by Rose, Renee
From a huge distance away, Sunny’s voice filters into my head with the gentle suggestion that I roll to my side.
Push up to sit.
My body obeys without my mind engaging in thought. I blink my eyes open and find myself sitting on my mat, facing Sunny’s exotic figure. I’m entranced by the chain of butterflies tattooed around her upper arm.
She says some bullshit closing stuff and leads the class through another om and the whole time I just sit and watch her. Trying to figure out what about this human is so damn intriguing to me.
So intriguing she’s dangerous. She’s going to pull me off my mission—that’s something I just can’t allow. I resolve to get my ass up off the mat and get the hell out of there, but Sunny’s musical voice becomes another invitation.
“Thank you all for joining us tonight. La Cantina has food and drink specials for you all, so if you’d like to stick around and socialize, I’d love to have you. Namaste.”
Oh, fuck no.
Of course pretty boy is going to stick around. That’s why he’s so into rooftop yoga. He gets to watch Sunny in her yoga pants and stay for drinks with her. It’s like a fucking date to him.
Sure enough, the guy wears a huge smile as he tucks his rolled up mat under his arm and goes to stand beside her.
I skip the rolling the mat part and crumple it in my fist as I stalk over.
Sunny turns her attention to me, but it’s with disapproval. “Thanks, Titus,” she says drily, taking the mat from my clenched fist.
I growl a low warning in pretty boy’s direction.
He responds by moving closer to Sunny. “Ready for a drink?”
To my satisfaction, she inches away. “I’ll be there in a bit.” She turns her bright face in my direction. “Titus, are you joining us?”
Pretty boy deflates.
My wolf loves it. And my plans to walk away disintegrate. “Yeah. Okay.” My voice sounds rusty. I clear it. “Sounds good.”
She tugs her hair out of the ponytail that was high on one side of her head and lets her long blonde hair cascade down over her shoulders. “Then let’s go.”
Chapter 2
Sunny
I don’t know what possessed me to invite Titus for cocktails. This isn’t his crowd. Definitely isn’t his scene. But I guess I’m not willing to say goodbye yet. Not when being near him lights my whole body up like a Christmas pole. I mean tree.
I take his hand and lead him into the restaurant. I don’t know why I grabbed his hand—maybe to send a message to Chas, whose attention is getting way too annoying. Maybe it’s to send a message to Titus that I’m still interested.
Either way, it’s too intimate of a gesture. The air between us charges. He chokes on a breath. My nipples go taut.
Chas looks back and takes it in, expression falling.
Titus growls like a wild beast.
It’s Animal Kingdom weird and hot as hell.
I slide into the giant circular booth seat where Adele, Charlie, Sadie, Chas and a few other random yogis are gathered and scoot over to make room for Titus.
He frowns, like he’s not sure how he got here. Or why he even followed me.
That always seems to be his reaction to me, though. Like he can’t stand me but at the same time, he’s too attracted to me to leave. I think he might be pissed over the way I left, too. I’m definitely catching remonstrance. Along with a whole six-pack of judgment.
But I’m used to that. I’ve been too much for men—for most people—my whole life.
That’s what I like about Taos. Crazy is the norm here. I fit right in.
“Class was great today, Sunny.” Sadie, the little kindergarten teacher, beams at me.
“Yeah, it was great,” Charlie echoes. “I felt a little lightheaded towards the end, but that’s because I’m on an all-liquid diet.” The waitress sets down water for all of us, and places a tall brew in front of Charlie. The postmistress must have ordered at the bar as soon as she got here.
“So you’re drinking beer?” Adele arches a brow. Charlie gulps her drink and licks her lips. Sadie’s eyes widen.
“No, it’s cider.” Charlie sets the glass down with a thump. “Don’t give me that look. It’s practically fruit.”
Adele shakes her head, looking poised and put-together as always. Even after class, her glossy brown curls are perfect. She turns to Titus. “Hi, I’m Adele, I don’t think we’ve met.” My friend leans across the table and offers her hand to Titus.
