January 2004
April 2003
Hearing a locker near his clang open, Jeremy Winters looked up from the crowded interior of his, smiling when he saw the young blonde digging through her books. "Hey, Jen," he said, reaching out to grab a chemistry book before it hit the floor. "I’m guessing that you’re going to Kelly’s triggering this weekend. Need a ride out there?"
He’d been biding his time, and the fact that she’d broken up with her latest boyfriend after just a few weeks of being together had given Jeremy hope. Now he’d just see if she took him up on his offer or not.
"Oh, hi, Jer. Sorry, I didn’t see you there at first." She smiled at the cute, dark-haired senior. "And yeah, I am. The whole family’s going since Mike’s dating Kelly now. I think he’s more nervous than she is!" she laughed. Noticing how Jeremy’s face had fallen when she mentioned her family going, she hid a smile.
"I’d love a ride if you’re offering," she said off-handedly, though her blue eyes were sparkling. "I really don’t feel like riding with my folks, and Jesse’s dangerous when Rayne and Eva are both in the car with him," she chuckled, thinking of her brother with his wolf and lynx lovers. "If you want to come over early, you can have lunch with us before we go."
"Is it safe?" he asked, giving a slight smile. "If not, I can kidnap you and get you out of there for something to eat."
"That’d be good too. Kind of like a date, huh?" She smiled at him.
Jeremy chuckled quietly. "More than kind of, more like in fact if you’re still willing."
"I was starting to wonder if you were ever going to say anything. I’ve done everything except hold up a flashing ‘available’ sign over my head!" she laughed. "I was starting to think you were scared of my brothers."
"Not your brothers, your sister! You know she caught me trying to peek in her bedroom window a few years ago and almost flayed me alive?" Jeremy chuckled at the memory. "And an ‘available’ sign? Was that the one right next to Seth Howard’s head when you were going out with him?"
She shrugged. "Well, you didn’t ask me out, and he did, so... Anyway, Seth’s all brawn and no brain. He thinks that just ‘cause he’s the quarterback, he’s God’s gift or something. Not!" She snorted her opinion of Seth Howard. "Besides, I broke up with him almost a week ago."
"I could have told you that," Jeremy laughed, closing his locker and leaning against it, looking down at the blonde. "So I was supposed to ask you out a week ago? Sorry, I’ll do better next time."
"You were supposed to ask me to Homecoming, but I guess I’ll forgive you since you figured it out eventually." She smiled up at him. "And what exactly do you mean ‘next time’?"
"Next time I ask you out, which will probably be as soon as this first date is almost over," he explained. "Should I apologize about Homecoming too, or am I forgiven because I’m a guy and we tend to be pretty obtuse?"
"Well, I suppose you can’t help being a guy," Jen allowed, then laughed. "And I’m very glad you are, so I guess I have to forgive you. Especially since this date thing seems to be a trend. Are you asking me to be your girlfriend, Jeremy?" she teased.
"If that’s what you want to call it." He grinned suddenly and leaned closer. "I was thinking hot sex toy myself."
Her jaw dropped as she stared at him before bursting into laughter. "Okay, you get points for honesty and originality. Performance remains to be seen." She grinned wickedly. "But if you expect to manage that, I think we need to try a kiss first." That was all the warning she gave before she curled an arm around his neck, rose onto tiptoes and pressed her lips to his.
Not caring in the least that they were in the school’s main hallway, Jeremy slid one arm around Jen’s waist and a hand behind her head. Taking control of the kiss, he ran his tongue over her lips, then, when they parted, into her mouth, feeling his body tighten as her taste caused his blood to heat.
Jen moaned softly, feeling her body respond to him as it never had to any of her other boyfriends. She kissed him back, first sucking on his tongue, then pressing forward to taste him as well, her books falling unnoticed to the floor as her other arm went around his neck so she could press closer to him.
Once they broke apart, both panting for breath, Jeremy smiled. "So do I get performance points too?"
Jen smiled, but before she could say anything, another voice said, "Perhaps demerit points for inappropriate locations?" Groaning as she recognized the voice, Jen dropped her face against Jeremy’s chest. "Hi, Jesse."
Jesse simply stared at them, eyebrows raised.
Keeping his arms around Jen, his stance automatically changing into a protective one, Jeremy relaxed when he saw that it was her brother. "Coach Lorimer," he said, nodding his head. "I’d say this was our hint to get our butts to class, right?"
"Good guess." Jesse reminded himself that he was a member of the school faculty and shoving one of the students into the wall and demanding to know what the hell he thought he was doing with Jesse’s baby sister was probably a bad idea. Lip rising in a silent snarl that gave his thoughts away, he waited for them to move.
"We’re going, Mr. Lorimer," Jen said, keeping an arm around Jeremy’s waist. "And back off, bro!" She glared at him till he nodded sharply and left, then sighed as she glanced up at her new boyfriend. "Sorry, he has issues with me dating," she sighed.
Having held Jesse’s gaze just long enough to let the older shifter know he wasn’t going to be intimidated by him, Jeremy was satisfied that his point had been made as well. "As long as you don’t have issues with you dating, I don’t care," he answered, sliding his hand under her shirt to rest against the warm skin at her waist.
Jen grinned at him. "Good answer. You’d be amazed how many guys are intimidated by my big brothers. Glad to know you’re not one of them. You get another kiss for that... but since we’re already going to be late for class, I guess you’ll just have to collect later." She grinned at him before darting down the hall.
The remainder of the school day dragged by for Jeremy, and he found himself doodling pictures of Jen in his notebooks more than once, much to his embarrassment. Of course, none of that stopped him from waiting outside the main doors when the last bell rang and stepping out in front of Jen when she came out with her girlfriends. "You’re overdue on something you owe me, Jennifer; I need to collect."
Giggling, she stepped away from her friends, ignoring Kelly’s whispered, "Finally!"
"What, you don’t like accumulating interest?" she asked, looping her arms around his neck and smirking at him.
