Shifter Romance: Werewolf Shifter Romance: Problem Child (Wolf Shifter Romance Baby Romance Shapeshifter Romance) (Alpha Romance Short Stories Romance Shifter Romance) (15 page)

Damon spent the next week trying to figure out Carrie. First she gets mad at him, then blurts out that she has been in love with him since they were kids, then storms off. He goes to her place to smooth things over with her and she gets more pissed. Okay, maybe he shouldn’t have kissed her. But it wasn’t his fault. Well, not entirely. There was something there but he couldn’t put his finger on it. It shocked him that it hurt his feelings a little when she pushed him away.

Pushing it out of his head, he got out of bed to get motivated for the day. The sun wasn’t even up yet, but that was nothing unusual. Too many summers at baseball camp and early morning practices where he would show up at the crack of dawn only to be yelled at by whatever coach he had at the time. He loved the sport, but it could be grueling sometimes.

After putting on a pair of loose pants, he went in the kitchen to fix something to eat. Opening the fridge, he looked in it at what little bit of food he had managed to shop for a few days ago. He decided on a sandwich so he grabbed the meat, cheese, lettuce, pickles, and placed them on the counter. He went around to the bin in front of the island to grab an onion when he stopped. Something was off. Someone was in the house.

As Damon straightened back up to look around, a voice spoke. “So, I see how easy it was to find my apartment. The locals seem to keep track of every tourist that comes into town.”

Looking towards the living room, Damon locked eyes with Carrie. She was wearing a pair of tight looking jeans with snow boots and a low-cut loose shirt. She had her coat in the crook of her arm.

“Where can I put this? I’m tired of holding it while waiting on you to get up.”

“Um, just set it anywhere. What are you doing here? I thought you didn’t want to see me?”

She hesitated, then took a deep breath. Everything came spilling out of her mouth so fast she wasn’t even sure of what she was saying.

“I came to apologize for my behavior. It was not your fault; you were just being you. I should not have acted so… rude. But I am not a notch to put on your belt. Yes, I have had a crush on you since we were kids. But I was over it. I am over it. I have a bit more respect for myself than to be played by a… for lack of a better word, man-whore. You caught me off guard.”

She stopped talking to take a breath but refused to look at him. She couldn’t. She was afraid she would lose her nerve and she wanted to end it before it went any further.

“I cannot take another heartbreak, especially not because of you, Damon. I know you didn’t mean to, and probably didn’t even realize you did it, but you broke my heart. I have finally healed it and then you show up and constantly take cracks at it. I cannot take it. If you don’t want me, then fine. Just say it now and I will leave. And you will never hear about it again from me.”

She finally looked up from her hands. Mentally, she had already put up a wall to keep it from hurting when she heard the words she knew were coming. But as she looked at him, her confidence started cracking. He wasn’t giving her the look she expected, the one that said she was a crazy person for even being here. He was just standing there, with no shirt, hair a mess, looking at her with a bit of confusion on his face.

“Carrie… I don’t know what to say. I don’t know where to even begin this conversation…”

Before he could say anything else, she grabbed her coat. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have come here. I should have just gone home weeks ago. I’ll show myself out.”

She was halfway to the door when he grabbed her arm. “Please, wait. Don’t leave yet. Talk to me.”

She hesitated, looking towards the door. Her heart was beating so hard she could barely hear herself think.

“Carrie, I don’t know what I did to hurt you when we were younger, but I was an arrogant prick then. Please give me a chance.”

When she didn’t pull away, he gently turned her around. Letting go of her arm, he put his hands on the sides of her face and gently forced her to look at him.

“Carrie, please forgive me. I can never make up for that, but I can’t get you out of my head. Ever since the other day, all I think about is you. I thought it was just because you pushed me away, but then you showed up here. Now all I can think about is kissing you…”

Every bit of her resolve fell away. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him close. He slid his hands around her head, wrapping his fingers in her hair as he kissed her deeply. His heart beat hard in his chest; it was like nothing he had ever felt for anyone else. Before he realized it, the passion had overwhelmed them both. He pulled his hands back and slid them around her waist, pulling her up to him. Her hands slid in his hair and she closed them into fists.

Moving his hands down her hips, he lifted her up as she pushed up and wrapped her legs around him. He almost lost his balance, falling into the wall, but holding onto her. She pulled back only a bit to look him in the eyes.

Suddenly, Damon stopped. “I can’t. At least not yet. Don’t be mad, but I made this stupid bet back home and I only have a few days left till I win it.”

Carrie pushed him away from her, hard. “What kind of bet?” She looked pissed.

“Well, um. The guys on the team, your brother mainly, bet that I couldn’t go 30 days without being with a woman.”

