by Haley Weir
He needed to let off some steam. He couldn’t do that with his phone blasting at him every five minutes. There was only one thing for it: he needed to run again. Pushing himself up off the bed, he headed out into the garden and did the only thing he could do. He stripped down and shifted as quickly and effortlessly as possible, loping off into the woods to enjoy the peace and quiet that calmed him like nothing else ever could.
The breeze in his fur and the dead leaves beneath his bare paw pads was enough to ease the anxiety he felt towards what had been suggested. Yet he couldn’t help but think of the hurt look on Vanessa’s face when he had refused her. That look would haunt him for the rest of his days, knowing that he may have messed everything up for her too. He couldn’t help but feel guilty at the thought he might have ruined another person’s career to serve his own selfish needs.
After his run, he tried to cool off steam by doing laps in the pool. On his third lap, he saw a shape from underneath the water that was at the foot of the pool. It was someone in a pair of cute coral shorts and a white tank top. He knew without surfacing who it was. She’d returned, apparently.
He did one more lap just to irritate her, and then stood tall in the water, watching as she took in his naked chest. “Forget something?”
“I did actually. What do you want most in life, Payne?” Her soft voice took him by surprise, as did the words. He’d expected her to be a hard ass, to push the boss button.
He took a deep breath, and then expelled his breath in a sigh. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, what do you want? Obviously, you don’t want to be doing this show forever. So, what are you really trying to get out of it?” she asked seriously, gazing at him intently. Then, she added, “Because I can make it happen. Whatever it is.”
“I’m not sure you can,” he said in a growl. He launched himself out of the pool in a show of athleticism. When he stood, he was very much in her space. She could feel the warmth of his body as it aligned with hers. If she took a deep breath, her chest would expand against his
Focus, Vanessa, she warned herself. The man was hot, but she needed to focus. “Tell me.”
He said something in a low, deep voice that she couldn’t have possibly heard correctly. She asked, “what was that?”
Archer smiled, all of his white teeth shining perfectly. Damn him. “Go to dinner with me.”
Vanessa struggled to comprehend the words, even though she’d heard them clear enough this time. “You don’t really mean that.”
He seemed almost as confused as she was that the words had came out in that order. But he leaned down until his lips were almost touching hers. She refused to back down or to step away. “I do. Have dinner with me. A place of my choosing, and you should wear something…nice.”
Vanessa swallowed, a lump in her throat. “And if I do that, I can shadow you?”
He gave a bark of laughter. “Absolutely not. But I’ll do a couple segments for you to show the fans me in my natural habitat, so to speak. Agreed?”
She took a beat. One dinner? What could it hurt? If he was willing to compromise, she needed to be as well. Sighing, she accepted. “Alright. Wait, what do you mean by something nice? Don’t I always look nice?”
He looked over her with a heated glance that damn near incinerated her current apparel. “You do, but I want something new. Something you picked out just for me.”
She struggled to laugh at that or to look away. Something in his glance told her that he meant what he said. And really, what was the big deal? None of this meant they were crossing any boundaries. Not yet anyway, her mind whispered.
He picked her up in his truck, which was a perfect representation of the man himself: it was big, loud, and in no way inconspicuous. He didn’t believe in flying under the radar, and damn it if he wasn’t excited to be picking up Vanessa tonight. He’d been looking forward to this for days, but the infuriating woman had made him wait until Saturday.
Truth be told, waiting was probably a good thing, because it gave him time to get his thoughts in order. There was something about her that was like a magnet, drawing him in. At the same time, he knew he shouldn’t get close to her. He couldn’t allow her to learn his secret. So he could pull her close, but not too close. Better to keep it about dinner and sex rather than something real.
It was disappointing to know that this couldn’t lead anywhere, but he’d take what he could get. The woman was driving him crazy with her short-shorts and cute little wedge heels. He knew it was the same type of clothing she’d worn before, but seeing her at his place had put all sorts of ideas in his head about how he’d like to take off what she’d been wearing then…and now.
And right now, she looked absolutely delectable. The dress was a knockout – fitted black on the bottom and a type of blue-green flowy overlay on the top with black glittery outlines. It reminded him of a butterfly’s wings. She wore suede heels of the same blue-green. It made her sleek, tan legs look even longer. Her ass looked plump and scrumptious. His hands twitched, desperate to feel her soft skin.
“You look…incredible,” he admitted to her in a deep baritone. He watched her flush, and enjoyed watching her golden skin grow pink with his compliment. She smiled, accepting it.
“You look pretty handsome too,” she said softly. He was surprised that she’d even noticed. It made him feel better, like he wasn’t on an island with the attraction he felt for her. She felt it too, taking notice of him and what he was doing, wearing. He’d chosen a simple black button-down over dark jeans.
Her eyes took him in, looking glassy and bright. He cleared his throat. “If you keep looking at me that way, we’re not going to make it to dinner.”
That seemed to shake her out of it. “I’m not looking at you a certain way, Payne.”
“Why do you always do that?” he asked.
This time, she really did seem confused. “Do what?”
“Call me Payne,” he said, brushing his hands off on his pants with effort, trying not to grab her and tug her closer to him.
