ROMANCE: SHIFTER: Shifter to the Max Collection (Dragon, Bear, Wolf and Panther Shifter Romances) (Paranormal Fantasy Romance Collection) (51 page)

Shane texted her constantly and always called her when she got home in the evenings. They went out a couple more times over the next week. She was absolutely enamored. He was always so calm, and collected. He talked about his business with such competency that it almost made Lexi want to switch professions. Almost. It was strange to have something to do when she wasn’t at work. Usually, when she wasn’t at work she was wishing she was. But she looked forward to spending time with Shane.

She was itching to ask him more questions about the night he was shot, and about Matt, the man from the restaurant but she couldn’t quite figure out how to pose the questions.

It was a Friday evening when Lexi was at the hospital. It was relatively early in her shift, and one of the nurses scurried over to her. “Doctor Green! There’s someone asking to see you. He’s in the waiting room.”

“Thanks Gracie.” Lexi turned towards the waiting room and peaked through the glass window in the door. She assumed it was Shane, but she didn’t see him. Instead, it was the man from the restaurant. She frowned. She wasn’t sure why he was here, or what he wanted. Hell, she didn’t know how he knew where she worked. She reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone. She walked into the on-call room, and dialed Shane’s number.

“Lexi, did you get off early?” his voice soothed her.

“No, I just had a quick question.”

“What’s up?”

“Remember that guy who stopped us at lunch the other day?”

“Matt? Lexi, what’s going on?”

“Uh, he’s here at the hospital. One of the nurses said he was asking for me.”

“Fuck. I need you to clock out and wait for me at the back entrance of the hospital. Don’t talk to anyone. Tell the nurse to say it’s your night off or something. I’ll be there in ten minutes.”

“Shane you can’t—I have to work!”

“Lexi, you need to listen to me. He’s a dangerous guy. Do what I told you. Now. I’ll call you when I’m here.” Lexi lowered the phone from her ear, heart hammering. How could she trust Shane? She hadn’t known him for long. But she wasn’t about to not listen if someone told her that Matt was dangerous. Who wouldn’t listen to something like that?

With her heart hammering in her chest, she popped her head into the floor supervisor’s office. “Gwen, I just got a phone call. There’s an emergency at home with my sister’s kid. It’s a slow night, is it okay if I take off?”

Gwen pursed her lips. “Don’t put me in this position ever again Lexi. Yes, you can go. Let Feinstein know you’re leaving so he can cover your patients.”

“Thanks so much Gwen. It won’t happen again.”

“I know it won’t Lexi, you love it here too much.” Lexi smiled tentatively and backed out of the room. She managed to find Feinstein in the hall and let him know she was leaving. He looked pissed but there wasn’t anything she could do. They would call her if they needed her that badly.

Her phone buzzed. It was a text from Shane.
I’m here.

She grabbed her bag and headed to the back exit. He was standing outside his car, his posture ridged and his mouth set in a hard line. He looked so hot. He pressed a fast kiss to her lips. “Get in the car.”

“Shane, what’s going on?”

“I’ll tell you on the way.” He shut the door after she got in and floored it. His jaw was clenched and she could see the muscles in his neck tense and release. He was gripping the steering wheel so tightly that his knuckles were white.

“Tell me,” she said fiercely.

“Matt is my cousin. A couple weeks ago I was told that I’d be taking over the family business. Matt was angry. He thought that he deserved to, even though my business track record is better than his. Lately, he’s been crazed. It started small, just him trying to turn people I work with against me. But he was the one that shot me. And now I think he’s trying to go after you to hurt me.”

“But we’ve only been dating for like two weeks!”

“It doesn’t matter. He knows I care about you so he wants to get me where it hurts. I’m taking you home with me.”

“Why aren’t we calling the police?”

Shane laughed. “There isn’t a whole hell of a lot they can do.” Lexi knew the truth of that. If it hadn’t been for a fantastic female detective who believed her story, even without proof, she’d still be under the thumb of her sadistic ex. “I can protect you Lexi. I know you have no reason to believe me, but try to trust me. I can keep you safe.”

“Okay. I trust you.” The second the words left her mouth she knew them to be true. She did trust Shane, for whatever reason. They didn’t speak until they pulled into an underground parking lot. Lexi’s heart hammered with nerves.

Shane took her hand. “I live in the building. Try to relax.”

She followed Shane to the elevator. His whole body was tensed as he walked. His eyes darted around, as if waiting for some attack. In the elevator, he positioned them so he was closer to the door. It was like he was using his body to protect her if anything bad was on the other side of the elevator. The door dinged and opened to a wide hallway. Shane had his keys out and quickly opened his door.

