The Wolf and the Bobcat: (12 page)

Casey pouted, and she giggled. “You know what this means, though, right? From now on, no flirting with other women.”

Casey looked affronted. “The same goes for you too.”

“Fine, I won’t flirt with other women.”

Casey clucked his tongue. “No, I meant other men.”

He leaned in for another kiss, and she pulled away. “It’s kind of late, maybe you should go.”

Casey gave her his best puppy dog look. “You’re not really sending me out into the cold, are you?”

Deanna snickered. “You’re a big bad wolf; I’m sure you’ll manage.”

He yawned exaggeratedly. “But it's late, and I'm really tired…”

She rolled her eyes. “Fine, you can stay - but only to sleep, you keep your hands to yourself, mister. And you have to leave before my younger brothers and sister see you, okay?”

He gave her a devastating smile. “Deal.”

Deanna extricated herself from his grip; she pulled the cushions off the bed and closed the window. When she turned back, it was to find Casey, in only his boxers, lying on the bed. He crooked a finger at her, grinning wickedly. Oh, this was going to be hard, she was already quivering from the acres of yummy, toned flesh on display. She was just glad she was already dressed in a pair of thick, purple pajamas.
If she had to strip in front of him, she doubted she could have contained herself.

She crawled into bed and immediately found Casey snuggled behind her, an arm around her waist. She flipped the lamp off and relaxed into his body.

“How many other boys have you had in here?” he murmured in her ear.

“None, you’re actually the first.”

His arm tightened round her. “Glad to hear it.”

“Good night.”

“Good night…
kitten
.”

Chapter Twelve

19
th
January

Deanna’s eyes fluttered open. For a second, she wondered at the warm cocoon she found herself in before she remembered the previous night. She smiled, and her bobcat purred at feeling his arms locked around her, before gasping as she felt a certain part of his anatomy pressing into her back.

She held still and listened to his gentle breathing, before giggling lightly. Carefully, she disentangled herself from his arms and got out of bed.

Deanna stretched and rolled her shoulders. It was the first time she’d ever spent the whole night with a man, and she’d never had a better nights sleep. She gazed down at Casey; god, he was beautiful. Her bobcat whimpered; he looked like an angel in his sleep. She ghosted her fingers over his face, lifting a lock of hair out of his eyes. She nodded, yep, definitely real.
For a second there, she was worried.

It was strange seeing the six foot two wolf in her room; he practically filled her narrow bed. He looked so out of place in the pink sheets and amongst her Care Bears. Maybe she was just a bit too old for this room; it hadn’t come up before, normally, she had no reason to invite a man up there.

She felt a little self-conscious and started grabbing her bears, and stuffing them in her closet. She bent over to retrieve Lucky Bear and jumped as she heard a low chuckle behind her.

She turned to see Casey grinning at her. “Oh, no, don’t stop on my account, I was enjoying the view.”

Deanna rolled her eyes. “I’ll bet.”

Quick as a flash, Casey bounded out of bed and pulled her up his body. He pressed his lips to hers as she wrapped her legs around his torso. He flourished kisses over her jaw, working his way down to her neck.

Deanna moaned lightly and melted into his body. She let out a protracted ‘ooh’ as he nipped her skin, and a deep growl rumbled through his body. She felt unbelievably relaxed, but when she caught sight of the clock, she squealed.

Casey pulled back; concern flashed across his face, as his wolf howled at him. “Are you okay? Did I hurt you?”

She wriggled until he put her down. “You didn’t hurt me, but I’m not okay – look at the time!”

Casey shrugged. “So?”

“I’m supposed to be at work in twenty minutes, and by now, all my family will be out of bed, you have to go!” She started pushing him to the window.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” Casey held firm, and Deanna’s slight frame couldn’t move him. He crossed his arms. “First of all, I need my clothes, and second of all, I’m not going out the window.”

Deanna groaned and grabbed his clothes, hurling them at him. Painstakingly slowly, he began pulling them on. His wolf grumbled; he had hoped for at least a few more minutes with his mate.

“You absolutely are going out the window, now, hurry, hurry, hurry!”

She ripped off her pajamas and donned underwear, and then her uniform. She found him open-mouthed, staring at her.

“Fuck, kitten, you really are gorgeous.”

Deanna flushed as she scented his heightened arousal. She realized it was actually the first time he’d seen her fully naked. A small smile played on her lips as her own desire kindled.

