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  Chapter Fourteen

  After a quick shower I walked, still damp and naked through the bathroom to the closet and quickly selected a pair of well fitted jeans and a soft lilac t-shirt. The jeans had been too tight only a month ago, and I noted with some satisfaction that they were now a perfect fit.

  If I had wanted to I could have worn them before, but they pinched just a little at the top of my hips. I preferred to wear low rise jeans, and have been known to occasionally buy men's jeans to avoid the extra fabric some designers seem to think women need around the thighs. That only succeeded in making my butt look baggy. If I ever did gain a few pounds, I tended to carry them in my stomach and upper hips, not in my butt or thighs.

  My backside wasn't flat by any means. I was just blessed with good genetics. My father had never worked out a day in his life and had the muscle tone of a much younger man who spent hours in the gym. On the other hand, since women naturally have more body fat, I did need to work out, at least in my opinion. However, I could go longer between periods of regular exercise without losing muscle tone.

  Still, I stood in front of the mirror, twisting and turning this way and that to make sure I didn't have any unsightly bulges anywhere I shouldn't. Kat and Richard had both told me that I was way too self conscious. They were probably right, but it's better to be safe than sorry. I didn't want people to see me out in public and think that I didn't own a mirror.

  Once I walked back into the bedroom the clock said I had exactly fifteen minutes to find a bra that looked good underneath the tight shirt and dry my hair. Deciding that damp hair was not a tragedy, and showing off my nipples to Kat and Elijah would be, I went for the bra first.

  My breasts are too large to go braless. But, even if I were a B cup instead of a D, I think I'd still want to wear a bra. It was bad enough I didn't wear underwear most of the time, but there was no need to look slutty.

  So, I rummaged quickly through the chest of drawers that held my lingerie and pajamas and soon came across a pale lilac bra made of silk and lace. I had a penchant for lingerie, but it had to fit well. No sense buying something that wasn't functional and if it happened to match, all the better.

  I had just pulled my shirt up around my neck in order to slip on the bra when I heard a knock at the door downstairs. A quick glance out the window told me it was Kat, and she was early.

  Pulling my shirt down as I went, I dashed down the stairs and let her in.

  "You're early,” I panted.

  "And you're not ready. Big surprise.” She smiled.

  "Shut up, Kat."

  "Well, you've got about ten minutes before Mr. Blue Eyes shows up with the game.” She yelled at my retreating backside, “I'd hurry if I were you."

  In the middle of a frantic attempt to dry my hair, Kat made her way into my bedroom. She walked over and plopped down among my plethora of pillows and blurted, “Guess what?"

  "What?” I turned slightly so I could see her face.

  "I've met someone.” She smiled.

  "Really?” That got my attention. “Do tell?"

  "He's gorgeous,” she practically drooled.

  "What's he like, and when did this happen?"

  "He came in the shop a few days ago. As far as his personality, I have no idea, our first date is tomorrow. But, I can tell you about his ass.” She giggled.

  "Got a good look at that did you? What's the rest of him look like?” I teased, turning my head every which way to get the roots of my hair dry.

  "His name is Charles Xander. He's got short auburn hair, gorgeous green eyes, and an ass that could stop traffic."

  I whistled. “That's a tall order for one man. Auburn hair, huh?"

  "Yeah, so?"

  "Admit it, you have lesbian fantasies about me,” I teased.

  Kat rolled her eyes. “Oh yeah, woman of my dreams. I've got a weakness for redheads.” She laughed.

  "So, what was he looking for?"

  "He came in just after I put up the pictures of the tea party, said he was looking for some nice picture frames. Why?"

  "Oh, I was just wondering. Since you say that only gay men know how to decorate properly, I wanted to know if he asked for decorating advice, or just picked it all out himself."

  "He asked for advice,” she said smugly. “That's how we struck up a conversation. Besides, I can tell if a man is gay or not."

  "You're so full of crap.” I laughed as I put on my makeup.

