To Catch A Croc (3 page)

Isaac rubbed Denton’s back in a soothing motion. “Let’s get the rest of your clothes off, then we can get some sleep.”

To Denton’s disappointment, Isaac actually meant taking off clothes so he could sleep. He didn’t make even one inappropriate gesture.

Chapter Two

Denton fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. Poor battered thing needed his rest. Systematically, Isaac removed the rest of Denton’s clothing. He could give him another shirt in the morning, and he’d put the rest of his clothes in the wash. After quickly taking care of that matter, Isaac pulled off his own attire and climbed in beside Denton.

His inner puma gave a happy growl at the closeness of their mate. He’d dreamed of this moment. For months, he’d imagined having Denton right here beside him in bed. However, none of his fantasies involved the croc shifter being injured. Those saltwater crocs better get their crusty scales out of town before Isaac got hold of them.

No one hurt his mate.

Over the past six weeks, Isaac had read everything he could about crocodiles and how they behaved. He’d tried to get information from Carey to help his cause, but since he didn’t formally declare himself interested, the human refused to help. Carey claimed that Denton would appreciate a more direct approach, but Isaac had his doubts.

Isaac forced himself to keep a distance between them on the bed. As much as he wanted to tuck Denton close, he didn’t want to add to his discomfort. By morning, Denton’s bones should’ve reset and after a quick shift he’d be as good as new.

Isaac smiled at the thought of his surprise. When he’d thrown the open house last month, he hadn’t displayed the house’s best feature because renovations weren’t quite finished. The real reason he’d bought this house was the atrium attached to the back. It held an extravagant heated sandy bottom pool. Isaac had plants placed along the sides and heat lamps installed intermittently along the shallow edge.

Isaac hoped Denton appreciated his mating gift. It might not be a shiny diamond ring like Broden gave Carey, but Isaac was trying to appeal to both halves of his sexy shifter. To cover his bases, he had also bought a plain platinum band for Denton’s human form. Now he just had to run a group of saltwater crocs out of town and claim his mate.

Smiling, Isaac followed Denton into sleep.

Isaac woke from the most wonderful dream only to find reality a little startling. An eight foot crocodile lay across him. Its scaly hide rubbed against Isaac’s skin, a surprisingly soft sensation.

The crocodile’s teeth were a little too close to Isaac’s face for comfort. “Hey, croc buddy, I don’t suppose you can turn back into your human form? Not that you’re not a handsome fellow, but I prefer my lovers in their bipedal shape.”

The crocodile’s intelligent gaze swept over Isaac and he froze as he was weighed and measured. If the reptile didn’t approve, Isaac would never get to claim Denton. He stayed still, careful not to show fear. Fortunately, Australian freshwater crocs weren’t as aggressive as their relatives. The chances of being bitten were much less with the smaller crocs.

“Denton, come out, come out,” Isaac called. “I’ll make you breakfast.”

As he watched, leathery hide turned to skin and yellow eyes turned to beautiful green.

The green eyes closed and before Isaac’s amused gaze, Denton fell back asleep.

Smiling, Isaac stroked the expanse of smooth naked skin.

How had this beautiful, giving man gone untouched for so long? Were all the shifters in town completely crazy?

A smug smile tilted his lips. Stupid bastards. He wouldn’t make the same mistake. Denton was his. Isaac’s inner puma clawed at him. The cat wanted to bite Denton and claim the croc shifter as his own. It didn’t like the pretty guitarist wandering around unmarked where anyone might think they had a chance at keeping him.

Denton belonged to Isaac.

He’d never felt this connection before, this strange urge to keep someone. His relationships before were always more of a catch and release process. Go to a bar, lure a guy to his side, fuck him and let him back out into the dating pool.

The thought of anyone else kissing Denton’s soft mouth or having the joy of being the source of heat for the man’s reptile half, sent spikes of fury through Isaac.

“Shh,” Denton petted Isaac. “Everything’s okay.”

Isaac smiled. Even asleep, the crocodile shifter tried to soothe him. It spoke of an empathic personality. Everything about Denton appealed to Isaac—his looks, his tough guy manner that hid a sweet soul underneath and the tender way he accepted Isaac as the only one who could take care of him.

