by Amelia Jade
But before he could slip back out the door, a shadow loomed up, blocking the ambient light from the various windows and streetlamps that was visible through the doorway.
“What are you doing out here?”
Shit.
“Uh, hi Martin,” he said lamely, standing up.
“You’re not supposed to be out of your quarters. Why are you outside the building?”
Hector rolled his eyes. “Come on, Martin. You know as well as I do that the confinement to quarters was a snap reaction on Andrew’s part. That if he could go back he wouldn’t do it again, but now he’s stuck and can’t rescind it or else he looks bad to his bosses. Just drop it, man.”
The other shifter didn’t move from the doorway. “Maybe you’re right, Hector. But the fact remains that he did give that order, and now you’re disobeying it. I have to take you in and report that.”
Trying to contain his irritation at the new guy, Hector kept his sigh small. “No, you don’t, Martin. I’m not running away, I’m coming back shortly, and I’ll be back in the room by morning. Absolutely nobody will know of this.”
“I will.”
“Well, yes,” he said, growing increasingly frustrated. “But if you don’t tell anyone, then it’ll be fine. I’m not going to rat you out. That’s not what friends do.”
Martin seemed to consider that for a moment, his body language relaxing a little. Hector relaxed too, relieved that he’d gotten his friend to understand the situation and go along with it. Nobody would get harmed from his little departure, and he would be back before the sun rose to start working on the repairs again.
“I can’t let you go,” Martin said, his shoulders straightening in the dark. “I’m sorry Hector, but orders are orders.”
Angrily, Hector stepped forward. “Get out of my way, Martin.” He didn’t have time for this. Rachel was waiting and he needed to be there. With his mate. She needed to know that he would come when he said he would, that he would keep his word. There was no way that Hector was going to lie to her twice.
But was he ready to fight Martin if that’s what it came to. The other shifter didn’t seem willing to back down either. Hector had never hit a fellow guard, someone he considered a friend, but it seemed like he was going down that path now. When push came to shove, could he do it?
“I’m not moving. You’re coming with me to see Andrew, who will decide what to do. I’m not willing to disobey his orders.”
Hector sighed, dropped his head, and stepped forward, ready to acquiesce and follow Martin.
“I’m sorry,” he said as they exited the storage shed.
“For trying to escape?” Martin asked, pointing toward the nearest door inside.
“No, for this,” Hector replied as he spun, his left hook snapping Martin’s jaw backward.
The blow had been completely un-telegraphed. There was no warning. One second Hector was walking, defeated, the next he pivoted and swung. It should have been impossible for Martin to get out of the way. But he must have been expecting it, because he was already ducking away from Hector, greatly reducing the damage of the blow. It still rocked him back and out of range, but it gave him time to recover as Hector came charging in.
The two grappled, but Hector kept his friend off balance. He took a glancing blow to the temple, trading it in return for the chance to get in close and pummel Martin’s midsection, driving the air from his fellow guard.
“Oomph,” Martin grunted, doubling over in surprise.
“Sorry,” he hissed, and drove his knee up into his friend’s face.
Martin’s eyes rolled up into his head and he wobbled. Hector grabbed him and lowered him slowly to the ground. He was ready to hit him again, but Martin was out for the moment. It wouldn’t last long, but Hector pulled him off the pavement and dumped him back in the storage shed, closing and locking it behind him, more out of spite than anything.
With one final glance over his shoulder, he flung himself over the fence that surrounded the rear loading dock of the embassy and headed southwest into the city on a direct line to the complex where all the Institute women were quartered. It wasn’t far, and his booted feet, no longer concerned about needing to keep quiet, pounded heavily across the pavement as he ran at a speed that would have left even a champion sprinter in the dust.
The city was bathed in darkness, only sparsely lit by the odd streetlight or neon sign that never seemed to shut off. It wasn’t the pure darkness of the forest that he’d grown up with, but it didn’t matter to him; he could see just as well in either. Hector simply jumped over any obstacle that he could, such as cars, fences, and other smaller obstacles, while he darted around houses and shops, moving as fast as he could. It took him no more than five minutes to cross the distance at a full-out run. He emerged from a small woodlot just up the road from the complex and came to a slow jog as he closed, allowing his breathing to recover. Even for a shifter that had been an exerting sprint.
By the time he got to Rachel’s door, he wasn’t even breathing heavily. His fist rose and he made sure he tapped on the door. Gently. There was no need to risk waking up the neighbors, and he had a feeling Rachel would be standing nearby ready to—
The door opened to reveal her smiling face. Leafy green eyes bracketed by high cheekbones and eyebrows with a lovely natural curve to them greeted him with delight at the sight of him. Rachel leaned on the doorframe and ran a hand through her short pastel-pink hair in a nervous gesture he doubted she truly realized she did.
“Hi,” she said, letting out what was likely a long-held breath.
“Hello. I’m sorry I’m late.”
Rachel’s smile became a grin for a moment. “Better late than never,” she replied, looking out at him as light washed out into the darkness, outlining her short, stocky frame for him.
