A. Arthur - Part of Me

This time around, Lidia would be mine no matter how hard I had to work to convince her.

“You have a really big bed,” Lidia commented when she was standing at the foot of my “really big bed,” looking down at it like it was some kind of demon.

I chuckled. “It’s a bed for a big guy, with big things.”

“Could you get any more conceited?”

I didn’t answer because she’d walked out of the room. I did, however, remove the sweatshirt I’d been wearing, keeping on my T-shirt despite my “going naked” comment to her.

“So this is the bachelor pad,” she was saying as she walked past the entertainment center with all the equipment I’d purchased. That and the black leather sofa were the only furniture in what would eventually be my living room.

“It’s my place for the time I’m here.”

When she looked up at me, her hand poised over a picture of me and my brothers, I felt like an ass, because she looked like she wanted to cry. Not that Lidia Morales would ever cry, for any reason. Still, she looked really sad and I knew it was because I said I didn’t plan to stay here in Pacifica.

“I know this is our senior year,” she began. “One of the instructors said I had a really good chance of being accepted for that internship at the charter school in L.A.”

She reached up, tucking her hair behind her ears as she talked, looking at me expectantly. I didn’t want to say it, didn’t want to rain on her parade, but there was no way around it. There was a plan for us that was much larger than school or internships.

“That’s great news, Lid. Really good news, but you know we have to leave after graduation,” I said in the most neutral tone possible.

Lidia was shaking her head before I could finish speaking. “No. You know that’s not what I plan to do. I’m not going back for the final training and testing. I’m going to become a teacher.”

We’d been over all this before. I listened while she talked, heard all her hopes and dreams and knew exactly why she’d put so much energy into them. But the fact was they didn’t change anything, at least not to my way of thinking. I wanted to say that to her, to yell it if necessary, whatever it took to get her to understand. But I wouldn’t do those things because I cared about her too much. The last thing I wanted to see was the look of hurt in her eyes, not again, not ever again. “I know, Lidia. You can teach, I’m not saying that you can’t. But we have other responsibilities,” I tried instead.

“I don’t want them. I didn’t ask for them and I don’t need anybody dropping them at my feet,” she protested.

Her hands had fallen to her sides, fingers clenching and unclenching, brow furrowing. She was getting fired up. Her eyes taking on another look entirely. The golden glint sparked as she stared back at me. I loved that look, loved how it never failed to shoot straight to my groin and make the cat inside roar with need. What I didn’t like was that the look was accompanied by her tearing down the tribe and its expectations of us.

“Look,” I said, moving closer and rubbing my hands on her shoulders. “Why don’t we order a pizza, watch some movies, and just chill for tonight. I’ve missed you like crazy.”

It was the truth. I’d thought of her every second of every day she was away. Every other hour I had to convince myself not to get in my truck and drive to L.A. to be with her. She’d needed space. It didn’t matter that I’d needed her to breathe, that each second without her had been like a knife to my chest. Lidia was an intelligent shifter, she was strong, and she was fierce when opposed. I knew we belonged together and I knew I would never stop until I had her. I was also smart enough to know that there would be no happiness until Lidia came to all those conclusions on her own. She sighed, looking up at me the same way she used to when we’d raced to see who could climb a tree the fastest. I always won, knowing she’d be ready to kick my ass if I didn’t give the race my all. She’d always been deflated but determined to try again. That undeniable spunk had been one of the first things I’d noticed and enjoyed about Lidia.

“I missed you too, you big jerk,” she replied, swiping a hand over my chest. “Why didn’t you visit?”

Her hand had been warm and I wished like hell she’d left it on my chest, but she’d pulled it away knowing what her touch did to me, trying desperately to ignore it. That hadn’t worked. I could tell by the way her fingers continued to move as she placed them in her lap, she wanted to touch me again and again. Damn, but I wanted the same thing. I wanted it almost more than air.

“You said you needed space so I gave it to you,” I said simply.

“And you found Kyra in the meantime,” she finished with a nod.

See, another thing I knew about Lidia was that she was passionate about however she felt about a person. If she hated someone, they’d better watch the hell out. If she loved them, it was till the death. And if she was jealous, damn, it was almost as good as if she’d just admitted she loved me. “Yeah,” I replied with an exaggerated sigh and smile. “I found Kyra.”

“Hooray for the lovebirds,” she quipped, walking away and dropping down onto my couch, the TV remote already in her hand. “I like ham and pineapple on my pizza.”

I tried to hide a grin but it was pointless. I liked the jealous Lidia, almost as much as I loved the Shadow Shifter one. “And extra cheese. I know what you like on your pizza, Lidia,” I told her while pulling my cell from my pocket to speed-dial the pizza place.

I knew everything about Lidia, loved everything about her, wanted all of her, needed her in the absolute worst way. My patience was waning, the cat inside threatening to take over this conquest, ready at a moment’s notice to reach out for its mate and hold on tight.

I was asleep for all of fifteen minutes before Lidia began crawling up my body. We’d started out sitting side by side, then about ten minutes into some crying-in-the-rain chick-flick I was dozing off. She’d slapped me in the chest, threatening to break my ankles if I didn’t watch the entire movie. To prove her point, she’d pulled my leg up onto hers. Of course I didn’t complain. I didn’t stay awake either, but I didn’t complain.

That was the last memory I had before I felt something soft and warm brush past what was steadily becoming a very happy erection. Cracking one eye open I could see the top of her head lying on my chest, one hand wearing the plain sterling silver band on her thumb—actually I felt that since a circle of warmth was now pooling there.

As for my erection, it was her knee that was now inching even farther up between my legs. I swallowed first, counting to five in my head before attempting my next move. I could just sit up and wake her, give her a ride back to her dorm, and come back home like the good “big brother” she liked to think I was. Or I could …

I brushed my hand over her hair. It smelled heavenly, like fresh berries and flowers and it always looked so silky as it hung past her shoulders. My hand moved down her back, feeling the steady rise and fall as she breathed. As softly as I could and with as much control as I’d been taught, I cupped the ass I loved staring at. One cheek rested in my palm and my dick pressed painfully against the zipper of my jeans, my teeth clenching. Inhaling deeply, her scent seeped into my nostrils causing my blood to pump fiercely.

She moved, rolling slightly so that now she was actually on top of me, her breasts on my chest, her crotch aligned perfectly with my dick. I couldn’t do anything but palm both my hands on her ass.

“Brayden.” She whispered my name, looking up at me with sleep-hazed eyes, lips slightly parted and damn kissable.