Chapter 41

by Michelle M Pillow & Mandy M Roth

Real Fucking Romantic

Three weeks without sex.

Michelle frowned. She’d gone months in the past. Hell, she’d once gone over a year. Not that she liked to think about that incredibly frustrating dry spell. But that year was nothing compared to the last three weeks.

“All you have to do is call Conner and he’ll take care of it,” she told her reflection. Her face was pale—nothing new there. It took her nearly twenty trips to the tanning booths to even get a hint at a tan and she’d been too busy with photo shoots and putting together the Fireman Charity Calendar to make the time.

Thinking of the Fireman calendar only made her shiver. Maybe it was the fact she’d been staring at Dmitri’s sex-god picture for three weeks—his strong chest, his big muscles, naked, hot flesh, and an oh-too-huge packaged wrapped in tight denim pants.

Michelle moaned. Her body so wet and sensitive she had to take a deep breath. What was it about the arrogant man that drove her to such distraction? He wasn’t the serious, settle down type she normally went for. On the outside, neither was Conner. But when they were together, in bed, he’d say things like “You’re my destiny”, and “My Mate”, “My Queen”, “Love me”.

“Fuck me,” Michelle whispered, wishing someone was there to answer the plea.

“Ok, sure!”

For a moment, Michelle stiffened, but only before she realized it was Mandy standing in her bathroom door, teasing and grinning like an idiot. Completely uncaring that she just broke into a locked house and snuck up on her best friend, she laughed.

“Nice robe,” Mandy said, pointing to Michelle’s clothing. “I especially like the whole muumuu fit you have going.”

“It was too hot for terry cloth. And careful, I just might buy you one for your birthday instead of pajama pants this year.” Michelle quirked a brow and glanced over Mandy’s shoulder. Still, she tugged out of the hideous piece of clothing and tossed it aside. “Ok, I give, how did you get in?”

“Magic,” Mandy giggled. Then, rolling her eyes, “And you may lock your doors, babes, but the windows were open and the kitchen screen just pops right out. By the way, why is your windows open? It’s colder than a vampire’s tit outside.” As if to prove her point, Mandy tugged at her sweater.

Michelle glanced down to her tank top and shorts, not feeling the cold. “Oh, I forgot. I was just so hot last night. I think I might be coming down with something,” Michelle rubbed her temple, tempted to tell Mandy to go away so she could ‘get some alone time’. Never having done such a thing in the past, it was hard for her to even consider doing it now for too long. The thought left her as soon as it came.

“Um, the last I heard prude-idis isn’t life threatening, though I’m pretty sure I’d die if forced into abstinence.” Mandy laughed. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but have you talked to Conner?”

“No.”

Mandy didn’t bother to hide her grin. “Good girl!”

“I’m not a dog,” Michelle frowned.

“Speaking of dogs,” Mandy took the opportunity and that’s when Michelle realized she’d been setting her up to talk about the real reason she came over. “I saw Dmitri last night. He asked about you.”

“I know, I’m late with the calendar. I had some extra work come up and I had to take it.” Michelle pretended to concentrate on applying her liquid liner. She wouldn’t have been late, if she could take her daydreaming, sex-filled eyes off Dmitri’s picture long enough to do her work. “I was up all night finishing it.”

“You had to take the job photographing buckets of chicken for a newspaper ad?” Mandy shook her head and Michelle knew her friend thought such things beneath her artistically.

No, Michelle thought, I needed to stay busy so I didn’t cave and call Conner over for what would surely be a morning-after kick-in-the-ass regret.

Though there were things she did miss, it didn’t feel right being with him when her thoughts were constantly on another man. Besides, his overbearing streak annoyed the hell out of her. Since their breakup, she’d had time to think. He always told her what to do. If not with words, then with his eyes, or his actions. Sometimes, it felt as if he tried to tell her with his mind.

Shifters. She snorted

“You’re a peach today,” Mandy drawled sarcastically. “How about we talk about me? I am my favorite topic.”

“What happened? Did Armando try…? Did Muir?” Michelle dropped her eyeliner in the sink, only one eye done.

“You look like a raccoon. Give me that,” Mandy demanded. She took the eyeliner, ushered Michelle to the closed toilet and made her sit. “Look up.”

Michelle obeyed. “What happened?”

“Your breath stinks.”

“I haven’t brushed. And don’t change the subject.”

“I broke my vibrator.”

“That’s what you wanted to talk to me about? Only in your world would that be earth-shattering.”

“No, but it’s sad.” Mandy grinned, finishing the liner. She drew back, tossed the liner into the makeup bag and grabbed Michelle’s toothbrush, only to had it to her. “Want to come to the funeral I’m putting on in my back yard?”

Michelle rolled her eyes and went to the sink, squirting toothpaste on the brush. She brushed her teeth, as Mandy continued talking.

“I think Muir is stalking me,” Mandy announced, as if it happened everyday. Well, with the trail of broken hearts her friend had left, Michelle knew that it happened to Mandy more often than most. If anyone could tell they were being stalked, it was Mandy. People might think her friend callous and cold, especially brokenhearted men people, but Michelle knew Mandy was a lot like her. She was searching, empty. There was a matching loneliness inside her that screamed for something… They just didn’t know what that “something” was.

“What makes you say that?” Michelle kept her tone light, but inside she boiled. She rinsed her mouth, put away her toothbrush and grabbed the makeup bag.

