by Tia Louise
Instantly I cut off that shit. What the hell?
This is what it would be like if I weren’t a rogue? If I weren’t traveling across the continent hoping to pick up the pieces of my life? If I were even looking for a mate? Which I’m not.
Lowering her to her feet, I notice her legs wobble. A cute little smile is on her lips, and it fans my hunger. I’m far from done here.
“Turn around.” My voice is a low command, and she complies, dropping to her hands and knees on the soft grass. Her heart-shaped ass tilts up at me in the moonlight in an eager invitation.
“Fuck me,” I whisper again, kneeling behind her.
The pink folds of her pussy face me in the silvery light. They’re clenched together by her thighs, and I can’t help my instinctual urge to scent her.
I lean forward and press my nose right into that soft little mouth. A moan comes from her throat, and I begin to lick, tasting her unique flavor. She’s moaning louder as I taste deeper, sending my tongue into every part of her sex before returning to tease her clit.
Human or shifter, all women want the same thing. I spread her cheeks apart, exploring her roughly, nipping and sucking as her moans intensify and her hips rock against me. I keep going, not letting up until her thighs again erupt into shudders, and her shoulders drop with a long wail.
Grinning, I rise up and send my cock straight into her. She’s swollen and throbbing, and I can tell I’m scratching an itch for her as well. She immediately responds by pumping her hips back against me, jerking her ass up and down on my dick.
“Fuck, yeah,” I growl, giving her sweet behind a hard slap. She jumps and moves faster, and I’m meeting her thrust for thrust. A few more slaps, a few more twerks, and sparks start to shoot behind my closed eyes. My balls tighten, and my head drops back as the orgasm rips through my pelvis.
“Oh, fuck!” It’s a ragged shout, and I grip her hips to keep my balance. “Mercy, Mercy me…”
I’m holding her, savoring the pulses of pleasure as she lifts up, arching her back against my chest. I can feel by the spasms around my shaft she came again, and I slide my palms up her flat stomach to cup her breasts. They’re perfect handfuls. Dropping my face to her shoulder, I kiss the crook of her neck.
“Thank you,” I whisper against her skin.
Her body ripples with a laugh, and her voice is a sigh. “Why are you thanking me?”
“You are a beautiful, sexy lynx. You’re strong, and you probably have shifter alphas eating from your hand. Thank you for giving me a piece of your time.”
Her palms cover my hands on her breasts, and she gives them a squeeze as her head rolls against my shoulder. “You don’t know anything about me, Koa.”
“I know a little. I tasted your blood.”
“Mm, yes.” She kisses my cheek. “Then you know you were exactly what I needed tonight. Something I’ve needed for a long time.” A deep inhale and she starts to move away. “So you see? I should be thanking you.”
I love the naughty gleam in her crystal eyes. She stands and walks toward the tree line, and I watch her slim body moving away from me. Her beautiful dark hair skims the top of her ass, and an empty feeling passes through my stomach.
“Wait,” I say, standing.
She pauses and looks over her shoulder. I take a few steps toward her, unsure what I’m doing. It’s been so long since I’ve pursued a female, I feel stupidly out of practice.
“Spend the night with me. We can go our separate ways in the morning.”
It’s a blunt proposal, and her chin drops as she seems to consider what I’ve said. I’m about to take it back, try to polish my delivery and say it in better way, when a beautiful smile curls the side of her soft cheek. She steps to me, lifting her hand and running a finger along the line of my bicep.
Her next words fill me with warmth. “I can’t think of anything I’d rather do more.”
Staying
Mercy
I’m in my bed when I open my eyes again. My body is tender from last night’s encounter… or encounters. Multiple encounters. Pausing for a moment, I slide down in my plush king-sized bed, grinning as my thoughts travel over how I spent the last eight hours.
It’s not unusual for shifters to have casual hook-ups. Sexual relations are how shifters find their mates; although, it takes time, more than one meeting, and it’s usually shifters of the same species.
