by Jenika Snow
“Ford.”
Talia blinked a few times at his random word. “Excuse me?” Were they talking about automobile companies now?
His lips twitched as if he was amused, and she swore her panties dropped just a little bit. “Ford. My name is Ford Wylde.” Even his name was sexy. When she didn’t respond one of his eyebrows cocked up. “And you are?” God, how long had she been standing here just staring at him?
“Uh.” She looked around almost hesitantly. “Talia Landon.” The way he watched her had her heart jumping in her chest.
“Talia.” It was just her name, but holy damn the way he said it, all smooth and caressing like, made her think of all kinds of filthy things she wanted to do with him. Whoa, where in the hell are these thoughts coming from? But just as quickly as he said her name she watched as a mask slid over his face, locking down his emotions. Okay. Something flickered behind his eyes, and the lust that was reflected back at her couldn’t be construed as anything else. He dipped his gaze to her chest, and she looked down. Her nipples were clearly outlined through the material, thanks to her latte seeping through her white blouse and white bra.
Well, that would teach her to wear white after Labor Day. God, could this day get any shittier? Mumbling something unintelligible, she thanked him once again and headed back out of the café and didn’t look back, although she could feel his stare on her, and that just made her move quicker. Once back at the boutique she realized she couldn’t go walking around in her current state and would need a new shirt and bra. Not only that, Mina would most likely shit bricks on her appearance, not because she cared how Talia looked, but because it would make her look bad associating with her.
Well to hell with her, and if Mina wanted to give her a snarky-ass comment, Talia would be ready for it. She was already embarrassed and fuming after looking like a fool in front of the hotter than life bear, and she was raring to let off some steam. To her relief and disappointment Mina didn’t seem to be in the mood to cut her down, which meant Talia didn’t have the opportunity to give it back to her. Mina gave her one thorough glance, pinched her nose in disgust, and shook her head.
“I’m not going to even ask.” She flicked her hand toward the dressing rooms. “I need you to try on a few gowns. Hopefully they fit because they don’t make any bigger sizes for what I want you to wear.”
Talia opened her mouth to say something in return, to tell the too-skinny human bitch to fuck off, but the sales attendant was ushering the budding bride-to-be into a dressing room before Talia could say one word.
“Miss, do you need something else to wear?” Another sales attendant, a little slip of a girl, smiled up at her. She was a rabbit shifter, and most likely of the arctic variety given her almost white blonde hair and eerie blue eyes.
Sighing heavily, Talia looked down at herself and nodded. She brought the edges of her shirt more tightly against her body, which was a bad idea since it accentuated her drenched breasts. “Yeah, that would be good.” The attendant smiled at her and led her toward the back of the shop.
“We have a few articles of clothing that have small defects and can’t be sold.” Talia stayed in the doorway as the young woman went to a rack of clothes and started riffling through them. “You’re about a size sixteen or eighteen, right?” She looked over her shoulder. There was no disgust or accusation in the attendant’s expression that Talia was a larger girl. Talia nodded in response, and the girl smiled and turned back to the clothing. She looked at them for another minute before picking out a sky blue colored cardigan set. “This will match your eyes perfectly and make them pop.” Her grin was broad, and Talia felt herself relaxing. How refreshing to actually have someone so friendly help her with picking out clothes. “There is a small stitching error right here.” She pointed to the area in reference, but Talia couldn’t see it. “Because of that we can’t sell these. You’re more than welcome to them and can change in the bathroom. It’s right over there.” She pointed to a small door to the left.
“Great, thank you.” She took the cardigan set. “How much do I owe you?”
The girl waved off her question. “Nothing. Like I said, we can’t sell these and were just going to donate them at the end of the week anyway. Besides, it looks like you need something now, and there is no point in you spending an arm and a leg on a shirt here when I can just as easily help you out.”
“Well, thank you again.” Talia gave her one more grateful smile. The attendant went back onto the sales floor. Once Talia was dressed and back out where Mina was gazing at herself appreciatively in the full-length mirror, she didn’t miss how the scowl directed her way from the bride-to-be.
“Why aren’t you trying on the dresses?” She turned around and placed her hands on her hips. The wedding dress she had on was one of the many Mina’s family had specifically flown in from Europe for her to try on. The dress itself was a gorgeous mermaid cut, but Mina made it look like trash. Instead of responding with a smartass comment, Talia turned and headed into the dressing room and stared at the gowns that she was to try on. They all looked the same: bland neutral colors, off the shoulder straps, and knee-length hems. Talia didn’t want this wedding to happen, but she knew that wasn’t a possibility, so having it over with as soon as possible was her next choice. After trying on the first one, which was far too tight around her middle and showed off her rounded belly, she tossed it to the side and slipped on the second one. It was a bit better, but now her oversized boobs were about to pop out and flash some unsuspecting person. The last one was a gauzy material that she feared would cling to all the parts she preferred were left hidden. Once it was on she was pleasantly surprised that it was loose enough to hide her chunk, but sexy enough to accentuate her positive features. Turning around in the mirror a few times, she knew this was the one she would pick. That was the only plus side to this wedding: Mina letting the bridesmaids pick the style of dress they wanted to wear. They may have all had to be the same color, but they had three different designs to choose from. Of course she would still need the final approval from Her Majesty. Talia left the dressing room and stopped when she saw Mina in a Cinderella type wedding gown. It was so puffy three full grown shifter males could have hidden beneath it. Mina caught Talia’s reflection in the mirror and turned around. She eyed her for several long seconds before fully speaking.