  "Maybe, but I've got a hot date tomorrow night.” She stuck out her tongue.

  "Oh, that's nice. Real mature.” I smirked.

  "It's not my fault you move too slow,” she taunted.

  "I don't move slow.” I ran some putty through my hair. “I just think you should be sure he understands the baking directions before you give the cookie away."

  "Bitch.” She tossed a pillow at me.

  "Slut,” I threw it back.

  Kat paused in mid throw. We had both heard a knock at the door.

  As I started downstairs she said, “Why don't you just pick one?"

  "It's not that easy, Kat."

  "Sure it is. They're all hot. You put their names in a hat and just pick one."

  I glared at her over my shoulder.

  "Or,” she continued, “you could just have them line up and drop their drawers."

  I laughed so hard I nearly fell down the last few steps. When I answered the door, my eyes were glazed with tears and at first Elijah mistook my expression.

  "What's wrong?” he asked immediately.

  "Nothing.” I wiped my eyes.

  "We were just joking around,” Kat answered.

  "Oh, I just thought you were that glad to see me.” He laughed.

  We sat up the game around the coffee table in the sitting room and decided to order pizza. Of course, we couldn't find anyone who delivered to the middle of nowhere, so Kat offered to go and pick it up.

  "I'll be right back. You two behave.” She winked at me on her way out the door.

  Elijah laughed. “What was that all about?"

  "She thinks I need to get laid,” I said simply.

  "Well, I'd be glad to help you out with that.” He smiled.

  As I looked into his deep blue eyes, I almost agreed. Elijah had the kind of eyes that you could lose yourself in and if I looked long enough, I'd be agreeable to most anything. I wasn't sure how to answer him. Fortunately, he spoke first.

  "Before I forget to tell you, I'm going to be out of town for a few weeks, starting next weekend."

  "Ok.” I wasn't sure what else to say. He wasn't my boyfriend so technically he didn't owe me an explanation if he wanted to leave town. But, it was sweet of him to mention it.

  "My mom's birthday is coming up, and I thought I'd visit a few other relatives while I'm there."

  "That sounds nice."

  I smiled, but I was wondering what I would do on the weekends with Elijah out of town. Honestly, it wasn't fair of me to use him that way, but I liked having him around. Plus, he understood the way things were with Alfred and seemed to be alright with the idea of just hanging out. I shuddered to think what Marco might try if he knew I was alone. The problem was, it wasn't a bad kind of shudder.

  While Kat was gone, we fished some plates down from the cabinets. Alfred refused to use paper plates, ever. So, that meant I'd be washing dishes again. I hated washing dishes, but I didn't want to give up any of the cabinet space to put in a dishwasher.

  Kat got back quicker than I'd expected, but I wasn't complaining. It was difficult to be alone with Elijah and not flirt more than I should. Men should not be allowed to have such a charming smile. His smile made me want to get personal, to tell him all about myself. Confessing all of my sins up front just wasn't my style. But, I wanted to talk to him, to share things with him, every time he smiled.

  The evening passed quickly, and before long it was eleven o'clock. Kat left first, saying that she needed her beauty rest for her date with Charle
s. When Elijah left a few minutes later, I walked him to the door.

  What I wanted to do was hug him and say how much I was going to miss him. Even though that was true, I thought it would be cruel under the circumstances. Instead I said, “I hope you have a good trip,” which sounded cold, even to my own ears.

  "I'll miss you,” he said.

  The smile slipped from his face, but his eyes held a kindness that melted my heart. I put my arms around him as I sighed. “I'll miss you, too."

  When he didn't try to kiss me goodnight, I was filled with a mixture of relief and disappointment. I didn't want Elijah the way I wanted Marco. What I felt was a different sort of attraction, but it was there. He looked back from where he stood at the bottom step and smiled at me. In that moment, I knew I wanted to please him. That smile was addictive and might well have been the undoing of many an innocent young girl.

