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

by Roxy Wilson

  “I think they’re too young to understand the concept of competition,” Devyn noted. “Come on. We’ve got to get a lot of things for the puppies before night falls.”

  “Food,” Keran said.

  “And toys,” Justin added.

  Together, they put the puppies in the kitchen where the housekeeping staff was left to make sure they didn’t make a mess of the whole place. They went off to the pet shop where Keran allowed Justin to buy too many toys for his pets. But they did manage to get food and other things that were actually required. They hauled the purchases to the car and came back home. When they entered, the dogs were blissfully asleep.

  “I’m going to draw a plan for their kennel,” Justin said. He glanced at Devyn and smart as he was, he realized what she wanted him to do. “Oh, alright, I’ll feed them first.”

  “Good.” Devyn helped him take out the food for the puppies.

  It was actually nice to see how his son interacted with the animals. Buying them was the best idea, and he only had to thank Devyn for it. Now, he wouldn’t have to worry about therapists and nightmares. Justin was already involved in the puppies and they would definitely divert his attention away from the past. “Justin, I was thinking…would you mind if I took Devyn away for a couple of days?”

  She gaped at him.

  Justin frowned as he eyed them both.

  “I—you…” she stammered.

  Keran ignored her. He should have discussed this with her first, but he knew she would always put Justin first, and while he loved her for it, he thought this was the right time for them to establish their relationship with Justin. His son needed to realize Devyn was also important and so was the time Keran spent with her.

  “Just the two of you?” Justin asked.

  “Yes.” Keran nodded.

  He expected an outburst, some pouting, but Justin merely nodded as he poured some food into one of the puppy’s bowl. “Good. I don’t want to leave the dogs alone. They might not like it.”

  Devyn cleared her throat. She helped him with the food bowl. “If you want, we could do this after some time. We don’t have to go right away.”

  “This weekend would be perfect,” Keran replied.

  “This weekend?” she asked while looking stunned.

  He enjoyed her discomfort. He had every intention of letting her see she was just as important in his life as Justin was. He wanted to embark on a strong, committed relationship with her, and a weekend getaway was the perfect start for it. He would be able to do things he’d only imagined. Keran couldn’t wait for the weekend to begin. “Yes. Justin will be all right with the security detail. I’ll ask Martin to come and stay over and of course, the puppies are here too.”

  Justin stared at his father. “Roger isn’t coming back?”

  “No, son, you know he’s…dead. He can never come back to hurt you.”

  Justin nodded. “It’s all right then. You can go.”

  Keran avoided the instinct to clap his hands. He didn’t want to make a fool of himself in front of his son, but he couldn’t ignore the sudden feeling of weightlessness that hit him. He was a happy man. But when he looked at Devyn, she was frowning.

  “Are you sure, darling?” she asked the boy. “We don’t want you to feel left out. If you want, we could postpone the trip or maybe you could come with us—”

  Justin grabbed her hands. There was an intense look in his eyes. “You’ve got to relax, Devyn. I’m not a little boy anymore, and you have to let go. I’ll be at home. I’ll be fine, and the puppies are here. Martin will take care of me, and if there’s any trouble, you can come back.”

  She opened her mouth and then closed it.

  Keran stifled a laugh. His son was growing up way too fast.

  “Sure, darling.” Devyn now looked even more stunned.

  “Go and have fun,” he said.

  Devyn stood. “Well, in that case, I—umm, should look for what I need to take with me. The weekend is only a day away.”

  “We’ll leave tomorrow night,” Keran informed her with a straight face. He wanted to laugh at her befuddled expression, but pissing her off was the wrong idea. She wouldn’t like it. And he wanted their trip to start off on a positive note. “I was thinking about the beach. We hardly spent any time together on the last holiday. Hawaii?” he suggested.

  “That’s fine,” she answered while still looking shocked.

  “You’ll love it,” Justin assured her. “I’ve been there many times with dad, and it’s super fun. Don’t forget to pack your bathing suit and sunscreen.”

  Keran could tell she didn’t like the way they ganged up on her, but she could hardly protest.

  “Thanks for the tip, darling.” She flounced away.

  Keran continued to sit with his son. He exchanged a glance with the boy.

  “Women,” Justin muttered. “Sometimes, you can’t please them.”

  Now Keran couldn’t stop the laughter that sputtered from his mouth. He ruffled his son’s hair while the puppies frisked about their legs. “You’ve hit the nail on the head, son.”

  It was going to be one hell of a trip, and he was looking forward to it.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Devyn picked up her glass of champagne and smiled at the man who made this possible. She wasn’t happy with the way he cornered her into going away with him, but she loved the end result. It was a fabulous way to spend the weekend with him. He’d made it all so very special for her.

  Of course, she missed Justin, but she’d already called him twice and she could tell the boy was too busy with his new puppies to miss them. Also, Martin was there to make sure Justin remained safe and he wouldn’t slack off on his puppy duties.

  “He’s fine,” Keran assured her.

  “I know,” she said. “I think you taught him an important lesson on how to railroad a woman into going with him on a trip.”

