Croc and the Fox (11 page)

she cried.The song ended, and as the flames still danced, he

murmured, “Make a wish.” She blew the candles out with a lusty breath and he couldn’t help hoping her wish involved him. “Thank you,” she whispered turning bright eyes to him.
“You’re welcome. But the cake isn’t the only surprise.” He pulled out a gift bag and handed it to her.
At her questioning look, he just smiled. Waited. Then snickered as she held up the present.
The t-shirt depicted a crocodile, fanged and cartoonish with a big smile on his face and a rounded belly. The caption underneath read, ‘I came to see the crocodiles. I stayed for dinner.’
Renee snickered, then laughed. Eyes crinkling, Viktor joined her.
“I can’t believe you bought this.”
Me either.
He’d wanted to get her a gift, but the small store mostly had grocery items, except for a display of tourist tshirts that bore funny expressions and images. That he’d even bought one said more than he cared to admit.
“Well, it’s not a birthday without a present. But put the shirt aside for the moment, time for your first piece of chocolate cake.”
He sliced them each a piece and dished them onto small plates, but forgot to eat his when Renee closed her eyes and moaned in absolute ecstasy at her first bite.
“Good?”
Mouth full of another piece, she nodded her head. “Better than my cooking?”
“Taste for yourself.” The devilish glint in her eye should have warned him, but where she was concerned, none of his senses worked right. She leaned in and pressed her mouth to his before he could blink. Mouth parted slightly, he couldn’t help but taste the rich mocha on her lips. It roused his hunger. Fingers laced at the back of her head, her drew her closer to him, meshing his mouth to hers firmly, letting her sweet flavored tongue slide along his.
Best cake ever.
They continued to kiss even after the morsel disappeared, and it was with reluctance, he drew away. He grinned in male satisfaction when it took her a moment to open her eyes and come to her senses.
“That was
yummy,
” she said in a husky murmur that almost had him shoving another piece in her mouth.
“I’m glad you liked it. And it’ll taste even better later after we come back from the woods.”
A frown creased her brow. “Why are we going into the woods?”
To get you naked.
For a purpose that didn’t involve sex, yet. “It’s time you met your fox.”

Chapter Fourteen

“Why are we out here again?” Renee grumbled slapping at yet another mosquito daring to hover too close. She’d have much preferred to stay in the kitchen, eating the decadent cake, devouring Viktor’s even more delectable lips, and then moving on to a physical activity involving less clothes. And not the shapeshifting kind like he seemed intent on forcing.

“We are out here because I think your ability to shapeshift – ”
“You mean lack of.”
“–is related to your memory loss.”
“So what?” She also couldn’t remember her name when he kissed her, but that didn’t bother her either. How had they gone from delicious dessert and kissing, to outside by some wet and smelly marsh? “Did it ever occur to you that I just can’t do

it?” “Of course you can. You’re a shifter for swamp’s sake.

Shifters shift.”
“I disagree. And I would also like to note that while this
bog might be familiar turf for crocodiles, aren’t foxes more at
home in the forest?” Actually, according to her body, she’d find
herself most at home in his bed, naked, with him on top.
Despite her lack of experience, she caught on quick, and found
herself intrigued after having watched, with wide eyes, the
romantic liaisons depicted in movies and TV shows over the last

few days.“Ah, but if by chance this does work and you do shift, if

you bolt because you get scared, I’ll have more luck following you in the marsh than I would on land.”
She wrinkled her nose. “But it’s gooey looking.” “But good for the skin. You should thank me. Women

pay good money for mud baths.”
“They do not,” she exclaimed.
“Do too.”
Her skeptical look didn’t make him back down. She

shook her head. “That’s just nuts.”

 

“Stop stalling. I want you to concentrate on calling your

 

fox.” “It won’t work. I’ve tried and tried to shift. I just can’t do it.”“What if I gave you the right incentive?” His serious

look didn’t give a hint as to what kind of incentive he meant. “Like what?”
“I’ll make you dinner.”
“You do that already.”
“No, I’ll make
you
dinner.”
“You just said that.”
He sighed. “I meant, I’ll finish what got interrupted the

other night. What we started again over the cake.”

Oh.
Oooh.
Now she understood. And she wanted the prize. However, his capitulation seemed too easy. “I thought you said I was too young.”

“You are.”

