by Sable Sylvan
“You know you don’t have to carry me everywhere,” said Natalie, looking up at Bruce.
“Aye, but I prefer it,” said Bruce. “You’re light as a feather to me. Or, I guess I should say, light as a Pavlova.”
“A Pavlova?” asked Natalie.
“Those big cakes on stage, they’re Pavlovas, made of meringue,” said Bruce, angling himself so Natalie could watch the stage.
Natalie watched as the meringues jiggled, first one, then the other. Finally, all of a sudden, the meringues burst. Out of one meringue came a handsome man wearing nothing but a pair of green sequin shorts and a thin black tank top. Out of the other came…a grizzly bear. That’s right, it was a full-sized grizzly bear, and it roared out to the crowd before batting bits of Pavlova out towards the adoring audience.
“Bear Buns knows how to put on a show,” said Natalie, as Bruce kept walking, with her in his arms, to the VIP area where Diane’s party was waiting.
“Honey, you have no idea,” said Bruce, before heading out to the crowd to give some private dances. Meanwhile, waiters in white shirts, black sequin vests, and black pants and leather shoes came out with trays loaded with miniature Pavlovas, enough miniature desserts for everyone in the audience. Each Pavlova had a generous serving of Marionberries and was coated with Marionberry syrup and then, powdered sugar and a sprig of mint.
Natalie dug into her Pavlova while she watched the grizzlies on stage, but she just couldn’t get her mind off of Bruce and Zach. They hadn’t exactly had a chance to connect on stage, but during what interactions they did have, she felt sparks.
As the set on stage ended, a large furry white bear and a man wearing icy blue sequin hot pants came out. The grizzlies, in new pairs of green sequin hot pants, walked out into the audience, signaling that the koalas were done with their set.
“Alright, ladies, make some noise for our polars,” said the DJ. “The grizzlies will be making their way ‘round, which means it’s time for our koalas to pick a lucky lady to accompany them in their cocktail room. Remember, what happens in the cocktail room doesn’t always stay in the cocktail room.”
All eyes were on the grizzlies, as every table had had their fill of the koalas. That is, everyone but Natalie. She could barely notice the other dancers. There was something electric about the chemistry she had with the koalas. They were able to capture her attention like nobody else could, and she liked it.
Natalie locked eyes with Bruce, who was grinding on a woman while Zach ground on a woman at another table. Bruce sent her a look that meant only one thing…she was about to get snatched up by him again. Bruce looked to Zach. He nodded, and Zach started to wind down his dance, while Bruce made his way through the audience to Natalie, their eyes locked the entire time from the moment he had gotten off the woman’s lap.
Was he walking towards her? No frikkin’ way! Natalie couldn’t help but watch as Bruce walked through the audience with more confidence in a pair of hot pants than most men had in a tailored suit. Bruce had a commanding presence. It wasn’t just because he had golden bulging muscles coming out of his arms and legs, or the fact he had a six pack that looked juicy. His very character commanded attention, and right now, there was only one thing he had his attention on, and that was Natalie.
Bruce walked up to Natalie and without a word scooped her up. Zach was at the edge of the VIP, waiting as a staff member undid the purple velvet ropes that separated the VIP area from the rest of the audience. Bruce walked down the stairs carefully, so as not to jostle his precious cargo. Then, Bruce and Zach walked to the lion shifter guarding another set of velvet ropes. The lion shifter let them in, down a red carpeted hallway with wood paneling.
Bruce and Zach stopped at the door reading, ‘B+Z.’ Zach opened the door, and what Natalie saw inside took her breath away.
Chapter Three
The cocktail room was gorgeous. Natalie was expecting something seedy, maybe a few worn couches, but of course, this was Bear Buns.
The room had large photo murals pasted on each wall, a panorama of Uluru that matched the picture that had been projected on the screen on stage. Underneath her feet was striped wood laminate, and in the center of the room, past a silver cocktail cart with three cocktails on it, was the most luxurious bed she had ever seen. The bed had a geometric frame, with both straight lines and curves, and what looked like a plain beige mattress on it. On closer look, this was no ordinary bed. This was a hammock bed. The mattress was on a sturdy metal base, attached to the bed frame via strong ropes. A gorgeous jewel tone rainbow blanket covered the mattress.