Giving the other girls an arch glance, he pulled Jen against him and kissed her again, discovering to his happy surprise that her lips were even softer than he’d remembered and her body felt just as good against his as he’d convinced himself he’d imagined.
"Interest is fine when I don’t have to sit through three periods of lectures thinking about it."
"Oh, I like the sound of that. Distracting you already, am I?" she asked with a sensual little wriggle against him.
"You mean I wasn’t distracting you at all?" he sighed, looking crestfallen.
Unable to resist, Kelly called out, "Yeah, that’s why she was doodling your name in her books all afternoon!"
"Go away, Kelly, or I’ll tell Mike what you doodle in your books!" Jen threatened.
"You know," she continued, again ignoring her friends, "we don’t have to wait till the ceremony for our first date. Going out for a burger and soda after school works too."
"Your wish is my command," he said, grinning slightly. "Anywhere particular you want to go or do I get to choose?"
"You can choose. My mom always said to let the guy think he’s in charge," she teased, leaning into him.
Jeremy chuckled and tugged at Jen’s blonde hair. "Thanks. I think. So you trust me to pick where we’re going then?"
"Yup. This choice will decide if I ever let you make another decision or whether you need to be retrained," she shot back, grinning.
Keeping one arm around her waist as they walked toward the parking lot, Jeremy shook his head. "If you tell me you’ve got choke chains and electric fences, I’m running for the hills now."
Bursting into laughter, Jen replied, "No, but it sounds interesting. I’m sure I could find some for you." She ran a nail over his throat. "Might look good in a collar."
"Let me dress you like I want," he murmured, leading to his ancient Ford Bronco and opening the door for her, "and I might wear one."
"You want to dress me? I think Mom and Dad might have a problem with you being in my bedroom every morning." She watched him as he went around to the driver’s side and settled in beside her, and she reached over, placing a hand on his leg since she couldn’t hold his hand while he was driving.
Jeremy chuckled and covered her hand with his for a second before he had to shift gears. "I was thinking more once in a while—special occasion type thing."
"Hmm, well, I suppose we could hide you from Dad once in a while," Jen mused, her hand slowly creeping up this leg. "I’d be interested in seeing what you might come up with for me."
He grinned and flexed his leg under her palm. "Guess you’ll have to wait until it happens to find out, won’t you?"
"So when do I get to see you with a collar around this throat?" she purred, leaning over to drag her tongue up his throat.
"Keep that up and I’ll take you to Wal-Mart right now to get me one," he chuckled, feeling his jeans grow uncomfortably tight.
"Well, we could do that... or we could go somewhere more private," she murmured, her hand now resting over the bulge in his jeans. "And do something about this."
"Jen..." Jeremy rasped, trying to keep a modicum of control, "if you think I’m going to turn you down... Well, I’m not stupid. I just want to make sure we’re feeling the same thing here. This could be it, matter of fact, I’m pretty sure it is."
"I know that. Or I wouldn’t offered that. I’m not a tease, Jer, but I don’t sleep around either. Why do you think I’ve been waiting for you to say something?" She smiled crookedly. "I thought you might be it for me too. And now I’m sure of it."
Catching her hand, he lifted it to his lips and kissed each fingertip before licking at her palm. "You know, if anyone else tries to touch you from now on, I’m going to rip their head off," he said conversationally, making a quick turn and heading for his parents’ home.
"Fuck! The girls are home by now. Anyone at your place?" If that was the case, there was always the back of the Bronco, but that just didn’t seem right for what they’d just admitted.
"Nope. Traci went back to New York last week, and Mom and Dad are out with clients. I’m it. So we have the house all to ourselves all night if you’re interested." She made the offer calmly, knowing exactly what she was offering.
"In spending the night with you and being able to wake up with you in my arms in the morning?" He smiled slowly. "That’s one of my favorite dreams."
"I like the sound of that," she agreed softly. "And my place isn’t far, so we don’t have to wait much longer." She laughed quietly. "I feel like I’ve been waiting for you forever." Suddenly she giggled. "Won’t Mom and Dad be surprised when they get home."
"Just so long as it’s them coming home and not your brother or sister," he chuckled. "I’d rather spend the evening curled around you, not getting stitches from being chased out and bit in the rump."
"I wouldn’t let them do that to you," she laughed. "But I think they have their hands full with their own love lives just now. We’ll lock the door, and you’ll be perfectly safe. We don’t even have any guests right now."
"Just you and me. Sounds perfect." He turned onto the street where the Lorimers’ bed and breakfast was located and parked in the driveway. Turning off the engine, he turned toward her to draw her in for a kiss.
Jen instantly shed her seatbelt and moved into his arms, her own going around his neck as she pressed close. Moaning softly, she opened to him, tasting him eagerly.
After long minutes, Jeremy pulled back, panting for breath, his hands full of the softness of her breasts. "God, Jen," he murmured, "we need to get inside now, or we may end up in the back even if we’re in your driveway."
"And I won’t care," Jen agreed, breathing heavily as she slid toward the door. "Come on, let’s get inside before some nosy neighbors come along." Darting an inviting glance over her shoulder, she ran toward the door, wanting to get inside and private quickly.
Animal instincts aroused, Jeremy chased after her, waiting only long enough for Jen to get the door open and closed behind them before he was on her, pressing her up against the wall and kissing her hungrily, his hands sliding up beneath her shirt and jacket to stroke her soft skin.
Groaning, Jen wrapped her legs around his waist, her own hands tugging at his shirt to get at his warm skin. "My bedroom is the second door on the right upstairs," she panted, each word punctuated with a biting kiss.
"Then that’s where we’re going," Jeremy gasped, catching her mouth again in a bruising kiss before starting to carry her upstairs and into her room, each step a torture because it rubbed her groin against his.
"God, faster," she demanded, writhing against him, fingers fumbling at the fastenings of his jeans as they went, wanting him to be ready.
