Werewolves of New York (11 page)

“See ya there.” He hung up.

Rose pointed at his phone. “What happened?”

He glanced at the shattered face of it, all taped with scotch tape. “Had a little accident,” he smiled, and put the phone back in his pocket. She didn’t need to know
everything
. Leaning forward he took one of her fries and said, “I’m buying the tickets,” and plopped it into his mouth triumphantly.

“No!” she exclaimed. “It’s going to be expensive with no notice like this–”

Wagging a thick finger, he said, “Uh uh uh! I’m the guy. I’m buying the tickets. Trust me. We do really well and I haven’t bought anything in a long while. Don’t you worry about it.”

“I’ll get the hotel?”

“What, do you want to cut my balls off right here and now?” He leaned back in the chair with his hands up. She laughed and shook her head. “That’s what I thought. You’ll want these to stay right where they are, I assure you.” She wadded up her napkin and threw it at his face. He caught it easily and set it back down. “I’m a big fan of this aggression you’ve got going on.” It wasn’t a lie. It turned him on to have her fight him, and he’d been half-hard for over an hour now. “Let’s get you home. I have some planning to do.”

Rose eyelashes fluttered with simultaneous disappointment and excitement. She hastily adopted an expression of cool disdain but then started jumping up and down like a child. “Oh, the Bahamas!! Oh my God I can’t wait, I can’t wait, I can’t wait!!!”

He laughed, threw down a hundred dollar bill and led her out of there, smacking her on the ass on the way out.

N
ot the type
to meticulously pack, Rose threw her clothes from the closet to a suitcase lying on her unmade bed. She was humming to herself an indiscernible tune. She opted for light clothes with bright colors that could layer well if the nights got crisp. She had two bikinis, one sexy black, the other bright pink that bordered on neon. She’d torn apart the cupboards above her closet searching for a wide brimmed hat before she burst out laughing, realizing she’d never bought one in her entire life. She just always wanted one!

Her phone rang and she jumped over piles of rejects to get to it, sweeping it off the bed. “Hello?”

“So you know,” Michelle said with a gravity uncommon to her.

Rose plopped on the bed and looked out her window at the city. The idea that werewolves were real, were out there doing good things, and that she was going on vacation with one had her drunk from the mind-opening paradigm shift.

“Yes.”

“I wanted to tell you. I’ve been dying to say something! I almost gave it away…”

“You did give it away, kind of. I knew you were hiding something and…” she stopped, her years of law snapping her mouth quiet. “We shouldn’t be talking over the phone about this.”

Michelle agreed. “But I want to talk to you! I finally can! This sucks. Can I come over?”

“YES. Come over. Now. I need help packing. Bring Xanax. I’m too happy. Kidding. Don’t bring it.”

Michelle laughed. “You’re delirious.”

“Weren’t you?”

“I guess I was. I’ll be right over.” She hung up and Rose dropped the phone on the bed, grinning at her suitcase.

A vacation with a hunky werewolf who wanted to be her master, and here she was worried her thirtieth birthday two weeks ago meant it was all over for her. “What a dork,” she whispered.

Twenty minutes later, Michelle was tearing through her suitcase with approval. “Except for this. This color flattens you out.” She tossed a dark purple dress aside. “You’re too pale and with your light hair and eyes, it’ll wear you.”

Rose pouted, “I love that dress,” picking it up.

“It’d be better on me.” Michelle laughed at the frown thrown her. “I’ve got dark hair and eyes; it’ll blend well. Trust me. Go with pastels, and red is fantastic. Other than Red, Black is the only dark shade you should wear. Bright red is best.”

“Okay, okay,” Rose threw the dress at her friend. “Take it. You convinced me.”

Michelle socked it away and held up the pink bikini. “Oh I love this. He will drool!”

Rose giggled and threw her hand over her mouth. “I just fucking giggled.”

Busting up laughing, Michelle pointed at her. “Yeah you fucking did.”

“Listen to us. We’re like sailors. My dad would slap my face if he heard me.” She got quiet and folded up a sundress. She glanced at her friend to find compassion staring back at her.

“He’d be really proud of you.”

Rose nodded, but then mischief danced up from her heart. “Not if he knew I was dating a werewolf.”

