by Leela Ash
“Uh huh,” Clark mumbled, revving the engine. His bike purred instantly, and he managed to choke out the words, “Hold on tight.”
Carmen wrapped her arms gently around his torso, and Clark had to do everything in his power not to groan out loud as the soft mound of her breasts pressed into his back. Was he being tested or something?
Clark tore off down the road, again, ignoring all the speed limits and the racing of Carmen’s heart. He could feel every little thrill the bumps and turns surged through her body, all through the vibration of her heart against his back. In fact, her heart had been racing the entire time he had been with her. But it reached new heights as he sped his bike through the streets. Still, despite what he assumed was her fear, he didn’t even slow down. So what if it was her first ride? He needed to end this agony as soon as possible. Wasn’t he a good man?
They finally reached the house and he hopped off his bike, hoping to go inside before he had to speak anymore to Carmen. But fortune was not on his side.
“Ow!” Carmen exclaimed.
He whipped around, concerned by the note of pain in her voice.
“What happened?”
“I don’t know…I think it burnt me.”
Clark could have kicked himself. He hadn’t told her to watch the exhaust pipe going down.
“Hey, come here,” Clark said, leading her carefully through the back door and into the big bathroom. He sat her down on the rim of the tub and lifted her leg up onto his lap. “It’s not that bad, let me take care of that for you.”
Carmen blushed and sat quietly as Clark rummaged through the first aid kit.
“This might be a little cold,” he warned, squeezing a bottle of ointment over the burn. It was smaller than it felt, fortunately, and Clark smiled soothingly at her. “All better.”
“Maybe if you kissed it,” Carmen joked, the redness in her cheeks deepening attractively.
Clark gazed at her for a moment, lost in the perfect, soft features of Carmen’s face. She looked so delicate and pure. If he were less of a man, he would be giving in to his baser instincts. He tried to think of something, anything, he could say to take his mind off of his desire for her, but his mind drew a blank. All he could see was Carmen.
“Do you want to watch a movie or something?” he asked, tearing his eyes away from her before they wandered on their own. The last thing he needed was for Carmen to report back to Rachel that her father was a pervert.
“Sure,” Carmen said. “I could use something to get my mind off the night I’ve been having.”
Clark frowned. If she had any idea what was going on in his head, then she wouldn’t be so eager to accept his invitation. He wanted to take it back. To tell her that he had a lot of work to do and that she would be better off heading to her room, but he couldn’t bring himself to part with her. When Clark saw something he wanted, most of the time, it was impossible to let it go.
He could only hope that, for once in his life, he would be able to make an exception.
“What do you like?” Carmen asked as they walked through the kitchen together. The question caught him off-guard. It was so innocently spoken, and yet his horrible mind interpreted it sexually.
“Huh?” Clark asked, his voice noticeably strained. He hoped that Carmen wouldn’t notice it.
“I like romantic comedies, but you don’t seem the type,” Carmen said, smiling at him.
Again, his heart pounded heavily and the heat in his loins intensified. What was this girl trying to do?
The answer to that was nothing. Because she was a virgin and it was going to stay that way. How could he even let himself think something so forbidden?
They settled into the living room and Clark put on an old classic movie. He was sure Carmen wouldn’t be interested, and secretly hoped she would lose interest and go back to her room. But to his surprise, she seemed to enjoy the movie as much as he did.
He caught himself staring at her in the dim light of the room as her attention was captivated by one of his favorite stories. She laughed at just the right parts; places his daughter had stayed completely stone-faced over. Carmen’s whole demeanor seemed so much more mature than most of the women he had known; even women his own age. How was that possible?
Her dazzling green eyes flickered from the screen and held his gaze for a moment, and he sensed a mild feeling of longing coming from her direction. Was he imagining it? Shifters had highly tuned senses, but the mind was also powerful and could lead people to see things that weren’t necessarily there. It was better not to assume anything.
Carmen pulled her gaze away from him and stared at the television, her expression slack. She wasn’t engrossed in the plot line anymore. In fact, he could hear her heart racing as her mind mulled something over that even Clark’s heightened senses couldn’t interpret.
“How do you like the movie?” Clark asked, wanting more than anything to break her out of her thoughts and give him something he could easily interpret.
Carmen hesitated before looking in his direction, and the rapid beat of her heart resumed. Clark couldn’t help but grin. Did she have a crush on him?
“I like it,” Carmen said, her soft voice tight. “But honestly, it’s hard to concentrate. It’s been a bad night.”
Clark frowned. He was just making her night worse by indulging in his forbidden interest for her. Why would he keep doing that when it obviously didn’t help either one of them?
“Do you want to talk about it?” Clark asked, shoving his perverted old man aside to make room for his concerned, parental side. He stood from his armchair, where he had been comfortably isolated and alone, and sat beside Carmen. It was much easier to open up to someone if they were in a more intimate space.
Besides, despite his attraction for her, Clark was legitimately concerned. It wasn’t good to hold on to bad feelings. Especially for humans. Their coping mechanisms were a lot more dangerous than those of a shifter. He had self-control, after all. He could be there for a young woman who needed him without taking advantage of her. Right?
