Petting Them: An Anthology of Claw-ver Tails

by Tate James

  "His name’s Joppie," Preston finally said. "He's a good kid, lives not far from the clinic. His dad's a good guy. Works on a farm."

  "Wow," I said. "A kid and a lion." I couldn't imagine meeting a lion out in the open as a kid. No. In fact, I could hardly even picture meeting anything other than squirrels and gators. Florida was known for its gators.

  "Yeah, not something you see in America every day," Preston replied with a smile.

  "True." I found myself smiling back. The easy camaraderie from our past, rising back to the surface. It had been so long since we'd been like this. I had forgotten how easy Preston was to be around. It was one of the very reasons I had fallen in love with him to begin with.

  When Preston reached down for the gear shift, his fingers brushed my bare thigh. "Oh, sorry." He pulled them back, his hand snapping around the stick shift. But it was too late. I looked away as a new kind of heat rose to my face and expanded outward. I squashed it down as he pulled back onto the road.

  We drove back to the clinic in companionable silence, and as the car rumbled along, the wind in my hair, the wheels kicking up dust, I looked in my rearview mirror. Not far behind us, a majestic lion clambered to his feet, yawned after us, and ambled away. Preston was right. Leo shouldn't be locked up. I hoped he would be alright.

  8

  "Okay. You're gonna go out there, and you're going to..." I trailed off as I stared at myself in the mirror. What was I going to do again? I was going to...go on a date with Wren. I looked down at my dress. It wasn't fancy—I hadn't exactly brought along cocktail dresses in my suitcase—but it was nice enough. Hopefully, it would work. I turned away from the mirror, pacing across the floor and back. Once. Twice. Three times...I kept pacing.

  Did I just go looking for him? What if he wasn't ready? When I had seen him after getting back from checking on Leo with Preston, Wren had said he'd come back from town later to pick me up tonight. So, that meant I would wait.

  I sighed and collapsed onto my temporary bed, hanging my head in my hands. What if I wasn't doing the right thing? Preston and I were long over. There was no way I'd welcome him back. I mean, it's not like I wanted him back anyway. Even if he was just as handsome as he had always been. Even if he was sweet and caring and seeing him with the animals did something to my insides. I groaned.

  "You know what," I said to myself, "Noelle is right. I just need to get laid." That's what I would do tonight. When I went out with Wren. We'd have a good time and if the opportunity arose, I'd...well...I'd...you know...do it—the thing—get laid.

  When a knock sounded on my door, I nearly leaped out of my skin. Jumping up, I hurried towards the door, stopping briefly to double check my reflection in the small, frameless mirror hanging there. Yup. Still human looking. I reached for the lock on the door, flipped it and dragged it open.

  "Wren, hey," I said.

  His smile was dazzling as he looked at me. "You look beautiful, Jen."

  "Me?" I squeaked. "Well, you should look in a mirror, buddy." Buddy?! Stop. Jen. Stop talking. “I-I mean you look good too.”

  "You ready?" Wren asked. I nodded and reached back for my purse. "You won't need it." He stopped me. I looked at him confused—why wouldn't I need my purse?—but shrugged it off, snagging my phone and key. He reached out, taking my hand as he led me out into the night. I wondered what people did for dates in South Africa.

  Apparently, they made really big romantic gestures, I thought nearly a half an hour later, when Wren pulled up under what he told me was an acacia tree. The sun had set, the night air cool against my skin as he laid a blanket in the back of the truck we had borrowed from the clinic to stargaze.

  “Are you familiar with the constellations?” he asked.

  I shook my head even as I gazed up. There were so many stars. More than I had ever known. It was like—without all the lights and hubbub of the city—they could finally come out into the open. I felt as though I was seeing them all again for the first time. I noticed before, when I had first arrived, that the stars were magnificent and stunning compared to the same sky I had barely noticed in Florida. But now, it was like I was rediscovering them.

  “That’s the little dipper,” Wren pointed out, “and that’s the big dipper. Those are some of the most famous ones.”

  “What about the less famous constellations?” I whispered, afraid to speak too loud and disturb the quiet nature surrounding us.

