The Balled And The Beautiful: A College Sports Romance Story (5 page)

The roar of motorcycle engines in the distance lit a fire within Rafe. While he could easily take those idiots on, he didn’t want Emilee to get hurt. If those men had guns, they would be shooting straight at Emilee’s back if they caught up with them. He couldn’t allow that to happen. While he didn’t like the idea of bringing her back to his motel, he knew she’d be safe there.

“Where are we going?” she said, shouting over the engine and the wind whipping around them. She didn’t need to, but she couldn’t know that. Her hand slid a little lower, and pain shot through him from where he’d been stabbed. “You’re hurt! You should see a doctor.”

“I’ll be okay. Just settle back. We’ll be safe soon.”

Tension radiated through her entire body, but she quieted down a little, returning to pressing her face into his back. He’d never imagined he would find a woman quite like her. The more time he spent with her, the more he wouldn’t mind knowing her better. The soft push of her breasts against him made visions of her panting and naked beneath him float through his mind, but he brushed them aside. Those could wait until later when he was alone, and she was safe.

Still George’s command to settle down and produce cubs wasn’t lost on Rafe. He needed a woman willing to be his mate. Could that be Emilee? He clenched his hands a little tighter on the bike’s handles and noticed the motel up ahead on the right. He turned into the parking lot and drove around back. Right as he shut off his engine, he heard the bikers roar past the motel.

Emilee squeezed him that much tighter, but she didn’t make a sound. With the roar of motorcycles coming from the highway, he doubted they would have heard her unless she screamed at the top of her lungs. But Rafe didn’t want to chance it. He held her hand to steady her as she climbed off the bike before me.

“It’s going to be okay. Just hang low for a while. We can always go back and get your car when we know it’s safe.” Rafe gave her a smile, but he wasn’t sure the threat would blow over that quickly unless the bikers lost interest, which was entirely likely. Time would tell.

She nodded at him and wrapped her arms under her breasts. If they were anywhere but the Nevada desert, he would’ve said she looked cold, but sweat was pouring off of him from wearing his leather jacket, even with the early evening twilight sky above them.

He took a deep breath, smelling whiffs of both fear and the slightest bit of arousal. What was he to make of that?

“My room is right here,” he said, nodding to the door behind her. “I’m sure they’re long gone, but I’d feel better having you inside where you’re more protected.”

“T-thanks for helping me. I’m still not exactly sure why you risked yourself for me, but all I can say is thank you.” She smiled at him, but her gaze dropped down to his abdomen where the wound was. “We should—”

He held up a hand, cutting off any more words. “Like I said, I’ll be fine. I have field first-aid training from the military.” But most importantly, he was a werebear with extraordinary healing abilities. He’d clean it out and put a bandage on it to keep her happy, but the rest would happen on its own. Probably by morning if he got plenty of rest.

However, looking at her soft curves, he wasn’t sure that was what he wanted, at all. The fact he’d gotten a king-sized bed didn’t help either. He liked all the extra room for his long limbs, but he didn’t know how he’d contain himself if he had to be beside her all night. His cock hardened in his jeans at the intimate ideas of what they could do together, and he marched toward the door.

Fucking hell...

Emilee walked into the room behind him and stayed close to the door as if a monster might leap out and grab her. If she only knew how close he was to doing exactly that, she might’ve run from the room. Maybe bringing her here hadn’t been his best idea, but he’d have to keep control of himself since he refused to treat her with the same disrespect those asshole bikers had done to her.

“Make yourself at home,” he said, throwing the remote at the edge of the bed closest to her. “I’m going to take care of this.” He grabbed the first-aid kit and cracked the door to the bathroom, sitting on the toilet while he took care of this. The bathroom would be easier to clean, and he didn’t want her watchful eyes on him while he did nothing but slap a bandage onto his wound.

The soft sounds of moaning and skin against skin caused him to stiffen with horror. Damn. He’d purchased one of those adult channels before he’d left the room. Now she was probably freaking out about what kind of person he was. The sounds stopped after a few moments, and he heard Emilee take a shaky breath. So far the deadbolt on the lock hadn’t clicked, and there were no footsteps either coming or going either.

When he’d wrapped the wound, he walked into the bedroom leaving his shirt and jacket hanging inside the shower. She was lying on the bed with her arm over her eyes. Her short shorts gave him a good look at her long, smooth legs. She pulled her arm from her face and pushed up onto her elbows. He fought his gaze to remain on her eyes and won...just barely.

“Everything okay?” she asked. Her tongue swept over her lower lip as she ran her gaze over his chest to the wound.

“Just a scratch. I’ve survived worse.” His chest and back were littered with scars, mainly from the attack that turned him into a werebear. Those never healed no matter what his body’s healing strength was.

