At least, that was the vibe I got from him.
“Relax, Jon. There’s nothing to be anxious about. She marked me, yeah… but…” Groaning softly, I tossed my head from side to side and pursed my lips together. Stop overthinking it.
Emerging from the bathroom, my eyes instantly landed on Lucy as she sat perched on the foot of my bed. The walls were painted a deep forest green, and for a moment I admired her until her chocolate brown eyes met mine. They were swimming with apprehension, and a smile picked up the corners of my lips.
Definitely not ready.
“Are you feeling okay, Lucy?” Striding over to the small dresser opposite my bed, my legs were stiff and my skin tingled everywhere Lucy’s eyes roamed. She’d changed; her borrowed, bloodied shirt and sweat pants sitting neatly folded on the floor near the door. The sight only made my smile widen as I pulled open a dresser drawer.
“Yeah… you? I mean, are you okay?” I twisted to peer over my shoulder, and my hands grabbed the first shirt they could find. The red had been wiped from around her mouth and chin, but it still tinted her soft, pale skin.
“Yes. It’s not painful.” Pulling the fabric over my head, my left arm strained to protest my assurance. Still, I didn’t make a big deal of it; the wound didn’t hurt or ache half as much as I knew it should have.
I dropped down onto the bed next to Lucy, folding my hands in my lap as my brows came together.
“I want to take you back to the river. I think it’ll help.” This probably wasn’t my best plan, but I was pretty much out of options. Ryan wasn’t going to be any help; he’d made that clear the night Lucy almost shifted. Thinking about it still made me sour, but I couldn’t blame him for the way he thought.
“Okay, Jon. When do you want to go?” Peeking beyond her and out the window, my eyes narrowed on the deep, burnished gold that streamed through the glass. My mind worked, and I rubbed my palms together before opening my mouth again.
“Not tonight. It’s getting pretty late. We can go tomorrow. Are you going to stay here again?” Lucy sleeping in the room across from mine brought me such an intense mixture of feelings, it took me forever to pass out. Watching her nod, my abdomen tightened at the knowledge that once again she’d be only feet from me.
I was also sure that Lucy hadn’t asked Sylvia directly if she could stay here. Things just seemed to fall into place that way.
But it won’t last. We go home in three and a half weeks.
Chapter Sixteen: Lucy
Nervous butterflies ate away at my insides, and I pressed my lips into a thin line as Jon waded from the stream. Water soaked his fur, the droplets glistening with rainbow colors as they were violently flung around. I hadn’t gotten any sleep last night, and now I was hyper aware of each ruffle of long grass by the wind. Each insect that whizzed by was loud in my ears, and the smell of water and salmon slithered up my nostrils.
But I was trembling tiny tremors, and I clenched my hands into fists to try to relieve them. With each large step that Jon took toward me my toes would curl and my lips grew more chapped. Resting my cheek on my knee, I closed my eyes only to be plagued by pictures flashing behind their lids.
It wasn’t my shifting that made me feel this way, but that only made it worse. It was the heat between my legs and the tightening of my chest, and I knew my face was redder than the salmon that jumped upstream.
“Lucy, you okay? Is it your bear?” Licking my dry lips at the question, I blinked hard before focusing on Jon as he buttoned his jeans. The concern etched on his face was enough to make my heart jump in my chest, and I shook my head as he crouched next to me. Glancing around, I took in the beauty around me with narrowed eyes. Once again there were bears feasting on the fish that swam up river, and once again they kept their distance. The blanket under me kept the long grass from poking at my skin as it twitched and tingled, and I reached up to push my hair from my face before opening my mouth.
“I—I want… you…” Gnawing on the inside of my cheek, I turned my face into my knees so I didn’t have to see Jon’s expression. His breath hitched loudly, and my ears twitched at the sound as a frown drew down my lips. That sounds so stupid. Why do I have to be so stupid?
For a long moment, there was nothing, and blood billowed up my neck to fill my cheeks.
Taking my face in his hands like he’d done so many times before, Jon lifted my head as his thumbs caressed my cheek bones. He looked so gentle I almost averted my gaze, and my eyes burned. How had I gotten so lucky? The question didn’t have an answer, and in the back of my mind my bear snorted roughly.
