Chapter 5

5

Dylan ran a comb through his hair and looked in the mirror. It was an image he'd seen thousands of times, but now he leaned forward and looked into his own eyes, questioning himself. Pierce had reported back to him the previous night, explaining that he'd seen a boy and a girl heading back to what had formerly been the Sutton home. He'd kept to the shadows of the hydrangeas near the clanhouse, his ears pricking as the boy talked about wolves. Stacey had dismissed her children's talk of wolves as nothing more than a bit of fun, and Dylan himself had encouraged that line of thought. She didn't have a clue that shifters were nearby, and she probably didn't know that one was about to go pick her up for dinner .

Well, fine. Dylan put the comb away and thumped down the stairs to put his shoes on. If she believed he was just as human as she was, wasn't that precisely what he wanted? That was what he and the other Brighams wanted people to think. They were just regular folks. But these humans lived right there next to the clanhouse . That meant these humans had to be kept at such a distance that they'd never guess, or he'd have to convince himself that they were safe enough to understand their secret.

His bear pounced on that concept, liking the idea of finding someone he could confide in. It certainly had plenty of other thoughts about Stacey, ones that had been difficult to control earlier that day. Well, it would just have to shut the hell up and let him do his job. Dylan had accepted Stacey's invite because he couldn't think of any better opportunity to get to know her and determine exactly what the clan needed to do about her.

Heading into the garage, he fired up his Jeep. It amused him to back it out of the driveway only to pull it into the next one, but Dylan would do everything he could on this outing to make her feel comfortable around him. He needed her to open up, to tell him more about who she really was inside before he could figure out what to do about her .

Stacey was ready as soon as he pulled up, stepping out her door before he had a chance to come up and knock like a gentleman. She'd worn a pair of pale shorts, strappy flat sandals, and a button-down blouse. It was a simple outfit, but Dylan found himself admiring the way it flowed over her curves. It turned out she was just as sexy whether wearing her swimsuit or fully dressed. "Hey," she said as she hopped into the passenger seat.

"Hi." Backing onto the road, Dylan headed out along a familiar route that he took at least a few times a week. "I'm not taking you away from your kids or anything, am I?"

"No, they're fine. Mom is entertaining them tonight. When I left, they were eating pickles and olives on the living room floor."

Dylan laughed. "Sounds like a nutritious meal."

Her earrings jangled slightly as she shook her head and smiled. "She'll feed them more than that. I'm sure she'll feed them almost anything they want. There's nothing she likes better than spoiling them. I'm sure they're pretty happy about the pickles and olives because a few weeks ago, I would've probably told them no."

"What made the difference, if I can ask?" She'd mentioned earlier that she'd needed a change, which had sent his mind wondering just what would spark a drastic measure like leaving a job and moving. "It's okay if you don't want to talk about it, though."

"Oh, it's all right," she said.

Dylan adjusted his hands on the wheel. There was something about telling someone they didn't have to speak on a subject that always made them want to. That wasn't necessarily the case, especially since he didn't know Stacey well enough to say for sure, but it still made him feel like he was setting a trap for her. It didn't feel right to do that when she might be…well, he'd figure that part out later. Either way, he needed to know more about her and what brought her there.

"I know this is going to sound crazy," she began, "but I had a near-death experience when I fell off a ladder."

He ripped his eyes from the road to look at her. "Shit."

"Yeah," she agreed as she swiped a bit of hair from her face. "I won't bore you with all the details, but I saw my late father and felt all sorts of things. The general message was that I had to get back to my life, that it wasn't my time yet, and that there were people who needed me. I was working constantly for this big marketing firm. Work was my whole life, and it meant I wasn't spending enough time with my kids. I thought I was doing well by them because my job meant I could give them a nice house and new clothes and all that, but they needed hugs and time and sunshine."

"So you left the ‘burbs and moved to the beach," Dylan finished for her as he pulled up into a little parking lot in Provincetown. It was a short drive, which he normally thought of as a good thing, but that night, he wished it were longer. He didn't know if a story like that would've interested him any other time, but the fact that it was her story made him want to know all about it. "That makes a lot of sense."

"I think you're the first person to say so, other than my mother." She unbuckled and slipped out of the car, not giving him time to come around and hold the door for her.

