Chapter 6
Getting to Know Him
Andi would admit the day had been great so far. Sebastian was all that and more. He’d been the perfect gentleman, even if the interest in his eyes was enough to set her on fire. Carrying her bags, opening doors for her, nothing was too much for him to do. So far, the shopping trip had been the best ever. It was like he’d given her luck to find exactly what she needed at just the right price.
The meal had gone well, of course, it was her favorite steak restaurant. It looked like it would be his favorite too. Seb, as he asked her to call him, insisted on paying since he pointed out, it was a date. The male was too perfect. That was a breath of fresh air after the awful situation she’d recently had. Lately, she’d been jumping at every sound but she felt safe with Seb.
There was no doubt he was a predator, it was obvious he was strong enough to protect his territory. Right now, she was part of that territory. Andi didn’t mind feeling protected, although she had a feeling he was looking for something she wasn’t prepared to give out. It wasn’t that the male wasn’t sexy as hell, it was that this couldn’t go anywhere. She liked sex, but she didn’t want an empty sexual relationship.
She walked behind him as they left the restaurant noticing his great ass matched with muscular legs. Yup, he was sex on a stick. Andi almost walked into him when they got to his SUV because she was staring at his ass so hard. He opened the door for her, letting her get settled before he closed it. So far, his behavior had been perfect, he’d not even tried to steal a kiss.
It might sound like she was disappointed that he hadn’t tried anything, but she wasn’t. She was only confused as to why he hadn’t. That was her only concern. The fact that he was gorgeous, which made her motor run, had nothing to do with it.
By the time they were headed home, the back of his SUV was full plus she had items in the floorboard on her side of the SUV. It had been a successful trip, there was no other way to describe it. She would also go so far as to say they had enjoyed the time they spent together. Most of the items in back were hers, but Seb had found a few interesting things too. Maybe he really was looking for collectibles to fill a new house.
“It’ll be suppertime when we get home. Do you want to call an order in to Sara’s? I’ll drop you off at home before I go pick it up,” Seb offered.
Who knew shopping could make someone so hungry? “Okay, that way I can get ready for all the stuff we have to unload.” Andi was excited. Some of the pieces would fly off the shelves.
She dug out her phone so she could make the call. Sara picked up right away. Andi ordered them both the steak special with all the extras. It would fill up a big guy like Seb. If she had leftovers, she could save them for lunch tomorrow. As soon as they got to the shop, he pulled over so she could hop out. Seb took off to get their food while she cleared some shelf space. Since she knew what she had, it was easier to figure out where to put things than it would have been before she left.
He was back in no time so they decided to eat after the SUV was empty. It took about half an hour with her putting things that were ready to sell in place as they came in. The items she had to work on, went to the back. She was thrilled with how everything had come together.
“Looks like we can sit down to eat now,” Andi said.
“Where’s you dining room?” Seb asked.
“Upstairs,” she replied before she thought about it. Upstairs might not be the best place to take a male that was sexy as fuck. Just saying. Too late now, the invitation was out of the bag, so to speak.
Seb picked up the large bags immediately moving up the stairs. Her living room was first with her dining area, more like an alcove really, next. Her room was to the right down the hallway but the bathroom was first.
Andi pointed to the hall. “The bathroom is the first room.” Rooms were only on one side of the hall. The bathroom, bedrooms, with a storage room at the end of the hall. It worked for her. A couple could even live there without too much trouble. Kids? The space was too open with the stairs the biggest danger.
Andi had a plan. Once the shop was paid for, she would start saving money while looking for the right man. A Mr. Mom that had a job he could do from home so he could help with the kids. He would be biddable, she didn’t want a bossy man telling her what to do. They would buy a nice house just outside of town. It would be big enough for a large family.
She would hire a manager for the shop. They would live in the apartment as part of their wages. Andi could then use her talents to stock the gift shop, make arrangements, as well as filling in where needed. Eventually, she would also hire a delivery person who would also cover the shop part of the time. Mary would still have a job, but she would get another part timer to take Harry’s position when he left.
Her intention had always been to grow the business. The store next door had been empty for a long time with a for sale sign in the window. If she had the means, she would buy it too. A book store with a coffee shop would be a good fit for the size of the place. It would also have a lot of traffic coming through that would help her flower shop. It would be a great place to kill an hour of two with a book and dessert. Yeah, Andi had big dreams, but they would be slow to reach fruition. It was a good thing she had patience. For now, she would enjoy the little time that was left in the evening while trying to avoid the pitfalls of the dating traps.
