Shifter Overdrive (Paranormal Romance Boxed Set)

by Scarlett Grove

  I followed Joshua up the creaky wooden staircase, past a balcony, down a hallway decorated with an old-fashioned paisley print runner-carpet and landscape paintings in antique frames. Joshua opened a door and showed me into a comfortable room with a canopy bed covered in billowing blankets and a lacy dust ruffle. A sweet little vanity with a pillow top stool sat next to a big dormer window with a padded window seat, lined with throw pillows. A working fire place stood opposite the bed, where a fire had already been built. In front of the fire was an overstuffed arm chair.

  I clapped my hands together and walked into the room. It was absolutely adorable. This room made the whole trip worth it. The bed looked like I could melt down into the mattress and sleep like a princess.

  “You like it?” said Joshua in his sarcastic tone.

  “I love it.”

  “Good night then,” he said, shutting the door behind him.

  My boxes and suitcase were stacked behind the door in front of a wall lined with empty shelves and an empty chest-of-drawers. There was a big closet behind a ruffled curtain on the other side of the bed. I wanted to unpack, but I was drained and a little freaked out. A rush of exhaustion washed over me, and I felt like I was about to become hysterical. A tear slid down my cheek, and I wiped it away.

  I went to my suitcase and pulled out the red flannel pajamas I usually wore in the winter and slipped them on. I pulled a novel out of my backpack, switched on the bedside lamp, switched off the overhead light, and climbed into bed. The room was filled with the soft glow of firelight, and the mattress couldn’t have been more comfortable. The linens smelled of lavender as I sank down onto my pillow.

  I cracked open my book, read two pages, and fell asleep.

  I was in a garden. Cherry blossoms budded all around. The air smelled of the subtle scent of daffodils. I laughed as I ran. My hair bounced around my shoulders and over a flowing white dress that clung to my exuberant body. Sensations traced over my skin like delicate fingers playing piano.

  I ran through the garden, full of the ripening abundance of spring time. My lungs breathed the beauty in the air. My bare feet touched soft new grass. I twirled around, dancing. Petals fell in my hair. When I slowed down, I saw him. A boy. He stood before me in the garden. Tall and strong with waving blond hair. His hand reached out for me.

  “Who are you?” I asked in the underwater dialog of dreams.

  “I’m him.”

  “Who?”

  “I’m Owen.”

  I took his hand, and he pulled me into his chest. He was dressed in an old-fashioned white shirt and black slacks. His feet were as bare as mine. His touch intensified the waves of sensation on my skin. I giggled and clung to him. He felt good. His body was supple and strong, as if he spent his time swimming in lakes and running wild through the vast Montana woods.

  “How did you get here?” I asked him, clinging to his chest. He smelled of honey and deep forest.

  “I’ve always been here. It is you who have just arrived.”

  “Good. We can be together now.”

  I took his hand and pulled him through the garden. We ran with the soft grass between our toes. Laughter echoed in the hazy dream world. He caught me up and twirled me around until the stars poked through the blue sky.

  “Come with me,” he said, as he led me by the hand through the garden.

  We passed an ancient oak grove until we came to a little rocky stream. On a grassy ledge, we sat with our feet dipping into the cool water. Behind us was a bough of soft ivy that arched over a bed of moss.

  “This place is enchanted,” he said holding my hand. I tilted my face up to his, the waves of my Titian hair cascading down my ivory back. He bent down and pressed his lips to mine. Fireworks exploded inside me sending little sparks through my chest and between my legs.

  Our kisses deepened, and he held me intimately close. I felt soft and languid, like the petals of a rose. The back of his knuckles caressed my cheek as he drew me into the bed of moss below the arch of ivy. I let him take me there. I lay my head in the soft green lichen, my hair spilling around me, my curvaceous body open and willing. He ran his hand up my leg, over my stomach and gently cupped my breast.

  I put my arms around his neck and waited for him to kiss me again. His face moved toward me, and he opened his mouth into mine. Our tongues danced as he reached under the skirt of my dress. I had no panties, and his fingers touched the soft longing of my flesh. A shock pricked my body as his caress lightly brushed the outside of my lips. I gasped under his kiss and let my legs fall open.