"Have to..." he stopped at the landing and set her down, kissing her again, one hand sliding into her jeans to stroke over her slick flesh, wanting her to come like this. He cupped her breast with his free hand, rubbing the peaked nipple until Jen was writhing against him, her soft whimpers filling his ears.
"Oh God!" she panted, thrusting eagerly against his fingers, feeling the tension in her belly coil tighter and tighter. "Jer," she whimpered, clinging to him, back arching as she came.
"Beautiful Jen. My Jen," he murmured possessively, continuing to stroke her until the last of the tremors subsided and she gentled against him. Drawing his hand out of her jeans, he brought it to his lips, licking his fingers clean and closing his eyes to keep from coming in his pants at the heady taste of her. "I need you."
"Yes. God yes," she moaned. "I want you. Please, Jeremy." She slid a hand inside his jeans, curling her hand around his erection. "Want you."
Catching her wrist, Jeremy stilled her hand, managing to give an apologetic grin. "If you kept that up, it’d be a while before you got me."
She smiled wickedly. "You certainly do know how to appeal to a woman’s ego. But since I do want you, I’ll be good. Later I’ll show you how good I can be when I’m bad," she purred, nipping at his chin.
Chuckling, he caught her face between his hands and kissed her hungrily. "You show me that and I’m not the only one going to be wearing a collar." Still kissing, they stumbled down the hallway to her room, getting inside and shutting the door behind them, then anxiously stripping off each other’s clothes, desperate to see and touch.
"Promises, promises," Jen chuckled, backing toward the bed and tumbling them down as soon as they were naked. "Now do what you’ve been promising!"
Naked need in his expression, Jeremy rested a hand on Jen’s hip to guide himself into her but forced himself to stop. "I’ve got rubbers if you want to be really safe," he rasped.
Staring into his eyes searchingly, Jen bit her lip, then slowly shook her head. "No. I don’t think the timing is right, but whatever happens, happens. I wouldn’t be unhappy." She curled a hand over his hip and pulled.
Green eyes narrowing, Jeremy took a deep breath and pulled back. "No, Jen, I’m not doing that to you. There’s time for kids later; right now is time for us." He slid back off the bed and grabbed his jeans, digging in the pocket for his wallet and the condom he kept in there out of habit.
"Only one," he said, trying to smile. "Guess I’d better make it good."
Jen laughed. "We can look in the bathrooms later. I’m sure that Jesse or Mike would have left something. And I’m making an appointment with my doctor tomorrow. I want to feel you."
"No arguments there." Climbing back into bed beside her, Jeremy quickly rolled the condom onto his erection and moved on top of Jen again. "You’re so damn beautiful," he whispered, stroking her face, and so damn right." Saying this, he slid inside her, groaning at the tightness surrounding him.
Jen gasped, body tensing before she forced herself to relax, pain slowly ebbing and turning to pleasure. She stared up at him, urging him on.
Jeremy’s eyes widened, and he stared down at his lover - his mate. "Jen, you - you should have said something," he panted, hating having hurt her and wanting to howl his pleasure at being her first, her only lover.
"I didn’t want you to stop," she whispered, arching up to encourage him. "Please, Jer, I want you."
"I wouldn’t have stopped." Even as he said this, he was moving, taking it slowly at first to allow her time to get used to the sensation. "I just would have been more careful. I don’t want to hurt you, baby."
"Jeremy..." She waited till she had his full attention, then smiled. "Shut up and make love to me."
He blinked, then had to laugh. "I think this is one of those times where I’m supposed to smile and say ‘yes dear’, right?" At her glare, he grinned and kissed her. "And then do just what you told me to." Dipping his head, he nipped at her neck, slipping a hand between them to stroke her breasts as they moved together.
"Smart boy," she managed to say despite her gasps as he teased her. "Oh, Jer, you feel so good. You know I love you, right?" She stared up into his eyes, needing the connection as her body rippled around his.
"Considering you’re going to be stuck with me the rest of my life, I was kind of hoping that was the case," he whispered, struggling to stay in control long enough to make her come this way, wanting to feel her convulse around him. "But for the record, I love you too."
Her eyes widened at the words, even though she’d known from what he’d said earlier, and she cried out sharply as she came, trembling in his arms.
"Jen..." Groaning out her name, Jeremy managed to last out the length of her orgasm, then he drove deeply into her now pliant body and came as well, wishing for a brief moment that he was filling her with his sperm and not the rubber.
Feeling Jeremy spasm, Jen moaned, legs tightening around him to draw him closer. "Stay tonight?" she asked, hands stroking his back as she held him tightly, refusing to let him pull off of her yet.
Not lifting his head from where it was buried against her neck, Jeremy nodded. "Just need to call my folks and tell them I won’t be home," he murmured, gently biting, then kissing her earlobe. "Don’t want them to worry."
"Yeah, the last thing we need is them banging on the door at the wrong moment," Jen replied, giggling as she imagined it. "So while you call them, I’ll go see what I can find supply-wise in the bathrooms. Later. I don’t want to move yet." She nuzzled into him, perfectly content at that moment.
"Then we don’t have to move," he smiled, resting his weight on his forearms and stroking his fingers through her soft blonde hair. "We might need to consider making dinner in there somewhere along the way too, or at least ordering a pizza. I think I’m going to need all the energy I can get to keep up with you."
"So much for the sexual peak of males," she chuckled, rubbing one leg along the outside of his. "Don’t worry, I’ll keep you fed. I’m not letting you get away from me."
"Very funny, brat," he laughed, nipping at her lower lip. "And I’m not running anywhere, not unless we decide to get out of bed and head for the woods to play."
"Mmm, sounds good. Maybe tomorrow?" she suggested, wishing they could just stay like this for days. It was too bad they had to get up for school... A sudden thought struck her, and she frowned at him. "Where are you going to college next year?" she asked, not wanting to lose him already, even if only to distance.