He surges up like he wants to stand, bumps the table and sloshes the pitcher of ice water our server left.
I don’t usually get jealous or insecure, but an unpleasant tug squeezes my solar plexus. My girlfriends are so much younger and cuter than I am. Sadie is Foxfire’s age and here I am with gray mixing into the blonde of my hair, making it appear lighter than it really is.
“This is Titus, my son-in-law’s father,” I explain as everyone starts offering their name and hand to him.
“Are you up here to visit Sunny?” Sadie asks, her dimples making her appear even younger. She is the town’s most favorite teacher, and it’s easy to see why. Sweet and beautiful and seemingly innocent, she’s almost too perfect. Every parent tries to get their kindergartener in her classroom. I hear the principal made a strict “no request rule” after parents were resorting to camping out in her office trying to convince her.
Titus shifts uncomfortably in his seat. “Actually, I didn’t know she was up here. We ran into each other today at the gorge bridge.”
Sadie turns her smile up a watt. “Lucky you,” she breathes.
I almost snort. I doubt Titus shares that sentiment.
Our server appears and I order a margarita and nachos. Titus gets enchiladas and a burrito, despite the server’s warning that the burrito is huge.
“Oh, I’m sure he’ll put it all down,” I pipe in, remembering how much the guy eats. I guess when you’re that big, your metabolism runs like crazy.
Charlie toasts him with her cider. “Titus, have you taken yoga before?” Of all my girlfriends, she’s the most boyish, with a pixie haircut and curvy form hidden under a Namaste, Motherfucka t-shirt. She’s ripped the collar off so when she leans forward, a hint of her impressive cleavage flashes.
That niggle of jealousy rises up again.
“First and last time,” he rumbles.
Everyone laughs and Titus looks down at me. “No offense, sunshine.”
I think we’re both surprised that the endearment rolled off his tongue so naturally.
Although it’s not that big a stretch. My name is Sunny, after all. It’s not a new nickname for me. Somehow it’s different coming from his lips, though.
He seems uncomfortable, like he wishes everyone would stop talking to him, so I redirect. “Charlie, how’s post office business?”
She shrugs. “Same-o, same-o. Someone had crickets delivered to their PO box, though, and they chirped all freaking day long. Drove us all nuts.”
“Oh, crickets. I should get some to show my students. They’d love it.” Sadie tilts her head to the side, looking adorable as she thinks.
“Won’t Scott just love that,” Charlie teases.
Sadie’s gaze drops to the table.
“Sadie?” Adele picks up on it right away. “Are you okay? Did something happen with Scott?”
“We decided to see other people,” Sadie says softly.
“Oh no,” Charlie growls. “That fathead. Did he cheat on you?”
“That’s not what she said,” Adele protests, but pain flashes over Sadie’s face. “Oh no, he didn’t.” Adele switches to momma bear mode. “I will end him.”
“It’s okay,” Sadie whispers and Charlie wraps an arm around her.
“Damn straight it’ll be okay, after we rip his head off. Men suck.” She turns to Titus. “Present company excluded, of course.” I notice she doesn’t look at Chas.
“Don’t ever date in this town,” Adele advises Titus who looks like he wants to race f
or the hills. “It’s a fishbowl.”
“Drink this,” Charlie pushes her cider towards Sadie, whom I’ve never seen drink anything stronger than a Coke. “It’ll put hair on your chest.”
“I don’t want hair on my chest,” Sadie squeaks, but she drinks.
“I never saw you with him. He was so”—Adele makes a face—“fake. The opposite of you, sweetheart.”
“Opposites attach,” I put in. “Oops, I mean attack. No, attract.” I pat my lips to apologize for the word jumble. I’m always flubbing up expressions. It’s a special gift of mine.
“You’re so right. My ex is totally weird. Totally blunt, no tact. Completely opposite to me,” Charlie announces. “Anyway, Sadie, I know what you need. A one night fuck!”
Sadie chokes on cider.