Seb went to the bathroom to clean up while she got glasses out for their drinks. She emptied the bags, placing their food in front of their places. Gee, the food smelled so good! Andi went to the kitchen to wash her hands, expecting Seb to be back by the time she was done. He was waiting for her with a chair pulled out so he could help seat her.
“Thank you,” she said as she watched him take his seat. Andi had plates on the table that they both spooned their food onto. “Sara is such a good cook.”
Seb took a bite slowly chewing. “Yes, she is,” he agreed once his mouth was empty. They both ate quietly was comfortable.
“So, what do you do for fun?” Seb asked as he finished his food.
“I’m an avid reader when I find time. I also enjoy reworking things I buy at the sales. Fixing things up or completely repurposing them is satisfying. Around the holidays, I still cook, bake mostly. Cookies go to churches that feed the hungry. What do you do?”
“I love to spend time with fun people. I haven’t done that in a long time. Especially not a lovely female like you.”
Andi’s face burned it was so red. She didn’t know how to handle flirting, she hadn’t been around it in so long. She started to clear off the table causing Seb jump up to help her. Once the trash was thrown away, the leftovers put up, and the dishes washed, Seb pressed her against the counter to take his kiss. Heaven help her, she leaned into him giving as good as she got.
Andi let out a moan that seemed to pull a groan from Seb. His hands roamed over her body but she couldn’t find the strength to voice an objection or pull away. Dear Lord, she was turning into a slut. Was that what happened when you did without sex for two years?
Seb picked her up and carried her to her room. She started to object, but he set her on her feet then kissed her. His hands reached for her shirt pulling it up as he leaned back so he could take it off her. Cool air hit her over heated skin. His lips returned before she could clear the need from her head. In the back of her mind, she knew this was a mistake. Too bad her body didn’t agree.
Next, he leaned back to pull off his own shirt which he dropped to the floor carelessly. When he pulled her into his arms again, she felt his silky heated skin against hers. Her bra popped loose as his hands tugged the straps down her arms until it joined the other items on the floor. She heard his shoes when he kicked them off as they hit the floor.
The evening was not going as she had planned. It seemed to be going the way Sebastian had planned. How had she lost all control of the situation? Somehow, they were nearly naked. Her shoes were still on, but her pants and panties were around her ankles. She felt his hardness pressing against her. It was monstrous. Her eyes widened in disbelief. None of the guys she’d ben with before had been more than average.
Andi hadn’t minded, the first time it had been easier on her because her boyfriend didn’t stretch her much. Now she was a bit concerned about where that big thing was going to go. “Shh, it will fit. I’ll make sure you’re ready for me,” Seb assured.
He picked her up, taking her to the bed where he pulled her shoes off before stripping her pants as well as her panties the rest of the way off. Those were tossed to the floor also. A tremor of desire ran over her. She’d never wanted a male so much in her life. This didn’t feel like a one night stand, even though that was all it could be.
His hands moved over her body with his mouth following along. When he reached her nipples, he drew one in tugging on it hard. Moisture coated her channel in a rush sliding down to the inside of her thighs. He groaned making her wonder if he scented it with his superior sense of smell. The thought made her cheeks grow hot with embarrassment. At least he seemed to like it.
After he sucked on both her nipples until they were sensitive as hell, he moved down making her writhe in anticipation. The touch of his soft lips tinkled slightly while his hands thrilled her. When he reached her mound, he breathed on it with his heated breath. More moisture slid down her thighs. She felt on the edge of an orgasm before he’d even touched her core.
His tongue flicked out to taste her essence and he moaned in delight. “You taste so sweet,” Seb praised.
Her fingers slid into his hair holding him in position as his face lowered to her clit so his tongue could work her bundle of nerves. One hand moved under her ass to tilt her into a more open position while his other hand began to finger her. He used one finger at first, but added another quickly. The third one was the last he added as he furiously finger fucked her.
Andi felt her passion spiral out of control as she was sucked into the vortex of pure pleasure. She threw back her head, screaming his name as her body thrashed against him in pure abandon. Moisture flooded her channel as her release rocked her. Her mind was in a daze as bliss pulsed all over her.
Seb didn’t wait, he slid up her body, positioning his cock head at her entrance. Her well lubricated channel welcomed his shaft as he thrust forward burying himself balls deep inside her. He grunted, possibly from the effort of staying still for a moment so her body would adjust to his size. Her lover didn’t stay still long. In seconds, he hammered in and out of her with ardor.
