Shifted Plans (9 page)

“More,” she moaned. Reaching back she grabbed him by the hip, tugging him closer as
she pushed back. It broke his tightly leashed control.

Declan thrust forward, wrapping an arm about her waist to anchor her in place. Her
walls clung to him as he slowly rocked in and out. He didn’t consider himself to be
a huge guy, maybe a bit bigger than average, but she was tight as hell, and he didn’t
want to hurt her.

Her strangled “yes” when he pressed in all of the way, balls resting against her,
was a prayer in the wind.

“More, Dec,” she growled out, flexing her claw-tipped fingers into his hip. His control
snapped, and he reared back then slammed into her fully.

He looked down to where their bodies were joined. Her needy, clasping cunt milking
his dick. Her taut ass cushioning his hips. He felt his teeth elongate and the claws
grow out of his nails, digging into her hip.

“Please, Declan,” she whispered, need and arousal threading through her voice.

There. That’s what he wanted.

His lion roared.
Mate!

Hell yeah, buddy
. Juvenile, insufficient to describe what he was feeling, they were also his last
thoughts.

Leaning over her, he plastered himself to her and picked up the pace.

In. Out. In. Out. It was too much to hope he could keep a steady rhythm. Soon, he
plunged into her relentlessly over and over, her grunts and moans of pleasure filling
the cab of his truck. He would never sell the damn thing now.

Tingles raced up his spine. His balls pulled in close, preparing for release. Declan
had the presence of mind to slide a hand down to her clit, mindful of his claws. He
placed kisses along her jaw, nipping her ear. “Come on, Avery. Give it to me.”

He shifted the angle of his thrusts by pulling her toward him, thrusting her ass out,
making her cry out. He groaned and went deeper as she arched her back, hand no longer
holding him but splayed on the seat, grasping for purchase.

It was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. His mate submitting to his possession.

Her pussy rippled with her impending orgasm, fisting him tighter than before. He pressed
on her clit to push her over the edge, unable to hold out much longer. He would see
to the needs of his mate first.

His name came screaming out of her lips as her pussy convulsed around his cock. He
would claim her now, put his mark on her so no other man came near her. He slid his
hand from hip to belly then up to her silky smooth throat, pulling her to a standing
position. Keeping his grip loose but with just enough pressure, he opened his mouth,
sinking his lion’s teeth into the soft spot where neck and shoulder met. Her blood
spilled over his tongue and down his throat, the marking of his mate beginning.

Her pussy rippled with renewed force, triggering his release. He roared his domination,
his marking of her body while cursing the condom that kept them from joining on a
deeper bond.

Declan fell against Avery as she fell against the seat, breathing heavily. Damn, it
had never felt so good. The heaviness of his balls. His dick harder than it had ever
been. The tingling of his impending orgasm shooting up his spine.
Fucking A!
It was fantastic and something he wanted to repeat as soon as possible.

His dick twitched, ready for another round, but Avery’s grunt of displeasure told
him clearly he would have to wait.

Peeling himself off her, he grabbed the base of his dick to hold the condom on as
he withdrew. With great care, he took it off and tied a knot at the end.

How obvious would it be to walk into the bar and toss it?
A grin split his lips.
Pretty fucking obvious
.

With one hand, he pulled up his pants then stepped back, allowing Avery space to pull
her panties and jeans up as well. She turned and looked at him, then giggled.

The side of his mouth quirked up. “What’s so funny?” Not that he needed to ask. A
guy didn’t look sexy holding a limp condom like it was the plague.

She pointed to the offending object and giggled again. He enjoyed seeing her like
that. Pleasure dazed and happy.

Declan shook his head. “Could you get a napkin from the glove box, please?”

“Sure, Declan.” She leaned into him, hand on his chest, and kissed him lightly on
the lips.

As she rounded the truck, he closed the door, grabbed his forgotten wallet, and opened
the driver’s door. She handed him a napkin, which he carefully wrapped the condom
in and shoved it in his trash bag.

Note to self: throw the whole damn thing away
.