Humans overthink things, the sensation of that notion radiated from her as she stretched her presence over my human consciousness.
“Alright.” Jon’s deep, husky answer made me jerk, all my attention flying to him as he dropped onto his knees before me. A lopsided smile curved his mouth, and his eyes glistened with muted desire that made my abdomen twist harshly.
“O—okay… s—so…” My awkward moment didn’t last long before his lips descended on mine, and instantly a small moan replaced whatever words I might’ve said. Jon’s lips were soft, his body still damp from the river. Cupping the back of my head, he carefully pushed me onto my back as my heart started a wild, unsteady beat. He hovered over me on his hands and knees, and my legs had a mind of their own as they fell apart.
Prodding my lips, Jon slipped his tongue into my mouth as thick, hot air filled my skull. His manly taste coated my tongue, the hot muscle wrapping around his while his saliva banished the cotton feeling clinging to the roof of my mouth. My eyelids drifted shut, and my fingers crept up his arms to wrap around his muscular, lean shoulders.
A large, damp palm cradled my breast, and a gasp slipped out of the seal of our mouths. Arching my back, I jerked my head away to gasp for air. Jon’s lips didn’t leave my skin, trailing fire down my jaw and neck as my abdomen quivered. Carefully his fingertip dragged down the top of my camisole, and goosebumps washed my chest.
“Amazing…” Jon’s mumble against my nipple drew a moan from me, and his lips teased and firmed the bud. Scraping his tongue along my sensitive, puckered flesh, he groaned against my breast as a wispy moan slithered from my throat.
“Ooooh…” My gasp was loud, but it couldn’t get past the blood pumping hard against my eardrums. Cracking open my eyes, my breath got caught in my throat at the sight of Jon feasting on my chest. His gaze flicked to mine, as if he could feel my stare, and he suckled gently on my nipple before pulling the right side of my shirt down. All the while his eyes never left mine, and I gulped down the lump in my throat when he cupped both globes in his palms.
“Relax, Lucy. There’s no need to be nervous. If you want me to stop, I will.” Husky and rough, Jon’s voice alone made my toes curl in my shoes as I shook my head hard. The valley between my breasts disappeared as he brought them together, and another moan slipped from my depths. Licking and sucking, pinching the pert peaks with his teeth, he showed each nipple the same, extensive attention.
“Look at you, so reactive…” Gliding back to my face, Jon captured my lips in a rough, needy kiss that took my breath away. Wrapping my arms around his neck, whimpers escaped the seal of our mouths as each harsh breath I took rubbed my nipples against his bare chest. Holding himself on one arm, his free hand trailed down my belly to rest on my abdomen as it pulsed and twisted.
So engrossed in our kiss, I didn’t realize Jon had unfastened my shorts until his fingertips crested my mound. Against my burning flesh his was cold, and I stilled as shocks speared my chest and center.
Softly, so gently, Jon prodded my core with firm fingers, and I hissed. Circling my nub with his thumb, his index finger slipped between my folds to release the juices trapped in between. Holding myself as still as possible, I struggled to breathe even as his groan flowed down either side of my nose.
“You okay, Lucy?” Still Jon’s thumb circled, and my thighs trembled even as I nodded a jerking motion. The tightness in my abdomen
almost hurt, and I dug my fingernails into his flesh as urgency washed over me. Our kiss was hard and frantic, sloppy, but I didn’t care. Lifting my hips up off the blanket, I couldn’t keep back my strained whimper when he flicked my nub.
Jon left me only for a moment to pull my shorts down to my knees, and a loud groan burst from my throat from the rush of cold air. His hand kept my thighs from closing, and I bucked weakly as he stroked my folds. Capturing my mouth in a frenzied kiss, he pulled the breath from my lungs I had fought so hard for.
My body locked in place when Jon carefully slid his finger past my entrance, and I sucked in air through my teeth with a whistle.
“God, God… J-—Jon…” Loud and high pitched, my call filled the bubble that surrounded us as Jon let loose a low, pleased growl. The sound reverberated through me, and I clamped down reflexively on his thick digit.
Gasping as he pulled out, my walls quivered as Jon caressed them in parting before slowly reentering.