He stepped inside, and held her back with his arm. He took a deep breath, and looked around, and then let her in. “No one is here,” he muttered. She wasn’t sure if she was supposed to hear it or not.

“How do you know?” He didn’t even go room to room, he just sniffed.

“I know.” She knew she wasn’t going to get any other answer out of him, so she followed him into the apartment. “I’ll show you the guest bedroom.”

He took her hand and led her further into the apartment. He pushed open a door revealing a tastefully but sparsely decorated bedroom. He walked in and pushed open another door. “Here’s the bathroom.”

“Thanks for keeping me safe,” Lexi said as she rubbed her arm. She took a tentative step towards him, and stood on her tip toes to press a kiss against his lips. He looked shocked for a moment, but then he moved so quickly he was almost a blur.

His lips crashed down onto hers and his hands went to her hips, pulling her closer. Her heart pounded against her chest. Her hands went around his neck, keeping her anchored to him. His tongue explored her mouth; somehow he was plundering sweetly, and she wasn’t sure how. He was a complete contradiction. His body hard, but his hands held her gently, as if he was afraid to break her. His hands moved up her back, and came to rest at the base of her neck. He angled her head back, and his lips left hers. She stifled a moan at the loss of contact but his lips moved down her neck. He sucked and bit at her skin. Her nerve endings felt raw and exposed, like he was somehow kissing every part of her at once. She had never needed someone so much in her life.

“Strip darlin’,” he breathed in her ear the barest hint of a southern accent pushed through in his raw whisper. She hadn’t realized he was southern. She assumed he had practiced the crisp, accentless speech when he came to New York. Something about him forgetting to keep up his perfectly curated appearance turned her on.

She raised an eyebrow, as if daring him. She wanted to see what he would do. He was so much coiled, masculine energy. She wondered what it took to make that coil snap. The thought of him becoming undone made her feminine juices flow. She could feel her panties getting wet.

She wanted to, so badly. But she couldn’t. Her voice sounded thick with tears even as she willed herself not to cry. “I can’t.”

He stepped back. “Fuck, I’m so sorry.” He ran a hand through his hair. “I shouldn’t have pushed you like that. This is brand new.”

She shook her head. “No, it’s not that.”

He took her hand and pulled her along with him to sit on the edge of the bed. “Tell me.”

“I just…” She took a deep breath. This is why she didn’t have sex. This is why she didn’t date. The shame of what her ex-boyfriend had done to her body. She lifted the hem of her shirt, displaying the long scar that started at her right hip and moved around her back.

“Who did this to you?” He didn’t sound disgusted, and for that she was relieved. Instead, he sounded furious. It both scared her and turned her on.

“My ex-boyfriend. He’s in jail now.”

Shane pulled her into his lap, and ran her hands along her back. “I’m so sorry this happened to you.” She relaxed into his embrace and let his scent wash over her. His warm hand against her back felt so good. “Are you okay?” he asked, his eyes searching her face.

She nodded and leaned into him. He relaxed backwards, bringing them both down onto the bed. He rubbed her back gently, and she slid her hands under his shirt. His skin was warm, almost too warm. He followed suit. His hands pressed against her stomach, his fingers traced the long line of her scar. Somehow the way Shane looked at her, his eye thick with desire, made abandon her self-consciousness. She shivered.

He slowly pushed the hem of her shirt up and over her head. He kissed her gently, and she let herself fall into the sensation. She felt safe with Shane, protected. He carefully cupped her breast, massaging it gently. She reached behind herself and unclipped her bra, giving him full access. They continued to kiss as his fingers brushed against her skin.

His lips left hers and he trailed them down her neck. Kissing, and then blowing on her neck. The sensation made her shiver, and he pulled her closer to him. When he reached her breasts, he took one in his hand, and ran his finger across the hardening nipple. He took the other one in his mouth, his tongue circling. He sucked gently, and she arched forward, needing more. He switched to the other breast, and when the cold air hit her she moaned.

She tugged at his shirt, silently letting him know what she wanted. He paused, and pulled the fabric over his head. She ran her hands down his hard abs, marveling in the solidness of him. His breath hitched as she reached the edge of his low-slung jeans. She unbuttoned the top button and slowly slid the zipper down. Her bravery was rewarded with the tip of his hard cock. She ran her fingers along the head, marveling in the smoothness of it. He drew in a sharp breath.

“Not fair,” he said, his voice thick with desire. “Now you’re overdressed.”

