Shifters of Grrr 1 (82 page)

Immediately, I was struck by the scent of two other bear-shifters.
 

Shit!

It was one thing if I was dealing with a wolf, coyote, or a big cat even. But bears?! Not good… Not good at all.

I made my way to the desk of the deputy on duty behind the bullet-proof, glass partition and politely went about explaining why I was there and for who. While waiting, filling out paperwork, the two bears I’d scented, came out to talk with me.
 

The bigger of the two extended his hand and introduced himself as Officer Biggs. It fit him, he was indeed big. A big bear of a man. But kindly, I could sense it in him. Not aggressive unless he needed to be.
 

In our own way, we all acknowledged one another. Then introductions carried on. Once that was done, they explained what had happened. Before I could choke back a laugh, it came roaring out.

“She decked a guy? While swimming?! Because he called her a whale?”

“Yes, sir. It is sort of amusing, not that we endorse any type of physical assault, mind you, as a way to handle a disagreement or rude remark, but we can appreciate the humor in these situations.”

I was shaking my head back and forth, in disbelief. And a little bit of amused pride. “And this guy, he’s pressing charges?”

“Yes, otherwise – she wouldn’t be here and you wouldn’t need to post bail on her behalf.” Officer Biggs explained to me.

I hooked my thumbs into my jean belt loops, “Uh-huh. Got it.”

“Take it easy on her, she’s been a tearful mess pretty much the entire time. I believe she’s just embarrassed more than anything. But otherwise okay.” He shared.

I took a deep breath, “Indeed. I’m ready whenever you are.”

They led me to the holding area of the station and a few minutes later, she came walking through the exit door, escorted out by another deputy.
 

“You’re free to go, m’am. He’s posted your bail. Behave yourself.” He said to her.

She walked up to me, her eyes averted towards the floor.
 

“Thank you.”
 

It was all she said and it appeared it would be all that she’d say until we left the police station. We walked outside and to my
Jeep
in near silence. I opened the passenger door for her and although it was bad timing, appreciated the sweet curves of her ass in the yoga pants she was wearing.
 

Once I was on my side of the
Jeep
and turned on the engine to get some warmth going, I sat and waited a bit.
 

“You doing okay?” I asked gently.
 

She finally glanced at me, and with a somewhat sheepish grin, “I am, now,” she said.

I smiled and reached out and squeezed her knee in a comforting gesture. “Good. Wanna tell me about it?”

“No, not just yet. Let’s leave the parking lot. I feel bad just being here.” She squeaked out.
 

“Okay then, tell me where you live. Let’s get you home.” I said, doing my best to be calm, neutral and understanding.
 

She provided her address and some general instructions since I was new to the area. For the most part, we drove in silence and I hummed along to songs on shuffle, which I hoped didn’t bother her.
 

Once we were parked outside of her apartment building, I wasn’t entirely sure what to say or do exactly. So, we sat there a bit, my
Jeep
idling.

“Do you want me to come in?” I asked.

She answered straight-away, as if she’d wanted to ask me, but couldn’t. “Would you? I feel like I’ve already requested so much, made a huge inconvenience of your night and I just… I just…” she started to stammer, losing her nerve.

“It’s okay Cassidy, I’ll come in. I’d like that.”

It immediately put her at ease, “You would?” She asked, an earnest sweetness and some befuddling doubt was packed into that one simple question and remark. It hit me in the gut. She wasn’t sure of herself. Despite her charming personality and vivacious energy, she didn’t know where she stood with men. She was blind to it. Her effect on the male sex. It hit me like lightning, that realization.

“Yes, I would.” There was only one way to answer it and meet her doubt head on. As straightforward and as direct as possible. Plus reinforcement. “Very much so.”

She let out a relaxed sigh of relief and smiled, “Okay, let’s go in.”

With that, she hopped out of my
Jeep
and a glimpse of smile on her face made me feel better.
 

We made our way into the building, past the doorman who held the door for us and I stepped into one of the nicer apartment homes buildings that I’d ever been in. She did indeed, earn good money, apparently.

The ride up the elevator was quiet and I could sense that she was holding it all in, bottled inside and waiting to explain until she was in the comfort, safety and privacy of her home.
 

Once the elevator doors opened, she led me down the hallway to her apartment door and whirled around to face me, “No judgment, okay? I’m sort of messy and my maid service is coming tomorrow, so I’m guilty of not being the tidiest person in the world.”

“Okay, no judgment. Scout’s honor.” I said, holding up my hand with the scout’s honor hand symbol.

She giggled and then turned the key in the lock of the door, opening it so she could usher me inside.
 

It was true, she wasn’t the neatest woman in the world. But it was easy to tell that her place was regularly cleaned and it was nicely decorated. She put down her gym bag, slipped of her sneakers into a basket full of her other shoes, and motioned for me to sit down somewhere.
 

“Please, have a seat. Do you want something to drink? I’ve got it all. From water, milk and soda to wine and hard liquor. Just say it, it’s yours.”

“Sure, I’ll have a beer. Do you have beer?” I asked.

“I do, is a stout okay?”

“More than okay, sounds great.”

“Be right back,” she said and then whirled around again to head to her kitchen.
 

While she was in the kitchen, I absorbed and took in her place. It was homey, cozy and charming. I could tell that she wasn’t a snob or into the status lifestyle. Her place wasn’t a museum. There were bookshelves-a-plenty and I could see her office through a door that was halfway open. It was easy to assess where she spent most of her time as there were dishes all over the desk and other items strewn all over it too.
 

