Stone Bear: Sentinel (A BBW Paranormal Shape Shifter Romance) (Stone Bears Book 1) (8 page)

“What is
that
?” he asked incredulously, staring behind her as the door opened.

There was no alarm in his voice, so she didn’t spin around, but waited until the server came into eyesight.

“What is what?” she asked in confusion.

“Your drink!” he exclaimed.

“It’s called sangria,” she told him as the large glass full of fruit and berries was placed in front of her, along with an empty glass for pouring the mixture into. “And it’s delicious.”

“It looks it,” he said agreeably, watching almost mesmerized as she poured some into her glass.

“You’ve never seen sangria before?” she asked quizzically.

Gabriel shook his head.

“When was the last time you went out, just to relax?” she asked.

“Raph, Uriel, and I usually go out once a week. But we always get beer.”

“When was the last time you went on a date?”

Gabriel winced. “Four years ago? Five? Somewhere around there.”

Her jaw dropped. “Are you serious?”

Gabriel looked uncomfortable, but he didn’t say anything.

“What?”

“Well,” he said, almost squirming in his seat. “I haven’t really needed to go on dates. Or found a girl I wanted to go on one with,” he said awkwardly.

“Right,” she said, and now it was her turn to be uncomfortable. “Shifter groupies. I forgot, sorry.”

“Nothing to be sorry for on your end,” he said, managing to laugh a little.

Shifters had come into the open over a decade and a half before. Since then, their incredible abilities and innate sexuality had created an entire culture of women who slept with them simply because of who and what they were.

It made taking care of any urges rather easy for a shifter, which likely would go double for someone of Gabriel’s looks, and stature, she thought. There would always be women interested in “big” men.

Don’t lie to yourself, you have as much desire as them to find out what he’s packing.

Despite her best efforts, Caia felt her face heat up as she remembered her fantasy from the night before. Gabriel had been rather well endowed in it, she had to admit. He was huge for a human. There had to be
some
correlation to that. Not that she would ever tell him that she was curious about his cock.

Not yet at least.

“So what’s your story, Miss Caia Rowan?” he asked, letting her full name roll off his tongue smoothly. “You seem remarkably calm and well put together for a simple student of human body language.”

Gabriel’s cheeks reddened slightly to her astonishment. “I mean like, well-composed, not physically put together. Although you are. Put together. In a good way, I mean,” he said, stumbling over his words in the biggest display of nerves she had seen from him.

“So,” she said, sitting back with a mischievous smile. “You
are
flappable after all. I thought you were all nerves of steel over there.”

Gabriel

He glared at her, though there was no hate behind it, just a shake of his head at her for drawing attention to his ridiculousness.

“It’s okay, I’ll take it for both compliments in the way they were intended. My thanks for that,” she said, sticking her tongue out at him.

Gabriel snorted. “You are a handful, woman, I will give you that. Now, before either of us makes another comment that will get us fired, maybe we should at least pretend to talk business?”

He hated making the suggestion, but they
did
have a few things that they needed to discuss. And if the evening kept spiraling out of control, he knew they wouldn’t get any of it done unless they did it now.

“Oh, and what exactly did we have to discuss that was so important that it had to be done in the private room of the most expensive restaurant in town while we’re dressed to impress?”

Gabriel’s eyebrows shot up. “I think that’s the politest calling-out I’ve ever been on the receiving end of.”

“I’m glad
someone
can appreciate my skills,” she said with a theatrical sigh.

“Okay, have it your way,” he said, caving rather more easily than he probably should have. She was, after all, trouble with a capital T. If anyone found out about them, they would both likely lose their jobs. Fraternization between LMC employee’s and the mining crews was frowned on, but not outright banned. Inter-office relationships on the other hand, were much more strictly off-limits. Gabriel knew that Caia would likely find another job with ease, but he would be rather stuck. His skillset was not exactly transferable to many other jobs. Part of him wondered if the Kedyns would just end him, to ensure he didn’t become a problem.

Mentally shaking his head, he focused back on the beautiful woman sitting across from him. He had her all to himself this evening, so he may as well take advantage of it.

“Who are you Caia? You’re more than just a well-educated woman. You’re too calm in high-tension situations, and I have a feeling the death that stalks Genesis Valley wouldn’t faze you much either. So, what’s your story?” He leaned in on the table, the solid oak supporting his weight without so much as a creak.

“My story? Well, I did attended school, getting a Masters in human psychology, specializing in body language and reactionary analysis.”

“Quite a mouthful,” he said dryly.

