Tameka's Smile (11 page)

He immediately set up a pounding rhythm, racing for the finish line. Today he planned to come as many times in as short a timeframe as his body would allow. His goal was to fill Tameka with his sperm. There would be time for finesse later.

When he’d come hard, he pulled out, ignoring Tameka’s groan of disappointment, and flipped her onto her stomach, ass up in the air. He covered her with his body, fingering her 69

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saturated sheath while sinking his teeth all over her back and hips. Realizing he was hard again, he guided himself home. With one hand he turned her head to the side and pinned her to the floor. Then he locked his teeth onto her shoulder and covered her in a dominant position. He didn’t release her or let her up until he’d taken her two more times.

By then, he’d lost the feeling in both legs and knew she had to be just as tired. Too exhausted to move, he simply hooked an arm around his mate’s waist and fell over onto his side, pulling her with him. He’d come four times, and even now his body was connected with hers, keeping in the sperm.

He wasn’t sure how much of his DNA she’d absorb through his semen, if any. So, as an added precaution, there wasn’t a soft spot on her body—with the exception of her feet, hands, and face—that he hadn’t sunk his teeth into and then licked. He’d lost track of the number of times she’d orgasmed.

Breathing heavy, he held her to him. They’d nap, then talk, and everything would be fine. She’d understand how much he needed her, and she’d accept him for the wolf he was.

Her quiet voice came out of the semi-darkness. “Take me home.”

70

ZENA WYNN

Chapter Five

At her words, Tameka felt him tense against her back. The fingers toying with her nipple stilled.

“In a bit,” he finally replied, and went back to playing with her breast.

She raised her hand and covered his, holding it still. “No, now,” she quietly commanded, a hint of steel in her tone.

His chest vibrated and she could have sworn he growled.

She didn’t care if he was angry. It was imperative that she be alone at home where she could think. “You promised,” she reminded him in that same soft voice.

He hesitated, then sighed as he disentangled their bodies and rose from the floor. Tameka moaned as another after-shock rocked her body, then grimaced at the gush of fluid that coated her inner thighs as a result of his withdrawal. She needed to clean up before dressing.

She tried to rise and quickly muffled a whimper as her body refused to cooperate. Chad watched her struggle, probably waiting for her to give up and lay back down. Fat chance! She was getting out of here if she had to crawl.

“Stubborn woman,” he muttered under his breath as he reached down and lifted her to her feet. When she swayed, he held her steady until she was sure her legs would hold her.

“Would you hand me my clothes?” She didn’t trust herself to bend over. She avoided looking directly into his face as he reached down, collected her clothing and shoes, and dropped them into her outstretched hands. “Thank you.” She clutched them to her chest and went into the bathroom.

After washing their combined cum from between her legs, she dressed and braced herself to face Chad again. She knew he wasn’t happy about being forced to take her home. Well, tough.

She wasn’t exactly thrilled with him herself for using sex to try 71

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and manipulate her.

Tameka exited the bathroom, still moving slowly. With every fiber of her being she wanted to say yes to whatever Chad wanted, lie down across that big, comfortable-looking bed and sleep for hours, but she couldn’t, not yet and not here. She couldn’t afford to relax her guard, or she’d weaken and her body would make the choice for her. Relationship decisions based on physical lust were never sound. She had a long list of former clients who could attest to that fact.

Chad took her by the elbow and escorted her to the truck.

Once there, he lifted her into the cab and made sure she was settled before closing the door. She appreciated his assistance even as she resented the tingle of arousal his touch stirred to life.

Instead of walking around the truck as she expected, she watched in the side view mirror as he walked over to the cruiser and popped the trunk.
What was he…?
Oh, yeah. She’d forgotten about her tires. It felt like weeks ago instead of just this morning that he’d changed one tire and brought the other to town with him to be fixed.

He really is a good man and a great catch, if I do say so
myself. You could do a lot worse, but I doubt you’ll find better.

Tameka shot straight up in her seat and looked around.

Great, now she was hearing voices, one that sounded suspiciously like Momma E. If things kept going the way they were,
she’d
be the one needing therapy.

The voice laughed.
You’re not crazy, child, just mule-stubborn like your daddy.

“And you,” Tameka muttered, then slapped a hand over her mouth.
I’m having hallucinations brought on by extreme
tiredness and stress
, she diagnosed. Obviously this thing with Chad had her more on edge than she’d previously believed.

You’re not hallucinating, Meka. I’m here
.

Tameka closed her eyes and stated calmly and clearly,

“There are no such things as ghosts and werewolves. Once you die, that’s it. Werewolves and ghosts are simply stories created by imaginative people to entertain the masses. They are
not
real.” She nodded her head once emphatically to punctuate her words, then opened her eyes, having reaffirmed her beliefs.

The voice laughed heartily and the sounds of slapping could 72

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be heard, like the way Momma E used to smack her leg when she had a good chuckle.
Oh my precious child, there are more things
in heaven and earth than what can be explained by your five
senses and intellect. Soon enough you’ll believe.

Chad opened the door and got in. Reaching for the ignition, he suddenly paused and sniffed the air, looking around.

“Everything alright?”

Tameka let his odd behavior pass. She just didn’t have the energy to deal with anything else. “Fine. I’m just tired.”

“We can stay here and rest,” he offered.

“No, thank you. I want to go home.” At the look on his face, she found herself rushing to explain. “I need space, time to think.

I can’t do that with you around.”

He seemed to consider her words. Finally, he nodded.