Declan climbed inside, unsure what needed to happen next. He still had explaining
to do, but damn if he didn’t just want to take her to his place and lock her inside
his home.

“So….” He let his words trail off.

“How about we go to my place? I would feel more comfortable talking there, plus I
need to check in on the girls.”

“Sounds good.”

Avery sneaked a peek at the man sitting next to her. Good looking might be an understatement…now
that he wasn’t scowling at her. Even then he had the nerve to be handsome, but she
would never admit that out loud. He seemed content and happy. Sex could do that for
a guy, though. As much as she wanted to look at all of the bright, shiny, happy things
his showing up might mean, she needed to keep a cool head and not read too much into
it.

The whole situation came across as crazy, but a good kind of crazy. At least, she
hoped so. Right when she’d felt her worst, he finally showed up, and it hadn’t been
to tell her good-bye.

She had been shocked to see him in the bar and even more so at how easily she’d let
him comfort her. Being in his arms and feeling the blanket of protection only a mate
could provide, damn that was intoxicating. She had to wonder though—what made him
change his mind about her?

Questions jockeyed for position, but she didn’t know where to start. She glanced out
the window at the bar before he started backing up. Maybe it would be best to stay
there where people could intervene if needed.

“Your place will be perfect. I want you comfortable, so you can ask me anything and
everything. I don’t think we’ll get the privacy we want in there.”

So, he was a mind reader, too. He must have sensed her hesitation at leaving with
him.

Taking a deep breath, she let his musk inundate her. It seeped into her lungs, swirled
throughout, and calmed her. His scent smelled like home. “Okay.” She sighed dreamily.

“You live in a townhouse barely off campus, right?”

“Yeah, how did you know?” He gave her a pointed look. Her brows furrowed as she tried
to figure out what he tried to tell her without words. It dawned on her a few seconds
later, filling in all the blanks. “You’re a police officer. Did you look me up or
something?”

He shrugged, a sheepish look on his face. “It’s not what you think. I was curious
about you.”

Avery studied his profile. “I wouldn’t have minded you talking to me. Maybe take me
out for some coffee and a scone. Those
are
acceptable practices when people find their mates or hell, even someone they are
generally interested in.”

“Yeah, I know I should have approached it differently. I’m an ass.”

His words mollified her. “Apology accepted. Don’t think we’re done talking about this,
though.”

“Of course not, dear,” he said, holding his hand out for her to take. With the barest
of hesitation, she threaded her fingers through his. The heat from his hand slid throughout
her, hitting every erogenous spot she knew of and more she didn’t. Damn, the mate
connection, even a tentative one, was powerful. She couldn’t help the shiver skating
down her spine. Her nipples puckered, and her panties grew damp.

His nostrils flared, and he looked at her quickly. “Fuck, you smell good. You need
to wear my scent every day.”

Avery blushed before focusing straight ahead, not sure she would be able to stay in
her spot if she looked at him again. He smelled good to her, too. Intoxicating. A
treat she wanted to lick from head to toe then do it all over again.

As they got closer to her townhouse, she pointed to a road that went to the back alley.
“Pull around back. We have parking spots for visitors there.”

Declan followed her directions, parking in the designated spot, and stood next to
her door before she could get unbuckled. He laced their fingers together and let her
lead the way through the backyard and into the house.

Walking through the door Avery saw Blaire dancing around the kitchen making something
to eat.

“Hey, Avery,” her bubbly little roommate greeted her when she spun around. “I wondered
where you went off to.” Blaire twisted back to the counter a split second later.

“I stopped by your room before I took off. You seemed a bit distracted, so I left
a note by the door. Was there something you needed?”

Blaire turned toward them, mouth open, getting ready to say something when Declan
pushed in behind Avery. “Oh! Um, you’re busy. No problem. I’ll talk to you later.”
She giggled and started to walk off.

“No, what a minute,” Avery called out.

The five-foot-two blonde pixie whirled with a bounce and a brilliant smile pasted
on her face. Avery knew the actions were ingrained in the girl from years of cheerleading.