Titus pinches the bridge of his nose. He did not expect to get in the middle of girl talk.
“Headache?” I murmur.
“Yeah.”
I look with my inner eyes at his auric field and see the giant gray cloud hanging over his head.
“Permission to clear your energy?”
“Come again?”
I hate this part. I have gifts but you can’t go messing with people’s energy without their permission, and to get permission, I have to explain something they probably won’t understand or believe in.
“Just say yes.”
His gray eyes are thoughtful, but he nods his head. “Okay.”
I imagine a giant vacuum over his head and suck away the gray cloud, keeping at it until every trace is gone. Then I infuse his aura with a soft pink-purple light. “There. Better?”
He frowns and touches his temple. “Uh, yeah. Actually. It’s gone.”
“Good.” I turn back to the conversation at the table and join back in, ignoring the scrutiny I sense from Titus and sucking my margarita down faster than I should.
I can’t stop thinking about what will happen next. Will he stick around? Walk me to the bus? Or invite me to his place? Or is he going to say goodbye and good riddance? My intuition does me no good in this situation, which I think relates to his indecision. Like he hasn’t made up his own mind.
And I can’t decide what I want, either.
That’s not true, I definitely want to get physical with Titus.
Tonight.
But I get too fluttery when he’s around. Too excited. And I’m attached to an outcome here, which is always bad. That outcome is not him driving off on that Harley after a wham, bam, thank you, ma’am.
I excuse myself to go to the bathroom, climbing over Titus to get out of the booth.
Big mistake.
I lose my footing—or did he pull me down? I land on his lap and… hello, big guy.
Definitely happy to see me. Big as I remembered.
“Fates,” Titus curses, his breath hitting the back of my ear, his growl awakening every part of me that wasn’t already on high sexual alert.
He has one hand on my hip and he pulls me tighter against his lap at the same time he rolls his hips to show me his reaction.
But then, just as quickly, he lifts me. No, he practically throws me off.
The guy is hella strong. I mean, who can deadlift a woman while sitting?
I get catapulted to the floor outside the booth so fast I stumble. My pussy’s wet from the encounter—so wet I’m afraid it will show through my yoga pants. I take off to the bathroom as fast as I can.
When I get back, I find cash on the table where Titus had sat.
Even though I knew it was coming, I’m unprepared for the sinkhole of disappointment that drops me three stories in a single second.
* * *
Titus
What am I doing?
What in the fuck am I doing?
I find myself circling Sunny’s VW bus in the parking lot across the street from the plaza. I meant to march out here, get on my bike and drive off.
It was a solid plan.
Okay, fuck that. It was a cowardly plan. Sunny had taken off for the bathroom, and I had a boner as big as the Sears building, and I couldn’t get my wolf under control.
So I bailed.
But now I can’t bring myself to actually leave. Which seriously pisses me off.
Damn that ridiculous and beautiful human.
The thought of hurting Sunny’s feelings shouldn’t be such a big factor here, but it is.
Well, she is my daughter-in-law’s mother. She’s like family. I wouldn’t want to give offense and piss off Tank or Foxfire.
Or Sunny.
Yeah, it’s totally about Sunny.
There’s something magical and mystical, and fuck, yes—weird—about the woman.
And that doesn’t bother my wolf a bit.
So I’m out here like a stalker, deciding if I should stay or go. And yeah, the Clash song is playing in my head. I had a thing for punk back in high school. Mohawk and everything.
I catch her scent, and I know it’s too late.
For some reason that pisses me off even more. I spin around and park my arms across my chest and my ass against her VW bus, which makes the whole thing groan with my weight.
“Titus.” She sounds surprised.
And looks hurt.
Fuck.
I don’t even know what to say to her. I don’t know what I want from her. From this.
So I just stand there, glaring. Growling.
She stops. “You’re mad. Why are you mad?”
My nostrils flare at her frankincense and orange scent and my cock gets hard as stone. My wolf is on the edge now. So much I can’t think straight.
“Not mad,” I growl. My boner throbs under the thin gym shorts.