“Yeah-h-h, oh, yes…” Twisting and curling, Jon’s finger made a mess of my insides as I writhed and moaned underneath him. My walls sucked him in, burning in protest when he left only to slip against them again. Moving my hips to his slow, steady pace, I feared I might burst into flames before he exited me fully.
“Are you ready?” Cracking open my eyelids, my eyes stung slightly as they took in Jon hovering over me. His face was red, his orbs half hidden and lips parted to pant harshly.
He was the most handsome thing I’d ever had the honor of laying eyes on.
Pulling Jon down, my lips did all the talking for me. Moaning loudly, I only briefly registered the tink of his jean fastenings as his tongue invaded my mouth.
Jon’s hot, silky organ brushed against my core, and I spread my legs wider. There was no hesitation, no second guessing.
The head of his length buried in my folds, and I froze as expectation threatened to drive me crazy. Lips locked, holding each other, Jon and I held a hot moment of pure anticipation. Rolling my hips towards his, a whimper escaped my mouth as his head stretched my entrance. My juices coated my core and dribbled down onto the blanket, but it couldn’t ease all the pain, I knew.
“Oh, God—” Gasping as Jon thrust into me, my head hit the ground to fling to the side. Squeezing my eyes shut tightly, I clenched my jaw at the needle of pain that grew more intense with each inch he gave me. He was slow, gentle, and my nails ripped from his shoulders to gather in the blanket. Kissing my face and neck, his harsh, ragged pants dried the thin sheen of sweat that had already accumulated on my skin.
“It’s okay…” Mumbling the phrase over and over again in my ear, Jon pulled out slightly only to thrust deeper. My cavern undulated, body tense and breathing erratic as he slowly speared my center.
But the pain didn’t last, and after a few thrusts my moans started to grow louder. Pleasure swamped my mind, and my hands flew back to Jon’s face to pull him into a kiss. Dropping onto his elbows, his grunts flowed along my tongue as it tangled with his. Each tender thrust, each rocking of our bodies, made my eyes roll in their sockets.
“H—harder—r—… I c—can’t- I need—” Silencing me with his mouth, Jon reached down to pull up my thigh as I shivered with need. I could feel it so close, but my release was still too far and that knowledge caused tiny, frustrated tears to well in my eyes. Panting harshly, I wrapped my other leg around his waist as his hip bones dug into my thighs.
“As you wish…” Pulling back, Jon squeezed my thigh before surging into my channel. It wasn’t hard enough to be rough, but it was enough that my body convulsed. My eyes rolled all the way back, feet arching as my cavern closed in around his length. I could feel each ridge, every vein that stood out against his thick organ. Holding my breath, boiling hot fog invaded my head and heated my face as pressure built against my skull.
“Oh, my God, yes-s-s-s… Lucy…” Pleasure rolled me over, and when it was done, all of the energy fled from my muscles. My leg hit the blanket with a muted thump, and my fists released their handful of fabric. Gasping for air, the colorful spots that filled my vision slowly disappeared one by one until I could see Jon’s face clearly.
Smiling down at me, he trembled noticeably. It only became more noticeable when he reached to brush back his hair.
“Are you okay?” The question flew from my lips, and Jon’s smile only grew wider at my rasp.
“Are you?” Blinking slowly, my hand automatically whipped to push his face to the side, and he let out a strained laugh before turning back. “When I’m done with you, the answer to that will be a ‘no’.”
Chapter Seventeen: Jon
“Jon, I told you not to sneak up on me like that!” Cindy’s screech hurt my ears, and I winced even as laughter burst from my throat. Her hand connected with my shoulder, the slap stinging worse from the water that dripped down from her sopping wet hair. “You’re impossible!”
Taking a huge breath of air, I watched Cindy storm off towards the back porch with a light feeling in my chest. It was one of the rare times Lucy wasn’t around, and I felt like I could use the break. Hanging out with my friends, the whole reason I was here, had taken a back seat to her. To say I was glad she wasn’t around wasn’t right, but I definitely wasn’t complaining.