“This is your cocktail room?” asked Natalie.
“We designed it ourselves,” said Zach.
“Of course, we haven’t had much use for it,” said Bruce.
“You mean…you’ve never brought anyone back here before?” asked Natalie.
“You’re the first woman to see it,” said Zach. “Bruce and I usually chill here before or after the shows.”
“But, you are saying you’ve never, ever had a girl here before?” asked Natalie.
“That’s right,” said Bruce. “Of course, Zach and I know how to have a party together, just the two of us, if you catch my drift, but…no woman has ever caught our eye before. No woman, that is, except for you.”
“You’re our exception,” said Zach. “Bruce and I, we disagree on a lot of things…”
“I think we should have a serious routine, Zach wants there to be jokes,” said Bruce.
“I go for curves, he goes for sass,” said Zach.
“But you? You’re exactly what we’re looking for,” said Bruce. “So what do you say we start this party off with some cocktails?”
Bruce walked over to the cart and picked up two drinks. He passed one to Natalie and started sipping at the other while Zach went to get his drink.
“What is it?” asked Natalie, before taking a sip of the beverage. It tasted rather mild and reminded her of iced tea.
“It’s our special recipe,” said Bruce. “It’s got a little bit of everything in it. There’s rum, tequila, vodka, gin…”
“…And our special blend of breakfast tea,” said Zach. “Separately, those ingredients are good.”
“But together? They’re great,” said Bruce. “It barely tastes like alcohol at all.”
“You’re telling me,” said Natalie, taking another long sip. “What do you call it?”
“Tasmanian Island Iced Tea,” said Zach. “After all, we’re not from Long Island.”
“Are you two really from Australia?” asked Natalie.
“Born and raised,” said Bruce. “Although, I’m from the outback, a small farming town nobody’s ever heard of.”
“And me, I’m from Sydney,” said Zach. “It’s great. I can go out and live the city life, or I can go to the beach and catch the waves.”
“How did you two end up here then?” asked Natalie.
“It’s a funny story,” said Zach. “There were auditions in Sydney, for a dance troupe. I consider myself a pretty good dancer, so I went. It turned out the auditions were for the Bear Buns night club, for ‘The Twelve Dancing Bears.’ They used to be all grizzlies, you know until they started to mix it up.”
“I went to the same audition,” said Bruce. “Zach and I were in the same waiting room. It was taking hours. So, he and I decided to practice our dance moves together.”
“The recruiters saw us dancing together. They said we had a natural synergy, and they chose us, out of everyone who auditioned, to join the team,” explained Zach. “The rest, as they say, is history. We’ve been with the club for a while now but…we’re here for the same reason everyone else is here.”
“To find your fated mate,” said Natalie softly. “Do you think they really exist?”
“If fated mates don’t exist, then why do we have mate marks?” asked Bruce, motioning to his bare chest.
“The beaver and the duck…what do they mean?” asked Natalie.
“We were hoping
you’d know,” said Zach. “We haven’t figured it out, but, we just know that the right woman will be able to figure it out…”
“…And we just know that you’re the right woman,” said Bruce. He put the glasses back on the tray and Zach scooted the cart away while Bruce put his hands on Natalie’s ample hips.
Bruce squeezed. Natalie had caught his eye from across the room when he had first gone on stage. His koala, cute and cuddly, was telling him to take Natalie on a first date before he got this handsy, but Bruce had to tell his koala to kindly stuff its mouth with eucalyptus and let Bruce take over the wooing. The koala had done its part, being fluffy and adorable on stage, but now, it was time for the man to make Natalie feel like a real woman.
Zach came back over and lay down on the hammock, pulling Natalie over as he did so to kiss her deeply. He could still taste the cocktail on her lips. It was light and tannic, but once it faded, he was left with the taste of her mouth nectar against his tongue.
