Mary and the Bear (6 page)

She didn't really pay much attention when she felt someone come up behind her. It was a house party after all, and space was limited. Then someone placed their hands on her hips and a very aroused male body pressed against hers. His action pushed her against Erik, whose hands were already on her waist. Erik took advantage of the situation by pulling her in even closer, until with each movement, her chest brushed against his and his erection rubbed against her stomach.

She'd never been sandwiched between two horny males before, but she was handling it fine until she felt Erik's hands began to inch toward her breast. At the same time, the hands on her hips glided toward the hem of her skirt. Oh, boy! Things were getting out of hand. What to do now? Babs would know what to do, she thought sadly. She was so out of her element. Sliding her hands from around Erik's neck, she brought her elbows down in an attempt to force some space between their bodies. She'd barely finished when the male body plastered to her back vanished.

She heard a low, menacing snarl behind her that raised the hairs on the back of her neck. At the sound, Erik turned sickly pale and jerked his eyes from her chest and his hands from her body. He held his hands up in the universal symbol of surrender to show he was harmless while backing slowly away. Once he had enough room, he turned and disappeared quickly into the dancers crowded on the floor.

Not really wanting to know who or what could cause that kind of reaction in a grown man, Mary Elizabeth took a step forward only to be pulled up short by the big, heavy hand that landed on her shoulder. Really not wanting to know who was behind her, but recognizing that she didn't have a choice in the matter, she slowly turned.

Hugh was standing behind her, but it was Hugh she'd never seen before. He was larger, more aggressive, almost scary looking in his anger. And what was with the growls rumbling from his chest? The hand on her shoulder slid to her upper arm and spun her the rest of the way around. His other hand dropped to her hip and jerked her forward into his body. “What the hell are you thinking?"

Any gratitude she might have been feeling toward him for getting her out of an awkward situation disappeared when he yelled at her. “Excuse you?” The ice in her tone should have given him frostbite. No one spoke to her this way, except maybe her mother.

"And what the hell are you wearing? Where are the rest of your clothes? What, you advertising now? How much for an hour? Maybe we can deal."

She sucked in her breath sharply, his words shocking her. “Are you implying that I look like a
hooker
?” She put both hands against his chest and shoved hard, while at the same time twisting her body out of his grasp. The combination of actions caused his hold to loosen enough for her to get away. “Screw you!” She turned and stalked off, not noticing the attention they were drawing.

Cursing violently, Hugh came after her. Reaching out, he grabbed her hand and pulled, using her momentum to swing her body around and into his arms. He locked an arm around her waist and slid his hand into her hair, using it to pull her head back. Then he kissed her. Well, some might call a kiss. She called it a macho, he-man stamp of ownership. She hung there limply in his arms while he pressed his mouth against hers.

When he tried to force his tongue into her mouth, she got violent. She pulled back foot, and kicked him in the shin—hard. She was really glad she'd let the sales lady talk her into these boots. These bad boys were capable of doing some serious damage.

Hugh jerked his mouth from hers. “Ow! What was that for?"

"For manhandling me. I'm surprised you didn't just whip out your penis and pee on me. Put me down. Now!” What was it with men? First she had to deal with Charles, and now this.

He loosened his hold and she slid down the front of his body before her feet touch the floor. He allowed her to take a step away from him but his arm around her waist kept her from getting too far away, and he still had his hand in her hair. “Manhandle? All I did was kiss you. I was trying to apologize."

"No, that wasn't a kiss. A kiss is what happened between us last week. This was you pissing on me like a dog marking its territory. You men are driving me crazy! First Charles went off the deep end, and now you!"

"Charles! Who the hell is Charles?” He was shocked into releasing her.

"None of your business.” She turned on her heel to stalk off, but that was as far as she got before Hugh grabbed her again.

"Who is Charles?” He all but roared the words at her, his grip on her arms tight enough to prevent her from walking away before he had an answer to his question.

"What business is it of yours? It's not like we're involved or anything. Now let me go. You're causing a scene.” This last part was hissed at him as she noticed all of the stares directed toward them.

Noticing that they were the center of attention, he let her go and stalked off. He wasn't exactly sure what happened. One moment he'd been minding his own business. The next, he'd lost it. What was it about her that affected him this way? He never lost control, especially over a female. He stalked out of the house, the expression on his face fierce. A path cleared before him as though by magic. No one wanted to tangle with an angry bear. He walked around outside, hoping the cold air would clear his mind and help him see reason. The whole time he wandered around, one question ran through his mind.
Who was Charles
?

No man owned her. This macho crap had to stop.
You liked the way he handled you and you know it. You love knowing he's jealous
. She told the voice in her head to shut up.

Her life was finally her own and she was going to enjoy every bit of it. For once, she didn't have to worry about anyone but herself, and it was lovely. She walked out on to the deck at the back of the house to see what was happening out here. It was chilly, but not unbearable. Alex had strategically placed fires that provided heat and light. The bar was located out on the deck where there was more space. Once outside, she could see that what she thought was a deck was actually a porch that wrapped around three sides of the house. Nice. Very nice.

