by V. Vaughn
I shake my head at him as I do as he asks. Purrr, he’s a bad boy. “You’re going to get people talking about us.”
“That implies there is an us.” Luke tilts his head at me as he presses hard along my arch. “I’m going to take that as a good sign.”
I smile. “Me too.”
When Jenny returns with our dinner, Luke charms her with a smile and says, “Thank you.”
I watch as he digs into his meatloaf, and my knife clashes on my plate as I cut my chicken. I ask, “What made you decide to work on the river? Is that what you did before you moved here?”
Luke takes a moment to finish chewing, and when he swallows, he answers, “No. I was in law actually. But I needed a change of pace.”
Now I’m sure he’s got a past. “That’s quite a change.”
He nods and fills his mouth with another bite of food.
I say, “I’ve never lived anywhere but around here. Do you miss your family?” Luke’s eyes cloud over with an emotion I can’t detect. Sorrow? Pain? “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to bring up bad memories.”
“No. It’s fine.” He sets his fork down, and it clinks on his plate. “I left behind a wonderful family, but somehow I got off track with my life and was chasing after something that wasn’t mine.” Luke holds out his hand, and I put my silverware down to take it. His warm fingers wrap around mine. “I think you might be what I’m supposed to find.”
Whoa. My cat is stunned into silence. I notice how Luke’s grasp is more than warm. We have a connection, and I wonder if he’s my mate. I should be excited about that prospect, but my stomach roils with my food instead. Scaredy cat. Am I? I spent the last two decades searching for the one. I’m not sure what I expected all this time, because Luke makes my heart and body sing. Perhaps I’m so used to disappointment I don’t know a good thing when it’s staring me in my face. Can it really be this easy?
I smile at Luke. “Maybe I am.”
Chapter 3
As we leave the restaurant, we walk by a group of guys I’ve seen around. And one of them, Zander, is a werecougar I’ve dated off and on throughout the years. He expressed an interest in mating the last time we were together, but I told him no and promptly left our hometown of Deal’s Gap to make my intentions clear. About a month ago, he came here, claiming he was looking for a change. While it’s not uncommon for my clan members to come work where tourists are, I don’t believe Zander was looking for a new job. Zander glares at me with Luke, and I smile back at him when Luke grabs my hand and threads his fingers through mine. Zander lets out low growl, and I pretend I didn’t hear as Luke and I walk away.
After a few steps, I turn to Luke and say, “Thanks for paying, but I don’t think raft guides make much more than I do, so don’t think it has to be a usual thing.”
“Did I mention I used to have a pretty good job?”
“That’s right. Did you say you were a lawyer?”
Luke stops and stares down at me for a moment. Instead of answering, he tugs me against his chest, but he’s so much taller than I am that my face is at his armpits. He chuckles before he says, “If you weren’t wearing that skirt, I’d hike you up and make you wrap your legs around my waist.”
He places his hands on my hips and leans down to kiss me. The moment I taste him, I’m swept away with emotions stronger than any I’ve ever felt.
When I begin to sway, Luke breaks away, and his voice rumbles from his chest. “Xena, come home with me.”
My cat hisses, Yesss. I’m in agreement. My apartment is a short walk from my salon in the opposite direction of the diner, and I ask, “Who’s closer? I’m just down the street.”
“I live over the pharmacy,” he says.
I grab his hand. “My place.”
We walk as quickly as my outfit will allow, and when the street-level door slams shut behind us, it’s apparent I have the only apartment the hallway accesses. Luke throws me over his shoulder, and I squeal in surprise.
But I begin to purr when he slides his large palm over my bottom. “I’ve been dying to touch this ass since the first time you presented it to me.”
“I did—”
Luke’s voice is stern when he interrupts me. “Don’t play games with me, Xena. You wanted me the moment you smelled me too.”
