. Her gaze feasted on his handsome face. Heat slid up her body and warmed her insides. She was on fire. Her fingers itched to touch him, but with an effort, she controlled herself.

  There was no need to rush when they had the whole night ahead of them. She could imagine going with him to his bedroom, peeling off his clothes, while he worshipped her with his eyes and hands. It would be a pleasure to rub her skin against his and to touch and caress him to her heart’s content. As she thought about all the delicious things she wanted to do, her tongue darted out to rub over her lips.

  Perhaps he sensed the need that burned within her because he lifted his hand and brushed away a lock of her hair. “Is there something you want to tell me?”

  Yes, she wanted him to make love to her. It’d been far too long. She was dying. If he didn’t touch her, if he didn’t possess her, she felt like she would die. Passion was a throbbing need that ate her insides and she needed to sate it. “I—”

  The phone rang. “Shit.”

  She leaned back. The spell was broken. Yes, she wanted to sleep with him, but she’d never experienced such a brazen need with another man before. It would be nice this time, if they took it easy. Every time they made love, it was something they did in a rush. This was their opportunity to make it a night they would both remember for a long, long time. “Is it important?”

  He took out his phone and looked at it. Keran bit his lips. “I—the only reason why I didn’t leave this damned thing in the room was because I need to be in touch with Martin. He’s hot on Roger’s trail, and that’s something I can’t afford to ignore.”

  Martin, as his Head of Security had done much to try and catch Roger. She liked the guy. He was trustworthy, and he wouldn’t call this late, unless it was urgent. And this was something they couldn’t afford to ignore. Catching Roger was their first priority. It had to be, because keeping Justin safe was something they both agreed on. “Of course.”

  “If you don’t mind—”

  “Take the call. We need to know what’s happening.”

  Smiling, he picked up the phone and pressed it to his ear. “Martin, what is it?” The joy in his expression left as he listened to Martin’s report.

  Her gut tightened. Did they finally find the guy? Were they close to putting an end to this nightmare? Once Roger was behind bars, or perhaps dealt with in the way the wolves managed their rogue colleagues, they could go back to a better life. It would be nice to not worry about Justin’s safety. It would be great to live without fear. She looked forward to starting a new chapter of her relationship—and there was no way they could do it until Roger was out of their way.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Keran couldn’t believe what he heard. His hand shook as he clutched the phone close to his ear. Never ever had something like this ever happened, but then lately, everything seemed as if it was unreal. Roger always seemed to be a step ahead and frankly, Keran was getting tired of that.

  It was time to rectify it.

  “What should we do?” Martin asked.

  Keran ran his hand over the table as he thought about what he’d been told. “So you’re saying that the entire pack is there? They’re Roger’s? You’re sure?”

  “Who else can they be? I can see some of the wolves we met when we attacked their den where they’d taken you and Justin. It seems he has managed to rally them around him once more.”

  “Is he there?”

  “He must be. I haven’t seen him yet though. Do you want me to go out and—?”

  “No.” Keran banged his hand on the table. He didn’t want to let Roger escape this time. “Don’t do anything rash. Shit. I’m too far away. It will take me hours to get back.”

  “You don’t need to come back,” Martin replied. “Just give me the word. They’re here, but all they’ve done is surrounded the house. I think they may be there waiting for Roger’s signal to attack. I don’t know what he thinks he can achieve. Perhaps he doesn’t know that you guys aren’t here. Or maybe he doesn’t care and he just wants to flex his muscles. I’ve got enough wolves here to set them straight and you know that the rest of the pack will come the moment I say the word on your behalf.”

  Keran shook his head. “No, I don’t want you to be the one who attacks. We’ll defend, but we won’t go on the offensive.” He rubbed his fingers across his brow. It was a difficult decision to make. “Wait. I should come back. Just sit tight. I’m going to take my plane and I should be there in seven hours. If they attack, I want you to give them your best. Take as many prisoners as you can and…hopefully, I should be there in time to question them. But if they remain still, then keep monitoring the situation.” He paused as he thought about the ramifications of his decisions. A smile hovered on his lips. He was certain this was going to be the end of this terrible ordeal. “We’re not going to let Roger go this time.”

  “No, we won’t.”

  After he snapped is ph
one shut, Keran took a moment to study Devyn.

  “What?” she asked.

  “Roger and his pack have surrounded the house. I think this must be their last stand. I bet he wants things to come to an end too.”

  “So, we’re going back?”

  He drummed his fingers on the table. “I want you and Justin to be as far away from that situation as possible. I don’t want you both in the middle of this fight.”

  She bit her bottom lip, looking worried. “But—”

  “You’re safe here. I’ve got seven men stationed here. They’ll be with you and Justin all the time.”

  He expected her to argue, but instead, she nodded. “Okay. We’ll be careful, but I want you to promise you’ll be careful too.”

  Keran nodded. “Of course.” He stood. All this planning amounted to nothing. He’d wanted her to give her a date she would remember for a long time, but once more, Roger bulldozed his way into his life. When would this nightmare come to an end?

  He hoped this time he took care of this problem once and for all.

  “Go on,” she urged gently almost as if she realized the direction his thoughts had taken.

  “I’m sorry. I really wanted to make this date special.”

  “We have countless days and nights ahead of us. As long as you finish this, we can enjoy those moments whenever we want.” She stood and walked over.

  When she raised her head, he couldn’t stop himself from stealing a kiss. It was heavenly to hold her in his arms, even if it was just for a few moments. His arms tightened around her as he tasted and plundered her mouth. His tongue darted in to tangle with hers, and his breath mixed with hers. When he raised his head, Keran was aware that regret reflected in his eyes. He wanted this moment to go on forever, but it was necessary for him to be present with Martin at this crucial time. He couldn’t allow his Head of Security to be alone. After all, he was the Alpha of this pack, and he was needed.