Big Gator: A BBW shape shifter paranormal romance (19 page)

             
Brandy
turned the ignition and looked up.  When her eyes met Ray's, she
felt a little bad. But thankfully he showed no suspicion beyond
run-of-the-mill jealousy.

             “
Brandy,”
Ray said. “I think I know what's going on here.  You've got a
thing for your boss, don't you?”

             
Brandy
didn't say anything.  She just looked away.

             “
You
know it cannot work,” Ray said. “We don't get involved – not
seriously, anyway – outside of our own circle.  It just can't
happen.  It's one thing to fool around, but if you fall in love
with this guy...”

             “
I
know what I'm doing,” Brandy said. “And I know you mean well.”

             “
I
have ulterior motives,” Ray said with a grin.

             “
As
always,” Brandy chided him.

             “
These
are sketchy times,” Ray said. “With you your cousin and the
Powells and all.  I don't want to see you get hurt.”

             “
Neither
do I,” Brandy said.

Chapter 20

             
Jake
already was at the swamp when Brandy showed up. The moon was bright
and the air humid and warm. The scent of earth and moss filled the
air, with a slight whiff of Blue Flag – a swamp iris whose flower
gives off a scent similar to violets.

             
Jake
got out of his truck when he saw Brandy's headlights.  He met
her at the driver's side door, which he opened for her to get out.

             
In
the soft glow of the moon, Jake took her hand, interlacing his
fingers with hers, and he led her back to his truck.

             “
I
don't plan on this being a hunting expedition,” Jake said. “At
least it better not be.  We're not working tonight.”

             
When
they got to his truck, Brandy realized that he had set up a picnic in
the flatbed. A blanket was laid out with a couple of throw pillows
for comfort. A large basket already had been emptied.  A plate
of cheese and crackers had been set out, along with some veggies and
dip. Jake jumped up in the truck bed, then held out his hand to help
her up.  When they sat down, he lit a couple of citronella
candles to keep the mosquitos at bay, and then he opened a bottle of
red wine, pouring them both a glass.

             “
This
is quite a setup,” Brandy said.  She flashed him a great smile
of approval.

             “
I'm
classy like that,” Jake said with a sly grin.  “Stick around
– you'll see.”

             “
I
can't wait then.”

             “
One
more thing,” he said.

             
Jake
pulled out a small bouquet of flowers.  They not quite quite
orange, and not quite pink – more of a scarlet color. They looked
exotic.

             “
Hibiscus
coccineus
,”
Brandy said.

             “
Very
good,” Jake said.  He plucked one of the flowers from the
stem, reached over and tucked it behind her ear. With the flower
secure, he let his fingers gently glide down her cheek, which sent a
shiver down Brandy's spine.

             “
Yes
– I'm putting the moves on you,” he said. “In case you weren't
sure.”

             “
I
was pretty sure, don't worry.”

             
They
fell silent.  Brandy selected a piece of Havarti with dill from
the cheese plate and chewed thoughtfully.

             “
You
should be more shocked than you are,” Brandy said, thoughtfully.

             “
Probably,”
he said.  “Funny though – I've heard about this kind of
thing before.  In Africa.  In South America.  I've
never taken it seriously, but I always thought it would be amazing if
it were true.”

             
He
paused for second, collecting his thoughts.

             “
What
does it
feel
like
to morph into something inhuman? I mean, you're not even a
mammal
when
you change like that.”

             “
Well,
it doesn't hurt,” she said. “Not after the first time. It's just
uncomfortable.  Mostly I just take it for granted.  The
first time shifting is what really screws with your head. 
Suddenly you see the world from the ground level.  You can't
stand up. You have a change of emotions – more raw instinct seems
to bubble up.  You think in a more calculating manner in that
mode.”

             “
Do
you prefer to be human or do you prefer life as an alligator?”

             “
I'm
much stronger physically as a gator and it can be kind of a thrill,
but when I change back suddenly I feel more relaxed and less
predatory.  I feel mellow for at least three days after that. So
the shift back also has its own therapeutic benefits.”

             “
How
did this happen?” He asked. “How many are there of you?”

             “
Jake
– I need to be honest with you,” she said. “I'm not going to
tell you everything.  I don't have that right.  I know I
can trust you – but that won't mean anything to the others. No one
outside the community knows anything.”

