Tameka's Smile (12 page)

As you probably guessed, I had more than one reason for
wanting you to come here. I knew you’d love the scenery, the
quiet, and the people. I was hoping that here you’d find a man to
complete you. One who’d love you the way my Ned loved me.

The men in Refuge are different. They’re more, as I’m sure
you’ve come to realize if you’re reading this. They’re shapeshifters. My Ned was one as well, something you never knew. He
said the moment we met on the ship he knew I was the one—his
One—his true mate.

The idea of love finding me again at my age should have
been ridiculous. Your father certainly thought so, but I learned
that you’re never too old to love. So there I was, at the ripe age
of sixty-two, embarking on the hottest love affair of my entire
life.

76

ZENA WYNN

You probably think I’m crazy, think we’re all soft in the
head, but the truth is shape-shifters do exist. They’re real, Meka.

I know with your logical, college-educated mind that it’s
difficult for you to believe, but there’s an easy solution. Ask your
man to shift for you, and when he does, accept. Don’t argue.

Don’t question. Just accept that God made all types of species—

of which humans are just one—and that this man was made for
you.

Accept the gift of love that you’ve been given. You’ll never
find another man who’ll love you like he can. He’ll be a good
husband and father to your children, and he’ll always be faithful
to you. It’s embedded in his DNA. God has allowed you to find
your soul mate. Don’t blow it. This man might not be what you
think you want, but he’s what God knows you need.

Love Always,

Momma E

Tameka read the entire letter three times.
Shape-shifters,
please
. There must be something in the water here causing mass hallucinations. She made a mental note to buy bottled water on her next trip to the store. Didn’t matter how clean and fresh the water tasted, it must be tainted.

Meka
, her name was sighed.
Call him. Ask him to shift. Then
you’ll believe
.

“Call Chad. Ask him to come over and prove he’s a werewolf?”

Shape-shifter
.

“Whatever. Have him come over and shift. He won’t be able to do it.” She knew he wouldn’t, and when he couldn’t, she’d have her proof that they were all delusional.

Or, he’ll shift and prove that we’re not.

Well, there was that, not that Tameka thought it would happen. She’d call, invite Chad over, and ask him to prove what he was. When he admitted that he couldn’t, she’d have her proof and the voice—she stubbornly refused to refer to
it
as Momma E—would have to shut up and leave her alone.

Tameka picked up the handset sitting on the table beside her. Her fingers shook a little as she dialed the number. “I don’t 77

TAMEKA’S SMILE

know why I’m nervous. He’s not a werewolf. He won’t be able to shift. Case closed. I’m right.”

“Meka, what’s wrong?” Chad answered.

She cleared her suddenly dry throat. “Can you come over, please? I’d like to ask you something.”

“You can’t ask me now?” He sounded puzzled.

She winced. “I’m sorry. You’re busy. This can wait.” God, how stupid could she be? The man
did
have a life. Who knew what she was interrupting?

“Tameka, I asked you to marry me, remember? That gives you certain rights. There’s nothing more important in my life than you. If you need me to come over, I’m on the way. See you in a few.” He disconnected the call.

She laid down the phone and put her face in her hands.

Chad always knew just what to say to turn her to mush. No man had ever said that she was so important to him that he was willing to drop whatever he was doing and come running, just

‘cause she’d called. Admittedly, beginning with her father, she’d seen the worst of men in their lives and relationships. As Momma E. was fond of saying, the only good thing her father ever did was produce Tameka. They say that females unconsciously attract men that are the same as their paternal parent. That must be true, because all of the men she’d met to date were ne’er-do-wells like dear old Dad.

Chad was different, but then he had his own issues. The man thought he was a werewolf, for crying out loud. She wasn’t sure how to handle it. She began to pace her living room, periodically rubbing moist palms on her caftan. Remembering that she was naked underneath, she headed for the bedroom to change, or at least add a bra and panties.

Too late. Chad’s truck pulled to a stop next to hers in the drive. He climbed out, looking yummy in a white t-shirt that molded his chest like every woman’s fantasy, and faded blue denim jeans that lovingly displayed every bulge, including the one between his legs. She snapped out of her stupor and raced to the door as he disappeared from view, opening it at the first knock.

“Hi,” she greeted him breathlessly, restraining the urge to throw herself into his arms.

78

ZENA WYNN

Chad had no such hesitation. He snagged her by the nape and pulled her up to meet his descending mouth. As his kiss weakened her knees and flooded her womb with warmth, he kicked the door closed with his foot.

When they came up for air, her right leg was wrapped around his calf and his hands were cupping her hips, grinding her pelvis into his erection.

“Question,” he panted as she placed baby kisses all over his face and licked the strong column of his neck, enjoying its salty flavor.

“Hmmm?” She was more interested in getting him out of his clothes than conversing.

“Meka…” He groaned when she hit a particularly sensitive spot and his hips bucked against her. Drawing strength from somewhere—she didn’t know where—he grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her away from him. “You had a question that was too important to ask over the phone,” he reminded huskily.

Tameka gazed back at him, dazed, her body in full control.

Taking a deep shuddering breath, she managed to pull her thoughts together long enough to remember why he was here.

“Oh, yeah.” She took a few steps away from him and wrapped her arms around herself to keep from reaching for him.

“I remember now.”

She sighed and paced before turning to face him again.

“Lulu dropped by earlier and handed me a letter Momma E

wrote, in the event that I moved to Refuge and met someone. In it, she suggested that I ask you to shift, to prove to me that you are what you say you are, since she knew I wouldn’t believe.

That’s why I called. I want you to do whatever it is you do. Shift for me. Please,” she added as an afterthought.

