Thank You For Not Shifting (Peculiar Mysteries Book 2) Read online

  Damn you, Billy Bob Smith, and your stupid, stupid lips.

  I bumped a lamp stand on my way to the door. It wobbled, making a thump, thump, thump sound. “You okay out there?” Babe shouted from the bedroom.

  Shit. “Fine,” I told him. “Just getting a drink of water.” I felt a small boost of triumph when I managed to get out the door without making another sound. I used my key to lock the door—carefully.

  Chavvah Stealth Trimmel, at your service.

  I hoped like hell my car didn’t wake Babe or Sunny when I started it up. It was a nice two-door sedan, a quiet model, so I wasn’t too worried as I pulled out onto the rural road. I played through everything I would do when I got to Billy Bob’s place. Business only. I’d show him the root, ask about the body, and be on my way.

  So what if it was almost midnight?

  Crap. I should have worn a bra. And combed my hair. It was still up in a ragtag ponytail, and several long strands had fallen out of the rubber band and flew wildly around my face. I could have rolled up the windows and turned on the air conditioner, but I liked the feel of the air on my skin, especially on such a warm night.

  When I pulled into Billy Bob’s drive, I noticed a soft glow coming from his sweat lodge. Was he performing a ritual? I’ll admit, even though I didn’t buy into his kind of hokum, I was fascinated by his beliefs. Besides, Sunny had told me how he was practically naked when he had taken her to the sweat lodge after rescuing her from her car accident. Which is why I turned the car lights off and coasted up the hill, trying hard not to stir up the gravel, and why I found myself at a full stop less than a hundred yards from the sweat lodge.

  Treacherous ovaries! They really wanted to see a mostly naked Billy Bob. Or all naked. That worked too. Did he pray and chant as he danced around a fire? It dawned on me, for a guy I’d known for almost three years, I really knew very little about him.

  I rolled down the window and slid out of the car. I didn’t want to take a chance his wolf hearing would pick up the door opening and closing. I let my coyote surface so I could see through her eyes. It allowed me to avoid clumps of dry grass and loose rocks that would give me away. I made it all the way to the front of the sweat lodge without once making any noise. My klutzy-self, still less clumsy than Sunny, wanted to high five my sneaky self, but that would have defeated the whole purpose of being quiet in the first place.

  Chapter 9

  I heard soft chanting. I gently pulled back a leather flap at the entrance and peeked inside.

  Two gray eyes stared back at me from less than a foot away.

  I yelped and stumbled back, but not before a quick hand reached through the opening and pulled me inside.

  “What are you doing here, Chavvah?”

  “I … uh.” His pure masculinity was an aphrodisiac.

  “Are you in pain?”

  Yes. Yes, I am. Pain from wanting you hardcore. I noticed he wore nothing but a loincloth, and his body was covered in swirls of light and dark clay that covered all of his skin, even his face.

  He leaned in close and sniffed me. Honest to heavens, took a long-ass whiff of my scent. “You don’t smell like you’re in pain.” He offered a feral grin. “You smell like desire.”

  “Don’t tell me I smell like desire.” He really threw me off-kilter. I wasn’t even making sense to myself. Two could play the sniffing insult game. I leaned forward and inhaled his scent. “You smell like…” Bergamot and spice and everything nice. “…like dirt.”

  He moved in so close I felt his breath on my face. “Smell again.”

  Oh, Lord. He smelled earthy, and musky, and orange-y, and wowza, sexy as hell. The juju he threw my way made my heart do somersaults, turned my knees to mush, and created a flood of pure want that made my panties wet.

  I groaned. He growled. He’d been doing that a lot lately. “What do you want from me?”

  His eyes glowed with intensity, his wolf so near the surface I could smell his fur. “Everything,” he said.

  My body burned, and while the sweat lodge was hot, I knew Billy Bob was the main source of my heat. I wanted him, but God how I didn’t want to want him. “We can’t,” I panted because I’d stopped breathing like a normal person a few seconds earlier. “It won’t work.”

  “Why do you have to be so damn stubborn?” The exasperation on his face matched my frustration.

