Chapter 11
Beck
No man should be allowed to have this much fun.
South Beach was electric, music coming from dozens of colorful venues.
There were people on the street, more crowding the sidewalk on the other side, the beach and ocean water adjacent.
The atmosphere was eclectic with people dressed in everything from bathing suits even at this time of night to women in long dresses.
We were still wearing the ridiculous costumes, although I’d removed the heavy helmet while leaving the ugly wig.
For once, it was fun to be someone I wasn’t, pretending to be just a guy out with a hot girl for the evening.
And man, Sloane looked like every man’s wet dream in the short skirt and corset.
I was thrown by my own raging hormones even while selecting a couple of bottles of booze in the liquor store near her hotel.
“Oh, wifey. Are you about finished?”
She groaned as soon as she rounded a corner, coming down the aisle. I could honestly toss her on the floor and fuck her right here. What did that say about me? That I was more of a Neanderthal than man?
Maybe.
“Oh, I’m just getting started.” The smile on her face could knock and keep a man on his knees.
“Be careful what you’re asking for, baby.” I grabbed the bottle from her hand and headed to the cash register.
“Super fans, huh?” the guy asked.
“Yeah, a little bit.” I was ready to pull out cash.
“Well, you better be careful,” he said. “There are also a bunch of Miami super fans around here.” He laughed. “They don’t take kindly to foreigners.”
“Well, the team played well,” I said. They had. Only we’d been better. “So we’re celebrating.”
When I smiled, she elbowed me, a sign to keep my cool.
The clerk rang up the bottles, shaking his head. “If it hadn’t been for that big, dumb shifter using his superhuman strength, we would have won the game. Sorry. I don’t mean to ruin your evening.”
Where I was going to allow the man to live in his artful fantasy, my companion, the feisty woman she was, immediately opened her mouth to spew off some shit. So I did what any man in this situation would do, I filled her mouth with something to keep her quiet.
While only my tongue at this point, I’d thought about nothing but kissing her since finding her in the stands when I’d stepped foot on the ice. Once I had, the night felt as it if had belonged to me. I’d wanted to win not only for the team but for her.
That’s what I’d set out to do and that’s what had occurred.
Having her in my arms had just made my evening and if for any reason she believed we were going to spend the night talking, she was sorely mistaken. The kiss was even more powerful than before, awakening my wolf again. The jolts of current were insane, more like live wires in a lightning storm.
I was shocked how hungry I’d instantly become, my heart pounding in my chest while my dick was pinched in my zipper from being so swollen. The two of us were on fire, the need building to the point that if we weren’t careful, we wouldn’t get out of the store.
Where she’d been shocked at first at my impetuous actions, her body relaxed and she rolled her hand over my shoulder. The way she tangled her fingers in my hair tugged at my desire in a way that could be dangerous.
She was in the process of devouring my tongue when the clerk cleared his throat.
He was forced to do so a second time before she pushed her hand between us, her face instantly flushing.
“That’ll be forty-two fifty.”
I had the bills in my hand before my mischievous side took over and I ripped out a credit card. When I handed it to him, I held onto the edge briefly, which forced him to look at the name on the card.
His three shades of red faded to something akin to pea soup.
“Oh,” he said, slowly lifting his gaze. I’d be damned if the man wasn’t shaking with fear.
She slipped her hand to the small of my back, digging her nails in on purpose. “Pay the man, honey. We have some serious business to get to between the sheets.”
The poor guy continued fumbling but finally finished the transaction, backing away even before I could grab the bag. Once we reached the exit and I opened the door for her, I couldn’t resist. I let off a howl that would hopefully give him nightmares for many nights to come.
“You are a one big brat. Do you know what you just did to that man?”
“Hopefully put the fear of God into him.”
She swatted me on the butt, backing away as if she was going to run from me. I stopped long enough to shake my head. People were walking by, some stopping to gawk, others obviously unhappy in our choice of hockey team.
But in that moment, there was no one but the two of us.
“You do know what will happen if you run from me.” My voice was low and husky, likely drowned out by the noise on the street.
But whatever our connection, it was tethered so tightly that I was certain she heard me. “Only if you catch me.”
Her playfulness was everything I needed after worrying about my father.
