by E A Price
“I’m leaving; I’ll drive you home,” he declared forcefully, not waiting for her to catch her breath.
“Oh, okay,” breathed Erin, not unhappily.
He nodded and grasped her arm, leading her out of the bar and to his car. He knew he was being unfair; refusing to be with her but trying to stop her from being with anyone else. Part of him knew how awful that was, but a larger part of him didn’t care. She was his. She just couldn’t be his yet. And while he waited, he’d make damn sure she didn’t become anyone else’s either.
*
“How are you feeling?” asked the doctor.
Tom ‘the hammer’ Murphy raised his tired eyes. He lifted his leaden hand to remove the oxygen mask. He struggled to get it off and the doctor, in spite of Tom’s glare, helped him. Tom didn’t like that he needed help; he resented feeling weak in front of anyone, in particular in front of a lesser shifter like this damn badger doctor.
“Fine,” he growled.
“Your vitals look excellent, better than expected. You can rest here for the night and then your, ah, friend can take your home.”
The doctor nervously nodded to the corner of the room where Tom’s bodyguard, Alfie, a tough-as-hell elephant shifter, was sat in a chair. To the casual observer he seemed to be relaxed and engrossed in a paperback copy of, surprisingly, Pride and Prejudice, but Tom knew that the slightest nod of his head would have Alfie thundering across the room and ripping the badger apart.
“What if I want to go sooner?” asked Tom belligerently. He hated to be told what to do no matter the circumstances.
The doctor shrugged unconcernedly. “Then go. This isn’t a hospital. If you fall down dead the moment you get out of here, it won’t be our problem.”
Tom pursed his lips, appeased slightly. “I’ll leave when I’m ready.”
“Okay, holler if you need anything. I’ll be down the corridor watching LLPD Bloopers.”
The doctor spun on his heel and ambled out the room. Tom tracked his movements. Ugh, prey.
He ran his hand down the front of his chest. He’d have a scar for the rest of his life, but after a couple of weeks it would knit itself into a thin silver line. He could already feel himself mending; he could feel his heart – his new heart - beating more strongly, thumping as it did forty years ago.
It was incredible, unbelievable and absolutely exhilarating. He felt like he could climb a mountain, jump out of a plane, and take several young women to his bed without breaking a sweat. Just like the good old days.
He had to admit, the doctor did good work. Perhaps he could persuade the doctor to come onto his payroll, couldn’t hurt to have a talented – yet disreputable – medic on hand.
Yep, it had been worth every cent. Although the behavior of the asshole who put all this together still rankled. He deserved respect, he deserved better than a pipsqueak upstart talking to him like he was nothing! Red-hot rage boiled in his veins, his heart pounded in fury, and for the first time in months he felt… he felt fine. He was back to his old self! It was amazing.
That moment, his life began anew.
Chapter Seven
The next two weeks almost became routine. At work, Erin was put through torturous amounts of training by Avery and Wayne while Cutter looked on and sneered. The only case they had during that time was a murder, which solved itself when the murderer handed himself in and confessed. There were whispers of further missing shifters, but as it wasn’t their case, they didn’t get a lot of details.
Spare time was spent going through open cases. On the plus side, she got to spend time with Jessie, going out to lunch and shopping. Jessie loved shopping. On the down side, Gunner seemed to be going out of his way to avoid her at work.
The team went out numerous times to the bar for drinks, and every time Gunner would insist on driving her home. She daren’t turn down his offer of a ride; she dreaded disappointing him. The ride home would always mirror the first time. Gunner asked her various innocuous questions about her likes and dislikes, and he seemed pleased when she asked him things, too. When they reached her apartment, he would insist on walking her to the door, he would lament her poor security, linger as if he was about to kiss her and then leave abruptly.
It was frustrating as hell!
