Her Shifter Soldier (BBW Erotic Romance) (2 page)
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Authors: Jackie Sexton
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BOOK: Her Shifter Soldier (BBW Erotic Romance)
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His words ignited a raging fire within me,
shocking me to my core. His words were electric, thrilling. “I
know,” I started before I could stop myself, “that’s why I
lov—that’s why I respect you.” I finished hurriedly, averting my
gaze as I realized that the damage was done.
But I should have known better than to think
that Dalton would let me off the hook so easily. He took my small
face into his large hand, turning it so that I was forced to look
him in his chiseled face. His cheeks were hard peaks of marble
smoothed over with luminous, bronze skin. His sandy hair framed his
face, gorgeous, but obviously due for a formal trimming. His
handsome, masculine beauty was enough to distract me from the rapid
beating of my frantic heart.
“I love you too, Jessie. And I swear to God
that I’ll make you my wife one day, or I’ll die trying.” And with
that, he leaned in and stole my breath away, planting the most
delectable, mind-blowing kiss on my lips.
His mouth was hard and unforgiving against
my own, demanding that I release myself to him, melt into his limbs
and shatter the walls I had built up for so long. He had a hand
around the back of my neck, urging me with his touch to release
myself, to give myself entirely. And though every fiber of my being
screamed, aching and begging to fall into him and explore every
crevice of his mysterious body, I pulled away, flushed and panting,
fighting for my sanity.
Chapter Two
The moment I saw her I knew I couldn’t go a
second longer without touching her. She was so flustered and
beautiful in her flattering summer dress, strands of her auburn
hair escaping that damned bun to kiss her milky skin. She looked a
bit sad, but that only made me want to touch her more, to hold her
and swear to protect her forever.
Because she is, and always will be, the most
beautiful girl in the world to me.
But kissing her for the first time took me
to another dimension—I had never felt anything like it in my entire
life. Not only were her lips soft and delectable, but she was
kissing me back with a surprising amount of force.
I always knew it would take me years to have
her. I had prepared myself for the challenge long ago.
That’s why I wasn’t ready for it when she
kissed me back with such intense ferocity. I was taken aback, but I
quickly recovered, pulling her sumptuous body harder against mine.
Even the give of her flesh beneath my hands was getting to be too
much. I could feel myself stiffening, eager to be inside of her and
finally make her mine, like I had been dreaming of for years…
She pulled away and gasped, clearly shocked
by the turgid presence of my cock against her stomach. She looked
at me, her brown eyes wide with disbelief, and I should have been
ashamed. Really, any normal man would have been.
But I wanted her with every fiber of my
being, and I didn’t care how that was communicated to her. She
needed to know the extent of it, the power she had over my
body.
“Don’t act surprised,” I said lowly, unable
to suppress the wry grin that crept across my face. She looked so
cute and innocent, and I swear her eyes couldn’t have gotten wider,
resting in that perfect heart-shaped face of hers.
“I...I need to step outside,” she stammered,
looking down at her hands as a curl of crimson crossed over her
cheeks.
“Then I’ll come with you,” I replied,
refusing to let my gaze waver. She nodded and I followed her out to
the porch, watching her perfect, goddess-like form and fighting the
urge to groan and grab her. I felt my fingers twitch at my side,
restless, as I wanted to toss her over my shoulder and throw her
across the bed, caveman style.
The back porch was just as I remembered it,
modest and picturesque, looking out into a thicket of trees where
the owls cooed at night.
“It feels like it’s been so long since I’ve
been here,” I admitted, nostalgia pulling at my heart.
“It has been,” she replied softly, “thirteen
months and three days.”
“Someone’s missed me,” I said in a
mock-surprise tone of voice, even though my stomach burst with a
small flutter of joy.
“L-listen, Dalton—”
I took a quick step towards her, holding one
of my fingers to her lips. She quieted, but her body went rigid
with anticipation.
She wanted me as badly as I wanted her.
“No, you had your turn to speak and I
already know what’s going to come out of your mouth. Now it’s my
turn.” I pulled a folded up square of paper from my pocket and
unfolded it, turning it over so she could see her own loopy
script.
“It’s been two months and ten days since
I’ve received your last letter. I read it every night before I fell
asleep, tracing my fingers over your words, hoping that I can just
feel your essence. All the other guys tease me but I know they’re
jealous, wishing that they could be with someone so phenomenal and
beautiful as you. The thing is, you’re mine whether you like it or
not, Jessica. I’ll wait as long as it takes for you to realize that
I’ve faced death countless times before, and you’re the only one I
think about each time. I want to take care of you. I want you to
have my kids and I want to put you in a proper house with a fence
and everything. I’ll never give up on that dream.”