  Wren turned his head, casting me a beautiful smile. Then he showed me. He pointed out Libra and Aquila and even Ophiuchus. When his hand fell on my arm, I started, and our gazes clashed.

  “Jen…” My name on Wren’s lips felt electric. When he looked at me, his eyes swept over me. “I didn’t bring you out here to do anything…” His honeyed gaze spanned away before returning, “I mean, nothing untoward.”

  I chuckled and teased, “Untoward? What are we? In Victorian England?”

  He chuckled too, his own laugh low and controlled. “I just meant, I’m not that kind of guy. I wouldn’t expect anything on the first date. I just wanted to show you the stars. I didn’t plan on doing anything else.”

  My heart rate sped up. I touched him, my hand on his arm, feeling the sinewy strength of his muscles. Before I knew what I was doing, the words were already escaping my mouth. “What if I wanted you to?”

  His eyes widened. “I-I—”

  “I mean, not if you don’t want to. I just meant...if you wanted to...you could, you know?” Wren leaned up, his full lips twitching. “It’s not a big deal,” I rushed to say, my hand pulling back from his arm. “I just—you’re attractive and I’m attractive, so…”

  “So, what?” Wren teased. “You thought a strange man would bring you out to the wilds of South Africa and have his way with you?”

  “Uh...maybe?” I blinked. “I mean, do you want to?”

  Wren’s eyes grew heated and he leaned down, staring at me all the while until his mouth hovered over mine. “I wouldn’t be averse to having a little taste,” he confessed just as his lips touched mine.

  Wren kissed like a dream. His mouth claimed mine, and it was soft, like an ocean wave coming in from a low tide. He kissed, and I felt like a starving woman finding an oasis in the desert. I moaned and reached up, twining my hands in his hair. His tongue rubbed against mine, causing me to shudder. I clutched onto him, kissing him back, letting myself be wild.

  Just for tonight, I thought. I haven’t had this in so long. I just want a taste. Just like him. He said he wanted a taste as well. This didn’t have to be forever.

  That last thought made me pause. Wren drew back, sensing my hesitation. “What’s wrong?” he asked with a frown. “Are you not...into this?” He looked me over with worry.

  “No,” I reassured him. “I do. I mean, I am!” I looked away. “It’s just...well, we haven’t—I mean, I don’t know what this means to you and I don’t know if this was serious for you or—”

  “Is it serious for you?” he asked, stopping me.

  I bit my lip. I had never been the easy-going lover, the one that could keep things light and playful. Hell, I had spent the last six years pissed about Preston because he had been the first man I had ever grown any sort of romantic attachment too. The one-night stands? The dates Noelle had set me up on? I hadn’t really counted those. They were nothing. I didn’t ever have to see them again. I was still stuck in South Africa for a few more weeks. Could I do it now? Be that easy lover?

  “You’re a great guy, Wren,” I started.

  “But, you’re not sure?” His eyes had softened when I glanced back at him.

  I nodded. “I don’t want to lead you on if you wanted to be serious, but right now, I don’t know if a relationship is what I need.”

  He smiled. “That’s okay,” he replied, “we don’t need to be anything serious. I really wasn’t intending on doing much on our first date. I don’t want to rush you into anything. If a relationship is not in the cards yet, I can take what I can get.”

  I
eyed him. “Are you sure?” I asked. “I don’t want to have any confusions later. I mean, I know Jay isn’t…”

  “Jay’s totally into you,” Wren assured me with a grin. “When he heard I was taking you out tonight, he was so mad. I think he’ll be happy to know that we aren’t serious.”

  “And...you’d be okay with that?” I asked with suspicion.

  He shrugged. “You’re an adult woman, Jen. You make your own decisions. In case you haven’t noticed, there’s not a whole lot of company around here—especially female company.” Just when I started to frown at that statement and opened my mouth to speak, he put a finger to my lips. “But,” he continued with meaning, “I have the feeling that even if this place were filled to the brim with beautiful women, you would stand above them all.”

  I opened my mouth and sucked his finger inside. Wren’s eyes turned molten and when I released the finger, he pulled it away with a heated look. “Nice save.” I smirked.

