Bill had taken an Uber from the airport back to his home in Clearwater. Annie had dropped him off, but because the return trip was an early morning flight he hadn’t wanted to bother her. He was incredibly happy to find her in his bed when he walked into his master suite.
“Fancy meeting you here,” he whispered, with a bit of a growl behind it, in her ear.
She made a sexy purring noise when she turned over and held her arms out to him. That was an invitation he wasn’t about to refuse. He pulled her into a hot morning kiss that had her toes curling and his cock rock hard.
“And to what do I owe this pleasure?” He pulled back in order to begin removing his clothes. He was anxious to join her in bed, but she had the advantage of being already scantily clad.
“Believe me, baby, the pleasure will be all mine in a moment.” Her voice was eager and he could sense her arousal.
“In a moment?” he questioned with an arched eyebrow as his pants dropped to the floor. He climbed into the bed with her and pulled her to him. “I plan to please you right now, Mademoiselle.”
“And I look forward to it, but there is something I want to tell you before we . . . um, you know do the nasty.,” She was teasing him and he loved it when she talked dirty. With Annie there was no pretense. She said what she meant and usually said it quite colorfully.
“But I want to kiss you now, baby.”
“If you kiss me now I won’t be able to resist that charm of yours and not just the one dangling between your legs.” She laughed at her own joke and it was a husky sound that had his blood rushing to his groin.
“Okay baby, make it quick because when I make love to you I want all that attention focused on what I’m doing to you.”
“I wanted to let you know that I had a long talk with Gerri yesterday.”
That stilled him. Gerri had left this morning and he felt bad about not being here to see her off, but his business had taken him away at an inopportune time. “That was nice of you to keep her company.”
“She actually invited me out.” Annie sat up on the bed and pulled the sheet over her breasts. She saw his eyes gaze over them briefly and burst into flames. Her man was going to have to be patient. She wanted him focusing in on her words and not her endowments.
She pulled the band aid off in one swoop. “She shifted for me.” She wanted him to know that she knew and believed him.
Fear struck him and he searched her face for answers. “She did?” he asked. His fear abated when she smiled. That smile made hope surge within. She knew and she accepted him. All of him. He truly did want to howl.
Though he had wanted to do it, Gerri had done him a huge favor. He breathed out a sigh of relief. He had been putting it off in fear that she wouldn’t be able to accept the reality of the situation. Gerri had told him that she was indeed his one true mate and he shouldn’t fear that, yet still he had stalled.
“Yes, she did.” Annie was still smiling and her smile was getting bigger.
“And?” he asked. He wanted to hear the words that she accepted him for who he was.
“And what? You’re incredible. I’m falling for you. I want you to know that I’m not going anywhere. I’m not sure I want to be a wolf, but I do want to see where this goes.”
Those words were music to his ears. He growled. His wolf howled while he pulled Annie onto him. She yelped in surprise. “Oh, Annie. I need you, baby. Show me I’m your wolf.”
Annie turned over, pushed him back onto the bed and then straddled him. Him giving her control meant so much. This was about her showing him her feelings were real. They were real. More real than anything she had ever felt before. She eased herself onto him, locking eyes. She would show him, and followed her wolf’s command.
* * *
“I’m just going to run over to my place. I’ll be back in a few hours.” Annie kissed Bill at the door to his beach bungalow later that evening. She needed to check on her dog, take him for a walk.
“Bring Buddy back with you,” Bill suggested.
“You sure?” she asked. She hated leaving him all day. These past two weeks had been hard for her poor pup, though her friend and neighbor had a key to her place and had been checking on him for her. That neighbor, was also her dog walker. She took Buddy out each afternoon while Annie was at work and walked him with her own beagle, Tiny. She’d only spent a few nights at Bill’s because of him. Buddy was her pal. She walked him every day. He was her comfort and companion.
“Absolutely. He’s adorable. Maybe I’ll take him for a run,” he suggested. Bill had been to her condo and liked the dog. He didn’t even mind when he snuck onto the bed in the middle of the night a time or two.
“A run?” she asked. Buddy didn’t run. A brisk walk maybe, but his short legs weren’t made for the type of running Bill was talking about.
“Yeah, I’ll shift and take him in the scrub.” His eyes had laugh lines around them, but she wasn’t sure if he was teasing or not.
“Oh hell no! You are not taking my baby, a Schnauzer, into that scrub. I’m not letting a gator, possum, owl, hawk or whatever the hell is out there in that sawgrass get him. It’s dangerous out there for a little dog.”
“But I’m a Dire. I’ll protect him.” Bill’s expression was wounded, but she knew now he had been teasing her by the silent shaking of his chest.
“I’ll bring him, but he doesn’t leave the house unless he’s on a leash. Got it, mister.” Annie pointed her finger at Bill. She loved the man, but he better not mess around with her dog. That was her baby.
Bill tried and failed to hold it in any longer. Annie’s hackles were up. It made him feel slightly remorseful for teasing her. She loved that animal fiercely. He’d build Buddy a dog walk on the property. The animal, though domesticated, needed fresh air and a place to take care of business. He’d surprise her with it next week. He was hoping she would move in with him anyhow, and having the dog walk would make her feel safer about letting Buddy outside untethered. He understood the reason for a leash was as much for the dog’s own protection as for pedestrians, but the idea of leashes, even on domesticated animals, still bothered him.
“Okay. Babe, I got it.”
“Good. Okay, then.” She picked up her purse and stood at the door. He went over to her and kissed her fiercely. She kissed him back, but the intensity wasn’t there. Her mind was on her dog.
Ending the kiss, he pulled back and gave her an out. “I need to take care of some business on the computer, sweets. We can grill steaks when you get back. Sound good?”
Smiling, Annie glanced at her watch. “Perfect.” She’d have time do a load of laundry. Pack a small bag with a few things she needed for herself and work, and grab Buddy and his bowls and food, and doggy bed.