by Zola Bird
“Easy, honey. I don’t now how much of that I can take.”
“Likewise,” she managed to gasp, and as she said it, she felt his fingers slide up her wet thighs.
His fingers slipped under her panties into her willing folds. Oh my. She was so wet and slick she thought his digits might slip right out of her, but he kept them there, slowly working the entrance of her pussy. He sucked her nipple back as he fucked her with his fingers, and a bolt of pleasure shot out from inside of her. She thought she might come right then and there as she ground herself forward, getting as close as she could to him.
But she also knew that the best was yet to come as he slowly worked his tongue down her cleavage and over her belly. She got wetter as he got closer. When he licked around her belly button, Amanda moaned.
“I want you to fuck me with your tongue.”
“Me too, baby. I want to fuck you until you scream my name.”
He moved lower and she felt his fingers leave her pussy as he slipped his thumbs under the waistband of her lace panties, peeling them off of her. He slid them down her legs and she kicked them off her feet. Then, he set a strong palm on each of her inner thighs and pushed her eager legs apart.
“I’m going to taste your honey, Mands. I’m going to lick it all up until you squeal for me to stop. And then I’m going to keep on licking until you come all over my face.”
And with that, he dropped his head between her thighs. Just who was this Greg Smith and where had he been all these years? She felt his hot tongue shoot up inside her, and at that point all bets were off. Amanda couldn’t think straight, let alone anticipate what was coming next. He ran his thick tongue down her crease to just above her asshole and then back up her glistening folds, parting her petals gently with his tongue as he drove upward to his ultimate destination, her lonely nubbin.
Once there, Greg did a big wide circle around her taut nub and licked back down. Her folds were wet with her juices. She couldn’t believe he hadn’t stopped longer, couldn’t believe he hadn’t lingered on her clit, but in the next instant she felt his fingers slide back inside her slick entrance and he was licking up again. This time, though, instead of skirting around her nubbin, he flicked it with his tongue.
She felt it grow plumper, taut with desire, as his fingers drove inside of her. Pulses of pleasure reached out from her insides, but nothing in her twenty-nine years had prepared her for what she felt next. Men had pleasured her before, but not like Greg. She’d felt a tongue before, but nothing like his tongue, and when he took her whole clit into his mouth, she realized that maybe she hadn’t been with a man before, after all. Not a real man. He sucked her berry back, the little tower of pleasure bursting with desire, and somewhere, between Greg’s lips and the tip of his tongue, every ounce of tension that had been building up within Amanda broke loose.
Her orgasm hit like an avalanche.
Amanda felt crushed under a cascade of pleasure.
Obliterated by pure bliss.
Intense starbursts of desire exploded in front of Amanda’s eyes. The jolts of pure ecstasy kept coming. Bliss enveloped her entire body in a cloud of endless warmth. And Greg’s tongue continued to flick back and forth as she thrust her pussy into his face. She wanted more, and still more. She wanted him inside of her. And not just his tongue.
“Come inside of me,” she whispered.
He just kept licking her, his tongue working its magic. He leaned forward, thrusting his face even more firmly into her. Could there be any more magic? The orgasm rocked her core, making her entire body shudder.
“Greg. Oh my gosh, Greg.”
Her orgasm felt like it would go on forever, but she needed to get his dick inside of her. She needed him to finish her off. She reached down for his head, struggling to pull it up between her thighs.
“Yes,” Amanda moaned. Explosions continued to rock her core. “Oh my gosh, yes.”
Greg smiled.
And Amanda screamed.
Terror. Abject fear ran like ice water through her veins. The door to her apartment was open. And there was the silhouette of a man standing in the doorway. He was filming them with his phone.
Who was he? How had he opened the door?
Greg saw him too.
The man turned and ran.
“Wait here,” Greg growled.
Greg pulled up his pants and took off after the man into the night.
Chapter Six
Greg knew who he was chasing. His bear smelled him. There was only one bear in these parts who would dare intrude on such an intimate moment and that bear was Tom Cooper. Greg chased him down the apartment stairs, and Tom shifted in midstride, dropping his phone as he did. Greg smashed the device with his heel and shifted as well. If Greg could catch him, he would expel him from Wild Summit or he would die trying.
Greg hadn’t shifted for several weeks, but there was little relief or feeling of discovery as he turned into his animal form. There was only primal anger as he chased Tom’s bear through the woods. The moon shone down as he barged through brambles and branches and leaped over boulders and logs. But Tom was a black bear, and though they were smaller than grizzlies, they tended to be faster too. Greg lost sight of him.
Greg’s bear sniffed around, following Tom’s scent, and as he did, a greater concern racked him. What if there was more to Tom’s voyeuristic little episode than met the eye? What if it was a distraction, a play for something more sinister? The anger Greg was feeling was replaced by an even more powerful drive. Concern for Amanda. Greg’s bear now knew that she was the one and he wasn’t going to let anything happen to her. Not now, not ever.
Greg’s bear abandoned the scent and circled back around to Amanda’s apartment. He shifted just before he reached her apartment and knocked quietly, standing naked outside her door. His shoes and pants had been ruined in the shift. Fortunately, it was late and the neighbors appeared to be asleep.