“I was…” Mandy actually blushed. As Michelle did her makeup, Mandy stood behind her, pulling at her hair. She began twisting it up in small sections. Michelle let her, knowing she was agitated and liked to keep her hands busy. “It’s been awhile for me too. All I can think about is Armando’s pasty ass.”

“He’s not that pasty.”

“Shut up,” Mandy pulled a little too hard, “you’re supposed to be bitching about them with me.”

“Sorry, carry on,” Michelle tried to smile, but she was more worried about the stalking part.

“All I can think about is Armando’s not-so-pasty, really firm, lick-a-lious,” Mandy moaned, “have to touch it ass.”

“And Muir? You were about to say how you knew he was stalking you.”

“You know how I get those feelings that something is going to happen? Well, I felt someone outside my window when I was…” Mandy waved her hand. Michelle knew her friend wasn’t squeamish about talking about sex and wondered what she was hiding. “Anyway, I grabbed the nearest weapon, which happened to be my ultra-smooth, lifelike pink dildo and I snuck up on the son-of-a-bitch. I beat him to the ground with it before I discovered it was Muir. Strange thing, too, I normally can feel when it’s him or when he’s trying to enter my head. This time, he could have been that college guy—you know, that one with the eyes—”

“Digressing,” Michelle broke in.

“Anyway, it could have been sexy eyes for all I felt of him.” She finished her hairstyle and stood back, grinning.

“Did he say what he was doing?” Michelle eyed the spiky, twisty mess and decided she liked it.

“He didn’t say much, just kind of rolled around moaning in pain. But, I think he was casting some soft of spell on me. He had this vial and some herbs. I looked them up. It’s the ingredients for a suppression spell. He was going to make me forget something or someone. I’m sure of it.” Mandy snorted, following as Michelle walked toward her bedroom.

“Probably that you were mad at him,” Michelle said. “I don’t like that he’s using magic to manipulate you. It’s pretty freaking shady if you ask me.”

“Yeah, well, human boyfriends send cards…” Mandy’s tone dropped off.

“Got the vial?” Michelle asked, curious.

“Yeah, here,” Mandy pulled it out of her front pocket. That’s when Michelle noticed her friend was wearing a plain t-shirt and jeans.

“You raided my closet, didn’t you?”

Mandy nodded. “And I slept on your couch this morning.”

Michelle understood. With Muir lurking in her bushes, it was no wonder Mandy broke in. “Did you at least make coffee?”

Mandy’s grin said it all, as she handed Michelle the vial. “And cinnamon rolls from scratch.”

“Marry me,” Michelle said, pretending seriousness. “You can cheat on me all you want, so long as you cook.”

Mandy laughed. “No thanks. I think Dmitri might have something to say about that and I really don’t feel like going up against a werewolf.”

“There is nothing going on between Dmitri and me.” Michelle uncorked the vial and sniffed. She frowned, doing it again, trying to remember where she’d smelled it before.

“Not from lack of chemistry. I see the way he looks at you. Every time you walk into a room he has to adjust his crotch. I mean, have you seen the size of his co—”

“Ugh! Stop,” Michelle lifted her hands. The last thing her overactive libido needed was a reminder of Dmitri’s package. “I can’t help it if he’s a horn-dog. I’m sure any pair of thighs will do for his purposes.”

“Don’t even pretend that you don’t like him.”

“I don’t,” Michelle lied. “Not like that. He’s nice and all and he’s doing the calendar for charity, which is sweet.”

“Uh-huh, charity,” Mandy said, coughing out, “bullshit.”

“Where have I…” Michelle again sniffed the vial. It was a distinctly sweet smell. Suddenly, her eyes lifted to her nightstand, to a small spray bottle of linen spray. Crossing to the bottle, she picked it up. A sprig of herb floated inside it.

“I say you put the poor wolf out of his misery and just do him.”

“What did you say that herb Muir had looked like?” Michelle asked.

“Little sprigs of pale greenish-white, with tiny red buds on the tips. Why?”

Michelle turned around, holding up the vial. “Because it would seem Muir isn’t the only asshole going around casting spells.”

“Where did you get that?”

“Conner gave it to me for the bed. He used to squirt it on the sheets before we had sex.” Michelle gave a derisive laugh. “I thought it was romantic, like rose petals and smell-good candles.”

“Yeah, real fucking romantic,” Mandy frowned, her look saying she was thinking the exact same thing Michelle was.

“These two have been up to something, and I have a feeling they’ve been up to it together. I say it’s time we confront them and found out once and for all what the hell is going on here.” Michelle stormed to her dresser to angrily grab a change of clothes.

“I’m going to go get those rolls out of the oven,” Mandy said. “But so help me, I’m almost too pissed to eat.”

“Make the coffee to go,” Michelle said. “Because as soon as I’m dressed, we’re going to find Conner and Muir and we’re going to rip off their balls!”
 

Just Released

In Print

TALONS—a compelling assortment of five stories, soaring to new heights of passion with shape shifting birds of prey.

Take flight with a king who must take a mate in order to save his people, finding her in the unlikeliest of places; a princess whose destined mate is a falcon commander she’s previously tormented; a man locked in a cage for fifty years now hunting revenge; a legendary firebird a Collector seeks for his private collection; and a raven shifter who delivers death with the simplest touch.

No feat is too high for these lovers contending with both enemies and their own hearts, in the end waging the most dangerous battle of all—the battle of love.

Buy from Amazon.com

NEXT  Chapter>