"University of Minnesota, in Minneapolis," he answered. "They’ve got a good fine arts program, and it’s not too far away. What? Thinking I’m going to go off to school and forget about you? No way in hell, Jen. You’re it, I told you that."
"Damn, it’s too late for me to graduate this year. And I was thinking of going to U of W here in Superior, but if you think I’m leaving you alone in Minneapolis for four years, you’re nuts!" She frowned up at him, sighing when he finally moved off of her and disposed of the rubber.
Turning after tossing the used condom away, Jeremy grinned. "Gotcha. I got accepted there, but decided to stay local too. With Mom and Dad’s schedules it helps if I’m around to take Becky to her lessons."
"Why you--!" Jen whacked him with a pillow, growling. "You’re not going to live long enough for it to matter!" She rose up onto her knees, brandishing her weapon.
"Boyfriend abuse, boyfriend abuse!" Jeremy howled, ducking and diving back onto the bed to tickle her anywhere he could reach.
She shrieked with laughter, thrashing around, trying to get away and keep hitting him at the same time, finally giving up since she was laughing too hard to do anything. "You know," she said once she caught her breath again, "after I graduate, Mom and Dad probably wouldn’t mind if I got a place of my own... or shared one. They might even let me next year."
Flopping on his back to catch his breath, Jeremy tilted his head to the side and smiled. "Why, Ms. Lorimer, is that an invitation to shack up?"
"Well, since you were being slow to ask me—we’ve been dating for almost ten whole hours now!" she laughed, "yes."
"This is another one of those ‘yes dear’ occasions, isn’t it?" he asked, pulling Jen on top of him before kissing her.
"Nope," she said breathlessly when they finally separated again, "this is where you tell me honestly if you want to live with me or not." She pressed close, wanting to touch him.
"Honestly?" he whispered, circling her waist with his arms, "if we could, I’d move in with you right now."
A happy smile lit her blue eyes, and she kissed him again. "I do love you," she whispered, fingers combing through his dark hair. "And you know, if you get an apartment, you could probably get one starting this summer... and I could probably get Mom and Dad to let me move in too. I’ll pay half the rent, of course," she added, not wanting him to think she expected him to pay her way.
Somewhat surprised, but not disagreeable to that notion, Jeremy grinned, running his hands over her back. "I think I could live with that, and with having you to come home to every day. Let’s talk to your folks about it before making plans though, okay?"
She laughed softly. "They’re gonna be afraid to turn their backs on any of us. Jesse with his nutty lovers, Mike with Kelly, and now me going from single high-school student to mated while they’re out of town for two days. Good thing they trust our judgment... and Mom said she liked you," she admitted almost shyly.
"She did?" he blinked, surprised. "When did she say this?"
"At the Christmas dance when she was chaperoning," Jen admitted, blushing faintly. "I told her that you were the one I wanted."
"Weren’t you with Chuck Howard that night?"
"Yeah... because you were there with Beth Howard," she snarled, her curled lip making her opinion of the other girl clear.
"Well, I won’t be doing that any more." He kissed her. "And neither will you."
"No. And if Beth flaunts her tits at you again, she’s gonna find out how they look after a wolf claws them," Jen growled, fingers digging into his arms possessively.
"No looking at anyone’s tits, I promise." Jeremy glanced down to where Jen’s breasts were pressed against his chest. "Except yours."
"Smart man." She smiled at him, relaxing again. She shifted, making a face as her sticky thighs brushed together. "How ‘bout a shower and then finding something to eat?"
"Sounds good." As they sat up, he saw her wince slightly and frowned. "Jen? Are you okay? Would a bath feel better?"
"I’m fine." She smiled, finding his concern sweet and heartwarming, if unnecessary just then. "I’m just discovering new muscles," she added, grinning. "And I’m very pleased about it."
His expression turned to one of pure male pride. "I’d be glad to help you discover others any time you want."
"You’re nuts, but you’re cute," Jen laughed, hugging him. "But right now I want a shower more than you."
"Nuts?" Jeremy laughed, standing up and taking her hand, "I resent that remark. I’m not nuts, I’m artistic."
"Ahh," Jen said wisely, letting him help her up, then stretching. "And the difference would be what exactly?"
"A nut wouldn’t be smart enough to get you," he answered, smacking her on the backside lightly. "Care to show me the way to the shower?"
"Follow me," she purred, glancing back over her shoulder at him and pleased with the look on his face as she sashayed toward the door. Glad that they had the house to themselves, she strolled down the hall toward the bathroom that was entirely hers now that her brothers and sister no longer lived at home, the guests having another one at the other end of the hall.
"Yes, ma’am," he murmured, almost walking into the doorway as his eyes were locked on her pale backside.
"And try not to knock yourself out," she giggled.
He grinned sheepishly. "It might be hard to explain to the paramedics why there’s a naked guy lying on the floor up here."
"It’d be even harder to explain to Jesse and Mike," she retorted, glancing back. "So let’s avoid turning this into a circus, ‘kay? I prefer our performances to be private."
"Works fine by me." He kissed her as he squeezed past her in the doorway and turned on the water in the tub. "Hot, hotter or hottest?"
"Hottest," she replied emphatically, bending over to rummage in the cabinet under the sink, unaware of his gaze on her. "Aha!" She suddenly crowed with victory and straightened up, face flushed, brandishing a box of condoms. "An almost full box and not even past the expiry date," she said after checking.
Taking a deep breath and trying to will his suddenly awake libido back to sleep at least for a bit longer, Jeremy grinned as he set the temperature and flipped on the shower. "That might last us tonight if we ration them out. What do you think?"
"I think you’re going to be carrying me to the doctor tomorrow since I won’t be able to walk, but I like the way you think." It was Jen’s turn to stare at her lover’s ass and remind herself that she wanted to clean up.
"Well, that would work, but carrying you around school might be a bit of a problem since your brother doesn’t seem to want me to touch you at all." He looked back over his shoulder and caught her staring. "Enjoying the view?"