There was no chance for him to be the gentleman his bear demanded him to be, but they'd never said this was a date. She was just repaying him for the help, right? "Family is important. My daughter Lila has been splitting her time between Boston during the school year with her mother and out here with me in the summer. She seems happy, and I know it's what's best for all of us, but I also feel like I just want to spend all my time with her." Dylan did at least get the chance to open the door of The Dune Stop.

"What a cute place," she commented as they stepped inside.

"It's been here forever." Dylan lifted a hand to wave at Harold behind the bar before he guided Stacey to a table out on the porch overlooking the water. "It's not the fanciest, but they've got the best seafood on the Cape. Don't tell my brother Ross, though. He owns a restaurant up in P-Town."

Her head turned as she took in the various fishing-themed décor. "Your secret's safe with me."

"I highly recommend the lobster rolls," Dylan advised.

"Maine or Connecticut?"

"Both, actually." The waitress stepped up to their table and handed them menus. "We offer a little bit of everything for every taste. How are you, Dylan?"

"Just fine, thanks. Any good specials today, or is Harold just going to toss me the scraps like he usually does?"

"I'll have to ask," she replied with a smile. She took their drink order before returning to the kitchen .

Stacey was frowning at the menu.

"What's the matter?"

"Everything just looks so good, honestly." She scanned through the options, her eyes skimming over the simple paper menu. "I was going to leap on that lobster roll as soon as I found out they have the mayo-based one here. That's my favorite."

"Better than butter?" Dylan challenged. "With that griddled bun? No way."

"Yes, way," she countered. "Some nice lettuce to line the bun, the contrast between the cold lobster salad and the warm bun, mm! Nothing better than that!"

Dylan laughed. "Good thing they have both here."

It was a small gesture, but it was enough. Dylan's bear had been simmering under the surface of his skin all day. He'd made a practical decision to help her with her furniture, but he hadn't anticipated just how sexy it would be to see her moving and sweating, especially as she smiled and chatted the entire time. Her new home was one he was familiar with, and yet it was now distinctly hers. Being inside it, touching her things, had created an intimacy he couldn't have predicted. Now, sitting there across a table from her, with the sun setting out over the bay, Dylan found that he was starting to lose control of the beast inside him. It wanted her. He tamped it down, reminding himself that he was on a mission.

"So you know how I wound up here," Stacey started after their food had arrived. She'd decided on that lobster roll she'd initially found so enticing. "What about you? How long have you lived out here?"

His muscles tightened as he watched her take another bite of her sandwich. It shouldn't be a turn-on to watch someone eat, but there was something about the way her lips wrapped around that bun that made him think of things other than food. "I've lived here my whole life. Generations of Brighams have, actually, right there on our little stretch of the beach."

"Wow, that's impressive. I'm sure your daughter enjoyed the summers with you."

Their conversation roamed from parenthood to careers to the weather. It drifted back to parenthood several times, of course. Dylan liked the warmth in her eyes when she talked about her children. Though he couldn't truly find out how she might feel about his kind during a simple dinner out, he knew with certainty that she was a devoted mother.

He also knew that his bear was getting more and more difficult to control. It was getting hard to eat. Focusing on their conversation was almost impossible as he studied her features and curves. She was gorgeous in bright daylight, but the soft string lights that glowed in the porch ceiling only enhanced the effect. Dylan forgot that she was human. He forgot that he was there to find out more about her, not for his own curiosity but for the sake of the clan. It was hard to step back into reality when the check came and it was time to leave.

"I know I was taking you out to thank you," Stacey said on the way back, "but I feel like I should thank you all over again. Seeing a bit of the local culture is just what I needed, the perfect break from packing."

"It was my pleasure," he replied. His heart was beating far too fast. The underside of his skin itched, his bear irritated at being so roused. Dylan could feel the truth looming inside him, and his inner animal didn't like how hard he was fighting to stay distant from it. "We should do it again sometime."

"I'd like that. And if we come back to The Dune Stop, I guess I'll have to try the other lobster roll so I can debate with you more thoroughly over which one is better. I still think I'm right, though."

Dylan instantly imagined her biting into the Connecticut-style sandwich, with hot butter dripping off her lips. He swallowed, wondering if she had any clue what she was doing to him. He pulled up to her house.

