SHIFTER ROMANCE: PARANORMAL ROMANCE: Claimed By The Wolf (Older Man Younger Woman Mail Order Bride Pregnancy Romance) (New Adult Wolf Shifter Romance) Read online

  After far too short of a time, they parted.

  Drawing in a deep breath, Rhys reached for her hand and kissed her palm. “It’s so good to see you after so long,” he said very softly.

  “Yes,” Natalya agreed, but she studied him like a wild animal in her backyard, hesitance shading her gaze.

  Chapter 3

  Rhys was the perfect gentleman, and exactly as he had been online and over the phone. That might not have been a problem for Natalya, if that didn’t mean he was somewhat aloof. Far from the interesting state in which she encountered him for the first time, he quickly settled into a pleasant, but blank, attitude, leaving her only speculation as to what caused him to seem so lost and confused. Perhaps he was just as nervous as she.

  Somehow, thinking about it like that helped to resolve her feelings, as she walked through the airport with him respectfully right at her side, occasionally stepping in front of her to push them a way through a particularly thick crowd. Maybe this was his way of coping, as hers was smoking.

  I didn’t tell him that yet, did I? That might be a deal-breaker.

  For some reason, she didn’t want that to be the case. It seemed a very wasteful prospect for him to spend so much money to come see her, only to reject her because of a habit, and so she resolved to hold off for as long as he stayed.

  Only once he held open the door to the parking garage and she stepped through, did she suddenly realize they had no other plans.

  “Oh,” she said out loud. Rhys turned to her. “What do we do? Shall I take you to hotel?”

  Disappointment raced across his stoic features, but he answered neutrally. “If that’s what you want. I need to check in, anyway.”

  “Of course,” she said, and led the way to her car.

  The drive wasn’t very long but it seemed that way, the silence between them very strained until, just as they pulled into the hotel parking lot, Natalya could bear it no longer.

  “Rhys,” she said, to catch his attention. “Maybe we can talk real quick.”

  “What is it?” he replied pleasantly.

  She focused on backing into her parking space, trying to stay within the lines as much as possible on this first go, perhaps to see if she could impress him. “We are both nervous. I think we will both be much happier if we are more open with each other.”

  “Then, what do you think of me?”

  Natalya blinked, taken aback. For some reason, she hadn’t quite expected that jump in conversation. Was it because he wanted to be close to her, or could she even hope to understand his mind?

  Was he a sweet wolf looking for love, or the enigma?

  “I think you are very handsome man.” She spoke honestly, surprising herself. “I want you to enjoy Russia. What do you think of me?”

  “I think you are a very desirable lady.” His voice thickened as he spoke. Natalya turned off her engine and closed her eyes with relief, glad for him to finally show some emotion. “And I would greatly enjoy the chance to have dinner with you after I check in, here.”

  The sweet wolf also seeks food from those he wants to love him, she thought, and suddenly smiled. “Yes. I would like this.”

  They ate dinner at her favorite local restaurant, where the host –and the owner’s daughter- knew her by name. Rhys sampled many small bites of Russian cuisine, and Natalya just enjoyed watching his expressions change as he made miniature discoveries. They also ordered a sweet desert wine, which the host delivered with a knowing smile.

  Rhys paid for the meal, being the gentleman once again. And Natalya thought fast and hard as they left the restaurant and headed for her car again. Rhys walked significantly looser now, with a flush to his face. He really was handsome, muscles ripping as he moved. And their difference in age melted away over the course of the dinner, as they spoke of small things which didn’t matter at all.

  Her gaze slid slower, to ogle the firmness filling out the rear of his slacks. Pleasant warmth tingled in her loins, and she made up her mind.

  “This isn’t the way to the hotel.”

  “I thought you might like to see apartment in person,” she said cautiously. “I can turn around.”

  “No, my dear.” One broad hand moved to lay on her knee as she drove. She struggled not to gasp from pure delight as the warmth became heat pooling between her legs. “I bet your interior design is wonderful.”