She felt the need building again. He coaxed the response from her body like a musician playing a finely tuned instrument. Seb went in so deep, she imagined she could feel him hitting her tonsils. The spots he was hitting were lighting up and she was so close anything could push her over.
“Come for me, Baby,” Seb whispered which was all it took. Her legs wrapped around him squeezing tight as she arched up against him. Andi’s channel clutched him so tightly, it never wanted to let go.
Whatever she did, set him off because he roared like the king of the jungle he was. She looked at his face, noticing his eyes glowed gold with his lion showing strong. They were both slicked with sweat, tired but relaxed. She was asleep before he pulled out of her. In her sleep, she felt cold. Her hands reached for a blanket pulling it over her.
It was hours later, when the sun began to lighten the sky that she started to wake. At first, she felt panicked but then she remembered it was Sunday. She had a lot to get done, but she wasn’t on a strict schedule like she usually was. Her hand reached out, but she wasn’t surprised that she was alone in bed. The thing that happened between them, was what it was. It embarrassed her a bit, this first foray into casual sex.
Seb had been a thoughtful and pleasing sexual partner, but she didn’t think she could ever do such a thing again. Andi wasn’t the casual kind. She’d had three long term relationships in her life, the shortest lasted a year. The next had lasted nearly two years, and the last had been a year and a half. They had all ended with them staying friends.
Maybe she was just the friend type. Someday, she’d find someone that could be her other half, but she was in no hurry to find him. There was a lot of work to be done to prepare for that day. Now that Seb had dealt with her needs, she should be good for two more years. She felt warm as she relived the memory of last night in her mind.
Andi got up, today would be busy. She ate a quick bite for breakfast, showered, dried, dressed, and hurried downstairs. Her purchases from yesterday were everywhere. The things already in the gift shop were ready to go. They just needed prices. Things in her work room, needed, well, work.
The first thing she did was price things in the gift shop so those looking for something special would know what items cost. Pricing didn’t take long so she moved on to the arrangements she needed after checking the website. Monday would be a busy day. Once she got several of the arrangements done, she took the time to assess the items she’d bought yesterday that needed work.
Some items just needed cleaning which would be the priority. It was important to make as much money as quickly as possible so she could meet her obligations. Andi had all of those easy fixes done by lunchtime. She went upstairs to get out her leftovers for lunch. It would be a better lunch than usual.
Half her salad was left which she out on a plate then added dressing. Another plate was used to put the leftover steak, grilled vegetables and leftover half of the baked potato. Popping it into the microwave, she turned to her salad, munching on it until the microwave beeped. When she pulled out the heated food, the aroma made her mouth water.
This was a meal she rarely got to eat. She intended to enjoy it thoroughly. Unfortunately, she wasn’t expecting the knock on the door. Andi considered ignoring it, but they just knocked harder the second time. Going downstairs, she opened the door, not too surprised to find both her sisters.
“Andi, tell us everything,” Candi demanded.
“Well, hello to you too,” She remarked.
“Hello, now tell all!” Sandi demanded.
“Come upstairs so you can watch me eat while we talk,” Andi instructed. She went back upstairs with her sisters trailing her.
She sat back down and the table taking a big bite which she chewed well. “We had a great shopping trip. Breakfast we ate at Sara’s, it was good as usual. We headed out to several stores getting some amazing buys. Yard sales dotted our path, with more good buys. We ate at the steakhouse in Springfield for lunch.”
“That one you like?” Sandi asked. Andi nodded.
“More great buys coming back, we went a different way. When we hit home, we ordered the steak specials from Sara’s, as you can see.” Andi pointed to her plate.
“What then?” Candi prodded.
“We unloaded everything before we ate supper.”
“That’s not all. I’m sure of it,” Sandi urged.
“Well, he left right afterwards. It’s one and done.”
“I didn’t see that coming,” Candi admitted.
“It relieved my stress, the male is talented.”
“I thought he wanted more,” Sandi offered.
“Most shifters are like wolves. They don’t pick their mates, so they play around until they find them.”
“Are you okay?” Sandi asked.
“I’m fine. There’s too much to do to dwell on a male that won’t be back,” Andi said. While that was true, she had no control over what her mind chose to dwell on. She finished her food.
“Why don’t you show us your treasures?” Candi suggested.
They all trooped downstairs to look at her purchases. They went to the gift shop area first. Her sisters aahed and oohed over everything. Then they moved to the work room. “What’s this for? It looks like trash,” Candi said holding up an old crib mobile. It was an older type that could be wound up so it would play Pop Goes the Weasel. The parts attached below the mechanical part were fabric which was shredded.