Erin wondered at his behavior. She didn’t exactly have a lot of experience where men were concerned, but she suspected he did have feelings for her that surpassed those of just a colleague. He bordered on frosty to her at work, but he seemed overly concerned after hours. Sure, he could have just been worried about her as a friend, but she didn’t see him behaving that way to Avery or Jessie. But then, he trusted that the two of them could actually take care of themselves. She knew he didn’t think she was capable.
She considered saying something to him, but if she really did have the complete wrong end of the stick, it would be absolutely mortifying. He’d probably laugh at her for being dumb enough to think that someone like him would even give an average looking human like her the time of day. She wasn’t blind; she could see the way women eyed him at the bar. Hell, she could see the way other agents ogled him at work. It left her steaming and frustrated as hell because she couldn’t rightly tell them to keep their slutty eye-fondling to themselves.
Erin prayed that the situation would come to a head – and soon – because there were only so many cold showers she could take.
*
Gunner rolled his shoulders as he loaded his gun. Yep, a bit of target practice couldn’t hurt. It had been weeks since he’d done any.
The door behind him opened, and he heard a muffled gasp. He didn’t need to hear that to know it was her, though; her vanilla scent invaded his senses, making his beast whimper in delight.
“Oh! What a surprise, I didn’t know you’d be here,” she exclaimed, unable to hide the sliver of happiness in her voice.
He turned round and smiled at her. But he knew she would be. She’d started a routine of target practice whenever she could at about 7pm, choosing that time because the place was usually deserted by then. There was generally a mass exodus of the building at 5pm.
Gunner gathered from Wayne that Erin was hesitant and shy about her own prowess with a gun, but was desperate to improve. She just wasn’t keen to practice in front of other people. Given how pleased she was to see him, she didn’t seem to have an issue with him being there.
“I just thought I’d get a little practice in; it’s been a while,” he said nonchalantly.
Erin bobbed her dark head. “Me too, not that it’s been a while for me, I need all the practice I can get.”
She laughed nervously and looked at her feet.
Gunner shrugged. “You just have to give it time.”
“Oh, I don’t think I’m ever going to be any good at this.” Her cheeks flushed as she realized that perhaps she ought not to have admitted that.
“Come on, everyone needs practice. You don’t think I was born this amazing, do you?”
“Yes,” she breathed before gazing at him through her eyelashes.
Heat pulsed through his body, and the desire, the want and the need of the past two weeks reached boiling point.
“Erin, I…”
He was cut off by the laughs of the two male shifters making their way into the room. His bear was furious at the interruption and Gunner wasn’t far behind. They were the reason he was down there in the first place.
Erin’s habit of practicing had also become apparent to other people in the building, namely Diaz and Wes. The jaguar and the liger. According to Wayne, who pretty much knew all the comings and goings of people around the building, the two a-hole shifters had also taken it upon themselves to come to the shooting range, just when Erin happened to be there. Gunner had to put a stop to that.
He suspected that Wes was just trying to get her to join his team, figuring that a psychic would make his job a lot easier. Diaz, on the other hand, he was sure that the cat wanted to get into her pants. Gunner wasn’t blind; the gu
y wasn’t wholly repulsive and if the jaguar managed to hide his smarmy personality, Gunner was sure that a woman might take pity on him and agree to go on a date with him. He just didn’t want Erin to be that woman.
The two men stopped when they saw the huge polar bear shifter glaring at them. He was a little pleased to note that their shoulders dropped a smidge on seeing him there. No way could they cajole Erin into doing what they wanted when he was around.
They grudgingly nodded at Gunner and said hello to Erin, who waved in return.
Gunner was gratified when Erin ignored them and turned to him. “Could you give me a few pointers? I don’t think I’m standing right, my shoulder really hurts after I’m finished.”
As if in explanation she twisted her shoulder round.
“Of course,” he agreed, delighted to have any excuse to get her away from the other males. Other, inferior males.
He led her as far away from them as possible and set her up with a gun and ear protectors. He indicated for her to start shooting. It was almost painful to watch. She crunched up her face, hunched up her body and completely tensed as she let off the first round. She hit the paper target; she just didn’t hit the silhouette of the man.