Still, as I lie here, the satin coverlet touching my lips, just below my nose, I can’t help remembering Koa, the gorgeous black panther. His body is a mountain of hard muscle, and his huge hands gripping my ass, moving me up and down his cock… Oh, god, that cock!
A little shiver, and I can’t stop a blissed-out giggle. I’ve been with human males a few times. I’ve even slept with a coyote of a separate shifter clan in a nearby town a few times. None of it prepared me for last night. Pleasure doesn’t even begin to describe it.
Everything about him was so… BIG. I couldn’t even spread my entire hands around his biceps. I had to hold on as best as I could while he explored every part of me in the most erotic way.
Again, my eyes squeeze shut, and I giggle. Oh man! He was incredible. With my eyes closed, I remember his face. Green eyes so intense — too intense. I had to look away from his penetrating gaze. Straight white teeth and luscious scruff of beard on his square jaw… so sexy.
I’ve never been with a big cat. His power is overwhelming, yet he’d been graceful and took his time with me… Except when he didn’t. The memory of him turning me around and roughly exploring me with his nose and tongue floods my brain. It was so primitive and animal.
Of course, it’s what we are, but I’ve never been eaten out… Even thinking those words sends a burning flush through my breasts and shoots heat straight to my core. I came so hard. I can’t stop a shiver at the memory. He awakened every nerve ending in my body.
I almost wish he weren’t just passing through. No. I shake my head. No, Mercy, it’s for the best. Something as amazing as him would only distract me from what I really want, which is to get out of here. It’s best Koa the Panther remains in a special place in my memory as hopefully not the only mind-blowing panther sex I’ll ever have.
With a sigh, I wonder what it will be like when I’m in San Francisco. Will I meet other shifter males there? Koa said he was on his way to California. Would I possibly be able to find him once I’m there? It’s a ridiculous thought. California is vast and extends for miles, and I didn’t even ask which city he’s headed to.
Stretching out, I push my hands over my head into the pillows. I had a hideous Thursday night dinner followed by the best sex of my life. I suppose things could be worse. Sitting up, it’s time to face the day. I have to find Dylan.
* * *
Koa
Opening my eyes in the darkness, I’m cold and wishing that little lynx was still curled into my side. Fuck sleeping on the ground. Why did I let her go?
Because she said she had to get home, that’s why. What the fuck am I thinking? For that matter, what the fuck am I doing here? I’ve never even heard of Woodland Creek.
Thanks to Mercy… beautiful Mercy… I know it’s a tiny town close to a national forest, and it alternates between hills and farms. Again, I have to wonder what the fuck I’m doing here. At least I’m not as sexually starved as I was eight hours ago.
I should shift again and keep going. Keep moving southwest until I reach the ocean. For whatever reason, I can’t seem to do it. Something drew me here, and I have to figure out what it was, why this place pulled me to it.
As a shifter, I know things like this are significant. Everything happens for a reason. Even fucking beautiful Mercy last night — it all has a purpose. I sound like a freaking philosopher, and maybe it’s partly my Hawaiian heritage. All I know is I have to stay here until the place lets me go.
Shifting again, I creep toward the town. I can’t decide which is more dangerous: entering Woodland Creek in my panther form or entering as an oversized na
ked black man. Truth, I’m only half-black, but I know sure as hell the white people don’t give a shit about that. If I’ve got any tan in my skin, they’ll keep wary eyes on me.
I slink around the edge of the forest, doing my best to keep my dark form hidden in the shadows until I find a clothes line with what looks like jeans and a tee that will fit me. I have to move fast to steal the clothes and get out before the wife sees me or the husband leaves for work.
Luck is on my side this time, and I’m in the woods with the clothes in my mouth before anyone even notices. Ducking my head, I let the magic shimmer around my skin, changing me back into the oversized male I am.
As I step into the jeans, I can’t help remembering Mercy’s small body. She was so sexy and beautiful last night. I should look her up if I’m going to be here a while.
No, I shake that thought away. She’s upper class, white bread. Even if we have great chemistry, there is no way in hell a girl like her could even think about spending time with a rogue like me. I have to focus on figuring this place out and then get the hell on the road.