  She laughed.

  And laughed again as he stood in her foyer, looking around. Really, there weren’t very many personal touches in her home. A few pieces of furniture and flea market pictures, and the TV wasn’t even plugged in. But at least she vacuumed earlier, and emptied the trash.

  “And I was right,” he said, smiling. “This suits you.”

  That doesn’t make it wonderful, she wanted to point out, but let it drop in favor of another topic as he kicked off his shoes –setting them neatly on the shoe rack, of course. Sometimes she kicked off her own shoes as hard as she could at once, just to see how far apart they landed. “What do you mean by that?”

  Rhys turned back to face her. His expression was dead serious, but then he stepped in so close to hug her again. However, this time, she felt the bulge press hot against her leg. “I mean,” he whispered, breath searing her ear and making her shiver, “you’re so beautiful, but you don’t have a shallow bone in your whole body.” He touched his lips to her ear. “Do you even know how beautiful you are?”

  Natalya thought of herself, with uninspiring blue eyes and boring russiy hair –russiy being a word for the many common shades of hair coloration which fell into a category between dark blonde and light brown- and shook her head.

  His voice lowered to a sultry growl. “You will when I’m done with you.”

  The sound of his voice pierced her straight to the core with desire, making her body shake against his. The bulge in his pants strained the fabric where it pressed against her leg, almost burning her skin through the material.

  Oh, my goodness, she thought dizzily, drunken with desire. She clutched at him as his breath and lips did tender things to her ear which she thought might make her explode right then and there. She throbbed between her legs. Her womanhood felt swollen and needy, beginning to throb incessantly as her rosebud bloomed to full length, rubbing and being rubbed by her soft inner lips.

  And then his hand slid high up her thigh, caressing all the way until he reached the cleft between her legs. Through the thick fabric there, he pressed the heel of his palm against her and rubbed hard.

  Her back arched suddenly and totally, her breath coming in mewling gasps and she suddenly bore down against his hand and writhed against it, trying to somehow get him inside. He began to back her up as he rubbed her, almost carrying her with one hand supporting her back as her legs paddled, going weak against him. They made their way down the hall like that, and he turned her around in the doorway to her own room, releasing her so suddenly she cried out in surprise and need.

  And then he was behind and on top of her, the weight of his muscular body dropping her to the floor on her hands and knees. Clutching handfuls of carpet, Natalya crouched there for a moment, her whole body jerking with the spasms emanating from deep inside, and then his hands wrapped around her rear and began to stroke her deliciously all over. Taking his time, his fingers explored every curve and depression.

  “Oh, Rhys,” she whispered very softly, moving back against his hands.

  He whispered back, “Oh, Natalya.”

  And then his hands tore her zipper down, shoving roughly at her pants until they bunched up around her knees. Almost in the same instant, she heard another zipper be ripped down and then he mounted her from behind.

  Straddling her entire body with his bulk, an arm and leg on either side, with his member jutting straight between her swollen, sticky-sweet lips, Rhys lowered his lips to the back of her neck and kissed her there. Natalya shivered from a lighter sort of pleasure, the gentle flutter of butterfly wings which came during a good bout of flirting. She was co
mpletely unprepared for what came next, as suddenly he opened his mouth wide and clamped his teeth around the back of her neck.

  She squealed in surprise, almost ready to knock him away, when she realized he wasn’t biting so much as just holding her, letting her feel the pressure of his teeth. His hips arched up, the pressure of his teeth increasing just slightly, painlessly, as he moved around and adjusted his angle. He thrust up, inside her, hitting the exact perfect spot for shivers to go racing up and down her entire body. He shook with her, and she couldn’t believe how good his teeth felt against her skin.

  I’m being claimed, she thought wonderingly. Animalistic, as a wolf might mate with another.

