Ethan hated leaving Naomi without even saying goodbye, but Javier made sense when he said she needed space to come to grips with the recent events-and time to miss them. Ethan wrote his note and then almost shoved it up Javier's butt when he read his friend's. But then, he'd realized part of her getting to know him included realizing he didn't have the same flowery way with words Javier did. And, as his conscience reminded him, she hadn't yet fallen prey to Javier's charm, so perhaps his straight to the point methods would appeal. Or so he hoped. Once at the sports complex, he couldn't concentrate on lacrosse practice. However, even at his worst, he still shone, catching and flinging the ball with speed and precision. He skipped the locker room after their two hour drills to hit the gym. He found comfort in the mind numbing sameness of exercise. Thankfully, the weight room was virtually empty and his dark look had hurried out the few patrons. As he lifted weights and did hi
Naomi didn't want to attribute her bad temper to the fact she hadn't seen hide or hair all day of the two idiots whom her wolf wanted to take a bite out of. However, telling herself she didn't care as she cleaned her house in a frenzy, while pretending she was happier with them gone, just agitated her even more. When her phone rang while she stripped and made her bed-trying to erase the delicious scent of them lingering on the sheets-she needed to race downstairs, her upstairs phone having met the door in a fatal accident earlier that morning during her fit. Diving onto the shrilly, ringing phone, she answered breathlessly. "Hello." "Oh my god, did I, like, interrupt you having sex?" Francine's voice started out loud and tapered to an exaggerated whisper. "What? No, I'm not having sex. Why the hell would you think that?" Naomi replied in disgust-mostly because her body kept begging to have sex-as she flopped on the couch. "Well, I heard from my mother, wh
At work the next day, Naomi found it exceedingly difficult to concentrate. She'd spent a sleepless night, squirming and horny. She'd tried masturbating, but to no avail. Five fingers couldn't satisfy her, not when she craved a man between her thighs-make that two men. Diving into her work, she let the numbers on the receipts and ledgers before her suck her into a world she understood where the solutions to questions made sense. Followed a set of rules that never wavered. Where a relationship equaled one man and one woman, two people, not three, like the spot between her legs claimed. Slowly, the columns of figures settled her for the first time in days. An affinity for mathematics growing up had led her into a career in accounting, most especially for other 'special' people like her. Given the longevity of shifters and convoluted family trees-because not all species believed in a monogamous paring for life-she'd acquired an extensive clientele. A few hours into her pe
Javier could sense her inner conflict, in fact he prayed for it. Things had gone so well until the disastrous dinner of the night before. While he expected it of Ethan, Javier should have known better than to arouse Naomi in front of her brothers-until he'd marked her. However, the lure of her presence and worse, her interest, blinded him to their location with disastrous consequences. Overprotective brothers had the right to defend their sister's honor, but Javier and Ethan grossly miscalculated on how a regular rumble, common in shifter households, would send Naomi running. It had only taken Meredith's quietly announced, "She left," for the fight to deflate. And that's when Javier discovered that despite her feisty nature, Naomi thought she wanted a life completely absent of violence. Probably not one hundred percent feasible given the hotheaded nature of shapeshifters-herself included-but he and Ethan came to an understanding with her family, her brothers especially. If they
Bored. So bloody bored. Naomi tried to listen to Phil as he droned on and on about his successful practice. She tried to focus on his face, but his weak chin, which she'd never really noticed before, and pasty white skin made her wish for tanned and muscled? Nope. I don't miss or want those two testosterone laden idiots. She tried to imagine kissing Phil, letting him touch her with his soft hands and couldn't stop a shudder. Okay, so he's not the man for me. It didn't mean Sexy and Sexier were. But wanting to screw their brains out and chaining myself to them for life are two totally opposite things. And if she didn't fear the former would lead to the latter, she would have probably just scratched her carnal itch. She still might if she could only assure herself they wouldn't try and trick her in a moment of weakness. A prickling sensation tickled the back of her neck and she turned to see what had caught her attention. Her jaw dropped as Javier and Ethan strode into the re
Ethan shook mostly in lust, but also shock. "Did she just say what I think she did?" Javier's lips quirked into a grin as he nodded his head. "She is something isn't she? Come on. I know where she's parked. It wouldn't do for her to end her date without a kiss." Ethan followed his friend as they weaved through the tables following the delectable ass of their woman. She wore a slim fitting, ruby colored sheath that clung to her curves and made Ethan gnash his teeth and strive for control as he couldn't help notice the appreciative glances thrown her way. When he'd walked in and seen her sitting with that puny human, he'd almost lost his cool. His bear had roared in his mind, ready to charge over and tear the daring human into itty bitty pieces. However, the icy glare Naomi had tossed their way at the sight of their pretend dates did much to restore his calm and kept him following Javier's plan. A brilliant plan actually that didn't require any violence-on their part a
Grumpy didn't come close to describing Naomi's state of mind the next day. Hornier than hell. Tired. Annoyed. Those came close and yet none of those terms completely explained the turmoil boiling inside her. The previous evening, still shaking from her unexpected parking lot climax, she'd barely made it home. Her body-and wolf-howled at her to go back and take what they offered. However, that stank too much of submission. And I hate not being in control. Slamming into her house after flipping the causes of her displeasure off, she'd actually waited with almost bated breath for them to come pounding on her door. Begging her to kiss them goodnight. To resume what they'd started. She'd even partially fantasized about them, overcome with lust, pushing their way into her home, and taking her, right up against the wall. Instead, they'd left. The jerks. And she'd gone upstairs to a big, lonely bed with an aching pussy that still quivered faintly in remembrance at Ethan
Javier cursed as he hung up his phone. "No fucking way." Ethan, riding their home exercise bike, glanced over at him. "Are you swearing? Must be bad. What's up?" "Somebody trashed Naomi's car at work." Quicker than a blink, Ethan's bear took over and a roar echoed from his mouth as his teeth elongated, his body reshaped and fur sprouted. In seconds, a pissed Kodiak, wearing only shreds of clothing, lumbered toward the apartment door and Javier sprinted to throw himself in front of Ethan. "Stop! You can't go out there like that. Are you out of your fucking mind?" A growl was the reply as Ethan butted Javier with his big shaggy head, tossing him aside. Javier landed on his hands and flipped to a standing position. "If you get shot or picked up by animal control, you won't be able to protect her, dumbass." Javier's cool logic stopped Ethan from clawing the door off. It didn't save it, though. The inch deep gouges would probably never sand out, but at le