She tips her head to the side. It’s an animal-like gesture—similar to the way she looked before she asked my permission to clear the headache. Like she’s using her senses beyond the normal human capacity.
Her eyes widen and then her gaze drops to my swollen cock. “Oh.”
Christ.
And that’s it. My wolf has had enough.
Before I can stop myself, my hand shoots out to grasp her nape, and I spin her around until her ass hits the bus. I flatten her against it, my mouth colliding with hers.
“Fuck,” I rumble against her lips, right before my tongue sweeps into her mouth.
Her lips part, she sucks my tongue, kisses me back. Her hands brace against my shoulders, but she’s not pushing me away, she’s pulling me in.
“Get in that fucking bus,” I snarl, my humanity gone. “That pussy’s mine tonight.”
She fumbles with the door, seemingly as desperate as I am. I smack her ass.
Smack it again, hard.
“Ow, Titus.” There’s laughter in her voice, which is a relief because I’m incapable of dialing back my sexual aggression right now. I need to get between this woman’s legs like it’s my holy quest.
“That’s for being such a fucking cock-tease.” I wrap an arm around her waist and pull her soft ass back against the bulge in my shorts. My other hand cups her mons in the front. Her pussy’s so wet I can feel the dampness through her yoga pants.
Her knees buckle, and the keys drop to the pavement.
“Titus!” Her voice is shaky. “I can’t concentrate when you do that.”
I stoop to pick up the keys and get the door open myself. And then I throw her inside. There’s a mattress in the back, same as I remember from before. I slam the door shut and push her down on it.
I fall over her and yank her tank top down her shoulders to expose one breast.
My mouth connects with the stiffened peak, sucking it into my mouth, scraping my teeth over it. I give it a slap, and she gasps.
Something about Sunny has me showing all manner of dominance, and she’s not even a she-wolf.
Fortunately, she doesn’t seem to mind.
Her scent tells me it turns her on.
Her scent.
Fuck, her scent.
I grab the waistband of the yoga pants and tug them down and
off. No panties. Damn! I need to taste that nectar she produced for me. Need it on my tongue now.
I lick into her, one long slow stroke. The groan that comes from my lips is half-feral. I go in for more, lapping, licking, flicking. I want to please her as badly as I need release. I’m dying to hear her come. To take her over the edge and satisfy her.
I grip her thighs and spread her wider, applying my tongue with more intensity, reveling in the way she squirms and wriggles, the cries and moans that fill the bus. I keep at it until she tears at my hair, inner thighs fighting to close around my head. Then I penetrate her with two fingers and find her G-spot.
Cover her mouth with one hand when she comes.
“Titus,” she pants when I uncover it. “Oh my goddess. What are you doing to me?”
“What am I doing to you?” I rise up onto my knees and shove down the gym shorts to free my cock. “Do you know what you did to me all night long?”
Her lips quirk and I realize she did know. She tortured me on purpose.
I shake my head. “Naughty hu—woman. Very naughty.”
I flip her over and slap her pale ass. The sound fills the bus, echoing around the interior. It’s a satisfying crack. I smack her again on the other side this time. My handprint blooms red on the first side.
Beautiful.
She wriggles her butt like she’s asking for more.
So I give it to her. Five firm slaps—enough to make her gasp and squirm.
Then I hold her down by the nape. “You want it from behind, beautiful?”
“Yes.” Her voice is breathy and sweet and there’s no hesitation.
And that’s when I realize. No condom. I don’t carry one because I’m not that kind of guy who goes around picking up random women. Besides, wolves don’t get STDs. But she doesn’t know that.
“Sunny.” My voice sounds strangled. “I don’t have a condom. I’m clean, though, I swear. Do you trust me?”
She looks over her shoulder at me. When she hesitates, I seriously think I might implode. But then she nods. “I trust you.”
Thank fuck.
“Good girl,” I say. The words surprise me. It’s not a phrase I’ve used before. My previous mate didn’t inspire this level of dominance or protectiveness.