God, she was gorgeous, standing there in shorts that barely came to mid-thigh and a gray tank top. Rachel would never classify in anyone’s dictionary as curvy. She was cut from straight lines, with wide shoulders and a frame that could have worked for a weightlifter. She had large breasts over the top of the soft swell of her stomach. Thick legs that looked equal parts muscle and not supported it all.
She might not have been conventionally beautiful, but Hector couldn’t stop staring. He loved every part of her. The short near pixie-length hair, the nose ring, and little birthmark on her neck. The greens of her eyes and the slightly rosy hue to her cheeks that could be natural or could be a result of him staring. Even her little button nose just fit.
The silence between them grew longer as he simply stared at her beautiful features. Rachel was staring right back at him, neither of them wanting to be the first to give in and break the spell. He saw her throat bob up and down as she swallowed, and he took a deep, steadying breath in return.
Without thinking about it, Hector took a step forward into her house. He loomed above Rachel now, who hadn’t retreated as he came closer. She simply tilted her head to look up at him, her mouth dropping open slightly. He saw her pupils dilate and as he reached forward to touch her, the tips of her breasts began to push through her clothing.
“Stunning,” he said softly, and then before he could stop himself he leaned in and kissed her.
Rachel’s body froze in surprise as he touched his lips to hers, tasting her softness for the first time. She was exquisite, like fresh honey with a bit of cinnamon mixed in. The taste was addictive, and though she was still unmoving he went in for a second time. He lifted a hand to cup her chin, holding her trembling features still as he kissed her, and a moment later she began to kiss him back. Her body melted as she fell into the kiss, returning his desire with her passion, the two mixing together to form something intangible between them.
They parted but not for long. The boundary between them had been broken and now all either of them wanted was more. He stepped fully inside her house, the door at long last closing behind him, sealing them alone.
“How long do you have?” she asked as they
parted.
He covered her mouth with his again.
“I have to be back before sunrise,” he whispered, stroking her face with his one hand as they stared into each other’s eyes.
“Well, that’s a long way off,” she said. “Want to come watch a movie to pass the time?”
Hector grinned. “I would love nothing more, as long as I can be close to you.”
They kissed once more.
“I think we can manage that,” Rachel said, and this time as they came together one of her hands reached out to touch his waist.
That simple connection sent a jolt through him, despite it not being skin-on-skin. There was something powerful about being touched by another being, especially one that was cared for. It was a simple and often overlooked thing, but its power never diminished, the effect it could have on someone could make all the difference in the world. To Hector, right then and there, it signified that she was genuinely, truly interested in what was going on between them, and that any reservations she might have had were coming down around him.
Rachel took him by the hand and led him to the nearby gray microfiber couch. She grasped both his hands then and used them to move him until he was sitting in the corner of it, lying across the couch. She then let go with one hand, but not both, neither of them wanting to be apart from each other at that moment. Her free hand grabbed first a blanket, and then the remote from the glass and metal-framed coffee table in front of the couch. With those tucked into her arm she returned to the couch, sinking easily into the comfortable material between his legs, until she leaned back and snuggled up against him, her head resting on his chest.
Hector barely dared to breathe, unwilling to disrupt the beautiful tableau that had been laid out in front of him. This was far more than he had ever thought might actually happen while he visited and the last thing he wished to do was make a wrong move that would send Rachel away, or him out the door. He deeply inhaled her scent, though it was faint, a bit of fresh spring water perhaps, though it was hard to tell. The subtlety of it was intoxicating in its own way, making him want to smell deeper, to try and pick up more of it to identify what it was.
Her hair was laid out upon his chest in front of him, and he contented himself with slowly stroking his fingers from the front of her head back over the crown and down the back while she fiddled with the remote and spread the blanket over the two of them. Hector didn’t need the covering, and he knew his own body heat would probably render it useless to Rachel sooner rather than later, but he didn’t care.
It all happened in silence. Neither of them needed to speak, somehow already attuned to each other’s wavelengths.
The movie began to play, but Hector didn’t notice. His attention was focused elsewhere.
Chapter Thirteen
Rachel
She lay against him under the blanket, her head resting on his chest.
Beneath it she could hear the strong double thump of his heartbeat, the regular rhythm of it threatening to lull her to sleep if she wasn’t so on edge about everything. Though they’d had a date already and spent the better part of an entire afternoon and evening together, this was still the first time they’d been in close contact for a prolonged amount of time. This was that first cuddle, the first time they entered each other’s personal space and stayed there.
Rachel had forgotten how exciting it was, the nervousness of the first kiss, the feelings, thoughts, and desires that came howling at one another as they shared that intimate moment, and then another, and another. She’d felt herself grow more aroused each time they kissed, and she’d been happy when they’d parted for a moment to move to the couch. She’d wanted to jump him right then and there.
Although the idea of having sex with Hector had crossed her mind several times, in serious thought and at other moments, this was the first time she’d thought about it where the possibility was actually a very strong reality. It was almost midnight, and he had just arrived. Hector was going to be here well into the night, and now they were watching a movie. She could feel him, the slight hardness between his legs as she leaned into him, but he hadn’t been trying anything. So far he seemed content to stroke her hair, which was perfectly okay with Rachel. She loved having her hair touched and played with. With it as short as it was, he had no problems running his fingers through it repeatedly, much to her delight.