“I see that.” The bed groaned a little as she rose to a sitting position. Her breathing came out a little breathy, and she wavered a little. “I don’t know what I’m going to do now. No job, no job prospects, no family to help. I’m so screwed.”

* * *

Emilee couldn’t believe the mess she’d gotten herself into. Part of her wished she could’ve done a whole do-over of the night. While it was disgusting what her boss asked her to do, what was she going to do now? Starve? Live in a cardboard box? She hadn’t been crazy about that stupid diner in the first place, but at least, it had been hiring, unlike the other businesses in the area. Maybe doing as he said wouldn’t have been horri—

Yes, it really would have. Don’t delude yourself, Emilee. She took in a deep breath, smelling Rafe’s masculine scent in the air. If she didn’t cool off, she was likely to pass out. Her stress levels were through the roof now that the imminent threat had passed.

Seeing those people on television grinding against one another and then looking at Rafe’s bare chest, she didn’t know if she’d ever have something like that. Maybe it was just as well.

Rafe sat on the bed beside her, forcing her to scoot toward the center of the bed to accommodate him. “Surely you can find another job.” Frowning, he brushed a lock of blonde hair away from her face. “There are other restaurants around, other jobs you could do.”

A shiver raced through her at his warm touch. She nearly leaned into his hand. “Not really. I... I’ve been supporting myself since I was sixteen. I never had a chance to go to college, so other jobs are kind of out of the question. Plus there aren’t that many restaurants here. I already have my application on file with them, but my chances of getting hired now are so slim.”

He crooked his finger beneath her chin and tilted her head up to look at him. “I’m sorry you’re in this position. You shouldn’t be too hard on yourself. You’ve got plenty of life ahead of you. What did you want to be when you were younger? Before you moved out on your own?”

“A mother.” Emilee’s mouth fell open, unable to believe she’d told him her truth. He didn’t want to hear about her hardships, did he?

His eyebrows furrowed a little, and he ran his finger down toward her throat and across to her shoulders. “A mother?”

Heat warmed her insides, and she nodded slightly not wanting this moment between them to end.

He leaned in close so his mouth was near her ear. “I could give you that desire. You want me as badly as I want you. I can smell it.”

She squeezed her thighs together a little, feeling moisture gather in her core. What was he offering? Even if she wanted a child, she couldn’t afford to take care of herself, let alone a tiny baby too. “I...I don’t know. How...?”

“I can take care of you. Settle down with me. Let me protect you.” He straddled her hips pressing her into the bed as he laid her down. His eyes were no longer dark brown, but almost a golden color now. That was odd, but he pushed her head to the side before she could consider it further, pressing kisses along her neck from her jaw line to her shoulder.

“Why? You barely...know me.” She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer even as her mind tried to convince her that this might be wrong. This just felt right, though. She couldn’t even explain it. He lit her body on fire with his touches as if he knew exactly where and how she enjoyed being touched.

“Because I need this. I want this.” He pulled her chin back around to gaze into his eyes. “I want you.” The force of his words was like a swift, fiery punch to her core. She needed this more than anything else in her life.

“Yes, Rafe. Please.” Her voice was soft and wanton just like her body.

Rafe leaned back a little bit to stare down at her. “You’re sure about this?” He trembled as if holding onto every last bit of his control. “You want to make love with me and produce my cubs?”

The edge of her lust dampened a little at his words. Cubs? Maybe that was just his way of saying children, but she couldn’t forget his eyes going golden like that. “Cu-cubs?” She pressed her thighs together again, her body still feeling hollow and needy even if she was utterly confused.

He looked down at her thighs as he hovered over her. His warm hand stroked her hip and slid close to the hem of her shorts, but he didn’t touch her intimately yet. “I haven’t been exactly honest. If we have children, the pregnancy will be normal, but once our kids hit puberty, they will become werebears like their father, like me. That’s the reason I was able to be stabbed but not badly affected by the knife wound.”

Emilee’s eyes widened. “You turn into a bear? Like a...a grizzly bear or something, then you’re human again?” She couldn’t believe her ears. He was absolutely huge both in height and muscle mass, and the bulge in his jeans drove her curiosity even further, but a man being able to turn into a bear?

“Something like that. Are you still okay with being mine?” Indecision crossed his features, and he started to pull away.

She grabbed his hand before he could leave. “No, I’m not sure if I’m okay with it. I’d want to see your bear, but...I do want this.”

Rafe frowned down at Emilee, unable to believe that she was reacting this...calmly about him being a werebear. Her eyes were wide, but she seemed more curious than repulsed. That was a first. He’d had trouble with handling his new beastly side when he first turned, but the fact she seemed to be okay put him at ease.