She turned away and I could see the tears
brimming up in her eyes. No doubt she was thinking about Eric. But
I have my reasons for joining the army, and I couldn’t quite tell
her about them yet.
That wasn’t up to me—that was up to the
pride leader. Her father.
“Listen, I know you probably want to be
alone right now, and I understand. I’ll be here another thirteen
days. But just remember, I don’t want to spend another day in the
middle of the desert without knowing that I have you waiting for me
at home.”
I leaned over her short frame and kissed the
top of her head. She smelled like chamomile tea and and sugar
cookies. I inhaled, closing my eyes as I took in the scent I had
been dreaming of for all those months in the Savannah, chasing down
rogue terrorists.
I took a step back but she wouldn’t meet my
gaze. It hurt, but I knew she was hurting more. Eric was her best
friend, and the two of them were thick as thieves. The day he died
a part of her did too.
But if she would just let me, I would do
everything in my power to heal her.
“I’ll see you tonight then, at Bluebeard’s
with Shannon.” She nodded, and I wanted nothing more than to look
into her chocolate eyes. “I love you.”
I said it with as much strength and
conviction as I could—not that it took much effort. As I walked
back inside the house and made my way to the front door, I could
feel the words still warm on my tongue.
She was my future mate. The moment we could
consummate our love I would imprint on her and never let go.
I was sure of it.
Chapter
Three
report cards for the end of the quarter. Everything that happened
earlier made it hard to concentrate, but luckily it doesn’t take
much effort to grade five and six year olds. It mostly involves
writing a lot of superlatives and smiley faces.
Still, I found even that difficult. I
couldn’t stop shaking, thinking about how my resolve around Dalton
had been weakening as of late. It was like every year he came home
I was even more drawn to him, and he had somehow become
increasingly irresistible.
But he had also never been so direct, never
dared to kiss me and demand that I be his wife. The tension between
us usually hung around like an invisible force, something we always
felt but didn’t have to acknowledge.
We could only pretend for so long. Well
clearly, he was done pretending.
“Dammit,” I muttered after I splashed some
tea on a report card. Clearly I wasn’t going to get much done.
Just then my phone went off, giving me all
the excuse I needed to jump up from the couch and run over to my
room. I grabbed the phone off of my bedside table and answered
quickly, not bothering to check the caller I.D.
“Hello?”
“Hey, baby doll,” came my father’s thick
Midwestern accent. I felt the tension in my body melt a little with
my father’s warm and comforting voice.
“Hey, Dad. How are you?” I asked, sinking
onto my bed.
“I’m just fine. Hey, why don’t you come on
over to the ranch? I need to talk to you about a few things.”
“Right now?” I asked in surprise. My father
was generally pretty laid back about things.
“Now would be fine. Are you busy?”
I thought about the report cards and how
there was no way I’d get very far with them even if I did stay
home. “No. No, I’m not. I’ll be over in twenty minutes.”
“See you soon, sweet heart.”
“Bye Dad,” I replied, clicking off my cell
phone and smiling despite myself. I should have been more
disconcerted considering he wanted to see me immediately, but
visiting my father made everything in my life so much easier. He
was so easy-going and genial, with a warm melodious voice that
could put a crying baby to sleep. He was my rock, and even if he
didn’t know the details of my problems, he always knew the right
thing to say.
I grabbed my purse and tidied up the papers
in the living room before pulling on a comfortable pair of flats
and heading out the door. I could hear my father in my head,
chiding my choice of footwear, but it didn’t matter. I wasn’t in
any mood to ride a horse anyway.
made my way up the ranch’s dusty driveway. I held my hand over my
face, squinting as I tried to keep the gust out of my eyes. I had
probably told my dad a dozen different times that he should get his
driveway paved, but he was stubborn. Said that he didn’t have time
for my city-like sensibilities.
I knocked on the door and my father came out
within seconds, pulling me into a big, warm hug.
“Hey sweet heart, come on in. Your mother’s
making a casserole for dinner. You hungry?”
The truth was, seeing Dalton that morning
had all but ruined my appetite. But smelling the warm,
deliciousness of my mother’s cooking, I felt it come rushing back
to me.
“I could eat,” I grinned.
“Well good then. Let’s go out back while
your mother’s taking a shower. We’ll eat when she’s done.”
I followed my dad to the back porch and we
sat down at the small wooden table he had built himself. Looking
out onto the setting sun over my father’s ranch, I couldn’t help
but recognize little bits of Dalton in it. The shed. The fence he
replaced. Abby, his favorite horse, chomping on some oats in her
stall.