“Tell me about it. Anyway, from there, I went on to become a police negotiator, actually.”

Gabriel’s jaw dropped. “Really?”

She nodded. “Really. Lasted all of two years before I had to get out. Too many high-stress situations. There’s a huge difference from studying something in a textbook and having it play out in front of you, resulting in people living or dying. I couldn’t handle that responsibility, to be honest.”

“I can believe it. That explains why you’re so calm and collected, however. And the preference toward having a plan before you go walking in somewhere too,” he added, many things clicking into place.

“Life is much calmer out here, despite what you might think,” she said with a wry smile.

“Actually, until recently,” he said, his hand rising up to touch the fast-fading mark on his forehead, “I would have mostly agreed with you. But now? I don’t know. Something is going on, and I don’t like it.”

“You think Evan’s involved in it,” she said. It wasn’t a question, but a statement.

“Somehow, yes.”

“How do we use that to our advantage?” she wanted to know.

“I’m
hoping
,” he stressed, “that because he’s likely the only one from the Jade Crew that’s involved, he’ll lead us somewhere if we tail him, and try to track him to wherever it is that things are going down.”

“So you want to follow him, the way the Sapphires followed me yesterday?”

“Exactly.”

“This is a small town,” she said slowly.

“So?”

“You don’t think he’s likely to notice us following him around all the time? It’s not like the trucks you shifters drive are stealthy or anything.”

He laughed. “That’s why we’re going to use your SUV. It’s different enough that he probably won’t notice, and will just assume we’re some random civilian. I’m hoping that we won’t have to do it for too long. The incidents seem to be happening more frequently, so whatever it is, is coming to a head I think.”

“That could get dangerous,” she said carefully. “Are we going to be able to call on any backup if things get out of hand?”

Gabriel thought about that for a moment, taking a sip of the practically untouched wine in front of him. “We can call on Raphael and Uriel if we need to. After that, I’m not sure. So for now, I think we play this your way.”

She frowned. “My way? What’s that supposed to mean?”

He smiled. “We stay in the shadows, and before we do anything, we form a plan.”

“That sounds remarkably well thought out. For you,” she added just as he began to smile.

“Hey!” he said, trying to act pained.

Their dinner arrived at that moment, stalling any further banter between them.

“This looks delicious,” he said, admiring the plate piled high with meat and potatoes.

“It is delicious,” Caia said from across the table, her mouth full with a piece of steak already.

He chuckled and then dug in, excited to experience the meal. It had been a long time since he had had a reason to eat at Shift, but it was just as good as he remembered it. Possibly even better, he admitted, because of the company. They ate quickly, the meal simply too tasty to eat any slower, and Gabriel sat back with wine glass in hand as the server cleared their plates.

“Still upset that we got all dressed up to come here?”

“No,” she said, dabbing at the corners of her mouth with the napkin. “Not at all.” She looked up at him. “Gabriel, that was
amazing
food. Outstanding even.”

“Had to go somewhere that would suit the company,” he said with a wink.

“Oh stop it,” she said, but he saw her trying not to smile as she blushed faintly. “Now, business. What do we have left to discuss? Anything?”

His jaw clamped shut as he heard the subtle insinuation in her tone. Caia
wanted
to be done talking business. She wanted to move on to something else. His eyes bore into hers, trying to confirm that he had heard what he thought he did. There, hidden in azure circles, he saw it.

Desire.

“No,” he said slowly, watching her face as he spoke. “I think we’re done here.”

She nodded, her cheeks tensing slightly, but she didn’t stop him when he rose and walked over to behind her chair. He pulled it away smoothly as she rose. She turned to head over to where their coats were hung, and as she did so, her arm brushed against his sleeve.

Gabriel froze as she jumped with surprise. He didn’t move a muscle, waiting until she took a deep breath and continued her walk. Stiffly he moved after her, staying close, but watching for any sudden movements, not wanting to press his luck any more than he already had.

“What about the bill?” Caia asked softly as he helped her into her jacket.

“Work meeting,” he said equally quietly. “I told them to bill it to the company.”

“Aren’t you going to get in trouble for that?” she asked, concern tinging her voice as she looked up at him.

“No more than I already am,” he told her, meeting that gaze with all the intensity he could muster.

“Oh.” Her voice was meek, though he wouldn’t describe it as timid.

Caia, he realized, knew exactly what she was doing. Just as he did. That didn’t mean she likely thought it was a smart idea, but then again, he
knew
it wasn’t a smart idea. In fact, it was a stupid idea. But right now, he wasn’t thinking entirely with his head. Or his brain at least.