The lights were all off, but someone had left the fixture on the porch glowing. Stacey checked her watch. "I didn't realize how late it'd gotten. Mom and the kids must be in bed. Do you want to come in for a drink?"

He twisted the key in the ignition and shut off the engine without giving himself the chance to think about it. "Sure. That sounds nice." He did start to think about it as they walked up to the door. It was the neighborly thing to do, right? And it would only give him that much more of a chance to find out if she was safe or not. Excuses, he knew, but right now, he didn't give a shit. He just wanted to stay close to her.

They quietly threaded through the furniture and boxes, which had progressed a bit since he'd seen them earlier in the day, and into the kitchen. "Do you like whiskey?" Stacey asked.

"Suits me just fine."

The light over the sink was the only one that guided her as she found a couple of mismatched glasses and poured them each a generous serving. "Let's go out onto the back deck," she suggested.

That also suited him just fine. The breeze cooled his skin, but it did nothing to put out the fire she'd ignited inside him as they settled onto the outdoor sectional. The whiskey in his throat burned, too, but not as deeply as they sipped and chatted.

"Oh, you know what? I had picked up a charcuterie board that would probably go great with this. I should grab it." Stacey braced her hand against his knee as she stood.

The touch was enough to push him over the edge he'd been dancing on all day. The potential distance between them—even if she was just going back into the kitchen—was more than he could bear. Dylan took her wrist and guided her back, sending her sprawling on top of him. Her thighs were tense against his, her breasts resting softly on his chest. He lifted his hands to pull her hair away from her face, holding it against the back of her neck as he studied her delicious mouth. "I don't think we need it."

Stacey had gasped a little as she'd stumbled onto him, and her mouth was still parted in surprise. Her eyes were wide, but he could see his own hunger reflected there. "No. Maybe we don't. "

He pressed his lips against hers, reveling in the soft velvet of them. Dylan had been watching those lips all evening, imagining how they might feel against his, but even his most detailed fantasy couldn't compare to reality. As her mouth slowly parted, he felt a similar opening widening in his chest. He plunged his tongue inside, claiming her.

Stacey's hands had landed on his forearms, and now her fingers tightened against his muscles. She sucked in a breath, her chest pressing harder against his as her lungs filled. The shock she'd felt a moment ago had transformed into a pleasant surprise, and as her tongue tangled with his, it'd changed now to desire. He tasted the tiny sigh that slipped from her throat as she returned his kiss.

Somewhere along the way, he'd closed his arms around her waist, holding her tightly on his lap. He couldn't have arranged for a better position between them, with her legs on either side of his waist. Dylan didn't mind finding her backside within such easy reach, either. He gripped her generous curves, digging his fingers into the soft flesh. Simply being so close to Stacey during their outing had kept him in a constant state of arousal, but he could no longer control the heat and hardness that flowed through his body and made his jeans uncomfortably tight .

He was thoroughly enjoying himself, but his bear had grown stronger inside him. Stacey was his, and he wanted to get thoroughly acquainted with every square inch of her. He ran his hands down her thighs—just as delectable as her ass—and to her calves, pressing his thumbs against the muscles as he continued his way down. He found the back straps of her sandals, and they fell to the decking with two soft thumps. Tracing a route all the way back up her luxurious body, he began working on the buttons of her blouse.

They revealed her inch by inch. A mere peek at her collarbone soon became a preview of her cleavage. His patience diminished with each button, knowing such a tiny thing was keeping him from what he wanted so desperately. He flung aside the soft fabric to reveal a pale pink bra. It held her so perfectly, her breasts round and full. Dylan reached around and unfastened the clasp, letting the weight of her breasts fall into his hands.

Stacey's hands were busy, too. She gripped the hem of his shirt, and her fingers skimmed against his bare skin as she lifted it up and over his head. As they fell against each other once again, the feel of their bare bodies pressed against each other was almost too much for Dylan to handle. He pulled at the waistband of her shorts as she flicked open the button on his jeans. His fly opening relieved a small amount of the tension he felt, but it cranked right back up again as Stacey took hold of him.

Dylan groaned as her fingers traversed the length of his shaft, and the air disappeared from his lungs as she guided him toward her entrance. Stacey sank slowly on top of him, her hips settling against his as she took him completely inside her.

He clenched his teeth as he felt the gap closing between them, both physically and spiritually. Dylan held her against him, each of their bodies still tensed as they tried to get even closer, and he heard her moan with pleasure.

