Beautiful Creatures Series

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.

the rivalry between the teams, Aurora spent the better part of the game teaching Stanton a very painful lesson that

to go home, he’d be fin without even mild discolouration. It 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

they started driving.

I’m going

going to get

“Hitchhike.”

“That’s dangerous.”

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

the door. “Aurora, I’m

abruptly to face him. “You

know. Believe me. I’m so very story. I wish I

you,” she said, marching over to him. “I even slept with for free… I can’t believe I slept with you. I feel like an idiot,” she muttered as she began

his knees on the floor in front of the door. “Please don’t leave. I want you to stay. I will do anything to show

him on his

you, and besides, you are

“Oh?”

laugh, but he could see that

eyes took on that commanding glint

“Yes.”

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 stopped in front of him and leaned over her lips, brushing his ear. Her breath on

threat excited him so much. He turned his face

thumb grazed over his bottom lip as she looked

***

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 saw how her asserting her dominance got Stanton hot. She was starting to suspect he might be one

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 first time she convinced a man to pamper her with the promise of future pleasure. She might actually

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

pulled on a clean skirt and a tank top with nothing beneath. The lower half of her sloppy pigtails were wet from where 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. On the table, there were two plates of lamb chops with roasted glazed beats and asparagus with cheese

out her chair. She must have dozed off in the tub because she couldn’t believe he had pulled this off so quickly.

you pulled this

did that twitchy thing as he tried not to smile. “Well, luckily, I have a packed freezer and

“And the candles?”

under the sink in case of natural disasters or blackouts,” he said, making her giggle. He was resourceful. She would give him

“And the wine?”

for Christmas this year. I’m more of a beer guy, so it’s been in my pantry collecting dust. I hope it’s still

wine get better

said, sniffing his own

had it before, but she was a fan. Aurora picked up her fork and knife. She cut the section and placed a piece in her mouth. It

“Yes.”

unrestricted smile. The first true smile Aurora had seen from this man. Her approval really seemed to please him. No one had ever cared about how she felt or what she thought. It felt nicer than she would have