She laughed, cocking her head prettily. “What else should I call you?”
“Archer,” he said in a quiet, deep voice. She seemed to understand that he wasn’t kidding around. “You never call me Archer.”
She bit down on her lip, drawing his attention to the fullness of it. He nearly groaned aloud. She was like a tasty cherry, waiting to be bitten...how he’d love to taste her sweet juices. He could feel himself growing hard in his jeans, a nearly permanent issue when he was around her, or thinking of her. Which seemed to be all the time lately; he couldn’t stop thinking about her.
Instead of fighting him, she simply whispered his name on an exhale. “Archer…”
This time, he did groan out loud. “Vanessa. Go back in the house.”
“What? Why?” she said, looking around, probably prepared for a mugger or a carjacker. “Why do I need to go back inside?”
“If you don’t go back in,” he started, stopping himself from moving forward. “I’m going to kiss you…and it’s not going to be quick. We’re not going to make it to dinner. At least, not the food variety.”
She gasped, but didn’t move forward or backward. They spent the next ten seconds, just looking at each other. When she didn’t jolt back into the house like a scared bunny, he took that as a permission of sorts.There was only one way he could keep his distance - he had to keep it about sex. He was tired of trying to keep his distance from her. So tired. And so hungry.
He reached forward, drawing her into him. “Vanessa…” he groaned. He leaned down and she leaned up, and they pressed their lips together. He groaned again. She tasted like heaven: something sweet, spicy, and dangerously seductive that made him keep teasing, licking, and sucking her until he wanted that scent and that taste to stay with him forever.
After a minute, he drew back. He knew that in a few seconds, he was going to lift her up, carry her inside, and fuck her against the first surface that he found. He told her so, and
enjoyed the way her flush floated down to her chest, and below the neckline of her dress.
She cleared her throat. “So, dinner?”
He chuckled. “Yeah, dinner…”
He grabbed her hand, enjoying the soft, small feel of it in his grasp. He walked her down to the truck and took her to dinner, the whole time doing whatever it took to keep his hands to himself. He wanted her. Badly. More than anyone he’d ever wanted before. But he needed to back it up, keep it casual.
After the first behind-the-scenes segment, Vanessa realized that Archer was giving her the side he wanted the public to see: the side that was arrogant, charming, and in control. But she wanted a different side. She wanted the Archer that wasn’t on camera. The one that was vulnerable, honest, and human.
So, she did the only thing that she could. She surprised him. On a normal Friday night, she just showed up at his house. She let herself in with the code that he’d given her for emergencies. But he wasn’t inside. She made herself a cup of coffee, enjoying the taste while looking out the big glass windows. Then she saw him and gasped out loud. He was naked.
Good lord, the man was beautiful. Perfectly sculpted, muscles in places she didn’t even know they were supposed to be, He had an incredible sheen to his tan skin, and she felt that he was the devil incarnate. Sexy, masculine, and confident, he strode over his property and into the house completely nude.
She could sense the moment he saw her. His body tensed, and then relaxed. She watched him grow hard in front of her eyes. “Archer…”
He grinned, and his member jutted proudly up. “Finally.”
She couldn’t look away, couldn’t pretend she hadn’t seen. “Why are you…?”
“The real question is why aren’t you,” he said in a dangerously soft voice. “I want to see you. All of you. Show me.”
She heard his command. It wasn’t a suggestion. It was an order, one that she found increasingly difficult to ignore. Fine. If he wanted to play those games, she’d play. She was no shrinking violet. She lifted up her tank top, exposing the black lacy balconette bra to his hungry gaze. His eyes stared, taking it all in.
“More,” he demanded, licking his lips. She watched his hand reach down to grasp his penis. He tugged on the base of his cock, and then ran his long fingers up his length. He was big everywhere. She could feel herself grow wet watching him touch himself like the most erotic porn she’d ever seen.
Unable to turn him down, she unbuttoned her shorts, exposing the top of her black lace thong. Without his prompting, she slid a hand into her shorts and under her panties, caressing her wetness with a moan. He let out a simultaneous groan.
“You’re killing me, woman,” he growled, squeezing his shaft until precum moistened the tip. She licked her lips, wishing she could taste him. “Turn around, or I’m not letting you go.”
She heard his words, understood the promise and the threat. She found herself not wanting to leave, but knew she wasn’t ready for this. Not yet. He was clearly hiding something, and she needed to find out what it was before fully immersing herself in Archer.
She did leave, much to his chagrin. But she couldn’t stop thinking about his heated gaze on her, his fingers on his length, wishing that his long fingers were inside of her instead of on himself.
They returned to normal shooting schedules, but the attraction he’d felt for Vanessa had tripled. His eyes watched her wherever she went. He could smell her, hear her voice wherever she went onset. She was like a drug, and he wanted more and more of her.
“Doug, over here. I want it to look clean, though, not busy,” she ordered in her quiet, feminine voice. Today she was wearing little jean shorts and a black tank top that left her midriff exposed through the transparent fabric. He knew she’d worn it for him – to tease him, infuriate him, and he was both. He was mad that other men could see what was his, but was so hard for her that he ached. His cock could bust through this set faster than his hammer.