“Blaire Archer, this is Declan Weller. Declan, this is one of my new roommates, Blaire.”
She studied his face quickly. “Or do you know already?”

“Nope. I assumed as much, though. Nice to meet you, Blaire.”

“Same here.” Blaire beamed a genuine smile at them this time. Her eyes twinkled with
a look that said she thought they were going upstairs to have sex.

As much as Avery agreed it would be a brilliant idea, she and Declan had a lot of
talking to do, and she still had a responsibility to the girls in the house. “What
was it you needed? It’ll probably be a bit before I’m free.”

Blaire looked Declan over from head to toe and back again. “I would expect nothing
less with a man like that,” she said cheekily.

Declan cleared his throat on a chuckle. “We recently found out we’re mates. We have
a lot to discuss.”

Blaire’s saucy grin turned to radiant joy as she jumped in place and clapped her hands.
“Holy crow, that is so amazing! I’m so happy for you.” She rushed forward enveloping
Avery in a hug. For as tiny as the girl was, she had arms like steel bands.

“Thanks,” Avery wheezed out once Blaire let go. “So, did you need to ask me something?”

“Yes! Would it be okay if some of the girls from the squad came over and we practiced
in the backyard? Usually, we would do it somewhere else, but our yard here is fenced
in, and we want to keep prying eyes out.” She whispered the last bit. Avery had no
idea who would be in the house to overhear but whatever.

“Sure. It’s no problem. I only request you be mindful of the noise if all of you come
inside.”

“Thanks! You’re the best. Losing my old room has turned out to be the best thing ever.
Congrats, you guys. You two must be over the moon, finding each other.”

Avery’s grin felt stiff on her face, but she didn’t want Blaire to get the idea all
was not hunky-dory. The girl had such an innocent view of life, and Avery didn’t want
to be the one to pop that bubble of happiness. Blaire felt how Avery used to feel.
Everyone was great. Everything perfect. Everything happens just how you hope. “Thanks.
If you need me, I’ll be up in my room.”

Blaire winked at them both. “No worries. I’ll give you guys the privacy you need.
When my older brother found his mate, he still lived at home. He couldn’t be apart
from Divine for more than an hour. She had to move in with us and, let me tell you,
I saw a whole lot of him I hoped to never see.”

Blaire bounded out of the room, and Avery chuckled. The girl had more energy than
anyone she knew. More than her youngest sister hopped-up on sugar, even.

Declan followed Avery upstairs past the second floor and up a third set of steps.
His lion rode him hard, moving restlessly beneath his skin. The beast wanted to stake
his claim on Avery again. It thought Declan had wasted enough time over the last week
denying what they both knew to be true. It would be all he could do not to fall on
her and rut like an animal—again—the second they were alone.

Memories of taking her in the truck flashed though his mind. She looked so good, lips
wet and ready for his kiss, her scent infusing every cell of his body.

Declan clenched his hand to keep from touching her; too much needed to be said before
they could land in bed.

Once they emerged onto her floor of the townhouse, he closed the door behind them
and locked it out of habit. Or maybe unintentionally making it harder for her to escape
in a hurry.

“Did you just lock the door?” Avery licked her lips and backed away from him with
a sense of wariness.

Moving farther into the room, his lion protested every step she took away from him.
He could smell her nervousness and wanted to soothe her, wanted to rub his face against
her in a sign of affection.

“Sorry, a habit of mine. I can unlock it if that would make you more comfortable.”
His hand hovered over the lock, waiting for her decision.

They really didn’t teach how to avoid those first few awkward meetings with a mate.
Everyone stumbled through it and generally mucked it up somehow. At least, that’s
what his parents told him. He had done plenty of fucking things up to last him a lifetime,
and he was damn tired of it.

Nervousness. Excitement. Arousal. Each emotion crossed her face as he waited for her
answer. She nibbled her bottom lip. Damn, he wanted her lips on his. Hell, anywhere
on him would be good.

“No. It’s fine. Give me a second, though. I’m going to change and put my phone on
the charger.”