“Well, I guess I should let you finish your meals,” said Melanie.
She turned and walked away and then felt someone close on her heels. She turned around to see Dane towering above her. Oh yeah, perfect bodyguard.
“I was wondering… I mean, I’m here on my own and I wondered if you can have a drink with me when the after dinner entertainment starts.”
“Well, I’m not supposed to, but I guess if no one reports me one drink won’t hurt.”
“Great. How about I meet you here in about an hour. Is that okay?”
She nodded. “I’ll look forward to it.”
It was a drink not a date and what harm could that do?
****
Dane’s hands were shaking again. He’d invited a human woman to have a drink with him. He’d used the guise that he didn’t want to be on his own, but in all honesty he wanted to see her again and maybe get to know her a little bit more. In fact, it hadn’t all been down to him. The others had encouraged him to catch up with her before she left the marquee.
“Did you see the way she looked at you?” Cassidy had asked him. “I might not know humans that well, but as a female I know when a woman’s checking out a guy.” She winked at him. He’d sat there saying nothing until Alex had twisted his chair around away from the table and almost tipped him on the floor.
“Go on, what harm could it do? It’s about time you had a female in your bed again.”
He’d blushed, he knew he had because his face had burned. The last thing he was thinking about was having sex, especially with a human, but now he realized that maybe that was part of the problem. Any species, human or shifter needed sexual release. He and Lucinda had enjoyed a great sex life, both knowing what the other one craved and desired. The chances of ever finding that again were probably zero.
The band began to play the Teddy Bear’s Picnic tune and the little flower girl stood on Christopher’s toes. They danced around to the song as everyone began clapping along. Christopher was lucky. He now had a ready-made family. A woman to go home to every night. Dane’s happy ever after had been ripped away from him. For these men and their human women it was just beginning.
Lilly joined them on the dance floor and the three of them spun around before encouraging others to get up and start dancing as the band switched to Love Shack.
Lucinda had loved to dance. She would have loved being here. He closed his eyes, knowing she’d always be with him in spirit.
“Hi, Dane.”
He turned around to see Melanie standing there. He hadn’t been crazy in getting her mixed up with Lucinda. She was beautiful and curvy like her. They had the same look in their eyes.
“Glad you could join me.”
She put her finger on her lips. “I’m not really here if anyone asks. Hope you’re good at keeping secrets.”
Oh if she only knew how good all the shifters were at doing just that.
“What would you like to drink?”
“I think I should keep to something non-alcoholic just in case I get busted, so a ginger ale will be perfect,” she said.
“You want to sit there and I’ll be right back.”
Lucinda had developed a craving for ginger ale when she’d first found out she was pregnant. She said it helped with her morning sickness. He walked over to the bar and ordered Melanie’s drink and a whisky for himself. He hadn’t touched any hard liquor since before Lucinda was killed. He hoped it wouldn’t go to his head and make him say or do something stupid again.
He walked back to where Melanie was now sitting. Her legs were crossed, her foot tapping to the beat of the music. He laughed because the band was now playing Hungry Like the Wolf. He had to dodge a few of the wolf shifters who were showing off their dancing skills. One almost knocked both drinks down his jacket.
“Sorry, Dane,” one shouted to him and then continued to spin around on the floor.
He approached the table and placed Melanie’s drink down in front of her. He sat and took a sip of the whisky. This was nice, sitting with someone who clearly recognized his pain of being all alone at this sort of event. She glanced at him over the top of the glass and then took a sip of her drink.
He’d invited her to be with him but for the life of him, now he was tongue tied. Damn.
“What other events are planned for this place?” he finally asked.
The music was getting louder and the guests more rowdy. It was obvious Melanie wasn’t able to hear what he’d asked her. He leaned in closer to her ear, smelling her humanness. On anyone else it wouldn’t have excited him, but something about her odor made his blood race around his body. And her perfume. Wow, he liked that too.
“What other events are planned for this venue?” he asked again, letting his mouth linger close to her ear so he could smell her some more.
She pulled away so she could answer him, but then obviously realized she had to get close to him so he could hear her response. Her breath smelled of mint with just a tad of ginger. It reminded him of being near Lucinda when she’d sipped the beverage, rubbing her growing belly as she did so.
“We have another wedding here next week. A couple of ladies afternoon teas, and then a guy’s only retreat. They’ll be staying in the lodge so that should keep us really busy with the meals.”
“Sounds like fun.” That wonderful scent again.
“What do you do for a living?” she asked.
“I’ve been doing some traveling. In fact, I just got back so I’m not sure what I’m planning to do next.”
“Are you glad to be home? I’m assuming this is home.”
That was a difficult response. He glanced at Aiden who was dancing with his wife. Aiden’s father had insisted early on when they arrived on earth that they never tell anyone about where they originally came from. It was their secret. He had to keep his promise, yet he already hated lying to Melanie.
“Yes, I’m from Kalispell. And I’m glad to be home.”
Wasn’t so bad because this area was the only home they’d known since they’d landed here.
“What did you do before you went on your travels?”
