In Her Arms

by Gayle Keo

  “I shared a dorm room with a girl who was a shifter. A big cat shifter. She told me on the first day because she liked to sleep in her animal form.” Smiling slightly at the memory, Sasha grabbed a glass from one of the cupboards and filled it with water from the purifier. Macy had been that woman’s name, and she was an absolute eccentric. Nothing was without consideration no matter how dangerous or stupid it was. Eyes flickering to Antoni, she watched him scowl and shuffle from one foot to another before opening his mouth.

  “Cat shifters... No thank you. Did she tell you a lot about it?”

  “No. She offered, but I wasn’t interested. It was hard enough knowing a huge cat was in the same room as me.” Sasha shook her head, and Antoni frowned before rolling ideas around in his mind. This was a pleasant but unexpected turn of events and he needed to think of a new plan.

  “Well I’m not a cat. I’m a wolf shifter. I intend to take you as my mate. Do you at least know what that is?” Once again Sasha shook her head, and Antoni developed a weird expression. She couldn’t help her lack of understanding, though. The general concept she could grasp; she’d seen it with her own two eyes before. It helped that it’d happened years ago and took up a significant part of her life. At first coming back to Macy’s cat form was scary and she even went so far as to avoid going to her room, but after a few weeks it became routine.

  She didn’t think a wolf shifter would be much different in that regard.

  “A wife, basically.” Choosing the less popular route, Antoni watched Sasha pause, frozen in time for all of a second before she let out an incredulous laugh. If there were a tiny bit more humor in it and a smidgen less befuddlement he would’ve enjoyed the sound. Now, though, it only made him frown.

  “You want me to be your wife? Are you joking? I wouldn’t marry you unless I loved you, which I don’t.” Right away Sasha realized she’d made a huge mistake as her laughter-bleary eyes took in how hurt Antoni’s expression became. His eyes didn’t return to normal but they got dark. Stalking towards her, everything about him screamed predator as her heart beat with increasing ferocity in her chest. He snatched the glass out of her hands and tossed it haphazardly in the sink, his gaze never leaving hers. Trapping her, he gripped the counter so tightly she could feel the wood buckling against the small of her back.

  “You may not love me now, mio piccolo tesoro, but I can change that. For my kind having a mate is a very big deal. No one can love you like I can love you. No man can give you pleasure like I will; a pleasure of the mind, not just the body. So tell me, Miss Sasha, who else can promise you that? Who can promise to be faithful? Who can promise to never get bored with you? What about those children you want so badly? Who will be there as they grow inside you until making their way into the world, and even after that?”

  By the time Antoni stopped talking Sasha was glaring at him, her eyes hard despite the glaze that thickly covered them.

  “That’s not fair. How am I supposed to answer those questions if I’m stuck with you and not finding out for myself?” Backing away a single step, Antoni once again crossed his arms over his chest with a glare of his own. Sasha was one stubborn woman. Why she couldn’t just accept this was totally beyond his scope of comprehension. Eventually he let out a gruff snort, disliking the only idea that came to mind. She’d just have to figure it out for herself.

  “Fine. Let’s make a deal. One night is all I’m asking for. I get one night with you to do whatever I want, and then you can go find out for yourself that I’m telling the truth. After tonight I won’t contact you unless you contact me first.”

  For a long time, Sasha didn’t respond, her eyebrows furrowed in thought. This was the last thing she expected to happen. Maybe Antoni was right. Maybe he was the best thing that would ever happen to her, and maybe he was the only man for her. What if he was wrong, though? That little doubtful voice in her mind couldn’t help but speak up. After all, she knew nothing about shifters or their ideals or way of life.

  “And if you’re wrong?” Finally posing her question, Sasha watched Antoni’s eyes flash that light amber color before he opened his mouth.

  “I’m not wrong, but obviously you need to realize that on your own. I’ll tell you everything you should know right now, and before you wake up tomorrow I’ll be gone. Then you can see how you feel.” Frowning, Sasha didn’t know if she really wanted to deal with this after the day she’d had. It was hard to think that she only met Antoni hours ago and now he was basically telling her they belonged together. Frankly she wanted to say ‘no’, and tell him to leave.