  From this position, her breasts hung down low and full inside her shirt, tender velvet peaks rubbing soft cloth as her body shook. Her legs were spread, held apart by his feet pinning her ankles, and even as she started to push back against his rock-hard member for more, his hands reached up and settled down over hers. He held her in place while she gripped the carpet, and growled wordlessly into her ears.

  Arousal surged through her whole being as she gave herself up to him, growling back and whimpering for breath between sexy rumbles. Rhys moved with her, both of them thrusting and grinding together.

  He cried out for her, and she echoed his name, the both of them arching again as passion overflowed. Their heads tossed back, voices rising to the ceiling, they were as one, as rejoicing wolves who found each other after being separated for so long.

  The next three days together were heaven. They no longer drove but walked around the city, sometimes running, always keeping pace with the other for they never stopped holding hands. Rhys exclaimed at every unfamiliar thing like a handsome child, and Natalya let herself discover again some of the things she loved, seen through his newer eyes. They caught some glances wherever they went, as people she knew and people she didn’t judged not just their age but their origins, and she ignored them all.

  For this one thing in her life, no one else mattered. Her opinions were her own. And she realized, sleeping curled up against his chest like a thing which belonged to him, she was very glad to have signed up for that bride service.

  Chapter 4

  “Will I ever see you again?” Natalya asked softly.

  Rhys looked into her eyes, holding her hands between his and massaging them. They stood before the security checkpoint, just another couple about to part from one another. His heart ached abominably.

  “My dear,” he said, and leaned in to kiss her, “nothing could prevent me from doing so.”

  In only a few minutes he would have to get moving, if he wanted to just barely make his flight. They dawdled that morning, not for sex, but only to be in each other’s company as long as possible. But for now he took his time, loving on her lips with his mouth and tongue. He gave everything he had, so she might remember it for weeks to come.

  “Promise to call me as soon as you are home?” She gripped him tightly, almost too tight.

  “I promise.” Rhys ruffled his fingers in her hair, and then took a small step back as he saw what time it was on one of the flashing schedule screens. “I should be going, Natalya. I’m so glad we had this chance.”

  “I am glad as well,” Natalya said very softly, and stroked her fingers over his cheek. “Take care.”

  “And you,” he said. A lump rose in his throat, hot tears burning his eyes. Unwilling to let her see, to break the poise of strength he prided himself in, he turned quickly on his heel and marched away. Just before he disappeared out of sight, he knew she waved, but he couldn’t turn back or else let her see the streaks on his face. Or, he might run to her and never return to his home.

  As it was, he began to formulate a plan while sitting in the terminal, and he brought out his phone to log onto russiandelights.com. A message from the site monitors enquired as to their trip.

  Perfect, he thought, and got to work typing out his reply as what would hopefully be the first step to spending more time with his young, exotic girlfriend. These types of arrangements took so much time, he simply had to get started immediately.

  Chapter 5

  Every day became the same over the course of the next month, unchanged as though the visit from Rhys never happened. Natalya thought of him often, whenever her eyes closed, whenever the train of her thoughts slid to a gentle conclusion.

  There was slightly more depth to their relationship now, teasing pictures from them both and heat during the phone calls, but her own hands between her legs weren’t enough to satisfy her when she had experienced more at his. Her voice echoed alone in her apartment, and she thought very seriously about getting a dog –a big, shaggy malamute of some kind- to keep her company, and was halfway convinced she might as well when her phone burbled with a notification.

  At a time completely unusual for him, Rhys had messaged her.

  Natalya raced to her computer, heart pounding with wild excitement as she hurriedly logged on. “Rhys! You’re early!”

  “I have a surprise for you,” he typed badly, nearly every word containing a mistake. Though she didn’t think it possible, her heart pattered even more.

  “What is it?”

  “My dear Natalya, I’ve been secretly working with the people in charge of the site. It hasn’t been easy and I’ve spent quite a bit of money, but it’s worth it. It’s all going to be worth it.” Rhys typed slower, and in her mind she heard him lower his voice. “You’re clear for a passport, Natalya. You can apply for one, and they will give it to you immediately. Everything is already set up, you just have to ask.

