Against All Odds (Shifters) Read online

  “You will?”

  “Baby, I’ll do anything to get between your thighs. You can count on it.” He grabbed the soap from behind her and started washing her body. She didn’t fight him off.

  “I like this,” she said, moaning as he caressed his hands over her back.

  “I’d gladly bathe you all the time.”

  She let out another moan, submitting to his touch. Ben took his time, prolonging everything for her pleasure.

  “I was talking with Dana, and they’re having a Halloween barbeque in a couple of weeks.”

  He’d heard about the barbeque. John had warned him he was going to invite them both. It was time for Heather to know the truth and to start mingling with the others. Ben wasn’t ready to tell her the truth. What if she left him once she knew the truth about her scars?

  Shaking the thoughts from his mind, he listened to her speaking.

  “They want us to be there, and I’d like to go. John cooks a mean barbeque, and I’d really like to get out there. I can’t be cooped up here forever.”

  Did she really feel cooped up?

  “I love spending time with you, but you must be used to going out and about,” she said, soothing some of his fears.

  “I don’t need to go out.”

  “Do you not want to be seen with me?” Heather asked.

  He smelled her disappointment and upset seconds later. Cupping her face, he marvelled at her lack of flinching. “I’ll go with you. I don’t want to force you out into the big wide world. It would be a pleasure arriving with you on my arm.”

  She took a shaky breath and smiled. “Wow, I thought I would be too ugly then or something.”

  Wrapping her fingers around his hardening length, Ben shook his head. “There’s not a chance of me not being attracted to you, Heather. I ache for you.”

  For now he was happy to simply be with her without being inside her.

  Chapter Twelve

  Over the next couple of days Heather was in a state of bliss. She couldn’t believe there was ever a time when Ben wasn’t in her life. He’d taken over her life, and she was so happy. She’d noted that she was always smiling or laughing at something he did or said.

  Brushing her hair, Heather stared at her reflection. The barbeque was tomorrow, and she needed to talk with him about their costume. Dana was visiting them tonight for dinner. She looked forward to being with her friend. Felix was also chancing a visit with Ben. Heather tugged on Ben’s shirt. It was too big, but she loved having his scent surround her. He made her feel comforted with him close by. Fisting her hands at her sides she stared at her reflection.

  The chicken was baking in the oven, and a chocolate cake was sitting on the side on a stand. She’d spent the entire day in the kitchen with Ben. He really could cook, and some of his ideas were amazing. She just hoped his idea of adding a little extra salt to the batter for the cake actually worked. If not, she was going to make him bring himself to orgasm that night.

  Most of their nights were spent in his bedroom. She’d start the night going to her own bed, and as she thought about their time together she’d get aroused. He’d promised to get her off, and the first time had been a joke but now, she went to him whenever she needed a release. She wasn’t using him. There were times when she went to him for a release, but the real reason was because she couldn’t sleep without his arms wrapped around her.

  “Felix and Dana are close by,” Ben said, coming into the room.

  His arms were around her before she turned toward him. He moved so fast at times that he startled her. She loved it when he changed their positions from when she was on top to being underneath him. His cock was a thing of dreams. She loved it pressing against her core.

  “Please, baby, stop, there’s only so much of your creamy, musky scent I can take.” He kissed her neck, his tongue licking over her pulse.

  Her nipples hardened, and cream spilt into her panties. She crossed her legs creating some friction. His hands went from around her waist down to cup her mound.

  “Stop and tonight I’ll lick you until you come on my face twice,” he said.

  “Do you promise?” she asked, whimpering from the pleasure of his touch.

  “Yes.”

  “Okay. We better leave the room. Being close to you makes me want to do other things to you.” She took his hand, leading him out of the bedroom.

  Ben tried to fight her, but she eventually tugged him out of the bedroom. “Why did we invite Dana and Felix?”

  “They’re our friends.”

  “Did I ever mention how friends are overrated?” he asked.

  They made their way down to the kitchen. She put a pan of water on to boil as Ben grabbed the ingredients for the salad from the fridge. These were the moments she loved. She couldn’t get over how easy it was to work beside him in the kitchen.

  “You’ve never mentioned it to me.” She took a carrot strip from his box and nibbled on it. Heather had skipped lunch, and she was starting to feel it. She was starving.

  “We need to come up with a costume for tomorrow,” she said, nibbling on the carrot.

  “I was thinking we could just go as ourselves.”

  “Why? It’s Halloween. We should dress up.”

  He shrugged. “I don’t want our first time out to be covered in some garish costume. Couldn’t we just go as a couple and have fun?”

  Staring into his eyes she saw the seriousness of it. “No costume, just us?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Okay.” She was good with that. Over the years she’d dressed up as a ghost, a witch, and many other things. It would be nice to go as herself. “If you start to get repulsed by me, you could always throw a white blanket over my head,” she said, teasing.

  “Don’t, Heather.”

  “What?” she asked, taking another carrot. He caught her hand.

  “Don’t say stuff like that. You’re a beautiful woman, and I never want you to cover yourself from me.” There was a flash of guilt in his gaze, which disappeared as quickly as it came.

