“We’ve got to do something about this,” Summer said. “I bet the fact that both victims have been shifters really angers you.” She sat back at the counter, her salad already cut and ready to eat.
“It does,” he growled. “I can’t tell you how much.”
“I know it’s the mine.”
He grumbled and checked the potato wedges. Everything was done, so he began dishing it up on plates to take to the dining table.
“Something has to be done to protect the shifter population. When the council decided to come out to the public, no one expected this kind of backlash.”
“Humans are ignorant. Just look at how we treat each other. Let alone a once-mythical species that is higher on the food chain than us.”
“True, shifters are faster, stronger, healthier, but we just want to live our lives and raise our families. If humans knew what most shifters were really like, they’d never persecute us like they do.”
“It isn’t right,” Summer said, helping Chance clean up the dishes from the dining room table. They stood in the middle of the kitchen, dirty dishes in the sink. Chance lowered his gaze and let out a long sigh.
“I would do anything to protect my people,” he said.
“I want to help you.” Summer moved in close to him, placing her hand on his shoulder. His bear rumbled inside his head. He couldn’t resist any longer.
As his arms curled around her waist, Summer lifted on her tiptoes and pressed her lips hard against his. He growled, his cock springing to attention.
Her tongue flicked through his lips and pressed against his. Hot desire coiled at the base of his spine, and his inner grizzly roared for fulfillment. Deepening their kiss, he crushed her against his chest, wanting her as close to him as she could be.
“Do you want this?” he asked her, pressing his hardness against her belly. She took a sharp breath and rubbed him with her body.
“Yes,” she whispered.
That was all he needed. He wrapped his arms around her and lifted her from the ground, stepping quickly up the stairs. Summer squealed with delight as he hurried her to the second floor of the farm house. He couldn’t believe it was happening, but he couldn’t stop now to question it or hold back. She wanted him. That was all that mattered.
Chapter 7
The moment Chance revealed he was a shifter, Summer saw him in a completely different light. He wasn’t just the good ol’ boy she’d taken him for. He was a misunderstood minority who was being persecuted by bigots. That fact allowed her feel all the emotions she’d been stuffing down and trying to ignore since she’d met him.
Her attraction and desire shot to the surface and suddenly took over. Uncontrollable craving flooded her senses, and she let loose. She’d spent the whole evening trying to drown out the need building inside her.
But Chance seemed to have sensed it in her and swept her off her feet. He placed her on his big, four-poster bed, looking down with lust-filled eyes. She tingled from head to toe, her mind not willing to process what was happening as her body took over.
Chance pulled off his shirt and climbed over her, kissing her mouth and down her body as he unbuckled his pants. She was reckless and willing to go places she’d never been before.
Chance lifted up her shirt and flicked open the front latch on her bra, letting her ample breasts spill out. He growled between his teeth as he sucked a nipple into his hot mouth. Summer arched her back, pleasure rising and coiling in her core. Chance plunged his hand under the soft waistband of her pants, pushing into her damp panties with ease.
She gasped as he found her wetness, flicking his fingers up and down her slit. His tongue circled her nipple, and his finger circled her tight, pink bud. The intensity of pleasure pulsed through her, and she called out, gripping his impossibly broad shoulders.
Chance moved to her other nipple, suckling and biting the tender bundle of nerves. Summer breathed his name as he slowly kissed down her belly before gripping the sides of her pants and pulling them off.
When she was naked from the waist down, her breasts framed by her shirt and open bra, Chance dove into her pussy, licking up the slit with the passion of a starving man. Summer had never had a man give her so much attention down there. She could barely think or breathe as his tongue played over her clit and soaking wet opening.
He circled over her nub as he pushed his thick fingers into her core. Her legs shook, and she panted while she ran her hands over his cropped hair. Lifting her head, she looked down at him. The sight of his handsome face and thick shoulders moving over her curves was enough to send her into the stratosphere.
“Oh God,” she moaned, feeling her climax breaking through. It pulsed over his thrusting fingers as he took her with his tongue.
While her body still clenched and gushed, he climbed on top of her, unzipping his pants. He grabbed a small packet from the bedside table, ripped it open, and unfurled the condom over his wide length. With a low growl, he angled his head against her wet opening. Her head spun with desire as he pushed inside her.
She felt every ridge of his shaft as it stretched her wide. His mouth opened around her neck, his teeth biting her tender flesh, grazing the skin but not breaking the surface. The fact that he could turn her into a bear with just a little more pressure made her come again, hard on his stiff shaft.
He moved in and out of her, making her come like a freight train, again and again. She groaned, holding onto his massive body as he took her curvy frame. She whispered his name as he brought her to new heights of pleasure and awareness she’d never known possible.
“Summer,” he groaned, kissing her neck and face. His tongue darted into her mouth as his shaft widened inside her. “You’re everything to me.”
He groaned and thrust one last time into her softness. Chance held himself over her, panting. His wet lips kissed her sweaty forehead before he rolled over on his side. Her fuzzy thoughts couldn’t comprehend what had just happened, but her body still buzzed with desire.
Leaning against his chest in the darkness, she quickly fell asleep.