As the hostess held the door open for them, he walked through, pausing to extend his arm to Caia. It was chilly out, but full-blown winter hadn’t set in yet. They were okay, if not comfortable, in their jackets.

The walk to his truck seemed to stretch on for eternity. Each click of his shoes on the pavement seemed to come slower than the one before it, and the sidewalk loomed larger than life to his eyes. They walked in silence, but it wasn’t awkward. It was the calm before the storm, he realized.

They reached his truck and he escorted her to the passenger door, reaching up to open it. With the metal panel open, blocking the wind, it became much more bearable in the lee of the door. Caia turned to look at him before she climbed in.

“Thank you for dinner.”

“It was my pleasure. The company made it all worthwhile.”

“Gabriel, I...” she paused as his hand came up to cup her chin.

“Yes?” he whispered, leaning closer to hear her better.

Her eyes searched his, flicking back and forth between the two, looking deep, evaluating him.

“Can I kiss you?” he asked gently, leaning even closer.

Her eyes went wide as he said it out loud, but she nodded slightly all the same.

It was all the permission he needed. His fingers tightened slightly on her jaw as he felt it quiver, but then his lips crashed against hers, and all hesitancy was gone. Her hands tore at his jacket, reaching into it and wrapping around his neck as he picked her up and put her into the truck. The seat actually put her at the perfect level for his extra-tall frame, allowing them to furiously lock lips without either party having to crane their heads.

“This is a terrible idea,” she whispered between kisses, their lips parting and pushing back together repeatedly as they let loose some of the pent-up emotions and desire of having to work in close confines with each other, but being unable to express it.

“I know. Horrible,” he agreed, though his lips never stopped, nor did his hands as they sent his fingers threading through her hair.

“We’re going to get fired,” she mumbled, gasping for a breath at the same time.

“Probably. Marcus is going to eviscerate us.”

“Ooh, I like when you use big words like that,” she teased, pulling him tight to her before he could respond.

Gabriel didn’t argue. He could feel his cock hardening in his pants, and he wanted nothing more than to do whatever Caia wanted, to pleasure her until she was satisfied. Every fiber in him ached to do just that. He didn’t worry about himself, knowing that she would see to his care as well. That was just the type of person she was, and it made him want to treat her better than anyone else he’d ever been with.

Her hand slipped between his legs, and he felt the jolt as she closed around the bulge in his pants.

“Oh my,” she breathed, pulling back slightly to look at his crotch.

“What did you expect?” he asked with laughing sarcasm. “I’m seven feet tall.”

She bit her lip, eyes still glued on the outline of his dress pants that her palm was gently caressing. “I don’t know.” Her hand pulled back and she looked up into his eyes.

Shit.

He stood up straight and took a half shuffle back, putting a bit of distance between them. “I think we both want to, but perhaps not tonight?”

Caia looked at him for a moment, then nodded. It was tentative at first, but as she evaluated everything it became more confident. “Probably best not to do it while we’re in the middle of a case,” she said flimsily, but he didn’t call her on the weakness of the excuse.

“Yeah, probably not,” he agreed regretfully, even if it wasn’t how he truly felt. “Watch your feet,” he said, then closed the door as she pulled herself back into the cab of the truck.

He almost lashed out at the truck as he walked around to the driver’s side, but she would have felt that, and he didn’t want to give her a legitimate reason not to want to be with him. It was bad enough that work was always on their minds in situations like this, but if she was afraid he might lose his temper if she didn’t do exactly as he wanted, then the entire foundation of their interest in each other would crumble, and that was something he did
not
want. Especially since he wasn’t mad at her, but at his employer.

The truck fired up and they left the restaurant behind. They were almost halfway back to her house before either of them spoke.

“Do you want to meet at the office tomorrow and then go, or get together here in town, to avoid any suspicion?”

Ugh. Work.

“I think we should both leave work separately and meet up here. Evan seems to be avoiding the Tongue & Flame lately, so let’s rendezvous there,” he suggested.

“Sounds good.”

Their conversation was so mechanical and awkward now. He hated it. All the banter and flirting was gone as they tried to remain proper until he could finally drop her off. Which would be no more than another thirty seconds or so he noted thankfully, since he was already turning onto her street. There were
some
benefits to living in a town as small as Origin. It took no more than a handful of minutes to drive from one side to the other in most cases.

“Well, thank you again,” she said, shoving the door open as he threw the truck into park in her driveway.