"Yes!" Jen dropped the box on the counter and came over to press up behind him. "You look so good and feel even better."
Straightening up, Jeremy turned and wrapped his arms loosely around Jen’s waist. "Careful, butterfly, or we might start working on those sore muscles some more."
She thought about it. "The spirit is willing, but the flesh needs a little more time to recuperate," she decided. "Shower, food, and by then I’ll be ready to take you on again. Actually, I’ll work a shift in there to speed up the recovery time," she added. "Don’t want to waste our night... hey, you never did get around to calling your parents, did you? You can do that while I start dinner... or better still, before you order a pizza."
"You had me a little distracted," he chuckled, stepping into the shower and bringing her with him. "But that sounds like a good plan, especially the not wasting our night part." Reaching for the liquid soap and the sponge hanging on a rack, he squirted some out and began to lather her shoulders.
"Mmm, if I hadn’t already decided, I’d know now that I had to keep you," she moaned happily, head hanging forward as he washed her.
"Still have to buy me that collar," he murmured, kissing her ear after tucking her hair behind it.
"We can do that after I see the doctor. Fortunately, she’s a shifter too, so she makes time when one of us calls for something like this." Jen murmured contentedly as he touched her. "I’ll make an appointment for after school."
"Want me to go with you?" he offered, bending down to wash her legs, taking particular care with her thighs.
"You would? Most guys would faint at the idea of going to a gynecologist’s office." She glanced down at him, smiling. "But if you’re up to it, sure, I’d love your company."
"Well, I don’t actually have to go in the exam room with you, right?"
"Not unless I want to have to pick you up off the floor apparently," Jen giggled. "No, you don’t have to come in. It’s bad enough the doctor has to see me in that position."
Jeremy frowned. "Your doctor is a woman, right?" he asked, a bit of a growl entering his voice.
Jen somehow managed not to laugh. "Yes, she is," she replied, keeping her face turned away from him. She’d thought she was acting nuts about Beth, but it had nothing on this!
"Okay." He pressed a kiss at the hollow of her hip before standing up again. "Turn around, butterfly. Time for your back."
"Butterfly?" she repeated curiously, recalling that he’d called her that earlier.
He shrugged, feeling the back of his neck heat. "I saw you one day a few years ago playing in a field in wolf form, and there were all these yellow butterflies around you, since then, whenever I think about you, I see them."
A tiny smile played over Jen’s lips before she drew him into a soft kiss. "I really do love you, Jeremy Winters."
"And a fine thing that is because I really do love you too, Jennifer Lorimer." He kissed her shoulder and finished washing her back. "Jen and Jer, God, we sound like some cutesy family cartoon."
"Eww!" She made a face and shuddered. "Don’t ever say that around my brothers or sister, or we’ll be hearing it for the next fifty years!"
"No way, they wouldn’t!" Then Jeremy thought about his younger sisters. "Oh, fuck, they would."
"Yup," Jen replied, laughing. "Not that I don’t think they’ll come up with it on their own, but we can delay the pain as long as possible." She took the sponge from him and started washing him in turn.
Jeremy shuddered before leaning back against the wall, smiling at her. "Guess it’s too much to hope that they won’t come up with it at all, eh?"
Eyebrows rising, Jen stopped running the sponge over him and stared up. "You know all of them; what do you think?" Shaking her head, then grumbling when her wet hair fell in her face and had to be pushed back, she started washing him again, enjoying this chance to explore him for the first time.
Jer reached out and ran his fingers through Jen’s wet hair, pushing it back out of her face. "I think that the faster we can get our own place where we can hide from them, the better it will be."
Giggling, she leaned against him, arms going around his neck. "We’ll just have to get a deadbolt to prevent them from using keys to get in. I really don’t want my brothers interrupting things."
"How about for tonight we just put a chair in front of the door?" Jer asked, leaning in to kiss Jen’s nose. "And how about we get out of the shower so I can call my folks and we can eat because I’m looking forward to setting that chair in place and not having to worry about anything until the morning."
She finished washing him and hung the sponge back on the hook before turning the water off. "Impatient, aren’t you? Does that mean you don’t want to for a pizza to be delivered and would rather see what we have here?" she asked, knowing that her mom always kept the fridge well-stocked.
"Nah, I can wait for the pizza, no need to cook for me," he smiled, taking a towel from the rack and beginning to dry her off. "As long as there are chips or something to tide me over."
"I’ll save that for our first night in our own place," she promised, smiling and all but purring as he rubbed with the soft terrycloth. "For tonight pizza and wings. And cola or beer?" She took the towel from him and returned the favor before padding naked toward door, planning to get her robe from her room.
"Cola’s fine," Jer called after her, taking a deep breath to try and get himself back under control because watching her walk away naked was doing things to his libido that needed to wait a little longer. "And first night in our place, I’ll make dessert, okay?"
He followed her into the bedroom and pulled on his clothes, smiling warmly at the picture Jen presented sitting there in her robe. "Mind calling for the pizza? I’m not sure which one delivers here."
"Sure. If you want to call your folks at the same time, you can go in one of the other rooms. We have separate lines for each one. But first..." She hooked a finger in one of his belt loops and pulled him closer so she could kiss him. "Don’t put on too much," she half-pouted. "I liked the view."
"I’m glad you do, but I don’t want the delivery person’s eyes clawed out because they liked it too," he murmured, pulling her in for a longer kiss. "I’ll be back in a minute; order what you want, just no pineapple on the pizza, please."
"Yuck! That’s gross," she said, wrinkling her nose. "Lots of meat and cheese. I want to keep your energy up," she teased before reaching for the phone, not needing the menu since she knew the number so well.
"Butterfly, with you around, I don’t need anything else to keep my energy up," he murmured before padding down the hall to call his folks and let them know he was going to be out for the night.
"Micky was trying to pry details out of me," he chuckled when he returned, walking up behind Jen and wrapping his arms around her as she brushed her hair. "You’ll be glad to know I didn’t give her any."