Slowly, their hips began to move. Dylan had wanted—needed—to get this close to her, but his body and the beast he held inside him had yet to be fully satisfied. They moved in unison, their bodies dancing as though they'd always known each other, finding a rhythm that only the stars overhead could dictate.

Dylan had everything right there in his arms. She surrounded him in more ways than one, and still, he wanted to get deeper with every thrust. She melded his human and bear into a beast that would bow at her every command. He wanted her heart, mouth, body, and soul.

His muscles strained and pulled as they quickened their pace. Sweat stood out in beads on his forehead, and he felt the slickness of it on her skin. She gripped the metal frame behind his head, his hands tangled in her hair. Their breath shortened into a symphony of simultaneous gasps, the movement between them leaving no room for the basics of existing when they only existed in each other.

A strangled cry issued from her throat, and Stacey bucked backward, now bracing herself on his shoulders. Her nails dug into him as she rippled around him, drawing him deeper. Dylan watched as her orgasm commanded her entire body. He felt her quaking around his hardness, and those spasms echoed in her limbs. Tension and pleasure moved between them as she brought him along, demanding everything from him that he wanted so badly to give. They chased each other higher and higher, twisting and tangling until they finally fell back down to Earth.

She collapsed against him, her breath heavy and her skin sticky. Her hair was a knot around his hand. It'd felt so good to be with her, but it was this that truly satisfied his bear. It was this moment of knowing they'd given each other everything, that they completely knew each other. He knew he could hold her there on his lap all night long.

Except that it left him in a rather compromised position.

Once he'd zipped his jeans back up, Dylan pulled Stacey close under his arm. She curled her legs up on the cushion, tucking up against him. He leaned back to look up at the stars, wondering when the last time was that he'd done such a thing. Dylan didn't remember them being so bright and crystallized. In fact, the entirety of the world was a little clearer at the moment.

Until he heard the squeak of the back door. Dylan bolted upright, snagging his shirt off the deck but knowing it was too late to hide the truth. Stacey accidentally kicked a cushion off the sectional as she flung her legs out from beneath her and covered herself.

"Don't mind me," Carol said as she stepped onto the deck, wrapped in a robe. "I just realized I left my phone out here earlier. Of course, I should remind you two that there's a local ordinance against nudity."

Dylan thought he could feel the heat radiating from Stacey's face. "Don't tell me you—uh—saw? "

Carol winked. "The kitchen window has a wonderful view, don't you think?"

"I'm really sorry," Dylan started, but Carol laughed.

"You don't owe any apologies to me. I'm curious, though. Do you think the nude sunbathing area allows that kind of activity? Anyway, I'll just be going back up to bed. Nighty night!" With a wiggle of her fingers, she headed inside.

"Oh, my god." Stacey leaned forward with her hands pressed to her face. "I'm so sorry."

He was on the verge of apologizing himself but thought better of it. "Maybe your mom's right, and there's nothing to apologize for." After all, his bear was more than happy with what had just transpired between them. It was calm for the first time in two days. In fact, this was the first time in ages that it actually felt satiated.

"I guess." She shook her head as if she could shake away her embarrassment.

He trailed his hand down her hair and along her spine, knowing how easy it would be to just lay out there with her all night long. Carol catching them, however, was a poignant reminder of what a delicate position they'd put themselves in. "It's getting late, and I should probably let you get to bed. I'll just cut around between the yards and move my Jeep over in the morning." No point in disturbing the kids.

"Okay." She stood up and walked with him to the deck stairs. "What are you doing tomorrow? If you're free, I could bring lunch over and our kids could meet. I know Lila is quite a bit older than Vivi and Elijah, but I'd like for them to start getting to know some people in the neighborhood."

Whatever line there should be between himself and Stacey had been heavily blurred that night, and not by the trace of alcohol in his system. Logic and emotions warred within him, but he felt himself nodding. "Sure. That'd be great. Is right around noon okay?"

"Sure. I'll see you then."

He squeezed her hand before he slipped between their yards and back to his house. He'd made love to her, and now he was going to see her again the next day. His bear certainly considered that a win.

The problem was that he really had learned a few things about Stacey that night. She was a human, which had never been in question, but now he also knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that she was his mate.

How was he going to explain that to his clan?