Natalie straddled Zach. It was easy as she was only wearing a skirt. She couldn’t believe she was so close to him. His tanned, taut body was rippling with muscles, and she couldn’t help but trace his veiny forearms with her fingers. By treating her like a goddess, Zach had made her want to treat him like a god.
Bruce came up from behind and rubbed on Natalie. She bucked back, moving the crevice of her hips over Bruce’s throbbing shaft. She could feel just how badly he wanted her, and Bruce could tell Natalie’s body wanted him too. With each up and down motion, Bruce moved to meet her and to give her some space. His thrusting made the hammock go back and forth, back and forth, but only horizontally, as there was a special pulley system for the hammock, making it suited for spicy activities. As Natalie moved her hips up and down on his cock, he could feel her inner petals moistening ever so slight. Her honeypot let out small pulsations which tickled the underside of his shaft. She was driving him wild without even trying.
Natalie couldn’t believe this was happening. Zach and Bruce were both so attractive. She’d had a hard time picking a favorite. Luckily, because they wanted a real menage, to share a real, curvy woman, she wouldn’t have to choose. They’d chosen her, and she was the luckiest gal in the entire club that night. Zach and Bruce were packing real heat down there, and she could feel both of their cocks yearning to spring free and enter her. She found herself fantasizing about what it would be like to be filled by both Zach and Bruce at the same time, to have them both pumping in and out of her, using her as if she were just a sex doll meant to bring them pleasure.
Zach pulled Natalie close to kiss her on the neck. Bruce leaned forward to take the other side of her neck. Zach gave her soft, gentle kisses while Bruce went to town on her neck, giving her small nibbles and long, hard sucks that were sure to leave marks. Even though they were both Australian koala shifters, their loving styles were very different! She’d been able to tell from the moment she’d met them that there was more to them than met the eye…and she’d been right.
What she hadn’t realized is that they’d be just as synchronized in the bedroom as they were on the stage. Every time she rocked back onto Bruce, he caught her hips with his hands and dug his fingers in deeply while pressing his shaft against her thin panties. When she rocked away from Bruce, Zach’s cock was ready to press on her clit, and Zach’s hands were in the exact right position to massage her ample bosom. Being loved roughly and gently by two Aussie hunks at the same time, well, it was any gal’s fantasy, but it was only Natalie’s reality. The best thing about having two men was not having to share.
Zach reached up and lifted up Natalie’s shirt, just to the space above her buxom chest, and slid down on the hammock, kissing Natalie’s ample tummy and giving it little kisses over its roundness, from its front to its sides. He moved his lips back to the center and gave Natalie a trail of kisses from her navel up to her cleavage.
Zach reached up Natalie’s shirt and around to her back. His koala was telling him that he was rushing things, but Zach didn’t need to listen to the koala. He had already let it out for the night. The koala’s job was done. Zach’s job had only just begun.
On feeling Zach’s hand reach her bra’s clasp, the situation suddenly became very real for Natalie. What the heck was she doing here? She’d come out to have fun with Diane and celebrate her impending nuptials, not to have a threesome. And Randall…as much as she hated it, he still had the key to her heart. The last thing she wanted to do was give him any way to burn her. Zach and Bruce had helped her get her mind off of Randall, but, she wasn’t ready to play with fire and get burned yet again. No aloe gel in the world was strong enough to soothe a burning of the soul. There were no antacids for the burning of the heart.
“I can’t,” said Natalie, shrugging out of Zach’s grasp.
“Why?” asked Zach, pulling his hand away. “What’s wrong?” Bruce got off the bed to let Natalie out.
“I…before I get involved with anyone, I need to get the key to my heart back,” said Natalie, getting off the hammock bed. “Somebody stole it. And until I have that back, I just can’t even think about dating anyone. I’m sorry. I’ve got to go.”