"Well, yes and no. That just means she and Mandy, not to mention Kelly and several others, will corner me tomorrow and demand those details," Jen chuckled. "They’re all nosy. Of course, I did the same when Kelly finally nailed Mike down," she admitted, laughing.
"And what exactly are you going to tell them?" he asked, eyes widening.
Laughing at his expression, she replied, "That I’m very happy and anything else they want to know, they can find out from their own mates when and if they find them."
"Thank God," he whispered, sagging in relief. "I want to keep you all to myself, Butterfly, and that includes what we do together."
"Likewise. I’ve never been one for exhibitionism, Jeremy. This is just for us." She leaned back against him, tilting her head up to look at him. "Have I told you yet that I love you?"
Jer tilted his head to the side, pretending to think as he kissed the side of her neck. "I think so, but you were in the process of melting my brains at the time, so I can’t be sure; better tell me again just to make certain."
Jen turned so she ended up in his arms with her arms looped around his neck and said, "I love you, Jeremy Winters, very much." The blue eyes that had been staring into his fell closed as she rose onto tiptoes and pressed her mouth to his.
After savoring the sweet taste of her lips for long moments, Jer pulled back, smiling tenderly down at her. "I love you too, Jen. Hmmm, Jennifer Winters, I like the sound of that."
Her smile widened. "I do too. A lot. Are you going to make me wait till after I graduate too, or can I start planning a summer wedding?" Since they were already mated, she couldn’t see any point in waiting; it wasn’t as if she was planning to date anyone else or they were going to break up.
"After you graduate." Jer knew that the marriage wouldn’t be an issue among the shifter community, he just didn’t want Jen to hear cutting remarks from the normals they knew. "And I’ll save up what I can so we can have a real honeymoon too."
"You’re going to make me wait a whole year?" she pouted. "Well, you’re just going to have to make it up to me. Think you can handle that, Mr. Winters?"
He smiled and stroked a hand over her bright hair. "How about I plan on doing that for the rest of our lives."
"My father would complain that you’re going to spoil me, but I like the sound of that. And since I plan to do the same for you, I think it’s fair." She hugged him, rising onto tiptoes to kiss him again only to sink back down when the doorbell rang.
Glancing from her robe to Jeremy’s jeans and shirt, she grinned. "Mind getting the pizza? I wouldn’t want you to attack some poor, unsuspecting delivery person if I did."
Though Jer knew Jen was kidding, he still couldn’t quite contain his growl at the thought of anyone seeing her like this. "Domino’s delivery guy isn’t quite the meal I wanted," he chuckled, brushing the hair off her forehead and pulling his wallet out of his back pocket as he headed downstairs to the door, returning in a few minutes with the pizza.
"So are we hiding out in your room to eat or being civilized and using the table?"
Smirking at him, Jen let her robe fall open slightly as she padded past him. "Oh, we’ll be civilized. After all, the table can be put to so many interesting uses after we eat."
Clutching the pizza box slightly, Jer squirmed as his vivid imagination filled in exactly what those uses could be. "You know, if we do that, I’m never going to be able to sit down at that table and eat with your family," he commented, following her down the stairs to the dining room.
"Oh goodie. It’ll make family dinners so much more interesting," she chuckled, grinning over her shoulder at him. "Of course, everyone’s going to want to know why you’re blushing, and I’m going to want to drag you upstairs so we can be alone."
"Jennifer!" he laughed, catching up and holding the box with one hand to swat her on the backside with the other. "Your brothers would kill me if they had any idea of what we’d done or what I plan on doing to you later."
"Jeremy," she laughed, "do you honestly think they’re going to believe that we’ve been playing cards all night? Let me worry about my brothers. They have enough on their hands with their own mates and can leave me to deal with mine." She smiled suddenly. "My mate. I like the sound of that."
"We still need to get that collar," Jer grinned, leaning over to kiss her, then lick the pizza sauce from her lips. "But not tonight."
"Nope, tonight we just have us once we refuel," she chuckled, gesturing at the pizza. "And we have lots more to try. I’ve been researching on the ‘net." She grinned at his widened eyes.
Jer shook his head, chuckling softly. "Butterfly, you terrify me."
She giggled. "Naw, you love me. Did I mention that I found a copy of the Kama Sutra?" She beamed at him.
"And marked all your favorite pages?" he asked, smirking as he got them both another slice of pizza.
"Well, of course. Though I have to admit to not being able to figure out how the heck we get into some of those positions," Jen admitted with a laugh before taking a big bite of the pizza. "I’m looking forward to finding out though."
"Well, at least you weren’t asking your big brothers for tips on it," Jer shot back, grinning as she choked on her bite.
When she could breathe again, Jen smacked the back of his head. "Keep it up and you’ll be sleeping on the porch! God, if I ever did that, first Jess ‘n Mike would have simultaneous coronaries, and then once they recovered, they’d lock me in my room like Rapunzel till I was sixty!"
"Guess it’d be up to me to rescue you then," Jer chuckled, rubbing at the back of his head. "But not if you give me a concussion first!"
"Big baby! You obviously didn’t grow up with older brothers," Jen laughed. "I’ve gotten plenty worse than that when we’ve been horsing around. But don’t worry, I’ll protect you from the big bad wolves."
"You will?" Jer fluttered his dark eyelashes at Jen, grinning wickedly the whole time. "My hero! Or should I say heroine?"
Jen made a face. "Heroine always makes me think of drugs. And I think I’d rather be a harem girl than a hero. Much more fun. Think I’d make a good sextoy?" she teased, before taking another bite of the pizza, hungry and eager to fuel up so they could explore each other some more.
Jeremy chuckled, leaning back to study her closely. "Hang on one sec." Kissing Jen, he raced out of the house and to his car, grabbing his sketch pad and a few pencils. Once back inside, he scribbled furiously for a few minutes, then turned the pad around, revealing a rough but recognizable sketch of Jen in harem garb.