Sunlight streamed through the bedroom window, and Summer groaned. Sitting up with a gasp, she looked around the room. Chance lay sleeping across the rumpled bed. She was naked from the waist down, with her shirt and bra open.
Chance rolled over, and his eyes slowly opened. “Good morning, sunshine,” he said with a smile way too bright for her. She shielded her eyes from it.
“What did we do?” she muttered to herself.
“Probably had the most amazing night ever, beautiful,” he said, running his hand down her back.
She pulled away. What had possessed her to have sex with Chance? He’d revealed that he was a shifter, and they talked about how angry they were about the shifter hate groups. She’d started to feel close to him, and her ridiculous attraction for the man had gotten the better of her.
“This was a mistake,” she said, pulling the sheet around her exposed body.
“You wanted to…” he started.
“I know. That’s not what I mean. It isn’t your fault. It’s mine.”
Chance looked crestfallen as his gaze went inward.
“I take full responsibility for last night. I just hope we can retain a professional working relationship after this… foible.”
“But Summer…”
“It’s fine.”
“You’re my…”
“Let’s just stop talking about it. I’m going to take a shower.” She grabbed her pants and panties from the floor, hurrying to the shower to wash away her shame. Summer wasn’t in the habit of having casual sex. It wasn’t Chance’s fault that she had lost control, but she still felt it was a mistake.
There were things about him she definitely liked. He was much sweeter and more thoughtful than she’d originally expected, and the whole gardening thing really did impress her. But she wasn’t in the market for a boyfriend who lived three hundred miles away from her job.
She had to get back to Missoula
to continue her research at the university and to continue her environmental work with the nonprofit. No matter how much she was beginning to like Chance, she just didn’t have time for a long distance relationship.
After her shower, she got dressed and did her hair. On the way down the stairs she smelled the sweet scent of coffee brewing and breakfast cooking in the kitchen below. Thank God. If she had to go another second without coffee her head might explode.
She found Chance looking chipper. He smiled at her and flipped the pancake in the pan. “Coffee’s in the pot,” he said, cocking his head toward the coffee maker. She groaned and trudged toward it to make herself a cup.
When the bittersweet brew slid between her lips, she sighed, and her shoulders relaxed. “You’re awfully upbeat this morning.”
“I am.”
“Is this about the sex?”
“Maybe. Maybe not,” he said, winking.
She frowned and drank the rest of her coffee. Why did he feel so good about the whole thing? Did he really think there was some kind of future for them, or did he act like this every time he got laid?
“Summer, I want you to know I’m here for you. Whatever you decide about us, about last night.”
She silently poured another cup of coffee and took a sip. It was sweet of him to say that, but she’d already told herself that anything between her and Chance was a no-go. Then a memory from the night before flitted through her mind. Chance had told her she was “everything” to him. Her stomach clenched, and she turned away.
“Thanks,” she said weakly.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, sliding the pancakes onto a plate on the counter beside her.
“Nothing. I’m just tired.”
“Well, this breakfast should help. Huckleberry pancakes and fresh-squeezed OJ. Go sit down, and I’ll bring it to you.”
He placed plates of food in front of her and sat down on the other side of the table, holding the fresh orange juice. “Let me fill your cup for you,” he said, pouring the orange liquid into her waiting glass.
They ate breakfast silently. Chance was in way too good of a mood for Summer’s taste. Usually the guy was so gruff and grizzly. This morning he seemed positively chipper. It annoyed her to no end.
“Why are you in such a good mood?” she finally asked, before biting into a piece of pancake.
“I guess it’s just having you here in my house. Makes me feel content.”
“Chance.”
“Whatever you want, Summer, it’s fine with me. Okay?”
“This will be the last time we do this.”
His expression fell like she’d just taken away his dreams. He sniffed, and the hard lines of his face returned. “If that’s what you want. It’s fine with me.”
“Good. Then we’re in agreement. We have important things to do, and we can’t let this fling distract us from our mission.”
“I totally agree,” he said, standing.
Chapter 8
Chance sat in his car, parked outside Summer’s hotel room. He’d dropped her off on his way back to the station. It wasn’t going his way with Summer. Moving so quickly had been a mistake. They were still working on the case, and Summer was not ready to accept him as her mate. Sometimes, it seemed she didn’t like him at all.
His bear grumbled in his mind, telling him that he was being stupid and weak about the whole thing. He should just go claim his woman and plant his seed deep inside her. But Chance, the man, couldn’t think of Summer that way. He just wanted her to be happy, even if that meant living her life without him.
He pulled out of the parking lot and drove to the station for updates on the death of Balor Von. When he arrived at the station, he found Deputy Sheriff Hurly in his office. Usually, wardens weren’t part of homicide investigations if they weren't directly related to hunting.
Since shifters had come out to the public, the game wardens in Montana had been placed in charge of investigating any crimes committed against shifters in their area. As if shifters were somehow animals. Chance wasn’t a huge fan of the added work load, but he would do his best to protect his people.