She wiggled out of her scrub bottoms and his fingers brushed against the thin fabric of her underwear. For a moment she wished that she had worn sexy underwear but he didn’t seem to care. He was looking at her like he wanted to eat her. “Fuck, you’re gorgeous,” he whispered against her bare skin. She blushed. She knew she was pretty, but gorgeous was never a word she associated with herself, especially because of the scar.

He moved down, kissing and laving at her skin. He settled on his elbows between her legs, and slowly slid her panties off. He ran a finger between her nether lips, and groaned. “You’re so wet.” And she was. Kissing him made her come undone. He kissed her right thigh, and slowly moved closer to her sex. Her eyes fluttered closed, waiting for the touch of his tongue and lips. But when he got to the junction of her thighs and sex, he jumped to the other thigh, ignoring her need.

“Shane,” she groaned.

She opened her eyes and looked down at him. “Good things come to those who wait, darlin’.” He continued to kiss her left thigh. His hand moved up to massage her right calf, slowly moving upward. She moaned as he worked out the knots in her legs. Then, finally, he went where she needed him to go. His fingers spread her apart, exposing her to his lust-filed gaze. He looked at her for a moment, before licking a slow line up her slit. His tongue found her clit and pressed down. She nearly jumped at the pressure. He sucked on the bundle of nerves, and slowly slid one finger inside of her.

Pressure built in her stomach, and she grabbed hold of his hair, holding him to her. He added another finger, curling it to hit the spot inside of her that made her shake. He rubbed and her toes curled. She was on the precipice of an orgasm, and then it hit. Her hands tightened on his hair, as she arched upwards. He tongue didn’t stop. Instead, he picked up his pace. It was too much and she fell over the edge again, a second orgasm rolled through her, leaving her panting.

He lifted his head, and moved up, over her body. He turned to the side, and pulled her into him. She felt like jello, like every bone in her body was liquid.

She felt his hardness against her back and she turned and took him in her hand. He took her wrist. “Later,” he said. “I wanted this to be about you.” She raised an eyebrow. “I promise, I’m fine. Fuck, you looked so hot when I was making you cum.” The male pride in his voice was so obvious.

He pulled her naked body close and ran his nose along her neck. “You smell like me,” he muttered. Her nose scrunched. How could he tell? To her everything just smelled like sweat and sex. Maybe a super sense of smell came with his weird healing abilities. She had to remember to ask him in the morning. His fingers traced up and down her stomach, almost tickling her. “You’re so beautiful. And you’re all mine.” Shane’s words washed over her as she fell asleep in his arms.
Wouldn’t it be pretty if it were so
, she thought as she drifted off. But she knew he was keeping something from her, something about Matt and this feud. And she was going to find out what.

Lexi rolled over, and was met with a large mass of warmth. Her vision was bleary with sleep. She could only see the outline of a bare, masculine back. She took a deep breath, panic threatening to overwhelm her.
He
was back. And she could only imagine what he was going to do to her as punishment for his time in jail.

She slid as slowly as she possibly could away from him, trying desperately not to make the mattress move. She stopped and pressed a hand to her chest. Her heart was beating so fast she was sure it was audible to him as well. She made it to the edge of the bed and was just about to lower a leg onto the ground when he rolled over and put his arms around her.

“Good morning,” he whispered into her neck. She was silent, willing herself not to cry or scream. And then he looked up, and her breath left her in a sob. “Lexi?” His voice was urgent. “What’s wrong?”

She buried her head against his chest. “I’m sorry, Shane. I just sort of freaked out a bit when I saw you.” She didn’t need to tell him that she thought he was her ex. He knew. And he wasn’t angry. Not like the few guys she’d dated soon after. They always seemed to be upset at her for the reactions caused by her trauma. Shane was different.

He put her hand in the middle of her upper back and pressed down gently, grounding her. Her breathing calmed. “I’m here,” he whispered against her skin. The roughness of his day old stubble against her skin was somehow so comforting. “I’m here and I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”

He hummed gently and rubbed her back. It took a few moments but she slowly opened her eyes and looked up at him. He brushed a bit of her hair out of her face and cupped her cheek. He slowly pressed a tentative kiss to her lips. “Good morning, darlin’. How about we get up and I make us breakfast?”

Lexi nodded. Shane got out of bed first and she followed. It took her a moment to remember everything from the night before: Matt showing up at the hospital, Shane coming to get her to keep her safe from his insane cousin, Shane’s hands all over her body…

She flushed as she remembered the feeling of him between her legs. Heat filled her and Shane’s nostril’s flared. “What are you thinking about?” he asked calmly.

Lexi flushed a deeper shade of red. “Uh, last night.”

