“Mmm, this is perfect,” she murmured, relaxing and letting her hands float on the surface.
I turned her around to face me, and her legs wrapped around my back. My hard dick nestled into the seam of her pussy.
“It’s been nice having you here this week,” I said, trying to keep my thoughts off of my dick and the fact that if I just shifted her a little bit, I’d be buried deep inside her.
“It’s been amazing,” she agreed, looping her arms around my neck. “I don’t just mean the sex.”
The thought of her leaving next week already made me want to tear down a tree.
“How attached are you to that job of yours in Colorado?”
Whoa. Had that fallen out of my mouth?
I hadn’t meant to inquire. I really wasn’t even sure what I was suggesting. It just came out. Yet I wanted to know the answer.
Her expression turned wistful. “Pretty attached. It pays well, and if I end up needing to get someone in to care for Pops during the day, that could get expensive. If I’m being realistic, that’s going to happen and soon.”
“Right, your Pops.” I swallowed. I tried to never think of my grandparents. When I did, it was never in a caring or loving way. It was odd to take a blood relative into account since I had none. My brain ran through possibilities. Possibilities that involved Charlie and her grandfather moving out to Wolf Ranch. Cooper Valley could use another large animal veterinarian, and I was sure Audrey would have connections to support for memory care.
“Well, he’d be pretty safe out on a ranch,” I found myself offering.
Charlie swallowed, locking gazes with me. “Wh-what are you saying?”
I shrugged. What was I saying? Did I really want to settle down and make a life with a human? It would mean our children surely wouldn't shift.
Our children?
Holy shit!
Was I really this far with my fantasies of not giving up Charlie?
Apparently I was. But shifters bonded more quickly than humans. She needed more than a week before she figured I might be more than just a fling.
We’d known each other for a week. A week! Most humans had leftovers in their fridge longer than that.
I didn’t want to scare her off. So I hedged. “I’m just saying I like this.” I gave her a squeeze. “I like you, Charlie.” The words in my head were actually, I love you, but I didn’t want to freak her out. She thought too much as it was. I didn’t need to give her more to stew on.
“It’s probably way too soon to start suggesting long-term things, but I also don’t like the idea of you packing up next week and leaving forever. I’d really love to explore the possibility of something more.”
Charlie’s eyes misted, and she blinked rapidly. “Wow. Um. I don’t know what to say.”
Shut down. Totally. I had to pull back, recover, even though my words had been laid as bare as we were.
“Well, let’s stay open to more,” I hedged. “I mean, if you feel the same.”
“I do,” she said.
“Or we can just work on that orgasm chart I know is in your head. I’m guessing you need a few more for your tally.”
She laughed. “Orgasm chart?”
“Not that? Well, since you were a virgin and all, I’m guessing you haven’t had sex outdoors before?”
Her rolled eyes were the answer I was looking for.
“Give me an hour. You can cross that off your list.”
I carried her out of the water, suddenly desperate to punch another hole in her sex bingo card—the one for outdoor sex. I laid her on the thick blanket I’d brought and showed her exactly how much fun it could be. I just had to stay focused on the fling... not the forever.
22
CHARLIE
The next day, Levi had gone into town for a shift. He’d said goodbye as I’d been drinking my coffee in the bunkhouse kitchen. It was such a simple thing, but it showed that we were together. Sharing a living space. Sharing a bed. Sharing an intimate moment where a couple said goodbye to each other as we parted ways to spend our day at work.
It had been nice but scary, after what Levi had shared at the watering hole the day before. He’d admitted to wanting more. Even asked if I’d be interested in moving here. That… hell, that Audrey could help find care for Pops.
He’d been talking about things besides which position to fuck me in. He’d been talking about serious stuff. Real life stuff. Just like the morning goodbye kiss.
I’d been surprised. Stunned. Perhaps that was why I’d been so cautious in my answers. I hadn’t expected him to want more although he hadn’t given me any indication he’d been ready to stop. But he hadn’t given any indication he’d been so… serious before either.