ROMANCE: Awakened by the Alpha Bear (Werebear Fantasy Billionaire Romance) (New Adult Contemporary Alpha Male Bear Shapeshifter Paranormal Romance Short Stories)) (12 page)

Chapter
3

Although
she had concerns about Landon's honesty, Cadence still could not help but think
about him. Every day, they shared text messages, even if they were short,
discussing the things they liked, the places they wanted to go, their favorite
books, music, and movies, and even what they wanted for their futures. Cadence
could not get enough of Landon.

After
an entire week of text messaging, Friday had finally arrived. The days passed
much faster than Cadence had expected when her mundane workdays were filled
with various flirtations from the man she was quickly beginning to adore. She
only hoped that Courtney's suspicions were not true.

“He's
going to be here in five minutes,” Cadence said, fixing the full circle skirt
of her swing dress. “How do I look?”

“Positively
breath-taking,” Courtney muttered, lighting a cigarette and pushing Wallace off
her ankle with her toes. “I put a hundred bucks on he's married.”

“Courtney,
do you even have a hundred bucks?” Cadence asked, cocking an eyebrow.

Courtney
frowned. She had not thought about that.

“I
suppose you probably shouldn't smell like my bad habits,” she murmured,
grabbing a can of beer from the kitchen table and beginning to walk out of the
room. “If he's married, you owe me a hundred bucks.”

“And if
he's not married?” Cadence asked, loudly.

“Then
I'll clean the house!” Courtney called from the living room.

“You
should be cleaning the house anyway!” Cadence shouted. She then knelt down to
pet Wallace and, in a high-pitched voice, kept repeating, “Yes, she should,
shouldn't she Wallace? Yes, she should. Oh, who's a good boy? Who's momma's—”

All of
a sudden, the doorbell rang. Cadence's face flushed and she got to her feet,
primping her hair. With a deep breath, she walked to the door, her high heels
click-clacking across the tile floor. Closing her eyes and taking one last,
nervous, deep breath, she opened the door and came face-to-face with a grinning
Landon. He held out a bouquet of tulips for her and she blushed. She remembered
telling him that they were her favorite.

“Hi
there, gorgeous,” he said, smiling at her. “These are for you—your favorite, if
I remember right.”

“You
did remember right. Thank you,” Cadence said, her face a bright shade of
crimson as she accepted the flowers. “Would you like to come in while I put
them in a vase? You can meet Wallace.”

“Yeah,
sure. Wallace is the dog, right?” he asked, following Cadence inside the house.
“I think you mentioned him the other day.”

“Yes,
that's Wallace,” she said as the Pomeranian began licking Landon's ankles. She
chuckled and said, “Don't worry. That means he likes you.”

She
opened her china cabinet and began searching for a vase as Landon seated
himself at the small kitchen table. He eyed the ashtray.

“Are
you a smoker?” he asked. “I like a good ol' Cuban now and again, myself, but
shh.” He held a finger to his lips and chuckled.

Cadence
found a vase and walked to the kitchen sink with it. She began to fill it with
tap water and replied, “Nah. My sister is. You'll probably meet her sometime if
you stick around.”

Landon
laughed, nervously and murmured, “I don't like dating women that I can't see
myself having a future with. Maybe that's why I've been out of the game for so
long.”

Cadence
put the flowers in the vase and set them in the middle of the kitchen table.
She cleared her throat and said, “So, have you ever been married or anything
like that? Trying not to make the same mistake again?”

Her
question was honestly because she just wanted to pry and prove her sister's
suspicions false. Cadence did not want to start another relationship that was
just bound to hurt her. She had been through enough agony.

Landon
sighed and said, “Nope. I haven't been fortunate enough to find a woman that I
wanted to spend my life with. It's something I've always wanted, but some
things have held me back. Have you been married?”

Cadence
laughed as she sat down in the chair next to him and replied, “Hell no. I had
to leave my last boyfriend because he didn't like my body. What a joke, eh?”

Landon
cocked an eyebrow and said, “Well, that's ridiculous. I think you have a lovely
body, if I may say so. Anyway, our reservation is at seven thirty, so maybe we
should get going to beat traffic. Shall we?”

Cadence
blushed and nodded.

“I'd
love to. One moment, please, though.”

“Of
course,” Landon replied.