  “We’re too different. We come from different worlds.” Literally. Lycanthropes and therianthropes, while both shifters, had very different origins.

  “You are not as different as you think, little sister.” The tall form of the man who’d been in my room the night before, the one whose voice I’d been hearing for a year, appeared near the fire at the center of the circular room.

  A scream escaped me. Billy Bob held onto me so I couldn’t flee. “That’s him. He’s the one who tried to get me last night.”

  “I only wanted to talk.” The guy’s tone was calm and reassuring, which made me panic more.

  “You don’t sneak into someone’s bedroom and scare the shit out of them just so you can have a conversation.” I tried to yank out of Billy Bob’s grasp. “Let me go!”

  “Chavvah. You need to listen.”

  “The hell I do!”

  He shook me then, not hard, just enough to get my attention. Before I could protest, he kissed me, and let me tell you, that shut me up but good.

  When he’d pretty much macked the resistance out of me, he eased up. “This is not a man.”

  “I can see him right there.”

  “And what do you see?”

  “A big, tall guy.”

  “Look again.”

  The man’s face and body, like the night before, was all shadow. Even in the firelight, I couldn’t make out any distinguishing features. It was as if he were made of smoke. “What is this?”

  “He is known by many names.”

  “You may call me Brother Wolf,” the shadowy figure said. “We are old friends, Chavvah.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “He is of the spirit realm, another plane of existence. He is a guide.” Billy Bob stared intently into my eyes. “More specifically, he is my guide.”

  “I am not exclusively yours, brother.”

  Irritation passed over Billy Bob’s expression. “I realize that, Brother Wolf. What I don’t understand is why you’ve revealed yourself to Chavvah?”

  “Because you asked me to.”

  Billy Bob looked as confused as I felt. He turned, finally letting me go, and faced the shadow man. “I don’t understand.”

  “When she was taken, brother. You prayed for intervention on her behalf.”

  “You knew where she was?” Anger made his words crisp. “You knew the whole time? Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “Time. Place. These mean nothing to me. I could no more tell you where she was than tell you where she is now. Or you for that matter. I do not see the world as you do. I do not see with mortal eyes.”

  “You could have told me she was okay.”

  “But she wasn’t. I knew telling you would bring you pain.” The shadow pointed to me, and I could feel his hand on my shoulder. “You are strong, sister. Strong and brave. Then and now. Do not fear your destiny.” His form turned to Billy Bob. “You must be honest, brother. You must tell her the truth. She needs to accept who she is. She needs to accept what she must become.” And with those ominous words, the shadow dissolved against the sweat lodge wall.

  When I was able to speak, I looked at Billy Bob, and asked, “What the fuck?”

  “You are no longer only two-natured, Chavvah.”

  “I don’t know what you mean.”

  “Last night, when you shifted…”

  “Yes?”

  “It wasn’t into a coyote.”

  I had felt the transformation. I ran on four paws. I hadn’t hallucinated being in my animal form. “Now I’m really confused.”

  “You changed into a wolf. An elegant brown and white timber wolf.
I knew there was something about you, almost from the moment we met, but I never dreamed.” He shook his head. “I’ve dreamed of you, but I never dreamed I would find you.”

  “Who do you think I am?” I couldn’t believe what he was saying.

  “A spirit talker, like myself. A kindred wolf.” His eyes grew glassy with emotion. “A mate.” He touched my cheek. “My mate.”

  Everything he said was too unreal to believe. It was as if he were speaking in a foreign language. “I better call the UN, because I think I need an interpreter.”

  He huffed angrily then yanked me into his embrace. I opened my mouth to protest, but he silenced me with his lips. Unable to help myself, because, well, Billy Bob made my libido want to take charge, I leaned into him, my fingers threading through his hair as his tongue swept inside my mouth. The euphoria of his kiss was better than any anti-anxiety pill, and I rode the high that came in the form of this stubborn werewolf.

  He stopped kissing me with the same suddenness in which he’d started. “Did you understand that, or do I need to call that interpreter?”

  “Uhm,” I licked my lips and tasted a mixture of clay and spice. “I think I get the gist.” I looked down at my T-shirt. It was sprinkled with dried mud flakes from Billy Bob’s body. “You’re really covered in that stuff.”