  “Okay. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

  He brought her close, pressing his lips against hers. The doorbell chimed interrupting the moment.

  “See, overrated,” he said.

  Chuckling, Heather left him alone to go and answer the door. Dana and Felix stood waiting. They embraced her as soon as she opened the door.

  “It’s so good to see you, honey. It has been too damn long. Ben won’t let me visit,” Dana said.

  “I do not,” Ben said, coming up behind her.

  Felix shook hands with him and then gave her a hug. There was a small growl coming from Ben, but she ignored it.

  “He’s a little overprotective. I doubt it will ever change,” she said, rubbing his chest.

  “It’s the tiger in him,” Dana said.

  They went into the sitting room, and Heather enjoyed having her friends around. All too soon Ben and Felix were in a conversation about sports, and Dana took her through to the kitchen. “So how are things?” Dana asked.

  She worked with Dana, aware of the difference between working with her friend as opposed to Ben.

  “It’s amazing. He’s like a completely different person.” Heather smiled. She couldn’t even think of the attack and the man he’d shown her to be in the same sentence.

  “And the sex? How’s the sex? He looks like he’d be a rock star in the bedroom.” Dana forked some pasta and started eating from the serving bowl. Heather slapped her hand.

  “We’ve not actually had sex yet.”

  “What? Why not?”

  “We’re doing everything else, and we’re getting used to each other,” Heather said. “Don’t forget we’ve had a lot to overcome.”

  “That’s bullshit. The energy between you two is smoking. You need to fuck him soon, Heather, otherwise you’re going to explode, and that’s my advice.” Dana ate more pasta.

  “I don’t want to rush it or spoil it. What if I make the wrong
move? The only experience I have is with quick flash Mark, remember? He lasted about a minute at best.” Heather cringed thinking about the other man.

  “You’ll never know until you try. I’m sure Ben will be more than happy to show you how it’s done.”

  Dana nudged her shoulder, winking.

  “You’re incorrigible.”

  “I’m a woman who needs details. Lots and lots of details. I’ve made a pact with myself. I’m not having sex again until I find my mate.”

  “How many vibrators have you broken?” Heather asked, smiling.

  “Six, and it has been a week. What can I say? I’m used to a lot of sex.”

  Laughing, Heather listened to her friend moan.

  ****

  Ben watched the women leave, and he was left to look at Felix. The leopard was smirking at him.

  “You’re in love,” Felix said.

  “So, have you found the right woman for you yet?” he asked. No matter how many times he tried to tell Heather his true feelings he always balked and never spoke how he felt.

  “Does Heather know?”

  He shook his head. Ben felt like a coward for not telling her the truth.

  “Why haven’t you told her?”

  “I can’t. What if she laughs in my face? I can’t take that kind of rejection. If I’d not lost control and if I didn’t have the attack hanging over my head I wouldn’t have a problem with speaking the truth.” Standing up, he went to the drinks cabinet and poured himself a small whiskey. He could never get drunk, but he liked the taste of the dark amber liquid. The burn was a welcome relief to the ache in his gut.

  “Regardless of the rejection, she deserves the truth. You owe her that much.”

  Ben handed the other man a drink and took his seat. He heard Dana and Heather talking and smirked when the other woman mentioned the dildos. Felix shuddered. “There are things some men should never know about their sisters.”

  Laughing, Ben took a large gulp of the liquid.

  “She doesn’t know about the scars,” Ben said, finally confessing the truth.

  “What do you mean? Shouldn’t you have told her? Is this why she’s not leaving the house?” Felix asked.

  Taking his time, Ben looked at the leopard and saw the judgement in his eyes. “I can’t bring myself to tell her yet. We’ve not been together fully.”

  “You’ve not fucked her?”

  Wincing, Ben glared at him.

  “Sorry, you’ve not mated with her yet?”

  “No.”

  “Her scent is all over you. I thought you’d gotten down to some business at least,” Felix said.

  “Not yet. We’re doing other things. If I tell her the truth about the scars she could leave me, Felix. I can’t let that happen. I need her.”

  The other man stared at him as if he’d lost his mind. To a point he truly believed he had.

  “You’re not telling her in case she’ll leave you?” Felix asked.

  “I’ve not got any hold over her at all.”

  “I don’t know, Ben. From the way she looks at you I’d say she’s half in love with you, if not more.”

  Shrugging, Ben wished he knew the truth. He wasn’t going to rely on scent alone. With Heather he wanted the truth to come from her lips. There was no way he was going to get the answer from his nose.

  “Dad won’t be happy with her not knowing the truth,” Felix said.

  He’d always intended to tell her the truth about the scars. There would come a point when he’d have to tell her the truth, but until then, he was keeping their secret to himself. He needed to make her fall in love with him before he risked the chance of her leaving him.

  “Well I’ll feel happier leaving you alone with her. There’s no way you’d hurt her. You’re too much in love with her.”

  “Of course I’m in love with her.”

  Dana walked through to the sitting room. “Heather is putting the food on the table. You better tell her the truth, or I will.”