  Keran picked up his glass and sipped some of the bubbly liquid from it.

  She could almost see the wheels turning as he thought of the best reply. Devyn smiled. She didn’t have any intention of making it easy for him. He dug this hole and he could damn well manage to get out of it.

  “It’s a valuable lesson,” he admitted.

  “You cad!”

  He grinned. “I only gave the suggestion. You could have said no.”

  “Yeah right, as if I would ever say no to an opportunity to spend time with you,” she admitted. “You knew that all along.”

  “And you love it here.”

  “I love being here with you,” she countered. “Here or there, both would have been fine. Yes, I do love the holiday but I guess—I can’t help worrying about Justin. He’s alone, and he’s—”

  “He’s safe. I’ve strengthened the security at the house. There’s no way anyone is getting close to him. And now that Roger is gone, we don’t have to worry about his pack. They fled the area long ago.”

  “Good. I’ve to admit that it’s nice to enjoy a grownup weekend.”

  “Yes, especially now when the puppies are chewing everything they can get their little teeth into.”

  She swiped at his hand. “Justin loves them, and it doesn’t matter if they chew through a few shoes.”

  “Or a few antiques. They made a huge mess on the living room rug, and the housekeeper was in near tears. I had to promise her a hefty bonus if she stayed on,” he said.

  It was her turn to laugh at him. “It’s all right. You can afford it. So, what are our plans for tonight?” He’d been a little mysterious as far as this holiday was concerned. She could tell he was making an effort to make it special for her. While she was excited by the prospect of spending time alone with him, Devyn was also a bit nervous. This was the first time they had a chance to be with each other…Alone.

  What if he realized that she wasn’t as exciting as he thought she was?

  What if he wasn’t so interested in her as she wanted him to be?

  He might realize she wasn’t as suave as he
wanted his woman to be. Devyn hadn’t said anything to anyone, but she couldn’t forget Roger’s words. He told her Keran would never look at a woman like that. For him, his son, pack, and business were the only important things in life. He wouldn’t be able to commit to Devyn because she was fourth place in his life.

  She wanted to ask Keran what he really felt about her.

  How did he see their future?

  Did he see them together as a real couple?

  Or perhaps, this was just a diversion for him, a way to spend a nice weekend or a few months?

  It would be nice to figure out exactly where she factored into his life, but she didn’t have the nerve to ask him that question so directly. What if he said he wasn’t sure what he really felt about her? She wouldn’t know what to do if it turned out that he wasn’t as confident about their future as she was. Devyn sipped some more champagne while she waited for him to tell her what he planned for tonight.

  “It’s a surprise, really,” he finally spoke. “How about you get ready at six and then, I’ll show you what I have planned.”

  She tilted her head to the side as she tried to guess what he could have planned. Maybe he wanted to replicate their date that reached such a disastrous end when he was called away by Martin. Yeah, that had to be it. “Sure,” she said. After finishing her glass of champagne, she set it down.

  They were in a private villa at the resort. He had given the servants the evening off and it was a relief to just be alone with him. In the big house that he had, there were always other people around and she was acutely conscious that all eyes were on them. Here, it was just him and her. It was refreshing—and a bit unnerving. “I’ll go change.”

  When she tried to move away, so that she could take out her clothes, he took her in his arms. The touch of him made her shiver. She couldn’t wait to make love to him. It had been far too long already. She was almost feeling like a virgin again. Tonight, it would be the two of them and there wouldn’t be anyone around to break the spell. “You look great,” she said.

  “Ah! Another compliment.” He grinned. “You look amazing too, and while I can’t wait to peel off that dress and make love to you, I think it will be nice to do something different first.”

  She didn’t know what to say. Devyn would have preferred to make love to him first, but she knew how determined he was to take it slow. She was ready to do his bidding. Patience was a virtue, as she had been taught, and she was quite positive the end results would be amazing. “Whatever you want.”

  “I like that attitude.”

  Devyn laughed as she pushed him away. “Don’t get used to it. I’m not going to say yes just to make you happy all the time.”

  “You make me happy by your presence. That is enough for me.” He took her hand and kissed it.

  Devyn shivered. Yes, she knew it was going to be a special night and she couldn’t wait to see what he’d planned. She walked over to her closet and opened it to reveal the few dresses she’d brought along. Since he sprung the surprise on her, she didn’t get a chance to buy anything new, but she’d packed the same dress she wore on their last date. As her hand settled on it, she changed her mind. Rather, she took out a dark citron-colored, floor-length gown that she’d never worn. Devyn changed her clothes while he went to take a shower. She clipped her hair on the side but left her tresses open. She slipped on her white, strappy heels and then checked her reflection in the mirror.

  The dress clung to each inch of her body. Another man might have made her feel she was a little too heavy but Keran made her feel beautiful. Like she was the only woman that existed for him. Devyn left the phone on the table and made her way out. This was way too much like the date that was hastily abandoned when Roger intervened. Hopefully, the end wouldn’t be the same.

  Keran stood waiting for her. He was dressed in causal, black slacks and a striped shirt, and he looked more handsome than any movie star she ever saw.