“Greg? Is that you?”
“It’s me, Mands.”
“Thank goodness.”
She opened the door a crack to check, then she removed the security chain and let him in. She was wearing a robe now, and Greg took her into his arms.
“Did you get the phone?”
“It’s destroyed.”
“Greg. I’m so scared. Who was he?”
“Tom,” Greg said quietly.
“Tom?” Amanda said incredulously. “But why would he do that?”
“I don’t know, Mands, but I’ll protect you.”
She held him tight, burying her head in his chest, and he carried her gently to her bed. He would stay with her. He would stay with her and keep her safe all night.
**********************
Amanda awoke in Greg’s arms. They hadn’t returned to their lovemaking, not after what had happened. But still she was glad he had stayed the night. She felt safe with him there. Safe and secure. Why had Tom filmed them? Was this her fault? Was he jealous? Upset that she’d brought Greg home on what was supposed to be their date? Whatever it was, none of it was OK.
Greg had somehow managed to lose his pants in the chase, so she lent him a pair of her old oversized sweats, and though they didn’t really fit him, they were enough clothing for her to give him a ride to his place so that he could get ready for work.
Amanda was shaken by Tom’s behavior, but she refused to let it ruin her day. If she saw Tom at work, she wasn’t sure what she would do. Part of her wanted to call the police, to tell her police officer brother what had happened. The other part was embarrassed, even though she knew she had no reason to be. That being said, Amanda reflected that, with the exception of the incident with Tom, she’d had a magical night. And her mind was abuzz with possibilities. Had she entered a new chapter with Greg? Was he the one for her? Despite the previous evening’s scare, Amanda walked into the dealership that morning with a smile on her face. When she got there, Jada was solemn.
“Have you heard?” Jada asked.
“Heard what?”<
br />
“Greg and Tom are going to race.”
“As in street race?”
Jada nodded.
“When?”
“Tonight.”
Amanda took it in.
“And It’s not just a regular street race. They made a bet,” Jada said. “Loser leaves town.”
Amanda was not pleased by what she had heard. This was not how she wanted to start her day. She marched to Greg’s office, but there was no sign of Greg. Where was he and what had he agreed to? Street racing was dangerous. Not only that, it didn’t even happen in Wild Summit. Amanda found Brandon.
“Apparently Greg and our new employee Tom haven’t exactly been hitting it off,” Brandon said. “Greg’s pulled his ride out of storage. He’s going to send Tom packing.”
“Not if I can help it,” Amanda said.
“You want Tom to stay?”
“No.”
“What is it, then?”
“I don’t want Greg to stoop to his level.”
Amanda exited through the service department. “Jada, honey, can you cover for me?”
“Sure. Why?”
“Because I’m going to end this.”
**********************
Amanda stormed into the police department.
“Hey, Amanda. You here for Chip?” the duty officer asked.
“Yes. Is he in?”
“Let me call him.”
Amanda waited at the desk and her brother Chip appeared. Chip was several years older than her and had recently been promoted to detective.
“Chip, how well do you know Tom Cooper?”
“Good enough. Why? Is there a problem?”
“Yeah, there’s a problem.”
Chip looked concerned. “Amanda? What is it?”
Amanda thought about telling him what had happened but decided against it. He was her brother. He loved her, but he would judge her. She knew he would. Even if he said he wouldn’t, the whole thing would be awkward. Amanda decided to ask him for a favor instead.
“Something is going to happen on our public roads. A street race. I want you to break it up before it starts.”
Chip looked away. Amanda had seen that look of resignation on her brother’s face before. “What, Chip?”
“Amanda, Greg already came and talked to me.”
“And?”
“He told me about the race. As a friend.”
“Surely you told him not to do it.”
“I said I didn’t want to know about it.”
“You what?”
“This is a don’t ask, don’t tell type situation, Amanda. As long as they do it away from town and I don’t see it, I won’t be writing any tickets for street racing. Not tonight.”
**********************
Greg revved his car as it idled in the afternoon sun. It was a fast car. An import with enough aftermarket gear on it to smoke anything else on the road. Anything but Tom’s car, that was. But Greg had decided to take the chance that they were still evenly matched. Since their last ill-fated race, Greg hadn’t used his car. He’d kept it up to date as a hobby, but he hadn’t driven it, because he had thought that life was behind him.
Now, though, Greg knew there was only one way to get rid of Tom. He could have told the police about Tom recording them, but Tom was outside of Amanda’s apartment. He happened to be holding up his phone. Greg doubted any charges would stick. And then he’d still have the Tom problem. Because Tom was the kind of guy who just wouldn’t take no for an answer. Losing to Greg so many years ago had obviously stuck in Tom’s craw. And now Greg had to win again to end their rivalry once and for all.
Greg revved the engine once more. He knew the car was ready. When he won the race, Tom would leave and he could go back to his life. He could woo Amanda, and if fate was on his side, he could claim her. They would have cubs, and everybody could live happily ever after. Only the race stood in the way of that dream. Greg was so caught up in visualizing what he needed to do to win that at first he didn’t recognize Amanda as she entered the gates of Wild Alpha Auto’s car storage lot. She approached his car.
