Chapter Four
chapter four
DANTE
A ugust and I spend the week together and it’s amazing. I only worked two nights out of the week, but he’s sat with me during both shifts, writing away on his napkins and sending me flirty glances every now and then. He doesn’t seem bored while I work—he seems content, even with all the noise and people flirting with me.
Every evening, we go back to his room and fool around, learning each other’s bodies. But it doesn’t feel cheap. It feels real, new, fun, and interesting.
It would be cliche to say that I’ve never felt this way before. But it’s true. Being a dino shifter, I don’t trust many people. After a while, I’ll have to slip out, mostly in the middle of the night to shift, letting my Spinosaurus swim and hunt in the open water. My partner will start to ask questions and wonder where I’m going and think I’m cheating. That’s why I keep men at arm’s length. I don’t think they would be okay with me being a shifter.
Something about August strikes me as the type that wouldn’t care about my dino. He would, I don’t know, protect me? He’s already said more times than I can count that he can’t wait for the crowds to disperse so the creature can come back out and live its life.
Maybe if I showed him that it was me, he’d stay. He could be the one that I trust with my secret. It’s been a week—very quick, I know—but I already trust him. I’ve never even thought to show anyone my dino before. Makes me think that I might be on the right track with August.
The only thing holding me back is him leaving. He’s said he needs to return home a few times, but quickly says he still has time. I feel like he’s staying for me, and not the “creature” as he calls my dino. I should be offended, but I’m not because he doesn’t know what it is to give it an actual name and he says the word creature with respect in his voice.
I like that a lot.
Hell, I like him . Or … maybe something more? Could it be love this fast? The sex is hot and August is great company, but is that enough?
My shift ends and I take August’s hand, threading it with mine as we walk to his room. When we get inside, instead of pushing him against the door and kissing him silly, I take his hand and pull him to the bedroom. I packed a bag the day I showed him around and I haven’t left since.
Maybe when he checks out, he can come and stay at my little cottage. It’s not much, but it’s home.
August raises an eyebrow but removes his shoes and climbs in bed beside me. I open my arms and he settles against me, and I drag my fingers through his hair. August hums, nuzzling closer as I rub my nails against his scalp. “That feels good,” he says in a quiet voice.
“I like making you feel good.”
He raises his head to look at me. “Yeah? Why is that? ”
My heart starts pounding and I know he hears it, but I don’t care. I need to tell him how I feel, at least in part. The part I understand. “I like you a lot, August. I feel whole when I’m with you. You’re the first person I’ve felt I could trust.”
“You can trust me,” he says quickly, his eyes soft and tone earnest.
“I know.” I kiss his nose and brush a thumb down his cheek.
Sighing, he lies back down. “I trust you too.” I smile, happy that I’m not in this alone. “Crowds are dying down. People are leaving because they haven’t seen the creature.”
I’m thankful for that. Tips will go down, but this is still a tourist spot, so I won’t starve. It’ll be nice to have my city back.
I’ve also been restless. I haven’t let my dino out in almost two weeks. I usually take my boat out, anchor it and dive in, shifting underwater and swim out a few miles, being free. With all these people around, I don’t dare risk it. But when we looked out at the beach earlier, there were only a few tents. It was like a mass exodus, cars leaving quickly and some drivers looking put out for having their time wasted.
Maybe August and I can chance it tonight. We can look at the stars and I can shift so he knows what’s out there. Hopefully, he likes what he sees.
“Wanna go on my boat tonight?” I ask, wrapping my arm around him, feeling his round belly. God, I love his body. He feels so good against me, his soft body warm when we cuddle.
“I’d love that. It might be the only time for a while.”
My heart stutters and I move him so he’s looking at me. “What do you mean?”
“I think it’s time I head back to my place. I’m not sure if I’ll stay, but I think … I don’t know … I think I may need to move on from here.”
“Why? I thought you liked it.” That silly organ in my chest thumps hard, even though I try to calm myself. I knew this would come sooner or later. I knew August might want to leave, but I didn’t think I only had a week with him. I thought I had more time.
August sits up, pulling his legs under him as he faces me. “I do. I love it here. That’s the problem.”
I give him a curious and confused look. “How could that be a problem?”
He sighs, leaning back on the headboard. “You’ll think I’m crazy.”
“Never.”
“I’ve always felt a sense of urgency. I always felt like I needed to be on the move, to see the sights, get some culture, travel, and gain new experiences. Since I’ve been here, I haven’t had that. And it scares the shit out of me.”
