Shifting the Night Away (14 page)

Her touch sent chills through his body.
 
"Only once and only for a few minutes," he said as he undressed.
 
"You have to close your eyes.
 
I like my privacy when I shift."

"As you wish."
 
She put down her champagne flute and sat quietly with her hands resting in her lap.
 
She only opened her eyes once his nose nuzzled her lap.
 
"Aww look at you."
 
She wrapped her arms around him and ran her hands along his coat.
 
"I’m so glad you have this fur to keep you warm."
 
With that, she quickly gathered up his clothes and tossed them out the window, watching them float across the highway.
 
She turned with her arms crossed and faced him.
 
"Imagine having a diary and having someone read all your deep secrets.
 
That’s pretty much what you did to me.
 
I’m not angry, not anymore anyway, but you definitely deserve a little payback."

When the limo exited the highway, she hopped out at the first stoplight and hailed the nearest cab facing the opposite direction.
 
Charles rolled the divider down and found Peter now sitting naked and alone.

"That went well," he said with a smirk.

"Save the jokes.
 
Please run into a store and buy me some clothes."

Mia made it back to her apartment twenty minutes before them.
 
She wasn’t feeling as good about her payback as she thought she would, realizing she missed him already and may have made a grave mistake.
 
She was about to call him when she heard honking outside.
 
She leaned out the window to find Peter in a Knicks T-shirt and shorts that were slightly too small.

"Nice outfit."

"It’s all we could find at the souvenir shop.
 
Do you feel better?"

She squished her fingers together.
 
"Maybe this much."

"I ate a pound of dog treats for you and this is what I get?"

She covered her mouth and tried not to laugh.
 
"I forgot about that."

"Trust me.
 
I’ll remember for both of us.
 
Will you please come down?
 
I really have a surprise for you."

"If those shorts keep creeping up, everyone on the block will get a surprise."

He laughed and motioned for her to come down.
 
When they were back inside the limo, she sat next to him and grabbed both his hands.
 

"I’m sorry.
 
Thanks for coming back for me."

"No, I’m sorry," he said.
 
"For everything.
 
I just didn’t know what else to do to make you like me."

"For what it’s worth, I really do like you."
 
She turned and straddled his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing her lips against his.
 

"Ouch," he moaned.
 
"These shorts are too small for a boner."

They burst out laughing as she slid back onto her own seat.
 
"Later.
 
I believe I owe you one."

The limo drove for about fifteen minutes before slowing to a halt.
 
Charles rolled the divider down again and announced their arrival.
 
"How about I just open the roof window, given your current wardrobe malfunction?"

"That’ll do," Peter said as he helped Mia to her feet.

They emerged to find themselves in Times Square.
 
It was crowded with noise and energy as people milled about.
 
"Times Square?
 
We aren’t going to be part of some crazy flash mob video, are we?"

He shook his head.
 
"Look behind you."

She turned and saw tourists snapping photos and buying hot dogs from a cart.
 
"We’re having hot dogs?"

"Look up."

She screamed when she saw her face staring back at her.
 
There she was, all four stories of her, on an enormous billboard for Curves and Lace.
 
She was wearing the "M" dress and holding her hands out.
 
The Empire State and Chrysler buildings had been photoshopped into her palms along with a caption that read "Curves Rule This City."

"That’s me!"

"I know!"

"You took that photo!"

"I know!
 
Do you like it?"

"I love it!
 
I really love it!"
 
She jumped up and down before wrapping her arms around him and peppering his face with kisses.

"I look good!"

"Silly, I’ve told you … you are beautiful."
 
He pulled her back into the limo.
 
"I had planned for us to eat out, but I think some takeout kabobs would be better."

"I just want to kiss you."
 
She tackled him and held him down on the seat.
 
"Tell me what happens next.
 
Do I become a shifter?"

"There’s no guarantee that you will be able to shift once I’ve marked you."

"Marked me?"

"It does involve a bite."
 
She recoiled a little.
 
"It doesn’t hurt terribly.
 
Again, only when you’re ready."

"I’m ready."
 
She tilted her head back and moved her hair to the side exposing her neck.

Peter couldn’t contain his laughter.
 
"I’m not a vampire!
 
It’s more of a love bite.
 
I’ll put it somewhere inconspicuous like your soft inner thigh."
 
He growled and playfully reached for her leg.
 
"Seriously, though, you can’t take this lightly.
 
I really want you to think about it."