“She’s going to get the girls to kick your ass, you know that, right?” Turning to Paul as he floated on his back in the pond, my shoulders lifted in a shrug before I waded into the warm water. Summer was ending and September was only two weeks away. Pretty soon this paradise was going to vanish, and part of me was annoyed it hadn’t happened sooner.
“Whatever. I’ll deserve it and probably more since the girls’ pranks are crappy.” Following suit, the water felt good against my skin, and I let out a loud sigh.
“Jon, what are you going to do about Lucy? You’ll go insane if you stay here, you know.” Cutting right to the chase, Paul’s question skipped over the top of the water to wrap around my body. It was a problem I still hadn’t solved, and my lips twisted into a frown. He was right, of course. this town was too sleepy and boring to live in.
But what else is there? I hadn’t thought much about what would happen at the end of this trip.
“I don’t know, man. It’s not like I can just ask her to come back with me. This is the only place she’s ever known, and right now she can’t shift. That kind of strain…” My mind flew back to that night Lucy had almost died, and a lump formed in my throat to block my words. Staring at the blue sky surrounded by a frame of tree crowns, my frown morphed into a grimace. Without the ability to shift Lucy was vulnerable; her bear would strain her human body to the point of no return if things got too stressful.
“I think you don’t give her enough credit, Jon. I mean, honestly, you’re not her mother. That’s kinda messed up, because you fuck each other, but you know what I mean. You can’t worry about her to the point that you inhibit her choices, man. Maybe she’ll want to come with us back to California when we go. Maybe she’ll need a little time to think it over. Like you said, this is her home. But you won’t know for sure unless you ask her.”
Chuckling at the joke, I waved my arms out over the surface as my mind turned. Paul was always right; it was like he was physically incapable of giving someone bad advice.
But that wasn’t the problem. I was okay with the fact that he was right. I just couldn’t shake the doubt that a move would be too much for Lucy.
“I don’t know. I’ll wait a while and see what happens. If she shifts before we have to leave, I’ll ask her.”
“You bank too much on your bear, Jon. For real. Maybe she won’t shift at all before we go back. Maybe she needs to come with us because there’s literally one other bear shifter here. I honestly don’t understand why you’re so against Lucy coming back to California.” Paul splashed a little, and I tilted my head to watch him swim over to me. “Even if you’re right, and moving ends up backfiring on you, at least you’ll be in a place that can help her. There’s not a single doctor in this
town, Jon, let alone someone that can work on bear shifters. Just think about it, seriously.”
We went inside, and, pulling a beer out of the refrigerator, I popped the twist top and handed the bottle to Paul before grabbing a second. The house was quiet; God only knew where the girls were. Probably planning how to get back at me. It’s a shame they’re horrible pranksters.
“So, I got an e-mail the other day from Tommy. I guess his girlfriend is pregnant, but he doesn’t want to tell Mom.” At the mention of Paul’s little brother my face scrunched up in disgust, and I took a deep swig of beer. Tommy—he was the exact opposite of Paul. He smoked cigarettes and marijuana, gambled too much and drank even more. It was shocking that they’d grown up in the same house.
Then again he’s always been rebellious, and their mom isn’t one to slack on the rules.
“Did you tell her?” Leaning on the island, my brows came together as Paul instantly bopped in head in a nod.
“Yeah, I called her last night. She flipped out, but I think she was more disappointed, you know? She always wanted grandkids, but not from that skank. I’d be willing to wager it’s not even Tommy’s.” My lip curled at that, and I shook my head. Washing away the toxic taste on my tongue, even my beer tasted bad now.
It was just a testament to Tommy’s ability to ruin everything. His girlfriend was another story entirely, and by comparison he was a saint. She did hard drugs, screwed guys for money and lied about it. I knew Paul had once even offered her a good-sized check to disappear, but she didn’t take it. He’d showed up at my apartment that day and raged for the first time in many years.
But that was just what happened when a girl was being purposefully vindictive. She wasn’t going to leave Tommy because he was young and gullible.
“I can’t say I didn’t expect it, but maybe this’ll be good. Maybe it’ll get Tommy on the right track.” The hope in my suggestion might’ve been entirely misplaced, and I didn’t think Tommy had any shred of decency, but kids changed people. Of course, it all depends on if the girlfriend could stop doing drugs long enough to give birth.
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