Shapeshifter Romance: Duty of a Lion (Paranormal Army Hero Navy Seal Shifter Protector Alpha Lion Romance) (Fantasy Military Action Adventure Urban Wolf Romance Short Stories) (2 page)

Before getting dressed I glanced in the mirror and saw the same pretty features that attracted guys. Nice tousled dirty blonde hair and big green eyes. Ever since puberty hit and my curves filled out though guys had always told me I was a knockout. Though the guys I always seemed to attract, the confident ones, were usually a douchebag of some type, and that’s what bred my unusual interest in stringing guys along. Of course there was the type like Wendell, close guy friends who at some point always felt more for me than I wanted them to. I never really had any girlfriends because I could never find anyone genuine enough. Guys on the other hand seemed more down to Earth for the most part, so needless to say I made more friends with guys, but subsequently lost quite a few as well.

I sighed and then shook myself out of my inner reflections so I could focus on getting ready for work. I grabbed a quick breakfast of a Slim Fast bar and yogurt before heading back to base. When I got to the clinic I was almost surprised to see a new SEAL recruit in one of the beds. He was heavily sedated and Dell was resetting the poor guy’s leg. I wondered why the officer had to be brought in for this. Usually the SEALs took care of minor injuries like this on their own. They only came here if it was really serious.

“Hey Lina, can you give me a hand? This guy’s leg is in bad shape. Not only did it pop out of the hip joint, it’s twisted as well.” I hid my wince; we had to get an orthopedist on site for this guy. He was stable so I wondered why Dell wanted to fix him up right away.

“Did you call a specialist?” I asked Dell while quickly stashing my bag at the nurse’s station.

“Yeah, but he can’t get here for another half hour. I’ve seen this before and know a quick method to reset the leg, but it’s going to hurt like hell even if we’ve already got painkillers in him,” Dell explained while he examined the patient’s leg.

“Alright, what do you need me to do?” I asked Dell and he directed how he needed me to hold the patient’s hip. A couple of nurses came over to hold the officer still as Dell quickly and efficiently righted the patient’s leg and popped it into place. The poor guy cursed loudly, but actually stayed still and sat through the pain of it.

Dell prescribed the officer some more pain meds while we waited for the orthopedist to arrive, who could look at his leg to make sure everything was back in place. I almost offered to wheel the officer myself to go get an x-ray, but the nurse whose job it was looked at me menacingly. We really didn’t have enough to do on this side of the base.

“Hey so how about we go get some Chinese for lunch later today. I’ve been craving it for like a week now,” Dell said while looking at me expectantly. I wondered what the hell I could come up with for an excuse. I hadn’t given it much thought last night.

“You know what, I have a doctor’s appointment today during my lunch hour.” That lame excuse just jumped out of my mouth and I was sure Dell would call me out on it.

“A doctor’s appointment?” he asked suspiciously. I nodded and then smirked when I came up with the rest of my excuse.

“Yeah, you know…the wait isn’t as long at the gynecologist’s office in the middle of the day.” Dell’s expression became squeamish and I laughed at him. “You’re such a
guy
.”

*****

After the initial excitement of the dislocated leg, the rest of the morning went by in agonizing slowness. That SEAL recruit was fine after his leg was put to right and all the orthopedist had to do was get a brace on him and teach him how to use his new pair of crutches.

Usually Dell and I had offsetting lunch breaks, so that there was always one of us in the building. We usually ordered in and ate lunch whenever it got there. Since I had come up with that brilliant excuse I actually had to leave the building so Dell wouldn’t grow suspicious.

As I stepped outside I saw Michael walking up. He was in standard black military cargo pants and a plain, dark blue, form fitting athletic top. The entire package that was Michael Lawson was simply delicious. I smiled at him politely in greeting and Michael walked right up to me to pull me in a close embrace.

“It’s good to see you again Lina. How are you today?” Michael further surprised me by taking my hand and leading the way to wherever we were having lunch.