However, he didn’t know how to respond to her request. “You want to see my bear? Like now?” His bear could be grumpy and a little volatile even among his own kind. He didn’t want to put Emilee in danger by unleashing his beast in such a small area. What if he hurt her?

She nodded with widened eyes, and her blouse slid down her left shoulder making him want to brush aside their conversation and ravish her. “I... If we do this... If I conceive, I want to know the real you.”

From her fertile scent, he knew she’d conceive for him, but if this would make her feel better, then he didn’t have any other choice. He took in a deep breath and nodded. “Okay. Just remain calm. If you get too scared, I don’t know how well I’d be able to control my beast.”

She nodded again and sat up on the bed crossing her legs. “I’ll try to stay calm.”

That wasn’t a good enough answer for him, but it’d have to do. “If anything goes wrong, run to the bathroom and hide in the bathtub with your arms over your face. Just like you’d do with any other wild bear.”

Her mouth dropped open. “I’ve never been near any other bear, but I will.” She moved a little as if uncomfortable, but she took a few deep breaths and stared straight at him. “Let’s just please do this. This conversation isn’t doing anything to ease my nerves.” She laughed a little, but it was more nervous than funny.

Rafe unbuttoned his jeans and paused at Emilee’s gasp. He cocked an eyebrow at her. “You do know how big bears are compared to human’s right? I don’t want to ruin my jeans.”

She nodded her head, but her eyes were glued to his thighs as if she couldn’t look away. He loved the way she reacted to him.

He slid down his zipper and pushed his pants down, pulling off his boots afterward. He heard a soft gulp from Emilee and grinned at her. “Like what you see, babe?”

She blinked at him but dipped her head.

“Still desperate to look at my bear?”

Indecision crossed her features, and he could smell her arousal as if she were right next to him. She pressed her thighs together and squirmed in her spot. “I... Yes?” Her voice was husky and a little deeper than it had been.

Disappointment sank into his chest, but it was the final step blocking them from getting what they needed, even if this wasn’t the start of some fairy tale romance. But if she accepted him and his beast, he’d be sure to make things up to her soon.

Rafe dropped to his hands and knees on the thin gray carpet. While he’d gotten better at shifting, he still had a ways to go before he was as good as some of the others in his clan. He focused on every part of his body changing from human to bear. His muscles ripped and his bones snapped as his body contorted into the shape of a bear. He heard a soft muffled whimper, but he forced his gaze to remain on the floor and his concentration on the shift. His bear liked her, but he didn’t want his beast to focus on her when it came out from hibernation.

As fur spread over his naked skin, he threw his head back, unable to contain his bear’s roar.

* * *

The loud roar reverberated through Emilee’s ears, deafening her. She’d never heard anything so terrifying before. Why had she insisted on this? Why hadn’t she listened to Rafe’s warnings and brushed aside the fact he was a bear shifter. I mean, she might not even have his kids. There wasn’t a one hundred percent chance of that happening during their first time. But looking at his hard erection as he slid his jeans from his hips... God, she’d wanted him more than she’d ever wanted anyone. But it had been important to her that she see the other side of his nature, not just his standard everyday form, right?

The large brown bear that was Rafe looked up at her, and she threw her hands over her face and flopped back on the bed trying to remember what he’d said. However, she wasn’t sure she’d be able to run to the bathroom right now. Her legs felt like jelly, and she remained as still and quiet as she could.

The only thing she heard was loud sniffing toward the end of the bed. She bit her lower lip hard to keep from making a sound. How had she gone from able to pour hot coffee on a dangerous biker to being freaked out with Rafe? He’d said he would protect her, so she doubted he’d try to hurt her even in this form. But he hadn’t seemed that sure of himself. Ugh...

She peeked out from under her arms to see the bear sniffing her ankle, then slowly move up toward her knee and up still. This bear was larger than anything she’d ever seen in a zoo. So much bigger. He softly nipped at her shorts, and she bit her lip harder to keep from reacting. Just as she thought he might move on, he jerked his head hard, shredding her shorts and nearly pitching her from the bed. A massive paw on her abdomen kept her in place, and she groaned as that moist nose trailed up her thigh nudging her legs apart.

Her eyes widened, and she pulled her arms from her face to look up at the bear. His tongue lolled a little outside of his mouth as if laughing at her. She bopped him on the nose, unable to believe she’d just treated him like an oversized dog.

The bear blinked at her in surprise, but he licked her cheek.

Oh, God... She squeezed her eyes shut, a little grossed out about having bear saliva all over her, but she felt it huff against her thighs again. She opened her eyes to see fur retract from his skin, and the bones reshaped into Rafe’s human form again. He remained still even as his light touch continued pressing against her skin.

