Stanton tossed the empty into the recycle bin and opened the nearest cooler to get another beer. Grabbing a bottle, he stood up and popped the twist cap off. He turned around and jumped when Aurora punched him in the chest, her eyes filled with rage. “What the hell!” She barked at him. “Why would you tell them that?”

“It’s the truth,” he hissed back at her.

“Judging from the way all the guys around here are falling over you, I bet you will be really busy.”

She shook her head in disgust as she took a step back. “Stupid me, for a moment, I actually believed you were a nice guy. But you are just like every other man I have ever met. Kudos, though, you fooled me good,” she turned to leave but then stopped and faced him once more. “By the way, you owe me $100, and I don’t take credit,” then she walked away, and Stanton hung his head. He felt like such an ass.

Stanton put down his beer and chased after Aurora. She was leaving the picnic all together. He jogged to catch up and grabbed her bicep in his beefy hand. He pulled her to an abrupt stop. She spun around and slapped him hard across the face shocking him enough that Stanton released her. “Aurora… I’m… It’s just… I…”

“Heads up!” Yelled Gordon. Stanton looked up just in time to catch the football being hurled at him. “Come on, Stanton. I can’t play without my linebacker.”

“I’ll be right there,” he promised.

“Hey, Doll Face, you want to play?” Darrell yelled to her.

Aurora glared up at Stanton, and then she got a sadistic grin. “Yeah, I’ll play.”

“Don’t do it, Hummingbird. The game tends to get rough,” Stanton told her. “This ain’t flag football. It’s full contact.”

“I can handle myself just fine,” she said, pushing past her.

“Aurora, please talk to me.”

“Let’s play,” she said as she took her position on the field as the teams took their starting positions.

Stanton squared off against her on the scrimmage line. “This isn’t a fair fight. Look at me and look at you. I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Play,” she hissed.

The game started, and everyone broke into their plays. Stanton ran and watched as Gordon threw him the ball. He jumped up and caught the ball. Landing on his feet, he turned to see Aurora covering him. He snickered; he was just going to roll right over her. He charged, and so did she.

Mere feet from him, her eyes lit up like flames, and she dropped her shoulder, giving herself a lower center of gravity, then she rammed him head-on, slamming her shoulder into his belly, then her arms wrapped around his leg, and she stood up. A growl escaped her as Aurora flipped Stanton over her shoulder, and he fell, landing flat on his back the wind knocked out of him. The football fell from his hands as he lay there, every inch of him aching as he tried to catch his breath.

Suddenly Aurora was standing over him. She placed one foot on his chest, keeping him right on the ground beneath her. A sly smiled curved those lush lips, her bright eyes sparkling with pride. “Don’t worry, Big Daddy. I didn’t feel a thing,” Stanton tried to sit up, but she applied pressure and firmly pushed him back down. “Down,” she said with a grin. She leaned way over, bringing her face down closer to his. “You have been a very bad boy, and you need to be punished,” Stanton’s hands closed around her bare ankle just above her runners. He had intended to move her foot off him, but he stopped when he felt the softness of her skin beneath his rough touch. Slowly he slid his hand over her calve and couldn’t believe just how excited he was at the moment. Aurora then stood tall and stepped off him, walking away to rejoin her team.

Kenneth came over and offered Stanton a hand. He helped Stanton to his feet, and both men watched as Aurora walked away. “God damn man,” Lewis grinned as he watched Aurora, “I’m in love.”

“Me too,” Stanton muttered without thinking.

Kenneth slapped Stanton on the back, “I understand you got dibs, but if you don’t lock it down with that one, I sure as hell am going to try.”

Stanton’s hand went to his belly, where her shoulder had hit him. For such a little thing, she could pack a good hit. He placed his hands on his knees and bent, overtaking a few more minutes to catch his breath. He stood up and took a few steps, then paused for a few more minutes before trying again. That girl could play rough, and he loved it.

painful lesson that she was not some shrinking flour, and she didn’t need anyone. She knew the world was rough and cruel, and she knew how to fight back.

was moments like this; he was thankful to be a Lycan. They sat around drinking and stuffing themselves with junk food. As the sun began to set, Aurora walked over to Stanton, and he quickly came to his feet. “I need you to take me back to your place,” she said. “I have to pick up my bag,” she had left it behind when

and they started driving. “You’re not going to

stay. I’m

you going to

“Hitchhike.”

“That’s dangerous.”

I’ve proven by now that I’m the dangerous one. I don’t need anybody,” she said as they pulled into

and shut the door. “Aurora, I’m

face him. “You

very story. I wish I

slept with for free… I can’t believe I slept with you.

front of the door.

see him on his knees.

like you, and besides, you are in a very

“Oh?”

trying very hard not to laugh, but he could see that smile despite her efforts to

that commanding glint it had on the football field. “You

“Yes.”

she said as she walked back and forth. “Well, I’m relaxing. You will make dinner. A nice dinner. After we eat, you will give me a full body massage,” he liked where this was going. She

had a threat excited him so much. He turned his face to hers and smiled. “I’ll draw

grazed over

***

This was heaven. She couldn’t believe this worked. She had been angry when she was on the field. She wanted to prove she was tough but was surprised when she

different from man to man. One thing worked well on one man but not on the next. So, she had gotten very good at reading men. When she picked up on the subtle hints, she knew how to capitalize on whatever persona she had to use to get the job done. However, she would admit this was the

she had been soaking when she heard the door open. She removed the cloth from her eyes to see Stanton peeking his head in. “Dinner is ready,” he informed her. She supposed she had been soaking long enough. Aurora stood up and stepped out of the tub. She reached for the towel on the counter and wrapped it around herself. Stanton stepped out of the way to let her exit the washroom, then he walked over to the tub and pulled the plug to let it

they had been in the water. Dressed, she walked over to the table and smiled. Stanton stood near the wall and touched the dimming switch on the wall lowering the lights.

off in the tub because she couldn’t believe he had pulled this off so quickly. Aurora took her seat, and Stanton slid her in closer to the table, then she watched as he poured them both

impressed you pulled

luckily, I have a packed freezer and microwave for a quick

“And the candles?”

that I keep under the sink in case of natural disasters or blackouts,” he said, making her giggle. He

“And the wine?”

beer guy, so it’s been in my pantry collecting

wine get better

said, sniffing his own glass

and knife. She cut the section and placed a piece in her mouth. It was very good. She was impressed

“Yes.”

to please him. No one had ever cared about how she felt or what she thought. It

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