His footsteps echo as he climbs the stairs, and he sets me down when we get to my door. The lock clicks as I let us in, and when the door is shut, Luke offers me an evil smile. I have one of my own, because my need to taste more than his mouth is strong, and I can’t fight it. I grab the waistband of his jeans as he grips my hips. Our gazes lock as I tug. The warm button on his pants pops open, and I continue to stare as his eyelids droop with lust. I make quick work of unzipping him to slide my hand into his briefs. The largest cock I’ve ever felt throbs hot against my fingers as he inhales sharply. I think maybe I’ve got the king of the jungle in the palm of my hand.
My cat is salivating now, and I might be too. I push Luke against the wall as I purr, “I need a taste.”
My pencil skirt gives me no choice but to drop to my knees, and the impact of the hard floor radiates through my thighs when I do. The pain is fleeting, because the heady scent of Luke has flooded my senses. I lick him from the base of his shaft all the way to the moist tip before I glance up.
Now his eyes are barely open, and I wrap my lips around the head of his dick to slide down and take as much of him as I can. His flavor ignites my desire, and I squirm a bit. Luke groans, and his hands slap against the wall as he falls back. He’s helpless under my ministrations, and I work this man over until he’s a quaking mess.
When he’s close to his climax, he grabs my head lightly as he says, “I’m going to come.”
I have his balls in my hand, and I squeeze gently in response before I grab his butt and pull him farther into my mouth. Give it to me, mate. Let me have it all. He rumbles with a growl as hot seed explodes in my mouth. I swallow, and the contraction of my throat teases the tip of his cock. I’m willing to bet this is the first time he’s experienced the sensation, because now claws poke at my head as he struggles to control his shift.
He sinks as his knees buckle, and he rasps out, “Jesus.”
I remove my mouth and ask, “Good?”
I take his groan as a yes and stand up. As I tug my skirt down, Luke shakes his head slowly and crowds me in a stalking motion. I step back and notice he’s kicked off his shoes and has stepped out of his jeans. His cock appears to be thickening again as it jiggles with his movement. My heart skips a beat in reaction to his aggressive move. I stumble back against my desk.
The edge of it digs into my bottom, and his voice is low when he says, “Turn around.”
Rawrr! My cat wants what he’s about to dish out, and every nerve in my body hums as I do as he asks. Luke’s fingers are rough against my thighs as he drags my skirt up and over my ass. I splay out on the desktop, and papers rustle under my breasts. I’m wearing just a thong, and Luke’s slap on my expanse of naked flesh stings.
I yelp when Luke tears my panties off of me. He places a hand on my shoulder as if he’s making sure I’ll stay put as he drags a finger along my slit. I moan in response when he shoves three fingers into me quickly as if he’s testing me for fit.
His growl sounds as he grips my hips and thrusts into me hard. I gasp at the intrusion of his cock because it stretches me wide. But his vigorous pumping is just what my cat craves, and we’re both purring within seconds as he drives into me. The edge of the desk is hard against my fingers as I grip it. The legs thump against the floor loudly as items crash to the floor.
His balls slap against my clit, and the touch is fleeting, so I press back to get more. Luke must sense what I need, because he slides a hand around my mound to rub my sensitive nub. My moans are beyond my control as my orgasm threatens to explode. My channel flexes around his cock as he begins to grunt. When my ecstasy peaks, my cry is mixed with a yowl as I shatter beneath Luke.
He continues to poun
d and says, “You’re not done yet.”
Luke pinches and tugs at my clit in a way that does make me want more. I think he might have a few tricks of his own, and I find my hips begin to rock of their own accord as pleasure surges in me again. He somehow slides his finger in with his dick, because now pressure is on my g-spot and I’m about to lose control. My claws extend as something thuds to the ground. I dig them into the wood of the desk as my pleasure reaches for new heights. Luke shudders behind me with his release, and when he yanks my head back by my hair, I scream with my explosion.
I soar for longer than I expect as he continues to torture me with his hand. It’s only when I whimper that he allows me to come down to earth.
Luke flutters light kisses on my neck as my chest heaves with my attempt to get more oxygen, and I say, “My god. That was amazing.”
Luke’s cock shrinks inside me, and he nips at my earlobe before he whispers, “First time with a werebear?”
“A werebear?”