“Not bad, although I was pretty sure you’d pick that one since it is the least form-fitting.”
“Excuse me?” Talia’s blood boiled. Oh hell no. She’d had enough of Mina’s attitude. Talia opened her mouth, ready to tell the bitch off, but Luke decided to come in at that moment. “Luke!” Mina’s screeching voice had Talia’s ears ringing. “You aren’t supposed to see me in the wedding dress before the wedding. It’s bad luck.”
Talia didn’t point out that Mina still had three other dresses to try on.
“Sorry, honey. I just wanted to let you know me and a bunch of the guys are going to a shifter bar tonight.” Surprisingly Mina didn’t argue, although her focus was back on her reflection. She turned to the left and then the right, smoothing her hands over the chiffon in the process. Just as Luke turned to leave Talia rushed up to him and grabbed his arm.
“Mind if I tag along?” She needed out of this place and out of Mina’s company, or she was going to strangle the bitch. Her brother looked shocked and then hesitant at her inquiry, but when he glanced over his shoulder at Mina, heard her nasty remarks to her friends on how the fabric of the dress didn’t fit her the way she wanted it to, she knew he would cave. It wasn’t like he didn’t know how his future wife was; it was just the point that he actually stuck around with her despite all of it. It may not be cool for his little sister tag along when it was clear he wanted to hang out with his friends, but he wasn’t going to turn her down, not when she saw the sympathy on his face and she was laying on the pouty lips extra thick.
“Really?” At her nod he smiled and then lifted his eyes to stare at Mina, which ultimately had that smile fad
ing. “She being that bad today, huh?”
Talia wanted to tell him Mina was bad every freaking day, but she pursed her lips and forced herself to nod instead of spewing out what a cunt Mina was.
“I don’t know how much fun you’ll have hanging out with me and the guys, but if you really want to come I’ll pick you up at eight. The guys want to head over to a popular shifter bar in town. I think it’s called Something Shifty.”
Clever. She snorted at the ridiculous name of the bar. “I’ll absolutely be ready by then. Thanks, Luke.” He chucked her under the chin, went up to Mina and gave her a disgustingly passionate kiss, and left the boutique. At least now she had something to look forward to, even if it was hanging out with a group of loud, obnoxious shape-shifters. She could always get drunk enough that their obvious and pathetic flirting with the females wouldn’t bother her. Her brother may be a renowned doctor in California, but some of his friends were still stuck in the college party days. Besides, anything was better than hanging out with Bridezilla.
Chapter Four
Ford threw back his third shot and slammed the glass on the bar. It had been another day busting his ass on the construction site. He had come into work earlier than everyone else, and stayed later than most. Sweat had covered him, his hands had been bloody, and his body sorer than fuck, but he welcomed it all. Now here he was, watching Bram flirt so hard with some human waitress that she’d be gripping her ankles for him before the night was over with. Ford scanned the bar, seeing if any females piqued his interest. All he could think about was the sexy little red fox shifter that he’d met earlier that day. And that was something he had been trying to purge from his mind all day, hence the fact he worked his balls off today. He didn’t want to be so attracted to someone, least of all an innocent-eyed little fox who stared up at him with her arousal pouring off of her in waves. There had never been a woman who had affected him so strongly with just one look, but when he had looked into her pale blue eyes something in him had shifted. A little part of him had broken through the darkness that filled every recess of his body.
Those emotions were foreign to him, had been for far too long, and made him increasingly twitchy and uncomfortable. So he had done what he did best. He turned their charming, yet slightly embarrassing, encounter into something sexual. He had checked her out blatantly, staring at her tits and not bothering to hide the fact. Then she had gotten even more embarrassed, and aroused, and it had taken everything inside of him not to push her up against the wall and take her right there. Thank fuck she had left when she did, because he had been two seconds away from following through on those primal desires.
Her image was ingrained in his head, and not just because he had been able to see every inch of her luscious breasts. It was her deep red hair and icy blue eyes that turned him on like no other had. Her curvy, all female body was made for a man to get lost in. He had never liked stick-thin females, which Mina had been, but his love for her had blinded him to a lot of things. As soon as he thought about his ex his mood went downhill. Over the years since their break-up he had realized how shallow she had been, and how many times he had looked past a lot of shit she had pulled. He was just as much to blame for their relationship failing as she was. They might have been high school sweethearts, and might have been together for years, but it had always been about her. The way she looked, dressed, even acted around others, was the complete opposite of how he viewed things. He couldn’t care less what others thought of him, or if he was wearing some high-class shit. He worked hard, kicked back with his brothers and crew after a long day, and got drunk more days than he cared to admit.
