Sondrae Bennett: Chasing Paradise

Ethan watched his prey scurry away. Damn it. He hadn’t been that entertained in awhile. Seeing her reaction to his presence made him want to push her up against the wall she’d almost run into and kiss her senseless. Chances were she wouldn’t even complain. There had been interest in her gaze as it raked over him. Surprise too, but definite interest. It might as well have been written on her forehead in black permanent marker. It would have been easy to guide her into his bed, something he realized he’d craved from the moment he put his hands on her arm. But she’d scampered away like a frightened rabbit as soon as the cheetah had walked up.

Ethan looked down at the woman clinging to him. When he’d seen her out on the beach, he’d thought she was one of the sexiest women he’d ever seen. Yet, for some reason, the attraction he’d felt earlier had vanished. Sure, she was pretty. Gorgeous even. But he no longer wanted to hump her leg.

Something was definitely wrong with him. The woman was sex personified. Of course he was interested. Who wouldn’t be?

Acting on reflex he’d taken years to perfect, he flashed the woman his most charming smile.

“I don’t believe we’ve met before. I’m Jacqueline,” the woman purred.

Common sense made him swallow the laugh before it could escape. Here she was, her body practically wrapped around his, introducing herself. But he didn’t think he would gain any points by drawing attention to the fact. She was so close, Ethan felt her breasts rise and fall against his chest with every breath.

“I’m Ethan. Can I buy you a drink, Jacqueline?” He forced the words out. Whatever reluctance he had, he needed to get over it. This vacation was about letting loose and having fun. Jacqueline seemed like the perfect place to start.

The cheetah stepped impossibly closer, pressing against him from toe to chest. “I’ve got a bottle of wine in my room I’ve been dying to try out. You like wine, don’t you, Ethan?” The fake pout on her lips should have turned him on, but instead had the opposite effect. Man, he needed to get a grip.

He hoped the wooden smile he threw her was believable. “Oh, I definitely like wine.” It felt like a lie and hung heavily in the air, taunting him.

With a come-hither look, Jacqueline led the way and Ethan forced himself to follow. The elevator doors had barely closed when the cheetah pounced. Her tan arms clung to his shoulders as her tongue forced itself into his mouth.

Ethan had kissed his share of women, and Jacqueline was an expert. But as the elevator made its way to her floor, he realized, kissing skills aside, the hard-on he’d sported from the moment he’d put his hands on the otter, had deflated in the presence of the cheetah.

Whether it was the way she’d thrown herself at him, or perhaps that he’d found more appealing prey, he wasn’t the least bit interested in a night of debauchery with Jacqueline. His wolf wanted to chase. She wasn’t giving him much of a run.

Ethan was gentle but firm as he pushed the persistent cat away when the doors opened onto her floor.

“I think I’m going to grab a drink downstairs instead. Another time, maybe.” Ethan tried to be polite but there was no easy way to turn her offer down. Apparently I didn’t try hard enough , he thought as Jacqueline’s expression quickly give way to anger.

“Excuse me?” A lesser man would have winced at the incredulous tone. “I know I didn’t hear you correctly.”

“Afraid you did. I’m sure you can find a replacement easily enough.”

Jacqueline huffed, sticking her arm out as the elevator started to close between them. “You won’t get another chance.”

“I understand. Have a nice vacation, Jacqueline. I hope you find what you’re looking for.” She didn’t bother responding, whipping her head around and storming down the hallway. Ethan watched her tight butt as the elevator doors closed and couldn’t help but question his sanity. What the hell was holding him back?

The sun was no longer visible on the horizon as Gwen dove under the water, using her thick tail to twirl and spin. Eyes closed, she let her other senses guide her. Her whiskers tingled from all the vibrations in the water. She sensed the gentle sway of seaweed on the ocean floor and a school of fish swimming behind her. When human, this skill wasn’t quite as strong, but she did possess a greater sense of her surroundings than other shifters.

She resurfaced and gently paddled on her back, keeping her nose and eyes above the water. The gentle waves supported her, and she let the peace of the ocean surround her. This was her favorite time of day. The guests were mostly inside, eating their dinner. A few lingered on the patio after watching the sun set, but the more vibrant colors had already disappeared, leaving behind a dusky purple glow.

Whenever she felt overwhelmed or stressed out, this was her escape, her haven. She loved her job, but it constantly left her feeling strung out and tense. Lately, she’d been restless. The senior romp members were putting more and more responsibilities on her shoulders and she reveled in it. But most days, she was stuck inside dealing with paperwork. In the past, she’d been able to interact with the guests, walk around the resort, and talk with the staff. Lately, she just hadn’t had the time and she missed the human interaction. She’d always felt separate from the others, but more and more often she found herself truly alone.

At an early age, Gwen had discovered she was different from other otters in her romp. While most pups spent their days playing, she spent her days swimming and reading. She’d never developed the flirting skills her friends and family had, and her more traditional views on love and sex had left her out of the dating game for most of her teen years. Whereas she was responsible and liked to think she worked just as hard as she played, she often felt like a mother, even to the older members of her community, reining in the hotel staff and forcing them to do their jobs. Even her own parents needed gentle reminders to pay the bills. It wasn’t that things wouldn’t get done. They would eventually. But eventually wasn’t good enough for Gwen.

Some days she was amazed the resort had succeeded as well as it had before she’d taken the helm. But she wanted more. The yearning to be a real mother, not just a figurative one to her romp, made her heart ache.

As the water rushed over her small body in a comforting caress, her thoughts drifted once again to the wolf. She’d managed to get very little work done after her run-in with him this afternoon. Whenever she closed her eyes the images of them naked and entwined played in her mind. By the time she finally called it a day, Gwen was annoyed, horny, and aching for his touch.

These foreign feelings left her off-balance. Sure, there’d been men who attracted her. Even some she’d bedded. But she’d always been able to separate work from play before. Never had someone consumed her thoughts so completely. It was annoying. If she hadn’t seen him walk off with the cheetah, she would seriously begin to wonder if she’d found her mate.

Inside her head, her otter yelled at her, telling her she had indeed found her mate, but the woman remained skeptical. She wasn’t naive enough to compare herself to the other woman, who had radiated sexuality with every breath, every step. There was no hope of competing against someone like that. Sighing, Gwen let her senses guide her toward a school of Coho salmon swimming close to shore. Slowing briefly as she neared, Gwen used her tail in a burst of speed, propelling her forward into the school. Her sharp teeth dug into her prey and she surfaced with a large fish.