Chapter 7

"I can't believe it! You must be joking," Amira said as she placed a palm on Richard's thigh and gave it a squeeze.

"No. She really thought I was asking for something else."

"In her defense, the Complaints on Campus reports are relatively new."

"This is true." Richard let out a low hum as Amiria's fingers grazed his bulge. His dick twitched as heat rushed through him. He wanted her badly, but they were on an assignment—and out in public. "Amira, I'm going to use the restroom."

It was the only excuse he could think of to cool off. He buttoned his jacket to hide his erection and quickly hightailed it to the bathroom at the back of the bar. Just as he was reaching for the handle, Amira palmed his hand. More heat rushed through him and went straight to his hardened cock. He screwed his eyes shut before wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her to him.

"Amira, I know we're on assignment, but my self-control is at an all-time low."

She smoothed her free hand through his thick, wavy locks before palming his cheek. "I want you, Richard."

She ground her hips into him as she cupped his backside. And that was all he needed as an answer. He pulled her into the bathroom with him. Once the door shut, he locked it. She palmed his cheeks and began kissing him. He guided her to the sink counter and placed her on it.

"I want you, too, Amira," he said as he raised her pencil skirt up her thighs. "But first I want to savor you."

He hooked his fingers around the sides of her panties and slid them down her legs, all the while pressing featherlight kisses down her thighs and calves. She let out a soft rumbling moan as he pressed his lips on her sex.

"You taste as sweet as butterscotch, Amira." He continued to nip, suck, and lick at her sweet juices as she arched her back to give him better access.

"Richard, I need—" Her voice broke into a soft cry.

"I've got you, baby," he said as he unzipped his pants, freeing his dick from the constraints.

He picked her up by her ass and eased into her as he walked her to the closest wall. She wrapped her legs around him tighter than before and ground her hips to match his thrusts. Amira made delicious sounds as her inner walls clamped around him.

"That's it, baby. Come for me."

She was falling apart in his arms, her thighs growing weak as she panted and moaned in his ear. He made sure to keep her wrapped around him to let her ride out every pulse her orgasm produced. She screamed his name, and that was all it took for him. He released as she continued to ride out her third crescendo from her initial orgasm. All too suddenly, she screamed a profanity and then rested her head on his shoulder, spent from giving him as much as he was giving her. And then, all too soon, she was sliding down his body and adjusting her clothes.

"We should head home. Do you mind dropping me off at my car?" she asked as she unlocked the door to the bathroom.

"I can, but I was hoping we could spend some more time together."

"Not too sure about having another drink here. The last one really got my head spinning for a while."

"How about a run through the woods? It's been ages since I've been able to let loose. Plus, consider this run part of the recon—we can check out the forest behind the pub."

"You do have a point. And I haven't run through the woods in a while either. It'd be fun, for sure."

The two exited the bar after paying for their drinks. They then darted behind the pub and walked into the deeply wooded area to strip themselves of their clothing. He kicked off his shoes, quickly, desperate for a chance to run freely. His fingertips surged with an excited heat as he began unbuttoning his shirt. He heard a ruffling of clothing coming from where she was changing. Her back was facing him, and he thanked God for the glorious view of her gorgeous glutes. So shapely and so sexy. All he wanted to do was reach out and cup them in his hand. She turned to face him, and a tinge of red began to form on her cheeks.

"Like what you see?"

He hoped there wasn't any drool sliding down the side of his mouth, because that would be thoroughly embarrassing.

"Very much so."

She gave him a devilish smile. "Last one to the stream pays for drinks tomorrow when we're with Stan and Gregor," she said before she shifted into her lamb and galloped through the forest.

Richard broke out into a smile as he stepped out of his boxers and shifted into his llama. In a matter of seconds, he was beside her, running through the forest, weaving in and out of the path of trees. The wind whipped through his fur, giving him a sense of freedom he hadn't known since his senior year of college. This woman made him feel like a kid again, and while doing normal shifter things that he probably would have done if he wasn't such a work addict. Sure, work was important to him, and during his late twenties, he'd buckled down to get the promotion for the job he was in now. What adult didn't want to be taken seriously at work to get the paycheck they deserve? But during all of that time, he knew he was trading in his carefree lifestyle for that of an old fuddy-duddy and bitter man.

She was whipping past a boulder now, and her fluffy platinum-colored wool glistened in the patch of moonlight showing through a small clearing in the trees. Even her lamb was gorgeous! He felt a smile forming, and for the second time since he'd met Amira, he was allowing himself to feel happiness. The woman made him smile. He hadn't done that in far too many years, and that reason alone made him hope that she'd stay with him.

The stream was coming up on them, and Richard couldn't help but hold himself back a bit. He wanted her to win. She hit the water with a dainty splash before turning to see him standing by the shore. The glimmer of excitement in her eyes said it all. She, too, hadn't had a romp in the forest in a while either. He was happy he'd suggested it. He walked into the water before he swam to her and grazed her forehead with his.