“I worked fixing computers.” Both he and Lucinda. They’d been planning on starting their own business so Lucinda could stay home once the baby arrived.
“I’m hopeless with anything even slightly connected with those. If you ever think of going back into that line of work maybe you can give me your business card, because I always need help with anything techy.”
Was that true or was it her subtle way of asking for his number? Would he give it to her? She did make him feel comfortable and she made it seem like she really was interested in him.
Her foot tapped again. She had nice legs, shapely calves. He smiled. Lucinda had always said he was a leg man. He was also a boob man too. He coughed, wondering why he’d thought of that. Maybe the whisky was loosening up his brain, closing off his inner censors.
“You want to dance?” Yeah definitely the whisky talking. Not that he didn’t want to dance or dance with her, but usually he was a lot more bashful.
“I’d love to.”
She took a last sip of her drink before standing. Dane stood too. Lucinda had always said he had no sense of rhythm but hopefully she’d only been teasing him. Maybe he’d just watch a couple of the wolf shifters who always seem to know how to groove and move.
Melanie looked a pro as she moved from side to side, smiling non-stop at him as he loosened up a little. Was she smiling because dancing made her happy or was that a grin because he was so damn awful?
He watched Caleb, one of the wolf shifters who was dancing with not one, but two women. Such a showoff. This wasn’t a bear’s strength. They were bulky and muscle bound. They were made for carrying things, protecting things.
Melanie took him by surprise when she grabbed his hand as if she knew the music would be changing to a slow tune at any minute. Without giving it a second thought, he pulled her into his body. He’d only ever had one love in his life
and that had been Lucinda. Childhood sweethearts thrown together in despair when they’d crash landed here on earth. She’d lost both her parents and was running, sobbing, and holding a doll that had been singed just as badly as she had in the explosion and fire. His mother had scooped her up and held her along with him. Little Lucinda had reached out and grabbed his hand so tight he’d thought she’d shut off the blood to his arm. Neither of them had taken their eyes off one another in the ensuing chaos. From that moment on they were bonded and inseparable.
He’d never looked at another woman in the way he’d looked at Lucinda. No other woman had ever excited him like her until now. As he held Melanie in his arms, parts of him that he thought were dead and unresponsive were coming to life again.
His heart beat faster but not in a serious medical sort of way. His body tingled. His balls pulled and felt heavy. His cock was like it was made of stone and getting harder. Dane guessed that Melanie felt it pressing against her belly. Embarrassment washed over him but then she looked up and him and smiled.
“It’s fine, don’t worry.”
It was as if she knew what he was thinking, like they were one. He’d never felt that sort of connection with a woman since his darling wife. Maybe Melanie was a shifter. Nope, she smelled one hundred percent human. In fact, he guessed she was as aroused as he was because he could smell a certain sweetness drifting up from her body. For it to be this detectable even for a bear, her juices had to be sliding from her pussy.
Human arousal had a sharper odor than a shifter. Almost sweet and like part musk, part orange. How he’d loved lapping at Lucinda’s pussy prior to making love, taking in her scent and becoming almost intoxicated by it. An image of himself between Melanie with widespread legs crept into his mind, making him grow harder. She pulled her head away from his shoulder and smiled.
“I love this song because it’s sad but uplifting at the same time,” she said.
He had to agree that’s how he’d always felt about it too. If you’d lost someone, whether it be a parent or a spouse, it made you cry but at the same time gave you hope for the future. She rested her head on his shoulder again as they moved slowly around the dance floor. He hadn’t felt this relaxed in a long time. Melanie was good for him, but after tonight should he see her again?
Three shifters now had human partners. They were proof it could work, but it had to be tough when it came time to tell them the truth, and right now he didn’t need any complications in his life. He just wanted to get back to normal and forget about the terrible thing that had happened to him.
Melanie snugged in closer to him and he was weakening about asking to see her again. He looked over at Aiden and Charlotte, snuggled close to one another. Maybe he should get some advice from him or even Trent. He continued to watch them. Charlotte looked like she was going to pass out, but Aiden caught her and carried her to the nearest chair.
Melanie must have seen it too.
“She doesn’t look well. I think I need to go see what I can do,” said Melanie.
Dane joined her as she knelt down by Charlotte and Aiden who was now sitting beside her.
“Everything okay?” asked Melanie.
“Fine,” said Charlotte.
Dane pulled up a chair. “You sure because you look sort of pale,” he said.
Aiden knelt down beside them, Dane joined him too. “We’ve been hoping to keep this to ourselves until Charlotte’s further along, but she’s having a baby.”
How lucky was Aiden? A baby. The first human-shifter baby.
“That’s wonderful,” said Melanie.
“I’m having dizzy spells and then I faint. I guess I was overdoing things today,” said Charlotte.
“So who else knows?” asked Dane.
“Just Christopher and Lilly, Trent and Emily, and now you two,” he said.
“So how many weeks along are you?” asked Melanie.
“Nine. We thought we’d make an announcement once I made it to twelve.”
“Anything I can get you, soda maybe?” asked Melanie.
Charlotte shook her head. “I’ll be fine in a minute.”
“She’ll be back up on the dance floor in no time,” said Aiden.
