Chapter Sixteen
“So, you’re not sure what’s wrong with it?”
“Nope.”
“And you don’t know when you can repair it?”
“Nope.”
“And you don’t have a rental or know if there’s a rental car place nearby?”
“Nope. Nearest one’s at least an hour drive away,” the old mechanic, Joe, said, rubbing his greasy hands on a rag. “Sorry, missy. Nothing I can do for you. Except maybe give you two a ride to the nearest motel? Maybe your people can come pick you up in the morning?”
Meredith kicked the tire of the car in frustration, then let out a string of curses.
Daric looked apologetically at the older man. “Sorry about that. My companion and I really needed to get home. Thank you, we will take you up on your offer.”
“Gimme five,” the man said and walked toward his office.
“Are you done?” Daric asked Meredith.
She gave a long sigh. “Yeah. Well, nothing we can do about it.” Looking outside, she saw that it was already dark. “Looks like we’re stuck here. I’ll call Alynna.” She walked out of the garage, pulling the phone out of her pocket and dialed the single number programmed into the device.
As soon as the SUV stalled, Daric and Meredith called Alynna and explained what happened. Unfortunately, there was no one around to help them or drive two hours to come pick them up, so she said she’d search for the nearest mechanic to give them a tow. About two hours later, an older man in an ancient tow truck pulled up next to the SUV and introduced himself as Joe. He towed the car back to his garage, which was actually in a small town another hour away, in the opposite direction of Manhattan. As they waited for him to fix the vehicle, they walked to the diner across the street and had some dinner before going back to Joe’s garage.
When they got back, they found the old man staring at the SUV, a confused look on his face. Joe said he wasn’t sure what was wrong, but he said it might be a computer issue, something he couldn’t fix. And now, here they were, stuck in this tiny town.
Meredith came back after a few minutes. “Alynna said she'd have Alex pick us up tomorrow at noon. He’ll be bringing a mechanic, too. She said just to go and get a couple of rooms and stay the night.”
Joe came out of his office and led them back to his truck, opening the door for Meredith in the back and gesturing for Daric to ride up front with him. He hitched their car back onto the tow truck, and soon they were on their way. Fifteen minutes later, they arrived at the motel complex.
The Cozy Inn Motel looked like any standard old motel, single story and the structure built in a U-shape, with the reception in the middle and the rooms on either side. Across the street was a bar, the words “Dirty Bird” emblazoned on the side in hot neon lights.
Joe dropped them off and pulled the SUV into one of the empty slots at the end of the building. Daric thanked him for his help and followed Meredith into the motel.
The two of them walked into the reception, where an older, dour-faced woman was waiting behind a desk, reading a trashy romance novel.
“Good evening,” Daric said. “We would like two rooms, please.”
The woman let out a long sigh and took out a large, leather bound book from underneath the desk. She opened it up and peered down at the pages. “No,” she said.
“No?” Meredith asked. “No, you don’t have any rooms or no, you don’t want to give us any?”
“No, I don’t got two rooms,” she replied gruffly. “I got one room.”
“What?” Meredith exclaimed. “That can’t be right! You must have at least two rooms! Who the heck would come stay in this Godawful—mmmph!”
“We’ll take it,” Daric said as his hands wrapped over Meredith’s mouth. The Lycan wrenched herself away from him, her face growing red with anger.
The woman shrugged. “Fine. Cash only. And I’m gonna need a deposit.”
Meredith grumbled as she took out a wad of cash from her purse, slapping it on the desk. The woman handed her a key, sat back down and returned to her book.
“Let’s go,” Meredith said as they walked towards the room, which was the nearest one to the reception area. She slipped the key into the lock and opened it.
The room wasn’t luxurious, but Daric supposed it would have to do. The only problem was that there was only one king-sized bed in the middle of the cramped room. He strode over to the bed and grabbed a pillow.
“I’ll sleep on the floor. Perhaps I can ask for a blanket,” Daric said, trying to find a spot that would look comfortable or at least fit his frame.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Meredith said as she sat on the bed. “The bed is big enough, and if it weren’t, then I should be the one on the floor. You’re humongous.”
The thought of sharing the bed with Meredith made his body react instantly, and he imagined her sweet, lush body wrapped around him. “No, I will sleep on the floor.”
“For God’s sake!” She grabbed the pillow from him and threw it back on the bed. “Grow up, Daric. It’s just one night. I’m sure it’s an inconvenience sharing a bed with me, but you’ll live.”
“It’s not that.” How could he explain it to her? Knowing that she’d be so close to him, he wouldn’t be able to resist the temptation. He’d already gone too far; he was not going down this road.
“What, you think I’m going to attack you in your sleep? That I won’t be able to resist your charms and throw myself at you?” she mocked. “Last I checked, you were the one who brought me into that closet! Or was I imagining someone else’s tongue on my pussy?”
“Dammit, woman!” He grabbed her arm. “Don’t you ever think before you speak?”