             “
Can
you really be sure of that?” Jake asked.  “Depending on how
many there are, which of course you're not telling me, surely
somebody has slipped up before.”

             
Brandy
studied him.  Her vision was sharper than his at night, and she
could read his facial expressions quite well.  He was feeling
both amorous, but also perplexed and a little vulnerable.

             “
How
about if I tell you a little at a time,” she said. “No one can
ever know that I told you about this.  No one can ever know that
you have seen me shift.”

             “
I
understand – really – I do,” Jake said. “And you didn't tell
me – I saw it happen by accident. So you couldn't have actually
broken any code of honor.  I was just at the wrong place at the
wrong time when it happened.”

             “
They
won't care. But I do owe you something.  So we can take it a
little at a time. Tonight all I can tell you is that a family
ancestor of mine was cursed more than a hundred years ago.”

             “
Cursed?”

             “
Cursed.”

             “
By
whom?”

             “
By
someone who practiced Hoodoo, and this person was very, very powerful
and very, very pissed off.”

             “
So
everyone in your family can do this?”

             “
Everyone
in my family
has
to
do this,” she clarified. “We have control over the timing, but
the urge can be overwhelming.  And there are physical effects
even when we are in our normal human state.”

             “
Wow,”
Jake said. “What did this ancestor do to piss someone off like
that?”

             “
We
don't know exactly. And that's the truth.”

             
Brandy
put down her glass of wine.

             “
Let's
go for a swim,” she said.

             
Jake
paused.

             “
It'll
be safe,” she said.

             
Brandy
stood up and slowly began undressing. Jake watched her and a lump
caught in his throat.  Her hair was luminescent in the night and
her curves became hypnotizing.

             “
Are
you just going to stare?” she teased him.

             
Jake
chuckled and stood up.  He pulled off his shirt, then unbuckled
his belt and slipped off his pants. Then he reached for her, but she
evaded him and hopped down off the truck bed.

             “
Come
on – don't chicken out on me,” she teased him, heading toward the
water.

             
Soon,
they were both neck deep.  The water was warm.  It was
murky, too, but it had a natural smell of clean decay.  There
was no pollution here – just the order of nature and life thriving
and dissipating.

             
Brandy
dove underwater, and Jake lost track of her for a second.  When
she reemerged, he swam up to her.

             “
You're
not going to shift, are you?” he asked.

             “
I
was going to – why?”

             “
Don't,”
he said.

             “
Why
not?”

             “
Because
right now I want to do this,” he said. Jake wrapped his arms around
her waist and pulled her to him.

             
Brandy
was the one who had suggested that they go skinny dipping, so she had
full knowledge she already was playing with fire and had given him a
green light.  But when she felt Jake's skin against hers, with
his broad chest against her ample breasts and his right inner thigh
rubbing again her own, she shuddered and felt hesitant.  This
was the first time that she had ever been with a man who was not also
a shifter.

             
Jake's
hands were very convincing, however, and she felt a deep ache in her
gut as his lips caressed hers.  Then his kiss became deeper and
soon they were fully entwined.  She tried to say something –
but she had no idea what.  He made all the right moves, and he
knew exactly when she was truly ready for him. She let out a soft
gasp, which elicited a moan from Jake as he entered her.

             
He
stayed just like that for a second – stopping to open his eyes and
look into hers – to make sure she was fully with him.  The
fingers of his left hand interlaced with hers, and he was stabilizing
most of her weight as she floated in the water.  She wrapped her
legs around him. When she sighed again and gave him a slight nod, 
Jake took it from there.

             
Brandy
responded to his every move, but he was clearly in control.  It
was slow-building, but Jake was in no hurry.  He made sure that
she came first, and then he allowed himself to not hold back anymore.

             
When
it was over, they both felt limp.  The swamp water lapped softly
around them as they both tried to regain their strength, still in
each other's arms.  Jake kissed her cheek slowly.  He still
couldn't talk yet.

             
In
the quiet night, they heard the call of a bird, probably an egret. 

             “
Do
you mind now?” Brandy whispered.

             
Jake
knew what she meant.  That for some reason, she had the
irresistible urge to break free just for a moment.