Natalie pulled her shirt back down and grabbed her purse, slipped on her shoes, and headed out to meet with Diane. This whole night had been a mistake, she thought as she went back to the VIP area. A beautiful mistake…but still, a mistake.
Zach had pulled Bruce back by the arm. Bruce tried to shake Zach off, but Zach kept his grip on Bruce. Although Bruce was broader than him, Zach was still strong. Being a koala didn’t mean he was a fluffball.
“Let go of me,” growled Bruce, his eyes flashing at Zach as he turned his head.
“Over my dead body,” said Zach.
“She’s going to leave,” said Bruce. “We can still catch her.”
“If you have to ‘catch’ her, that means it isn’t fated,” said Zach. “You can easily overpower her, bring her back here, make her talk to us…but what good will that do? It’ll just show her that we can dominate her, and not in a sexy way.”
“So what do you suggest we do, Sydney boy?” asked Bruce.
“Let her come to us,” said Zach. “If Fate wants us to be with her, fate will bring her back to us.”
“Maybe Fate’s saying we need to run after her,” said Bruce.
“Then explain why I’m stopping you,” challenged Zach, raising a brow.
Bruce relaxed.
“I can’t,” admitted Bruce, before laughing and breaking the tension. Zach always knew how to make him laugh with that goofy frikkin’ face.
“Trust me, I guarantee we’ll see her within a week,” said Zach.
“What makes you so sure?” asked Bruce.
“The same thing that made me so sure she’s our fated mate,” said Zach. “Instinct.”
Chapter Four
“…And so that’s what happened,” said Natalie. She had finished telling Diane about what had happened in the cocktail room at Bear Buns, because the night of, she had told Diane things were fine, but Diane had sensed things were off and asked Natalie to meet her for lunch. They both worked in the financial district, so it was no hassle for them to meet up during the week. They’d met up on the Wednesday after Diane’s bachelorette party.
“So you’re telling me you could’ve gone the whole way, but you chose not to?” asked Diane.
“That’s right,” said Natalie.
“I have no clue what advice to give you because you’re obviously crazy,” said Diane. “Who would be able to resist jumping a pair of hot Aussie bones? They’re as hot as their shifts are cute. Heck, they had me tempted!”
“You know why I can’t date right now,” said Natalie. “I need to have the key to my heart back before I can even think about giving it away to someone else.”
“Honey, you take as long as you need,” said Diane, taking Natalie’s hand in hers. “But…remember, Fate brings people together for a reason. There’s a reason you met those koalas. I have a feeling you’ll
be meeting them again very soon.”
That Friday, Natalie met up with Diane for a happy hour. The plan was for them to get drinks before going out to see a comedy to get Natalie’s mind off her ex Randall. Their bar of choice was small, fancy but not too pricey, on the edge of the financial district. They arrived just in time to avoid the crowds.
As Diane and Natalie shot the shizz, a bartender came over to Natalie with a drink. It was tall, brown, in a glass with ice.
“What is this?” asked Natalie. “I didn’t order this. I’m good.” Natalie motioned to her vodka cranberry.
“It’s a Long Island Iced Tea, from the two gentlemen down the bar,” said the bartender, motioning.
Natalie looked at where the bartender was gesturing and gasped.
At the bar were two handsome men, with bulging muscles, and chiseled jawlines. Their hair was tousled and messy, and they were the only two men in the bar that weren’t wearing suits. They stood out in a good way, able to pull off their combination of dark cargo shorts, black flip-flops, and graphic v-neck shirts. One had ashy blonde hair, the other, a brownish blonde with ashy streaks.
It was Bruce and Zach.
“Oh, look who it is,” said Diane with a twinkle in her eye. “I guess they sent you some liquid courage.”
“Okay, did you know they would be here?” asked Natalie.
“Yup!” said Diane. “You know me. I can’t resist meddling…or a good love story. I’m going to head out. We’ll catch the movie another time. You should go meet with the koalas.”
“Are you sure that they won’t be mad, y’know…after what happened last week?” asked Natalie.
“Only one way to find out!” said Diane. “Toodles!”