“That feels wonderful,” she said out loud as the opening scene of the movie finished and the title scrolled across the screen. To her surprise, she couldn’t even remember having picked it.
Her mind was too preoccupied with what was happening on the couch. She was curled up with Hector, half on her side so that she could pretend to watch the television. It was a charade though, her attention fully focused on the abnormally warm shifter she was cuddled with.
“Good,” he said firmly as she peeled the blanket off, letting some of the near instant heat dissipate. Apparently with him she wouldn’t need such trappings. His body heat seemed to reach out and envelop her, caressing her entire body instead of warming her from behind like most men.
But then, Hector wasn’t like most men, was he? He was a shifter. Taller, stronger, faster, and surely good at many other things as well. Why shouldn’t he be able to keep her warm without a blanket?
Rachel tilted her head back so that she could look at him, making contact with his eyes, taking in the earthen tones to them and then past that, to the experiences his eyes had seen. There was so much written in there, so much she wanted to learn, to ask him about, to know about his past. But she didn’t, holding her tongue. It was better if it came out naturally, instead of her grilling him about every detail she could see carried within.
He licked his lips, and suddenly she was sitting up in his lap, moving closer to him as they began to kiss once more. Behind her sounds came from her television, but she no longer had any interest in them. Beneath her she felt Hector begin to stir, and once again she accepted the idea that sex with him was a distinct possibility that night. Rachel hadn’t wanted to throw herself at him the second she opened the door—
Okay, she had wanted to do that, but part of her wanted to act more restrained, to invite him in, ensure she was comfortable with him first before they got to any of the good stuff. It had taken a fraction of the amount of time that she’d thought it would, but if Rachel tried to say that she wasn’t comfortable with him now, she would be lying.
He parted her lips with his tongue.
She would also be lying if she said she wasn’t incredibly turned on either. His hand came up to cup her breast and she moaned softly as he gently played with them while they kissed. Eventually she completed her half-turn so that she was now straddling him, looking down at the powerful shifter and enjoying the access she had to him.
“I didn’t think I’d be doing this tonight,” she half-gasped into his ear as she settled back onto his hips, feeling the bulge between her legs that had to be his cock. It was already hard, a solid length that she could rub herself over, feeling him through the thin loose spandex shorts she wore.
Still neither of them spoke, having next to no need for words. All they needed were sounds, and the looks of raging desire that they were giving each other every time they parted from kissing momentarily to draw in air. The draw to him was so powerful it was practically palpable. Her body reacted, grinding her hips back and forth onto him while his hands lifted her shirt clear.
Before he’d arrived Rachel had wondered how he would react to her swollen belly if they did have sex. Would he ignore it? The idea that maybe he’d be repulsed by it had refused to go away, even when she’d argued that if it did bother him he’d be highly unlikely to take her shirt off. But as he did his hands transferred their warmth to her, sliding across the swell of her unborn child in a sensual motion that drew a moan of arousal from her. It was tough to explain, but his acceptance of her as she was evoked a reaction deep within her, an approval of him that she’d never known she needed.
Now she had it, and her body responded appropriately. The tips of her breasts hardened before he’d even freed them from her bra, straining out toward him, seeking his attention. He gently played with them, licking them gently, but not too much. One hand reached around and began to caress her ass, and she threw her head back to moan in delight at his touch. His fingers were so delightfully strong, they dug deep into her muscles, arousing her even further.
At some point Hector lost his shirt and she got his pants undone, but it was all starting to blur together. She remembered them switching positions as they lost the rest of their clothing, but that was about it. Only when she lay on her back and he slipped between her legs did things come snapping back into focus as his tongue flicked out to play with her, alternating between that and long, slow movements.
She gasped and moaned, the pleasure combined with the heat of his body turning her arousal up a level. Rachel wanted him. Now. No more waiting, no more games and activities.
“Fuck me,” she half-begged, driven wild as he slipped a finger inside of her as well, curling it up until he began to rub it while using his tongue on her. “Oh fuck, okay, don’t stop,” she cried out as her stomach flexed. The continued torment of his tongue forced her toes downward and she began to shake. Hector never let up, his eyes looking up at her, full of arousal, lust, desire, and something…else, something more. Rachel never could place what it was, because the look combined with everything else he was doing to her sent her over the edge. She cried out his name, the noise filling the air as she exploded under his tongue, the climax shuddering through her system like a jackhammer.
Hector wasted no time. She had only just pushed gently on his head to let him know he was good to stop when he got into a crouch and pressed the tip of his hard cock against her glistening opening, rubbing it against her gently several times to get it wet before pushing inside of her. Rachel gasped again as she stretched to accommodate him. He was big, but it had also been a very long time since she’d been with another man. Nearly seven months in fact. The two combined to make it a heightened experience for her. She came not once, but twice simply from the feeling of his cock as it inched deeper and deeper into her.