“You’re right. I’ve been pushing too hard these last few days. I got carried away and neglected to give you space. I’ll do better.” Tameka had no doubt that he would. He appeared to be making a mental checklist of the things she needed to make a relationship work. She was sure if she could see into his mind, under her name would be a bullet point that read: needs space.

He started the truck and left her to her thoughts as requested. She huddled in the corner and kept her eyes closed, mind racing while Chad stopped to get her a new tire before taking her home.

She’d always believed psychosis to be a gradual thing. Day by day, incident-by-incident, little warning signs that were missed until one day, sanity was but a fond memory. Who knew it could come in a flash? Maybe all the indications were there and like so many of her previous patients, she’d ignored them.

‘Cause really, what sane woman walks away from a lucrative practice to do hair? She’d rationalized by saying that she was simplifying her life, but what if—as her family supposed—it was more?

Hmmm, so this is what a mental breakdown feels like.

As soon as the vehicle stopped, she got out and headed for the house. Peace, quiet, and most of all sanity, were just a few steps away. She craved them so desperately she was on the verge of running.

“Meka.” Chad’s arm came around her waist, halting her as 73

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his body molded to hers from behind. He leaned down and murmured into her ear. “Please, don’t push me away. Give us a chance.” He licked one of the passion marks on her neck and her entire body trembled violently as desire fired to life. With a whimper, she collapsed against him.

Chad must have taken that as a sign of surrender. Who knows? Maybe it was. She didn’t complain when he swung her up into his arms, carried her into the house, and deposited her on her feet by the bed. He quickly divested them both of their clothing. Tameka stood as docile as an asylum patient on strong meds while he pulled back the covers.

When he finished, he scooped her up, laid her in the middle of the bed and climbed in beside her. He pulled her into his arms and arranged her body so that her head lay pillowed on his chest, tugging on her leg until it lay tangled with his own. “Sleep, baby.

Things will make more sense after you’ve rested.” He stroked her back in soothing motions.

She yawned—a big, jaw cracking one.
Even wolf-man
knows I’ve lost it.
She closed her eyes and let Morpheus take her away.

* * * *

She

was grateful—darn

it!—that he

was being

so

accommodating. Really, she was.

Grumbling at her own lack of conviction, she showered, threw on a multi-colored caftan, and went to the kitchen for something to eat. She was craving red meat all of a sudden. Must be because she’d missed lunch.

She thawed two seven-ounce T-bones in the microwave, seasoned them, and stuck them under the broiler. While they were cooking, she searched the refrigerator for something to eat with them. Maybe a salad…

She cut up various vegetables into a bowl, paused to flip the meat over, and then wrapped the bowl in plastic wrap and put it in the fridge. Once she smelled it cooking, she decided all she 74

ZENA WYNN

really wanted was meat. Too hungry to wait, she pulled the steaks from the oven much earlier than normal.

After forking them onto her waiting plate, she sat at the table with a tall glass of sweet tea and dug in. When she came up for air, all that remained were the bones sitting in a puddle of pink-tinged juice. Tameka rubbed her stomach contentedly. Why had she always insisted that her steaks be well done? Medium-rare was delicious.

She cleaned her mess and was debating on a movie to watch when she heard a car drive up in front of the house.
Wonder who
that is?
Didn’t sound like Chad, and no one else came visiting.

Occasionally, people used her driveway to turn around, but this car was too close to the house, which sat a good ways back from the road.

She went to the kitchen window and peeked out. A woman living alone out in the boonies couldn’t be too careful, especially when the nearest neighbor was a quarter mile away. Tameka relaxed and went to the door when she saw Lulu’s familiar form exiting a light blue Lincoln Continental. When she opened the door, Lulu paused on the first step leading to the porch.

“Lulu,” she greeted cautiously.

“Well, at least you’re still speaking to me. After earlier, I wasn’t sure I’d be welcome,” Lulu told her with a smile.

Tameka pushed the door open wide in a silent invitation to enter. “You didn’t really do anything, other than lock me in the closet.” She was still confused about how Lulu managed it. The lock was on her side of the door. She didn’t remember seeing an additional one on the outside. She mentally shook her head. That was neither here nor there compared with everything else that happened today.

“Sorry about that. There wasn’t time to explain and your presence was only making matters worse.” Lulu stopped in the doorway. “I didn’t come to visit. Your grandmother gave me a letter to give to you, just in case. I promised her I’d pass it along.”

She held out a white, legal sized envelope with Momma E’s handwriting on it. Tameka took it before raising puzzled eyes to Lulu. “I don’t understand. Why did she leave this with you and not the lawyer, along with everything else?” 75

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“Emma said you’d only need this if you moved here and became interested in one of the local men. Chad qualifies, so here I am.”

“But why…?”

“Read it, child,” Lulu interrupted. “Then ask your questions.

I’ll be more than happy to answer them—after. I have to go. See you at the shop tomorrow.” She turned and walked away, leaving Tameka pondering this strange turn of events.

She closed the door as Lulu drove off and went and sat on the couch, flipping the letter over and over in her hand. A letter from Momma E, reaching out to her from beyond the grave. She suppressed a shiver. Tameka stared at it, wondering what thoughts were going through her mind as she wrote it. Did Momma E. know these would be her final words to her beloved granddaughter?

Meka! For God’s sake, just read the letter. I declare!

Tameka jumped, then slid her thumbnail under the seal, opening the envelope. If reading this letter would get rid of the voice in her head, she’d do whatever it said. She determinedly ignored the soft chuckle she heard in response.

Tameka,

If you’re reading this, it means that you did what I’d hoped
you’d do—moved to Refuge and met your mate.