"Oooh, kinky. I think I want to wear that for Halloween, and you can be a pasha and lead me around on a golden chain." She smirked at him. "And I want to keep that drawing."
Signing the picture ‘all my love, J’, Jer handed it over, chuckling all the while. "Well, we’d certainly make an impression at the college - unless you were planning on us handing candy out in those outfits."
"Someone might think I was the candy. Would you protect me?" Jen purred at him, finally pushing away the pizza box as she decided she’d had enough.
Jer’s eyes suddenly turned wolfish. "What do you think?"
"I think I like it when you get jealous. Not that you have anything to be jealous of, but it’s hot."
"Butterfly, tell me you aren’t planning on flirting with anything male just to get a rise out of me." Jer’s tone was teasing, but the heat still remained in his gaze.
"Nope, only want you. But if someone happens to notice me and you get all growly... well, I’m not going to complain about the results. I might even be walking funny the next day." Jen leaned over to kiss him.
"You’re going to be the death of me," Jer sighed, pulled Jen around the table and into his lap to nuzzle her throat. "Mmm, I’d love to go running with you tonight."
"Then we will." Jen settled herself more comfortably, arms around Jer as she let her head fall to his shoulder, baring her throat to him. "Still want to mate as wolves too."
"Sort of hard to get a rubber on in that form," Jer reminded her, nudging the soft material of her robe out of the way to bare her shoulder. "Once you’re set, we will though."
Jen grumbled. "I really hate waiting for something I want." She glanced over her shoulder at him, watching him nibble on the bared flesh. "Think you can come up with a way to make it up to me?"
"Hmmmm. How about a way that involves the two of us, your bed, and not moving until we need to get up for school tomorrow?" he suggested.
"Sounds perfect to me." She turned her head to the side and started nibbling on the side of his neck, following the tendon upward.
"Though that would involve moving..." Somehow Jer got them both to their feet without shifting Jen’s mouth from his neck. "And grabbing that box of rubbers you found."
"I wonder if we can manage to use up the whole box," Jen teased, arms and legs wrapped around him so she wouldn’t fall. "We have the whole night, after all." She nibbled on his jaw line, then sucked one velvety earlobe into her mouth, her tongue lightly playing with it.
"Who cares about school," Jer groaned, cupping Jen’s ass with both hands as he carried her up the stairs toward her room, each step rubbing her groin against his.
"Mmm, we could call in sick. I never have, so it wouldn’t be the end of the world. We could just stay in bed and make love till we can’t any more." She rocked gently with his motions, increasing the friction of their groins.
"Or until your brothers come over to find out if you’re all right?" he asked, groaning softly.
"We can barricade the door," Jen mumbled, not really paying attention to the conversation any more. "And they have mates who’ll distract them too."
"Thank God," Jer sighed, stumbling into Jen’s room and dropping to the bed with her over him.
"Mmm, best mattress I’ve ever had," Jen said, squirming atop him. "We fit together very well." She sat up to untie her robe and push it off her shoulders, then ran her hands over Jer’s chest down to the waistband of his jeans. She grinned down at him as she slid a single finger beneath it and very lightly stroked his belly.
Jer cocked one dark eyebrow even as he filled his hands with Jen’s breasts. "Might fit together better if you help me get rid of these."
"You think? I thought we were doing pretty well," Jen teased, arching her back as she rocked atop him, gasping at the sensation of the denim against her bare flesh. "Oh God, that’s so..." She couldn’t describe it, but the expression in her heavy-lidded eyes made it clear.
"Do it, Butterfly," Jer rasped, his voice gone hoarse with arousal. "Let me watch you, then I’ll make you come again, with me deep in you."
Jen whimpered, her hips moving more sharply, the rasp of the denim against her curls making her twist restlessly. She rubbed herself against the solid ridge beneath the jeans, one hand sliding between her thighs to rub her clit, and she gasped, her lower lip caught between her teeth.
"Fuck, yes. Love you, so beautiful, my mate," Jer growled, rubbing his thumbs over the peaked tips of Jen’s nipples, feeling the heat of her groin soak through his jeans.
"Touch me," Jen demanded, arching her back until her breasts were practically covering his face. She need to feel Jer too, needed her mate’s touch as the pleasure wracked her. She moaned, rocking faster, her thumb still rubbing while a finger pushed inside her, indifferent to the discomfort as her hand was caught between them.
Deciding it wasn’t worth it to point out that he was touching her, Jer sat up enough to take one rosy nipple into his mouth, moving that hand to Jen’s hips to keep her balanced.
Jen cried out when his lips closed over her and suckled. She went wild atop him, whining softly as she begged for more, then cried out as she came. "In me," she begged. "Want you in me."
"Jeans," Jer panted, shifting his hands to the now tight denim and scrabbling at the button and zipper, quickly drawing it down and the pants off.
Cursing, he grabbed for the box of condoms, ripped one open, and rolled it on. "Ride me, Butterfly," he whispered, guiding her onto his cock.
"Oh yes," she breathed, moaning as she slid down onto him, feeling him stretch and fill her. "So good, Jer." She wished she could keep him inside her forever, but already she was moving, pulling up and falling back down, needing the delicious friction, wanting more.
"Yes..." he breathed, sliding a hand behind her neck to pull her in for a kiss, arching up into her amazing heat, knowing that this was forever.
"Love you," she whispered into his mouth, fingers digging into his shoulders as she rode him. "Forever."
He nodded wordlessly, gasping for breath at the jolts of desire sparking through him as they continued to move together, each thrust dragging him toward the precipice.
"Can’t wait till I can feel you come in me, no rubber, just us touching all over." She peppered his face with kisses as she murmured heatedly.
"Soon as you go to the doctor and everything’s set," he promised, sliding his hands around her waist to cup her ass, running a finger back to feel where his cock was sliding in and out of her heat. "Then we can run and love and shift as much as we want."