“Um, I’m good Michael, how about you?” I asked, making small talk. We exchanged pleasantries until we got to one of the Subways near the air base. Michael paid for my sandwich and chips as well as his, and then we found a rather secluded table outside.

“So tell me Michael, do you like being a SEAL?” I asked innocently enough. He chuckled and then shook his head to himself as if he’d heard this question a million times.

“I love it. I like a challenge, and there’s nothing more challenging I don’t think. Plus it gives me the excuse I need to stay in shape I guess.” I smiled; he had just given me a perfect opportunity for my questioning.

“How often do you exercise?” I took a bite of my sandwich while he explained his crazy fitness regimen and his training rigors along with the rest of his team.

“So out of all that, do you like to run the most?” Another innocent question and Michael was still unsuspecting.

“No, actually my favorite form of exercise is much more intimate and requires a woman,” Michael quipped. I hadn’t been expecting that abrupt veer in conversation. My eyes widened and he laughed at my expression. “I’m kidding, I’m not like some man-whore douche bag I swear. But yeah I love to run, it just clears the mind you know?” I took a relieved breath, thank goodness he wasn’t trying to make me his next lay or something. Well actually…I kind of hoped we did make it that far. It would be a shame not to have a taste of Michael.

“So you don’t…sleep with a lot of women?” The conversation had taken a turn and I was briefly distracted from my intentions. I wanted to hear his answer.

“My job doesn’t allow for much attachment and I only sleep with a woman if I really have feelings for her. So no. Then again things could be different if I chose to date women who came through the naval base,” was his simple answer. I found it crazy that he didn’t have an entire host of lovers. Wherever he went I’m sure he caught attention from women.

“What about you? Someone as gorgeous as yourself must have a trail of broken hearts in her wake.” Michael smirked at me almost knowingly and I took a bit of offense from him. Just because I was attractive didn’t mean I had left a bunch of broken-hearted men in my wake. Even if it
was
true it was almost stereotypical for him to immediately assume. “Oh come on, don’t give me that look. I could tell from last night you like to toy with men who are interested in you; you have heartbreaker written all over you.” I rolled my eyes and tried not to smile.

“Anyway does it matter what my past love life looks like?” I said.

Michael nodded fervently. “Well, it lets me know how I have to handle you.”

He smirked at me and my jaw dropped.

“
Handle
me?” I didn’t know if I was actually offended or turned on by his comment. I was going to go with the latter.

“Yup, precisely. You like to play cat and mouse…I can assure you Lina you’ve enticed a pretty big cat.” Michael’s eyes were both promising and predatory. A thrill ran through me at his words and a dull, pleasurable ache started up between my legs. I wanted him, and we had only been on one date! Slowly I realized what he had said; he called himself a pretty big cat. Perhaps I should just come out and say it.

“Can we go for a quick walk before I have to get back to work?” I asked him. He nodded. We started walking back towards the clinic slowly and I wondered how exactly to come out and tell him.

*****

“Can I ask you something Michael, I’m just going to be straight with you,” I paused for him to reply. He told me go ahead and ask so I took a deep breath and just blurted it out, “Are you a lion shifter?” Michael almost tripped when my question registered.

“H—how…would you—I mean
why
would you ask me that?” He looked at me intently and pulled me to a stop in the middle of the sidewalk. There was no one around on this stretch of road and I started to get a little nervous. I needed witnesses around in case he decided I shouldn’t know what I knew and that I had to die because of it.

“Well a few years ago, in twenty-twelve, I saw two guys from Team Thirteen jogging along the outskirts of the base and just before they left the outer limits…they
turned
into lions,” I explained. Michael glanced around, still no one around us in either direction. “You aren’t going to…kill me are you?” He sighed and then shook his head. Well that was reassuring.

“No, of course not. It’s just…we’re usually so careful. Why didn’t you say anything back then?
Have
you said anything?” I shook my head adamantly.

“No, no…I thought I’d be institutionalized if I said anything.” He breathed a sigh of relief and then laced his fingers with mine before we resumed walking.