My cat arches her back and hisses. I’ve never met a werebear before. They don’t tend to come where we are, and I never expected that’s what Luke was. While he’s not exactly a predator, my kind shouldn’t want anything to do with a werebear. I squirm underneath him as panic floods my veins with ice.
Luke releases me, and I stand to yank my skirt back down. I’m such an idiot. Hybrids are not a good thing where I’m from, and I just let a bear fill me with his seed. My thighs are sticky with our juices, and I grimace.
Luke rubs my arms and asks, “Shower or bath?”
Oh god. He wants to do the wet-sex thing, and I can’t get him out of here fast enough. How can he not care? I glance at him to see he’s not the least bit concerned about what we just did. He’s actually grinning, and I think he believes my shocked look is due to his sexual prowess.
I ask, “Do you know what I am?”
“I recognized your scent because I work with a couple werecougars.”
I glare at him. “You could have told me you weren’t a cat.”
Now he frowns. “Why should it matter? We’re mates.”
I shake my head in disbelief. “No.” I don’t care how hot a bear Luke Robichaux is, I am not going to be mated to him. “We’re not.” I turn and make my way to the door.
The lock clicks open before Luke’s hand slaps on the wood above my head. He growls. “You’re kicking me out?”
Tears burn in my eyes because I should have known. My dream for the perfect mate is just a fantasy. “You don’t get it, do you? Ask your friends at work what would happen if you were with a werecougar, Luke. Now go home.” So I can be alone. Forever.
Chapter 4
On my way to work the next morning, I decide to drown my sorrows in the sugary goodness of donuts, and when I walk in the door, Opal smiles like the Cheshire cat.
I say, “I know it’s been a while, but they’re not that good.”
She asks, “How did it go?”
I roll my eyes. “Fine.” The last thing I want to do is get into this with her right now.
“Xena! Opal!” Gigi calls out as she bursts through the door behind me.
I’m grateful for the distraction and notice her blue eyes sparkle with excitement. A bag rustles as she drops it in her chair, and Opal comes out from behind the counter to see what my friend has.
Gigi says, “I found us the perfect shirts for our team.”
Gigi is on the hunt for a man too, and she decided our next ploy to land one is to take up bowling. League night is for both men and women, and she’s convinced we’re missing out on an untapped market. So Turning Heads now has a bowling team.
Gigi pulls out turquoise shirts with our names embroidered in orange on the front.
I reach out and take mine from her. The thread is smooth under my finger as I trace the script. I flash to the way Luke’s hair felt in my hands before I shove the memory out of my mind. “Nice.”
Opal lifts hers up and frowns. No doubt she’s trying to sort out how to make it sexier. Before Gigi notices my mother’s reaction, the phone rings, and Opal answers it. Gigi and I walk to our stations so we can talk.
“Wait until you see the back,” says Gigi. She lifts her shirt and flips it around. The scissors logo of our salon covers it. “Don’t you love it?”
Her joy is contagious. Even though my heart is shattered after discovering my mate is a werebear, I find a smile. Everyone in town who wants a haircut has to come to us, and we don’t need to advertise, but I like the way the shirts turned out. “I do. And we’re going to look so much better than the nail girls in pink.”
My fake enthusiasm doesn’t fool my friend. Gigi frowns. “Want to talk about it?”
I glance over at Opal to see she’s busy in conversation, and I nod my head toward the back room.
When we get there, Gigi says, “I take it your date last night didn’t go so well.”
I sigh. “No. He’s a werebear.”
“What?”
“I know. What’s a bear doing around here?”
Gigi’s eyes fill with concern. “But you’re attracted to him, aren’t you?”
I sigh. “Worse. I slept with him.”
“Oh my god. Was it—?”
“Completely and utterly the best sex I’ve ever had.” I shake my head as tears burn in my eyes. “It’s just not fair.”
“Oh, Xena. I’m so sorry.” Gigi knows how I feel about interbreeding, but she can’t help herself. “Maybe you could just have a fling and get him out of your system?”
I shake my head. “Can you imagine how that would go over with Opal?”
