“The lady has her needs, people!” Thankfully, the party was so loud that no one seemed to be paying much attention to the two tipsy human women.
“Friends with benefits. It makes so much sense. I’m a great friend,” Steph continued, “and I love sex.”
Cleo put her arm around her friend and gave her a hug.
“I love you, Steph, but I’m pure hetero,” Cleo said. “To my occasional regret...”
“Thanks, Cleo. You actually cheered me up.”
Cleo smiled proudly. “Feel better?”
Steph nodded.
“Girls!” It was Amy. She had found them.
Amy was arm in arm with one of the most beautiful women Steph had ever seen. Tall and elegant with sweeping dark hair, she wore a long tunic and boots, something Steph could never pull off unless she happened to grow six inches.
How could Amy stand to be marrying into such an elegant family?
But then again. Just look at Amy.
She was radiant and bursting with happiness. She had on a new red dress that exposed her cleavage and dipped in at her waist before flouncing into a skirt that stopped above her knees, with black tights and high heeled booties.
Even the huge diamond on Amy’s finger couldn’t compare to her glow of happiness as she introduced them.
“I want you to meet Zach’s family,” Amy said. “This is his aunt, Diana. Diana, my roommates, Cleo and Steph.”
“So nice to meet you,” Steph said to Diana with a genuine smile.
“We’re thrilled Amy’s so happy,” Cleo said.
It was true.
Oh, God. Rex was right behind Diana. He was one of those doctors Steph hated. The kind who was dismissive of nurses, like they hadn’t been good enough to go to medical school.
Rex had joined the infectious disease department at Steph’s hospital earlier this year and although she’d met him several times, he still looked at her like he’d never seen her before. Even Amy had introduced them once before.
Still. Nothing.
He wouldn’t even speak to her around the hospital.
It was like he couldn’t stand to associate with nurses.
As if they weren’t good enough for the fancy doctor.
He nodded at Steph and Cleo and gave them a painful smile. “You’ve already met Rex,” Amy continued. “And this is Lawton, Diana’s nephew.”
A young man with curly blond hair and dimples held out his hand for a shake. He looked like a happy cherub. Behind him, a small entourage of young friends giggled and elbowed him in the ribs.
“Ladies, a pleasure,” he said with mock formality. “This is Joanne and this is Johnny, my best friends and ever-present side kicks.”
Lawton held up a hand and saluted Cleo and Steph before running off.
Diana sighed. “Teenagers!” she said. “Can’t wait for them to grow up, but miss them like crazy once they do. He’s graduating from college in December and plans to move to Los Angeles with Joanne to work in the movies.”
“Lawton is obsessed with celebrity culture. He’s been under Diana’s care since his father died when Lawton was young,” Rex said. “I’ve never seen her so worried before.”
“Me, worried? Yeah, a lot actually. Hollywood terrifies me. All those movie stars and parties.”
“You’re just worried you’ll have no one to take care of after Lawton leaves home.” Rex put his arm around Diana. “Don’t forget, I’ll still be here to cause problems.”
“Yeah, your problems are along the lines of fending off women so you can get your work done. Not so challenging, if you know what I mean.”
“Fending off women?” Cleo said, perking up. “Why do you need a team to handle that?”
“Look at him,” Diana said, gesturing towards Rex. He was truly fine, at least 6’3” with powerful muscles his pinstripe suit couldn’t begin to conceal. “Plus. Hello? Billionaire doctor.”
“No one fends anyone off. Believe me. I just have a huge problem I’m working on at the hospital, and need to stay focused.”
“No one needs to keep people away because you do a good enough job yourself,” Steph couldn’t resist adding. She tried to smile, but she realized what she said had sounded very rude.
Rex frowned at her, but said nothing.
Amy had many more people to greet as well as presenting her chocolates to the shifters in Seattle, so after a few more pleasantries, she went back to her chocolate fountain with Diana. For some reason, Rex kept hanging around Cleo and Steph.
When Steph finished her drink, Cleo took the empty glass. “I’ll get the next round.”
“Just water for me, thanks,” Steph said as Cleo walked off, leaving Rex and Steph alone. “I’ve definitely had enough.”
She felt a flush spread over her face. Even though Rex deserved it, she didn’t usually try to humiliate doctors in public.
Usually.
Then he surprised her. “I couldn’t help but overhear you earlier. Friends with benefits? What is that exactly?”
“You don’t know the term?” Steph looked up at Rex. She wondered who else had heard her rant. She shrugged. Too late now.
“Sorry, I’ve spent my twenties working hundred-hour weeks instead of learning social skills and absorbing pop culture, like most people.”
Steph had to laugh.
“Are you a bear shifter? Like Zach? He’s your cousin, right?
“He is my cousin.”
“And...” Steph encouraged him to continue.
“Listen, I don’t really tell anyone unless we’re friends. And I can trust them. Especially at work. No one at the hospital knows about this side of my life.”
“You can trust me.”
“Are you sure? You don’t seem to like me very much.”
“No, it’s just...I want to be friends. I do.”