“So you’re not…freaked out or anything?” he asked. I shook my head and then laughed a bit nervously.

“I mean…I had over three years to come to terms with what I saw so there’s nothing more for me to be freaked out over…is there?” Michael smiled at me devilishly, flashing his teeth and all.

“Well now that I know you’ve learned our secret and still accept me…I really have to have you,” was his simple reply. My eyes widened and his grin remained. “You aren’t scared of me are you?” his question made me scoff.

“Why would I be? You already said you wouldn’t kill me,” I told him. Michael laughed and then I saw the clinic coming into view.

“Good so…you wouldn’t mind having dinner with me tonight?” I quirked my eyebrow at him. He was already asking me on another date? Well when you know what you want I guess you just go for it.

“You know, I didn’t get that much sleep last night. I thought I’d just head to bed early tonight,” I was toying with him and he knew it.

“So how about I have an early night right along with you?” We reached the front of the clinic’s building and I shrugged dispassionately. “You do realize I’m just going to keep after you right? You might as well give up the game now Lina. As far as I’m concerned…you’re mine.”

Michael’s tone was promising and before I could anticipate his intentions, he bent down and pressed his lips to mine. A slow burn made its way through my veins and that pleasurable ache was back. Michael pulled me against him and it felt like he was completely surrounding me as his thickly muscled arms held me securely. Michael’s lips moved slowly against mine, before his tongue swept across my bottom lip. He wanted to taste me and I wouldn’t be the one to stop him. His tongue slid against mine in a gentle caress and the slow burn grew hotter.

I could vividly imagine his tongue between my legs, tasting me just as leisurely as he was now. Michael broke the kiss as abruptly as he initiated it and I had to take a moment to catch my breath. “So am I seeing you tonight Lina?” he asked, his voice a bit husky. His eyes were hot on mine. My body wanted to say yes, but out of habit I decided to keep him guessing. I simply took a step away and told him to have a great rest of the day before I walked into the clinic.

I had to take several deep breaths as I made my way to the nurse’s station. Michael’s kiss had left me all hot and bothered. It was probably better that I hadn’t answered him. I don’t think I would be able to keep my hands off of him if Michael came over for dinner. I’d get even less sleep that I’d had the night before.

“There she is! How did the check up go?” Dell was unusually perky when I got back. He was looking at me expectantly and I realized the only reason why he’d ask me about my ‘GYN appointment’ was if he figured out I had made that up as an excuse. I sighed and sat down in one of the swivel chairs.

“There was no check up Dell. How’d you find out?” I asked him frankly. Dell crossed his arms over his chest and leaned over the desk to keep eye contact with me.

“I saw you guys outside just now. You know, you didn’t have to make up an excuse. I would’ve understood if you had a date…he is a SEAL after all,” Dell mumbled that last bit, but I heard it just as plainly. I sighed, this is exactly what I wanted to avoid.

“Dell you’re my
friend
, can you please accept that? Please?” I practically begged him. Dell took a deep breath and looked at me for a long while before he nodded.

“Yeah alright, but you let your SEAL know that lunch is my time.” Dell seemed to be back to his normal self and I prayed that all was good between us.

*****

Work went by as it normally did and Dell actually asked out one of the nurses who had been interested in him for the longest time. I relaxed fully after I saw that; maybe Dell really
had
gotten it this time around. I headed home without seeing Michael again and I couldn’t tell if I was disappointed or not.

I had just stepped into the house when I realized the lights were on and the smell of food was wafting from the kitchen. Before I closed the door I stepped back outside and saw a huge off-road Jeep Wrangler in my driveway and I had parked right next to it, completely oblivious. I was oblivious because I was too busy thinking about Michael.

“You’re home, hey I’ve got fajita’s cooking. I hope you like spicy, I added a little too much pepper to the steak.” Michael all but pulled me back inside and shut the door behind me. After which he proceeded to take my bag and help me out of my jacket.