Seduced by a Lycan – Chapter Nine

The server walked off with their order. On his thigh, Sean’s hand tightened into a fist before he consciously relaxed it. The scent of Von’s anger and humiliation rose in the air. He wanted to lunge over the top of the table, and teach Hooch not to be such a dictating asshole. Instead, he smiled and acted like he didn’t notice the growing tension between the two and answered Derrick’s questions with generalities.

When they’d first walked inside, Von’s mouth had been swollen like she’d recently been thoroughly kissed, and the faint scent of arousal lingered in the air. Both of them had been smiling and looked so comfortable with each other, Sean thought he’d have to accept the fact they were happy together and settle for having a few days with the woman he loved, even if she didn’t return his feelings. Then he’d discovered Derrick didn’t have a clue of their continued association. If Von hid that from her fiance, what else was she hiding?

As the evening progressed, he occasionally caught Von watching him out the corner of her eyes, especially when one of the answers he gave to Derrick’s inquisition glossed over or downright contradicted what she knew to be true. He worried for a moment she might think he’d lied to her previously, and that it would ruin the trust they had built between them. Then he caught the little secretive smile she quickly hid. She knew he was lying to Derrick, and the thought amused her.

“Enough about me. What have you been up to? Obviously not the gym. You’re getting soft, man. If the guys could see you now…” he taunted, knowing how obsessed Derrick used to be about his physique.

As expected, Derrick took the bait. “Soft? I can still wipe the court with your tail.”

Sean winked at Von, pleased when she flushed. “Nah, I don’t want to humiliate you in front of your woman. I know how sensitive you are.”

“Bring it on, baby. Tomorrow at twelve. Loser buys lunch,” Derrick said, his chest puffed out.

“I hope you have enough money ’cause I’m feeling steak—porterhouse.”

“Don’t worry about what’s in my wallet. I won’t need it.”

They needled each other for the rest of the evening, and Sean even managed to draw Von out of her reserve a few times. There were times when he could see questions in her eyes. She’d open her mouth, glance at Derrick, and fall silent. He knew she was curious about what had happened to him, and he planned on telling her, but not in front of an audience. The question was, how did he get her alone without causing problems with Derrick?

“So, you finished your medical training. What field was it, again?”

“Respiratory therapy,” she answered.

“You like it?”

“Love it,” she replied with a wide grin. “The hours are crazy—we work twelve hour shifts—but I’m so glad I went into this field.”

“So what does a respiratory therapist do, exactly?” Sean knew how much she loved her job at the hospital, and the joy she received working with her patients and the other hospital staff, but Derrick wouldn’t know that. It would seem strange if he weren’t curious about Von. Besides, he liked hearing her speak.

With his continued prompting, Von told him about her work, her patients, some of the cases she’d worked on. He listened intently. Every now and then Derrick stirred impatiently, but whenever he interrupted or tried to change the subject, Sean brought it right back to her with another question. He stared into her eyes the whole time, making sure Von knew she was the sole focus of his attention. With his gaze, Sean tried to tell her what he couldn’t say with his words.

He’d done some crazy things in his life, but attempting to seduce another man’s fiancé right under his nose was new. Discreetly sniffing the air around them, under the leftover scent of food he could smell Von’s growing excitement and confusion. He knew from her letters that Derrick ignored her except for when it was convenient for him. For a caring, sensitive woman like Von, being the center of a man’s attention would be heady and seductive—a type of foreplay.

Though it obviously flustered her, she couldn’t help but respond. Taking a risk, he reached out and lightly stroked one of her hands resting on the table, timing it right when Derrick looked away at one of the mounted televisions near the bar. Von sucked in a sharp, inaudible breath, widened her eyes, and snatched away her hand like he’d burnt her. But underneath that prim and proper shirt she wore, her nipples pebbled and the enticing aroma of her arousal increased incrementally. Being a Lycan had its advantages.

Derrick made another restless move. Deciding he’d pushed enough, Sean got his former army buddy talking about his church and his time in seminary.

