Shewolf
©Bonez2000
Chapter 1
"Your turn, man." Nick mumbled, watching as AJ crouched down by the side of the pool table, eyeing the layout and contemplating his next shot. He had two solids lined up and the eight ball was clear on the other side of the table. The shot was clear, definite and totally safe. He smirked, exhaling a long cloud of smoke from his cigarette, and knocking them right into the corner pocket. Nick frowned. AJ almost always beat him at this game.
They were taking a break for awhile. Here in California, they Backstreet Boys were booked for a week. They had 3 shows lined up over the course of 7 days. This was an old pool hall, obviously having been around for a long time. There were about 7 pool tables, a long old fashioned bar, and a few video games in the back. Music played loudly, and smoke filled the air, making the lights seem dim and dusky. The doors swung open and shut.
"Taylor! I was wondering when you'd show up." The bartender hollered at the new arrival. Nick was leaning against the pool table, wondering how he'd ever beat AJ. AJ stood, stick in hand, ready to shoot when he happened to glance up. He struck the ball, it scratched and suddenly it was Nick's turn. "Shit." AJ looked down at the pool table, pissed that he had just missed such a simple shot. Nick looked at him in awe. "I havent seen you miss a shot that easy in years!" Nick said, blinking. AJ frowned. Looking back up at the doorway of the pool hall. It was empty.
"Hey guys. Who's winning?" A female voice asked, leaning against the table as she raised a glass to her lips. Nick and AJ looked up, their mouths dropping open. "He is." Nick said pointing at AJ. "I play winner." She said casually before walking off. The bartender, Freddy smiled at Taylor. "Oh c'mon, girl. Leave the poor guys alone. They're on break, let them relax." Freddy laughed, handing Taylor another drink and a light for her cigarette. "On break for what?" Taylor asked, looking over at the two guys. The tattooed one kept looking over at her, but she didnt find it amusing in the least bit. They were obviously new in town. All the other regulars in the hall treated her like just one of the guys. One thing was for certain, if the tattoo parlor over there made a move, he'd learn a very hard lesson. "Ah-ha!" AJ yelled, running over to tease Nick. He had just scored the winning hit and was now tromping over to the bar to get a celebration drink- that Nick had to fork the money over for. Taylor stayed stationary, watching the young guys order a few drinks. "You're up." Nick said to Taylor, tossing her the cue stick. She caught it in one hand, still gulping down the last of her drink. She took a long drag on her cigarette, and headed over to the empty pool table. "You wanna break 'em or you want me to?" Taylor asked to AJ who stood, chalking up the end of his stick. "Ladies first." AJ said with a grand sweep of his hand towards the table. Taylor frowned. She snatched the chalk away from him and motioned at the table herself.
"Go ahead." She said with a smirk. AJ raised an eyebrow. Then with one swift move, he separated the clump of balls and knocked in two striped ones. "Solids. Good." Taylor mumbled. The two played fiercely, AJ breaking a sweat, trying to keep up. Freddy and Nick hung at the bar, watching the game. Taylor moved gracefully but with force, knocking in ball after ball. And AJ, only getting a chance to hit if Taylor messed up somehow. Finally, with a glance at the table, AJ sighed. He still had 3 balls on the table, and Taylor was headed for the eight ball. "Call it." AJ said tensely, watching her eye the ball, then contimplate the pocket into which she wanted to hit it. "Right side pocket." She said with a shrug. AJ's eyes widened. She would have to make the ball ricochet off the end, back to the opposite side, then into the pocket to make that hit. There was no other way to make it in. "You're so sweet. Trying to give me a chance to win..." AJ said with a grin. He knew there was no way she could make that hit, and that would give him an automatic chance. Suddenly, winning had never been so important before in his life. "Watch and learn, little man." Taylor said with a hiss. She bent over the edge of the table, AJ's eyes raking across her body. She pulled back and hit the ball. It went from end to side and right into the pocket. AJ's mouth dropped open. "How did you-" AJ started, before Taylor shoved the cue stick in his hands. "You owe me a drink." She said, heading off to the bar.
"Freddy- the usual. Put it on Mr- uhh..." "McLean. I'm payin', Fred. Tell me how much." AJ said. Then turning to Taylor, he extended his hand. "AJ McLean. Nice game. Who are you?" "Taylor. Taylor Caruth. Good game, yeah. You play well, Mr. McLean. Not as good as me, but hey- no one's perfect." She smiled, and reached out to shake his hand. AJ was taken aback at her strong grip. There was no way she was raised by a woman... a shewolf, maybe. But no ordinary mother. Game after game was played that night, with Taylor winning every one. Money being gambled and pretty soon there was an audience. Nick got tired, claiming he needed some sleep, and left, but not before AJ noticed the busty redhead latched on to his arm as they walked out. His mind snapped back to the game. Finally convinced he couldnt possibly lose another game, AJ bet it all. "If you win this game, you get all my money, plus the $300 bet this game." AJ said, absently rolling the eight ball in his hands. "And if I lose?" Taylor asked, intrigued by his sudden confidence. "You come back to the hotel with me." AJ shrugged.