Cadence
walked to the entrance of the living room and shouted at her sister, “Clean the
house, Courtney! I win!”

Courtney
scowled and threw an empty beer can at her.

“Bite
me!”

Cadence
shook her head and murmured, “So mature.”

Landon
and Cadence arrived at the restaurant nearly five minutes past the time for
which their reservation was set. Landon smiled and quickly circled around the
car to open Cadence's car door. He then took her by the hand with a smile on
his face and pushed his dark hair out of his eyes. Blushing, Cadence slid out
of the passenger's seat and Landon closed the door beside her. A valet
approached them and Landon dropped his keys in the valet's hand, along with a
rather large tip. The pimply-faced valet's eyes widened, and he looked up at
Landon.

“Really?
Thank you, sir!” the teenager exclaimed and ran to the inexpensive town-car. He
had surely not assumed someone that owned a 2004 dented silver town-car would
be able to tip him a hundred dollars.

The
young valet was not the only person that thought Landon's vehicle of choice was
strange. Cadence also expected him to own a much more ostentatious car. She did
not care if he drove an expensive sports car or not, but she questioned his
credibility after seeing it. Nevertheless, they were at an expensive restaurant
and she was going to enjoy herself. She decided not to think much about the
car.

As they
walked into the restaurant, they were greeted by a host at a dark wooden
podium. He smiled at the two of them.

“Reservation
for Landon Dines?” he asked. “It appears that you are a few minutes late, but
we have saved your reservation, Mr. Dines. It has been a long time since you
have been here with us. I am Garrett, and I will be your host.”

Landon
laughed and nodded, “Yes. I have a special lady with me today. I hope you saved
us a good table.”

The
host nodded and began to lead them towards the dining area. Cadence looked
around the restaurant in awe. Everything was decorated in crimson and dark
wood. It was easily the most beautiful restaurant that she had ever seen. The
host showed them to a table underneath a glimmering crystal chandelier and
pulled out their chairs for them. Cadence sat down across from Landon and
looked up at him, blushing, silently waiting for the host to leave them on
their own.

“Your
waiter's name is Jeremy, and he will be with you soon,” Garrett said, placing a
drink menu on the table. “Here is our wine list for you to look at.”

With a
curtsy, Garrett hurried back to his place at the podium. Cadence smiled at
Landon and then looked down at the wine list. Her eyes widened as she saw the
prices.

“A
glass of pinot noir is thirty-nine dollars?” she asked, incredulously. “I can't
possibly—”

Landon
shook his head and touched her hand, murmuring, “If
you
want pino noir,
get pinot noir. Money doesn't matter, beautiful. Get whatever you want.”

Cadence
blushed, but gave him a nod, anyway. She was certainly not accustomed to being
able to live so luxuriously, but she could get used to it fast. Shifting in her
seat, she fixed her eyes on the wine she wanted and smiled to herself. She then
looked up at Landon and grinned.

“Are
you going to get some good wine, too?”

“Maybe.
I'm more of a beer guy, myself,” Landon replied. “I'm sort of quirky for a
billionaire. I don't want to be that rich guy, you know?”

“Yeah
you mentioned that before,” Cadence said. “Is there a reason—”

Suddenly,
a thin, blonde man approached the table and cleared his throat. He pulled out a
pen and leather-bound notebook.

“Hello,
my name is Jeremy, and I'll be your server today. Do you know what you'd like
to drink today?” he asked, placing the menus on the table.

“I'll
have a glass of pinot noir,” Cadence said, giving Landon a questioning look out
of the corner of his eye, unsure that he would be okay with her asking for such
an expensive drink.

Landon
chuckled and gave her a nod before telling the waiter, “And for me, I think I'm
going to have a pumpkin ale.”

Jeremy
raised an eyebrow, obviously aware that Landon was a high-income customer. He
was surprised that such a rich man would order something so inexpensive, but he
wrote it down, anyway. Landon was full of surprises, it seemed.

“Wonderful.
Our special today is the veal, which is absolutely delicious. I highly
recommend it. We also have seasonal fish and venison steak,” Jeremy said. “I
will be back with your drinks and to take your order.”

Jeremy
quickly walked away and Cadence smiled at Landon. She had not been on a first
date in a long time, so she was not quite sure what the protocol was.
Nevertheless, she found herself swooning over Landon. His bright blue eyes were
enough to make her melt.