  Wren loomed closer. “I mean it,” he said. “I mean every damn word.”

  My breath picked up and my heartbeat fluttered against my ribs. His chest pressed against my own, hard and strong as his arms wrapped around my back, and tugged me close.

  “Tell me, Jen, do you want me to stop?”

  I didn’t, I realized. I wanted him to take me. I wanted him to ravish me—as cheesy as it sounded—like Noelle’s secret fantasy romances. I wanted him to consume me, body and soul, but just for a little while. Just for a brief moment in time. I wanted him to drive me wild and crazy. To release me from the chains that had kept me bound for so long. I wanted to be that carefree woman, if only for a little while.

  And so, with heated breath, I opened my mouth and handed him the key. “No,” I said, “I don’t want you to stop.”

  Wren’s hands trailed down my sides, lifting the skirt of my dress, sliding it up. “Your skin’s so smooth.” His fingers grazed my side and up to my ribs. My chest rose and fell.

  I tried to contain it, I really did, but I was so hot already, I couldn’t take much more. When my dress left my body, my arms arching up over my head as the fabric was whisked away, I broke. As soon as my arms were free again, I sank my fingers into Wren’s hair and jerked him to me, slanting my mouth over his.

  I kissed him with wild, unbridled passion. My tongue twined with his, pushing into his mouth, claiming my territory. My hips shifted restlessly, causing him to chuckle as he pulled back and gazed down at me.

  “Don’t go so fast,” he said. “We have all the time in the world.”

  “I can’t help it,” I panted. “I think you’re my new addiction.”

  “Yeah,” he chuckled. “Me, Jay, and Preston.” I grimaced, my hands loosening their hold. “Hey, hey, I didn’t say that to make you question this.” He reached back and pulled my hands back around his neck. My nails touched the soft curls at the base of his skull.

  “I’m just...not used to this,” I admitted. “I haven’t been with anyone since…” Heat rose to my face at the slip-up. I turned my eyes away as it filled my cheeks.

  “You haven’t been with anyone since Preston?” Wren clarified.

  Half-dying with embarrassment, I shake my head. “I have, but not in a long while. They weren’t exactly romantic partners, just like…one night stands here and there.”

  “That’s nothing to be embarrassed about,” he assured me, his hands smoothing up and down my naked sides. “But I have noticed you watching him...and Jay.”

  There was no denying it. I had been caught. “I don’t know what it is…” I started.

  He shook his head. “You don’t have to explain yourself, Jen,” he assured me. “I’m used to this anyway.”

  “What?” I tugged my head back and looked up at him. “What do you mean?”

  He shrugged. “Jay and I—we’ve shared women before. And if we’re keeping this light and easy, I know you like him.”

  “I—”

  “Ah. Ah. Don’t try to deny it. You can’t hide from me.”

  I sighed. “It’s not that you’re not enough,” I said.

  “Oh, I know,” Wren said. “I get it. Believe me. I’m not hurt or offended or anything. Jay likes you too. He thinks you’re crazy hot.” Wren’s mouth descended, and his lips touched my neck, breathing warm air across my skin. I shivered. “He’s not wrong.”

  “Wren,” I panted, squirming against him.

  “Think about it, Jen,” he whispered against me. “If you wanted, Jay and I could do all sorts of things to you. We’d take you through the constellations and back.”

  “But Jay’s not here right now,” I said. “You are.”

  I shifted again. I wanted to be done with talking. I wanted him to rip my bra off, slide my underwear down, and dive into me like an Olympic swimming pool—with no thought or worry that he’d hit rock bottom. It’d been so long, and I needed him to do something about the desire within me. I bit my lip and looked up at him.

  “Shit, don’t look at me like that,” he hissed. I moved my hips up, arching against him, pressing my pelvis to his, feeling how hard he was for me.

  “Wren,” I said, pulling my hands back to cup his face. “Can we please not think right now? I don’t want to think. I don’t want to stop. I just want you,” I paused, rubbing myself against him as he groaned low in his throat, “and me to disappear for a little while. Can we do that? Please?”