No matter his insistence, the heart attack had been terrifying and more than just an inconvenience.
While he hadn’t needed surgery, his diet needed to change and he’d likely be on human medication for the rest of his life.
Something he would fight with everything he had in him, but things were changing in our world in every way.
Including medically.
I was certain he’d been watching the game, even if he’d had to sneak around to do so.
She blew me a kiss and disappeared into the crowd. Did she really think she was going to get away from me?
Not a chance.
I was a wolf after all. I hung back, allowing her to believe she was getting away from me. All while watching every move she made, ensuring she was protected from the crazies walking the streets.
She spun around a couple of times and I could tell she knew right where I was. Which was exactly why I moved into a doorway and out of her line of sight.
Of course I continued paying attention to what she was doing, including feeling her momentary concern rippling through my body. How strange that the longer I knew her, the more connected we became.
A fleeting thought had entered my mind that she could be my mate. After all, Ford’s mate was very human. But he’d felt the pull right away. You bet my hunger had been off the charts with Sloane, but I couldn’t call it a mating connection.
Yet right now, my body was sweating from need and I could swear I honestly could read her mind even though I’d been teasing her earlier.
I popped my head out, unable to find her. Maybe she was onto me. It was about time I allowed my senses to take over and track her.
So that’s exactly what I did, using my keen sense of smell to hunt her. Once inside the lobby of the hotel, I took a deep breath.
If she didn’t think I’d simply break down every door until I found her, she didn’t understand wolf mentality at all. I even felt her pulse increasing, the pounding of her heart echoing in my ears.
I moved silently through the guests, constantly scanning the first floor. My need for my wolf ended when I noticed toned legs moving through the crowd. There was no need to run, but I took long strides and just before the elevator door closed, I stepped inside.
Her look of surprise was quickly veiled by a savagely wicked smile. The sexy Viking helmet she’d worn slowly came crashing down, but the cute blonde braids of the wig were still in place.
“You’re a very bad girl.”
“I aim to please.”
The hotel was older, only five stories with a rooftop bar. She’d selected the fifth floor. When I noticed her choice, I also discovered a handy dandy button that I could use.
With a step back, I laughed. “I think it’s about time you learned who is in charge.” She definitely wasn’t expecting me to press the stop button on the elevator or for the cramped steel box to jerk to a halt.
But both occurred between floors, which made what I was about to do that much more sinful.
“What are you doing?” The flash in her eyes created an even more powerful wave of hunger. I could eat the woman alive.
Sorry, wolfie. Not completely.
“Making good on the promise I made you. You ran so now you’ll pay the price.” All I needed was a single step and ended only inches from her. While I’d love to fuck her right here, I doubted the hotel staff would allow the elevator to remain out of operation for long.
My eyes caught a bottom rail surrounding the base of the elevator. Perfect. Without providing her with any additional warnings, I planted my foot on the thick piece of metal and yanked her over my knee.
“What is this?” She fought me as expected, but I wrapped my arm down across her back and yanked up the short skirt. When I revealed the slender string between her buttocks, I was pretty certain I’d need to get us behind closed doors as quickly as possible.
She could literally drive the beast right out of me.
“I’m giving you a lesson in challenging the big, bad wolf. That is what you want. Isn’t it? I know that’s exactly what you need.”
Without wasting any time, I brought my hand down on her bottom. Damn if the harsh sting didn’t feel good. So I did it again, moving to the other butt cheek.
“Ouch. You can’t do this,” she insisted while throwing her arm back to protect herself.
I politely moved her hand, bringing my palm down twice more. The sound was exacerbated given the dense space and composition of the elevator.
“Oh, I can and I will.” With her, smiling was easy to do and I was not only grateful with having her presence, I was also one hungry man. Three more smacks and the way she was wiggling brought a delicious wafting scent of her natural fragrance.
My curiosity piqued, I ripped down her panties. She was definitely turned on, so much so I caught a glimpse of her glistening pussy.
“You are going to get it for this.” As soon as she managed to smack my chest with her arm, I pinned it against her back and smacked her even harder.
There was nothing like the sound of skin slapping skin.
“Beautiful. Perfect,” I told her before spanking her in earnest.