Richard let out a low growl as desire radiated through him.

"Let's make love again," he whispered in her ear before he shifted into his human form and waded into the shallower end of the brook.

She quickly shifted back into her human form and swam toward him, and before he took in his next breath, she wrapped her arms around his neck and crushed her lips to his. That was fucking hot as hell. This woman knew what he liked, and this was only the first, well, technically, the second time they were together. Sure, he'd promised himself she deserved more when they left the pub bathroom, but in his defense, this was different. No one could walk in on them. And if that happened, they could shift back into animal form and hightail it out of there before any human knew better.

Her lips were grazing his chin before they began sucking and nipping his neck. That was beyond fucking amazing to him, and God how he wished he didn't have rapid shifter healing! It was the first time he'd ever wanted to wear a hickey marking from a mate, and with pride. Never in his life had he thought that was an appropriate thing to show off at work. Never.

That was probably another reason why he didn't get along with a lot of the shifters at work if he was being honest with himself. Many of them wore the remnants of their mate's mark openly at work. He never understood the reason until now. The mark was like the human's engagement or wedding band. You wore it with pride to tell others you belonged to someone. And right now, all he wanted to do was wear her surface marks with pride at the office. Was that really asking for too much? Well, of course, it was.

Her hungry kisses were trailing down the column of his chest and getting furiously close to his stomach. Once she nipped the section of his chest leading to his "V," he arched his back, giving her complete reign over whatever she wanted to do to his cock. Because he seriously wouldn't complain. And especially as she took his length into her hand, balls first, before stroking his length and then wrapping her lips around his tip. He let out a loud growl of approval—what man wouldn't? Those lips around his cock were power. He'd submit to anything she wanted. No question she was in control right now, and he would never want it any other way.

GOD! The things she was doing to his dick! Sucking, playing, fondling, nibbling, and licking, too? The woman was eager to please him. He gazed into her dark, lustful eyes and felt heat bubbling in his core. This was all too much for him. He knew he couldn't hold off his orgasm for much longer.

"Baby, I'm gonna come soon."

He figured he should warn her in case she didn't want to take in his essence. Most women didn't in his experiences.

Yet, she continued her assault on his member like it really was hers to do with what she pleased. He didn't have a problem with that until he realized just how much she was turning him on. He'd shoot a triple wad if she didn't stop.

He grasped her shoulders.

"Baby, I'm gonna come."

He didn't think she understood.

She pulled herself from his cock, and heat instantly left him.

"I'm sorry! I was holding out for as long as I could."

She cupped his chin with her forefinger and thumb—an action he never experienced from a woman before.

She released her hand from his face momentarily to press kisses from the base of his cock to the tip. They were hard and soft all at once. Then she kissed him on the mouth before slipping his cock inside of her as if she owned him. He matched each of her fervent thrusts. As the sensation of her walls pulsating around him made him ride the first wave of his orgasm, he cupped her ass and pounded into her, balls deep.

"You feel so damned good wrapped around my cock," he said to her through jagged breaths. "Baby, I'm coming."

She screamed his name as her nails dug into his back.

"I'm right there with you."

Hearing those words made his release that much sweeter. He pulled her to his chest and floated in the water with her till they caught their breaths. The full moon cast a silvery glow on her skin that he began to trace shapes into while coming down from the mind-blowing high.

"I think I want to go home. It's getting late, and we have a full day tomorrow. Race you back to our clothes?"

He smiled before shifting into his llama. She followed suit and shifted into her lamb. The two were back to where they dropped their clothes and changed in a matter of minutes.

"Come on. I'll take you back to your car."

He offered her his arm, and she took it, wrapping her arms around him. A warmth surrounded him he hadn't felt in a long time, and God, how he wanted her to be the first thing he woke up to in the morning. And then the warmth hit his chest cavity as he realized he wanted to wake in her arms every day for the rest of his life.

They drove back to campus mostly in silence, and that made Richard a little uneasy. Did she not want him? Did she think they'd made a mistake? Sure, getting it on in the bar bathroom wasn't exactly ideal for their first time. But skinny-dipping with her was a memory he'd never forget. Of course, he would have preferred taking her to his place. But the urge to have her was just too great. Spontaneity wasn't exactly his style. He liked to take things slow. Still, that didn't mean he thought making love to her was a mistake.

She pointed out her car in the FUCN'A parking lot, and he pulled up to it. He got out of his car to open the door for her, pleased that she waited inside and allowed him the honor. Warmth filled his hand as she grasped it, getting out.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Richard. The former king will come to the offices around two, and we can head to The Joint after that," she said as she fumbled through her purse to grab her keys.

"Okay."

She palmed his cheek with her free hand and pecked his lips softly before she slid into her car. Richard watched her drive off. She may have kissed him goodnight, but he couldn't help but wonder if he'd ruined his shot with her.