“When I’m through with that, Moe will love it.”
Her sisters looked at it doubtfully. “I suppose it’s an antique,” Candi offered.
“Try to imagine it clean with the metal shiny. Little wolves will be attached wear the ratty fabric remnants are.” Andi wound it up so it could play.
“That part is cool. I can’t imagine what you see in your head sometimes. Your projects usually turn out well. Show it to me before you give it to Moe,” Candi instructed.
Andi just knew it would be marvelous. It was one of the items Seb had shook his head over but they’d thrown it in free. There was no risk in taking it. If she ran into trouble, she had several cousins that made a living fixing items like it they would then sell. Just like what she did, except on a bigger scale.
Moe was a wonderful girl, she needed to give her something special that stood out. In a family with a mix of wealthy and crafty people, it wasn’t easy. This project was something that couldn’t be bought. She’d never seen a metal wind up crib mobile before in any condition. This was the perfect gift.
Projects like this gave Andi a great deal of pleasure. Had she not needed it for Moe, she would have kept it herself. Why she had her mind on babies, she couldn’t say but suddenly she wanted to collect special items like this for the child in her far-off future. Get lucky once in two years and immediately she was emotional.
Her sisters stayed a little while as they looked through each item trying to guess her plans for them. They didn’t recognize most of the damaged items. Once she was done with them, they wouldn’t be able to match them to the original item, except for a few like the mobile. Both sisters left after reminding her she would have to get a gift for each of them to give Moe.
Andi had already looked finding one possible gift. It was an heirloom baby quilt. She would wash it then see how it patched up. If it wasn’t perfect, she would keep it for her own baby. She didn’t mind some signs of wear, but she only wanted perfect gifts to give Moe.
Since she was alone again, she got back to work. She finished up the arrangements she needed before she turned her attention on the mobile. There was a limited amount of time to get that project done since the baby shower was already scheduled. She removed all the signs of the fabric that had hung form the metal portion of the mobile. She would replace those with something after the rest was in top shape.
First she washed it, making sure to clean any loose debris or dirt off. The metal massive, but it hadn’t rusted. It might be aluminum, but she thought it was platinum. Once she cleaned it, there was no sign of rust or tarnish. It was ready for the wolves, but she didn’t have them. It would take time to find the perfect little figures to hang from the mobile.
The next project she looked at was a small round table. It would work as a hall table or a nightstand. It needed to be cleaned, sanded and painted or varnished. That was a time intensive project that she didn’t have time for now. There was a knock on the door which made Andi assume her sisters had forgotten something. She turned on the porch light and was about to open the door when she realized it wasn’t them.
A male stood on the porch his eyes glowing red. She ran up the stairs as he began to hit the door attempting to open it. Had Marissa not spelled it, he would have already been inside with her at his mercy. She grabbed her keys setting off the car alarm before running to her room for the panic button. Her hands shook as she pushed the button. Glass broke downstairs telling her he’d given up on the door to try a window. They weren’t spelled so he would have no trouble entering there.
Opening the drawer of her nightstand, she pulled out her gun, quickly checking to see it was loaded then taking off the safety. Turning, she observed the male that leaned on her door frame. “I’ve come for you. Don’t make me hurt you, Darling.”
The male had nearly white blond hair that feathered around his face. Fine and long, it framed his eyes which were deep blue with a hint of purple. The male was tall, he could be shifter, vampire, or witch, but he was a paranormal. His body was lean, but well-muscled without any extra fat.
“I’m not going anywhere with you. You might want to think about what a bullet in the brain will do to you,” Andi suggested.
“That is a bit if a conundrum. What’s faster? A bullet or me. Hm, if I lose the race that could hurt. On the other hand, I like a challenge. It is true that I prefer not to die.” He cocked his head to the side. “I need to be more decisive. Looks like I ran out of time. See you later, Baby.” The male ran straight at the window shattering it as he hit it. Footsteps thundered up the stairs, Tyne entered with Moe and several others right behind him.
“Shit! He’s getting away. Someone cut him off,” Tyne yelled into his radio. A couple of the guys behind him turned to run back down the stairs. “Did he talk to you?”
“Yes. It was crazy. Almost like he was flirting,” Andi observed.
“We didn’t get a good look at him. What did he look like?”