  For some reason she didn’t, keeping her lips tightly sealed as she continued to ponder this deal.

  “You have nothing to lose here, Sasha.” Reaching up to rub her eyes with the butts of her palms, Sasha ground her teeth together as Antoni’s words filled her brain. He was right; she didn’t have anything to lose with this deal. It irritated her.

  “If you do any weird shifter thing t-”

  Cutting Sasha off, Antoni shook his head and reigned in his inner beast. This was his chance. It would be his only chance, and he couldn’t mess it up by being hasty. As much as the beast hated it he had to lay low for now. He wasn’t going to just show her pleasure. He was going to lavish her in a way no one could top.

  “No weird shifter thing, I promise. Just you and me. No wolf.” Taking the initiative, Antoni reached to take her hand and Sasha gulped down her nerves. It was official, the voice in her head said, she was insane. He led her across the kitchen toward the short hallway that held her bedroom and the bathroom. Without words he sat her on the covered toilet, and she wrung her fingers absently. The man wasted no time in pulling the shower curtain open, shoving the stopper in the drain, and turning on the bath faucet.

  “You know, mio piccolo tesoro, I didn’t know what to think when I walked into that school yard. Beautiful was the first word that came to mind. I grew up in Italy, coming back and forth between there and here. There are a lot of beautiful women in America, Italy, France- everywhere. But you... You’re the most beautiful of all.” Kneeling, Antoni’s voice was low and serious and Sasha finally felt her face flood with heat. A small smile graced her lips as he ran his palm down the material of her loose jeans. Slowly he removed her sneaker, and then her sock. Moving onto her left side, his fingertips tickled her ankle before moving to the hem of her dark blue blouse.

  “Everything I’ve learned about you since then has been quite a ride. It’s admirable what you’ve accomplished after seeing what you had to work with. I’m sure I’ll get the whole story some day.”

  Carefully pulling up her shirt, Antoni continued talking and Sasha had to take shallow breaths to keep herself semi-calm. Her lacy, black bra was soon revealed, and only a second later the fabric was above her head before being dropped, useless to the floor. Taking her hands, he urged her to stand but stayed down himself to slowly trail the waist line of her jeans.

  “Do you understand how good you smell, Sasha? Feminine and sexy and fertile. You’ll make wonderful children- be a wonderful mother.” Slowly wrapping around Sasha’s hips, Antoni pressed his forehead against the button of her jeans with a deep inhale. He wanted to shove his nose between her legs and taste her, but it took all of his will power not to. Just by her scent he knew everything he needed to know. Healthy, fertile and ready. She wasn’t ovulating, but she would soon. First he had to mark her, though. It was much easier to get pregnant when she bore his mark.

  “That’s kind of weird...” Heavy, Sasha’s voice was low and husky but she managed not to stutter. Antoni was unwrapping her like a cherished present he’d waited too long for. It made her heart flutter erratically in her chest that he could feel that kind of thing just by smelling her. Heat slithered in her veins, and she closed her eyes with a slight sigh. Behind her eyelids his light, tanned skin contrasted hers, her mind’s eye following his touch as he slid her jeans down her legs.

  ****

  Turning to shut off the tub faucet, Antoni c
hecked the water before lifting Sasha with an arm under her glorious, tight ass. She wasn’t stick thin, with a body he could squeeze even though it wasn’t chubby. He kept her underclothes on, wanting to save the best for last. She wasn’t aroused, but he hadn’t been trying to get her there. Settling her carefully into the water, he liked that she had a relatively larger bath tub. It meant he could get in with her.

  Antoni climbed into the tub with her, but Sasha didn’t open her eyes. His legs cradled hers, and he gently massaged her right foot. Under the water it didn’t tickle as it would’ve if it were dry. Sighing, she sunk deeper into the tub and let her head loll to the side. The hot water sucked the tension of the day from her muscles, and he slowly moved up her calf, fingers kneading incessantly.