Casey, a punch-drunk look on his face, moved toward her, and she slapped at his hands. “Not now, we don’t have time.”

“You could call in sick…” He waggled his eyebrows suggestively. His wolf roared in delight at that suggestion.

She bit her lip. “Don’t tempt me. You need to go.”

Deanna strode over to the window and opened it, motioning him to go through it.

“You’re really not joking, are you?”

She looked at him, pleadingly. “Please, for me?”

“What’s in it for me?”

“Ugh!” She stamped her foot. “You are the most infuriating, irritating wolf in the whole world!”

Casey smirked. “Yep, and I’m all yours. Go out with me tonight?”

She put her tiny hands on her hips. “Will you climb out the window if I say yes?”

“Absolutely.”

“Then, yes, yes, yes! Okay?”

Casey pulled on his boots and sauntered over to her. “Absolutely.”

Both their beasts leapt about, joyfully. He sneaked a quick kiss before clambering through the window.

There was a small knocking sound at her door. “Dee, Dee, are you awake?” demanded Dinah.

“Hurry!”

Deanna gave him a shove, and he lost his footing, plummeting to the lawn. He hit the ground with a terrific thump.

“Casey, are you okay?”

He groaned and looked up to see her worried face sticking out the window. “Yeah, sure, luckily the ground broke my fall.”

“Good.” Her head disappeared before reappearing again a few seconds later. “I’ll see you tonight.” She blew him a kiss, and then she was gone.

Casey slowly got to his feet. It was lucky he was resilient. He dragged himself over to his jeep. His whole body ached, but he could care less. He had a date with his mate… again. But he had a good feeling this one would be better than the last.
Although, eventually, last night had been lovely
. It was wonderful falling asleep with his mate, and then waking up with her.

But tonight would be even better. His wolf howled in happiness.
He couldn’t wait.

*

Deanna whistled as she wrote a parking ticket. Some thoughtless jackass had parked in the handicapped spot at the library. She’d been all for giving them the benefit of the doubt, but Mrs. Martin, busybody extraordinaire, had assured her the guy driving was just a jackass.

She said he was a slimy looking individual, who, when she challenged him, flipped her the bird. Not that Mrs. Martin cared. She’d had an exciting day; what with a giant bear shifter forcing his way into her house, and then finding out he was Carly, the pack Omega’s mate. She was buzzing with her gossip.

Deanna had to admit it was pretty exciting; it took Alec, Jake, Gabe and a taser to bring the huge bear down, and even then, they struggled. Deanna had never seen anything like it, and to think he was the mate of the tiny Omega!
And she thought Casey dwarfed her!

Her sex fluttered at the thought of him. Tonight could not come soon enough. Her bobcat concurred with that.

She popped the ticket on the windshield.

“Hey!” yelled a nasal voice.

Deanna spun to see a middle-aged man striding toward her. He was a few inches shy of six feet, with narrow sloping shoulders and a very slight limp. His dark hair was slicked back while his craggy face was thunderous.

“Take that off there!” he ordered.

Deanna raised her eyebrows. “I’m sorry sir, but you need a sticker to park in this spot.”

He tapped his foot impatiently. “I was only gone for a few minutes.”

She told herself to remain calm, and not let herself be intimidated. Her bobcat was all for shifting, and taking a chunk out of the human, but she restrained herself. “By my watch, it was more than ten, but that doesn’t matter, you can’t park here for any length of time.”

He sneered and picked up the ticket; he began ripping it and let the pieces flutter to the ground. “That’s what I think of your ticket.”

“Sir, the ticket’s already in the system, it’s not going anywhere and repeated failure to pay it may end with you being arrested. Now, are you going to move your car, or do I need to have it towed?”

He folded his arms. “I’m waiting for someone.”

“Well, you can move your car over there.” Deanna pointed a few spaces away. “You’re not going far; your friend will still find you.”

He leaned toward her, and she flinched at the strong cologne mixed with sweat.
He hadn’t washed in a few days.
“What if I don’t want to move?”

Deanna stood her ground as her bobcat roared as fiercely as she could. “Sir, I am asking you to, I would advise you do so.” There was a heavily implied ‘or else’ at the end of that sentence.

He breathed in and out, heavily, and his nose whistled slightly. An ugly smile spread over his face. He was about to open his mouth again, when a gleeful voice cut through the tension.

“Pumpkin!”