The server came and cleared the plates from the table and asked if anyone wanted dessert. Derrick and Von both declined, but remembering Von mentioning once that she loved cheesecake, Sean ordered a slice. When it arrived, she gazed at it hungrily.

“I love cheesecake but it’s so rich, I can never eat the whole thing by myself,” he lied. “Are you sure you two don’t want any? I’m willing to share.”

“No, I’m sure,” Derrick answered.

“What about you, Von? You gonna do the charitable thing and help me out?”

Torn, her gaze bounced back and forth between the dessert and Derrick.

Sean gave her another verbal nudge. “You know, gluttony is a sin. So is waste. Think of all those starving children in Africa,” he teased. “I’d hate to leave half of this on my plate because I was too greedy to resist.” He forked a piece of the semi-sweet confection and put it in his mouth. “Mmm, so good.”

That was all the prompting she needed. Von picked up her spoon. “What kind of woman would I be if I didn’t save you from yourself?”

Von spooned a piece of the pie and swirled it in the strawberry glaze before bringing it to her mouth. The sound she made was so orgasmic, he wondered if she’d make the same noise when she was coming around his cock. He bit back a triumphant smile, pleased to be giving pleasure to the woman he loved, in even such a small way.

“Derrick, you sure you won’t have any, man? There’s plenty.”

Derrick flicked a glance his way. “No, I’m fine,” he said while watching his fiancé with a frown.

Von took two bites of the cheesecake and stopped. “Thank you. That was good.”

He nudged the plate in her direction. “Here, have some more. I insist.”

She shook her head. “Two bites were enough to satisfy me.”

Derrick seemed to relax at this sign of her self-control. Sean shrugged, disappointed but trying to appear unconcerned. Since he’d ordered it for Von, he took another bite or two and set his fork to the side.

“That was good.” He picked up the check and pulled his wallet out of his back pocket.

“How much do we owe?” Von asked.

“I’m paying,” he reminded her.

“Oh but—”

“The man said he’s got it. Say thank you and accept this as a blessing from God,” Derrick told her.

“At least let us pay the tip,” she countered.

“Totally unnecessary,” Sean said, trying to dissuade her, but she already had her purse open and wallet out. She placed a ten on the table.

“That’s too much,” Derrick protested, reaching for the bill.

“It’s not. She gave good service and we’ve been here a long time, cutting into other tips she might have received,” she told him, placing a staying hand on Derrick’s.

Inwardly, Sean shook his head. Not only was Derrick controlling, he was cheap. His friend had changed, and not for the better. “What time are we meeting tomorrow? And you never said where.”

His question distracted Derrick from the tip, and the next several minutes were spent finalizing the details of tomorrow’s one-on-one basketball game at a court near Derrick’s apartment complex. Outside the restaurant, before they parted ways, he shook Derrick’s hand and gave Von a very brief hug, thanking her again for taking pity on a soldier like him. Then he thanked Derrick again for being the one to initiate their correspondence.

Since he was parked closer to the entrance, he watched as Derrick escorted Von to his car and solicitously opened the door for her. He made sure she was securely inside before shutting it and going around to the driver’s side. As they pulled off, Sean sat drumming his fingers on the steering wheel.

After seeing the two of them together, Sean was more convinced than ever Hooch didn’t deserve Von. She was too good for the likes of him. But did that knowledge give him the right to try and take her away? He just didn’t know.

His conscience said to leave her alone, but that new, untamed part of him demanded he take her. Von was deeply attracted to him, whether she wanted to be or not. He could use their years of friendship and her interest to get closer. It would be fascinating to see which side of his nature won.

Sean started the truck and headed for the base. He’d begin by emailing Von. Maybe he could convince her to see him alone. If not at her apartment, then maybe for lunch somewhere private. He could entice her by telling her he wanted to discuss what happened on his last mission, but not in front of Derrick, since doing so would reveal they’d kept in touch. Which was the absolute truth. Von he’d tell everything. And maybe, just maybe, while he was at it, he’d tell her how much she meant to him.