H is heart jumping, Frankie watched Selma walk back to her office, carrying the bunch of flowers. She was stronger than he was, he realized. So tiny and feminine, her soft curves encased in a sexy pink pleated skirt and blue-and-white striped sweater, but she had guts and was willing to risk her heart for him, even though she’d been hurt so recently .
He liked the idea of these two weeks, and he was determined it was going to work out. Mate , his bear purred. He wouldn’t let her go without a fight this time. He was going to be the best bear he could be. He drove back to her place as fast as he dared. She’d said she would try to take some time off work so they could spend as much time together as possible, and he wanted to get the gazebo finished fast. It was nearly done. He’d been working on the ornamental carvings all of the previous day while trying, unsuccessfully, to put her out of his mind. He’d nailed them in this morning, and they looked pretty good. All that remained was to add the roof, which would be made from metal tiles, and to weather-proof all the wood .
He worked fast all afternoon, the thought of seeing Selma filling him with energy .
When he heard the creak of the garden gate handle being turned, adrenaline prickled in his chest. He dropped his tools and ran to meet her. Her smile was like a sunburst, but there were dark smudges beneath her eyes. He took her into his arms right away, knowing something had hurt her. “What is it, baby?” he murmured against her hair as he stroked her back .
“Oh, nothing. People at work think I’m crazy. After I admitted to everyone what I’d done during afternoon break, there was a lot of whispering, and Joan Simmons was kind of mean. I overheard her saying she should’ve guessed I was paying you to be my boyfriend. It was the only way someone like me could get a guy like you. I hate her .”
“What?” Clasping her shoulders, he drew back and gazed into her eyes. “You’re beautiful, Selma. Why would she say that ?”
She shrugged. “Because she’s a skinny bitch. She gives me and Luciana dirty looks when we order dessert in the canteen and always talks loudly about ‘the hidden calories in things’ when we’re nearby. She was so shocked when I brought you to the engagement party her eyes almost fell out of her head. Then when she found out you weren’t my real boyfriend, she had such a self-satisfied look on her face .”
Frankie ground his teeth together. How could anyone hurt his girl? She was perfect, her curves so lovely and sexy. His bear wanted to go sniff out this Joan Simmons and give her a fright she was never going to forget. Maybe he’d do that later. But making Selma feel better was more important right now. He embraced her again. “You’re perfect the way you are. If your miserable colleague wants to buy into all that crap the media’s peddling, that’s her problem. She’s probably at home weighing herself and eating lentils. At the same time .”
Selma laughed. “Are you sure you like my curves ?”
A muted growl escaped his lips. “Have I not given you that impression already ?”
“Yes, but—” Her eyes were wide, full of vulnerability. “I don’t know.” She shook her head. “You’re just so muscular and perfect. Even when Joan thought you were my boyfriend, I heard her saying you’d dump me when you found a skinnier model .”
This time, he couldn’t restrain his bear’s growl. “Listen to me—shifters prefer curves, it’s a well-known fact. You won’t find a single member of my clan mated to a skinny-minny. You’ll find out for yourself when I introduce you to everyone. “Now, I’m going to show you exactly how much I love your curves.” He lifted her so her legs wrapped around his hips, and with a rumble of barely contained desire, he brought her into the house and carried her up the stairs .
Hours later, they lay on her bed naked, the curtains open and moonlight streaming across their bodies. She’d been shy to leave the curtains open while they mated, but he insisted, desperate to feast his eyes on every inch of her. And the more worked up he got her, the less she cared about him seeing her. He’d made her come with his tongue, then they’d mated twice, and now they were lounging on the bed, waiting for their pizza delivery to arrive. Selma looked even more beautiful post orgasm, her eyes and cheeks glowing and her lips redder than ever .
Did you manage to take some time off work?” he asked her .
Her eyes glistened. “Yes! Turns out I’ve been working so hard I’m due six days off. I can’t start until Thursday though, as my boss needs to cover my shifts .”
He stroked her hair. “That’s not such a bad thing. It should give me time to finish the gazebo, so we can spend a little time sitting in it before it gets too cold out there .”
“I’d like that,” she said, snuggling into the crook of his arm. “It’ll be real special sitting there, knowing you’ve made it with your own hands .”
The doorbell went, and she skipped out of bed, pulled on a bathrobe, and collected the pizza. She brought it back upstairs and they ate lounging on the bed .
As she reached for a slice, her bathrobe fell open a little, revealing a flash of her cleavage, and despite all the sex they’d had, he felt himself hardening again. He swore by the time the two weeks were up, he was going to make her understand she was the sexiest woman in the universe .