“Fuck you, Daric!” She pulled away from his grasp. “You know what? No, I’m not fucking you. Ever.” She stormed to the door.
“Where are you going?” he shouted.
“To find someone who does want to fuck me!” she screamed, slamming the door behind her.
Daric sat on the bed and ran his hands through his hair. “Goddamn woman.”
***
As Meredith stomped across the parking lot to the Dirty Bird, she slowly counted her steps, hoping that it would calm her down enough to stop her from doing something stupid. Her inner wolf, however, was going crazy, scratching at her and begging her to go back to Daric.
“Shut. The. Fuck. Up. Bitch!” she growled. “I’m done with you for tonight.”
The she-wolf let out a whine but quieted down. Good.
Walking into the Dirty Bird, Meredith pushed her way inside the crowded room and walked straight to the bar. “Whiskey,” she grumbled at the man behind the bar.
“A shot?” the bartender asked.
“A fifth,” she replied, slapping a couple of bills on the counter.
The man shrugged, grabbed a bottle from behind the bar and placed it in front of her, along with a glass. “Pace yourself, little lady.”
She grabbed the bottle, unscrewed the top and drank straight up, taking three large gulps before slamming it back down. “I’m not a lady,” she declared.
“Yeah, well, I’m gonna cut you off the moment you start acting crazy,” the bartender warned.
“Fine,” she said. The burn down her throat felt good, and she was already starting to feel the wonderful numbing effects of the alcohol. Exactly what she needed, so she could stop feeling that awful pain from Daric’s rejection, for the nth time in a row. God, I’m an idiot, she thought as she took another swig. Wanting a man who didn’t want her. Who was, apparently, repulsed at the thought of even sleeping next to her. Scratch that; she was the queen of idiots. Meredith, Empress of the Idiots, First of her name.
The alcohol was burning off way too fast, thanks to her Lycan metabolism. She took two long drags from the bottle, her eyes watering as the alcohol burn came too quickly. At least the numbness came back, and she steadied herself as her body began to sway. What was the plan anyway? Get drunk off her ass and then what? She checked her pockets—ah, the car keys were there. Maybe she could sleep in the car tonight.
“Hey there, sexy mama,” a voice from behind her called. She turned and saw a man staring at her. Or staring at her boobs maybe.
“Fuck off,” she said, not really in the mood. “This is a solo party.”
“Oh yeah? You sure I can’t convince you to make it a party of two?” He flashed her a set of pearly white teeth. The man was about her height, with wavy brown hair and brown eyes. Meredith supposed he was handsome, but, ugh. No way. She was horny, but not that horny.
She stood up and faced the stranger. “I said fuck off.” She wanted nothing more than to break the bottle over his head, but not only was that a waste of good liquor, but she didn’t have any more money on her to buy more.
“Hmm…I bet you’d be a little hellcat in bed,” he said and brought his hand behind her to cup her ass.
Meredith instantly reacted, grabbing the man’s hand and then twisting it around. He let out a yelp of pain as she slammed his face down on the bar.
“Crazy bitch!” he screamed. “I think you broke my arm!”
“Just be glad that’s the only thing I broke, asshole,” she said, releasing him. “God, I am so done with men today!” she declared and then grabbed the bottle of whiskey, then walked to the door, pushing it open with all her might. Unfortunately, someone on the other side pushed the door in at the same time, sending her flying back and falling flat on her ass.
“Goddammit!” she cursed as she got up. When she saw who was standing over her, she got even more enraged. “What are you doing here?”
“Looking for you,” Daric replied, raising an eyebrow at her. “Can you not go five minutes without causing trouble, woman?”
She pushed him with all her might. “Get out of my way!” When he wouldn’t budge, she sidestepped around him and ran out the door.
Meredith let the cool air into her lungs, not that it helped calm her down. She stalked towards the car, ignoring the heavy footsteps behind her. Fishing the key fob out of her pocket, she unlocked the door.
“Meredith! Meredith, for God’s sake, stop.” He grabbed her before she could get inside.
“Why the hell did you follow me?” she asked, looking up at him. “Why can’t you leave me alone?”
“Because I can’t stand the thought of you with anyone else!” he roared, pushing her up against the side of the car. “And I can’t bear to think of you hurting because you think I don’t want you.” He gripped her arms, his fingers digging gently into her flesh. “Not when I’ve never wanted anyone as I want you.” He pressed his hips against her, his erection evident.
“Daric,” she gasped, and let out a soft moan as his lips came down on hers in a savage kiss. Unlike their other kisses, this one was not gentle. It was passionate and wild, with Daric driving his tongue into her mouth like he couldn’t get enough of her. Oh God, his scent was that of full-blown arousal, and it was driving her crazy. She wanted to get as close to him as possible, practically crawling out of her skin with need.
“Meredith,” he whispered, and she whimpered when he pulled away.
“Why, Daric?” she asked, gazing up at him, trying to find answers in his sea-colored eyes. “Why don’t you want to have sex with me?”
“Because, min kjære,” he sighed, brushing a lock of hair from her face. “It wouldn’t just be about sex.”