Shoes. I don’t have shoes.
I learned early shoes are pretty vital necessities. I can wear shabby clothes and be a rich man, but no rich man walks around barefoot. In a town this size, I don’t expect to find a Goodwill I can hit up for a pair of used Chucks.
Slipping into an alley, I cling to the side of a strip mall consisting of a real estate office, a twenty-four hour copy shop, and a dry cleaner when I spot my saving grace across the street: Andy’s Gym.
Quickly, I look right then left and skip across to it. People don’t go barefoot to gyms, but short of finding a shoe repair shop, I have to hope somebody wanted to get a workout today before heading to the office.
I’m lucky my feet are average size, but either way, I’ll stuff my toes into whatever I can find to appear somewhat respectable.
“Hey, bro.” A tall, chubby white guy points at me from behind the juice bar.
I pause in making my way to the front. I’m not proud of stealing shoes, but I don’t have a choice in my current situation.
“Hey,” I say, looking down and not stopping.
“You’re new in town.” He’s following right behind me, but I’m still moving quickly toward the exit.
“Just passing through,” I say, even though I know I’ve decided to stay a bit longer.
“I can see you’ve worked in a gym. We need some extra hands. You looking for a job?”
He’s saying the words so fast, I don’t even register his last sentence until my hand is on the door, and I’ve pushed outside. Work at a gym? I stop in my tracks and turn back to doughboy waiting just on the other side of the glass.
Pushing through it, I step back inside in my stolen jeans, tee, and Nikes. “What did you say?”
He looks down and suddenly seems self-conscious. “I wasn’t checking you out, dude. I just noticed you look like you know your way around a gym.”
Glancing down, I own the fact that my arms are ripped, and I still carry the physique of a middleweight boxer. “Yeah, I’ve spent some time in gyms.”
“So I’m Jim. That’s funny, huh?” He pushes a fleshy hand toward my abdomen. I catch it in a strong shake and meet his eyes.
Jumping to conclusions is a dangerous habit. Still, if I had to guess, I’d say our friend Jim isn’t playing with a full deck. He doesn’t even notice that I’m all but limping in the shoes that are a size too small for my feet. Not to mention, I’m ducking in case the owner of said shoes decides to exit the locker room any time in the near future. At least, based on their size, I don’t expect a big guy coming after me.
“Koa,” I say.
“Koa.” His pale eyes roll around a moment. “Sounds… like Hawaii. You from Hawaii, bro?”
“My family was. I grew up in New Jersey.”
Jim nods and returns to his original purpose. “So Andy needs trainers. I’m no good with it on account I never trained nobody, and I don’t really like exercising. But you look like you could fill the spot. How about it? You need a job?”
For a moment I pause, turning the prospect over in my mind. If I’m going to hang around here for a few days, working at a gym would be the perfect cover.
“Okay. What do I need to do? Is there an application or something to fill out?”
Doughboy immediately brightens. He even waddles side to side a bit. “Yeah, bro! I’ll get it for you, and you can fill it out now or bring it back this afternoon. Just be sure you tell Andy I recruited you, okay?”
That seems fair enough. “Sure,” I say with a little laugh, smoothing my hand over my dark hair. I wish I had a cap.
Jim’s eyebrows rise as he watches my actions, and I try not to grin as he straightens slightly and moves a hand across his forehead, pushing his thinning hair back in a manner similar to mine.
“If you could come back around three, Andy will be in to take your application and do an interview.”
“Sounds good.” A quick glance out the glass door, and I look back. “Say, Jim?”
“Yeah?”
“Know any place a guy could crash and maybe get a meal?”
He brightens again and takes my arm. “Dude! My aunt Doris has just the place you’re looking for. A garage apartment not even attached to her house. You can come and go as much as you want!”
I follow him out the door and we’re headed down the sidewalk. This entire setup is getting better by the minute.