  “I remember the first time I came to America as an adult. My sister lived in New York state at the time, and I liked it there. When she got pregnant she moved down here, excited that it was the perfect place to have a family. Things are different here, you know. In Italy we don’t have packs, we just have areas of land. Wolf shifters are family there, all related by blood. Here, there are a lot more shifters from many families. My sister wants me to buy a house in her neighborhood so when we are together, we can be close.”

  Antoni talked about his family, about Italy and the places he’d been. He talked about himself and what he liked and didn’t like. All of it flowed right over Sasha’s head as his hands massaged her flesh. Calves, outer thighs, inner thighs; he rubbed and caressed and squeezed sweetly as his voice created background music.

  When he couldn’t go any higher Antoni gathered her up, and Sasha felt like a limp noodle. She hadn’t felt so relaxed in years. No one had paid attention to her body like this before, not even herself. It made her skin tingle from the numbness that crept up on her. Wrapped haphazardly in a towel, she wondered if she made the right decision by being so stubborn. Then again this could just be a one-time thing meant to lure her in, her rationality told her.

  Being set front first on her bed, she couldn’t find it in her to care.

  Sitting lightly on Sasha’s thighs, Antoni started working on her back with growing affection blossoming in his chest. When she was taken care of she was actually quite docile, and he liked that about her. He enjoyed her fire and her rain. Most males knew their mate was perfect for them, but he felt it more than he thought he would. Her dark skin was beautiful between his fingers, soft and smooth under his palms. His thoughts couldn’t trail any lower or he’d be in trouble.

  “Y- yeah...” A soft moan left Sasha’s mouth as Antoni moved to her lower back, and she pushed herself up a bit. Even her groggy mind registered the turning point. Leaning over her, he mouthed her skin even while his hands continued their magic, leaving only long enough to brush her hair to the side.

  “Yeah? Do you like it there?” Mumbling, Antoni nibbled her shoulder and a shiver slid down Sasha’s spine. It was like a dirty secret shared only between them. Forcing one eye open, she glanced up dazedly before he pressed all of his chest to her back.

  “Oh-h-” Grinding against her ass, Antoni flicked his tongue over Sasha’s ear and drew out another moan. She wasn’t a virgin by any stretch of the imagination, but still she had no idea what to expect. It was kind of exciting to be faced with the unknown.

  Slowly Antoni rolled her onto her back, and Sasha let out a sigh as he nestled between her thighs. His kiss was soft, coaxing her into a passionate and slow meeting of lips. A small smile curved her mouth at the sudden idea of how her parents would react if they saw her right now. They would disown her, do anything they could to ruin her life. Hell, they’d probably even try to go after her job.

  “What’s so funny, mio piccolo tesoro?” Letting out a huff, Sasha arched her back slightly as Antoni’s lips hovered just above her own.

  “My parents...” There was a second huff that didn’t come from her, and she lazily reached up to pull his face back down. Leisurely they kissed, gently grinding together. He didn’t fondle her, but his hard member between her thighs was enough to heat her blood. The faintest of tightness was overtaking her belly, and her arm fell above her head when she couldn’t hold it up anymore.

  Gasping at the hot, silky flesh that slid between her folds, Sasha opened her legs a bit more before Antoni moved away from her mouth. With care he thrust his hips and pulled back until the tip of his cock was positioned at her entrance. Kissing her jaw and cheek, he tensed against her before thrusting once again. His groan mingled with her moan, mixing together in a moment of muted heat. She could feel every ridge and seam, ever vein. He was the perfect length for her, hips touching but no pressure.

  “Ah-h-h...” Exiting her, Antoni ground his teeth together as Sasha’s channel sucked him in. She was hot around him, wet and tight and made perfectly for his cock. Beneath him she arched and writhed weakly, her face contorted in pleasure. Lips apart, she might’ve been in more bliss than he was. Picking up his pace, he clenched the bedspread between his fingers as sweat began to accumulate on his back and shoulders.

  Antoni went slow and steady, and Sasha was drowning in the feeling of what was more than sex. He was making love to her, caressing her from the outside in. The coils in her abdomen began to tighten as he soothed her walls sweetly. Coaxing them into a fit of spasms, his length slid in and out of her in a beautiful dance made just for her. Again and again they came together, hips touching only to be pulled apart once more.