“So,
why isn't there a Mrs. Dines?” Cadence asked, awkwardly, raising an eyebrow.
“Seems like a handsome guy like yourself wouldn't have a problem landing
women.”

Landon
chuckled and replied, “I have had some setbacks, but I wouldn't say that I have
a hard time finding a woman. I would say that I'm pretty determined to find the
right
one. That's why I brought you here. You're just so charming and
down-to-earth. That's what I look for in a woman.”

Cadence's
face became a light shade of pink and she decided to change the subject by
saying, “So, what are you going to eat?”

“I
think I'll probably get a steak,” Landon said. He looked up at her and said,
“What do you want?”

Cadence
grinned and said, “I wanted the steak too.”

“Great
minds think alike.”

Chapter
4

Cadence
and Landon walked into Landon's home, laughing and talking as though they had
known each other forever. After a long evening of drinking wine and eating
exquisite meals, they had loitered at the restaurant for approximately two
hours. Landon kept tipping Jeremy to allow them to keep the table, but they
were forced out when the restaurant closed at ten. Landon then asked Cadence if
she wanted to see his house, and although Cadence would have usually refused
the offer, she was quite curious what a billionaire's home looked like, so she
accepted his offer.

“This
is magnificent,” Cadence breathed, looking around the massive ballroom, which
was decorated in antiqued gold and marble.

“Thank
you,” Landon said, closing the large, colonial double doors behind him. “I'm
looking for something smaller, which is why everything is a little bare. Just
downsizing, you know.”

Cadence
frowned and asked, “Why? How could you ever want to live anywhere else?”

Landon
chuckled and walked into the adjoining room calling, “Well, it's for personal
reasons. Let's just put it that way. Listen, would you like some music? Are you
a fan of—”

“Classic
rock,” Cadence interrupted.

Landon
chuckled and said, loudly, “Alright then. Classic rock, it is.”

Cadence
walked into the room that he was inside and her jaw fell agape. It was almost
as large as the ballroom, but much more beautiful. The walnut paneling hugged
the lush, royal blue carpet, and there was a crackling fireplace in the corner.
Beside it was an antique radio with which Landon was tinkering. He looked up at
her and smiled as he found a station playing a classic rock ballad.

“You
look stunning by the fire. You know that?” he asked.

Cadence's
face flushed, but with a rush of confidence, she replied, “So do you.”

Landon
smiled at her and held out his hand, “Would you like to dance?”

Cadence
smiled, set her purse on the floor, and accepted his hand, replying, “I'd love
to.”

The two
of them danced beside the fireplace, staring into the eyes of one another, but
both of their minds were elsewhere. Cadence wondered to herself why Landon was
so determined to prove that he was not a stereotypical billionaire, and Landon
wondered if Cadence knew his secret. Neither of them could bring themselves to
ask the other. Before they knew it, the song ended and the radio announcer
interrupted their dance.

“May I
kiss you?” Landon asked.

Cadence
smiled and whispered, “You don't have to ask, you know.”

Landon
smiled and leaned down to press his lips to hers. All of a sudden, Cadence felt
her face become very hot. She pulled away and furrowed her brow, unsure why his
touch was so warm. Landon held up a finger and made a strange, throaty noise.

          “One
moment,” he croaked, turning around. He made another noise and Cadence frowned,
but he quickly turned on his heel and smiled at her, saying, “Okay. Let's try
it now.”

Cadence
was unsure what that holdup was, but she let him try one more time. Her heart
fluttered, and she felt her mouth melt against his. In all of her years, she
had never felt so connected to anyone in her life. She had never been the sort
to make love on the first date, but when Landon ran his hands up her sides and
gently caressed her large breasts, she knew that it was going to be her first
time. Landon snaked his tongue into her mouth, pulling her closer to him and
cupping her breasts with his hands. Cadence let out a moan.

“I
don't usually do this on the first date,” Cadence murmured. As Landon gripped
her plump buttocks, she added, “but there's a first time for everything.”

Landon
smirked against her lips and whispered, “I haven't done this in nine years.”