She just stood there. Her anger was boiling inside, but she wasn’t sure why. Then it clicked. She had just been another girl, a notch on his belt like the rest of them. She was so stunned that she was at a loss for words. She walked over to where she had laid her coat and picked it up.

“Carrie, please don’t leave. It’s not like that. This isn’t that. I am not just trying to sleep with you. Give me a chance to prove it.”

Carrie hesitated for a second. She wanted so badly to believe him, to think he had finally fallen for her. But what if he hadn’t? She would just end up with a heartache, again.

Turning to look at him, she had a million things running through her mind she wanted to say, but when she saw the look on his face, they all fell away.

“Carrie, I promise you this is not like that. I do want to be with you. Can you give me a chance to prove it, I will do anything? Please, just say something.”

She looked at him a moment longer before deciding to speak. “You really want to be with me? And what can you possibly do to prove that? It would take a lot of time; you realize that don’t you? Not just a couple of days until your stupid bet is over, but time.”

“Yes. I’m willing to give it time if you will let me. But please, don’t leave.”

Carrie walked over to the couch and sat down. After thinking about it for a moment, she looked up at him. “Damon, I will give you that chance, but if you break my heart, it will be the last time. No lies, no secrets, no other girls.”

“No problem. I can do that. But the same goes for you.” He smiled at her.

“Yeah, like that’s ever been a problem.”

*****

THE END


Copyright 2016 by Rachel Brant - All rights reserved.

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Respective authors own all copyrights not held by the publisher.

The Duke’s Search for a Wife

First Time Romance

By: Rachel Brant

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The Duke’s Search for a Wife

“Please, come for me Amelia”, said Ellen. She is such a charming beauty. In her blue skirt and gray blouse torn from the side of her underarm, she is rushing to see the Duke, who is coming to visit our Brackcliffe village. Ellen, along with other girls of the village wants to steal a glance of the Duke after he has come from Edinburgh after 12 years.

“I don’t want to indulge in these stupid games”, I tried to lie to Ellen, “You all can go take a sigh at Edward”. Deep inside my heart, I know that I am dying for just one look of this charming Duke. Just as I realize Ellen is not so honest to go alone, she must have called some other girls as well, as see Isabella, Eliza, Theodosia, Lucy, and Anna coming.

Oh! My God! Now I would have to accompany them. I cannot even make an excuse to Ellen now. Why, in Heaven’s name, did she not tell me beforehand? I would have thought of a better justification.

I just hate the company of these girls who roam around Brackcliffe all day in such offensive attire. They are nothing but the laughing stock of all the boys in the village.

“Come Amelia. Get ready fast”, winks Lucy and seems pretty excited.

“She does not want to go. Tell Amelia. What is your excuse for today?” Ellen smirks at me.

“Can you all please go and let me prepare lunch? Father will be here any time. He could not even eat the breakfast today because I could not prepare it as I was out to fetch water.” My heart is pounding from inside as I try to make an apologetic excuse. I just want to go and melt in the arms of Edward right away. Still, I have to maintain civility.

“Just stop blabbing and come fast. He will be here any time. You can come back in 10 minutes and cook whatever on Earth you want.” Theodosia scolds me and I have to give in.

I take out my best corset that Mrs. Smith had given me and wear it with the skirt I am already wearing.

“Please help me with the dress Ellen.”

She tucks my corset so tightly that both my breasts come bulging out.

“Stop it for God’s sake. What are you doing? Please loosen it. I cannot even breathe.” 

“O please, Amelia. Do not be a spoilsport. Out of all the garbage you have, now if you have got something good to wear; at least wear it properly!” she says while fastening the repoussé button on the top left of my corset. “Let him admire at least one of us. You are no less than a personification of true beauty. Stop underestimating yourself.”

I can hear the giggling of girls at my back.

“Let’s go”

People have come out of their houses to greet the Duke. I can see some small bags in the hands of men and women. Maybe they have got their crop of the season for the Duke. The girls are dressed in their best attire to impress him. Even the parents seem to be okay with the prospect that they can exhibit their daughters in front of the most eligible bachelor of the town. As we have heard, he is a fair, charming and educated man. After completing his studies from Edinburgh, he must be thinking really high of himself. Why would he even look at me albeit my friends perceive the epitome of beauty in me? How does it matter when I do not have the best clothes to wear? He has not even given me a glance since childhood when he used to play with the rich boys of the village.

I don’t know why but I cannot stand the attention of the David. He admires me since we were 8 years old. But, my heart has always longed for Edward, even when he was not here. I felt like waiting for him throughout my life. I could never give in to the advances of David. He has money, but I have my dignity. I have saved myself for this man in all 22 years of my life. Now that he has arrived, I can feel the freshness in the London air. But, would he even look at me? He has not taken any notice of me even once in all these years.