Now that Steph knew Rex was a bear shifter, it made sense that he didn’t have the social skills of a typical billionaire doctor. Steph decided to cut him some slack.
“Friends?” She held out her hand.
“Yes. Friends.” He shook it. “It’s official. So I can tell you the truth. I am a bear shifter. But unlike most of my relatives, I stay in human form. I haven’t shifted since I was a teenager.”
“Why not? I would think it would be a lot of fun to be a bear. Frolicking in the forest. Running around naked and furry.”
“When I took the Hippocratic oath, I swore to do no harm. As a bear, I tend to do harm. Yeah. Sometimes a lot of harm.” He looked embarrassed, sighing and staring into the distance.
“You get pretty beastly?” She couldn’t help giggling.
“You could say that.” He smiled at Steph.
Steph just nodded. He had been keeping a whole side of himself bottled up. That had to be hard. And all so he would be a better doctor. It was admirable, when she thought about it, the sacrifice he was making.
“That sounds hard.”
The effort to keep his beast under control probably made him the cold and arrogant-seeming doctor she had thought him to be since the day they met.
“Nah, I got this.” He smiled. “It’s worth it to be a doctor. I love science and helping people and shifters. I’m one of the few shifter doctors in the world, because unlike most, I can control my shifting.”
Rex reached over to her face, his fingers poised above her cheek.
“You have an eyelash. May I?”
She looked up at him. Rex was gorgeous when he smiled. His blue eyes focused on her face like she was the most fascinating creature he’d ever encountered.
She nodded.
He touched her cheek gently, lifting off a fallen eyelash.
“Wait!” she said. “I want to make a wish.”
“A wish?”
“Just hold it in front of my lips.” He did, his fingers so close to her mouth that if she wanted, she would have been able to kiss them.
She always wished for the same thing and tonight was no exception. I wish for true love, she thoug
ht.
She blew before she remembered that she had given up on love.
“Dammit!” She slapped her forehead.
“What?” He laughed.
“I forgot and wished for something I’d sworn off.”
Why did she have to be so freaking romantic? It was like she was cursed. Even staring into the face of certain heartbreak—a gorgeous billionaire doctor—come on!—even then she didn’t know better.
“What was it?”
“Nah, I can’t say. It’s too embarrassing. On the other hand, if I tell you it won’t come true, so maybe that’s a good idea.”
“Tell me. We’re friends right?”
“I wished for true love, okay? But I’ve sworn off love. It’s not for me.”
“Sworn off love? For real?”
“Believe me, it’s better this way. Friends with benefits.”
“What is that? I want to know.”
“It just means having sex with friends instead of dating and pursuing romantic relationships.”
“Everyone I’ve ever dated has also been a friend.”
“Have you ever dated someone you’re in love with?”
“No,” he admitted, shaking his head sadly. “Unfortunately.”
“See? No falling in love. No heart ache. It’s perfect. Friends with benefits.”
“Hey. Good news. We’re friends,” he said, reaching over again and brushing her cheek with his fingers.
She shivered as waves of desire flashed through her. This wasn’t friendly. This was dangerous to her heart. She had to brush him off.
“Barely. We just became friends like five minutes ago.”
“Friends are friends, right?”
“Nah. I’m not going to have sex with every single one of my friends.”
“How many?”
“I hadn’t thought it through. Just one I guess. I’m monogamous as well as romantic.” She pretended to gag, sticking out her tongue and pointing into her mouth with an index finger.
Rex smiled.
“Let’s figure it out right now.” He grabbed a cocktail napkin from the center of the nearest table and pulled a pen out of his pocket.
“Now?” That was the last thing she wanted to do.
“Let’s do the math. You will have sex with one friend. How many friends do you have?”
“Well, it would have to be a man friend for starters. Sorry, ladies of the world.”
“Number please.”
“Two dozen?”
“Including me,” he reminded her.
“Twenty-five.” She smiled. This was fun.
“Now, how many of those men would you actually want to sleep with?”
“Actually?” She reviewed all her male friends in her head. “A handful?”
“And of those handful, how many are single? I’m single by the way.”
“Oh, right. Good point.”
“And if anyone is left, how come you haven’t already tried a romance with this friend?”
“There’s just one friend left—and you,” she admitted. “But he’s in the friend-zone. And I just met you.”
“Friend-zone, exactly. Not sex zone.”
“I see where you’re going with this.”
“So a new friend is the best kind of friend to have benefits with. Before the friend-zone happens. I’m perfect for this. I’m a friend but not yet in friend-zone.”
“I don’t know.”
Now it was getting real. Steph felt a little scared. She definitely didn’t feel as brave as she had an hour ago with Cleo. She sure as heck wasn’t going to do anything she didn’t feel comfortable with, no matter how many chocolate margaritas she’d had.
“You wanted to do this, right?” he reminded her.
“I’ll think about it. I will. But tell me. Why do you want to do it?”
“Me?”
“Yeah, you. The hot billionaire doctor who has to hire relatives to keep away love-starved women.”
“You know, that’s a bit of an exaggeration on my aunt’s part.”
