Chasing Love (4 page)

In any event, she was finally glad to understand the curious mixture of satin-soft and rock-hard an erect cock produced.

If only she knew who her masked man was, and how to ascertain whether he was her True Mate or not. She had never imagined after six years of studying and socializing at college that she would possibly find him on her final evening. She had resigned herself to talking to her father after returning home about how she would know for certain. Before now she simply hadn’t been very interested in finding him.

As a young girl, she had been certain her True Mate was Edward. After he had spurned her offer of engagement and a happy marriage, she had refused to talk about mating or anything to do with finding one’s True Mate.

Of course after a few days worth of tears, she had assured her seriously dented heart Edward was destined to be her friend, her playmate but
never
her True Mate. She always seemed to find something more interesting than dating after that debacle.

Her parents, thankfully, had let her be, knowing one day she would become interested once more. And that day seemed to have finally arrived.

Here was a man who made her panties damp, who drove her wild with burning lust, and she didn’t even know who he was. He kissed like a Greek god, had a rock-hard cock that brought all kinds of wicked ideas into her head, and she simply couldn’t decide whether to go with her lusts or try to remain chaste. Never had she been so tempted before.

Thankfully, he finally made the decision for her. Her brain was too stunned and numb to possibly think coherently. He pulled back and she had to clench her hands, digging her stick-on nails into her palms, to stop herself from dragging him back onto her body. She wasn’t sure she wanted to come onto him too hard and fast or he might get the wrong idea.

Only the vibrating lust running through him, the obvious reluctance he had for moving, boosted her esteem. He might be retreating but, like her, he didn’t seem to want to.

“That was a fantastic appetizer, Sweet One. What other charms do you have to offer a roving pirate?”

Christiana smiled. She was an old hand at sexual banter and flirting.

“Oh, I have plenty of charms, Pirate. I just don’t throw them away on the dross. I’m waiting for the gold to arrive.”

The dark, warm chuckle emitted from his chest drew her. She
knew
he was familiar but she almost didn’t want to figure him out. He was a mystery, one she would hold close to her heart when she returned home. A part of her wanted to know who he was, that he could make her blood race and her heart sing, but a larger part of her always wanted to keep the memories of tonight as a secret, hidden thrill. Something she could ponder over and smile at secretively over her hot chocolate.

The pirate leaned forward, breaking the chill breeze that had struck up. He reached out to twine a golden curl that had fallen out of her French twist around his thick, long finger.

“What if you’ve already met the gold and cast it aside?”

Christiana frowned. What could he mean? Had he asked her out and had she stupidly turned him down? No! She couldn’t have, not this man. His touch was electric, his scent was beguiling and she itched to remove the mask and bandana, to run her hands through his dark curls and outline the ridges of his face. She couldn’t possibly have turned such a masculine, sexy man down. She wasn’t blind!

“I hope I haven’t turned such gold down. But if temporary insanity
had
overtaken me, I sincerely hope I would get a second chance at it.”

Realizing she was seriously considering exploring her sexuality with this pirate, Christiana stepped forward, so her body rubbed against his at every possible point.

Christiana felt amazed at the wealth of information her body could pick up with just one long caress. His chest was muscled, yet fiercely warm. It amazed her, the strength and power one could feel from such a simple piece of anatomy.

Her pirate’s legs bracketed her, protecting and enticing at the same time. For a moment, she entertained the fantasy of removing his shirt and seeing how much hair sprinkled his chest, and what it felt like to run one’s hands through it.

She ached with the desire to touch and feel every inch of his flesh, to explore all his hidden, masculine places and find which areas made him groan and which ones drove him wild with desire.

With snap-decision resolve, Christiana decided to unmask her pirate and find out once and for all who he was. Once she knew him, she felt certain she would be comfortable enough to want to sleep with him, even if it would ruin the mystery and some of the romance.

As her hand reached up to remove his mask, her pirate froze. Thinking he was about to object to her removing his mask, she opened her mouth to reassure him, only to hear her name being called.

“Chrissy! Chrissy, where are you?”

“Chrissy?” the pirate mocked. She nearly snarled in muted frustration.

“That’s Maggie, my roommate. She
knows
how much I hate anyone shortening my name. It’s designed to get my attention.”

“
No
one
calls you by a shortened name?” he mocked.

Christiana shrugged, her mind whirling on how to get rid of Maggie without having an in-depth explanation that would last forever if her friend realized her intentions. Her friend meant well, knew full well her position on sex and the men here on campus. But this pirate might be different.

Not really thinking, she answered mechanically.

“An old childhood friend calls me Christi. It’s way too far down the track to convince him otherwise. And I sorta like it, not that I’d ever admit it. Everyone else calls me Christiana or finds themselves with a knee in the groin.”

The pirate winced, though she didn’t notice it. “The friend must be grateful.”

“Hmm?”

Reluctantly pulling her body away from the warmth of his, she looked up to her pirate.

“I’ll just go tell her not to worry. I’ll only be a moment.”

In the shadows, she couldn’t really see her pirate’s eyes, only the gleam from the lights inside the ballroom.

“I’ll come back for you later, Sweet One. Go soothe your friend. I think she’s getting worried.”

Reluctant to leave, Christiana moved forward for one last kiss. Pouring all her passion and frustration into it, she swore as she pulled away.

Running out into the light, she returned to her friend, cursing in a manner that her father and uncles would
still
wash her mouth out with soap for.

Deep in her soul she knew it would be useless to go back into the moonlight and the trees in the extended gardens.