Deanna’s jaw dropped. “Mom! You’re here!”

Tess Hardison ran over to her; her mom hugged her and swiped a red, lipstick-smeared kiss on her forehead. “Yep, just arrived an hour ago. Oh, good, you two have already met. Gary, this is my daughter, Deanna, and pumpkin, this is my fiancée, Gary.”

They looked at each other distastefully.

Gary snorted. “Nice to meet you, pumpkin.”

Tess pouted and flicked her hair over her shoulder; Deanna inwardly sighed. Her mom was 40-years-old, and she still behaved like a teenager. Her mom was five foot nine, with a slim build, and dark blonde hair. No one would guess she had ever given birth to one child, never mind five; she looked fantastic. In the right light, she could pass for being in her early thirties. In fact, she often told people she still was. Deanna often thought her mom and Darcy looked a lot alike, although, she would never admit that to Dennis.
He already had enough mommy issues
.

Tess looked between to the two of them. “Are you two already fighting?”

Gary pointed a grubby finger in Deanna’s direction. “She’s trying to give me a ticket.”

“Is this true?” challenged Tess, in disbelief.

Deanna counted to ten. “He’s parked in a handicapped spot; I’m just doing my job,” she told her mom, patiently.

Tess waved her hand. “But Gary’s family, surely you can make an exception.”

Deanna wavered. She really didn’t want to let this slimy guy off the hook, but she didn’t want to start a fight with her mom. “Okay, I’ll forget the ticket.”

Gary gave her a triumphant smirk. “Thanks, pumpkin.”

Ugh, she did not like the way he said pumpkin.
It creeped her out.

Tess beamed. “That’s my pumpkin. Do you know why I call her pumpkin?”

“Mom, please don’t…”

Tess ignored her. “I call her that because she had such a big head when she was born, you wouldn’t believe it to look at her today, but it was really massive. I had to have a ton of stitches, and I was in agony.” She tweaked her daughter’s chin. “Not that I blame you, pumpkin.”

No, of course not. At least not very often…

Gary leaned against his car, completely disinterested in anything Tess was saying.

“Oh, pumpkin, look at you – a Sheriff’s Deputy, I’m so proud… Although, I can’t help but wish the uniform wasn’t so mannish and boxy. You already have enough trouble looking feminine, and this certainly isn’t helping. Not to mention this haircut, whatever possessed you to cut it so short?”

Deanna patted her head, self-consciously. “I like it; it’s easy to manage and I think it looks cute.”

“Yes, on 12-year-old boys I would have to agree, but not on grown women, pumpkin.” Tess sighed exaggeratedly. “Oh, well, at least it will grow back… eventually.”

That was her mom, always making her feel about two inches tall
. Her bobcat whined in annoyance; some things never changed.

Her mom tapped a finger on her chin. “Besides all that, you do look good, Deanna. Your cheeks are practically glowing.”

Deanna felt her cheeks pinken. She imagined that was all due to a certain wolf shifter. “You look good too, Mom.”

“I’ve quit drinking, and smoking. I’m on a detox, and I feel fantastic.”

“That’s great, Mom,” she murmured. She hoped the drinking thing was long-term; her mom did have a habit of over-indulging on alcohol.
Tess turning up to Danny’s twelfth birthday party, completely wasted, had not been fun.

Tess clapped her hands together. “Come on then, let’s go home, I’m dying to see everyone.”

“Well, Danny and Drake are at School; Dennis is at work, and I’m working too.”

Tess put on a sad, little face. “But I’m home now, and I want to see my family. Come on; bunk off for a few hours.”

Bolstered by her bobcat’s resolute support, Deanna stood firm. “I’m sorry; I have to finish my shift. Darcy’s probably at home with Grams and Dinah, though. Why don’t you go to the house and wait?”

Tess sighed. “You’re such a spoilsport; I’m not here very often, I thought you'd want to spend time with me.”

“You could visit more often if you wanted…”

A flash of anger stole over Tess’ face, before she smothered it with a tight smile. “I’ll see you later, pumpkin.”

Tess grabbed Gary and pushed him into the car. She gave Deanna a stiff wave as they drove away.

She let out a breath she didn’t know she’d been holding, and her bobcat settled a little.
Why did spending time with her mom have to be so torturous?

She pulled out her phone and began dialing Darcy. The least she could do was warn her of Tess’ visit, although she doubted words could do her mom justice.