by Amelia Jade
Garrett gestured for Cole to head back, and waited until the smaller shifter was ahead of him before snagging his hand around Emma's waist and pulling her close as they walked. He knew it wasn't a nice thing, but Garrett took some pleasure out of the howls of agony that followed them as Evan tried to set his broken leg.
The trio emerged from the woods to find several of the other shifters milling around the parking lot.
"There you are!" Corey shouted, and they rushed over.
"What the hell happened?" asked Russell, more concern in his voice than Garrett had ever expected to hear.
"Evan decided that Emma needed some convincing as to who was the rightful leader of the Ridgebacks," Garrett said slowly, trying to gauge the response.
Darren, Joel, and Corey all looked angry, while Russell looked shocked, as if he hadn't expected Evan to go that far. It was a nice change to see something other than smugness when it came to people messing with Garrett and those around him. Russell had worn such an expression for far too long. Perhaps there was hope for him after all.
"Where's Evan now?" Darren asked as Garrett and Emma continued to walk toward his room.
"In the forest, setting his own leg," he said over his shoulder, ignoring the noises of surprise that came back.
"My room is over that way, in case you forgot," Emma said, lazily lifting a finger in the direction of her room. He noticed she didn't make any attempt to remove her head from his shoulder, or his hand from her waist.
"I know, but whether I sleep in the bed with you or not, you're staying in my room tonight. There will be no argument about that," he said firmly.
To her credit, Emma must have realized he meant what he said, because she didn't argue or even try to.
"Where will you sleep?" she asked instead.
"I wish I could say the couch, but unfortunately I do not fit. So I'll pile some blankets on the floor between the bed and the door," he stated, pulling his keys from his pocket before remembering he hadn't locked the door on his way out.
"Absolutely not," Emma murmured as the door opened in front of them.
"What?" he asked, unsure of what she meant.
"There is no way you're sleeping on the floor, mister," she said, pulling the door closed behind them, and turning the lock.
Garrett raised an eyebrow, but she simply raised a finger straight up, angled the point at him, and poked him right in the sternum.
"Hey!" he protested, but she wasn't listening.
She kept pushing, and he kept backing up until the back of his knees hit the bed.
"I can't go any farther," he said, gesturing at the bed.
"Not in the direction," she whispered, placing both of her hands on his chest and shoving.
While he might normally have shrugged that off, Garrett sensed that now was not the time to play Superman. So he fell back onto the bed as Emma moved swiftly to mount him, her legs straddling his as she pushed his hands back, holding them against the bed.
"You've got me at your mercy, m'lady," he said softly without a hint of sarcasm.
"Good," she said, arousal thickening her voice as she dipped her head toward him.
Their lips met, sending a spark of static electricity jumping between them. Emma cried out in shock, but only pulled away for a fleeting instant before pressing her lips to his once again. He lay splayed out, being drawn in by her touch as she dragged her fingers down his arms gently until she cupped his face.
"Take me," she whispered in his ear a moment later.
Chapter Eight
Emma
The transformation was instant. One moment, Garrett was lying beneath her, content to let Emma have her way with him. But once she released him, he abandoned any pretense of that.
Massive, strong hands clamped on to her waist, lifting her as easily as if she were a feather, and holding her until her shoulder blades slammed into the wall. She wrapped her legs around his waist, though she didn't need to support herself.
Oh my, she thought, he's very strong.
Then she lost all concentration as his throaty growl filled the room, proclaiming his desire for her. She grabbed his head and pulled him into her chest, enjoying the way his several-day-old stubble felt against her skin, the roughness leaving her tingling with pleasure as the warmth of his lips provided a pleasing counterbalance of sensations.
Since she didn't need her arms to help support her, Emma took full advantage of that, peeling off her shirt as Garrett continued to effortlessly pin her.
"This is so fucking hot," she whispered.
His hungry gaze devoured her body as she lost her shirt and then bra, the intensity of his stare driving her wild. He wanted her. Her. The power of his want was undeniable in its savage ferocity, demanding a response from her in a way that she could not, would not refuse. Not that she wanted to anyway. Emma was his now, abandoning any sense of control as she ground her hips against his waist, anxious to feel the hardness she was sure he had between his legs. Dipping a hand under her leg, she reached for it, but his hips were always just an inch away from her grasp.
"That's not fair," she complained, pulling his face away from her neck.
She didn't want him to stop, but Emma loved to please her partner as much as she liked being pleased. There was something utterly arousing in seeing the pleasure someone derived from her actions, and she was determined to see as much of that as possible on Garrett's stunningly sexy face.
"This goes two ways. You get to touch me, but I get to touch you," she said, doing her best to sound commanding, though her current position pinned up against the wall robbed her of some of the power of her statement.
Garrett looked as if he was going to protest, but she fixed him with her best "I mean it" glare, and he relented, pushing his hips right up against her so that she could caress her hand against the impressive bulge in his jeans. When he moaned, she realized it was the first sound he had made since she had opened herself up to him.