Michelle shook her head on a slow grin. “Can you believe it?”

“You know what? I can.” She continued to fold and sort the pile, tucking everything into the suitcase. “He’s just different in so many ways, it feels right to have a reason that ties it all together. I’m so good at figuring out who people really are, that’s how I present my cases. I can show the truth and explain it in a way that makes the jury able to see what I see. But Eli is just so complex, even though he comes off as a dude. When he was walking me home from the burger place last night, he told me all about the string of abused women he’s helped. They keep appearing before him, he says, like it’s his duty and by some design he doesn’t second-guess, even though he doesn’t know where it comes from. Werewolves, Michelle! I mean, what else is out there that we just think are stories?”

“I know.” Michelle pulled up her knees tightly to her chest, sitting on the bed. “I’ve asked myself the same thing. Does this mean there’s a God, too?”

Rose rolled her eyes. “If you’d have seen Eli’s body, you’d know there’s a God.”

Busting up again, Michelle agreed, “I feel the same way about Nathaniel. I’m so glad you know.”

Rose stopped folding. “Thank you for bringing him to Gotham.”

Making a face, her friend leaned forward. “You have no idea how awful I felt when he rushed over to you guys. I thought for sure your date was going to be crushed. Knowing what I knew about what they are, and the way Eli looked as the guys tried to talk him down, I was so scared!”

“I bet!”

Michelle stared into the memory like it was happening all over again. “But then when you guys raced out of there, Darik turned to Dontae and waited. Nothing had to be said. Dontae glowered at him and finally growled,
Fine
. We all left the restaurant then to find you. You know the rest.” She threw up her hand. “Oh, no that’s not true. You don’t know that when Eli came back to our flat, he was practically skipping. He was so cute.”

“Don’t call him cute.” Rose headed for the bathroom. “He’s going to be here soon. Have to get my toiletries.” The two of them picked out what was needed together, and Michelle grabbed the unopened box of condoms. “You have any more of these?”

“Shut up!” Rose laughed. “That’s a pack of 30!”

“What are you going to do the second night?” She burst into a series of giggles, clearly exaggerating, but Rose couldn’t help but feel very excited anyway.

A loud knock at the front door was followed by Eli shouting through it, “Bahamas, here we come!”

Rose leapt up from where she kneeled in front of her bathroom cupboard. She glanced to the mirror and saw a pink flush in her cheeks, her light blue sundress making her eyes shine. Before she ran out of the room, she turned and whispered, “Just so you know, we are not getting married.”

Throwing up her hands, her best friend mouthed,
Okay!

T
hey’d taken
an American Airlines flight from Newark, New Jersey to Nassau, where they had to switch to Air Bahamas, taking the shuttle plane to Arthur Town, the only way to get to Cat Island by air. Eli wouldn’t tell her anything about the place he’d booked and she expected it to be some huge hotel, but when the car he’d hired to pick them up drove up to a secluded sandy beach, she shoved her nose to the window.

“Is this it?” There were small bungalows widely set apart, all the same size.

“This is it! Shannas Cove. You like it?”

She flipped around and threw her arms around him, kissing him hard. “I love it, Eli. I love it so much!”

He laughed and caught the driver’s smile in the rearview as he pulled into a dirt parking spot. Jumping out of the car, he opened the door for them and Eli got out, then offered his hand. Rose took it and rose up into bright sunlight, a warm breeze blowing over them and lifting her blue sundress. He had on faded blue jeans and a graphic t-shirt that said,
Don’t Even
. Both of them wore sunglasses and Rose had made him put on sunscreen before they switched planes. He’d acquiesced only when she offered to put it on him herself. He’d told her he could let her do that all day long.

“We’ll get the bags, thanks.” Eli handed the man a tip, an amount she couldn’t see from how he stuffed it into the guy’s hand. Pulling their bags from the trunk, he said, “Lead the way.”

She was so excited as she walked down the sand-covered, primitive steps, holding onto the thick rope railing. “Which one?” She spun around for an answer, happy to see him smiling as widely as she was.

“The one nearest the ocean. It’s called Bungalow Dolphin.”

Pulling her hair up into a messy bun, she headed for it, her flip-flops flapping against her heels. “Look at the water, Eli! It’s turquoise and so clear. Look, you can see the coral reefs out there! How far is that?”