  “Sasha...” When the time finally came, Sasha imploded, but instead of fire and lava there were flowers. Antoni weighed down on her, panting heavily in her ear as she did the same. She couldn’t move with his body pressed against hers, and she didn’t want to. There was nothing now; nothing but him and her and the darkness that crept up on the edges of her consciousness. Snuggling into his chest, she felt him softening inside her but paid in no mind.

  Maybe when she woke up they could do it again when she wasn’t so tired from his massage.

  “Good night, mio piccolo tesoro.” Taking Sasha against his side, Antoni was already feeling the struggle of what was to come. He was going to spend as much time as he possibly could here before she woke up, and then he would leave. A man of his word, his mother had described him once. Holding his mate, he frowned as he inhaled her scent, her femininity mixed with his sweat and the staling smell of sex. Slowly he began to shift, being careful not to wake her. Dark brown fur the same color as her skin sprouted all over him, and it didn’t take long for his four legged form to take hold. Throwing his massive paw over her midsection, he nudged and tugged as gently as he could manage. It helped that she rolled into him, burying her face and tangling her fingers in his fur as her knees pulled up.

  Waking up the next morning, Sasha groggily rolled over expecting to hit the body that had been beside her. All she felt was warmth slowly seeping from the sheets, though. Cracking open her eyes, she frowned lightly and lifted her head to look around. Instantly the sensation of having a drunken one night stand speared her chest, and she let her head down with a huff. Staring at the ceiling, her palms came up to rub her eyes before she let out a heavy sigh.

  Antoni really hadn’t been kidding when he said he would leave before she woke up. Unsure of how to feel about it, Sasha pulled her comforter over her face and took a breath. It didn’t smell like laundry detergent anymore. Instead, the lingering scent of sex and sweat wrapped around the inside of her nostrils and a groan escaped her.

  It took a long while for Sasha to get out of her bed and when she did her legs were like jelly. Shuffling somberly to the bathroom, her last experience flashed vividly in her mind’s eye. A frown overtook her face, and she shook her head furiously to be rid of the visions. She couldn’t think about that now.

  “Hey Sasha, I know it’s pretty short notice but the camp coordinators want all of the counselors to come in on Thursday for orientation. You’re going to be here from then on, so make sure you pack accordingly. See you in a few days!”

  Groaning into her cell pho
ne, Sasha hit the ‘end’ button with what seemed like a permanent frown on her face. It was already Tuesday, and ‘short notice’ was an understatement. Leaning on the back of her chair, she let her head fall back and contemplated the mess that was her life right now. Being a teacher wasn’t a full time job that went year in and year out. That was the only reason she was doing this camp thing. If she had a choice she wouldn’t be, though.

  She hated camps; all of the bugs and the smells and the general outdoors-ie-ness wasn’t her cup of tea. It paid well, and she had to constantly remind herself of that.

  Antoni had left his number in her phone before leaving, and Sasha stared at it for a moment. Everything he’d said, everything he’d told her, came rushing back. Even knowing so much about him, he was still a stranger. She didn’t even know what he did for a living, but somehow knew all of this other seemingly more important information about him. Hovering over the call button, her thumb wavered before she took the plunge.

  Who was she kidding anyway? Sasha didn’t date for many reasons and Antoni had basically snatched away all of her doubts about it. He wasn’t a slum runner or a wannabe gangster like she’d seen so many times before. It was glaringly obvious he was the exact opposite, in fact. Not only was he a successful man that clearly had his life together, but if she wanted to get technical he was more than just a man.

  “Hello?” Antoni’s voice rang through the speaker and Sasha didn’t offer a response immediately. Taking a breath, she lifted her head to stare at the table with furrowed eyebrows.

  “I have to work at an overnight camp for the summer.” Blurting out the tidbit of information, Sasha held her lungs still as some faint noise crackled over the line. When Antoni did speak up she could practically hear his smirk, and it didn’t make her feel any better about her indecision.