Oh, Bite Me (Guardians of the Deep 1)

“That’s a shame,” the woman said. “Having to count on some alone time when there are so many strapping young men out there looking for a mate.”

“A mate?” Penny asked followed by a giggle.

“A mate,” the woman replied with no hint of playfulness on her face. “Sorry. I never introduced myself. Geraldine Wilder. Gerri for short.”

She handed a card to Penny. Penny took it and turned it over in her hand while barely mumbling her own name.

“Penelope,” Gerri said. “That’s a nice name. I had a great friend once named Penelope.”

“Penny. Penelope was my grandmother’s name. I usually go by Penny.”

“As you can see from the card I handed you,” Gerri continued, “I run a dating agency with some…unique gentlemen on the menu.”

“I’ve tried that, the whole dating agency thing, and it ended badly,” Penny said.

“These aren’t your normal dates,” Gerri replied. “And my dates don’t end badly. It simply doesn’t happen.”

“I’ve tried the whole paranormal dating thing too,” Penny said. “Didn’t go so well.”

“As I said. My dates don’t end badly. In fact, they don’t really end at all.”

“Surely it must sometimes…”

“Doesn’t happen,” Gerri repeated. “Not on my watch. Not ever. It’s kind of something I take great pride in.”

Both women remained silent for a second as they watched Sylvia splash around in the pool, squealing as a handsome, powerfully built man, splashed water at her.

“What would you say you’re looking for in a man?” Gerri asked, breaking the silence. “And please be honest. It only works if you’re honest. None of that tall, dark, and handsome bullshit. I mean you can certainly add that too, but you’ll need to give me more.”

“Fine,” Penny said as she placed her laptop near her feet and turned in her seat, so she could face her new friend. She wanted to give the woman the attention she seemed to deserve. “What I want is a fucking man, Gerri.”

Gerri laughed and sipped from her drink.

“There we go,” the older woman said. “Let me have it.”

“I want a fucking man,” Penny repeated. “I want to be held with arms that squeeze me so tight I think I might suffocate. I want him to hold my hand when we enter a room, like I’m the trophy he’s worked all his life to win. And I want him to walk me out with the same pride. I want to be loved…”

Penny paused there and fell into deep thought, thinking about past relationships and wondering if any of them had loved her.

“Loved,” Gerri said. “I can work with that. Bu

t something tells me that’s not all you want.”

“I want to be adored,” Penny said.

“Oh, please,” Gerri replied, sipping from her drink and then setting it down on the ground so she could turn and face Penny.

Penny wasn’t sure what to add. How much should she say? She didn’t even know this woman. Gerri grabbed hold of Penny’s hands and held them as she peered deep into her eyes. There was a warmth there that wrapped around all that strength. It provided an unexplainable comfort.

“I’m not an old heifer,” Gerri said. “Do you think I don’t know what a woman wants? Now, tell me what else you want from your man?”

Instant excitement filled Penny. As absurd as it seemed, she felt as if she were speaking to her fairy godmother and this was her only chance to do this right without screwing it up, she remembered a couple of things she wanted to add on.

“I want him to be strong and brave and I want him to…”

She leaned in closer to Gerri and whispered the rest.

“…I want him to ravage my body, to devour me, to fuck me like he might never get the chance to fuck me again…every time he fucks me.”