Getting Wet (3 page)

They burst out of the woods, and the moonlight was skittering across the surface of the slowly rippling pond. “Ta-da.”

He stepped up behind her. “It reminds me of home.”

“You live in a pond?”

“No, I have one in my backyard. It is a lake really.”

She heard the slithering of fabric and took a few steps toward the pond. She kicked off her shoes and pulled her dress up and over her head. With economical movements, she shucked out of her underwear and she quickly stepped toward the edge of the water.

She shifted into her otter form and gambolled into the pond.

She dove under the water, and when a large, dark figure entered after her, she looked up at the moonlit silhouette of a large beaver paddling through the water above her.

He dove and took her in his paws, pulling her up and over him. They tumbled together in the water, playing tag and splashing each other. She was nimbler, but he had the wide paddle of his tail to use.

When they finally left the water, she was exhausted. Two frolics in one day were tiring. She sat on the rock and waited for her body to dry.

Randal waddled out of the water and shook himself. As he rippled his fur, he shifted with bone-sliding grace.

Gusty watched, enthralled, as he stood up, wet muscle and skin gleaming in the moonlight. “Oh, my.”

He looked down and blushed, his erection bobbed as he shifted. “I have an active job. It keeps me in shape.”

Her pale, smooth body seemed feeble in comparison. “I work as a clerk. It doesn’t build a lot of muscle.”

Randal laughed and ran his hands through his hair. “It isn’t a contest. I want you just the way you are.”

“Why? I saw some of those women. They were climbing all over you.” She bit her lip and tried to sit casually, not an easy feat when you were nude.

“And yet, you looked me in the eye and spoke to me. Not to my chest, not to my dick. To me.”

His blunt words made her appreciate that looking the way he did, attention was something he always ended up with.

“It was your voice. The moment you spoke, you had my full and undivided attention. You could have been a talking meatball on a stick, I still would have spoken with you.”

He laughed. “Not the most flattering description of a first meeting, but I will take it. Now, may I escort you to your residence?”

Gusty grinned. “I think I need to get dressed first. You may be used to exposure, but I only strip down in public to shift.”

He laughed and turned to his own clothing.

She used his distraction to pull on her panties before wiggling into her bra. Once she had fought her dress over her head, she only needed to slip on her sandals to be ready for the walk back.

He finished a moment after she did and held his hand out. She slipped her fingers along his, and he closed his calloused grip against her digits. Whatever he did for a living, he used his hands.

“I am staying at the Open Heart.” She twisted her lips shyly.

“That is a charming coincidence.”

“What is?”

“I am also staying at the Open Heart. Teebie has been most hospitable.” He laughed, and they were on their way through the woods and down the lanes toward the glowing, bright light of the hospitality lane.

He kept her close to him when they passed other males, and he bristled with hostility when a few of her dance partners said hello.

Gusty was a little uncertain when they finally arrived at the Open Heart. She had the man she had been dreaming about, but there was only one problem. What was she going to do with him?

Teebie waved them into the morning room, and glasses of wine floated in and settled next to them on the end tables.

Gusty smiled, “It takes getting used to.”

“I can see that.” He picked up his glass and took a sip.

“So, I am guessing that you have met my sister. How was she?”

Randal smiled, “Surprisingly hospitable once she got over the fact that I was the stripper.”

Gusty chuckled. “Yeah, it was a hurdle, but if I wanted you, she was all for it. Frankly, I am amazed that you didn’t have any claw marks on you. She can be a little pointy if she isn’t expecting guests.”

“Well, she did force me to watch a chick flick. We shared the popcorn and the tissue box.” He blushed.

“Ouch. It must have been movie night.”

“Well, she kept her left hand clawed for most of it. She relaxed about halfway through the movie.”

“That’s impressive. Rayna can keep herself in a state of readiness for hours.”

“That is what her husband said. He was less surprised to see me there than she had been.”

Gusty laughed. “Gregory has known my sister since high school. He is aware of her temperament. If you were dangerous, you would have been bleeding.”