“Really tall, maybe taller than you. Slim, like a swimmer or a runner. Fine blond hair, long with an almost whitish color. Deep blue eyes with a hint of purple, he also had pale skin. The male’s voice was soft, melodious. Oh, his eyes kept glowing red. It was freaky.”
“Tyne, could it be?”
“Sounds fae to me,” Tyne agreed.
“We’ve not had fae chasing white wolves, have we?” Andi asked when she realized they didn’t always tell them everything when it happened.
“Not that I’ve heard,” Tyne admitted. “Maybe he’s a mercenary.”
“Maybe but he seems cultured,” Andi offered.
Tyne snorted. “A cultured abductor. Goddess help us.”
“Would educated sound better to you?” Andi asked.
“We need to give Andi a guard,” Moe stated. She stood there sniffing. Tyne started sniffing too.
“Did you want to tell us something?” Moe asked.
“I went on a date with Sebastian. It was a one and done,” Andi admitted as her face turned red. “That was yesterday, not today.”
“Your sisters?” Moe asked.
“They were here earlier but not in this room,” Andi observed.
“Is Sebastian, er, your mate?” Tyne asked.
“I don’t know, but I doubt it,” Andi responded.
“Maybe you should stay at our house tonight?” Moe suggested.
“You know Monday is a big day around here,” Andi pointed out.
“I’m just worried about you. That male is powerful. I can smell the magic he left in his wake,” Moe admitted.
“Since when?” Tyne asked.
“I’ve been working with Marissa a little,” Moe admitted.
“It’s a good skill, but is this the best time to learn it?” Tyne asked.
They stayed for a while covering the two broken windows, then leaving an attractive wolf behind to sleep on her couch. “My name is Harley,” he announced.
“I’m Andi. Have you had supper yet?”
“I have, but I could eat some more,” he said like a typical wolf.
Andi went ahead cooking enough food for both of them. They sat down with spaghetti and meatballs. It was an oldie but a goodie. She heated up some frozen garlic bread that was surprisingly good. Cheesy broccoli went with the meal well. Once they were done, she cleaned up while he paced around like one might expect a guard to do.
“So, are you another one of Moe’s cousins?” Harley asked.
“Yes, there are a lot of us.”
“So it seems. I keep meeting new ones.”
They talked a little while, but she needed to get to bed so she could get up early in the morning. When she left the room, Harley was kicked back on the couch with pillows and a blanket. She slipped into her bedroom, she would shower in the morning instead. Once she stripped, she put on a sleepshirt because she had company.
Snuggling into her pillows, she drifted off to sleep. She woke while it was still dark but she sensed a presence. It was Seb, or was she dreaming? It seemed so damn real. Walking to the bed, he stripped naked before he joined her. His silky skin was hot to the touch as her hands stroked him.
“Take your clothes off, Andi. Do it for me.”
She couldn’t help herself, she undressed. “Do you like this better?” She teased him.
“You have no idea. I want to claim you. It’s hard not to give you the mating bite. My gums burn with the need, but I fight it,” he admitted. “I scent a male wolf nearby.”
“I had an attempt to abduct me tonight. He’s here to guard me.”
“You don’t need him, you have me.”
Her dream said just what she expected Seb would have said had he been here. But he was through talking now. His lips claimed hers in a passionate kiss that fired her need. She felt just like she had last night, when he’d made love to her. His hands stroked her lower and lower until they were near her thighs. It made her shiver delightfully.
His mouth moved down next kissing nipping, and licking every inch of her until he was between her thighs. Dear Lord, he felt amazing. His tongue probed her channel, plunging in and out quickly as his thumb moved to her clit circling it. His tongue moved its way to her clit while his hand moved to her channel, sticking two fingers in as if testing for readiness. Once she was soaked, he added a third finger.
Now he worked her clit with his tongue even nibbling it with his teeth until finally, she had a screaming orgasm. Her face flushed when she realized she’d screamed. Harley could hear her through these thin walls. She just wanted to hide under the blanket, but Seb wouldn’t allow it. Moving up her body, he slammed his hard shaft deep into her slick pussy. Her moans seemed to spur him on as he pounded into her harder, deeper, and just plain more.
Her knees were bent as she used whatever leverage she could to rise up to meet his thrusts. They slammed together, both of them sweat slicked from their exertions. Her hands clutched at his shoulders not wanting to let him go. Andi’s pleasure ratcheted higher and higher. There was no doubt the lion was an incredible lover.
The climax that had waited just on the edge of her awareness rushed over her. It wasn’t long before he joined her. When they both collapsed, sleep claimed her. Later, when she woke, she was naked but alone.