  His fingers sought my moisture, tickling at the seam that stood between him and my desire. He pressed inside, letting the flood of moisture drip onto his fingertips. Lubricated with my own passion, his fingers delicately rubbed my erect pink mound. I gasped and arched my back as he kissed down my neck and over my exposed décolletage.

  My nimble fingers hastily plucked open the buttons on my lacy bodice letting the pale flesh of my breasts pour through. Owen’s tongue circled a pink nipple and flicked it while his finger pushed further into my yearning darkness. My breathing accelerated as his hands pumped inside me. His thumb rubbed my clit while his index and middle finger pressed in and out of my pussy.

  I could feel him hard against my leg. Owen’s chest was exposed through the opening in his shirt. I glanced down to see lean rippling muscles, flexed to keep his weight from crushing me. I reached down to grab his cock over his trousers, and I kneaded it with my hand. He buried his head in my breasts and let out a pleased sound into my skin.

  The feeling of his cock in my hand and his fingers inside me excited me beyond reason. The dream world shifted colors: pink, purple, violet. His fingers pushed inside me vibrating on my clit and pressing against my g-spot. I let my legs fall wide open, and his fingers pounded into me. I could hear the sound of flesh pumping into flesh. His teeth nibbled at my nipples, and the tide of desire rushed against my body.

  I felt excitement rise in me like a flooded dam. The waters rose until there was nothing left to contain it. My breath panted as the climax erupted inside me. I let out a long, squealing “Ohhh,” and clung to my dream boy.

  Chapter 4

  I opened my eyes as my body pulsated. Looking around, I realized it was morning, and I was in Montana. My body still throbbed from the massive wet-dream orgasm, and I had to squeeze my legs together to calm it down. I smiled and sat up in bed.

  Even if Morgan hated me, I was going to make the best of my short time here. As the twitching between my legs subsided, I jumped from my bed and threw open the curtains that covered the big dormer window.

  I kneeled on the window seat and looked outside. I saw a small lake beyond which sprawled a massive barn complex and fenced corrals. Just to the side of the main house was what looked like a one-story hotel built of hewn, polished logs. In one of the nearest corrals, I could see a figure riding a horse in tight circles. Beyond the barn to the left, was a wide expanse of pasture and then the mountains and the sky.

  I hopped up from the window seat and hurried to find warm clothes for my first day on the ranch. I walked into the hall and found the bathroom next door wide open. I tiptoed inside, over the cool tile floor, and got ready for my day.

  Once I was clean, dressed, and dry, I brushed my hair and found my way downstairs. I wore cargo pants from REI, a beige sweater, a soft scarf, and hiking boots. I could smell the scent of bacon and toast coming from the back of the house. I followed my nose and wandered through a long, dark hallway, until I found a big, bright kitchen. Unlike the front of the house or upstairs, the kitchen was completely modern. It looked as if some walls had been taken down to accommodate the modern design.

  In the kitchen, around a breakfast nook, sat Mr. Ellis and Morgan. A plump woman in her fifties hurried away at the six burner stove and shoveled strips of bacon onto a plate that sat on a granite topped island at the center of the room.

  Beyond the kitchen was a modern family room with a huge plasma screen TV, milk
chocolate colored leather sofas, and plenty of children’s toys. I sighed with relief that the whole place wasn’t a museum.

  Mr. Ellis saw me standing in the doorway and waved me to the table. Morgan glared at me as I approached, but she didn’t run away. She was too busy spreading too much jam on her whole-wheat toast.

  “Jane, this is Patty, our cook.”

  I sat on an empty bench around the rather large table that sat inside a bay window overlooking the lake. Patty rubbed her hand on her apron and came to shake mine. I took it and smiled up at her motherly face. Her graying black hair was pinned up in a loose bun, and she wore a billowy floral shirt and a long denim skirt.

  “Pleased to meet you Miss Jane,” she said as she let go of my hand and headed back to the stove. She took the bacon pan off the stove, picked up two plates of food, set one in front of me, and the other in front of herself as she sat down. It was poached eggs, toast, bacon, and wedges of fresh, sweet cantaloupe. I took a bite of eggs, and flavor exploded in my mouth. I wasn’t expending such delicious food.

