Page 34 of Bewitched by the Werewolf (The Bewitching Hour #5)

Last night was torture. I had to listen to Hunter and Lottie fucking.

Not that I’m a prude and against fucking, quite the opposite actually.

It was torture because all I could think of was Tess and me partaking in such activities.

At first, I forced myself to think of Tess so I wouldn’t think about my brother naked and having sex, gross.

And since there was no way for me to not hear what they were doing without leaving, I figured I’d distract myself with thoughts of Tess.

Imagining her spicy apple cider scent and strands of her silky red hair wrapped around my fingers, led to images of her bare creamy skin bent over in front of me on all fours.

Which inevitably ended with my jerking off while my brother fucked his mate in the room down the hall.

It was weird and I do not want it to happen again.

Therefor, I’m moving to the cabin Lottie just vacated.

Since it appears she won’t be returning there, I’ll gladly take it as my own to avoid any more awkward mornings around the coffee pot where we all know I heard them fucking the night before.

Packing a bag, I drive to the little log cabin we used to bring girls to in high school to make out and round second base with. Pretty sure we both got our first blow jobs in this cabin too. Good memories.

When I enter the cabin, looking forward to a little bit of quiet and privacy, my senses are instantly bombarded with Hunter and Lottie’s scents.

Back at the main house they’d kept all their sexual activities contained to the bedroom.

Here, apparently, they had free reign over the place.

It smells like them and sex, everywhere.

In the bedroom it’s even worse. I immediately strip the bedding and put it in the washer, then I get to wiping down every surface with bleach, vacuuming, opening all the windows, and spraying pet odor neutralizer everywhere.

We discovered years ago that shit worked pretty well covering up our scents and evidence of what we may have done that we didn’t want our parents to know about.

Hours pass and the space is finally clean and put back together.

The scent of my brother is gone or at least normal enough that I’m used to it.

Lottie’s scent, however, is newer and more fragrant, a floral perfume lingering in the back of my nose making it itch.

Nothing like Tess’s warm smooth apple scent.

Just thinking about it has my heart slowing and my breathing regulating.

Until a hint of that gardenia invades my senses again, just enough to remind me Tess’s scent isn’t really here.

She’s never been here and if I want this place to smell like her, I’ll need to bring her here. The thought is thrilling. Would she come with me if I asked her? I know she’s attracted to me, that I turn her on. Her scent told me as much if her behavior hadn’t already.

Can I risk such a thing right now? I know I’m trying to convince her to keep my secret, and I know she’s not completely on board with it yet. Would it muddy the waters to get closer to her? To get more personally involved? Is it even a good idea?

I want nothing more than to get more involved with Tess, every molecule in my body screams at me to do so.

Would she see it as manipulation though?

A way to control her actions? She may push my buttons to irritation, but I would never try to control her actions and choices.

That doesn’t mean I can’t express my desires.

At this point, I’m nearly beyond my capability of restraining myself with her. I want her. To touch her, kiss her, explore every inch of her body and worship it. I think she’d let me too.

Bringing her here would be a good opportunity to talk as well.

The more she gets to know me, and the people of Snowberry, the better.

She’ll see the truth of who we are. If things evolve past talking, even better.

The need swelling inside me to have her is almost unbearable.

I’ve never felt such a pull to another before.

It tugs at every part of me relentlessly, demanding I go to her.

I’m done circling the bush and waiting around. Theresa Rowland is about to learn what a male at the end of his rope looks like.

It doesn’t take long to find her. She hasn’t masked her scent since I mentioned it to her.

I can smell her trail all the way through town.

The weaker the scent the longer ago she was there, the stronger the sooner.

Luckily, I catch her on the street. This way I don’t have to make up an excuse to get her away from others to talk.

“Sheriff,” Tess says in greeting.

“Red,” I mimic her casual tone, stepping up to her side and matching her pace as she walks down the sidewalk.

“Surprised I didn’t see you yesterday.”

A smirk pulls at my lips, and I slip my hands loosely into my pockets. Very few people manage to put me at ease as quickly as Tess does. The effect is almost instantaneous. My shoulders drop, my muscles unclench, and my stride shortens and slows.

“I do have a job you know?”

“Really? Could have fooled me. I thought your job was stalking lone females until they succumb to your small-town charms and completely forget you can shift into a giant hairy beast.”

She really does have a mouth on her. The words just roll right off her tongue. I watch that tongue and her mouth and momentarily forget her sassing to imagine it doing other things that don’t irritate me.

“That’s only for you, Red.” Tess purses her lips, and it doesn’t help the visual in my head. Clearing my throat, I refocus my attention on the street ahead of us. “I was wondering if I could ask you something?”

“Only if I get to ask you something,” she instantly retorts. Since what I have planned includes her asking questions already, it’s easy to give in to her demand this time.

“Fair enough. Would you come to my cabin with me? I’d like to explain a little more about shifters and Snowberry. You can ask me your many questions and maybe I can answer them privately. Without interruption or distraction.”

Tess stops and turns to face me, her long red hair falling over one shoulder.

I want to reach out and pull it all to one side, tilt her head baring her neck to me, and sink my fangs into her soft flesh.

Biting is a part of a shifter’s mating habits and to bite a partner and mark her with not only my scent but my literal teeth marks, claims her as mine for all to see.

During a mate bonding it’s also a key component in solidifying the bond, a mixing of blood and saliva bringing us closer together and physically bonding a pair for life.

The fact that I feel the need to do so, so strongly is almost enough to make me rescind my offer.

Getting her alone is exactly what I want and also not.

The line between a rutting fever and professionalism is beginning to blur.

No longer do I want to run her out of town or distance myself from her.

It seems the more time I spend around her, the less I want her to leave, and the more I want her naked in my bed.

I have no idea how this is all going to play out, but I know how I want it to.

“You would actually answer all my questions?”

“Maybe not all of them, but as many as I’m able. That counts as your question by the way, so if you want to ask more you should come with me.”

She grunts at me in a way that is surprisingly adorable, obviously unhappy about using up her question. She thinks about my offer, looking me over and trying to decide if I have ulterior motives. I do, but maybe just not the ones she thinks. She seems to come to a conclusion and nods at me.

“Okay, fine. I’ll go with you. But know, I still have my knife, and I will still stab you if I have too.”

“Understood.”

I lead Tess back to my truck parked at Town Hall, waving at Dottie through the window of the diner as we pass.

After movie night and now this, I’m sure Dottie will have plenty to gossip about with Donna and the others.

The two Evan’s brothers finding females at the same time, we must be the talk of the town.