“So why’d you call me over here, Dad? Not
that I mind dropping by.”
“You should drop by more often then,” he
mock-scolded me.
“But I called you over here because from
what I understand, Dalton came by to visit you this morning.”
My heart clenched. “He told you?”
“Dalton and I speak much more often than you think,” he said,
turning his head back onto his expansive property. He had a faraway
look in his eyes. “He’s like a son to me, Jessie. A
future-son-in-law, if there’s any good in the world.”
“Dad…” I said, feeling a little nervous. He
had always wanted me to settle down with Dalton, told me he was a
good man who would take care of me. He didn’t trust just anyone
with his baby girl, he would say.
why I called you over here. I’m trying to let you know. I
understand that Eric being gone has been hard on you. Trust me,” he
said lowly, a grave look suddenly coming over his face. I could see
hurt in his warm, gray eyes. “It hasn’t been easy on me either.
Nothing’s been so terrible in my life as burying my own child. But
Dalton, he’s a good guy, and he chose to serve in the military for
reasons that I think you’re old enough to know about now.”
I cocked my head inquisitively. Dalton had
always been quiet on the subject of why he chose to serve, but I
never thought it was something he would tell my own father before
me.
“Dalton...like me and your brother, we have
special abilities. We’re...well we’re more powerful than your
average Joe. That’s why we feel obligated to serve our country. To
protect freedom.”
turned to face me. He gave me the look he gives only when he’s
trying to convey how serious he is.
“We’re shifters, baby doll. Dalton and me,
we can turn into lions when we see fit, just like your brother
could.”
I stared at him blankly, trying my best not
to laugh. But part of me suddenly became very concerned that my
father might be going senile.
“Jessie, I know that look, and your old man
isn’t that old. Don’t you go insulting me with your pity,” he
growled.
“Dad...I’m sorry...but that’s literally
crazy. I think you need to go see a doctor.”
My father placed his hand on my arm, his
gaze still dead serious. “Just because you don’t understand
something, doesn’t mean it’s not true or real. Dalton loves you and
wants to be with you. But he chose to protect his country because
he’s special, and the military needs men like him. Just like they
needed me, and just like they needed Eric.”
shocking me to my core. His words were electric, thrilling. “I
know,” I started before I could stop myself, “that’s why I
lov—that’s why I respect you.” I finished hurriedly, averting my
gaze as I realized that the damage was done.
But I should have known better than to think
that Dalton would let me off the hook so easily. He took my small
face into his large hand, turning it so that I was forced to look
him in his chiseled face. His cheeks were hard peaks of marble
smoothed over with luminous, bronze skin. His sandy hair framed his
face, gorgeous, but obviously due for a formal trimming. His
handsome, masculine beauty was enough to distract me from the rapid
beating of my frantic heart.
“I love you too, Jessie. And I swear to God
that I’ll make you my wife one day, or I’ll die trying.” And with
that, he leaned in and stole my breath away, planting the most
delectable, mind-blowing kiss on my lips.
His mouth was hard and unforgiving against
my own, demanding that I release myself to him, melt into his limbs
and shatter the walls I had built up for so long. He had a hand
around the back of my neck, urging me with his touch to release
myself, to give myself entirely. And though every fiber of my being
screamed, aching and begging to fall into him and explore every
crevice of his mysterious body, I pulled away, flushed and panting,
fighting for my sanity.
Chapter Two
The moment I saw her I knew I couldn’t go a
second longer without touching her. She was so flustered and
beautiful in her flattering summer dress, strands of her auburn
hair escaping that damned bun to kiss her milky skin. She looked a
bit sad, but that only made me want to touch her more, to hold her
and swear to protect her forever.
Because she is, and always will be, the most
beautiful girl in the world to me.
But kissing her for the first time took me
to another dimension—I had never felt anything like it in my entire
life. Not only were her lips soft and delectable, but she was
kissing me back with a surprising amount of force.
I always knew it would take me years to have
her. I had prepared myself for the challenge long ago.
That’s why I wasn’t ready for it when she
kissed me back with such intense ferocity. I was taken aback, but I
quickly recovered, pulling her sumptuous body harder against mine.
Even the give of her flesh beneath my hands was getting to be too
much. I could feel myself stiffening, eager to be inside of her and
finally make her mine, like I had been dreaming of for years…
She pulled away and gasped, clearly shocked
by the turgid presence of my cock against her stomach. She looked
at me, her brown eyes wide with disbelief, and I should have been
ashamed. Really, any normal man would have been.