She nodded and bent down to kiss him again.
 
He sat up on his elbows and looked at her nervously.

"What’s the matter?" she asked.

He cleared his throat.
 
"So, I was thinking in the meantime … I could make you my mate in the traditional way."

"We’ve already mated," she said with a laugh.

"No, I mean mated as in
Da-Dum-Dum-Dum
."
 
Peter made his best attempt to hum the "Wedding March."

She brought her hands up to her face.
 
"Are you asking me to marry you?"

"I am, Mia.
 
I am.
 
I know it’s soon.
 
We can have a long engagement if you like.
 
I just want you to know how serious I am."
 
He then cracked a smile and said, "I had a ring for you, but
somebody
sent it flying down the West Side Highway in my jacket pocket."

"Oh my God!"

"It was beautiful.
 
You should have seen it," he teased.

"I’m so sorry.
 
I’m an idiot."

"Rings can be replaced, but I haven’t heard your answer yet."

"Yes!
 
Yes!
 
Yesssssss!"

She collapsed onto him in a flurry of kisses.
 
Those shorts did not survive the limo ride back to his office.

Their small wedding took place a few months later in Central Park.
 
Jonesy, all her students, and the Sandwich Samaritans were invited guests.
 
The mark was made in a cozy mountain cabin on their wedding night, sealing their bond even more.
 
Mia did not inherit the ability to shift, but she did experience increased strength and agility.
 
Much to the shock of her students, she never lost a game of H-O-R-S-E again.

About the Author - Cynthia Fox

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Cynthia Fox lives in Cow Town, USA.
 
Her sultry stories sustain her as much as air, water … and chocolate.
 
Just don’t tell her conservative townsfolk, although many of them will probably end up in one of her books anyway.

Naughty Ms. Fox enjoys writing about smoldering, hot love in both the contemporary romance and paranormal genres.
 
Curvy heroines rule!

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A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing (Billionaire BBW Shifter Romance)

By

Terra Wolf

Co-authored by Wednesday Raven

Chapter One

"First one to get from here to the train station wins. Got it?" Ryder Steele, already poised and ready to run, said to his brother. His deep blue eyes looked straight ahead, plotting out his path to get to the platform.
 

"This is stupid, you know, we've got a major client coming in at five and you're messing around with wanting to run to the station and back." Draven replied as he looked around the parking lot and then at his watch. "I suppose that we have time though, if we're quick. Rules?" He hated that he was always sucked in to his brother's competitive streak.

"No rules. Whoever gets there first wins and loser has to do the dishes for a week." Not only did Draven and Ryder share careers, they shared a house together as well. If there was one chore that Ryder hated the most, it was the dishes. You'd think with all their money, they'd have a maid, but they kept their money tied in investments and retirement portfolios. While they were well off at the moment, they were still young enough to realize it could all fade in an instant. Coming in first in this race could be a dual win for Ryder; time away from dishes and the one thing he could say he beat Draven in.

"Deal. We will go on three. Ready? One.... two.... THREE." Draven yelled before taking off in a hurry. They were neck and neck for most of the race, until Ryder fell behind clasping his calf. Knowing he was bound to lose if he stayed in human form, he shifted to his wolf form and made up his time. All four paws hit the pavement as his long, lean body closed the gap on his brother. Ryder shifted back before he got to the point where he'd be around people again and was nearly at the platform when Draven slipped in front and won. Ryder did nothing, said nothing. Just shook his head and started back to the offices of Steele and Steele Systems.

"It was a good race, Ryder." Draven said, but Ryder was already making his way back to their company building with just a wave of the hand.
 

One day Draven, one day you're going to be second and you WON'T like how it feels.

***

Brooke Stone stood at the dusty train station, waiting on her cab to arrive. She had just come from a short vacation and seeing her family out West. This proved to be both relaxing and therapeutic; a great way to get away from the troubles at home. She did not look forward to restarting her life back in the city. Newly single, again, and stuck in a dead-end job, Brooke was in a never-ending cycle of monotony. Nothing ever changed in her life and it seemed like nothing ever would. The only fun thing about her coming back to her home city was this ridiculous race she had witnessed at the train station. Two grown men running like they were in some zombie apocalypse movie. Too bad she was too far away to see much about it, she couldn't even tell what they looked like. Still, it was the highlight of her day, which didn't account for much. She hailed a cab and tried to forget about the humdrum of going back to work tomorrow morning.