  I was begging. He knew it and I knew it. The thing was—I don’t think either of us gave a shit. Wren gave in with another groan, his head descended towards my chest as his hands reached around my back, fumbling with the clasp. After a moment with his lips skimming the edges of my bra, I felt the ties give way and his eyes flashed up to mine, triumphant.

  Wren pulled the fabric from my chest, tossing it away and came down on top of me. His tongue touched one nipple as his fingers came up to tease the other, rolling it back and forth until my head tossed and turned in need. I was out of my mind with it, crazy in lust.

  His hands found the edge of my panties and I snapped. I grabbed his shirt and ripped it up, needing to feel skin on skin. No matter how sexy he was with his shirt on, he was even sexier with it off. Wren’s shirt was gone and then so was my underwear. The snap of my bra came undone and followed close behind. I reached for his belt, ripping it from his loops and unbuttoned his pants.

  Gripping either side of his waistband, I yanked down, taking his boxers with me. He froze. “Sweetheart,” he said as I struggled to move under him, to kick his pants away. “Jen.” He grabbed my arms, holding me in place, pinning me with his amused gaze. “As much as I find it incredibly sexy that you want me that bad—I’ll have you know that I don’t prefer to be shucked like an ear of corn.”

  I paused, frowning before a short laugh erupted from my lips. “Did you—” I coughed, choking on my laughter. “Did you just—” I gasped, covering my mouth, hoping I didn’t start snorting. Damn it was so hard to get the words out. “Corn?” is all I finally managed to get out between chuckles.

  He blinked as if confused and then he seemed to think about what he’d said. A smile turned up the corners of his lips as he looked down at me. “Old college roommate was from the Midwest,” he said. “I guess I picked up a few things.”

  I nodded. “No more corn shucking,” I promised.

  “Good,” he said. And he was back on me again, lifting my hips up with his strong, masculine hands. Holding me at an angle as the tip of his dick pressed against my swollen slit. All of the amusement died in that moment as my heart leaped into my throat. “Because I’d like to do something a lot more fun, wouldn’t you?”

  Hell-yes-to-the-mother-fucking-please.

  Do I say that, though? No. I couldn’t get my voice box to work. All it did was squeak when his hands dug into my sides.

  “You are okay with this, yes?” he asked.

  I nodded quickly. I was more than okay. I was so excited, I was shaking. Trembling. It had been so long since I had felt a real intimate connection,
too long. Sure, I had gone on a few dates, had a few singular nights of stress relief—aka one-night stands—but nothing too deep. Not since Preston had...no, I didn’t want to think about Preston or my broken heart. I just wanted to be here. In this moment with Wren. The man who made me smile. Who was quiet and a little reserved, but oh so hot. He burned like a fire.

  Wren's mouth came back down on mine, and I lifted to meet him. Kissing him was like taking in a breath of fresh air. It was new and exciting and rejuvenating. It made me feel good. He made me feel good. After so long, after not being interested in anyone, every blind date my sister had set me up on had flopped, every kiss had felt like kissing a toad, it finally felt like I was getting something right.

  I reached for Wren and let him adjust me as he liked. His hands slid over my curves, touching my breasts, making me shudder when his fingers skimmed across my puckered nipples. Between my legs, I was wet. I arched up into him, wanting more, needing more. I moaned as his mouth pulled away from mine and then I moaned again as I felt his lips move downward. My hands curled at the back of his head, my fingers sifting through the strands of his hair.

  Wren's hot mouth closed over the crest of my breast, his tongue licking the tip of my nipple until I groaned and my hips shifted. My skin felt alive. I felt like I was about to go out of my mind if he didn't do something about this ache. He seemed perfectly content to worship my breasts, but I was not. After a little while, I used my hold on the back of his head to tug him upwards once more and took his mouth with my own. And then I pushed my hips up, jerking them suddenly and shoving him onto his back so that I could climb on top and straddle him.

  He chuckled. "It's always hot seeing a pretty girl jump me."

  I laughed, feeling young and carefree. I leaned down, letting my breasts touch his naked chest, relishing in the feel of the hair there rubbing against my smooth skin. I kissed his lips and then wiggled my hips against his hard cock, eliciting a growl from his throat.