He chuckled before taking her hand and leading her to the bathroom. “Maybe we’ll go for a repeat later today?”

Lexi nodded, both nervous and excited. He turned on the faucet in the shower, and tested the water before he started to undress. Lexi took a moment to admire his body. He looked like he shouldn’t have been graceful. He had the sort of muscles that she associated with guys who were always in the gym. But he moved with an awareness of his body that reminded her of professional ballet dancers. He pulled down his pajama pants, revealing his toned thighs and butt. She had never considered herself a butt girl before but Shane was changing her mind.

He turned to her and grinned. “I’m feeling a little objectified right now,” he teased.

She laughed and followed him into the shower. “I can’t help it. Have you seen your body?”

“I like yours more,” he said as he cupped her face in his hands. He kissed her deeply, sending electric shocks down to her toes. She wondered if she’d ever stop being a little sad whenever his lips parted from hers.

Shane maneuvered them so she was under the warm water. It cascaded down her body, easing tension that she hadn’t known was there. She moaned softly. “Fuck, whenever you make noises like that it drives me insane.”

She turned away from him. “Sorry,” she muttered.

He grabbed her face and turned her towards him. “You have nothing to apologize for. You’re so sexy, and you don’t even know it. It is really kind of astounding but also a major turn on. If you hadn’t noticed.”

He looked down between them pointedly, and she followed his gaze. His thick cock was standing up between them. There was just a small bit of pre-cum leaking out. She took his cock in her hand, and slowly rubbed her fingers over the head. His head fell back and he groaned.

She slowly sank to her knees. The tile was uncomfortable but she didn’t mind. She brought his length to her mouth and gently rubbed it along her lips. His eyes found hers. She slowly slid him inside of her mouth, savoring the masculine taste of him. Hi hands went to her wet hair, slowly guiding her. It was never rough, and he never gave her more than she could handle. One hand moved from her hair and caressed her face as she slowly sucked at him. Her tongue ran along the bottom of his shaft, exploring him. She noticed every twitch, and every groan, taking note for later.

She ran her nails up his thighs. He shivered and his grip tightened on her hair. He thrust slowly into her mouth, and she took all of him.

“Lexi, I’m going to cum,” he whispered.

Her hand moved from his thigh to his balls, and gently rubbed at them. She could feel his body tighten as he moved to release. He groaned and his hot seed filled her mouth. She swallowed quickly, and he slowly pulled his semi-hard cock from between her lips. He helped her stand up slowly. Her knees hurt a bit from the hard tile. He pulled her against his chest and kissed her head.

“That was fantastic, thank you.” She nuzzled against his bare, wet skin, enjoying the feeling of his warmth combined with the hot water. He released her and gave her a lingering kiss before grabbing a bottle of shampoo. “Turn around.” She obliged and he began to massage the shampoo into her scalp. She sighed and relaxed against him. After a few minutes, he turned her around and rinsed the soap out of her hair.

Then he picked up the soap. He lathered it in his hands and started at her shoulders and neck. He worked her muscles in small circles, gently ironing out the kinks. Her eyes fluttered shut and she relaxed into the delicious warmth his hands were creating. He moved down her body. His hands on her breasts made her feel like she was on fire. Her breath caught in her chest as his fingers circled her nipples, never quite touching them.

“You’re teasing me,” she said. She wasn’t sure if she was annoyed or if she was loving it.

“Maybe just a little,” he replied before he took her nipples between his thumb and forefingers and rolled them. She gasped as the sensation shot directly to her core, making her clench her inner muscles. His hands were magical.

He moved down, over her scar, careful not to ignore it. And then he dropped to his knees. He took the same care and time that he did on her shoulders on her legs and thighs. Then his hands ghosted over the curve of her buttocks. He pulled her in close, and ran his tongue against her slit. Her head fell back and she put a hand up against the wall of the shower as his tongue found her clit and pressed against it. She felt the orgasm move through her immediately. Her legs shook, and he kept her upright. Two fingers slid into her clenching sex and rubbed against that special spot inside of her.

She cried out in pleasure, her moans reverberating against the walls of the shower. His tongue lapped against her, licking up everything she gave. When she finally stopped shaking he stood up, turned off the water, picked her up in his arms and stepped into the steamy bathroom.

He sat her at the edge of the tub and she watched with half-lidded eyes as he grabbed a towel and wrapped it around her. He slowly dried her off, and then quickly toweled himself off. She leaned her head against his hip, and took in the smell of him. His hands moved through her hair, carefully working out the knots.

“I could get used to this,” she said as he bent down to kiss her.