  I watched as his tail lights retreated down my driveway before going back inside.

  * * * *

  The next few weeks passed quickly and I tried desperately not to be lonely. But, with Elijah and Alfred out of town, and Kat completely infatuated with Charles Xander, I was left with few options. Occupying myself had never been a problem and I wasn't sure why it was then. I could always find something to do. Maybe I was avoiding my own thoughts. But I had been left with little to do except think. One can only train so much, and my roses didn't need any more pruning. Besides that, I couldn't think of anything that I wanted to paint at the moment and I still didn't want to write for the same reason I hadn't picked up my sketchbook in a while. I was afraid of what I might put on the paper.

  * * * *

  Another week, and lo and behold, hurricane season was upon us in full swing. Elijah was back in town, but he had to work for the next two weekends in order to make up for the time he'd taken off. Kat called and we talked often, but she hadn't stopped by since her ‘hot date’ with Charles. I hadn't gotten all of the details yet, but I intended to pry them out of her.

  By this time, I was tired of staying at home. I'd already rented every movie that even remotely interested me, including a few chick flicks which was completely out of character. Me watching a romantic comedy was like getting most people to go to the dentist. Once a year was quite enough.

  Against my better judgment, and probably Mathias’ if I'd bothered to see what he thought, I decided to go to club Red. It wasn't the brightest idea in the world to be on the road with a hurricane on the way, but I rationalized that I was at least driving away from the storm.

  Hurricane Alistair had just made its way into the Gulf of Mexico and could take a turn for the coast of Texas, or the panhandle of Florida. Maybe it was the weather, or maybe it was just the thought of seeing Marco's reaction, but I decided to wear something particularly provocative. As Kat would say, I felt like letting my freak flag fly. I decided on a long, low fitting black skirt with nearly hip high slits. There were contoured silver PVC sections along the top which reflected the light. The matching top was just as wild. It was made of a stretchy material with detachable sleeves. These sleeves were held in place by reflective suspenders with metal garters. One wide silver PVC stripe across the top of each shoulder matched the skirt nicely.

  There was a strip of flesh visible from the top of my shoulder to just above my elbow. The only material on that part of my arms was the suspenders. It looked as if I had attached a pair of long, old fashioned black gloves to my sleeves. To complete this ensemble, I added a pair of platform boots with five large buckles up the side. I laughed as I thought what Kat's reaction might have been. This went beyond vendetta. The last addition to my outfit was a pair of boy short style black lace underwear. If I did have to kick someone's ass that night, I saw no sense in flashing whoever might be around.

  I left through the sunroom out back past the kitchen. Most people call those glass covered areas a Florida room. But, seeing as how the house was in Florida, technically they were all Florida rooms. Point being, the term just sounded stupid to me, so I called it a sunroom.

  I'd finished taping up all the windows and closing the shutters earlier in the day. There was really nothing left for me to do except sit around, and that did not appeal to me. As I made my way to the detached garage behind the house I noticed the sky. It looked dark and sinister with the promise of violence. Although it was evening, you could still see the rolling clouds through flashes of lightning.

  This was definitely one of the dumbest things I'd done in a long time. I couldn't really explain what had made me want to go to the club that night, even to myself. I was a disgrace to The Hunters, deliberately cavorting with werewolves. I could never let it be known that I'd had so many opportunities to kill Marco and I'd never even scratched him. Of course killing him at that point would have meant facing the wrath of the Wizard Council, which was something I didn't want to do. Still, I had no business in my line of work going to hang out at his club. As I got into the car I thought of how Alfred would react if he knew and felt guilty, but not enough to stay at home.

  It was already evening and I didn't bring an overnight bag. I was planning to drive back in the wee hours of the morning. The drive there wasn't so bad. Eventually, I turned off the radio and took a CD down from my visor. Weather reports only reminded me how stupid I was for being on the road. Of course, I wasn't the only one. Hurricane Alistair was a category four storm and many low lying areas and beach fronts were being evacuated. And there I was like a crack addict off to get my fix.

