Chapter Twenty
How did she get into this predicament? It seemed like days since she’d potty danced with Sheldon. Now, she’d fallen for an Adonis and because of her, he was about to die. Being squished between two boulders would probably be a quick death. Her heart broke thinking she would never see him again. He had one last chance to get out.
His head rose above the surface and her instincts kicked in. Her hands shot out and latched onto his ears, then she threw herself backward with all the strength she had. She landed on her back hard, knocking her breath out. The floor vibrated with a thud when the rocks slammed together.
She desperately wanted to see if Bryon was alive. Had she held onto him or had he slipped through her fingers? After she could breathe again, she’d check. But it turned out she didn’t need to. A slobbery lick up the side of her face told her he was fine.
Bones snapped and clothes rustled. He must’ve been shifting to human. Warm hands grabbed her upper arms then she was surrounded by his manly scent. He didn’t speak. Didn’t need to. His hold on her said volumes. Tears came to her eyes.
“I’m so sorry,” she cried. “I didn’t mean to push anything. I was trying to get away from it.”
He didn’t loosen his squeeze on her, but he did talk. “What did you push?”
“I leaned against the wall to make sure I didn’t step on anything and my butt pressed against something. I’m sorry. I think it started the walls moving.” She readied for him to yell at her, to cringe at his angry words that she’d almost killed him.
He sighed. “Sounds like I should spank that butt, then.”
She gasped. That was not what she was expecting. And the way his voice oozed sensuality, she creamed her panties on the spot. He breathed deeply and she cursed herself. A growl started deep in his chest and his arms tightened. He was about to suffocate her.
“Damn, woman, I can’t resist you much longer. We’ll start with a spanking, then.”
Another thud came from inside the walls, interrupting his poetry to her pussy. The two stones that had come together were now sliding apart, returning to their places in the walls. She hurried to stand, now that the moment was gone.
“I guess we should backtrack to our last turn, huh?” she said.
His brows drew down. “That was quite a distance. Why would we go back?” She turned to look across the distance the pit presented. Her foot landed on something and her leg rolled out from under her. She was going down. “I gotcha.” Familiar hands settled around her waist. He pressed her back against his chest. “Maybe I should carry you the rest of the way,” he joked.
She rolled her eyes. “Yeah, yeah. I’ve heard it before.” She bent over and picked up the second torch she’d dropped earlier. “Do we need this one?” She looked at the dim embers of the first one on the ground.
“We should wait until we’re on the other side,” he said.
“Other side?” she replied. “You might be able to jump that distance, but this butt isn’t even thinking about it.” She pointed to her ass. The look he gave her could start its own fire. No torch needed. She snapped her fingers in front of his face. “Hello? What are we doing?”
“I’m shifting into my wolf, then you’re getting on my back and we jump together.”
She busted into laughter. “That’s the funniest thing I’ve ever heard,” she said. Good to know he had a sense of humor. Even if he was frowning at the moment. She slapped the torch against his chest as she passed him headed back the way they’d come. “Hasta luego, my friend.” He snagged her wrist and pulled her back to him.
“I don’t think so, love. You can do this. We have to hurry before the other torch goes out completely.”
She groaned and took the bundle of sticks from him. “Fine.” He began to take his sequined shirt off. Her brow raised. “What are you doing?”
He smirked. “I have to undress to shift,” he said smoothly.
“But,” she stuttered, “you didn’t change for the jump a minute ago.”
He gave a single shoulder shrug. “Didn’t have time. And it constricted me. With you on my back, I’m not taking any chances.” His eyes held hers as he unfastened and dropped his pants. She didn’t dare move—body or sight line. His smirk grew. “Grab my clothes before we go over. Do you mind?” He glanced down at his shirt on the floor; she just glanced down. Holy sausage on a stick.
He looked up and she jerked her head back, cheeks warming. “I didn’t see anything.” He didn’t say a word. His shift began and she watched, mesmerized. He went to his knees, head elongating and teeth sliding out of his jaw. The waning light hid most of the change, but she watched the structural shift. It was one of the most extraordinary things she’d ever seen. Everything about him wowed her.
Before her stood a beautiful, fluffy wolf. Damn, he was the size of a small horse. How the hell was she getting on his back? She picked up his clothes and the second torch. Okay, her hands were full; she could ride him without holding on. Whatever.
She slipped his shirt over hers. It smelled of Bryon and the prince. Next, she tied the torch to the outside of her thigh using his pants. Hands on her hips, she turned to the wolf.
“Unless you have a ladder, you need to get lower,” she said. He snuck a lick up the side of her face and lay on his belly. She would swear he was laughing at her. She swung a leg over his back and he stood. Immediately, she slid off to the side. She lay there, staring at the tunnel’s ceiling. “This isn’t going to work.” His reply was another wet tongue up the face. And another, and another. “All right! I’m getting up.” Under her breath, she grumbled, “Just you wait and see what I do with that tongue of yours, buddy.”
She took off the shiny shirt she had put on a minute ago and twisted it into a rope. She climbed onto Bryon’s furry back and tied the shirt sleeves under his stomach, strapping her to the animal. When she pulled the fabric on his stomach tight, he looked back at her.
“What?” she said. “Suck it up, buttercup. This is your idea, not mine.” The body under her legs tensed, muscles hardened. Her fingers dug into fur, legs clenched at his sides.
Her spine stretched as he sprang forward, and rounded when he pushed off his hind feet. Wind rushed in her face. Her eyes were closed, but she didn’t remember closing them. In less than a second, they were floating over the fifteen-foot-wide chasm.