Chad hooked his thumbs into the front two loops of his jeans and rocked back on his heels. “Are you sure?” Tameka nibbled on a fingernail while she considered how to respond. Then she decided she might as well be straight with him. “To be honest, I really don’t think you can. I’m not sure if I want to be proven wrong, or right.” Either way, things between them would change after today. That, she discovered, was the source of her fear. Despite her protests to the contrary, she didn’t 79

TAMEKA’S SMILE

want to let Chad go and she just may have to if she discovered he was mentally unstable.

“If you’re certain this is what you want me to do.” The expression on his face said he was giving her one last chance to change her mind.

She seriously thought about just letting it go, but knew this had to be done. “I’m sure.” She went and sat on the couch, prepared to wait however long it took for him to admit the truth, that he wasn’t what he claimed to be.

Chad reached up and pulled off his t-shirt.

“What are you doing?” Not that she minded, but the sight of all that hard muscle was distracting, to say the least.

“Undressing so I can shift.” He toed off his shoes and stripped off his jeans. No briefs. Darn, she wished she’d known when she was rubbing up against him.

“You ready?”

“Sure.” She leaned back against the couch. Might as well get comfortable. This could take awhile.

He did something and his image seemed to shimmer.

Tameka sat forward. There was a popping sound, and then the biggest white wolf she’d ever seen in her life stood on the other side of her coffee table on all fours, staring at her with Chad’s eyes.

She was up and over the back of the couch before she even realized she was moving. The jarring thud when she landed on her head brought her back to her senses. It was only the grace of God that she hadn’t broken her neck when she landed. While she lay there dazed, rubbing the back of her head and doing an internal check to make sure she wasn’t hurt, the wolf—Chad—

stuck his muzzle over the couch, a concerned look in his eyes.

At the sight of him, she scrambled back on her elbows and heels until her head bumped up against the wall. “Di-did I ever me-mention this small problem I have with du-dogs? It’s nothing ma-major. I’m just deathly afraid of them,” she finished shakily.

The wolf tilted its head to the side, right before it disappeared from view. Her breath caught in her throat when he came walking around the side of the couch, heading straight for her. Dear God, she’d always told her patients that it’s best to face your fears head on, but all she wanted to do was get up and 80

ZENA WYNN

run. It took everything she had within her to sit there and let him approach.

This, unbelievable as it may seem, was Chad. He’d never hurt her. Why she was so certain of that, she didn’t stop to question. Nor did it stop her from shaking with fear.

He crouched down onto his belly and approached her slowly, not stopping until he was close enough to nudge her leg with his nose. With a mind of their own, her legs drew up tight against her chest and she closed her eyes. When nothing happened, she peeked out.

He must have been waiting, for he immediately scooted forward and touched his nose to her thigh again. Tameka took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. She could do this. Hesitantly, she reached out and lightly patted his head, ready to draw back in an instant. When she stopped, he gently bumped her hand with his muzzle, twice.

“You like that, huh?” Taking the hint, she rubbed him again until her fear disappeared. “Your fur is so soft.” Tameka stretched her legs out into a more comfortable position and Chad immediately laid his head in her lap. “Don’t slob on me.”

He gave her a big lupine grin, displaying rows of sharp fangs. She stared at them for a moment, then muttered, “If you did that to scare me, too late. I already know you won’t hurt me.” He made some sort of snuffling sound that she supposed was laughter. In his eyes, she could see humor and approval. He was pleased that she’d conquered her fear. Chad rose to his feet and walked forward until he was straddling her body.

Tameka was forced back onto her elbows by his sheer size and proximity. As she leaned back, Chad followed her down, shifting as he did until she was covered by a huge, naked, and aroused male.

He pinned her with a hungry stare and licked his lips, reminding her of the wolf he’d just changed from. “Anything else you’d like me to do?”

The wet tip of his arousal brushed against her inner thigh.

“Uh…”

“Because I really…really…
really
want to do something for you.” He lowered his face until he was only a breath away.

81

TAMEKA’S SMILE

“I…uh…” She couldn’t think with him so close. He was short-circuiting her brain synapses. She moved restlessly beneath him, arching and rotating her hips, squirming lower to get his hardness right where she needed it most.

“Yes?” He moved so that he lay between her legs with the satiny, rounded knob of his erection prodding her entrance, and leaned forward to nibble on her bottom lip.

Tameka moaned and lifted her legs to curl around his waist, opening herself for penetration. “Fill me.”

“Like this?” He eased the tip of his cock inside and stopped.

“Chad,” she whined. His weight had her pinned, preventing her from arching to take him deeper.

“More?” He arched an eyebrow.

Eyeball to eyeball as they were, Tameka was sure he could see the fire shooting out of her eyes as she narrowed them, conveying the frustration she was feeling. She loosened her legs from his waist and planted her feet, flat on the floor. Then she reached down and dug her nails into his butt. “Quit playing with me,” she growled.

Chad nipped her lower lip, and then pulled it into his mouth, soothing it. “You’ll have to do better than that, baby. We shifters like a little pain with our pleasure.” He raised his head and grinned at her.

“You like pain, hmmm?” With no warning whatsoever, she dragged her blunt nails straight up his back, hopefully taking off a thin layer of skin.

Chad flinched and a growl rumbled up from deep within his chest. He grabbed her hands and slammed them down above her head, holding her in position with one large hand capturing both wrists. His eyes began to glow. “My baby wants to play?” Tameka wasn’t sure what got into her, but the glowing of his eyes signaled his imminent loss of control and knowing she was the cause of it turned her on like nothing else. She struggled against him, not to get away but to see what he’d do.