“It started with this guy, Greg,” Carmen began.
“Ew,” Clark said, wrinkling his nose dramatically. It was a gesture that had never failed to make Rachel laugh, and had the same effect on Carmen.
“Ew is right,” Carmen said. “He got a little too pushy with me so I left.”
“Good for you!” Clark exclaimed. “I’m gonna have to give him a talk.”
“No, don’t bother with that,” Carmen said. “He’s not worth the trouble.”
“No, but all the other young women he doesn’t know how to respect are,” Clark said.
Carmen turned a sharp look upon him, fire in her eyes. She stared at him for a moment, not speaking, and the longing she felt for him was unmistakable now. He could feel it in every inch of his body. But it wasn’t fair; she didn’t know he could tell exactly how she was feeling for him.
“I really appreciate you, Mr. Thomas,” Carmen said. Clark could smell the fear and anxiety rolling off of her as she reached out to touch his hand. She didn’t want to be rejected.
Clark took her hand in his, desire consuming his entire being.
“Call me Clark,” he said.
10.
Carmen gasped in surprise and jumped away from Clark when the front door slammed shut.
“Carmen!”
Rachel was home, and Clark moved awkwardly away from her and back into his armchair.
“In here, Rache,” Carmen called. She hoped that her voice wouldn’t sound as shaky to Rachel as it sounded in her own ears. Clark refused to meet her eyes, and continued staring at the television set, his expression brooding and dark.
“Can we talk upstairs?” Rachel asked, popping her head into the living room. “I wanted to apologize.”
“Sure,” Carmen said, standing up. She was surprised to find that her legs felt weak, and it took her a few steps before she got the hang of walking again. Still, she managed to keep her composure as she followe
d Rachel up the stairs and into her room.
“I am SO sorry about what happened with Greg,” Rachel said. “You should have heard Bobby! He was so pissed off at Greg, and spent ten minutes after you left standing up for you. It was kind of hot, actually. He’s such a good guy when he wants to be.”
“That’s nice of him,” Carmen said. “But don’t apologize. It’s not your fault. Greg was being a pain, not you. Sorry I ruined your date, though.”
“Oh my god. You leaving made it so much better!”
“Well, thanks…”
“No!” Rachel laughed. “I mean, I got to see the side of Bobby that I love. He kicked Greg out of the car and we drove off to look for you so we could give you a ride home. And that’s after he tore Greg apart and basically said he could forget ever going out with us again. But we couldn’t find you so he dropped me off here to make sure you got home okay. You did get home okay, didn’t you?”
“Yeah, your dad found me and gave me a ride.”
“Good old dad,” Rachel laughed. “He’s always there right when you need him.”
Carmen nodded, but the truth was, she couldn’t relate. Her father had been the exact opposite. He always bailed when Carmen or her mother needed him. She wondered what it would be like to have a father like Mr. Thomas. She would never have to worry about anything again. Carmen couldn’t even begin to imagine how nice it would be to have a strong, experienced man like Clark to rely on.
She frowned, reprimanding herself for her inappropriate feelings toward Clark. Obviously, she was just one of those women with daddy issues. It was nice to feel taken care of for once, and at every turn, it seemed that Clark was stepping in to save her. Maybe if she managed to avoid him for a while then her feelings for him would go away. How could she keep feeling so strongly for him when she knew she only felt that way because she had problems with her own father?
The phone rang suddenly and Rachel answered it quickly.
“Bobby? I know! Yeah, Carmen’s here safe and sound. My dad found her.”
Mention of Mr. Thomas brought another surge of desire through Carmen. It was really starting to get pathetic.
“I think I’m going to get to bed,” Carmen said. “Tell Bobby thanks for me, will you?”
Rachel nodded, a big smile spread broadly on her face.
Carmen left the bedroom, surprised to see Clark on the landing, frozen in place as the door creaked open.
“Good night,” she said, her cheeks blazing with fire.
“Good night,” Clark said rigidly.
Carmen retreated into the guest room, her heart pounding rapidly. What was she doing? He was old enough to be her father. Maybe Rachel was right. It would do her some good to hang out with guys her own age. Who knows? Maybe if she gave them a chance, she would be able to shake these inappropriate feelings once and for all.
***
The next week went by uneventfully; for Carmen anyway. Rachel was spending more and more time with Bobby, who she claimed was being the perfect gentleman. He was not only handsome, but he had found his passion working on motors at the local bike shop, and was actually making a steady living doing it.
“Isn’t it great!” Rachel had exclaimed. “I thought he was going nowhere; he didn’t even finish high school. But look at him now. He’s really making something of himself. He even got his GED.”
“Maybe he saw you going to college and it inspired him,” Carmen suggested. Rachel shrugged.
“Whatever it is, I like it. Motivation looks good on him.”
“Better than it does on Roger?” Carmen had asked, regretting the question as Rachel’s face fell.
“Not exactly. I don’t know. Roger’s such a good guy. Bobby does what he wants when he wants. It’s infuriating in a way, but…”
“Bobby is crazy about you,” Carmen said.