Her pirate would be long gone.

Chapter Four

For what felt like the twentieth time that night, Christiana turned over restlessly. Not for the first time, she wished for just once she wasn’t so organized and nearly packed to go. Getting up and shoving all her possessions into trunks and boxes would be a huge relief. Instead, she had to lie here quietly, so not to wake Maggie.

Instead, she had to lie in her bed, ultrasensitized. The silky sheets rasped against her heated skin, her clit ached for her mystery pirate’s fingers. No matter how much she tried, she couldn’t stop her blood thrumming through her veins and the dampness from pooling between her legs.

Fantasy after fantasy of her pirate played through her mind. Of how he would feel lying above her, or below her, or pressed up against the tree and any number of other scenarios. Tossing and turning, desperately trying to cool the heat in her veins, Christiana wished for any task to do to keep her mind occupied.

If she had an excuse—such as packing—Maggie wouldn’t complain at the lamp being on, or at rustling noises as Christiana packed and cursed and tried to keep herself busy instead of mooning over some stranger.

Who the hell was the pirate?
And why hadn’t she noticed how sexy he was before tonight? The final night?

Over and over she had run through her various friends and acquaintances through college and she simply couldn’t put a name to him. She
knew
she recognized him. That zinging feeling of familiarity wouldn’t go away. Yet, she was stumped when she tried to picture him out of the mask and in a lecture somewhere.

Before bed, she had been going through old yearbooks, trying to remember if he was a guy she’d had a crush on earlier in her college years, who’d already graduated and moved on—but then how would he have entered the ball? It had been strictly monitored by security, the previous few years’ balls having been crashed by drunken younger students.

Finally admitting she wouldn’t fall asleep, Christiana pulled on a worn pair of jeans and a favorite woolen sweater and crept silently out of the room. The moon was half-full and hopefully a casual stroll around her small garden, soaking up the moon beneath the huge old tree, would calm her down.

For a moment, she wished she were back at home in the forest. A moonlit romp in the woods would clear the cobwebs and desire from her head and body. Even though technically she could change whenever she pleased, more often than not the pull of the moon, the full moon in particular, would compel her to change and run wild.

Over the few years she had spent here in college, she had excused and worked her way around each month’s full moon. For the most part, no one cared if a student didn’t turn up to one day’s worth of classes, as long as assignments were handed in on time. So her day’s journey back home, her nightly romp in the woods and the speedy journey back to class went mostly unnoticed.

Christiana mulled over her strange combination of feelings. She resented the restriction of not being able to change at whim or will here at college, resented having to hide a part of herself deeply away, yet the personal freedom here was immense compared to being at home.

Smiling, she listened to her inner demon.

What are they going to do, Christi-girl? Expel you? You’ve already graduated…might as well go out with a bang! Besides, no one will see you and who the hell cares, even if they do? Let’s be wild for once!

Strange how she had never noticed until tonight how much her inner demon sounded and acted like Edward, whispering naughty suggestions in her ear. Taunting her to go further, be more impulsive than she ever let herself be.

Angling herself deeper in the woods, she found her steps lengthen with her purpose. For practically all her life she’d been good. Pranks and childish tantrums aside, she had always done what she felt was right.

And now, on the verge of heading home to fulfill her “destiny”, she made another of her snap decisions.

Screw protocol. Stuff her inner voice of caution. She wanted to run in the moonlight, so she bloody well was going to run.

Looking about briefly, she made sure no one had lost their mind and was around. The woods were denser here, nowhere near as lovely as the ones back home, but beggars were never choosers.

Smiling hugely, she stripped her woolen sweater up over her head, her nipples puckering in the chilly breeze. She hadn’t bothered with a bra. Who needed one for a moonlit romp anyway?

Dancing around a little from foot to foot, she shed her sneakers and socks and slipped her jeans down over her hips. Bright pink silken panties were carefully folded and placed in the jean pockets. No one liked dirt in their panties. That done, she was ready to go.

For a moment or two, she stood naked and chilly in the dark, dark woods. The moon glowed over her, heating her blood just like the sun did.

Closing her eyes, Christiana silently thanked the woods and the land for the joy and freedom she had experienced over the last few years here at the college.

Then with hardly a thought, she shimmered and Changed.

Chapter Five

Edward stood entranced, staring at the naked Christiana in front of him. He had come back hoping she would be restless enough to sit in her garden so he could talk to her. When she had seemed so pensive he had hesitated in interrupting her. Maybe it would be better for her to chew over her own thoughts for a while.

While he procrastinated like an old biddy, she had wandered into the woods. He followed, arguing heatedly within himself.

When she had paused, he too stopped, wondering what was going on in her complex mind. As she had stripped, the air had rushed from his lungs and his knees had wobbled.

When the hell was the last time my knees have wobbled
? he thought, incredulous.

The moon shone down over her pale skin, her golden curls framed her face and fell down long enough for a man to enjoy grabbing a handful of them. Her ripe, firm breasts teased and begged for his mouth, his hands, his touch.

When she had shimmered, he felt his cock spring to attention.
Ah man, when was the last time we ran together?

Feeling like the worst kind of voyeur, Edward hastily stripped out of his Pirate’s gear on the other edge of the clearing. Changing, himself, he followed a few paces behind his beautiful wolf-lady. He reveled in her scent, enjoyed loping after her more than he could ever recall or believe. He desperately craved jumping over her, tussling in their wolf form, but more, playing and teasing with her as they always had.