  Since our last conversation, I had given some thought to what Marco had said. I had been a little more cautious just in case someone tried to attack me, but there was no sign yet of jealous female werewolves.

  As far as the rest of our conversation, I still couldn't go there. To say no outright would cut off our strange relationship. But to say yes would mean more consequences than I wanted to face. My father would most likely disown me. If it came down to that, Marco would have to understand. I wouldn't give up my father for any man.

  * * * *

  When I pulled into the parking lot a few hours later I noticed there were fewer cars than usual, and no waiting line out front. Don't get me wrong, there were still people out, just significantly less than usual.

  As I approached the door I noticed Marco coming toward me. He was wearing the same black leather pants he'd worn the first time I'd seen him at the club. The matching shirt stretched revealingly over every line and curve of his impressive physique.

  "I didn't expect to see you out tonight, Red."

  "Admit it, you're glad to see me,” I teased.

  "Always.” He flashed me that wolfish grin and my heart wasn't the only thing that fluttered.

  Marco looked me up and down and I could have sworn I heard him growl. The sound was soft, barely audible, but it was there. The urge to tackle him in the parking lot nearly overpowered me. The magnitude of my stupidity really began to sink in. What did I think would happen when I saw him? The last time I'd been around Marco I'd crawled on my stomach through the rain just to watch him walk away.

  His approving smile at my appearance was all I'd hoped for.

  "I hate to disappoint you, Red, but we closed early tonight.” Lightning cracked over our heads as he finished. “Because of the weather."

  "Then who are all these people?” I gestured at the cars in the parking lot.

  "Part of the pack is having a hurricane party."

  I looked at him skeptically. “If you wanted me to leave, all you had to do was say so."

  "You're welcome to join us.” He reached for me, but I stepped back.

  "No thanks. I don't belong here. I shouldn't have come."

  As I turned to leave he stepped closer to me, stopping just short of physical contact.

  "But still you're here."

  "Not for long.” I kept walking.

  "Wait,” he called.

  When Marco caught up with me, I was already at my car.

  "Look, I'm sorry if I was rude ... I don'
t deal well with rejection."

  For some reason I was angry with him. I'm not sure what I expected, showing up like that with a hurricane on the way, but it wasn't this. I hadn't come to argue.

  "I didn't come here to discuss your personal problems, Marco."

  "Then why did you come?"

  I wasn't sure what to say, so I told the truth, “I don't know."

  "Damn it, Red. Can't you admit you just wanted to see me?"

  Without a word, I reached for the car door and he stopped me, placing his hand on my wrist.

  "I can't let you leave in this weather."

  I just looked at him blankly.

  "Haven't you heard? Alistair's just hit the coast of Florida. It will be here by morning."

  No, I hadn't heard. Maybe I shouldn't have turned off the radio.

  "So, what am I supposed to do, get a hotel room?"

  "Why don't you stay with me?” It wasn't a question.

  "You expect me to spend the night in a club full of drunken werewolves?"

  "And most of tomorrow.” He smiled. “At least until the storm passes over."

  "Shit,” I said with feeling.

  "Come on, Red. I'm the only one who bites, and I'll be on my best behavior."

  I couldn't help laughing at the wicked grin on his face at just the mention of biting me.

  "You're a bastard."

  Marco turned me to face him by the wrist that he still held.

  "Come on,” he repeated. “The weather's getting worse."

  He was right, but I dug my heels into the gravel, forcing him to drag me a few steps.

  "Don't be like this.” He stopped and turned back to me.

  "But you said that some of your pack hated me.” I gestured at my tight clothes. “There's obviously no concealed weapons here. I'm not prepared to take on,” I glanced around again, counting cars, “fifty or so angry werewolves."

  "Not all of the pack is here,” he said reasonably. “Besides, the ones who don't like you don't often come to the club."

  He tried to walk to the door again and I snatched my wrist loose.