Melanie stood. “Well, if you do need anything just let one of the wait-staff know.”
Dane walked with her to the other side of the marquee. She turned to him. “I’d better get back to work and start cleaning up. Thanks for the drink, the dance, and your company. Hope you find a wonderful new job soon.”
He was going to ask to see her again, even ask her out, just something cheap and simple until he got back on his feet again, but he chickened out. Keeping secrets wasn’t something he did easily and he’d have to be on his guard around a human. He didn’t think he could do it.
“Me too.”
He put his hand out to her and they shook.
She turned and he watched her walk away.
Chapter Four
Damn. Thought he’d ask me out.
Melanie entered the main kitchen and began taking the plates over to the dishwashers. Some of the fine crystal glassware would need to be washed by hand so it was going to be a long night for her. Not that she cared. Obviously she’d lost her touch with men. It had been a long time since she’d had to flutter those eyelids and flirt.
“You want me to ask you out, don’t you?”
She stopped what she was doing, smiled, and remembered what Mike had said after their evening sociology class.
“Ouch, have I been that obvious?”
“Just a bit heavy handed with the hinting. I’d love to see the new Tom Cruise movie, but I don’t have anyone to go with me.”
She’d laughed. He’d tapped her on the nose before leaning over and kissing her.
Melanie put her fingers to her lips, suddenly realizing they were covered in soap suds but it didn’t matter. When she was lonely and afraid, she remembered Mike’s lips on hers and she got all the comfort she needed. She no longer felt like the little girl lost at sea.
Yeah, maybe she’d lost her touch because she hadn’t needed to date for years.
Date; did she really want to do it? She’d sworn when she’d become this new person she wouldn’t need to. Men didn’t matter now. She’d loved and lost the best one out there. However, Dane had come through that door looking just as lost and hurt as her. She’d instantly connected with him and enjoyed his company. Dating was in the cards again. Well, that was if she met another guy like Dane. The quick goodbye and handshake showed he wasn’t interested in taking things any further than the drink and dance they’d enjoyed.
She got back to washing the glassware this time thinking about sex. Maybe a woman could go longer than a man without it, but Dane had also ignited the libido flame within her. She’d felt his erection, loved his arms around her, loved the familiar pull and ache of her pussy wanting his cock inside her instead of just pushing up against her belly.
Maybe having sex and just sex was the answer. No complications, no getting deeply involved with someone and having to either tell them the truth about herself or live a lie. She hated the thought of ever having to do the latter to anyone she cared about.
She rinsed another glass and placed it upside down on the towel. What she wouldn’t give to go back to her previous life, no pretenses, no lies, no watching over your shoulder. Teaching her kids again. Having a man to come home to every night and talk about her day and his.
Melanie heard the side door opening and jumped. The rest of the staff was out clearing up the plates and glasses and as far as she knew she was alone.
“Hello,” she called out.
Wasn’t that the dumbest thing a person could do? It was one of her pet peeves when she watched movies. If someone had entered the building to do you harm the last thing they’d do is respond to you.
She wiped her hands and as she turned around she jumped but then smiled. It was Dane.
“Hope you don’t consider this stealing.”
He p
roduced some flowers that she knew he’d pulled up from the area close to the lake. Wild flowers that were bursting with color and life. He walked over and handed them to her.
“They’re beautiful.”
“Glad you think so.”
“Did you forget something?”
“Yes, yes, I did. I forgot to ask you if you wanted to come see a movie with me sometime soon.”
She laughed. She and Mike’s first date had been at the cinema seeing that Tom Cruise movie she’d hinted about.
“Are you laughing because there’s not a chance in hell you’d go out with me?”
“No, it’s just I pestered this guy I once knew to take me to the movies.”
It broke her heart to call Mike a guy she once knew and lessening his importance in her life, but that’s what she’d been told to do.
“I can’t imagine you had to do that. Any guy would be honored to take you.”
“I’m liking you more each minute.”
It was Dane’s turn to laugh. “So it’s a yes.”
“It’s a definite yes. It will be my first night out in, well…I can’t remember that far back.”
“Me too. I see you’re washes glasses. You need any help with those? I can assure you I might look big and bulky, have these oversized hands, but glassware is my specialty.”
“Sure, I mean if it’s not stopping you from enjoying the rest of the reception.”
“It’s winding down.”
“Okay. Maybe you can help me go over to the marquee and collect the rest of the glassware.”
“That I can.”
He opened the door for her and they walked across the path.
“I’m assuming you took a walk on the trail down by the lake,” she said.
“How did you know…” He nodded. “The flowers. I needed some air and to clear my head.”
“And what exactly did you need get rid of.”
“Foolish thoughts about being too scared to ask a beautiful woman out on a date.”
“Then I’m really glad you took that walk.”
They stepped inside the marquee just as Lilly was throwing her bouquet over her shoulder. About twenty women dived for it, but Lilly had thrown it so high that it flew above their arms and the next thing Melanie knew it was heading for her. She could either catch it or be smacked in the face by the beautiful pink roses and baby’s breath.
Healing the Bear Page 3
