C11 It's lovely

I clutched the cue tightly, channeling the sex goddess inside me to shut my brain the fuck up. I leaned over the table, wiggled my ass a little and stretched like a languid cat. My ass stopped at Paul's crotch and I held still. But he didn't move.

Everything inside me lit up like a fever. I couldn't explain it. I'd come across hot guys before, I'd danced around a bit, horizontally and vertically depending on the mood and the man, but I'd never reacted like this, so eager, so desperate for a guy's touch. But I wanted Paul's . I wanted his fingers on me like I craved oxygen.

I did a crap shoot so I could get back on my feet and regain my balance. It's just the pressure of the situation, that's all.

The ball hit the cushion and I stood up straighter, clearing my throat, ready to face him. I was about to say something witty, to show that I wasn't as affected as he was and try to take control of the situation. But before I could do so, he came up behind me and grabbed me around the waist. His breath tickled my ear, his voice low and caressing. "Next time you bend over in front of me like with your delicious ass, sweet Lara , you better be naked."

Let's just say I didn't have to fake a bad performance in the pool after that.

Paul

Lara stood erect at my words about her nakedness, and I silently high-fived her in victory. But my twitching member , hard , resting on her bent ass on the pool table, put us on a level playing field I didn't want to accept.

My wolf wanted to play, crawling to get out. And damn, he had been close, too close. I'd almost pulled down her jeans and panties, penetrated her all the way, and fucked her against the pool table in front of the audience. I looked too good, and she knew it.

I smelled her arousal as she came on me and I almost went crazy. She handled it like a pro after that, though, losing the pathetic act of trying to flirt with her target. She didn't need to play that card. The woman seduced simply by breathing.

Whatever her plan was, I had no idea, but she had recognized me somehow when I first arrived. I had gotten confirmation about her target and anger had arisen at her reaction. But I had been surprised. I'll admit it. There was a tinge of defeat about her. She wasn't the money-hungry bitch I had expected. But after she showed her desire to stay, to befriend Mary and play pool with us, any sympathy I had went up in smoke. She had her clarification. Now I had to keep an eye on her to see what hand she played next.

But that didn't mean I couldn't have fun in the meantime.

Touching Lara's lower back , pushing a strand of hair away from her face as we talked, smiling at her from across the pool table telling her anything she wanted with her naked body, pleased me. Every little action affected her. And I absorbed it.

When Mary and Mánala announced it was time to leave, I jumped at the chance. "I'll escort Lara back to the inn."

"Oh," said Lara , biting her lip. "That's okay. I know the way."

"It's fine. I'll walk you back. Manala can take Mary home since she's in the other direction."

"I'm fine too," Mary argued , a look from Manala made her relent. "Fine," he grunted, "Come with me." She dropped a kiss on Lara's cheek . "Thank you for such a pleasant evening - perhaps we can do it again before you leave?"

"I'd like that," smiled Lara . A sad smile. A regretful smile. And it made me uneasy. I didn't appreciate the pang of regret I felt for the two women at that moment. Mary , because although I had acquaintances in town and a friend in Manala and myself, I had never hit it off with another woman in the creek on a deeper level. I saw the potential I had to do it with Lara .

And Lara ... I also saw, albeit fleetingly, the need in her eyes for such a friendship. But that also made me protective of Mary . That bitch was lying to her, was befriending her to get to me, and I wasn't okay with that.

Gritting my teeth, we said our goodbyes, and I turned on the charm, walking beside Lara in the direction of The Pinewood Inn.

"How's your room?" I asked, standing so close to her that our arms were touching.

"It's lovely," Lara replied . "Rose is lovely. Very cozy."

"Most of us are here. We don't get a chance to show it much to outsiders, though. You're lucky."

"I wouldn't say that," she murmured. He looked me in the eye and added, "I don't mean the city. I'm lucky to be here."

"Then what did you mean?"

"I don't know. He shrugged. "Just feeling sorry for myself, I guess."

Unlucky? Why was she unlucky? She was on the hunt for a payday.

"We all get a free pass to do that sometimes," I offered, "Sometimes we find our strength in feeling that way."

He looked at me curiously. "I guess we do."

"Do you have a date with me tomorrow?" I blurted out, catching her off guard as I intended. She stumbled and grabbed at me to break her fall.

"A date?" she brushed my hands off.

"Yes, a date. Italian. Nice place. Cozy and casual, but the food is good. And Mary said the piece for the truck won't be here for a couple of days. It'll help you pass the time."

"Okay," he replied, his voice sharper than usual. It made me smile, happy to enjoy the silence that followed. But the silence also became deadly. Deadly to me in the pathetic sense of wondering what it would be like to do it for real, to take her home, kiss her senseless and bury myself deep inside her, claiming her as my own. It would chock me to the bone. And if she wasn't about to give me Scott , all served up on a platter with an apple in her mouth, I would have considered exploring the connection. There was something about her that drew me in, that made me stay, that made me wonder. But with someone as competent as she was, competent in the sense of finding the stream, I needed to keep my guard up.

Here we are," said Lara , rummaging in her purse for her key. "Thank you for joining me."

"Anytime. We take care of everyone here."

She smiled, hesitating about what to do, what to say. The conflict on her face intrigued me, so I took advantage of it. With a smirk, I hooked a finger under her chin, leaned in and kissed her. Gently, with one promise too many, I lingered, but I didn't expect the heat, the furious flare that erupted in my wolf. I slid my tongue inside her and explored her further, caressing her, fucking her with my mouth. And she responded, a small moan escaped her lips. My wolf roared, "Take her! Make her ours. And damn it, I wanted to.