Before she could react, he moved down again for a kiss, and she moaned into his mouth. His hands cupped her ass, lifting her up against him.
“I can’t wait,” she groaned.
Needing no more encouragement, Daric opened the rear door of the vehicle and pushed her inside. He climbed in and closed the door behind him, then crawled over her.
Meredith spread her knees, inviting him to come between her legs. He came down on top of her, and took her mouth again, pouring every bit of himself into their kiss. She cried his name as he dragged his lips down lower. He lifted her shirt, yanking down the cups of her bra and freeing her breasts.
“Yes,” she moaned when he took a nipple into his hot mouth, sucking and gently biting it. “God, you’re a tease.”
He looked up and smiled at her, nipple still in his mouth. A hand snaked between them, slipping under her leggings and panties. “I’ve only just begun.”
A finger slipped inside her, making her hips buck up. Another joined in, and soon, Daric was dragging his fingers in and out her, while his thumb found her clit.
“Fuck!” Meredith moved her hips against his hand, seeking her orgasm.
“Cum for me,” he urged. “I want to feel your sweet cunt grip my fingers.”
Fuck, Daric talking dirty was hot, and it wasn’t long before her orgasm came, crashing over her like a strong wave. Her hips surged up and then crashed down, her ass hitting the leather seat.
“Beautiful,” he declared, leaning down to kiss her.
“I need you, Daric,” she said. “Please.”
“I’ve waited so long, min kjære.” He took his shirt off and then tugged down her leggings and panties in one movement, tossing them away. He lifted his hips, unbuttoned his jeans and shoved them down his thighs.
“Now, Daric,” she demanded. “I need you inside me now.”
He guided his cock to her entrance, and she could feel the swollen head pushing at her. Slowly, he filled her, stretching her, as if making sure she felt every inch of him. She held her breath and bit her lip, waiting for the slight discomfort to leave her body.
“Meredith,” he gasped as his cock bottomed out. Taking a deep breath, he began to move his hips. She wrapped her legs around his waist, trying to push him deeper with every inward thrust.
Fuck, it was so good, much better than she’d imagined. Daric’s cock, fucking in and out of her, dragging along the inside of her pussy. Dear God, she wanted to weep from pleasure. She dug her fingers into his back, scraping her fingernails down his skin as he continued to thrust into her.
He eased in and out, ramming his big cock into her. Taking her. Consuming her. Owning her. He growled in pain as her nails left marks down his back, and he grabbed her hand and thrust it between them, making her touch her clit as he fucked into her.
Daric pumped into her faster, hips fucking furiously as he drove her to the edge. The first pulse of her orgasm burst through her quickly, the scream rising in her throat. She bit down on his shoulder to stop herself, not enough to draw blood but certainly leaving teeth marks. Large hands slipped under her ass, pressing her up closer to him, filling her deeper and another pulse of pleasure zinged through her.
“Daric,” she cried as his body tensed and his thrusts became more erratic and volatile. She felt his cock swell, and then shoot his warmth inside her, filling her up. He continued to thrust into her, and she reveled in the feeling of his sticky cum pushing and flowing out of her, running down her ass.
He grunted and gave one last thrust before collapsing on top her. Planting a quick kiss on her lips, he settled his head between her breasts, his ragged breathing slowly becoming even.
When Meredith finally opened her eyes, she wasn’t sure if five minutes or five hours had passed. Looking up, she saw the windows of SUV had fogged up. Her skin was slick with sweat, and the whole car smelled like Daric and sex. She groaned when he shifted his hips, and his cock slipped out of her.
“We should get to the room,” Daric said, lifting his weight off her. He backed up, opened the car door, and slipped out.
“Jesus,” Meredith muttered, her eyes watching as Daric tucked his cock back into his jeans, and stretched his hands over his head to put his shirt back on. His muscles rippled under his skin, and her gaze was drawn to the perfect line between his pecs, lower still to his flat stomach and defined abs and the delicious V of his hips. A small cry of disappointment left her lips as the fabric of his shirt covered his torso.
“You look beautiful,” he said, grinning at her as she realized that he had caught her staring. Meredith looked down at her body—her lower half bared, her shirt over her chest and tits popped out of her bra. The heated look in his eyes made her blush all over, particularly since he stared at her thighs, sticky with his seed.
With a sigh, Meredith hoisted herself up and grabbed her discarded clothing. She turned away from him and wiggled into her leggings. She heard a groan from behind her, and she turned her head.
“Your ass is perfect,” he growled.
“Thank you,” she said saucily, shaking her ass at him. “I work—” She let out a yelp as his arm wrapped around her waist and hauled her out of the car. Daric hoisted her over his shoulder, like some maiden about to be ravished (maybe he really was descended from Vikings) and began to walk back to their room.
“Daric put me down. I can walk, you know,” she chuckled.
He landed a playful slap on her butt. “Still? I have to do something about that, then.”
She laughed harder, her shrieks of delight ringing across the parking lot.