When his change back completed, he looked up at her. His eyes hot with desire. She bit her lower lip again, but this time for a different reason altogether. She spread her legs a little in an offering, and he shifted his gaze back down to her thighs.

“You’re sure about this?” he asked, his voice gravelly and deep, reminding her a little of the bear’s roar. “I’m only going to ask once because...” He clenched his hands in the blanket on either side of her. “Because my control is slipping. You’re brave and beautiful. I need to be inside you.”

His words clenched her heart inside her chest. She couldn’t believe the profound impact they had on her, but she needed this too. She needed him. “Take me. Please, Rafe. I want to be yours.”

He nodded, then focused on her thighs again. He gripped the rest of the material and ripped it away as if her denim shorts and panties had been thin sheets of paper, not clothes.

Moisture dampened her thighs, and she leaned back on the bed. Before she knew what was happening, Rafe pulled her closer to him and his mouth descended on her thigh trailing kisses up to her core. She bit back a scream of pleasure as he slid his tongue between her folds finding her clit. Her entire body clenched at the onslaught of his tongue. She ran her hands through his short hair, unable to help herself.

He slid his tongue lower, toward her entrance, and glanced up at her with dark humor in his brown eyes. He shoved his tongue inside her, and she cried out at the delicious sensations he stirred within her. He pressed his thumb against her clit and moved it in slow circles as he wriggled his tongue within her.

Pleasure engulfed her like a wave of fire and heat. She cried out his name and dug her nails into his shoulders. She’d never experienced anything so powerful before. It was as if Rafe knew exactly where and how to touch her.

She lay back on the bed panting. All she could do was stare at the ceiling in wonder.

Rafe pulled away from her, and she immediately missed his closeness. When she glanced his direction, she watched him climb to his feet, his jutting erection came into view and she clenched her thighs closed, unsure how she’d fit all of him inside her.

“Too late for that now, sweetheart,” Rafe said, placing his hands on her thighs and nudging them back apart. “I’ll go as slow as I can for you to get used to me.” He grinned at her and scooped her up, placing her more in the center of the bed. When he’d resituated her, he positioned himself between her legs. “Tell me you want this.”

Her voice cracked a little from the screaming. “I do. I really do.” She started to bite her lip again, but he leaned into her claiming her mouth in a scorching kiss. She moaned and tasted herself on his lips as his large tip pressed against her entrance and began easing inside of her inch by inch.

He stretched her until she wasn’t sure this would work, but each time it became a little much, he’d slow down as if able to sense her unease and wait for her to acclimate. Soon their bodies were pressed so tightly against one another that she couldn’t be sure where he ended and she began. His body trembled a little as if the slow pace was almost torturous.

She arched her hips into him, and he looked down at her. “You minx.” He withdrew slowly before easing back in. The sensation of him moving within her drove her close to orgasm again quickly, which surprised her. She’d never been with anyone who gave her multiple ones, but she wondered if he’d brought her pleasure with his mouth to get her ready for him.

She met each of his strokes, but while he was trying to be slow and gentlemanly, she could tell the effect it had on him. She wanted him to make love to her and enjoy this as much as she did. “Take me, Rafe. Let go of that firm control.” She rubbed her cheek against one his forearms near her head. “Please. I need this.”

He groaned and stopped completely. “You can’t say that. I don’t want to hurt you.”

Emilee placed her hands against his cheeks and forced him to look her in the eyes. “I trust you. You wouldn’t hurt me.” She pulled him down for another kiss and whispered against his lips. “I trust you.”

As if something snapped within him, he returned her kiss with such fervor she thought she might explode. He withdrew himself almost entirely before he thrust back in quicker and harder. While she might be sore in the morning, she gloried in the feeling of him ravishing her.

He captured her screams of pleasure in his mouth as the climax overtook her again. The sound of ripping blankets followed his groan, and the warmth of his hot seed filled her.

She leaned her head back against the comforter and stared up at Rafe. If she’d been weak from orgasm the first time, now she wasn’t sure she could move even if the building started burning down around them.

Rafe rolled to her side and placed his hand over her stomach stroking it softly. “I’ve never experienced anything like that before.” He pushed up on his elbow. “My people mate for life. I’ve never believed in that kind of thing, until now.”

Her heart warmed at his words. She didn’t know how she’d fit into his world, but being his mate? If she could spend her evenings curled up in his arms safe and cared for throughout the rest of her life, well, that would be heavenly.

She placed her small hand over his. “You walking into the diner was the best thing to ever happen to me. I think... I love you.”

He grinned at her. “I think I love you too, babe. And let me tell you this–you and I are going to be parents. I knew this from the very second you conceived. I am one happy bad-ass bear daddy!”

*****

THE END

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