Denton had a skittish air to him that told Isaac he needed to move slowly. If he were a more generous man, he’d encourage Denton to find other shifters and get more sexual experience.

His puma growled low and mean as if the inner cat would take over if Isaac’s human half continued to be so stupid.

“He’s too young,” Isaac whispered. Great, now he was arguing with himself. Soon he’d be losing arguments, too.

Denton snapped awake, immediately alert. His green eyes were clear and unclouded from sleep.

“Whoa, babe. I didn’t mean to wake you,” Isaac rubbed Denton’s back as he went into high alert. Denton’s eyes went reptilian for a second and Isaac froze again. He could feel the crocodile peaking out at him again.

Luckily after a few blinks, Denton’s eyes went back to their usual mossy green. “Morning,” he said in a scratchy voice.

“Good morning.” He ran a hand down Denton’s hair and across his bare back, relishing the smooth skin beneath his fingers just because he could. A low purr rolled unbidden up his chest. Denton’s body against his was like finding that one piece of the puzzle and sliding it exactly where it belonged.

“It’s not your fault for waking me. Crocs don’t have rem sleep, so I’m an extremely light sleeper.”

Isaac frowned. Surely, Denton didn’t mean that. “What are you saying? You never dream? You’ve never even had a dream?”

Denton blinked at Isaac as if he didn’t understand Isaac’s shock. “No, I’ve never dreamed. It’s not a big deal. I don’t miss it, or anything.”

Isaac figured Denton couldn’t miss what he never knew. “Sorry, I guess I never thought about how other shifters sleep.”

Mostly, Isaac had kept his love interests to other cats or humans. He’d never had to deal with a reptile species before. However, Denton fascinated Isaac and he’d be willing to do a whole lot more investigation before he’d let the sexy guitarist out of his grasp. He planned to keep Denton for a long time. His puma purred at the thought.

“Feeling better?” Isaac asked. The swelling had disappeared from Denton’s eyes, but that hadn’t been the worst injury.

Denton’s smile could’ve powered the city. “I feel amazing. Thanks for letting me crash here last night. I wouldn’t have imposed, but you were the first person I thought of.”

Joy surged through Isaac as he recognized he wasn’t the only one who felt the connection between them. Whether he knew it or not, Denton’s crocodile half had chosen its mate. Isaac barely restrained himself from jumping up and down and doing a happy dance. Instead, Isaac pulled Denton closer and rubbed his cheek across Denton’s head, marking Denton with his scent.

“You’re very cuddly in the morning,” Denton commented.

“How can I not be? I’ve got a lot to snuggle.” Isaac doubted he’d ever again be satisfied with another cat or a human. The crocodile shifter in his arms was it for him.

Denton laughed. “I can feel how happy you are to wake up beside me.”

Isaac’s erection, pinned between them, was probably digging into Denton’s stomach. The croc shifter didn’t make any complaints, so Isaac didn’t pull away. Isaac kissed Denton’s forehead. His gaze caught on the clock.

“Oh, damn, I have to go.” His erection didn’t get the memo about Isaac going to work, because the damn thing hardened enthusiastically against Denton.

“Not all of you is in on that plan,” Denton said with a smirk.

“Well, all of me will have to be disappointed. I promised Broden I’d take care of business while he was gone, and part of that is keeping up with his meetings. I have an appointment with a new client in an hour and morning traffic can be a bear.”

Denton frowned. “I’ve never understood that saying. I live with a bear and he’s the most laid back person in the world. Bears get a bad rap,” Denton complained.

“Not all bears are artists with a zen-like calm,” Isaac replied. “Some growl and attack.”

“Harris only does that when you hide his watercolors outside and forget a storm is coming,” Denton replied.

“And you would know that from firsthand experience?” Isaac asked.

“Living with Carey, I’ve learned important survival skills, and one of them is never confess to a crime if they don’t have any proof.” Denton’s open smile made Isaac laugh.

He never knew what Denton might say next. Isaac found that fascinating.

There was so much more he needed to learn about his mate. What did Denton like? What did he dislike? Did he have any allergies? Did he want a bossy controlling man to run his life for him? How much did the crocodile control the human? Considering he’d woken up with a croc on his chest, he hoped it only happened when Denton was injured. He didn’t think he could handle that jolt of shock every morning.