  “I hear Miss Morgan gave you trouble last night,” said Patty.

  “It was nothing,” I said smiling at the little girl. Her face was as pale as a sheet, and her eyes were so shadowed and dark; I couldn’t make out their color, even in the bright light of the window.

  “We’ve been working on our manners, haven’t we Morgan?” said Patty, looking down at the child. Patty took a bite of bacon, and the little girl ignored her. Patty looked back to me and gave me a feeble smile. “You’re the expert, Hun,” she said, patting my hand.

  The cook’s attitude about the child didn’t give me a lot of hope. Mr. Ellis sipped his coffee while reading the New York Times on an iPad. He seemed oblivious to the child’s complete lack of social skills. I tried to smile at her, but she continued to heap jam on her bread. Finally, the little girl dropped the jam smothered toast and her knife on her plate and jumped up from the table. She trotted off to the family room, plopped down in a pile of stuffed animals and started to rearrange them according to some inner logic.

  Mr. Ellis looked up from his iPad at me. His dark eyes burned into me, and I felt weak in the knees as I had with Nick from REI. Nathanial Ellis wasn’t exactly the nicest person, or the best dad, but his chiseled features and domineering personality made him distinctly alluring. If you liked that sort of thing. I wasn’t sure if I did.

  “Joshua will show you around the ranch today, introduce you to the rest of the staff, and get you acclimated. I have a meeting I need to attend to in my office. Morgan understands she will be having lessons today at noon. How long you decide to continue the lesson is up to you. You can work in here or the library. Patty will show you where that is.”

  He stood to leave the table, taking his coffee cup with him. What kind of meeting did a rancher have in his office? From the style and size of the house and the way Nathanial Ellis conducted himself, I was beginning to think he was anything but a typical backwoods rancher. I glanced over my shoulder to watch him leave, taking in the sight of his firm, round behind in his tailored slacks. He might be dismissive, but he was definitely attractive.

  I looked back at Patty and managed a weak smile. She snickered at me and patted my hand.

  “This isn’t what I was expecting,” I said under my breath.

  “What were you expecting, Hun?”

  “I don’t know, something more… ranchy.”

  “Bear Creek Ranch is one of the oldest ranches in this part of the state. It was settled nearly 150 years ago, by the Ellis family. Nathanial Ellis the first and his brother emigrated from England. They were peasants back there, but they made a fortune in the cattle business and bought a huge chunk of land. Back then, they owned most of this side of the mountain. Now the ranch is only about five hundred acres. Anyway, the brother drowned in the lake so the entire estate was passed to Nathanial’s line. He built this house from all the money he made from timber and cattle. Probably, to make himself feel like a big shot. From what I hear, they sure had a time of it building a house like this out here, back then.

  “Generations of Ellis’ have kept this place going. Now they get most of their income from Wall Street investments. He doesn’t need the hunting boarders, but he keeps it up for tradition. And we still run cattle up here. Joshua and Clive take care of the farm. See that row of bunk houses out there, that’s where the boarders stay. This time of year, we are pretty busy with hunters, but they don’t stay in the main house. This house could probably accommodate a lot of guests, but Nathanial only opens it for historical tours. The only people who live here are indoor staff.

  “Well, I need to finish up the breakfast for the hunters who didn’t leave early this morning. Most went with Clive to hunt black bear up the mountain. They usually eat oatmeal before early morning hunts, and I pack them lunch to take along the night before. Let me show you the library before I get back to work.”

  Patty stood and looked down at Morgan, who played with her dolls on the floor. She was still in the wispy nightgown from the night before. Patty crossed her arms and her face contorted with displeasure. She sighed, and said, “Come on,” leading me back down the hallway that led to the kitchen. Out in the main entrance we moved to the room to the left of the front door. Patty opened the double doors to reveal a massive library lined with rows and rows of books. A bay window looked out onto the front garden, and a substantial oak table sat in the center of the room.

  “This was where Morgan’s mother used to give her lessons.”

