Page 4 of Pursued By the Sasquatch

“So, Fern, is there anywhere you like to go for breakfast around here?”

“Oh, not really. I mean, I never really go out for breakfast.” She self-consciously touched her stomach. I wanted to growl, but I bit it back. If anyone had ever made her feel bad about her curves, then I’d rip them apart. Humans had weird ideals that made no sense to me and they could be viscous about them.

“Well then, you deserve it even more. I’ll take you to my favorite place. The coffee is bitter, but the pancakes are sweet enough to be from heaven.”

“I like pancakes.”

“Then we are going to get along very well, Fern.”

The blush that crept up her neck nearly made me feral. I hadn’t lost control in a long time. And certainly never with lust. But this woman. She had done something to me. I felt like I was turning into the wild animal that humans expected me to be. I had to get out of here and calm down. “Well, I’ll pick you up at 10. Until then, I’d better get back to work.”

“Okay.” She stood politely and took my coffee cup from me. Her finger brushed mine and the moment we touched, she froze. A shiver ran down my spine and our eyes met. The moment of connection was so intense that it felt like a loss when she finally moved away. Her eyes dropped, and the blush tinted her ears now. Little red ears that were begging to be nibbled.

I was going to become a danger to this woman if I didn’t leave. I stood and turned for the door, resisting the urge to look back. As I reached for the handle, her scent drifted over me as she followed. I spun to find her standing close. Too close. The growl that I’d been trying to suppress slipped out.

Her eyes widened, but she didn’t flinch. Didn’t move a muscle other than to let her eyes drop down to my lips. Fuck. I couldn’t stop myself. I reached out and grazed a finger down her neck. Her breath hitched slightly. My cock was hard and straining against my pants. But this was more than that. This meant something.

A little whisper of a gasp breezed out of her mouth as my finger found its way to her collarbone. I was teetering on the edge of losing myself. Why wasn’t she running away? She shuffled even closer to me. I leaned back, trying to get some distance between us. I hit the door.

Confusion rippled across her features. “I’m sorry, did you not, err….” Her voice petered out.

“No. Yes, I mean yes.” My voice was rough with desire. “I just, I’m big and sometimes forget my own strength, and you are quite small. I don’t want to risk being too rough with you.” The words fell out of me, they confessed too much. They told her exactly what I was hoping would happen and the vulnerability of that shocked me.

“I don’t need gentle.”

“Do you know what you’re asking for?”

She blinked and looked me up and down, lingering over my bulging trousers. “Honestly, no. I don’t know what I’m doing. But I feel safe with you. I don’t think I’ve ever felt that before. That means something, right?” Her eyes were wide now with hope.

“All I want is to keep you safe.”

“Why?”

I couldn’t answer her. Everything was moving so fast. But the fact that I wasn’t already buried deep in her felt like it was moving too slowly. We stared at each other quietly for a long moment. Then her face crumpled, and she stumbled backwards. “I’m so sorry.”

“It’s ok, Fern. You haven’t done anything wrong.”

“No, no, I have. What am I doing? You were just doing your job and now I’m throwing myself at you. What must you think?”

I could see the gears spinning out of control in her mind, and I didn’t know how to stop them. “I think you are beautiful and perfect. But I also think you’re scared of something. I won’t barrel into your life and make it more complicated. Not until I know the full story. I’m not saying you have to tell me now. I can earn your trust with time. But I won’t take advantage of what you are going through right now.”

“I’m sorry. I always do this. Make a mess of things.”

My heart was slowing, and I allowed myself a deep breath. She was still within touching distance, but I was in control now. Holding tight to the raging beast within. I stayed perfectly still. Worried that even a slight movement would stop her from taking the next step and opening up to me. Even a little bit.

“What happened, Fern?”

“My boyfriend, ex-boyfriend…. I shouldn’t be telling you this. He’s dangerous.”

“He’s human?”

“Yes.”

“Then I’m not worried.”

She smiled briefly at that, but her expression quickly turned blank. “Well, thank you for the lift and I guess I’ll see you in the morning.”

Back to business. Whatever moment had been blossoming between us had been shut down. At least she still seemed ok for breakfast. “Of course. I’ll see you tomorrow.” I left the apartment, dizzy with confusion.

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