Her wanderings took her close to the bar. The bartender smiled and spoke to her. “Hey, pretty lady. What would you like to drink?"

She shook her head and laughed. “I'm not a drinker."

"Come on, it's a party. Live a little. I'll make you anything you want."

She spotted several people sporting cute glasses with umbrellas in them. “What are they drinking?"

He looked in the direction she gestured. “Oh, that's a Shifter Surprise. You don't want that. It's really strong. Let me get you something else.” He proceeded to rattle off a list of drinks that she might prefer.

She interrupted him, more interested in the drink he didn't want her to have than any of the ones he was listing. “What's in it?"

"What, a strawberry daiquiri?"

"No, I know what's in a daiquiri. I'm talking about the Shifter Surprise. How do you make it?"

He reluctantly told her. “It's a mixture of fruit juices and liquors, giving it a sweet and sour taste. But if you're not a drinker, it's going to be too strong for you. Let me make you a daiquiri."

His attitude was really starting to bother her. “I don't want a daiquiri. I want a Shifter Surprise. If it's too strong then I'll just eat some food with it."

Actually, that wasn't a bad idea. She hadn't eaten and drinking on an empty stomach was always a bad idea. Food would keep the alcohol from going straight to her head. Besides, with the kind of night she was having, a drink sounded really good.

The bartender made the drink and gave it to her. “The alpha's not going to be happy about this."

"You tell him that I insisted."

"Yes, ma'am. I surely will,” the young bartender told her.

As she walked back into the house to go get some food, Mary Elizabeth tasted her drink. Normally she didn't like the taste of alcohol, which was one of the reasons why she didn't drink. “Oh, this is
good
.” She took another sip, a larger one this time as she went into the dining area to fix a plate.

She had to hand it to Kiesha; this was quite a spread. There were cheeses, all kinds of meats, crackers, chips and dip, the makings for nachos, and of course, desserts. She loaded her plate with a variety of foods, heavy on the meat and cheeses, and found a quiet corner to sit and eat.

While eating, she people watched. It was hard to believe that the majority of them were shape-shifters. By just looking at them, she couldn't tell human from the non-human. They all appeared the same to her, except for that nose thing she'd caught some of them doing. They just seemed so normal. She wasn't sure when she made the decision to believe Kiesha's tale, or if she'd actually made one. She just trusted that her friend was telling her the truth, strange though it may seem.

She didn't know what time it was, but she noticed the crowd was thinning. A lot of the older people had already left. She watched as families herded their children toward the door. Now that there were less people, she realized she hadn't seen Kiesha for some time.

She finished eating and had drained her drink when she noticed something strange. When she arrived, men were swarming all around her. Now, although a few cast looks her way, none of them approached. Shrugging her shoulders, she pushed the thought out of her mind as her head bobbed to the music. The mood of the party changed. Someone dimmed the lights and hung a disco ball, creating a strobe effect. The music was hipper, and the beat more driving. Her toe was tapping as she swayed from side to side. The beat got into her soul, compelling her to move. She allowed the pulsing music to drive her onto the dance floor, joining the other gyrating bodies already there.

He groaned as she danced her way onto the dance floor. He straightened, his posture aggressive as he physically dared any man to dance with her. Hugh watched as she strutted her stuff, mesmerized by the swaying of her hips. Her body called to his like a siren, and he was helpless to resist. He pushed his way through the crowd until he was directly behind her. Not wanting her to stop, he matched his movements to hers, easing closer a little bit at a time. He wanted her to become accustomed to the feel of his body against hers.

This position thrust out her chest, causing a dangerous amount of cleavage to be exposed. She didn't care. She wanted him to see, wanted him to feel what she was feeling. The rhythm was pulsing, driving, sexual in nature. She closed her eyes and gave herself up to the music, letting her inhibitions melt away. She wanted this man, needed him to assuage the ache building in her body. She spread her legs and arched her back, changing the movement of her body so that it rubbed sensuously against his.

The woman was driving him crazy. The smell of her arousal was making him dizzy. She undulated against him, making his cock swell even more. Sweat broke out on his body as he fought back the urge to come. Hugh allowed his hand to move from her hips to rest low on her belly, the tips of his fingers mere inches from the hem of her skirt, which rose several inches as a result of her movements. The other hand he slid up her body until it rested just below her breast. Giving into the urge, he allowed his thumb to stroke her nipple through the soft leather. He wanted to pull the material down and stroke her bare breast. He was hanging onto his sanity by a mere thread.

Mary Elizabeth felt her panties drench, thinking of all the marvelous things he could do with those fingers, if he would just slide his hand down a few inches. Hugh laid his nose against her neck, rubbing it against her throat. Then he played with her ear, nibbling and licking on it until goose bumps broke out all over her body. The hand on her stomach pressed harder, teasing her with its closeness to her mound.

Grabbing him by the hair, she pulled his mouth to hers for one of his bone melting kisses. Then she slid her hand down his arm until it rested over the hand laying on her stomach. Linking their fingers together, she moved his hand and positioned it over her clit, and pressed down hard, demonstrating what she wanted him to do.
Touch me
, she thought as she rubbed body against their hands.