Rachel’s face brightened up again and Carmen’s guilt had lifted. “I’m starting to believe that.”
A few moments later, Rachel had been on the phone with Bobby again, and about an hour after that, she had left to meet up with him.
Now, Carmen was sitting on the front porch of the Thomas household, enjoying the solitude and fresh air. She could smell cut grass from a few yards over and inhaled deeply. That was a rare scent in the city she was living in with Rachel. She had a vague memory of her own father cutting the grass once or twice when she was little, and it had been one of her only pleasant memories with him attached.
“Hey,” Clark’s deep voice said suddenly from behind her. The screen door slammed shut as he walked out, carrying a tool box.
“Hi,” Carmen said, annoyed by the involuntary murmur in her heart as Clark walked past her. “Is something broken?”
Clark glanced down at his tool box and smiled at Carmen.
“No, but I was thinking of doing a little work on the engine. Do you know anything about cars?”
“Not even a little bit,” Carmen admitted.
Clark frowned.
“Well can you drive?”
“Yes,” Carmen said. “I have to go all over the place, back and forth from school to visit my parents. In fact, I would have driven here if the shifter communities were more easily accessible. But Rache said it would be easiest just to take the train.”
“Well, what kind of parent lets their daughter drive so far without teaching her a thing or two about her car? What if you got stranded?”
The concern and annoyance in Clark’s voice warmed Carmen, and she shrugged.
“Well, come with me. I’ll show you everything you need to know. That way if something happens, you’ll be prepared.”
“Thank you,” Carmen said, surprised by the offer. She’d had a scare or two on the road. It was a relief to know someone who could give her some advice. And even more nice knowing that Clark was caring enough to look out for her. That wasn’t the kind of thing her own father ever did.
Clark grinned. “No problem. The truck is this way.”
Clark led the way, his long strides making it difficult to keep up with him. He circled the big yard until he came to a small garage and they stepped inside.
“Hey, I meant to apologize,” Clark said, setting the toolbox down with a heavy clanking sound and turning to face her.
Carmen’s heart thudded. What could he possibly have to apologize to her for? She was the one who was impossibly attracted to him.
“Why?” Carmen asked nervously. What if he was attracted to her too? Wouldn’t that make this whole situation kind of weird?
“I didn’t tell you how hot the exhaust can be on the motorcycle before you got on. I wasn’t even thinking about it.”
“What?” Carmen asked, grinning. “You didn’t do anything wrong.”
Clark gazed at her, a dark expression flickering across his face, and then looked away quickly. He picked up a tool from the box and circled the truck until he reached the hood. He lifted it, and suddenly, she couldn’t see his face anymore.
“I should have warned you, though. I feel bad. How’s your leg feeling?”
“It’s fine,” Carmen said. In truth, she had forgotten about it; at least until she was stripping her clothes off and she could see the burn mark on her leg. In a way, she liked the burn; it reminded her of just how capable and protective Clark had been when he saved her from the other shifter.
But she knew she shouldn’t feel that way about Clark. Still, she couldn’t help herself. In a way, she wished she wasn’t a virgin so she would know what to do with the feelings she was developing toward him. Never in her life had her interest in someone felt so powerful.
“Get in here, kid,” Clark said gruffly. “I have a lot to show you.”
“All right,” Carmen said, walking nervously toward the open hood of the truck.
She stood beside Clark, his muscular, capable body just inches away from her own. It was unsettling to be so near to him, especially after all the feelings she had been trying not to have for him. Clark’s broad chest brushed against her back as
he leaned behind her to grab a wrench, and she had to close her eyes to avoid being lost in the electric charge of her desire.
“Now,” Clark said, handing Carmen the wrench. “Where should I begin?”
11.
“Thank you,” Carmen said as they walked out of the garage.
“Don’t mention it. You’re a natural.”
“Really?” Carmen’s eyes glittered at the news and Clark gritted his teeth. It was true. That girl had some raw talent with an engine; it was a quality that had intensified his burning for her. Thankfully, she was more oblivious of his feelings than he was of hers.
In fact, it had been all but impossible not to indulge himself in the sweet nectar of Carmen’s pure body. She was ripe for the taking, and every time she turned her gorgeous green eyes upon him he could have cursed for how overcome with desire he was for her.
The worst part wasn’t just that she was a virgin. It was just how much she wanted him back. Being powerless to indulge himself was not a feeling that Clark was comfortable with. He had always held a position of power within the pack. At least, that was true until the outsiders had come along.
“Are you hungry?” Carmen asked. “Making you lunch is the least I can do for knowing that I will never feel helplessly stranded again.”
Clark smiled uncomfortably and showed Carmen his greasy hands.
“I think I’m going to go wash up first,” Clark said. Carmen nodded and headed into the kitchen.
Clark showered quickly, cutting through the grease as fast as he could. There was something pleasant about the house when it was just him and Carmen inside. A comfortable, borderline domestic quality he hadn’t felt since his wife had passed away.
“Ah!”
Clark froze. Something was wrong with Carmen.
He wrapped a towel around his waist and ran down the stairs, his heart pumping wildly with adrenaline.