But I wanted her with every fiber of my
being, and I didn’t care how that was communicated to her. She
needed to know the extent of it, the power she had over my
body.
“Don’t act surprised,” I said lowly, unable
to suppress the wry grin that crept across my face. She looked so
cute and innocent, and I swear her eyes couldn’t have gotten wider,
resting in that perfect heart-shaped face of hers.
“I...I need to step outside,” she stammered,
looking down at her hands as a curl of crimson crossed over her
cheeks.
“Then I’ll come with you,” I replied,
refusing to let my gaze waver. She nodded and I followed her out to
the porch, watching her perfect, goddess-like form and fighting the
urge to groan and grab her. I felt my fingers twitch at my side,
restless, as I wanted to toss her over my shoulder and throw her
across the bed, caveman style.
The back porch was just as I remembered it,
modest and picturesque, looking out into a thicket of trees where
the owls cooed at night.
“It feels like it’s been so long since I’ve
been here,” I admitted, nostalgia pulling at my heart.
“It has been,” she replied softly, “thirteen
months and three days.”
“Someone’s missed me,” I said in a
mock-surprise tone of voice, even though my stomach burst with a
small flutter of joy.
“L-listen, Dalton—”
I took a quick step towards her, holding one
of my fingers to her lips. She quieted, but her body went rigid
with anticipation.
She wanted me as badly as I wanted her.
“No, you had your turn to speak and I
already know what’s going to come out of your mouth. Now it’s my
turn.” I pulled a folded up square of paper from my pocket and
unfolded it, turning it over so she could see her own loopy
script.
“It’s been two months and ten days since
I’ve received your last letter. I read it every night before I fell
asleep, tracing my fingers over your words, hoping that I can just
feel your essence. All the other guys tease me but I know they’re
jealous, wishing that they could be with someone so phenomenal and
beautiful as you. The thing is, you’re mine whether you like it or
not, Jessica. I’ll wait as long as it takes for you to realize that
I’ve faced death countless times before, and you’re the only one I
think about each time. I want to take care of you. I want you to
have my kids and I want to put you in a proper house with a fence
and everything. I’ll never give up on that dream.”
She turned away and I could see the tears
brimming up in her eyes. No doubt she was thinking about Eric. But
I have my reasons for joining the army, and I couldn’t quite tell
her about them yet.
That wasn’t up to me—that was up to the
pride leader. Her father.
“Listen, I know you probably want to be
alone right now, and I understand. I’ll be here another thirteen
days. But just remember, I don’t want to spend another day in the
middle of the desert without knowing that I have you waiting for me
at home.”
I leaned over her short frame and kissed the
top of her head. She smelled like chamomile tea and and sugar
cookies. I inhaled, closing my eyes as I took in the scent I had
been dreaming of for all those months in the Savannah, chasing down
rogue terrorists.
I took a step back but she wouldn’t meet my
gaze. It hurt, but I knew she was hurting more. Eric was her best
friend, and the two of them were thick as thieves. The day he died
a part of her did too.
But if she would just let me, I would do
everything in my power to heal her.
“I’ll see you tonight then, at Bluebeard’s
with Shannon.” She nodded, and I wanted nothing more than to look
into her chocolate eyes. “I love you.”
I said it with as much strength and
conviction as I could—not that it took much effort. As I walked
back inside the house and made my way to the front door, I could
feel the words still warm on my tongue.
She was my future mate. The moment we could
consummate our love I would imprint on her and never let go.
I was sure of it.
Chapter
Three
report cards for the end of the quarter. Everything that happened
earlier made it hard to concentrate, but luckily it doesn’t take
much effort to grade five and six year olds. It mostly involves
writing a lot of superlatives and smiley faces.
Still, I found even that difficult. I
couldn’t stop shaking, thinking about how my resolve around Dalton
had been weakening as of late. It was like every year he came home
I was even more drawn to him, and he had somehow become
increasingly irresistible.
But he had also never been so direct, never
dared to kiss me and demand that I be his wife. The tension between
us usually hung around like an invisible force, something we always
felt but didn’t have to acknowledge.
We could only pretend for so long. Well
clearly, he was done pretending.
“Dammit,” I muttered after I splashed some
tea on a report card. Clearly I wasn’t going to get much done.
Just then my phone went off, giving me all
the excuse I needed to jump up from the couch and run over to my
room. I grabbed the phone off of my bedside table and answered
quickly, not bothering to check the caller I.D.
“Hello?”
“Hey, baby doll,” came my father’s thick
Midwestern accent. I felt the tension in my body melt a little with
my father’s warm and comforting voice.