Lacing our fingers, I bring it to my chest. “What are you afraid of?”
August lets out a shuddering breath, then looks at me with a question in his eyes. “I’m afraid that I’ll love it here too much and never want to leave. I’m afraid I’ll get attached … to you and to this place. I don’t want my heart broken.”
“I won’t do that. I want you here. If you want to stay, I’d really love that. Maybe tonight, after we go out on the boat, you can make up your mind for sure.” I don’t want August to say he’ll stay, then see my dino and is afraid of me. It would suck big time to get my hopes up, thinking the man I’m falling for will be open to us having a future, only for him to run for the hills when he sees my other form.
Or maybe I won’t show him. Maybe I’ll keep it to myself. It’s better than the alternative .
Immediately, I push that from my head. August deserves the truth, even if I get my heart broken. I need to grow a spine and let someone in. Let my future partner in. Because that’s what I want August to be. I want him, now and for as long as he’ll have me. He’s it. He’s the one.
August nods, then stretches. “If we’re going out, we should get going soon. It’s almost one in the morning. Do you plan to take us far out?”
“Yeah. The tide has calmed, so we can go further out and be okay. My boat can handle it.”
We get our things together and I organize a small bag with water and a few snacks. As well as a special something.
Hand in hand, we walk to my car and I feel complete. Who would have thought the hot, nerdy looking guy that sat at my bar would be the man I’m falling head over heels for? Who would have thought that him saying he wanted to see my dino, but not profit from it would be what made me want to get to know him?
The drive out to my boat is quick, just over the hill from his hotel. While we’re driving, one of his songs comes on and he chuckles. “I never stop getting butterflies when I hear my words on the radio.” I turn it up but can catch a hint of him singing along. Despite what he says, August has a good singing voice. I wish I could hear it more clearly, but I don’t want to embarrass him.
By the time the song is over, we’re at the marina. There’s no one around but the security guard. After I show him my ID and give him my boat slip, he lets us through. August follows closely behind me, and I smile faintly as I think about us doing this all the time. August coming out with me to watch the stars after I shift.
My palms grow sweaty when I think about that bit. The only people I’ve shifted in front of are my parents. There aren’t many Spinosaurus shifters left, most of us mating with human women and the genes not passing. It’s not widely known that Spinosaurus males can have children if they want, since we’re born of eggs. Hell, it’s not widely known we exist, so no one would be privy to that information.
If August and I did make a future together, would he want to raise shifter young? Unlike my parents, I’d like to remain in my children’s lives past adulthood. Maybe if they’re half me and half August, they’d want that too.
We climb on my boat, August strapping himself in to the seat and putting on a life jacket. I put one on as well, then set out to take us far out to sea. I have a full tank of gas, so I can take us out up to three hundred miles and still have enough fuel to get back. But about twenty or thirty miles will do.
When I get us far enough out that we can’t see the shore, I turn off the boat and drop anchor. August takes off this seat belt and walks over to where I’m sitting in the captain’s chair. He wraps his arm around me and kisses me gently on the neck.
“It’s gorgeous this far out. No lights, no people. Just the stars and the open ocean.”
“Does that frighten you? I know some people don’t like being this far away from shore.”
He puts his face against my cheek and shakes his head. “Not even a little bit. Makes me realize how small I am in the whole scheme of the universe. It puts things in perspective.” He waves his hand out, indicating the water before us. “Looking at the water around us and the stars above, makes me feel small. But not in a bad way. Makes me want to make every day count.”
I turn around in his arms and kiss him gently. He straddles me in my chair grinding his thick ass on my lap. I want nothing more than to be inside him. But he has to know everything about me before we take that step.
Slowly, I pull away from him, taking a deep breath. “I have something to show you, August. I want … I don’t want you to be afraid. I won’t hurt you, okay?”
“I know?—”
“Just … know that. I won’t be able to talk to you soon.”
He looks at me with knitted eyebrows. I pat his hip and he stands, moving back to his seat.
Slowly, staring at him all the while, I start to strip. I could shift with my clothes on, but I didn’t bring a spare set with us. I didn’t want August to ask too many questions. I always keep a towel on board, so I won’t have to put on wet clothes.
He watches me with hungry eyes and I smirk. “Mind out of the gutter,” I tell him. August grins and sits back, his erection prominent.
Shaking my head, I shuck my underwear then take a deep breath. “Don’t be scared,” I say, then dive into the water. I hear him shout my name, but I ignore him as I swim out a few paces. Then I duck underwater, close my eyes and shift.