She sat sideways, facing him while he sipped at the wine.

He mimicked her like a bookend. “So, how did a lady like you end up watching peelers and staying sober?”

“Ah, well, Bekka was having a bachelorette and she needed a designated driver. I rarely drink, so it wasn’t a hardship. I sat in the back to let more eager fans get the full view of the men on offer.” She twisted her lips. “Once you were finished, Bekka was overheated, so I hauled her to the next bar, hoping that the break would do her some good. It didn’t.”

Silence slipped between them.

She could watch him forever, but she guessed that it would freak him out, so she reached behind her and grabbed her wineglass. A sip told her what she needed to know. It was a black currant cordial with no alcohol in it. It looked like wine and that was good enough for her.

“What do you want out of life, Augusta?”

“Call me Gusty.”

“Gusty, then. What do you want out of life?”

She thought about it. “I want a family, if possible. A home of my own and a man who is mine alone from the moment we join until we die.”

He cocked his head. “That all seems doable.”

“What do you want?”

“I want a woman who will look me in the face, speak to me and listen to my thoughts and opinions. I would, also, like a family. I have two brothers and two sisters, three nieces and four nephews. I would enjoy adding to the tally.” There was a soft expression in his eyes. “A little girl with your eyes would be ideal.”

She blushed. “It might be a boy with your eyes or some combination of the two.”

“It might be nothing at all, though I am not averse to trying.” There was a delighted gleam in his eyes.

“That sounds good, but I don’t think that tonight is the night to start.”

He inclined his head. “Of course. May I escort you to your room?”

“Please.” She got up and held her wineglass.

He drained his and got to his feet. He towered over her, and she felt warm and protected. When he slipped his arm around her back, she shivered from head to toe. She could see his smile, but he merely guided her up the stairs and to the door with the lily pad icon on it.

He leaned down, and she leaned up to kiss him. She smiled in surprise at the black currant flavour of his lips. She had given him the non-alcoholic option as well. Teebie was a classy lady.

His kiss was better than she had imagined it. His body swamped hers on all sides and warmed every inch of her. She cupped his jaw with one hand and held tight as his lips teased hers into parting for the light flick of his tongue.

She tasted him for a moment before breaking the kiss and nuzzling at the cords of his neck. Her otter enjoyed the smell of him, wanted to roll around on top of the slabs of muscle and bone. That mental image was enough for her to pull back with shaking hands and wet thighs.

Gusty cleared her throat. “I will see you in the morning.”

Randal grinned, “You can bet on that.”

Augusta tried to fumble her door open while not breaking eye contact, but she finally had to look down. The door swung open, and she scuttled inside, closing the door in his amused face.

She exhaled and tried to ignore her inner beast doing backflips inside her mind. It was going to be a restless night.

Augusta was showered, wearing a sundress and downstairs having muffins and coffee with Teebie when Randal returned from a run, wet with sweat.

“Good morning, Augusta.” He grinned and headed upstairs.

She blinked after him, watching the shorts clinging to his butt as he headed up the stairs. “Oh, I have it bad.”

Teebie laughed. “That is as it should be. They flex and preen to get our attention and to prove they will be good mates. We exhibit nurturing characteristics that will support the next generation. It is the most basic breakdown for it, but it is still true. In our hearts, we always seek someone who will be of benefit to us bringing the next generation into the world.”

“Have you ever…”

“Fallen in love? No. I have never given myself the chance. I want to live my life for now. I will have plenty of time to join with someone else at a later date.”

Augusta looked into her cup. “I have limited time, and my body is reminding me that it wants what it wants. My inner beast has been doing backflips since the day that I saw him, and it has been distracting as hell.”

Teebie grinned. “And that is as it should be as well. Remember that the object is not to get him out of your system but rather to make him part of you so that he will no longer knock you flat every time you see him.”

“It sounds like something that Rayna would say.”