  She stormed out of the room with her arms folded.

  “I’ll keep my sister in check. You’re going to have to tell her soon. You can’t keep something like this from her.”

  “If you both are so against what I’m doing why don’t you just tell her?” Ben asked, tired of their judging looks and attitude.

  “Because you’re her mate. We’re giving you time, and it will be up to Dad what he decides to do.” Felix stood, leaving the room.

  Ben stared at the door wondering what the hell he should do. It seemed everything was against him. Heather popped her head around the door. “Are you coming through?” she asked.

  Getting up he went to her. He tugged her inside the room and cupped her cheek. “I’m going to say something to you, and I don’t want you to say anything at all. In fact leave your thoughts and tell me tomorrow or something.”

  “You’re starting to scare me, Ben.”

  Dropping a kiss to her lips he stared into her eyes.

  “There’s nothing to worry about.” He stopped to look at her. She was his future, and he needed to put himself out there. “I love you, Heather. I’m in love with you. You’re the only person I ever want to spend the rest of my life with.”

  Her eyes glistened with tears.

  “No words, okay? I want you to think about what I’ve said. I’m not expecting anything, but I want you to know that I’m in love with you.”

  Kissing her one final time Ben left to go and eat.

  Throughout the meal he was aware of Heather watching him. He didn’t say anything to her besides what they were discussing in conversation. Felix and Dana brought her out of her shell, and in no time at all they were laughing and eating.

  She really was a good cook, and when they were in the kitchen together the time just flew by.

  When it was time for their guests to go, they saw them out together. They washed their dishes in silence. He knew she wanted to say something. Ben moved up behind her as she was washing the dishes. He wrapped his arms around her waist. She tensed, and he nibbled her neck.

  “I know you want to say something to me, but I’m not ready to hear it. Please, take your time.”

  “What if I want to tell you my thoughts now?” she asked.

  “Keep them to yourself. I love you, and I’m happy. I don’t want you to rush into anything. Think about it, and take your time.”

  Later that night, Heather came to him. When he reached for her, Heather told him no. She didn’t want him to make her feel good. Heather asked him to hold her. For the whole night, he held her and was more than happy to do so.

  Chapter Thirteen

  The following night Heather sat beside Ben. Their day together had been quiet. She’d not known what to say to him. Actually, she did know what to say to him, but he didn’t want to hear her answer. For the first time in her life she wanted to tell him how she felt, and she couldn’t. He’d asked her to wait.

  She pushed the skirt down over her thighs of the white dress she wore. When she’d gone for a shower, Ben had sneaked into her room to leave a dress for her to wear. She’d not worn anything quite so revealing since the attack.

  The attack felt like a lifetime ago. She tried to get angry with him. Every time she thought about their meeting she felt relieved rather than angry.

  Her life was a mess. She’d fallen for the man who scarred her, and he wouldn’t let her speak her thoughts.

  “Are you okay?” he asked.

  She watched as he reached out to her, grabbing her hand.

  “I’m nervous. You don’t think this is showing too much flesh, do you?”

  “No. You’re beautiful, and I’ll be the luckiest guy in the world.” He kissed her hand and sped toward the Ashton household. “Will your parents be there tonight?”

  “No, they hate Halloween. They’ll probably be home watching the news or something.” Her parents never celebrated Halloween, and they’d only given in for a tree at Christmas.

  “Next year we’ll decora
te our home. We can have scarecrows and spiders. We’ll have a pot of candy for the kids to come and earn.”

  Heather chuckled. “You’d do that for me.”

  He reached behind her chair and handed her a wrapped parcel. “This is just a little something I picked up with you in mind.”

  The parcel felt like a book. She turned it over and started tearing off the wrapping.

  “I thought we could try something from there next year or maybe more?”

  It was a Halloween style cook book. Flicking through the pages she was touched by his consideration.

  “Thank you,” she said.

  “Do you like it?”

  “I didn’t even get you anything.”

  “I’ve got you, honey. I don’t need anything else. You’re the best gift I could have had.”

  Tears filled her eyes once again. It was like she spent most of her time in a state of tears.

  He parked in front of the Ashton house, and before he turned the engine off Heather flung herself into his arms. “This is sweet, thank you.”

  “It’s a cook book.”

  “You bought it with so much promise. Thank you.” She wasn’t going to let him spoil the moment. The book meant so much to her.

  “I think we need to get inside before I take you and have my way with you.”

  She pulled away. “I wouldn’t mind if you did.”

  He stroked her cheek. “We’re going to this party, and then we’ll see how the night leaves us.”

  They headed inside hand in hand.

  John and Kathleen were there to greet them. She giggled when she saw both were dressed as leopards. “It’s a hectic year. So many kids to feed,” John said.

  “I love your costumes,” she said.

  “Thanks, honey. Ben told us you weren’t going to be dressing up this year.”

  Ben tightened his grip on hers.

  “You look beautiful, Heather,” John said.

  She smiled. They were moved along and couldn’t help laughing at some of the costumes. She noticed several shifters had dressed in their animal.