"Never gonna let you out of bed or me again," Jen panted, licking his cheek, her body trembling with the desire to shift and be claimed by her mate.
"Gotta graduate," Jer reminded her, though right now he was wondering if they really had to do that.
"We can be the first conjoined graduates of Superior High," Jen retorted, riding him harder as she felt another climax build.
Jer’s comment on that fell by the wayside as he looked up into Jen’s blue eyes and lost himself, the impending waves of her climax carrying him on as well until they both exploded.
Jen cried out and clung to him, pushing against him to take him as deep as possible as she came. She collapsed on top of him, nuzzling into his neck, sweaty, panting, and as happy as she’d ever been in her life.
Pulling her close, Jer slipped his arms around Jen’s waist, sighing happily. "I love you, Jennifer Lorimer soon to be Winters."
"Not soon enough for me," Jen purred, curling up on top of him. "I want to be with you every night, want to wake up with you every morning. Don’t want to wait another year for that."
"Thought we agreed to see about moving in together this summer?" Jer asked, slipping a hand between them to get rid of the rubber, then circling her waist once again.
"So why can’t we get married then?" she pouted, raising her head to meet his eyes. "We’re mated, that’s as real as it gets."
Jer groaned, trying to formulate rational arguments when all he could see, smell and feel was Jen. "I don’t know."
"Well, that’s a step in the right direction," she replied smugly. "Now we just have to work a little harder, and we’ll be on the same page."
"Why do I have the feeling this decision is already made?"
"Because you’re a very intelligent man. And because you know I’m not going to give up till I win, not on this. Not when it’s what we both want and need." She giggled suddenly. "Wait till I tell Mom and Dad I basically got married on the first date."
"Your sister is going to kill me. Hell, my sisters are going to laugh their fool heads off."
Jen laughed. "Traci’s bark is worse than her bite... usually. And of course your sisters will laugh. That’s in the sisters’ rule book." She grinned wickedly. "But I’ll protect from your big bad sisters," she cooed.
"You’ll laugh right along with them, just like you did at Mike when Kelly caught him."
"Ah, but Mike’s my brother. I had to laugh at him."
"Which means Mandy, Micky and Becky all have to laugh at me."
"Good point. I can’t interfere in that. It’d be against the rules," Jen replied solemnly. "You’re just going to have to suffer through it. But I’ll sooth you afterward."
"You’ll owe me sexual favors of my choice for a month, you mean," Jer commented wryly.
"I can live with that. It can be our honeymoon." Now that she’d nearly gotten him to agree not to wait a year to get married, she wasn’t going to let up.
"It’ll be the only one we can afford."
Jen shrugged. "I don’t need a fancy trip. I’d rather have time alone with you somewhere that we can run together."
"Then I suppose you better plan something for this summer."
Jen sat bolt upright, blue eyes searching green. "Really?" When he nodded, she squealed and threw herself at him, kissing every inch of his face.
Jer smiled, pleased by her reaction. "I suppose your folks will have to live with your diploma being under another name."
"It’ll be my name. That’s all that matters." She hugged him ferociously. "And I won’t even say another word about kids till after I graduate."
"High school or college?" Jer asked with a faint laugh.
"Don’t push it. High school. We’ll talk again then." Jen grinned and squirmed slightly, letting him know that verbal communication might not be all she would use.
"Dirty pool, Butterfly," Jer sighed. "Maybe I want you to myself for a while before we procreate."
"Something I’m not against. I did say I wouldn’t bring it up for another year. But I do want your children, our children, Jer. Maybe not today, but fairly soon." She shrugged. "I never wanted a high-powered career. I want to have a family."
"How about we get both of us graduated first, then we’ll talk about it, okay?"
Jen nodded. "I don’t want to push you. I can wait till you’re ready too—being with you isn’t exactly a hardship! But I wanted to be upfront about what I wanted too. And now I have been, so we can concentrate on us." She kissed him quickly.
Jer nodded and kissed her lightly. "I wouldn’t have you any other way."
"Well, you get me every way," Jen retorted, snuggling against him. "And I hate to admit it, but I’m getting sleepy. How ‘bout a nap and whoever wakes up first can wake the other up?"
"Mmm, sounds good." Jer shifted bit, trying to get the blanket out from under them, chuckling as he discovered it was near impossible. "We might need to move first though."
"You move. I’ll just lie here on top of you," Jen mumbled. She could get used to this very easily, she thought to herself, smiling.
"Brat," Jer murmured, managing to get the covers out from under himself and over them both before sighing and closing his eyes, feeling more content than he ever had before.
"But I’m your brat," Jen yawned, resettling herself atop him.
When she next opened her eyes, Jen started smiling immediately, feeling Jer wrapped around her in her bed. It was dark in the room, only the moonlight from the opened blinds giving any light, and she turned her head to look at her mate.
"Mmm," Jeremy mumbled, stretching and tightening his arms around Jen when he felt her move. He woke slowly, blinking, and smiling sleepily when he saw she was awake. "Hey."
"Hi there." Jen smiled back at him, rolling to her side to face him fully. "We’re going to have to work this out with our families, because I’m not willing to give this up, not even for the couple months till summer." She slid one leg over his waist so she could get closer.
"We’ll figure out something," he murmured, stroking a hand over her back, enjoying the silken feel of her bare skin under his palm. "Doubt I’ll ever be able to sleep without you again."
"You won’t have to." She laughed softly. "We’ll just have to alternate houses so neither family starts saying they forget what we look like."
Jer chuckled. "Just so long as all our siblings figure out to knock before walking in our rooms."
"Oh, they will. They won’t want us returning the favor if they don’t!"
"No, none of us need to be dead or in jail for murder."
Jen laughed. "No, we need to be at home getting used to being mated. It’s a tough job, but somebody’s gotta do it."
Jer grinned evilly. "And I’m just glad it’s us."
END
since 02-03-07
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