“I thought you had to go to a meeting?” Denton asked, tipping his head toward the clock. The croc shifter rolled over onto his back, exposing his cock, which appeared happy to see Isaac.

Maybe one day they could see how it felt to have Denton inside of him. Isaac had never been fucked before because he’d never met anyone he trusted enough to let inside. Denton, he would trust. The patient way the croc shifter handled his crazy friends told Isaac more than words how he’d take care of being a more dominant partner.

Isaac took a deep breath and shoved down the surge of lust even as his puma half growled over the delay. “Yeah, you’re right. I do need to get going.”

Unable to resist the sight of Denton splayed out before him, Isaac leaned over and kissed him. A low hum vibrated his lips and he realized it wasn’t his cat half purring but a noise coming from Denton.

“What is that sound your making?” Isaac asked.

Denton’s blush gave his cheeks an adorable pink. “It’s a mating call.”

Isaac couldn’t stop the smile crossing his face even if he wanted to. “Are you trying to lure me to your side? Because I have to tell you, it’s working beautifully.”

Before Denton could speak, Isaac kissed him. The sound started up again but this time, Isaac didn’t stop their embrace to ask about the action. He knew what it was now and he found it insanely flattering.

After a few more kisses, Isaac pulled away from Denton’s tempting body and slid off the bed. “I’ve really got to get to work now.”

Denton surprised him by getting out of bed too. “I’ve got to get going, too. You don’t know me well enough to leave me alone in your house.”

“Your good friend married my good friend and we just slept together. I’m pretty sure that allows me the comfort of thinking you won’t rob me blind if I leave you here alone,” Isaac said.

Denton narrowed his eyes. “You’re too trusting. Not that I would do anything but you shouldn’t make a habit of leaving strange men alone in your house.”

Isaac didn’t know how he’d become the naïve ingénue in their relationship, but it wasn’t going to last. “Baby, you might be strange but you’ll never be a stranger.”

Stepping forward, he wrapped his arms around Denton and kissed the passionate man. He couldn’t believe someone hadn’t taken Denton up on the affection he offered freely. Most people might find a reptile shifter too cold, but not Isaac. He found Denton’s prickly personality a challenge. He liked to poke beneath the surface and uncover the beautiful man underneath, even if it had the crocodile eyeing him from time to time.

“I’ll get your clothes.” Isaac licked his lips, absorbing the flavor of the delicious shifter. In all his years of dating, he’d never been this attracted to anyone before. It wasn’t just Denton’s good looks and cocky attitude that pulled at Isaac, but the vulnerability just beneath the surface, a sensitivity that came out in the songs Denton wrote and the occasional look in his eyes when he didn’t think Isaac was watching. It had taken Isaac months to get Denton in his bed. He needed to plan his next step carefully. His long-term goal of keeping Denton would take more work than he’d ever put forth before. If he tried to hold on too tightly, Denton would run.

“Thanks, man. I’ll be out of your hair in two shakes of a croc’s tail,” Denton said.

Isaac shook head in amusement and forced himself to focus on the task at hand and not the naked man standing before him. It would be way too easy to forget about work and drag the croc shifter back to bed, but he’d made a promise, and if there was one thing Isaac prided himself on, it was keeping his word.

With one last wistful look at Denton, he turned and left the room. It took more effort than it should have to walk and not run to the washer. Good thing he had one of those all in one washer-dryers so he didn’t have to worry about switching it out… His puma insisted that he rush back to the beautiful, complicated man in his bedroom. Isaac straightened his spine and walked away. Denton needed his clothes no matter how nice he looked naked.

Taking a long, slow breath to calm his raging hormones and a pissed off inner puma, Isaac grabbed Denton’s clothes out of the dryer. He took a sniff and an unreasonable sorrow hit him that Denton’s scent had vanished in the wash. His fingers tightened on the cloth as he focused on soothing his inner animal while reminding himself that Denton still stood in his bedroom waiting for him to return.

“You alright?” Denton’s question sent Isaac spinning around, startled that he hadn’t heard the crocodile shifter approach.

He gaped at all of Denton’s exposed skin. “Babe, you can’t walk around naked in my house. There are too many windows.” Denton had to have passed through his living room with its wall of uncovered glass in order to come down to the laundry.