Hugh tore his mouth away from hers, groaning deeply. This was getting out of control. If he weren't careful, he'd fuck her where she stood, unmindful of the people all around them. Just then Mary Elizabeth let out a sexy little whimper of need, and gave an extra roll of her hips. Oh hell, he needed privacy and he needed it quick. If she came here on the dance floor, his control would snap. He'd throw her to the floor and bury his dick in her. They had to get out of here. He looked around desperately, trying to determine his best course of action, a very difficult thing to do when he was almost blind with the need pulsing through his body.

People were everywhere, out on the patio, outside by the vehicles, and seated on the stairs.
The kitchen!
He wrapped an arm around her waist and half-carried her toward the kitchen. Mary Elizabeth cupped his cock through his jeans and squeezed. Hugh picked up the pace. There were people in the kitchen. Ditto, on the den. Finally, he thought of the one room where no one would be.

Doing an about face, he took her through the kitchen, down a hall and into a side room, shutting the door against intruders. It was dark, but light shined into the room from the gap beneath the door. He spun her around until her back was pressed against the door, in a position reminiscent of their first kiss. With one hand cupping the back of her head, he jerked her up to meet his mouth. Then he plundered and took what was his.

He shoved his knee between her legs, opening her for his touch. His hand glided up her inner thigh until he was cupping her pussy. Feeling how wet she was, a shudder rippled though his body. He hooked his fingers into her thong and pulled, ripping out the crouch. He wanted nothing preventing him from touching her as he desired. He slid one finger, and then another one into her wet, hungry sheath.

Too low
, he needed her higher. He snatched his mouth from hers and bent, hooked a hand beneath her knee and lifted, sliding her body up the door. “Wrap your legs around my waist and hold on."

She gripped him tightly with her thighs, her back braced against the door for balance. “Please,” she begged.

"Just a minute. Open your top. I want to suck on those luscious breasts."

She fumbled with the hooks. When they wouldn't give, she reached inside and lifted her breasts until they rested on top.

"Perfect. Cup ‘em, baby. Lift them up for my mouth. That's right. Just like that.” He dropped his head and took as much of her breast into his mouth as he could and suckled deeply.

"Hugh!"

"Shhh! We have to be quiet. Don't want anyone coming to investigate."

"Please,” she moaned. “I need..."

"Hold on, baby. I'll give you what you need.” He thrust his fingers back inside her sheath and spread her cream all about. With her moisture as lubrication, he rubbed in a circular motion around her clit with his thumb while he felt around inside until he located her g-spot. Then he rubbed firmly against it.

God, she was a moaner. Concerned she would attract unwanted attention, he placed his mouth over hers, swallowing the sexy sounds she was making. It didn't take much before she stiffened, her body clamping down hard on his fingers as the orgasm shook her. Damn, that was sexy. The next time she came, it would be around his cock.

He released her mouth and allowed her legs to drop to the floor. He was bringing his fingers to his mouth for a taste when Mary Elizabeth slid to the floor onto her knees. He reached out and tried to catch her, appalled that he'd allowed her to fall. Or at least, that's what he thought happened until he felt her hands on his belt, unbuckling it. She made short work of the belt and zipper. Then her hot, greedy hands reached in and pulled out his aching arousal.

He felt her hot breath on him a second before he felt the moist heat of her mouth. Oh hell, yeah. That felt good. He braced his palms against the door and watched her take him into her mouth. He was a large man. Her mouth was small and the fit tight. She worked his cock with an expertise that would have shocked him had his brain been functioning.

All he could do was feel as he began thrusting his hips, watching his cock slide in and out of her mouth. “That's it, baby. Suck me. Damn, that feels good.” She had her hands fisted around his shaft, dropping one occasionally to lightly caress with his balls.

His scrotum began to draw up as he felt his orgasm approaching. Grabbing the back of her head with his hand, he held her head steady for his thrusts. His head hit the back of her throat, and she gagged. He tried to pull back but it was too late. He swore as he felt his seed erupt.

"Damn, baby. I'm sorry. I was rough right there at the end."

Mary Elizabeth leaned back against the door, coughing. “It's okay,” she said once the coughing fit was over.

The mood broken, Hugh reached out and cut on the light. Mary Elizabeth blinked as her eyes adjusted. They were in the laundry room. Hugh crossed over to a small sink and washed his hands before adjusting his clothes.

"You need to straighten up unless you want everyone out there to know what we were doing.” Not that it would matter. His scent was all over her. The bear in him roared in approval.
Mine!

Now that the haze of lust was clearing from his mind, he questioned himself. If he really didn't want this human, why was he having such a hard time staying away from her? He had to do better than this. At least he hadn't fucked her, but he'd come close. His bear was still hungry. It knew what it wanted, and what it wanted was Mary Elizabeth.

He needed to take a step back and readjust his thinking. As hard as it was for him to believe, there was a strong possibility that Mary Elizabeth was his mate. Right now, he wasn't sure how he felt about it. If he'd tasted her like he intended to before being distracted, he would know for sure. Yes, he wanted a mate, but he wanted to do the choosing. Despite how his bear felt about the situation, it was the man who'd have to live with her. He had to be sure that she was the one.