Cadence
raised her eyebrows. She had certainly not expected that, but it did not change
her feelings. Instead, she unbuttoned his blazer and bit his lower lip.
Landon's breathing hitched as he unzipped the back of Cadence's dress and
pulled it over her head. He looked at her half-naked form, his jaw agape, and
ran his strong fingers over her nipples. They puckered at his touch and he ran
his hands all the way down her body, looping his finger into the waistband of
her violet high-waisted panties. Cadence's breathing slowed, and she looked up
at him.

“I want
you,” she whispered.

“I want
you too,” he whispered back.

Cadence
pulled off her panties and ran her fingertips along Landon's waistband. She
then pressed her lips to his neck as she began unbuttoning his pants. Suddenly,
she heard a reptilian-like noise, much like the one that she had heard over the
phone. She frowned and looked up at Landon, confusedly.

“What
was that?” she asked. “Are you okay?”

“Don't
worry about it,” Landon murmured, pushing down his pants. “I just want to feel
your beautiful body.”

Cadence
blushed as she saw his large, throbbing, manhood. She took his hand in hers and
lightly led it between her legs. Landon's fingers brushed against her exterior
pleasure zone and Cadence moaned. All of a sudden, she forgot about the noise.
She then began unbuttoning Landon's shirt as he continued to rub her spot with
his thumb. He pushed a finger into her warmth and a groan fell from her lips.

“We
should go to my bedroom,” Landon whispered as he tossed his unbuttoned shirt on
the floor.

Cadence
smiled and agreed. He then took her hand and led her down the marble-floored
hallway. Usually, Cadence would have been interested in the interior design,
but she was far too distracted by Landon. He led her up a flight of stairs at
the end of the hall and to a mahogany door. Hurriedly, he opened it and
beckoned her inside. Cadence immediately noticed the crushed velvet, jewel red
sheets and gold-inlaid paneling. He lay on the bed and beckoned her towards
him. Cadence blushed, closed the door behind her, and lay beside him. She then
pressed her body against his and groaned as his member rubbed against her
thigh.

“Please,”
she whispered.

“You're
sure?” Landon asked.

Cadence
nodded and he gave her a nod. He put his fingers in her mouth and she sucked on
them for a moment. Then, Landon coated his lowers with her saliva and pushed himself
inside of her. Cadence gasped as he entered her and began to thrust. Landon
grunted as he explored her inner warmth, lightly running his hands through her
thick, red hair. Her round, plump breasts bounced with every gyration of his
pelvis, and she emitted a loud scream when suddenly, he found her inner
pleasure spot.

“Right
there,” she breathed. “Oh Landon, I think I might be falling in love with you.”

“I know
I'm falling in love with you,” Landon breathed in response, slowly moving in
and out of her. “You feel amazing, baby.”

Landon
pulled out of her for a moment, and Cadence got on all fours, whining for him
to reenter her. Quickly, Landon pushed himself back inside of her. As he did,
Cadence tossed her head back in ecstasy. Landon began to move inside of her
faster and faster, her large buttocks jiggling against his thighs with each
movement. Suddenly, she felt him stiffen inside of her and her eyes widened.

“I'm
close,” she whispered.

“Me
too,” Landon breathed.

Landon
sped up his thrusts, and they climaxed together. However, Cadence's post-coitus
euphoria was short-lived. As soon as he released her, she heard the strange
noise again, and she turned to look at him. Before her eyes, Landon's skin
began to turn a dark shade of crimson, but not the color of blush. It became
leathery as he developed bright, red scales. It was unlike anything she had
ever seen, and it mortified her. Cadence screamed and ran out of the room,
tears running down her face. She had no idea what Landon was, but she knew that
whatever she had seen was not normal. The humanoid billionaire chased after
her, trying to explain himself.

What
the hell did I just see?
Cadence thought to herself, hurrying
towards the room where she had left her clothes.
He was scaly, and not like
he-might-have-a-disease scaly. He wasn't human. Cadence, you idiot! You just
had sex with something that isn't even a real person. God, you need to get out
of here! Stop thinking and just get dressed! Damn it!

Hurriedly,
she pulled on her dress as she heard the reptilian noise from the top of the
stairs and tears ran down her face. The man that she thought was everything she
wanted was something she did not even understand. Without even pulling on her
panties, she grabbed her purse, ran to the front door, and walked outside in a
panic. After hurrying to the curb, as far away from Landon as she could, she
pulled her cell phone out of her purse and dialed the number for a cab service.