And, Emma thought, she liked that sound. An evil grin spread over her face, cluing Garrett in that something was about to change just before she dropped her legs, sliding through his grip faster than he could readjust until she was on her knees in front of him.
"This is what you wanted, right?" she asked, pouting her lips up at him as he stared down at her. She could see his Adam's apple bob as he swallowed hard and nodded.
She shook her head, indicating that wasn't an acceptable response.
"Yes," he growled, quiet at first. "Yes, I want your lips wrapped around my hard cock." The growl was louder this time, the deep timbre of it sending shivers down her spine as she undid his belt and jeans, pulling them away without hesitation, until he was just clad in his shirt and boxers.
"Shirt. Off," she commanded, a sultry smile on her face as he obeyed instantly.
Now that's power, she thought, before turning her attention back between his legs.
"You're so hard," she observed, running the flat of her palm slowly up and down the solid outline of his cock, feeling the fabric of his boxers slide smoothly beneath her.
"It's your fault," he said, the tension from her teasing obvious as he gritted his teeth halfway through when she used a finger to softly caress his sac.
"Good," she replied, pulling the elastic waist out and over his cock and down to his ankles in one smooth motion.
Garrett hissed when one of her hands wrapped around his base, pointing the tip of him directly at her waiting mouth. There was only the briefest hesitation as she licked her lips before sliding them as far down his cock as she could go.
"Ohmygod," came the growl from above her as she took him deep. The growls and moans became louder as she continued her motions, picking up the pace as she went. Sinking lower on her knees she looked up at him, seeing the pleasure written on his face as she sucked him to the best of her abilities. That was what she wanted—that unguarded look of ecstasy that she saw now, which flooded her underwear with warmth and wetness in the hopes that he would soon tak
e care of her.
After several minutes of her ministrations, Garrett pulled her off, his voice hoarse.
"Your turn," he said, moving to lay her against the edge of the bed.
"Garrett," she said solemnly, "if you do anything but slide that hard cock of yours inside of me right now, you're going to regret it."
Her mate—and she didn't even hesitate thinking of him as such—paused his motions, changing what had been a kneeling motion into a smooth crouch-step forward, until he was positioned at her opening. Warm honey coated him as he slid his cock around for a second before plunging inside of her.
Garrett moved slowly, but that didn't stop her from gasping each time he pushed forward.
"Holy. Shit," she whispered. "You're fucking huge."
"Is it hurting?" he said, pulling back slightly in concern.
"The perfect amount," she moaned back, wrapping her legs around him once more and pulling him back in. Oh yes, it hurt, but only for a second as her walls adjusted to his size, clamping down around him firmly.
"Okay," he said hesitatingly, pushing in a little more, trying to be gentle.
"Shut up and fuck me," she commanded, pulling his face to hers and shoving her hips up until they pressed against his.
She cried out through his lips as she stretched, but after a second the pain faded, leaving nothing but his cock pulsing inside of her. Her legs held him tightly as the moment rushed through her; then as she felt ready she pulled back, looking into his brilliant green eyes, and nodding.
Knowing just what she wanted, Garrett pulled almost all the way out, leaving behind a feeling of emptiness. Then, just when she was about to beg him, he slid back inside of her. Emma's eyes rolled back into their sockets and her body spasmed slightly, falling back onto the bed as she tried to maintain control. It was a futile struggle though, and as Garrett built up a rhythm, she knew it would be only moments before—
"Holy shit I'm cumming!" she cried out suddenly as her pussy convulsed, a shockwave of pleasure ricocheting up through her body, lighting each and every nerve ending on fire. Her entire body, paralyzed by the sensation, locked up for a moment before it exploded into action, shaking in frenzied delight as she let the orgasm overtake her.
Garrett didn't stop, his cock continuing to slam into her faster and faster. Even as her first climax faded, she felt another building up inside of her. He was just so big; his sheer size alone was getting her off. Looking up into his eyes, she told him what she wanted without having to use words. He nodded, his hips moving just a bit faster, slamming into her a little harder.
"Oh," she moaned, “Just like that!”
She watched as Garrett’s faced contorted through several levels of pleasure. Inside she could feel him grow ever so slightly larger. Knowing what was about to happen, she lay back and let him shoot his seed deep inside of her, the warmth of it rushing into her stomach, down her legs and out her arms as she climaxed for a second time that evening, her legs tightly holding onto him as they orgasmed together.
“Wow,” Garrett said between breaths as his massive lungs gasped for air, trying to recover from the exertion.
Emma could do nothing but smile at him, completely spent herself. It took the last of her energy to push herself back farther onto the bed where she could sprawl out. Moments later, Garrett flopped down next to her, the bed bouncing her unceremoniously onto her side as his massive frame hit the springs.
“Hey!” she cried out, her dignity bruised as she rolled back to face him.
“Sorry,” he said with a grin, leaning in to kiss her.
She thought about pulling back just to spite him, but by then it was too late. Damn, she just loved the way he tasted, along with the smoothness of his lips as they all but caressed hers.
It was some time later that she pulled away. The adrenaline from the evening was fading, and her eyes were getting heavy.