He gauged it and offered a guess. “Fifty feet, maybe fifty-five. We’ll swim out later.”

She stopped walking and covered her face, trying not to cry. The knowledge that it had taken her quitting to come to a place like this, that she hadn’t made the time before when it was always here, hit her hard.

“You okay?” He set the suitcases down and took her into his arms.

She couldn’t speak, trying so hard not to lose it.

“Tell me you’re not crying because you hate it,” he teased, trying to get her to smile.

The idea was so ridiculous her near breakdown turned to laughter and she burrowed into his chest. “It’s perfect. I love it. Thank you.” She looked up and closed her eyes for a kiss, which he gladly gave her. They kissed deeply, the sun on their faces.

When they separated, he grabbed the suitcases and motioned for the bungalow. “They said the key is under the mat.”

“No one’s here to let us in?” she asked, though it wasn’t that surprising. They were way out from any other properties, residential or otherwise.

He gestured to the main house with his chin, a two-story brown building that had tables on a balcony meant for guest dining. “I told them we’d be fine. Just describe where to go, and we’d find the way.”

Rose headed for the door and bent to lift the mat, the key there as promised. She held it up and wiggled it like
here goes nothing!
She was nervous suddenly knowing they were going to be alone here for a whole week. Unlocking the door, she entered the sweetest cottage with a sloped wood ceiling that looked like the inside naked frame of a tugboat turned upside down. She kicked off her shoes to feel the blue tile under her feet and her eyes fell to the single, king-sized bed. Her heart started beating faster and she spun around to find a balcony that faced the ocean with two chairs just waiting to be sat in.

Eli set their bags down and looked around. “Just like in the photos,” he said to himself, pleased. “Don’t be nervous.”

She glanced to him quickly, “How do you…Oh yeah. Can you really hear my heartbeat?” He nodded, his eyes smiling as he locked the door. “That’s so neat.”

He chuckled and crossed to her, picking her up and throwing her over his shoulder like a caveman would. He tossed her onto the bed and she bounced on it, her body heating up with anticipation. He tore off the light t-shirt and glanced around the room. “I’m not used to this kind of dry heat.” He was glistening with sweat and smelled fucking delicious.

Rose went to pull off her sundress, eager to get naked, but stopped at his warning glance. “Oh, I forgot.”

He held up a finger. “Don’t let it happen again.” He chuckled and kicked off his blue Converse, bending for the socks as he muttered, “This is the last time I’ll wear socks until we leave.”

“Are you uncomfortable?” she asked, worried.

He made a face. “I love being naked. Are you kidding? It’s how I prefer to be.” And with that, off went the jeans and Rose felt herself clench with an ache to feel him inside her for the very first time. He walked toward her with nothing on but a sexy smirk, his dimple pressed into the stubble on his cheek. Her skin caught fire as his eyes raked a searing glance over her body. “You want to keep that?”

“My dress?” She glanced down to it. “Yes?” She wasn’t sure.

He laughed at the hesitancy. “You like it when I tear your clothes off?”

Feeling herself start to throb, she nodded and swallowed, eyes falling to his engorged cock. He caught her look and palmed himself, then standing at the edge of the bed, grabbed one of her legs and pulled her to him. Within two seconds, her dress was off and his eyebrows shot up. “No underwear?”

She shrugged and grinned at him flirtatiously. “I knew it would be hot.”

“It’s fucking hot alright,” he said, thickly, running rough hands all over her body.

She chuckled, “No I mean hot hot.”

He met her eyes and climbed on top of her until she had lowered herself, lying beneath him with her hair fanned out on the red comforter.

“I know what you mean.” Electricity shot down her legs as his fingers discovered her pussy. “You’re wet for me already.” A different kind of smile lit up his face and he leaned down to whisper in her ear, giving her soft lobe a tender lick. “I can smell when you want me, by the way.”

“You can?” she asked, surprised.

“Mmmhmm,” he murmured into her neck nuzzling her as his fingers worked into her folds. They were swollen with need and the instant she felt him, her legs opened on their own. She wanted him as close as a person can get to another person. Or in this case…to a beast she was just beginning to understand.

“Tell me everything you can do,” she moaned as he stroked her.