  “Beautiful room,” I said, looking around. “What exactly happened to Mrs. Ellis anyway?”

  Patty went gray and backed away from me. “Best not to ask about things that are none of your business. If Nathanial wants to tell you about it, it’s his decision.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize.”

  “Joshua’s out in the barns. He’ll show you around.”

  She scurried away, leaving me standing in the massive library alone. Dark-stained, built-in shelves dominated the room and towered to the ceiling. I spotted antique books and first editions, and I also spotted a rather large collection of contemporary genre bestsellers. I smiled inwardly that I’d have plenty of reading material while I was here. I kept telling myself to buy an eReader, but never got around to it.

  I walked out the front door and followed the gravel path around the house toward the barns. The sky was deep azure and perfectly clear without a single cloud. The air was warmer than the night before, but it was only about sixty. I breathed in the crisp clean air, feeling particularly good. I passed a ripe vegetable garden on my way to the barn complex just past the hunters lodges.

  I heard whinnying from a corral and saw a girl riding fast toward a fence. “Hey!” she yelled as she jumped from the horse. She quickly tied the horse’s reins to the fence and jumped over. She trotted toward me holding a black felt cowboy hat to her head.

  “Hi! I’m Daisy,” she said, breathlessly holding out her gloved hand. She drew her hand back and pulled the glove off just to thrust it toward me again.

  “Hi,” I said weakly, taking her hand. Her grip was incredibly strong for such a petite, skinny girl. Her blond braids hung down her shoulders under the brim of her hat. Big, blue eyes looked up at me over her wide, goofy grin.

  “I’m Jane.”

  “You’re the new tutor aren’t you?” she said, still shaking my hand.

  “Yes.”

  “Oh man, is it going to be good to have another girl around here. The only people I have to talk to are crusty old cowboys, and the menopause sisters Patty and Penny. They’re literally sisters. Patty is the cook, and Penny is the housekeeper.”

  “Oh, I didn’t meet Penny.”

  “No loss! She’s as crotchety as all get out. You’re from the big city aren’t you?”

  “Something like that. I grew up in a suburb of Chicago and went to university in St. Louis.”

  “Well then, you and Mr. Ellis got something in common. He’s
got some fancy degree from Harvard or Yale or something. I can’t remember which.”

  “Interesting.” The girl’s energy reminded me of Kimmy’s, only worse. I was happy she was there. Like she said, it would be nice to have another young woman around. “I was supposed to be shown around by Joshua. Do you know where he is?”

  “Forget him, I’ll show you around. He’s probably smoking dope with one of the boarders anyway.”

  “Really, he doesn’t seem the type.”

  “Hot damn, Joshua grows that shit up in the hills. Mr. Ellis knows it but don’t do nothing about it. I’m no prude or nothing, but I don’t think it’s good to be high while shooting a gun. Do you?”

  “Probably not,” I giggled. The thought of Joshua smoking a joint struck me as incredibly funny.

  “Come on!” She grabbed my hand and yanked me toward the barns.

  I followed and let her show me the various farm buildings. There was a barn for tractors, a barn for hay, a barn for chickens, a barn for five squealing pigs, a barn for the milk cows, a barn for horses and horse tack. Everything smelled of hay and animal dung, but it was pleasant. I enjoyed Daisy’s easy company after the strange welcome I’d received. Her presence allowed me to relax.

  “What do you do here Daisy?” I asked as we leaned on a fence gazing out at the small lake.

  “I’m a horseback riding instructor. And I take care of the horses. Usually, we go out on hunts. But no horses on predator hunts; they get spooked. My family has a horse ranch about twenty miles from here, near the village. They’ve got my older brothers helping so they don’t need me so much. I could be on the rodeo circuit, barrel racing, you know, but I don’t have the money for a rig. Plus, my boyfriend’s family is here. He drives a truck. Nate let’s him bunk with me when he’s off the road.”

  “That’s nice of him.”

  Daisy explained that everyone who worked on the ranch also lived there. Clive, Joshua, and Daisy lived out in the hunters bunkhouse in private rooms. Patty and Penny lived in the main house.