  “I have worked overtime and now I am due for a week off. A full week to do nothing but spend time with you. I’m geared up to pay for your flight, for everything. All you have to do is say yes. If you want to.”

  “Yes!” she said aloud. “Da!” Warm bubbles of joy blew through her, lifting her almost up out of her seat to dance around the apartment with her arms spread wide before she realized he still needed an answer he could see.

  “Perfect! Will you do it now? Please?”

  She did, and within two weeks the passport was hers, glossy and new and a beautiful gateway to her beloved Rhys. Only another week after that, and she boarded the same airline Rhys rode to her in.

  Soon, she would catch her first glimpse of America, country of the free and home to the best person to ever enter into her life.

  Once they hit America, the plane landed and she swapped flights to one headed for Helena, the capital of a state known as Montana. Most of what she glimpsed of the country through the plane windows resembled the population centers of Russia, even in areas she suspected were meant to be rural. That interested her in a way she couldn’t quite explain, for Russia to still have such an untamedness while even America’s mountains were carved, paved, reshaped by man.

  This must be very different from where Rhys lives, she thought –or hoped. For some reason, she didn’t want him to live in a city.

  And she barely recognized Helena as being one. Where were all the gigantic buildings, the gaudy lights, the megastructures? Instead, this place barely resembled one sprawling neighborhood. The only distinctive features were the giant church, a single line of squat corporate buildings, and the mountains in the background –though they were gentle and green compared to those framing her home.

  The moment the plane hit the pavement and rolled to a standstill, she grabbed her bag and leapt down the aisle. She ran past the endless hallway of outlet shops. She ran down the moving platforms. She raced the other travelers who didn’t know they were being raced against. There were no thoughts in her head now, only an image of Rhys’s handsome face and self-aware grin.

  Natalya broke through the late gate and looked around. Where is he?

  “I’m here!” someone shouted.

  She turned to look and what felt like a truck full of bricks hit her. “Rhys!” Her arms wrapped around his neck as he wrapped his arms around her body, engulfing her. Their lips met roughly, their bodies
pressing together to try and get as much of each other as they could.

  “Natalya,” he moaned into her hair, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. Hard muscle cradled her softness, both of them beginning to sway together. “I missed you so much.”

  “I missed you too,” she whispered back.

  “Shall we go?” He pulled back enough to look down into her eyes. Natalya nodded and reached for his hand, peace washing over her as his fingers closed gently around hers.

  “Do you live in city?”

  “No. I’m closer to the mountains. I told you that before but it was quite a long while ago.”

  The sensible part of her balked slightly at possibly being so far away from help if the unthinkable happened, but in all honesty the rest of her barely cared. And the beauty of the hills as he drove away from the city lured her further into a sense of wonderment and happiness, watching this American road cut through the country rather than weave with the lay of the land.

  Such a strange place, she thought.

  They drove in silence the majority of the way, Natalya leaning her head against the softly vibrating window to watch the world pass by. Pastel meadow flowers dotted tall grasses, acres of backyard for single houses spaced far away from each other. Each home seemed grander than the last as well, some with barns and others with what seemed like entire playgrounds in the yards, rising up taller and wider than she knew what to do with. What people lived in such big spaces? And what could a person possibly have to fill up a house so large?

  And though she already knew Rhys did very well for himself, it only hit her now just how well that must be if he lived out here.

  And then the road ended just up ahead. Rhys turned left at the last moment, onto an overgrown and barely-visible path made of powdery dirt. Natalya saw nothing, and then they crested a hill, started down the other side, and his house was there pressed back into a cleft of the very land itself where the mountains met hills and formed a horseshoe curve. To her relief, it was only about half the size of the mansions they kept passing to get here, but it was still an immense place.