Doris White is an odd little woman. Dressed in a pink flour-sack dress, her fuzzy white head only reaches my stomach. Still, her eyes are stern as she interviews me.
“Your name is Kona? Like the coffee?”
“Um, no.” I do my best to appear non-threatening. Don’t scare Doris.
“But you’re Hawaiian?” She squints.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“So, Kona, what brings you to Woodland Creek?”
“It’s Koa. Without the N.” Don’t raise your voice. You need short-term housing.
“What?” Her voice is a high screech.
Exhaling deeply, I try a different approach. “How about Stitch? It was my nickname when I was a boxer.”
“Like the little alien guy? In the cartoon??”
I almost lose it then. “Do I look like a runty alien?”
Her eyebrows tighten even more than I thought possible, just before she breaks into a crackly laugh. “Oh, yes. You’ll do fine,” she says. “Besides, I like having a big strong buck like you on the place.”
“Oh, he’s not at the university, Aunt D,” Jim says, completely clueless.
I can only assume the Bucks are the university mascot. With a smirk, I nod to her nephew, although I know that isn’t what she meant.
“Come and go as you like. Rent’s due on the fifteenth.” She waves a hand over her shoulder as she waddles away.
Jim grins and slaps me on the shoulder. “Dude, she’s never liked anyone that fast before. See you in a few.”
With an exhale, I climb the stairs to check out my new digs. It’s a small, studio apartment above the unused garage. It’s furnished. It even has sheets on the double bed and towels in the closet.
“Not bad,” I murmur, opening and closing cabinet doors. “Now all I need are more clothes.”
Three o’clock, and I’m back at the gym ready to meet Andy. The interim hours had me sneaking around town, finding another few shirts to go with my pilfered jeans, then swiping a pair of boots off a plumber visiting Doris’s neighbor. Handy when they leave them at the back door like that.
The minute I pass through the gym entrance, I drop the Nikes in the lost and found. No harm, no foul. The owner will have his shoes back as soon as he returns to the gym. Same with the other things I’m “borrowing.” Once I’ve got enough money to replace them, the clothes will mysteriously reappear with their owners.
Jim spots me as soon as I walk in. “Dude, you nervous?” He doesn’t even give me a chance to say no before he continues. “You’
re a brick house, dude. You have nothing to worry about. Andy will hire you on sight.”
Andy, it turns out, is another small guy, although he’s ripped and clearly uses his facilities, unlike Jim here, who I still can’t figure out. What the hell is this guy doing in a gym?
“Koa?” Andy looks up over the application, his brow arched as if he’s Sherlock Holmes on a case.
“That’s me,” I say, giving him a nod.
“What brings you to Woodland Creek?” He leans back in the chair, and I decide to be completely honest.
“I don’t know, exactly. I was passing through on my way to California, and something seemed to draw me here.”
He nods, rocking in his chair. “We get plenty of that. Mostly hippie nonsense, artists or whatever.”
This makes zero sense to me, but I let it pass. The less questions, the better as far as I’m concerned.
“I need a good trainer for the guys,” he continues. “So far it’s just been me, and well, this town ain’t big, but I can’t train everybody in it.”
“I take it Jim isn’t into the training side of things?”
Andy laughs, “Hell, no. He’s here to help out if anybody gets disorderly. He’s a good handyman, and he’s the punching bag in our self-defense demonstrations.”
“That’s a tough gig,” Jim agrees. “I’m the attacker.”
Andy stands, reaching across the desk. “Good to have you, Koa. Start in the morning.”
“You got it,” I say returning his shake.
Jim is behind me as I leave. I hang a right out of Andy’s office and walk down to the weight room. A two-sided boxing area sits in one corner, and I can’t resist going to it.
Reaching out, I slide my palm down the heavy bag. A speed bag is suspended from a round platform opposite it, and I lift my hands to do a quick circular motion, sending it moving in a continuous rhythm. Just like riding a bike.
“Dude, you know boxing?” My shadow is right at my side. “The gloves that came with this are behind the juice bar. Nobody’s used them yet.”
