Chapter 16 Rowen
Chapter sixteen
Rowen
Waking up with a warm body wrapped around me was a new sensation. Even as a child, I had no memory of sharing a bed with anyone. My tentacles hadn’t come out to play like they did some mornings, and I could only assume I was fully sated from sex the night before.
Wow. I had sex.
The revelation hit me all at once, and I took a deep breath to avoid tensing up. Cam was asleep on my chest, their full lips partially open as they drooled on one pec. Too cute to disturb.
With my arms wrapped around them, I felt similar to how I had in the hot tub. I liked Cam in my arms. I could carry their weight for pleasure, but also my protective instincts came out in full force.
If Cam let me, I’d never stop touching them. They would never have to worry about someone laying a hand on them, or even looking at them sideways. The feeling was almost overwhelming.
Going from only caring about my packmates platonically, to “touch Cam and die,” was a huge leap in only a few days. Though it had been three months since I first met them and decided I wanted to see them every day. So was it really that fast?
Despite my best efforts, my thoughts became loud enough to be expressed though my body, and Cam stirred. They froze for a moment, their hand moving from beside me on the bed to grip my shoulder.
“Good morning,” I whispered, my breath moving their curly hair with its bleached tips that had been tickling my beard.
Cam was naked, with nothing between us, because that’s how they fell asleep.
I could have forced clothes on them and taken Cam home, but I hadn’t wanted to let them go. “Sleep okay?”
Cam cracked one eye open and squirmed a bit. Mumbling as their hand wandered down to my hip, I saw the humor in their eyes. “You’re very cuddly, but your tentacles are probably comfy, too.”
The casual reminder that Cam knew the other side of me had me grinning down at them. I ran blunt nails up and down their back and Cam shivered. “I imagine they are, though I wouldn’t know.”
“Right,” Cam moved against me and turned to prop their chin on one hand over my nipple. “Am I the first person you’ve ever cuddled with?”
Swallowing hard, I nodded wordlessly.
“Well, how do you like the new experience?”
“So far so good,” I chuckled, stopping my hand at the top of their ass. Thinking about how mind-blowing it felt to be inside of Cam the night before had my dick thickening. “Everything with you has been amazing.”
“Mmm, agreed,” Cam told me and licked their lips as if imagining what we’d done. “I’d be up to go again if my curiosity wasn’t poking at me.”
“Okay.” I bit my lip and moved a hand up their back to play with the hair at Cam’s nape. “What do you want to know?”
Cam grinned and launched right in as if they’d been waiting for permission to ask.
“You said there were all kinds of shifters in Blue Lake. When you say ‘all kinds,’ how many are there? Is Blue Lake some kind of safe-haven, or are they everywhere? Does everyone in town know? Does my boss know? Wait, is he a shifter? Am I the only one who doesn’t know? ”
Their voice had gotten progressively higher with each word, and I moved to cover their lips so I could reply. Cam mimed zipping their lips and throwing away the key.
“Slow down, there’s no time limit on asking.
” Shaking my head with a smile, I tried to answer all of their questions.
“There are mainly wolf shifters in the town of Blue Lake, but there are also bear and coyote shifters in the area. I’d say there are a few dozen in total that I know about within a 30 minutes drive, so that’s a lot considering the low population.
Cities have shifters, but not usually packs or territories, because it’s harder to smell one another.
” I paused to remember what else Cam and asked and they stayed silent, patiently waiting.
“Most people in town have no clue the club is also a pack of shifters, or that shifters even exist, but a few are friendly. Your boss has a vague idea about us, but isn’t a shifter. ”
Waiting for Cam to respond to the revelation, I didn’t expect what came out of their mouth.
“I think that’s the most words I’ve ever heard you say all at once.”
“Ha,” I barked out a laugh, shaking Cam on top of me with the force of it. “Well, you asked a lot of questions. And I like talking to you.”
“I like talking to you, too,” Cam grinned, running his fingers through my chest hair. “Wait, are there more shifters like you?”
“No,” I shook my head as my smile faded. “I’ve never met another octopus shifter. Since I don’t remember my parents.”
Cam looked at me for a moment before shifting closer to whisper a breath away from my lips. “Can I kiss you?”
“Yeah,” I whispered back, in awe that this beautiful creature wanted me. “Any time.”
“I’ll take you up on that,” Cam smirked before pressing their lips to mine.
Using my hands at their lower back and neck, I pressed Cam closer, wanting to taste them. We hadn’t brushed our teeth, but I could still taste the salty-sweet essence of Cam as I tangled my tongue with theirs.
When I thought my shift was about to burst free without my permission, from the sheer pleasure their kiss brought me, Cam pulled away.
Before I could ask why they stopped, Cam nudged my nose with theirs.
The gesture was adorable and sweet, and I found I wanted any and all touch Cam wanted to give me.
“I like you,” I blurted without thought. Cam blinked at me as their eyes crinkled at the corners. “I like you, too, Rowen.
“I mean. I really like you,” I clarified, in case my point wasn’t clear. I hadn’t planned to say anything, but once it was out there, I needed to be sure Cam understood my feelings. “I want to see more of you. If you want. If you’re alright after seeing and hearing more about me?”
Cam pressed a chaste kiss to my lips and sat up. I thought he was going to make some excuse to leave, but he held his hand out. “I want to see more of you too. How about I see you in the shower?”
Had I finally found someone who accepted me as I was? I didn’t need to think too deeply about it. I wanted Cam and they told me in words and actions they wanted me as well.
Taking their hand, I stood up to pull Cam’s body against mine. “Lucky for you, I have a shower big enough for two.”
“Then lead the way, Red,” Cam teased, using my nickname with a sparkle in their eyes. I had a feeling they were referring to the color of my tentacles and not my hair, a subtle nod to accepting my shifted form.
A shiver ran down my spine at the implication. Cam might be the perfect person for me, and I planned to find out.