  He shook his head, and within in seconds, he turned into a wolf. His gray eyes blinked up at me in a very serious manner. He was large, at least twice the size of a coyote male. I chewed my lower lip as the air around him began to shimmer. In a few more seconds, Billy Bob was standing in front of me again, his body free of dried clay, his loincloth on the ground, and his rigid erection very impressive.

  “Better?”

  “Uh…huh.” I licked my lips. He was a large man in every way, and frankly, I was worried I wouldn’t be able to handle him. But man-oh-man, did I want to find out.

  “Chavvah.” His intense expression was dark with an edge of angry heat. “If you walk away right now, I won’t pursue you. We are mates, but you must be willing to join with me.”

  My ears burned as irritation replaced my desire. “I’m just supposed to fall into your arms or fall out of your life. Is that what you’re saying? You’re one arrogant man, Billy Bob Smith.”

  His expression shifted to one of amusement. “I’ve been pursuing you for almost a year now, Chavvah. I don’t know how else to show how much I want you.”

  “Well, you can start by actually telling me. Have you tried that? Like ever?” He opened his mouth then snapped it shut. “Exactly!” I said. “Unlike Sunny, I’m not a freaking psychic or a mind reader. How am I supposed to know how you feel if you don’t say so?”

  “I usually don’t have to spell it out.”

  “Usually?” A vision of Bethany Hilliard fawning all over him popped into my head. “Usually! I’m not one of your bimbos, either. I have standards, and those standards don’t include standing in line behind a bunch of women to get my Billy Bob fix. Just because I’m in love with you doesn’t mean I’m going to fall down on my knees and thank my lucky stars you want me. I hate to tell you this, buddy, but you aren’t the only man in town who finds me attractive.”

  “What did you say?”

  “You aren’t the only one who thinks I’m cute!”

  “Before that.”

  “I’m not going stand in line behind your parade of—”

  “After that.” His voice was low and dangerous. He was up on me again, close enough that the heat of his chest warmed my cheeks.

  “I…” What had I said? I’d been so caught up in my angry rant. There was stuff about falling at his feet, and… oh, shoot. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  “You said you love me.”

  “I love a lot of people.” I started counting on my fingers. “There’s Babe, Sunny, Jude, Jo Jo, my parents sometimes…”

  “And me.”

  I couldn’t meet his gaze, so instead I rolled my eyes.

  He cupped my chin and tilted my face back.

  Reluctantly, I looked him in the eye.

  “And me, Chavvah.”

  The way he stared at me, as if I were an oasis at the end of a long desert walk, made it hard to deny him anything, even the words he so badly wanted to hear from me. “Why?” I asked. “Why are you putting me through this?”

  “Don’t you know?” He dipped his head and brushed my lips with his. “I’m in love with you, too.”

  “I…” Wow, this was not the way I had thought this night would turn out. Not at all. “How can I believe you?”

  He stepped back, his exasperation apparent. “Why are you so difficult?” He threw up his arms.

  It dawned on me that I never see Billy Bob mad or angry or irritated with anyone but me. The realization made me smile.

  “What?” he asked. “Why are you smiling?”

  I shook my head and giggled. Damn it.

  “And now you’re laughing.”

  “You really have no idea, do you?” I stripped my shirt over my head and exposed my naked breasts to him.

  “What are you doing?” His tone was suspicious.

  I pushed my sweatpants down, after giving only a moment's consideration as to whether I’d shaved recently or not. “Well,” I said to him.

  “Well, what?” His erection was pretty adamant now as he stared at my body with a hungry gaze.

  I held my hands out to my sides, palms up in invitation. “Are you going to stand there all night, or are you going to come get me?”

  The low, rumbly groan that tore from his lips as he closed the distance between us made my thighs quiver. Billy Bob lifted me from the fur-covered floor. I wrapped my legs around his waist, feeling his thickness slide against me. He moaned as his fingers tangled in my hair and he buried his face in the crook of my neck. He nipped and licked my skin, teasing me, as he tugged on my ponytail hard enough to expose my throat. I felt his teeth clamp down over my carotid.