“Hey, Dad. How are you?” I asked, sinking
onto my bed.
“I’m just fine. Hey, why don’t you come on
over to the ranch? I need to talk to you about a few things.”
“Right now?” I asked in surprise. My father
was generally pretty laid back about things.
“Now would be fine. Are you busy?”
I thought about the report cards and how
there was no way I’d get very far with them even if I did stay
home. “No. No, I’m not. I’ll be over in twenty minutes.”
“See you soon, sweet heart.”
“Bye Dad,” I replied, clicking off my cell
phone and smiling despite myself. I should have been more
disconcerted considering he wanted to see me immediately, but
visiting my father made everything in my life so much easier. He
was so easy-going and genial, with a warm melodious voice that
could put a crying baby to sleep. He was my rock, and even if he
didn’t know the details of my problems, he always knew the right
thing to say.
I grabbed my purse and tidied up the papers
in the living room before pulling on a comfortable pair of flats
and heading out the door. I could hear my father in my head,
chiding my choice of footwear, but it didn’t matter. I wasn’t in
any mood to ride a horse anyway.
made my way up the ranch’s dusty driveway. I held my hand over my
face, squinting as I tried to keep the gust out of my eyes. I had
probably told my dad a dozen different times that he should get his
driveway paved, but he was stubborn. Said that he didn’t have time
for my city-like sensibilities.
I knocked on the door and my father came out
within seconds, pulling me into a big, warm hug.
“Hey sweet heart, come on in. Your mother’s
making a casserole for dinner. You hungry?”
The truth was, seeing Dalton that morning
had all but ruined my appetite. But smelling the warm,
deliciousness of my mother’s cooking, I felt it come rushing back
to me.
“I could eat,” I grinned.
“Well good then. Let’s go out back while
your mother’s taking a shower. We’ll eat when she’s done.”
I followed my dad to the back porch and we
sat down at the small wooden table he had built himself. Looking
out onto the setting sun over my father’s ranch, I couldn’t help
but recognize little bits of Dalton in it. The shed. The fence he
replaced. Abby, his favorite horse, chomping on some oats in her
stall.
“So why’d you call me over here, Dad? Not
that I mind dropping by.”
“You should drop by more often then,” he
mock-scolded me.
“But I called you over here because from
what I understand, Dalton came by to visit you this morning.”
My heart clenched. “He told you?”
“Dalton and I speak much more often than you think,” he said,
turning his head back onto his expansive property. He had a faraway
look in his eyes. “He’s like a son to me, Jessie. A
future-son-in-law, if there’s any good in the world.”
“Dad…” I said, feeling a little nervous. He
had always wanted me to settle down with Dalton, told me he was a
good man who would take care of me. He didn’t trust just anyone
with his baby girl, he would say.
But I always bristled at
that. As much as I love my dad, I do
not
need him interfering with my love
life.
why I called you over here. I’m trying to let you know. I
understand that Eric being gone has been hard on you. Trust me,” he
said lowly, a grave look suddenly coming over his face. I could see
hurt in his warm, gray eyes. “It hasn’t been easy on me either.
Nothing’s been so terrible in my life as burying my own child. But
Dalton, he’s a good guy, and he chose to serve in the military for
reasons that I think you’re old enough to know about now.”
I cocked my head inquisitively. Dalton had
always been quiet on the subject of why he chose to serve, but I
never thought it was something he would tell my own father before
me.
“Dalton...like me and your brother, we have
special abilities. We’re...well we’re more powerful than your
average Joe. That’s why we feel obligated to serve our country. To
protect freedom.”
“What do you mean,
special abilities
?” I
asked, unable to figure out what he was getting at. Sure, they were
an exceptionally strong group of men, but I don’t know if I would
call strength a
special
ability
.
turned to face me. He gave me the look he gives only when he’s
trying to convey how serious he is.
“We’re shifters, baby doll. Dalton and me,
we can turn into lions when we see fit, just like your brother
could.”
I stared at him blankly, trying my best not
to laugh. But part of me suddenly became very concerned that my
father might be going senile.
“Jessie, I know that look, and your old man
isn’t that old. Don’t you go insulting me with your pity,” he
growled.
“Dad...I’m sorry...but that’s literally
crazy. I think you need to go see a doctor.”
My father placed his hand on my arm, his
gaze still dead serious. “Just because you don’t understand
something, doesn’t mean it’s not true or real. Dalton loves you and
wants to be with you. But he chose to protect his country because
he’s special, and the military needs men like him. Just like they
needed me, and just like they needed Eric.”
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