“Oh! My God! What is my father doing here?” I come out to reality as I see him. I have to rush for home. He will kill me if he sees me here.

“Loftus! Where have you been buddy? The Duke has come to the town. Wait here to greet him.” I hear Uncle Walter talking to my father.

I steal my eyes from him and leave. He should not see me. Else, this is going to be the last day of my life.

“Oh Lord! Why did you do this to me? At least, you could have let me see him once. How can you be so cruel?” I cannot stop murmuring to myself on my way home when I see a swarm of royalties coming towards me. “Are they all with Edward?”

Even my jaw dropped as something just fell from the buckboard wooden wagon, and got crushed under the large spoke wagon wheels. The driver immediately stopped the barouche and one servant walking along it, approached the wheels to pick up the carcasses.

“What the hell is wrong with you people? Could you not keep my mother’s gift properly in the car?” Someone from the carriage came out and thrashed his servants. I just cannot take my eyes off this gentleman in beaver pelt hat. The elaborate cravat of his white shirt under the brown coat looked so gentlemanly. His waist looked like that of a wasp when he bent to pick up the remains of that glass souvenir.

“The mother had given this gift for the village chief and you fool drive so recklessly.” Even when I was bowed in the honor of this gentleman whom I suspect to be Edward, I could see his black leather laced knee length shoes.

“Only a rich brat from London could afford this.” I can hardly whisper in the presence of so many royalties. 

He comes forward to sit back in his wagon when he turned to see me. I was expecting a rude remark from his eyes when he signaled his short height servant something. The man turned at me and whispered something to the man in the coat.

“Am I standing on the wrong path? Have I done something wrong? Have I …” The stout man interrupts my thoughts and said, “Sir Edward is calling you. Come fast you villager and be respectful!”

“Are you the prince of Brackcliffe?” I want to snap back at the creep but held myself to greet the Duke.

I go to the promenade and pay salutation to the duke with my head bowed, “You’re welcome to Brackcliffe, your highness!” I was not wearing a hat to rise in his respect; I smirked at the tubby servant. He insinuates me to kowtow to Edward…oops! The Duke. Else, he would behead me.

I was about to kneel down when surprisingly I feel a touch of hands on both my shoulders and smell a sweet lavender perfume surrounding me.

“What are you doing lady? You don’t need to do this. You are such a mesmerizing beauty. Whom do you belong to?”

I cannot believe my senses when I look up and see Edward holding me. I have to look away and come out of the comfort of this discomforting touch. “God take me away from this land or never let this man leave me.”

“I am Amelia Beverly, daughter of Loftus and Sarah Beverly. My father is a rice peasant of the village.”  I can barely manage to introduce myself.

I can sense his eyes digging deep inside my soul when he said, “You don’t have to shy from me. Please look up.” I could not believe this is the same man who was scolding his thoughtless servants just a few seconds ago. “Are you married?”

“Did he just say that?”

“No.” I cannot control my smile.

“I have seen you for the first time in this village. Are you new here?” he asks taking off his hands from my shoulders.

“Please hold me again.” His touch feels so warm. “God forbid the entire world vanishes and I wish I could hug him till the end of my life.”

“No Sir. I was born in this village. We never happened to talk.”

“Oh! My Goodness! How could I miss such a beautiful lady in the village? Do you know me?” When I look up, I can see him taking a glance at my breasts and all the servants giggling briefly.

It is highly embarrassing because I knew it inside that I am going to be the laughing stock of the village in the next few hours, especially if my father finds out what happened, he will not allow me to leave the house again.

I briefly shook my head.”

“I am the Duke of Brackcliffe. I want to talk to you but allow me to leave, Lady.” He said gesturing at his servant to prepare the carriage.

He rode his barouche and left and stood in the dust that left behind.

“Is he really gone?” I can still feel his sensuous touch on my shoulders and the aroma of his perfume.

“Does education really change someone this much?” For the first time in my life, someone called my Lady. The honor that the Duke gave me has made me want him even more badly. “Is he feeling the same the way I am feeling?” After all, he admired my beauty explicitly.

“No, Amelia. Just rein your fantasies. Just look at your family and look at his. The difference is such a small word to convey the sea of disparity.”

I must not think of him again. “And what if father and Ellen find out about this encounter of mine?” I must cook up something to avoid their stark eyes. Ellen will judge in just a few seconds what I am feeling.

The wait and patience have finally paid today. I finally met him face to face. But, I could not believe that he is so courteous. Yes, he scolded his staff very badly but he talked to me equally sweetly.

Stop thinking Amelia and concentrate on cooking. Even the villagers must have met him by now. Father will be home any moment and will definitely thrash me for not cooking anything till now.