“I know about the race,” Amanda said.
Greg got out of his car. “Where’d you hear?” Greg asked.
“Everybody knows,” Amanda said. “I don’t want you to do it.”
“It needs to be done,” Greg said. “No way around it.”
“Sure there is. Don’t race.”
Greg took Amanda by her hands. She looked so soft. So vulnerable. His bear wanted to scoop her up right there and take her far, far away. To protect her from everyone and everything. But that’s what he was doing by racing tonight. He was protecting her. He was making certain that his past didn’t come back to haunt them. Amanda looked up at him with pleading eyes.
“Street racing is dangerous, Greg. Trust me. I’ve driven with Tom. I know. Cars blow up. They run off the road. People die all the time. Why do you think it’s illegal?”
“I’m going to be OK, Amanda. I’m going to get that creep out of our lives.”
“Why don’t you just fire him?”
“He’ll still hang around town. This is the only way. I’m doing this for us.”
“For us?”
“Yes. Us. You and me. If you want there to be a you and me, that is.”
Amanda nodded solemnly. “Then, if I can’t stop you, I’m going to be there. I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure this goes right.”
Amanda turned away from him.
“Amanda,” Greg said. “Do you want there to be a you and me?”
She turned back, got up on her tiptoes and pecked him on the cheek.
“Win the race, Greg.”
**********************
Amanda couldn’t believe she was in this situation. But she was. One look around her confirmed that. She stood in the middle of the dark road, wearing shorts and a tank top, holding two checkered flags. There were people on each side of the remote road, and she recognized her friends gathered round. Jeremy was there, and so were Bailey, and Brandon, and Jada. Chloe and Peter talked to some of the people on the sidelines. Headlights from spectators’ vehicles shone down, lighting up the scene. And two cars were poised to race.
The cars didn’t look that different. Not to Amanda’s eye, anyhow. It was true Amanda worked at a car dealership and spent every day around expensive automobiles. But she didn’t spend much time concentrating on the cars. After all, it was the people who mattered on the dealership floor, just as they did now, behind the wheels of these race cars. And even though the vehicles looked similar, the drivers couldn’t be more different. Tom was to her right. And Greg was to her left.
She didn’t hate Tom. To be fair, she barely knew him. But if Tom was capable of the behavior she had witnessed last night, and if he had slept with her to manipulate Greg, she could only imagine what he held over him. The thought of the evening she had spent with Tom now sent a creepy shiver down her spine. It should never have happened. This race was proof of that.
Both cars were silent before her. Amanda didn’t know much about street racing, but Brandon had filled her in, and in terms of being the flag girl, there wasn’t that much to know. Brandon would indicate that they should start their engines. Then she would drop the flags. Soon after, the cars would come racing past her again. Greg would be declared the winner, Tom would get the hell out of town, and she’d celebrate Greg’s victory under the condition that he never, ever partake in something so juvenile again.
Easy peasy. Now she just needed to drop the flags.
Brandon walked up behind her and raised his arms, deliberately tapping his wrist three times. It must have been the signal to start their engines because Tom fired his car up, revving up a storm. Exhaust filled the air. Tom’s look was intense, focused. He looked as if he could kill. Greg turned his car on a moment later. He revved it, but nowhere near as hard as Tom had. Amanda looked into Greg’s eyes. He was calm, cool, and modest. Nothing like the ferocio
us beast she saw lurking in Tom, and she loved Greg for it. She loved his reason and balance, but it also worried her. She worried that Greg might be out of his depth.
Engines revved, the odor of exhaust pungent in the evening air. Amanda knew what she had to do. She glanced over at Brandon who gave her the nod. Then she dropped the flags in one smooth swoop.
Engines roared.
Tires squealed.
And they were off.
Chapter Seven
Greg focused on the road ahead as the flag went down. The look in Amanda’s eye had been one of steeled resolve and it gave Greg strength. His bear vowed to fight for her. He would race and win.
It wasn’t that big an ask. Greg was confident he could take Tom. Tom was good, but he wasn’t that good. Greg had beat him in the past, and he would beat him again. Tom’s problem was that he was all rock and no roll. No balance. He lacked the ability to truly focus on what mattered. The air outside was all fumes and gasoline, but inside Greg’s car, it was pure concentration. Both cars had leaped off the starting line with the same roar, but it wasn’t the car that was going to win this race, it was the man.
Tom started out strong. Greg let him. The race was about winning. Not leading. Let him wreck his car if he wanted to. Greg felt his adrenaline surge as they snaked around the bend. He followed closely behind Tom’s car, almost kissing his bumper. He knew the road better than Tom, and the next curve would offer him an opportunity to overtake him on the inside. It was a risky but calculated move. Getting ahead of Tom at that point in the race would offer him a compelling advantage. After that, he’d be able to control the pace.
The road snaked around, and Greg downshifted, seizing his advantage. There was a cliff on one side of them, and a rock wall on the other, but this was the time to be aggressive. This was his chance to make Tom flinch.