He was watching her, enjoying the way she caught his eye. “What are you looking at, Archer?”
He fought a smile. She’d called him Archer, not Payne. She wasn’t just seeing him as a piece of meat, or just some actor. She was seeing him for him, as he was seeing her. “Just one smokin’ hot babe.”
Some of the crew laughed, but most just kept on with what they were doing. The chemistry between Archer and Vanessa was old news. Most of the crew was used to it by now. But they didn’t know that things were changing between them. He wasn’t sure what it was, but he knew something was changing.
Suddenly, there was a loud crack and then a boom. He watched with a wide gaze as the roof of the set started to collapse in front of him. It was like time slowed, and then almost stopped. Vanessa would be crushed. If she was not killed instantly, she would be in a world of hurt. His gut dropped, his body froze for one second, and then he was spurred into motion. He had a nanosecond to get to her, and there was only one way to protect them both.
He’d like to say he’d decided what to do, but it hadn’t been a choice. It had been a reaction. Protect his woman, or watch her be injured by something out of his control. He couldn’t let that happen.
He changed mid-leap, turning into the gray wolf that was more himself than even his human skin. He knew that this form could withstand more than his human form. Somewhere in the back of his mind, it registered that the cameras were still rolling, but he couldn’t stop his instinct to save Vanessa at all costs.
When he reached her, he covered her instantly. He could feel her shock, her surprise. There was instant of fear, but when she looked into his human eyes, she knew. She recognized him in his wolf form. While parts of the set crashed and broke over his animal back, he couldn’t look away from her. He let out a yelp when a beam fell square on his spine, but then everything was quiet again.
He felt the crew start to remove the rubble. Then, they stepped back. He started to change back into his human form, his nakedness the least of his problems.
“Archer,” she started, then failed to finish the sentence. She reached up, touching his face as if she was seeing him for the first time. Then, without hesitation, she pressed her lips against his. He groaned, sucking her in like a vacuum. He’d never wanted someone so bad in his entire life. He didn’t care about the crew, or the cameras.
After several throat clearings and her whimpers growing loudly, he pulled back, pushing the hair back from her face. “V, are you alright?”
She nodded. “You…you were a…”
“A wolf,” he finished for her. He dropped his voice to a little over a whisper. “I’m a shifter, Vanessa. But we should get going. I don’t want to talk about this on camera. I don’t want to share this on camera.” He motioned to his raging hard on and she nodded.
She grabbed his hand, and pulled him to his feet along with her. The rest of the crew simply stood, mouths agape. Vanessa and Archer left the set and got into his truck. There, he told her everything…about when he’d first discovered he was a shifter, about other shifters, and why he couldn’t tell her about his ability. Finally, he said he would have to leave this place and go underground. He couldn’t stay here and be treated like a lab rat.
She was upset, but seemed to understand that it was the only thing to do. He could see on her face that she cared about him more than just as an employee or a friend, and that warmed his heart. He’d been worried that, as a producer, she could use this tape as a weapon to grow her career. But looking into her honest eyes, he knew she would never do anything like that.
It was four days after abandoning the television show and set that he realized Vanessa meant more to him than just a quick lay. He wanted her for the long haul. She was his, and nothing could keep him from her. He texted her to meet him at his house, saying that he had something important to tell her.
When he got to his house, he took in her scent hungrily. He knew she was already here but was still amazed to see her standing by the pool, clad only in a simple cotton dress. “V.”
>
“Archer,” she said softly. She didn’t move forward, waiting for him to make the first move.
And he did. He met her side, pulling her in with a sharp tug until she was safe and secure in the circle of his muscular arms. He breathed in deeply, enjoying the scent of her hair, skin, and perfume. She was his drug and he was tired of fighting her, especially now that she knew his secret.
“I missed you,” he admitted, surprised at how much. He heard her sniff and nod inside the grasp of his arms.
“Don’t leave again,” she begged, and then looked up at him. He couldn’t do anything but agree with that. He tilted her chin up, and they kissed so passionately that the two of them were breathing hard after it was done. “Archer. You should see something first.”
She tugged him inside the house to the living room. There she pressed play on something that she’d already put inside the DVD player. He watched in amazement at the footage of his shifting and saving her. Then she deleted the file. “It’s the only copy,” she told him.
He looked at her, then back at the TV. She pressed play on several other files; all of them were interviews with the crew that had been working that day. Each crewmember had a different story – one man referred to a dog that walked on scene but was luckily saved. One said he saw nothing, and another said was like a blur, but someone had saved Vanessa onsite.
“They’re not going to say anything,” he said, shocked. “None of them are going to say anything. Because of you.”
She turned him around and put both hands on his face, reaching up on tiptoes. “Because of both of us. I told them we’re a couple, unified now. Don’t make me a liar, Payne.”
“Unified,” he repeated. “Only one way to make it official.”
He dropped onto one knee, holding up the ring he’d had in his pocket for days. “Marry me, V. And I promise I’ll always protect you, love you, and honor you.”