Quality art bedecked the walls, eclectic in range and taste. But all seemed to be personally picked out. So, she was a collector. There were lots of framed photos, clearly friends and family she cared about.

She returned and extended to me a chilled glass, full of stout, that had an admirable head of foam to it. “That looks like a tasty pour.” I said, accepting the cold beverage from her warm hands.
 

Her soft paws…

“Very tasty, I decided to go with your choice.” She said, her eyes flickering to another chilled glass full of stout that she was holding in her other hand.

She sat down on her sofa, tucked her feet up under her and grabbed a throw to pull over her legs. I watched her, once again taking in her robust beauty. I wondered if she’d ever been properly appreciated.

“Sooooo, about being arrested tonight. What happened?” I asked softly.

“I’m an idiot.” She stated flatly.

“Why’s that?”

“I decked a guy at the gym. In the pool, while I was working out. I broke his nose.” She said, the words tumbling out of her mouth almost all at once. The look on her face was worth about a million dollars, it was such a combination of revelatory feelings that flitted across her face.

I decided that laughing wouldn’t be a good idea right about now, so I calmly asked her why she’d done it. To my surprise, she clammed up.
 

We sat there sipping at our beer. Suddenly, she began to down the entire thing. My eyebrows shot up in awe. Before I knew it, the glass was empty. It wasn’t a small glass, either.
 

“Alrighty then,” I said, a bit of a chortle of admiration escaping me.

She cleared her throat and then shared the remark he’d made and that for some reason, she just wasn’t in the mood to take anyone’s bullshit about her size. Tears had started to crest her lower eyelids and she looked away.

It was a tug of war. I wanted to be sensitive to her feelings and predicament, but I didn’t want it to be too heavy either. Somehow, there had to be a way to make it lighter. Maybe even funny.

“Good,” I said, “Serves him right. The guy’s an asshole. He deserved to be hit. I’m glad you broke his nose!” I said, as straight-faced as possible.

Her eyes got big and then the loveliest smile I’d ever seen blossomed across her face in pure amusement and relief.

“Right?!” She yelled out. “Such an asshole!! I mean, what the fuck? Are we in elementary school or what?!”

“Cass, may I call you Cass?”

“Yes, you may.”

“Cass, men like him have never been dealt with properly. He got what was coming his way. Who knows how many other people he’s bullied and made rude remarks about? If it hadn’t gotten you arrested, I would have clapped if I’d been there to see it.”

“Serious?!” She exclaimed.

“Serious.”

We sat there looking at one another and both devolved into a fit of laughter.
 

Suddenly, she stood up. “Do you want another beer?” She asked.

I glanced down at my glass, it was still half full, but I looked at hers with a knowing glance. “I’m good, but you can go fill yours up again if you like.” I winked at her.

She turned red, “Oops. Busted.” Then she turned around and was off to the kitchen.
 

I was pretty sure the evening had just taken a turn, so I was ready for whatever it might bring. Either way, I was determined to remain ever the gentleman. Besides, I had a feeling that I was about to be greatly entertained.

She came back, the head of froth already nearly gone from the top. She also held a canter of what I guessed to be whiskey or maybe even scotch. She had a couple of shot glasses too.

“Do you like hard liquor?” She asked.

“Yes, but I’m thinking one of us needs to be somewhat sober tonight.”

“Good point. I elect you. This girl was in jail today. Fair?”
 

I nodded, “Fair. You saw right through my evil plan. Get you drunk and take advantage of you.”

That stopped her, a look of pure surprise on her face. Then she erupted into a giggle fit while smacking her own ass. “Damn straight! Who wouldn’t want a piece of this?!”

Wow! Who was this woman?! And why did I like her so much…

She slammed down the shot glasses, filled both of them up with whatever it was that it was and before I knew it, they were both downed in less than a minute.

Wow…

I was beginning to wonder, what I’d gotten myself into? I mean, I’d just met her, this morning, for an editing job and not even twenty-four hours later, I’ve bailed her out of jail, am in her posh apartment, witnessing her get plastered in a matter of an hour.
 

Fuck it!
 

She needed an adult baby-sitter right now. I’d be the man to do it. Make sure she got to bed, didn’t die in her own vomit and somehow, I would hopefully still remain employed the following day. That was my plan and I was gonna stick to it.

Hard to do once she turned on her music and started dancing. She was pretty much having a party for one, dancing all by herself and having a great time. Watching her, she moved as good as the best of them.
 

“Come on, join me!” She taunted.

I shook my head firmly. This grizzly did
not
dance. Not ever. Never.

“Please!?” She begged, a loopy grin of glee on her face.

“I have my pride to consider.”
 

“Screw your pride, I’ll likely not remember a thing! Just dance with me… Please….”
 

I must admit, it was a bit hard to resist her. She made it look like so much fun and she had a point. The chances that she was going to remember
anything
tomorrow, at the rate she was going.
 

So, against my better judgment, I stood up. Before I knew it, she had swooped me up and was taking lead in some sort of mangled version of the tango. Despite my clumsy awkwardness, she managed to make it work. After a while, I stopped focusing on my crappy dancing skills, realizing she was too tipsy to care and started to appreciate being so close to her.
 

She was very feminine, her skin so soft, with a peaches-n-cream coloring that looked lovely all flushed. Her eyes were bright with playful delight and she smelled amazing. Her hair was a mess of long, curls, having tumbled out of the sloppy bun she’d had it up in.

I felt her body and all of her amazing curves, making its way to me. Her waist, then her hips, her cleavage…