“I’m going to fall asleep,” she said with a yawn, “really soon. Don’t you dare leave the bed.”
To emphasize her point, she rolled into him, snuggling her rear firmly into his crotch, and at the same time reaching back and draping his arm around her so that his hand just so happened to be cupping her breast. She wasn’t above a little bit of foul play, she thought to herself as he curled up right behind her.
The last thoughts she remembered before sleep claimed her were of the peace and tranquility she felt in his arms.
***
A brisk chill woke her in the morning. Groggily she rolled over, seeking the warmth that Garrett had provided all night. The farther her hand stretched though, the colder the sheets got. Groaning in displeasure, she blinked her eyes slowly, clearing the sleep from them as she looked over at the nightstand where she had noted an old digital alarm clock the night before.
Six thirty.
Shit.
No wonder Garrett wasn’t in bed; he would be up and having breakfast by now. They had to leave for the mines in half an hour. Not for the first time Emma cursed the ungodly early hours shifters managed to keep without any trouble. Garrett had explained to her on her second day with the Ridgebacks that it was easier for them. Their animals naturally woke up with sunrise, so early hours were not a problem for them.
“Jerks,” she mumbled under her breath
Then again, she thought with a grin as she remembered the night before, there were a few perks to being a shifter.
Or being with one.
Which, she had to admit, is what she was. There was no point in denying it any longer. She and Garrett were bound. She still wasn’t convinced that he saw her as his mate—that one elusive woman that he would spend the rest of his life with—and to his credit, Garrett hadn’t used that word to describe her either. But that didn’t mean they couldn’t have a relationship. A very filling relationship if the night before was any indication.
Her body waking up to her less-than-appropriate thoughts made Emma realize she didn’t have any time to daydream about fucking Garrett.
“Ow!” she said in surprise, massaging the inside of her crotch gently to push the pain away.
Perhaps daydream was the wrong word. Garrett had woke her up not once, but twice through the night to show just how much he lusted after her. It had been fun at the time, but based on the sudden pain between her legs, it would seem she was going to be paying for it today.
Gingerly standing up, she pulled on her clothes from the day before.
“Well, this is going to be awkward,” she said out loud, assessing her situation.
She peeked at her reflection in the bathroom mirror. Her hair was a mess, and despite sleeping in, there were bags under her eyes, though it was doubtful anyone would actually notice them.
“Fuck it,” she said, running a hand through her hair a few times to try and straighten it out. She was a grown adult, and despite the complications that might arise with her workplace, she didn’t have to answer at all to any of the other bear shifters about her choice of bed partner.
That didn’t prevent her from steeling herself against the catcalls she was sure would come when someone noticed her. Mentally preparing a few return zingers, she opened the door and made a beeline for her room. She walked quickly, but didn’t let her head dip with shame. Instead, she walked with her shoulders back and a relaxed look on her face. Showing weakness in front of them would be the worst thing to do.
Luckily for her, nobody was around to witness it. They must be in the common room having breakfast, she noted as the door closed behind her. She wondered why Garrett hadn’t woken her. It would have been the polite thing to do so that there was no mad rush around her room to ensure she had everything for the day, such as was going on right that moment.
Five minutes later, as presentable as she was likely to be, but at least with a new set of clothing, she flew out the door and headed for the common room next to what had once been the lobby of the Lodge. As she got close, the smell of breakfast hit her.
“Mmm, waffles,” she said with delight as s
he came inside.
Corey and Joel both looked up and acknowledged her with a nod before going back to their breakfast. Evan studiously ignored her from his seat alone in the corner, while the others did much the same.
Frowning, she moved over to the island in the center of the kitchen where there were several fresh waffles waiting to be eaten. Stabbing one with a fork, she threw it on her plate, smothering it in some syrup and a few berries from one of the bowls. She slid onto a bench next to Garrett, who was finishing up his breakfast.
“Morning,” she said neutrally, trying to keep any hint of the night before from coloring the tone of her voice.
The grunt she got in response was less than she had received on her first days with the crew. It was impassive enough that she couldn’t keep her eyebrows from rising in surprise. To cover her shock she focused on her breakfast, gobbling it down as fast as she could, since the others were finishing up theirs and moving on to cleaning up. She had a scant few minutes to eat, and she did not want to be hungry until lunch if she could avoid it.
The entire time she tried to make eye contact with someone, to ask how their morning was, or to exchange pleasantries even. But none of them would acknowledge her presence, acting almost as if she wasn’t there.
“What’s going on?” she finally asked Garrett, cornering him by the garbage can as he was scraping the few remnants of his breakfast into the trash.
“Nothing,” he said, his voice not quite brusque, though it was definitely unfriendly.
“You are a terrible liar,” she told him, calling him straight out on his bullshit. She continued in a whisper, “Do you have amnesia about last night?”
“No,” he said slowly, though his body language did not change.
“Then why the fuck are you and everyone acting like I don’t exist? You didn’t wake me this morning or anything, though you certainly didn’t have any qualms about doing so through the night!”