Taylor was furious by his suggestion, yet enthralled with the possibility of winning money from this man. One night couldnt be too bad anyways incase she did lose. "Deal." Taylor agreed, and they shook on it. The audience they acquired for this game tripled in size, and before long Freddy had left his post at the bar and pulled up a chair to watch also. "You break." Taylor said. AJ nodded and the game began. The game was hard, rough and frenzied. Taylor stopped halfway through to pull her sweaty hair back into a ponytail. Sweat dripped from her forhead in the thick air of the room. Sweat gathered around her neck, her back and dripped down her chest. AJ watched. Sweat falling from his own face, down his back and chest. AJ was two hits away from winning, and Taylor was one away. She looked up at AJ, watching the way the light reflected off his wet body. She closed her eyes, a thought of his naked wet body glistening in the lights, laying above her, on the empty pool table, flashed through her mind. She shook her head to rid herself of the thoughts... She looked back up at him, anger coursing through her veins at the fact she had just had a thought like that about this rude, overly-confident man in front of her. He smiled nervously as she made the shot... ...and missed.
The crowd gasped, and Taylor spat out a few obscentities. AJ's eyes flew wide as he looked at her. She waved her hand impatiently at the table. "Its your shot. What are you waiting for?" She said angrily. AJ smiled to himself. This woman needed a lesson in losing. She obviously didnt lose very often and that was making her very mad. A loud laugh escaped his lips and she glared at him. "What the hell is so funny?" She asked through clenched teeth. AJ shrugged. "I have no idea." He answered. "Just nervous laughter I guess." She pulled out another cigarette and lit it up. AJ finished off the table easily and the crowd cheered. After the game, the audience dispersed and AJ walked over to Taylor, stopping inches from her face. He slowly brought his fingers to her lips and removed the cigarette from her mouth. "These'll kill ya." He whispered in a low voice. Taylor's lip trembled as his hand grazed it gently. AJ struggled to keep his hands from touching her elsewhere, and held her gaze, noticing the shaking in her full lips.
"Alright McLean. You won. Where to?" Taylor asked. AJ looked almost regretful at the deal they had made, but he picked up his coat, sunglasses and car keys. "This way." He said. Taylor picked up the tattered leather jacket she had brought with her and the small backpack she carried everywhere. Freddy waved goodbye and they walked out into the cool night air. Goosebumps rose up on her skin as the wind caught the sweat on her body, bringing her temperature down noticably. She walked over to a black BMW and raised her eyebrows. "This yours?" She asked as AJ headed to the driver's side. He nodded. She smiled in approval. "This is a nice ride, McLean. I'm impressed." "Thanks. Hop in." He said softly. Taylor climbed in, slipping slightly on the leather seat. AJ climbed in and turned the key in the ignition. "You dont have to do this..." Taylor looked over at him. His eyes were wide and beautiful. She shook her head to clear her mind. "What did you say?" She asked. "I said you dont have to do this." He repeated. "We've just barely met and now you're coming back to my hotel room with me and I dont want to make you uncomfortable."
"I appreciate your galant effort to be a gentleman, McLean, but it was a deal, and you won fair and square. If I thought I would have serious problems with being uncomfortable, I wouldnt have agreed. I'm a big girl. I dont get scared." Taylor responded. AJ looked at her a moment longer before putting the car in gear and heading off. The hotel was only minutes away and they got there in no time at all. Getting out of the car, Taylor followed AJ in the front door, to the elevator and up to the eleventh floor. The silence was ackward for AJ. He was a talker and hated it to be such an uneasy quiet. He led her down the hall to his room and opened the door. "Home sweet home." He grinned as she walked in. Taylor wasnt used to this kind of luxury and was secretly glad she had agreed to the bet. "You ever stayed in a hotel like this?" AJ asked, reading her mind it seemed. "No. Never." Taylor said quietly, almost in awe. "Well, you're welcome to anything in here. The bathtub is great!" AJ said, a genuine smile brightening his features. Taylor couldnt help but smile back. "Well, I definitly need to wash off. I'm covered in sweat." Taylor said, making a mock face of disgust. "I understand." AJ said, smiling again. "Would you mind terribly if I took a lightning fast shower and then gave the shower to you for the rest of the evening?"
"Its your room, you do whatever you want." Taylor shrugged. She plopped down on the bed, flipping on the TV. AJ promised to be in and out within the next 10 minutes. Taylor shrugged and relaxed on the bed, eating the little mint that laid on the pillow. She flipped through the channels, finally setting on what promised to be an rivetting dicovery channel special on the African Elephant. AJ kept his promise, though, and was out in a matter of minutes. Taylor smiled and walked off into the bathroom, turning on the water in the separate bathtub. She must've spent a good 45 minutes in the tub, soaking in rose petal scented water, before suddenly realizing, she didnt have a change of clothes. She stood up, out of the tub, and wrapped a small towel around her body before slowly opening the door to the bedroom. AJ was asleep on one of the beds. She sighed with relief and crept out to where a large fluffy bathrobe was hanging. It belonged to the hotel so she didnt have a problem using it. AJ was definitly asleep so she didnt bother running back to the bathroom to change into a robe. She let the towel fall, goosebumps rising up all over as her warm skin hit cold air.
She grabbed the robe and wrapped it around her quickly. Just as she got ahold of the belt and reached it around to tie it, she became aware of the large hands holding onto the belt, not enabling her to tie it. She turned around slowly. There stood AJ. No shirt, no pants. Just boxer briefs. His eyes grazed over her body lazily, resting on the long narrow slit, from the opening in the robe, that stretched the length of her body. "I thought you were asleep." She said in a choked whisper. He looked into her eyes as he slid his hands around her waist, inside the robe. "I was, but I was having this dream..." He began, as his hands stroked her back, hips and up across her ribs. She shuddered. "...this dream about this woman... in my hotel room, naked from the bath, and more beautiful than anyone I'd ever seen..." "What happens in the dream?" She asked, still whispering. AJ responded with a kiss.
.....To Be Continued.....