Wordlessly, he repositioned her slightly. His hands roamed over her arms, gently tugging them. He swiveled her hips and couldn’t help but notice as she gulped when his fingers accidentally – on purpose – trailed over her plump ass.
Dang, how could he have failed to notice her ass before? He’d completely neglected it, preferring to obsess over her rounded breasts and pretty, pink mouth. It was just the right size for his hands…
Crap. She was looking at him expectantly. He ignored his mounting arousal and made a big show of twisting her body ever so slightly to the left. He gave her the thumbs up, and she tried to shoot again. She actually managed to hit the silhouette, right in the arm.
Gunner nodded encouragement and then tried to loosen up her arms. He stood behind her; his muscled chest grazed her back. He took each arm and slowly made her stretch. After that, he positioned her and motioned for her to try again.
The look of surprised glee on her face when she hit the center of the silhouette was charming. He chuckled as she did a happy little jig, and almost thought she was going to give him a hug. He would have let her too, in spite of being under the watchful eyes of Wes and Diaz.
After that, she couldn’t get enough. They stayed for ages, practicing over and over. Even Wes and Diaz gave up and left before they did.
He wondered at all the people who had ever tried to teach her to shoot. It had been so easy. Perhaps they just weren’t as patient as him. Still, it made him proud at how she blossomed under his tutelage.
Finally, he had to admit it was getting late. He pulled off his ear defenders and indicated she should do the same.
“We’ve been here a while; we ought to go.”
“Yeah,” she agreed unenthusiastically.
“Drink?” he offered.
“No, I don’t really feel like it. I’m not much of a drinker.”
“I’ll drive you home.”
“You don’t have to do that, I don’t mind taking the bus,” she said, bashfully.
His hackles rose at that as his bear grumbled. No way was he letting her ride the bus at night. “I don’t have to; I want to,” he replied simply.
Judging by the smile she failed to conceal, that had been the right thing to say.
*
The ride home was like the other nights. He asked her a few basic questions, nothing very intimate, while she darted quick little glances in his direction, pretending she wasn’t completely infatuated with him.
It had been an unexpected pleasure to find Gunner at the shooting range. It also meant she was spared from having to deal with Wes and Diaz. They were nice enough guys, but she could hardly practice when they were asking her questions every five seconds. Plus, she didn’t particularly enjoy their laughs of derision when she missed the target.
Gunner didn’t laugh though. No, he helped her. He showed her what she needed to do and for once she actually felt like she was making some progress. Just when she thought her warm, fuzzy feelings for the bear couldn’t get any stronger he had to do something like that.
All too soon they arrived at her apartment. Would it be weird if she asked him to circle the block a few times just to prolong their alone time? Probably. No, definitely.
As usual, he walked her to her door and waited for her to unlock it and go in. She hesitated when she entered and turned back to see him filling the door frame. She had to say something or do something. Otherwise, this was what it was going to be like for the rest of their lives. Her panting, dreaming and obsessing over him, while he acted chivalrous and apparently completely blind to her lust for him.
Yes, she had to say something that would make him see the depth of her feelings for him. “Would you like some coffee?”
Ugh, well it was better than nothing, she supposed.
Gunner cocked his head on one side. “Sure.”
Yes! He said yes!
He ambled into the apartment and locked and bolted the door. It reminded her of the first time he’d ever visited her.
She turned and made her way to the kitchen before stopping and groaning.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, inches behind making her jump.
Seriously, he made no noise when he moved! The darn bear needed a bell.
“I don’t have any coffee,” she admitted quietly.
He sucked in a breath. “I don’t want coffee,” he murmured before she felt his scorching lips on her neck.
Erin let out a small whimper before sagging against him. He twisted her in his arms, lifting her off the ground and pulling her tautly against his body. Oh, it was really happening!