She waited, and lifted her eyebrows. She wanted an answer.
“I work too much right now to give a woman what she deserves from her mate.” Rex stared into her eyes intently; burning straight through to her soul. Imagine being actually courted by him.
Searing!
He could devastate her resolve and her heart in one night. Steph suddenly knew this. He was soulful and in the few moments they’d been talking she already realized how incredible it would be to take him to bed.
“No,” she said finally. “You’re too hot. I reject you as a candidate. You’re even on shaky ground to be my friend. I’ll feel bad about myself by comparison.”
“I’m not that hot!”
“Hello? Have you looked in a mirror lately? Or are shifters like vampires and mirrors don’t work?”
“Mirrors work all too well on shifters. And you should know that you are stunning and beautiful.”
Steph rolled her eyes. She flat-out didn’t believe him but that didn’t mean she couldn’t have some fun.
She looked him over from gorgeous head to stylish foot. He was dangerously hot.
“You’re definitely way too hot. But you’re right. I will have to have a new friend, so I’d better get mingling.”
She swung her hair over her shoulder and sashayed over to Cleo and Amy at the chocolate fountain. When she peeked back over her shoulder at Rex, he was staring at her ass and smiling.
Damn!
She felt her heat rise as she put a little more swing in her step.
2
Text Messages
REX:
Sorry to text you like this when you’re right across the room surrounded by potential friends, but can you give me a ride to work tomorrow? Since we’re friends. :) I have to drop off my car at the shop.
STEPH:
Drop off your car? But aren’t you magical, or something? Can’t you shift or fly or transport?
REX:
Magical is as magical does.
STEPH:
What does that actually mean?
REX:
LOL I don’t know…6:45 am? I live in the Magnolia district. 12 Bay View.
STEPH:
Sure. Just don’t shift in my car, okay? I just got it waxed.
REX:
No problem. Although I will bring coffees for the ride. How do you like yours?
STEPH:
I like my coffee like I like my friends. Strong and sweet. LOL
3
Oh, God! Being alone in the car with Steph after he’d done his best to avoid her for six months drove Rex crazy.
He was seriously on the verge of losing total control and leaning over and kissing her, finally getting to know that gorgeous mouth and caressing those magnificent, amazing breasts. His hands were trembling with the effort to sit still.
“Thanks for the coffee,” she said, smiling up at him as they waited out a red light.
Her slightly raspy morning voice destroyed him.
He wanted to hear it every morning for the rest of his life.
“Sure thing,” he managed to choke out.
She was his mate, his one and only love, and he’d known it the first moment he saw her six months before on his second day working at the hospital. Damn! It had been like being hit by a ton of bricks, right in the solar plexus.
He’d also known that he had no time to court Steph like she deserved, not until he’d cured the disease raging through the shifter communities. So he’d kept his distance. And he waited.
For as long as he could stand it.
4
Long.
Months.
Last night he realized he couldn’t wait. Not anymore.
Now she was within arm’s reach.
Within fingertip’s reach.
Within lips’ reach.
He couldn’t resist. Especially not when she had this crazy plan to sleep with her friends. She was sitting right next to him, being glorious an
d amazing as she navigated through early morning traffic.
His bear was giving him so much shit. Allow myself to introduce myself. I am your bear. I am in charge.
Down boy, Rex thought. Ever since he’d turned eighteen, he’d done a great job of keeping his bear under his thumb.
That is, until meeting Steph. The more time he spent with her, the harder and harder that job became.
Here was the plan. He mentally reviewed it as much for himself as for his bear.
Step 1: Friends. Done.
Step 2: Friends with benefits. Hey! It was her idea, not mine.
Step 3: She’ll fall in love with him, of course, and then he could reveal their fated status.
Step 4: True love mates. Marriage. Cubs.
Forever.
He just had to get a grip.
He turned back to Steph, sitting beside him in her car.
She took a sip of her coffee. He took a sip of his.
He looked out the window, at the passing cars and people. He marveled that in this city full of strangers, the one woman he was fated to love sat right next to him in the car.
He tried to stay focused on the here and now. He just wanted to make it through the next ten minutes without seducing her.
Why? His bear wanted to know. She’s our mate. It’s inevitable. Just do it.
Rex had absolute confidence that he would be able to seduce Steph. Why shouldn’t he? Not to be an asshole, but human women were easy game, that had been his experience.
Down boy, he told his bear again. It didn’t take long to get to the hospital. He could manage five more minutes.
“So what’s this big project you’re working on? Zach mentioned something about sick bear shifters?” She parked her car in the underground garage, and together they walked to the elevators.
“Zach told you about the sick shifters?” This surprised Rex. Usually bear shifters took years to reveal who they were to humans, if they ever did. He wondered if Zach knew something about Steph that Rex didn’t and made a mental note to ask him.
“He did.”
They stepped into the elevator. He felt brutally aware of being completely alone with Steph.
He pushed the elevator button for the first floor. She pushed the button for the sixth.
Shifters in Seattle: Box Set Books 1 - 5 Page 8