  The heat of his breath, the slight pain of his bite, it made me feel heady with need. I whimpered, rubbing myself against his abdomen. “Oh, Billy Bob,” I muttered. “God, I want you.”

  His mouth sought mine, and we merged in a dance of lips, teeth, and tongues. It was as if I could feel him pouring his passion into me through my mouth. I fought to give him as good as he was getting, and when he backed me up against the lodge wall support, pulled my legs up higher, and entered me, I cried out at the sheer relief I felt having him so deep inside me.

  His grunts and moans matched my own as sweat poured down our bodies. I grasped him tightly, loving the friction of my breasts against his slick chest as he thrust into me over and over.

  “Yes!” I made the word a demand. It had been so long since I’d held anyone, and never a man who made me feel one iota of the emotion or pleasure I felt right now. The burning edges of climax warmed my body and heat pulsed through my groin. So when he shouted something unintelligible and guttural, I exploded around him. Pleasure ripped through me like a chainsaw, just as brutal and just as messy.

  Billy Bob groaned as his grip on me tightened. His thrusting quickened until he gave one final stroke that he held until he spent himself inside me. I collapsed against his shoulder, my sweaty body slipping as his grip loosened. Gently, he withdrew from me and set me down. My jelly legs could barely hold me up, so I was grateful he kept his arms wrapped around me.

  He put his forehead against mine, his eyes closed. “That wasn’t how I imagined our first time.”

  “Oh,” I said, unable to keep the lazy smile off my face. “And how did you imagine it, because frankly, if it gets more exciting than that I might need a better health insurance plan.”

  He laughed now and met my gaze. “You are an unpredictable woman, Chavvah Trimmel.”

  “Is that what I am?”

  His smile faded and the lines around his eyes deepened. “I am in love with you. I have been for a very long time. I apologize that I did not make my intentions clear to you from the mome
nt I realized you were the one.”

  “And when did you realize?”

  He smiled. “It was shortly after you’d started to mend your broken femur.” He meant my thigh bone. “I wanted to help you walk, and you wanted to do it on your own.”

  I nodded, my forehead rubbing against his. “I remember that.”

  “You said, “I’m stronger than I look,” and I thought, you are stronger than anyone I’ve ever met. You kept yourself from shifting while those men did terrible things to you. You kept your will to live after three weeks of starvation and torture. And when you came home, you fought to heal on your own terms. I’d never seen anyone so stubborn and fierce.” He kissed me again, his touch tender and sweet. “And I knew.”

  I couldn’t keep the grin off my face. “You have weird taste in women.”

  “You’re telling me.”

  “Doc,” I said.

  “Yes?” He kissed me again.

  I kissed him back and traced his face with my fingers. I still found it hard to believe I was touching him, that he was in love with me, and that he wanted to be mine and mine alone. I loved the way his heart beat so hard I could feel it in my own chest, the way his breath cooled my hot, sweaty skin, and I loved the way he looked at me like a woman worthy of worship. “All right,” I admitted. “I am in love with you too.”

  “I’m glad,” he said with a happy sigh. “So very glad.”

  “So…” I squirreled my mouth sideways. “What’s all the spirit talker nonsense, and how can you explain to me how I’m turning into a wolf?”

  “How about if we go up to the house and shower first, then I’ll explain what I can?”

  A shower with Billy Bob sounded just about perfect. “Deal.”

  He swept me off my feet, literally, holding me in the cradle of his arms. “You’re slippery.”

  “Don’t let me go,” I said, embarrassed when a giggle slipped out.

  “I don’t plan to.” His gaze narrowed on me. “Ever.”

  * * * *

  The shower had been just as hot as the sweat lodge, and I wasn’t talking about the water. I never knew how dirty getting clean could be, but I was ready to roll in mud if it would get me back there quicker. Billy Bob kept touching me, even after, as if he thought I’d disappear if we weren’t anchored to each other. Had I really been so awful that he thought I was going to bolt the second I got a chance to really think about the ramifications of being a lycanthrope’s mate?