“And what about the fact protecting me is your mission?”
“Do you want to do this or not?” he snapped.
“Testy, testy. Is that the old ornery croc thing coming out that Miranda warned me about?”
“I’ll show you old,” he growled. He advanced on her with a look in his eye that probably sent his prey skittering. It shot a shiver down her spine. She stood her ground.
“Should I get naked for this?” she asked.
A quirk tilted his lips. “If you want. Myself, I prefer to strip before shifting. Nothing worse than a crocodile wearing Fruit of the Loom briefs.”
She giggled, a laughter that cut short when he yanked his shirt over his head and revealed the chest she’d come to think of as hers. He placed the fabric over a branch before kicking off his boots. He pulled a revolver from the back of his pants and laid it carefully on the ground.
“No holster?” she asked.
“Holster’s are for pussies and bears. Crocs aren’t afraid of a little danger.”
“Then why does the knife have a sheath?” she inquired pointing to the velcroed band around his upper bicep.
“Because I prefer to shave on my terms,” he replied with a grin. “Are you asking all these questions to try and distract

^me?”
“Who me?” She widened her eyes.

He chuckled, but she couldn’t utter a sound when knife put aside, he placed his hands on the clasp to his jeans. Knowing she’d get to see him in all his naked glory in a moment just about made her swoon. She definitely wet the crotch of her panties, and her heart went into serious overdrive.

Eyes locked on his slow strip tease, she didn’t even blink as he undid the buttons, revealing bulging dark fabric.
“Must you stare?” he growled.
“I’d videotape it if I could.”
He groaned. “You’ll be the death of me.”
“I hope not. You made me a promise.”
“A promise that I’ll have a hard time keeping if you keep staring at me like that. A croc’s only got so much patience.”
“Then stop taking so long.”
A heartbeat later, he’d shed his pants, shucked his briefs and stood there in all his splendid, very naked and erect glory.
Knees weak, she leaned against the tree behind her. “You’re beautiful,” she sighed.
“Can’t we go with something a little more manly like handsome or fearsome?”
“But you are beautiful.” And he was each delineated muscle a thing to admire. The perfect blend of wide shoulders, broad chest leading to tapered hips and muscled thighs. Even his prick, bobbing, thick and, yes fearsome looking, was beautiful. The heat coursing in her veins rose a few notches.
“Your turn,” he replied in a voice grown thick. She held his gaze, heart stuttering as his slitted eyes lit with passion.
Slowly, with the same decadence he showed her, she stripped, each burning glance of his eyes igniting her skin, tightening her awareness until she almost panted. And they’d not even touched.
When she stood naked before him, he swallowed hard. She waited for him to say something. Or better, do something. Touch her. Kiss her. Make love to her. Anything.
When he finally whispered, she strained to hear. “Perfection.” She flushed at his compliment.
Still, though, he didn’t move. Didn’t give her what his body and eyes promised. It seemed she’d have to wrestle him into submission.
Hips swaying, in a hopefully seductive manner she’d studied on television, she approached him.
He shook his finger at her. “Not yet, my naughty fox. First you need to change shape.”
“I’d rather wear your shape.”
A tremor went through him. “I’m trying to help you

here.” “Help me then. Help me put out this ache I’ve got

 

between my legs.” Having not been taught the niceties of society, she said exactly what came to mind.

He groaned. “Not yet. Not until you try. I’ll go first. This is what we call a half shift.” Before her eyes, she watched him molt, his human skin darkening, and she’d guess hardening, as scales emerged to cover his tanned skin. He held up his hands as his fingers turned a greenish-grey and sprouted claws. His thighs thickened, and, holy moly, a tail came into existence, whipping behind him.

As for his face, the jaw and nose elongated into a snout, his hair virtually disappeared, but the same yellow eyes she’d come to know regarded her. His voice, when it emerged, had a guttural roughness she didn’t find unpleasant.

“In my half form, I keep my basic humanoid shape and can move on two legs. My skin is harder. My reflexes faster. And my strength increased.” He flexed an arm and an impressive bulge popped up. “Your turn.”

She sighed. “It won’t work. But if you insist.” Closing her eyes, she fisted her hands at her side and wished with all her might to change shapes. It wasn’t that she couldn’t sense that other half of herself inside, she could, it just didn’t want to come out and play.

“Are you concentrating on your fox?”