“She has felt the ache for her mate for a decade, has she not? Now that they are together, they are both at peace but the fire still flares. They just have their kindling closer at hand than most people. Passion burns quickly when the building blocks are in place. Their instinct had pulled them together; it was convention that kept them apart.”

Augusta scowled, “It wasn’t convention, it was our sister. She had a thing for Gregory and hated that he was interested in Rayna. She was sorted out at the wedding.”

Teebie winced. “That sounds unpleasant.”

“Only for Leyline. The rest of us were glad that she was finally called on her bad behaviour.”

Randal descended the stairs, his hair still wet from what had obviously been a quick shower. He was wearing a deep blue t-shirt that was tight across his chest and jeans that looked comfortably worn in and very soft.

“Good morning, Augusta.” He leaned over and gave her a quick kiss in full view of their host.

Augusta blushed. “Good morning, Randal. I trust you slept well.”

He grinned and sat on her right. “Not at all. Knowing that you were a wall away was a very tempting thing to this contractor. A few good knocks and we would have had adjoining rooms.”

Her blush ratcheted up a notch.

Teebie slid a cup of coffee in front of him. “That might not have been the best thought. I am wired into this place and you haven’t seen mad until you have woken a djinn from her beauty sleep. We need it.”

He lifted the cup in a salute. “I am glad I listened to my instincts and merely passed a sleepless night.”

“Very wise.” Teebie left a breakfast tray of goodies behind and retreated to the kitchen.

“Do you run every morning?”

Randal smiled and loaded a plate. “I do if I don’t head straight to work. I have too much energy to waste it doing nothing.”

The implication was that he would enjoy another outlet, and her otter was thinking of a few methods that involved the pond.

“So, how is your inner beast doing with this venture?” She nibbled at a muffin and watched him.

He blinked and gave her a slow smile. “He has been after me since I was called up on stage. If you have ever been bitten by your inner beast; that is what was going on while I was otherwise occupied.”

Augusta laughed. “That has happened once or twice. Usually, it was when I passed up a chance to dive into a new body of water. She does love water.”

He reached out and took her hand. “I am very glad you were there that day.”

She blushed and ducked her head. “I am as well, though I had no idea you were looking for me. I just didn’t want to be one of those desperate women chasing you.”

“I would have let you catch me.” He winked and squeezed her hand.

She smiled and relaxed a little. “So, your normal job is as a contractor?”

“Yes, I work for the family company. Forester Construction. We build houses and do renovations.” He rubbed his hands together nervously.

“Good. I work in my sister’s shop. Creature’s Feature. I even have a t-shirt with an otter on it.”

He chuckled. “I just live a few towns over, if you want to commute. I would offer to move in with you, but my house is on a huge chunk of land that includes a lake. There is plenty of space to shift and frolic.”

Augusta leaned forward and put her chin on her hands. “I do love frolicking.”

He grinned. “And I enjoy watching you. I never knew that otters actually did put stuff on their bellies to play with.”

“Oh. You would be amazed what we do on our backs.”

He coughed into his coffee, and she felt a frisson of smugness for throwing him off for a change. She knew the advantage would not last long, but she enjoyed it for that one moment.

Wandering around the meadow and gathering flowers was a strange thing to do with a man she wanted to see naked, again. The way Randal was moving around, it seemed the most natural thing in the world.

He picked flowers and offered them to her, smiling every time she added his discovery to her bouquet. Their trail gradually led them to the scent of water, and behind a rocky outcropping was a brook and a standing pool. It was far too tempting.

Augusta slipped her shoes off and removed her bra and panties without taking off her dress. Now that they were in full daylight, she was a little shy.

He was watching her with an astonished look on his face when she shifted with her dress on and crawled out from underneath it, nosing the cotton out of the way.

He had already shed his shirt, but he crouched down. “Come here, sweet thing.”

Augusta scampered up to him, climbing into his hands with absolute trust. He lifted her in his grasp and looked at her, eye to eye. She chittered and reached out to paw his cheek gently.