  Devyn faltered. “You’re sooo handsome, Keran.”

  “And you’re beautiful.” He clasped her fingers in his. “Wow.” Obeying his silent command, she twirled around on her heels. The dress swirled around her ankles. “Simply beautiful.”

  Her face flooded with warmth as she stared at him. Only he could make her feel this special. “Thanks.” Devyn linked her arm with his. Her gaze was drawn to the balcony door that stood open. “Where are we going?”

  “Not there. This time we’re doing something different.”

  She breathed a sigh of relief. Devyn simply couldn’t imagine dining out on the balcony. This wasn’t the place where Roger died, but somehow it would have been too reminiscent of the time when she saw him plunge off the building. How could she have thought Keran would duplicate that date? He was way too caring and thoughtful to do that. “Good,” she said.

  They strode out of the villa.

  She wasn’t sure what he’d planned but anticipation made her pulse quicken. It was a lovely, breezy evening. The wind that swept through her hair was brisk and strong. She breathed in the scent of ocean that filtered through the air. “Being anywhere near the sea makes me a happy person.”

  “I’m more of a forest guy,” he admitted. “After all, that’s where wolves usually live. But we can always make it a point to come for a vacation near the ocean every few months. Actually, we could move to LA. I think you would be happy there.”

  He would move his home just because she wanted to live near the ocean? Devyn could hardly believe he would make a change like that without blinking an eye. “LA? I don’t know if Justin would like to make that move. He’s starting school this year, and he knows some of the kids who’ll be going to the same school already.”

  “He would move across the world just to make you happy. You know he loves you.”

  They strolled on the pavement that led to the ocean. “I wouldn’t want him to have to make a huge adjustment. In any case, your home is amazing. And now with the two puppies, it’s perfect.”

  “I don’t think that kennel is ever going to be used. The puppies have taken residence inside and I don’t think we’ll be able to move them out.”

  She laughed at his rueful expression. The man sure didn’t miss much. “I’m afraid that might be true. I didn’t want to be the one to break the bad news to you. Still, they make Justin happy and that’s what matters.”

  “His happiness is important, but so is yours. You’re just as important in my life as he is.”

  His words made her shiver with delight. If another man had said them, she might have thought he was just paying lip service, but Keran had proved over and over again that he loved and cherished her. Still there were niggling doubts in her mind. Probably it was a typical female thing. Maybe she would feel insecure for the rest of her life just because she wasn’t sure where she stood in his life.

  It wasn’t his fault.

  It was hers.

  “Thanks. You’re also important to me. Both you and Justin are the loves of my life.”

  “My son is already giving me competition,” he said with a wink.

  “There’s no competition in love. Love grows when it’s shared.”

  Her gaze took in the table that was set up on a higher knoll around the pavement. Two waiters stood at attention. She should have expected that he would do something special like this. Devyn smiled.

  “I hope you like it. The restaurant was kind enough to serve us here.”

  “This is great.”

  He pulled back the chair and she sat. Everything was—fantastic. She was sitting opposite the man she loved, out in the open, near the ocean. She could hear the birds chirping in the trees nearby as well as enjoy the sound of the waves as they crashed on the shore. If this wasn’t paradise, she wasn’t sure what was.

  “Would you like me to pour the champagne?”

  She nodded. “Yes, please.”

  His eyes gleamed.

  She could tell he was enjoying this as much as she was. The bubbling liquid drew her attention. De
vyn picked up her glass. Excitement fizzled through her much as it did through the champagne. She clinked her glass against his. “I think it’s time I arranged something special for you. You’re the one who’s always making this effort and I feel—I’m falling behind.”

  “It’s my job to make you feel special. You do that just by being you.”

  “So, I can slack off?” She laughed. “I don’t think you expect much from me.”

  He drank some champagne while he considered her over the rim of the glass. “Devyn, I don’t think you realize how much you have contributed by being in my life. My late wife—she never accepted me or Justin. When I was with her, I felt—as if there was something wrong with me, that being born with this shape-shifting gift branded me in some way, and that I wasn’t the man I was supposed to be.”

  She couldn’t ever imagine thinking such thoughts about him. To her, he was more than a man. He was THE MAN. She counted on him to keep them safe. She trusted him. How could a woman think that his shape-shifting took away from his manliness? It added to it. She loved him more because he was blessed with this gift that made him so special. “I think you and Justin are lucky to have been born with this special ability,” she said.

  His smile filled his face. “Only you could think like that and then not even realize how special your thinking is. Not everyone thinks the way you fo. For most people who know about werewolves, it’s an abnormality. They don’t like us or trust us. We’re only a step above animals. That’s why we make so much effort to hide our true identity. We protect ourselves.”

  “People who think like that are idiots,” she stated in a flat voice. “You’re a human being in every sense of the word, and on top of that you can do much more. I think you’re gifted. Maybe it scares some people and that’s why they try to put you in a box that they think suits you. Actually, it suits their thinking.”

  He stared at her as if she’d said the oddest of things. “I—never saw it like that. You’re right. People are scared, and what scares them isn’t acceptable.”

  “But you’re not scary at all,” she said.