“I took the scientist out to the mine yesterday,” he said to Hurly, sitting in the chair opposite the balding deputy. “We didn’t find anything, but they’d just had an environmental inspection two weeks ago. Waiting on the reports. There’s been talk of shifters being laid off at the mine. A fight broke out while we were there between humans and shifters. Then Tim Owens’ family came up sick.”
“What is the connection to Tim Owens?” Hurly asked, leaning back in his chair.
“Tim came out as a bear shifter. He’s never worked at the mine, though. Has a ranch down in the valley.”
“But he went public?”
“Yeah. Do you think I should look into these layoffs? Maybe there’s something there? Mr. Leland seems like a decent guy, but fear of shifters is everywhere,” Chance said.
“Sounds like you should look into it,” Hurly said.
On his way out of town to do his patrol, Chance found a line of protesters standing outside the entrance to the mine. They held signs demanding shifters be laid off. He spotted several people he’d known most of his life. It made him cringe to think that people could turn against their friends and neighbors so easily.
Chance shook his head as he drove past. They weren’t breaking any laws by standing outside the mine like that. As long as they stayed out of traffic, it was perfectly legal. He lifted his walkie-talkie to his lips. “Margie, we’ve got protesters outside the mine.”
He pulled off the side of the road and turned around, driving back into the mine’s parking lot. There were more protesters in the parking lot, shouting that shifters shouldn’t be allowed to work there. Great.
He walked over to the line of men and women holding hateful signs and shouting.
“You can’t be here,” he said to them. “This is private property. If you want to hold your protest, you have to do it from the sidewalk outside the mine’s perimeter.”
“Figures you’d be on their side, dirty shifter,” a man shouted. Chance recognized him as a kid he’d gone to elementary school with. He frowned.
“We’ve known each other since kindergarten, Harvey. You know most of the people who’ve come out as shifters in town. Why are you so afraid of people you’ve known your whole life?” Usually Chance wouldn’t engage in this kind of discussion while on duty, but the situation was starting to get to him.
“They’re taking our jobs. Mating with our women. We want them out.”
That didn’t answer his question, but Chance knew he wasn’t going to get any answers from these people. It was pure ignorance, and there was nothing anyone could do about it.
“Be that as it may, I’m still the law around here, and you need to stay back.”
“You’re a game warden, not a sheriff.”
“Well, Harvey. All game wardens in Montana have been deputized. We have double the duties now. And with all the bigots running around, our jobs have become a hundred times more difficult. Maybe you should go home and take care of your own business. It might be more productive. Or maybe I should come take a look in your freezer to make sure all that venison has legal tags.”
“Screw you, Chance!”
“Don’t make me call in the other deputies,” Chance said, gripping the gun on his belt. “You all have to move back.”
The protesters moved back, begrudgingly, and Chance made his way into the mine. He still had a hundred miles of land to patrol–– at the beginning of deer season, nonetheless. This was not his day or his month. Hopefully, it would all calm down soon and things would go back to normal.
He’d become a game warden so he could spend time outdoors, protecting the wildlife. He hadn’t gone into his field so that he could be a homicide investigator or do crowd control for angry shifter haters.
Inside the mine offices, the skinny blonde named Stacy sat at the front desk. She gave him a bright smile and leaned forward, reve
aling the curve of her breasts. “Hi, Chance. What brings you back here so soon?”
“I have a few questions about some recent layoffs.”
“Oh?”
“Yes. I’ve heard that a disproportionate number of shifters have been laid off as soon as they come out. I’d like to talk to Emery to ask a few more questions about this matter.”
“He’s not in today, but the mine manager is here. I can probably get him for you.”
“Great.”
Stacy stood from her desk and sauntered down the hall, switching her hips in an obvious attempt to be seductive. Chance growled. Not only had haters come out of the woodwork, shifter groupies had as well. Whole communities of women on social media had gotten together to share pictures of sexy shifter males, hoping to get a taste of the primal sex shifter males had to offer.
What these women didn’t understand was that every shifter had one true mate, and anyone who wasn’t her was a pale comparison. Still, he was sure that the groupies offered a fun diversion for the shifters who were into that kind of thing. Knowing Summer was his mate, he doubted he could ever be with another woman ever again.
His heart sank, just thinking about how they’d left things that morning. He had to find a way to make things work with her. Even if they had to go slower from here on out. Summer was all that mattered. She was his true mate, and he needed her more than he needed anything else in the world. She was his life, and he had to find a way to show her that he was her life, too.
Stacy came back a few moments later with a frown on her face. “I’m sorry. My manager is really busy right now. I can have him contact you when he gets a moment.”
“Sure,” Chance said, pulling out his business card. “Just call that number.”
Stacy looked at the card like it was some kind of prize in the lottery, smiling so broadly it showed her gums.
“Have a good day, now,” Chance said, turning away from the girl.
“Bye. See you soon,” she said. He saw her waving out of the corner of his eye.
He heaved a deep sigh as he walked back into the parking lot. The protesters had moved off. That was one less thing he had to deal with today. Now he just had to do a two hundred mile round trip to check hunting and fishing licenses. He wouldn’t be back to town before dark, and wouldn’t get a chance to talk to Summer again until tomorrow.
Shifter Overdrive Page 12