Gigi offers me a sympathetic smile as she touches my arm. My mother is old school and would be furious if I decided to be with Luke. “This is just a minor setback. You’ll see.” She holds her shirt up and says, “I know Mr. Right is out there for us. And I’m not going to stop until we find them.”
Opal calls for Gigi, and she gives me a quick kiss before she leaves me.
Luke’s statement that we’re true mates rolls around in my head. There’s no doubt in my mind he’s right, because I’ve never felt such a strong connection. But unfortunately, I think my Mr. Right is also Mr. Wrong. My cat doesn’t though. Luke’s purrrrfect. I want to play more smoky pokey. A twinge of desire defies me.
My problem with Luke isn’t that I think a werebear is any less than a werecougar, but the council that rules my clan would never let us be mates. Our children would be hybrids, and mixed breeds get sent to the neutral zone between the cougars and the wolves. Usually it’s because of a wolf-cougar mix, but I’m sure a bear falls into the same category, and I’d never be able to return to my home, Deal’s Gap. I’ve never lived anywhere else but this area, and I can’t imagine leaving my friends, the mountains, and everything I know.
I cringe thinking about how I reacted last night when I found out Luke was a werebear. Throwing him out wasn’t the most rational decision. Considering that as a newcomer to this town, he probably doesn’t understand the impact of us being together. I walk over to the window to gaze out and watch my town bustle with activity. I scratch at my arm as if my skin is too tight. I finally find my mate, and he’s a werebear. This town doesn’t fit me these days.
I sigh and turn back to discover Opal put her shirt on over her clothes and has two sections below her breasts pinched between her fingers. She looks at me. “I’m going to put in some darts. I can do it for you and Gigi too.” Opal winks at me. “No need to look boxy.”
I smile at her. “Thanks.”
I know Opal means well and her intentions are to keep Gigi and me from ending up alone the way she is.
She says, “You should be thanking me. I know your date didn’t go well last night.” I open my mouth to protest, and Opal says, “You haven’t mentioned him once.” I frown as she says, “Just wait until you hear about your three o’clock.”
She’s unbelievable. “No.” I want Luke. “You are not setting me up again.”
“Xena, the only fa
ilure in love is giving up.”
“I’m not giving up.”
“Well, then. There’s no problem.”
I sigh. I suppose getting back on the horse by flirting with a cute client wouldn’t be so hard to do. I say, “Fine. Tell me all about him.”
“He’s an old friend.”
I don’t need three guesses to know she means my ex-boyfriend. Now my sadness is replaced with the burn of anger as I say, “Oh no. Please tell me you didn’t book Zander for me.”
Opal points her finger at me. “That man is in love with you, and he wouldn’t let me give him Gigi. So if you know what’s good for business, you’ll be nice.”
I shake my head, because I’m not going to get anywhere with arguing. My mother has been pushing Zander on me since we were kids on the playground. I mumble as I walk away, “I will.”
When three rolls around, Zander arrives. He strides over to me with an alley cat strut that leaves little doubt he’s a werecougar. In his low-slung jeans and T-shirt that’s tight across his chest, he’s working what he’s got, and a glance over at Gigi tells me it’s effective. I have to admit, my ex-boyfriend is hot.
Zander winks at me through bangs that swoop sexily over his forehead, and I roll my eyes at him as I wave toward my chair. “Have a seat, and let’s figure out what you need.”
His chest rumbles, and he says, “I’m pretty sure it’s you.”
Great. Here we go again. He sits, and I begin to comb my fingers through his hair. His silky locks are smooth on my skin, and I recall how I’ve tugged them many times. Sex was never a problem for us. I ask, “Do you want a new style or a trim?”
“Just a trim will do.”
I snap out the vinyl cape I removed earlier and try for a civil conversation. “How do you like your new job?” Zander works for a tree cutting business as the guy that climbs up high.
“It’s not bad.” He glances over at Gigi and winks at her.
Is he trying to make me jealous? I say, “Maybe you should have let Opal give you Gigi after all.”
