Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Rylee

I’m having sexual fantasies about a panther.

Crazy, huh?

Well, in fairness, I’ve come to the conclusion that the panther who saved me has to be a shifter. It took a while to figure that out because until I’m threatened by all those men and then rescued by the panther, I don’t believe shifters exist. I think most people don’t believe it even though they officially announced themselves to the world and there are rumors of government programs.

Like, if you need special forces for jungle warfare, doesn’t it make sense to use a group of tiger shifters? If you need rescue operations in forests, wouldn’t bear shifters work? There are rumors of bears, lions, tigers… Sorry, can’t help myself. Oh, my! Okay, now back to what I’m saying. There are rumors of different kinds of shifters in pretty much every badass “real man” kind of job like first responders, bodyguards, military special forces, and more.

But the panther who saved me is the first shifter I’ve ever actually seen.

I mean, he has to be a shifter, right? He’s a whole lot bigger than any real panther ever could be. Um… real . There has to be a better word. In any case, I guess there could be an abnormally large panther but how would it be here? And how in the world could a panther that isn’t a shifter defend me for no reason at all and then somehow take me a mile away to where I would be safe?

Safe.

I’m in a hotel now. It’s not a nice hotel but it’s not a horrible hotel. It’s the kind of hotel a family might stay in on a multiple day road trip. It isn’t your vacation but it’s clean and safe. They have coffee and a continental breakfast in the morning.

I left the band.

No. I left the group of people pretending to be a band. The good news is I got a job at my favorite bar. It’s just across the street from the hotel. It’s a blues bar. I’ll be a cocktail waitress and I’ll be learning how to be a bartender. I start being the cocktail waitress now, the bartender in a few weeks, I guess. I’m close to the music, and that’s awesome. I bit the bullet and got my guitar out of pawn and made an interest payment to reup the loan agreements on the band equipment. So, I got thirty more days and the pawn broker said he’ll let me do the interest one more time if I have to before he sells it.

All of this in twenty-four hours.

I guess it’s just a matter of making the decision, right?

Anyway, it’s my first day as a cocktail waitress, and it’s pretty fun. People who come to this bar come for the music. Oh, sure, there’s drinking. But it’s really about the blues rock. It’s mostly local bands and then bands only people deep into classic rock will know.

It’s perfect.

And yeah, I have to deal with a few guys being inappropriate but not in any kind of threatening way. Yeah, guys in their fifties who think they’re twenty make comments about me having a nice ass and stuff like that. Not a problem for me. Nothing scares me about working here. On the contrary, it’s like heaven for me. Today, a group comprised of 1980s session musicians is playing. They’re the house band, the Wildcats. They have a little following here in town but they’re not looking for fame or even success. They just want to play.

Just like me.

Yeah, sure. I feel a little bitter about things but I drive it down. I’m out of that apartment. I’m on the road to stability. It’s not time for me to complain about what I don’t have and what plans I need to rearrange. Right now, it’s time for me to stick to what’s in front of me and not give in to poor decisions for the sake of a beautiful dream.

I’ll get there with good decisions.

Or die trying.

“Beer, please.” The man who says those words when I reach his table is perfect.I don’t notice until I get there because I’m lost in thought.

Holy crap, the guy is fucking gorgeous. No guy has the right to be this good looking.

For a moment, I’m tongue-tied.

He smiles. “I’m ready to order. It’s going to be very simple. Just a beer.”

I smile back. Damn! I can feel myself blushing. “Okay, I’ll be right back.” I start off in a hurry but a few seconds after, I return. “Um, which beer exactly?”

“Why don’t you surprise me.”

“Okay, I’ll do that.”

I walk back to the bar and fight back the urge to run behind it and hide there for the rest of the night. I haven’t acted that silly around a guy since high school.

Anyway, I give him a new IPA from a local brewery. I don’t drink but a lot of the customers have said good things about it. They say it’s the IPA for people who aren’t hipster beer snobs. I can’t believe that I’m reviewing my decision as I walk it back over to him. Why do I care what a stranger thinks about my beer choice?

Well, I care because he’s fucking hot, though a lot older than me, and he seems funny. So there.

He seems to enjoy the beer because he orders another, and then another. In fact, he stays until closing time. And all that time, he finds a reason to pull me back over to his table. We chitchat a little and I start to get a bit excited.

And nervous.

The guy is definitely gorgeous, but I also just got myself out of a terrible situation. I trusted those people, too. My track record isn’t the best.

But Erik doesn’t set off any alarm bells and I’m really enjoying having someone to flirt with.

The last call is given at two o’clock. I go over to gather Erik’s last pint glass and to let him know it’s time to head out. It makes me sad for some damn reason.

He shakes his head. “You know, I’m really enjoying getting to know you, Rylee. Can I take you to breakfast? I noticed the diner across the street from here.”

The diner in the parking lot of the hotel. I feel like a schoolgirl being asked out by the captain of the football team. “Yeah, sure. I’d like that. That’s nice. Yes. Um, I’ll just go get my things and clock out.”Did I really just spew out all those words?

We head over to the diner and, on the way, I tell him a little about my dream of being a singer. I don’t know why I’m sharing even this much, but something about him feels familiar. I feel safe with Erik.

“Well, I’d bet you have an amazing voice. Who’s your biggest inspiration?”

I don’t even hesitate. “Well, Alanis Morissette is pretty astounding.”

“I think that’s a very good pick. If I had to choose a female singer that I love, I’d have to go with Deborah Harry or let’s see, someone newer, um, maybe Pink.”

“Oh wow, very mainstream, okay.”

“Well, I’m sure you’d be my top pick if I ever got the chance to hear you.”

I blush pretty hard at that moment. This guy is very good, indeed.

Breakfast goes well. In fact, that’s a drastic understatement. We talk like we’ve known each other for years. I can’t understand it. He’s fucking amazing in all ways, I’m turned on beyond imagining and I just can’t seem to get it in my head that this guy might be a good match for me. I guess I just don’t trust that I could attract a good guy.

But I don’t argue as we leave the diner and Erik asks if he can walk me to my room. (Yeah, I told him about my recent escape from the pretend band and that I’m staying here at the hotel. I really would make the easiest target for a serial killer, right?)

Anyway, I accept, and well, we don’t even make it to my door before we’re kissing. We walk the last few steps wrapped around each other like pretzels. As I get to my door, I manage to get my key card out and open the door without breaking contact.

Erik walks me into the room and kicks the door closed behind him. Both of us frantically pull at each other’s clothes. His hands run down my back to work my bra free. I have my hands on his jeans, trying to get the button and then the zipper undone.His hands release the catch on my skirt. Mine pull open his shirt. There’s constant movement and no end.

I can barely catch my breath. My clothes melt away and it doesn’t take long before we’re both naked. Erik presses me to him and now, his kisses are soft and lingering as his hands roam over me, teasing sensations from every part of me he touches.I don’t know what to do but it doesn’t matter. I’m content to let him take control.

We move slowly, as a unit, and finally, we make it to the foot of the bed.

And my body takes over from there.