I pull on the soft t-shirt and boxers feeling oddly cared for. I haven't been doing a decent job of it myself lately and it's nice. I've only known Sam one day, but our connection solidifies more every minute that passes.
When I come out, I find Sam in front of his laptop, zipping through information with quick swipes of his finger.
"Um, thanks for the clothes."
He turns and then does a double-take, his gaze skittering over my breasts. Without a bra, my nipples protrude through the thin fabric of his t-shirt. They harden under his scrutiny.
He gives a strangled laugh. "Looks different on you."
My lips twitch. I kind of love it when he gets awkward. Knowing that I caused it. "Goodnight, Sam."
He nods solemnly. As I start to walk away, he calls after me. "Lock your door."
I pause. "Why?"
"To keep me out." His gravelly tone holds dark warning.
A shiver of excitement runs through me.
I've had lots of humans, Layne. But none who made me lose control like you do.
I shouldn't be so flattered by the fact that my life's in danger.
But I totally am.
Layne
I STIR IN DARKNESS. I'm not sure what jolted me awake-some kind of animal noise.
There. I hear it again. It's a snarl. A wolf snarl.
Where I am and what's happened floods in. I throw the covers back and climb out of bed as if my body is compelled forward by some unseen force.
I unlock the door before I remember Sam's warning.
I could hurt you, Layne.
I don't believe it. Yes, I see a struggle in him, but I can't believe he'd hurt me. Not when he's trying so hard to keep me safe.
A low, continuous growl comes from the darkened living room. I pad down the narrow hall in my bare feet and stop short, my heart constricting.
Sam's asleep on the couch-if I can call it sleeping. He's obviously in a nightmare. His lips peel back from his teeth, feet pump like he's running.
"Sam?" I go to the couch and stand over him.
He doesn't hear me, doesn't wake. His head thrashes from side to side and his fingers close in a fist.
I lay my palm on his chest and try again. "Sam?"
"Mmm." His breath evens. He covers my hand and takes a deep breath, his muscled chest lifting and widening.
Satisfied I've interrupted his nightmare, I slide my hand out from under his, but he immediately grows restless again.
I drag my lower lip through my teeth, debating. Should I wake him?
He kicks out one leg and gives an unearthly snarl. Sweat beads on his forehead.
"Sam."
He snatches out in my direction and grips my upper arm. He mutters something I can't understand, lids fluttering over rapid eye movement.
"Sam, you're having a dream."
He makes a wounded sound and drags me forward until I fall on top of him, my body sprawling over his on the couch.
He gives a long shudder and his entire body falls quiet, breath slowing. His arms band around me. He's not a huge guy, but damn, he's strong. I can't move more than a half inch in either direction. I squirm around, certain the weight of my body and my movement will wake him, but it doesn't.
I lay my head on his chest, not because I plan to stay on top of him for the rest of the night, only because it's just too inviting to resist.
As soon as my head is nested under his chin, my own body relaxes. The sound of his heartbeat under my ear soothes me like a baby asleep on her mother's chest.
Sam mutters something again, and I think I catch my name, but I can't be sure.
"What's that?" I ask.
No answer.
I squirm again, testing his hold on me, but I'm still imprisoned by the steel bands of his arms.
Fine.
I'll just doze here until he moves them. Surely he'll wake soon and realize what he's done.
~.~
Sam
I EMERGE from the pit swallowing me, burying me alive. Darkness lifts, the sun glows warm. I run through a meadow, chasing another animal. No, not an animal. A female. Layne.
She laughs, her long, straight black hair flying out behind her in a curtain. She twists to look back at me, to make sure I'm following and I laugh, no longer a wolf. I catch her around the waist and spin her through the air, letting the warm rays of the sun hit us both. We fall to the soft flowered earth. I'm on my back and she's on top of me. Her legs part and she straddles my hips.
The soft, warm happy moment takes on a different pitch. A much hotter tone. Her berry lips part as she brings her mouth to mine.
I thrust up into the notch of her thighs, grip her ass with both hands and pull her hips down over mine.
She lets out a little mewl and it makes my cock rock hard. My hips snap as I grind her heat down along the hard ridge of my cock in my jeans.
She was wearing a dress, but now it's morphed into boxer briefs. I slide my hands down into them to squeeze her bare ass.
A ray of sunlight shines directly in my eyes and I blink.
And choke.
Not a dream.
Layne is, indeed, on top of me and my hands are down her shorts. Light shines in through a window in the mobile home.
She pushes on my chest like she's trying to get away from me.
I jerk beneath her. As if I'm still in a dream where my body won't obey what my mind commands, I can't seem to release her. In fact, my hands tighten on her ass, squeezing that plump flesh in the most proprietary way imaginable.
"Sam."
How long has she been saying my name?