He nibbled on her neck then bit down on it. She felt instinctively that he was marking her and she knew it was his wolf, that she was now his, just like he’d said. He gnawed on her flesh, not breaking the skin, the massage of his teeth hypnotizing her powerless. When he finished he took her lips and there was nothing gentle about the kiss. Roughly they delved in to explore each other and mold each other’s mouths like clay. She cried out as her body began to shake. The surge of feelings for him and the skill of his fingers brought her to climax much quicker than she knew was going to happen. He cupped her and watched her face eagerly as she closed her eyes, and arched her neck and back, the sensations so strong.

“I can move very fast,” he breathed into her skin as he chewed his way down her chest.

“No, keep doing what you’re doing.”

He paused, then chuckled. “No, I’m telling you what I can do. My abilities. I’m not moving fast with sex.”

“Oh,” she laughed and lifted her head to watch him working his way from one of her sensitive nipples to the other, treating each like they were precious. “What else?”

He kneeled in front of her open legs and stared at her wet pussy, and bent to give it a kiss, holding himself up with one hand on the bed, the other opening her wider. His shoulders when he was hunched over like that were so hot she couldn’t stop staring at them. The muscles on the arm that held him up were flexed with each move he made. “I’m strong. And I can see in the dark.”

“That’s so cool,” she whispered watching him rise up and lift up his manhood, the width gorgeous.

He slid the crimson tip up and down her slippery folds and closed his eyes on a low groan. “I want to rip you apart.”

She reached over and touched him. He moaned and pushed just the tip closer to her throbbing opening. She wanted him so badly and was a little scared of his size. “Go slow,” she whispered.

He nodded and met her eyes. “I promise you I will.” She saw them glow again and smiled knowing he wouldn’t run this time if she told him. But she didn’t want him self-conscious. She wanted him just. like. this.

“I’m ready,” she whispered.

His eyebrows lifted and his eyes glowed hotter changing from amber to pale honey. His lips parted and she could see his teeth were a little different. It was terrifying and exhilarating at the same time. Her heartbeat slammed in her chest and he looked toward the sound and touched her between her breasts, pressing his hand into her skin. “I won’t hurt you. You’re safe with me.”

“Eli, that’s why I’m excited!” she breathed.

He stopped stroking himself and leaned down to kiss her, and this kiss was tender and loving. She wrapped her fingers around his head and held him to her, gently kissing him back. Her heart slowed down, a calming knowledge taking over her that this was right. That they were supposed to be together. He gasped as he pulled back, searching her eyes. She wanted to ask him if he’d felt what she just had, but she decided not to. It was enough for her to know. “I need you inside of me now.”

He nodded and licked his lips, giving her one more kiss before he rose up and positioned himself. His fingers dug into her hips as he pulled her closer to his cock, and his eyes stayed on her pussy. Watching him look at her like that was such an amazing feeling. He pressed into her an inch deep and groaned. “You’re so tight.” She moaned as her body relaxed, wanting him. He pressed in an inch deeper and glanced up to check in with her. She nodded and he pressed in more, his girth spreading her walls. He thrust in a little more, this time like his body couldn’t go slow anymore. She watched him fight himself.

“Just do it!”

He shook his head. “I don’t want to hurt you,” he rasped, staring at where their bodies were joining.

He pressed in again but the pleasure overcame him and he thrust in to the hilt with an unleashed plunge. She moaned and her back arched. There was a little bit of pain but only a little, and it only made the sensation heighten. His eyes flew open. “Shit! Are you okay?”

“Very okay,” she smiled and he relaxed. His muscular hips took over and he filled her again and again. The sounds he made were incredible and pushed her higher into ecstasy. He collapsed on top of her, and his mouth caught hers. They moved together, their bodies taking over, the symmetry blending until the room disappeared. It was only Eli and Rose and nothing else mattered. He gasped and released her lips, craning his neck as he tried to stay his orgasm. She watched his face, thinking she’d never seen anyone more handsome. The way his body felt on top of her, the sheer skin-to-skin weight and how much he filled her so completely, moving faster when she wanted him to and slowing down when her moans dictated. They came together, embracing, their bodies covered in a slick, hot sweat. He showered her with kisses and just like on the street, repeated her name over and over like he couldn’t believe she was real.