His lips crashed against hers, devouring, tasting and unleashing passion she hadn’t even begun to guess at. Finally pulling away, he leaned his forehead against hers, breathing heavily.
“Oh my…” she breathed as she saw his sharpened teeth.
Gunner winced slightly. “Sorry, my beast…”
She didn’t know what came over her, but she pushed her lips against his open mouth and licked her tongue over his teeth. Oh, it was such a turn on! The idea that this man, shuddering against her, could be such a deadly beast, was ferociously arousing.
Erin drew away and delighted in his growl of arousal.
“Fuck, Erin, do you have any idea what you do to me?”
What she did to him? Was he kidding? If he weren’t holding her up she’d be a puddle on the floor right about now.
Gunner started rubbing his hands over her body, kneading the globes of her ass. Mmmm, that felt so nice.
His expression turned dark. “We don’t have to do anything you don’t want.”
“I want to,” she whispered against his mouth, scarcely believing that this wanton creature was her.
He laughed roughly. “Thank fuck for that, because I was lying. I’m taking you to bed right now, and short of an earth quake and the roof falling in, nothing is stopping me.”
“Oh, that sounds nice,” she blurted before groaning at her uncontrollable mouth.
If anything, it only served to incite him more. “Babe, the things I am going to do to you… Bedroom?”
Erin waved her hand in the direction, and he fairly flew there. In a whirlwind of hands and arms, he divested her of her clothes, and she was squirming on the bed, as Gunner, now shirtless, shoeless and sockless, was licking and kissing her skin.
He tugged on her earlobe, before flourishing kisses over her neck and nibbling on her collarbone, and, oh, she almost died when his mouth found her breasts. She threaded her fingers through his hair and strained towards him, eager for him to take more. He smoothed his tongue over her heated skin, lightly biting her nipple before moving onto its twin.
She almost cried when he released her and drew back to kneel between her legs. His eyes did a slow sweep of her body and, knock h
er over with a feather, he certainly seemed to like what he saw.
“Do you have any lube?”
Erin flushed all over. “What? No.”
His brow crinkled. “Have you never used it?”
What sort of question was that? “Well, I, umm, last time I was, uh, intimate with someone he used a lubed condom. That was enough. And he was only inside me for less than a minute.”
Erin slapped her hands over her face. Why did she just say that? She was lying in bed, naked, with the hottest guy she ever met just waiting to make love to her, and she was making a complete ass out of herself.
“Stop laughing,” came her muffled voice under her hands. She couldn’t see him, but she knew he was shaking in silent laughter.
She felt his body heat seeping into hers as he leaned over her. Gently, he pried her hands away from her, undoubtedly, tomato red face.
He laced her fingers with his as he placed soft kisses over her cheeks. “I’m sorry, babe. You don’t have to feel embarrassed about that; you can tell me anything. I’m guessing you don’t have much experience, am I right?”
She bit her lip and nodded. This conversation was so humiliating. Yet, when she admitted to her lack of sexual prowess he almost seemed to sigh in relief.
“And I’m pretty confident that I’m a lot bigger than any of the guys you’ve been with before…”
“Someone’s conceited!” she blurted.
Gunner chuckled throatily. “With good reason,” he purred. “And I just want to make sure I don’t hurt you. But, I have a better idea.”
Erin frowned as he slid off the end of the bed, but squealed as he grasped her legs and pulled her body down to him. He placed her legs on his shoulders and positioned his mouth at her sex.
Holy hell! He was going to… Her thoughts were interrupted as Gunner did indeed swipe his tongue over her slit. Her body arched at the unexpected and alien sensation. Her fingers gripped the bed sheets, and she threw her head back as he began his sensual attack.
Her toes curled as her body trembled under the delicious onslaught. Neither of her sexual partners had oral sex as part of their sexual repertoire. One claimed it was just something you saw in porn flicks, and the other said he didn’t want to put his mouth down there. But, dang, it was the most unbelievable thing she had ever felt.