Truthfully? “No. I’m thinking I’d much rather be eating some more cake.”
“Try harder.”
“Why? Who cares if I can shapeshift? Why is everyone so obsessed with my lack of ability?”
Viktor morphed back into his human form. “Who else pressured you?”
“The scientists and doctors. They said I was being stubborn. Doing it on purpose to screw with their tests.”
“And?”
“And what? I wasn’t. I just can’t shift. Not that they believed me. They tried everything. Electroshock, which tickles after you’ve gone through it for a while. Drugs, some which made me so hungry. One doctor hit me a few times when I couldn’t do it, but he did it too hard I guess because I passed out and woke up in my cell. They must have fired him because I never saw him again.”
Before she could take in a breath, Viktor held her in his arms, his skin cool against hers. He gazed down at her, fierce and angry. “I’ll kill them all,” he growled, his eyes glowing with inner fire.
“Why?”
“Because they hurt you. I’ll shoot them in the kneecaps and make them crawl. Hook them to some booster cables and clip them to a power line. Inject poison into their veins.”
“And then?”
“I’ll kill them.”
She sighed. “That is so romantic.”
He snorted. “It was meant to be a vicious promise of vengeance.”
“I know. But it’s still almost poetic.”
“You’re nuts,” he said with a shake of his head. “But I like it,” he admitted with a rueful smile.
“So you like me?” She held her breath as soon as the words slipped past her lips. Would he answer?
He took a while to reply and her heart sank with each second that passed.
“I do,” he finally said in a tone so low she almost missed it. “I shouldn’t, but swamp help me, I do.”
Her heart went from a stuttering stop to full speed. “Really? You’re not saying that just because you feel sorry for

me.” “I wouldn’t lie about something like that. Especially not to you.”“So, what does this mean?”

“It doesn’t change the fact you’re still too young for me and that my job is to protect you.”
“I hear that boys mature more slowly than girls, or so Miranda claims. If that’s the case, then really, we’re not that far apart. Actually,” she pressed herself tighter to him. “We’re pretty darned close. And I can’t think of a better way to protect me than if you’re with me.”
“You don’t mean that. You’ve barely seen anything of the world. There’s much better prospects out there than an old croc who can’t learn new tricks.”
“But none of them have the experience needed to protect me. The skills to take care of my body.”
He groaned. “You just won’t give up.”
“So give in. Please, Viktor. Teach me. Touch me. Show me what if feels like to have a man inside of me.” And not just any man, but Viktor, the only man to ever rouse her erotic interest and make her speak so wantonly.
“And if I don’t?”
She ran a finger down his chest, the smoothness of his chest fascinating. “Would you truly condemn me like that?”
“I’m not the right man for you.”
“You’re the only man for me,” she whispered. “Don’t you understand? Nobody else has ever made me feel like my whole body is on fire. Nobody else makes me feel safe and beautiful. Only you make have the power to make me beg. Don’t let me go back to my prison without having tasted what only you can give me.”
“You’re not going back. Never. I swear it,” he growled. “I will kill anyone who tries.”
“And what if it’s death that comes to take me instead? What if it’s my own body that betrays me?”
“I won’t let it.”
A sad smile pulled at her lips. “You can’t stop it. No one can ever truly erase what was done to me and the others, or reverse the effects. I might live a hundred years, or die before this night is done. Nothing you do or promise can change that. But you can give me this. Show me what it’s like to be a woman in all ways.” She raised eyes shining with tears to meet his. “Show me a pleasure on par with chocolate cake, and shopping and all the other wondrous things you’ve introduced me to.”
A crooked, yet tender smile curved his lips. “I’m better than any cake.”
“Prove it.” When he hesitated still, she kissed him, putting all of her passion, her need, her affection for him in the embrace. Would he reject her? Would he…
To her delight, with a groan of surrender, he melted. He took over the kiss, his mouth slanting across her lips and taking control. With firm nibbles and caresses, he took the fire in her body and turned it into an inferno.
Awash in sensations, from his tongue sliding along hers, to his hands roaming the length of her body, she didn’t notice when he lay them down on a bough of soft grass that bent under their weight. She welcomed the heavy, hardness of his body as he covered hers, her thighs parting naturally so he could settle between them.
He kissed her like a man starving, meeting her passion and leaving her hungry for more. Not knowing what to do with her hands, she gripped his shoulders, the feel of his muscles tense under her touch, his skin warming to meet the temperature of hers, a delight to her senses. As for the weapon between his legs…it pulsed, hot and hard against her pelvis, trapped between their bodies, a curiosity she longed to explore.
A soft moan of dismay left her when he tore his mouth from hers. She was about to protest when his lips touched the soft skin of her neck, then travelled lower, branding her flesh. She gasped, and a jolt of pure pleasure shot to her sex when he brushed across a nipple. Cried out when he took the taut peak into his mouth and sucked. But enjoyable as that was, it couldn’t compare to the shocking intensity of sensation when he grazed his pointed teeth over her tight nub.
She couldn’t help bucking against him, the hungry passion controlling her limbs. He grunted, and for a moment she thought she’d done something wrong, until he murmured, “You taste even sweeter than I imagined.”
He fantasized about me?