Mina had come from a privileged family, and therefore acted at times like a spoiled brat, but he had loved her, and as they say, love is blind. But that was ten years ago, long enough for him to really reflect on what his life had been like back then, and how he had changed. But then he had seen Talia, and everything inside of him had calmed. The darkness in him actually receded, and a sliver of light shone through, all because she had looked up at him. Fuck, he was acting like a pussy. He was too old for this shit, too old to think he could change after being this way for so long. His relationship with Mina had been artificial, and it was actually a blessing things had turned out the way they did, although it had taken Ford a long time to come to that conclusion. He had done a lot of thinking, realized what he wanted out of life, and had finally come to the conclusion he was better off living the way he had been: sleeping with random females when he felt the need to get off, not forming lasting bonds with said females, working his ass off, and sticking to himself. Living that way had served him fine, and he didn’t plan on changing anytime soon.
Despite Bram’s successful flirtations, Ford’s youngest brother looked like shit, what with his black eye, split lip, and claw marks that were showing right under the collar of his shirt. Despite his appearance he always got pussy, but Ford suspected the females liked the dangerous and beaten look. It called to them on some kind of primal female level.
Rubbing a hand over his short hair, Ford was fucking exhausted. He gestured for the bartender to bring him another shot. He turned back around and scanned the bar, looking for an easy lay that wouldn’t want something more than his dick when a flash of wine colored hair caught his attention. Talia walked in behind a male, and had two others following closely behind.
Was she taken? That thought had rage like he had never felt washing through him. Not even when all that shit went down with Mina did he feel this kind of anger, and because of what? The idea that Talia had a male? Despite the stench of spilled, sour beer, sweat, and sex, he picked up the intoxicating aroma of lavender with a hint of citrus. Ford inhaled deeply, closed his eyes, and felt his dick harden so fucking fast it pressed incessantly against the fly of his jeans. A heady sensation passed through him, one that had nothing to do with the liquor he had drunk, and all to do with how bad he fucking wanted between her thighs. He let his eyes travel up and down her body in a quick sweep, but then lingered on the parts of her that called to his bear. She had a waist that was made for him to wrap his hands around. The shirt she wore was some kind of sweater set and far too many layers for his liking, but that didn’t matter because he had the image of her rose colored nipples ingrained in his brain. Even now all he could see was her coffee stained blouse and bra. He had been able to see her full breasts, which had his hands itching to touch them. The fact she was a complete stranger, wasn’t from Sweet Water, but that she was all he could think about, didn’t sit well with him. He didn’t like this feeling that he had to find out who she was, what she felt like under his hands, tasted like under his tongue. He knew her name, and saying it over and over again in his head was like an auditory orgasm. Talia Landon. Talia Landon. Talia Landon. It was feminine and sexual, and a name he wanted to say while buried deep inside of her pussy. Maybe all he needed to do was get her out of his system, fuck her until he could say he had her, and then move on to the next one?
“Ford, man, I think I’m heading out soon.” Bram stepped in front of his line of sight, and he let out a low growl. Bram cocked a brow, looked over his shoulder at where Talia sat with the three assholes, and looked back at Ford with an amused expression. He was acting dumb, and growling over some female was something a male would do only for his own female. Talia Landon was definitely not his female, so he needed to control his shit.
“Somethin’ you like, brother?”
“Fuck off, Bram.” Ford picked up his shot and downed it, never taking his eyes off Bram. His brother grinned broadly, and they both looked at the brunette who stepped up beside Bram.
“You ready, baby?” Bram slid his hand up and cupped the brunette’s tit. She moaned, leaned in close, and whispered something in his ear, which in turn had Bram groaning and giving Ford a pained look. “Dude, she has some wicked plans for tonight.”
The prickling on the back of his neck had Ford straightening in his seat and looking over Bram’s shoulder. Talia was looking in hi
s direction, and when her gaze landed on his, he swore he could hear the increase in her pulse. His dick was hard as hell, and all he wanted to do was walk up to her, take her mouth in a kiss that would leave her weak and just as fucking turned on as he was, and then he wanted to lick every inch of her until she would never forget how his touch felt.
What in the fuck is wrong with you? These thoughts were dangerous and unwanted, and he sure as hell didn’t want to desire her as much as he did. Ford just wanted to ease this ache he had for this strange and unknown red fox shifter, and he was going to accomplish this tonight. Then he could move the fuck on with his life and put her behind him.
“Yeah, man, have fun.” He waved Bram off without a backward glance, and kept his gaze on Talia. The male who had been walking in front of her threw his arm around her shoulder and leaned in to say something in her ear. He was a big fucker, tall and heavily muscled, and far too close to her. Ford found himself taking a step closer, but realized what he was doing and stopped. He inhaled deeply, filtered out the vile scents that surrounded him, and focused Talia’s and the male’s scent. He snapped his eyes open and felt the tension inside of him start to ease. They shared the same blood, and the fact that the man was related to her had the wild, edgy bear inside of him calming.
