Chapter 8: Chances Are...

The drive back to Ms. Siler's wasn't long, but I was tempted to veer another way and just drive. I didn't care where we would end up, only that I would have Cara there with me. Is this how Paul felt? Since imprinting on Rachel, he had been working on his temper and it had been doing him a world of good. I had caught glimpses of his reasoning every now and again... he wanted to leave. Or he at least wanted the option to, without fear of accidentally harming his imprint. Rachel was a college graduate and you can be sure that when she returned for a visit, she didn't expect to be tied down after the fact and practically making wedding plans. I shouldn't say that... There was no talk of a wedding and they were a far cry from it at that, but Paul knew that La Push is not somewhere Rachel would want to remain when she had fought tooth and nail to leave in the first place.

I glanced down to Cara as I thought of this. She had come here by choice... but when some inevitability occurred with Ms. Siler, would she stay? She would have fulfilled her obligation, but would the imprint bond be strong enough to keep her here? Whatever drove her here in the first place, as physically sick and selfish as the thought alone made me feel, I prayed it kept her here. I pulled into the gravel drive, but Cara didn't wake and I didn't rouse her. I stroked softly down her arm before pulling the sweater back just enough to see her stomach. My lips pursed softly as I placed a hand on her stomach, my palm just a bit too small to cover the entire side.

-Nudge, nudge-

I blinked a few times, waiting for my thoughts to catch up as I realized what had happened.

-Nudge, nudge, nudge-

There it was again! I smiled broadly as I felt the little child push against my palm, waiting for it to happen again. I envisioned my wolf standing tall and protective over my imprint and the child she carried. As if feeling these kicks solidified exactly what I was choosing... and I fully accepted it. I shifted my gaze to Cara's face, studying her features a little closer and just now realizing that she had put makeup on tonight. It wasn't much; she wore just enough to cover her freckles, her beauty mark stood more pronounced under her left nostril, and her eyes had a reddish-brown color across the lids to give her eyes that much more dimension, and thin lines of eyeliner framing her eyes. That's why her eyes seemed so big tonight...

An ominous clap of thunder shook the truck and Cara sat up with a gasp, blinking her eyes rapidly as she tried to adjust. Her heart hammered a million miles a minute as she held a hand to her chest.

"Hey, hey." I whispered, drawing her attention back down to me as I tucked her wavy bob behind her ear. "It's okay. It was just thunder."

She nodded, catching her breath as she closed her eyes. "Scared the crap out of me..."

"Don't worry, I'll protect you."

She chuckled, opening her eyes to meet mine. "Am I the pretty damsel now?"

"Always." I promised, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Let's get you inside before it decides to pour."

She nodded, straightening out the black shirt that had ridden up a couple inches on her stomach, revealing more fabric attached to her pants. She was already so petite, it was hard to believe that she would need maternity pants, but I suppose she was about four months along and getting bigger every week. We exited the truck, running toward the front door and getting caught at the last second. Cara squealed as the cold shower hit her and laughed as she held her stomach with one hand and held the other arm above her head as if it would shield her from the downpour. I laughed alongside her, joining her under the safety of the porch awning. We both dripped with water, but only halfway. Part of us had gotten the worst of it, while the other half was either dry or had small spatters of raindrops staining our clothes.

The porch light cast a warm, yellow glow across her skin and for the moment our flesh appeared to be the same color. I wasn't very good at goodbyes and it was even harder now when I wanted to do anything but. She could send me away now, but I would just find another reason to come back over and over again. I reached out to ghost my hand up her arm and then back down again to grasp her wrist and pull her close for a kiss. She smiled within it, lifting her hands to gently hold my jaw there with her cool fingertips. Her lips quaked against mine at the beginning of the kiss, until mine were able to warm her up.

I gently pulled my lips away, still hovering above hers as I spoke. "You're freezing... You should go in." -Kiss- "I'll see you tomorrow?"

I began to pull back, but she grasped my wrists with both of her hands, her voice soft. "Wait!" She shook her head. "Won't you stay? J-just a little longer?"

I grinned, chuckling as my wolf as well as my stomach did flips. "I'll stay as long as you want me to."

If my wolf was able to be seen, he would have been bounding from side to side, barreling through the front door as it opened and ripping and tearing through the house in excitement. My lips were wide with a cat that got the cream smile and Mrs. Greer regarded us with her own knowing grin from the kitchen table. Cara cleared her throat when she realized that we had an audience, blushing softly as the middle aged woman approached.

"Sound asleep." She assured, passing on the baby monitor to Cara. "I will call you tomorrow, Darling." She nodded at me. "Embry. So good to see you again."

"You too, Mrs. Greer. Tell your husband I said 'hello'."

"I will." She slipped on her raincoat and took her umbrella from the coat rack. "Good night."

The rain shattered against the house and the Earth, everything trembling just a smidgen more than it would have as the door opened. The door shut, trapping us inside and shielding us from the storm once more. Cara breathed out, laughing aloud as her cheeks flared bright red.

"I don't know why that was so awkward." She giggled, shimmying out of her sweater and hanging the wet fabric on the back of a kitchen chair.

I followed, slipping off the thick jacket I had worn more for aesthetic reasons than to keep out the chill.

"Tea?"

She was already filling the stove top kettle before I could answer, and even though I had other things on my mind, I knew she needed to warm up. I traveled to the living room, looking at those photographs hung on the walls a bit closer. I had seen these photos before, but nothing had sunk in until now. I could tell that the small child in most of them were Cara, her beauty mark evident in each one. Most of these pictures seemed to be set in the big city, likely Seattle. Even when I was a child, I didn't think Ms. Siler had traveled much... they must have been mailed to her.

I smiled as I noted a photograph of a teenage Cara, her hair pulled up into a curly updo for prom, her makeup bold with sultry eyes and red lips. She wore a light pink dress that was so iridescent that I was positive that the sun was jealous of her that day. She hadn't changed much from high school, it seemed. Maybe now she did have a better handle on how to shape her eyebrows and the style had certainly changed with new fashion trends. Pregnancy aside, she was still as petite now as she was back then, her face had sharpened and matured with her age, and her eyes were a bit worn from adulthood... Still just a beautiful.

"Oh, God... she kept that?" Cara groaned, holding out a mug for me as she took her place next to me.

"I think you look beautiful." I kept my eyes on her, not bothering to look at the photograph.

She rolled her eyes, but her blush betrayed her as she took a sip. "I suppose."

I turned my body toward her a bit more, tilting my head as I held my mug in both hands. "Tell me about yourself."

She arched a brow. "What do you mean?"

"Who were you before now?"

She shrugged, peering down into her mug with again... an unreadable expression. I felt like Loki when he had found out his true heritage; tell me! It was obvious that she didn't want to speak too much on her past, and I respected that... but I knew nothing about her.

"Did you go to college?" I nudged.

"I did." She nodded. "I became a dental assistant and then a hygienist."

"Really?"

"Shocked?" She chuckled, finally meeting my eyes again.

"A bit, yeah. That's not something you normally hear someone go to school for."

"Maybe, maybe not." She shrugged. "I wanted to do something in the medical field... but I can't stomach being a nurse." She waved around us. "Now look at me."

"Well, I wouldn't correlate taking care of your grandma with the duties of a nurse... maybe a medical assistant."

She rolled her eyes. "Not a far cry."

"True..." I glanced down at her stomach, watching as she gently rubbed the bubble with one hand. "I know you said the father isn't around..." She twitched and tensed, pausing her motions for a moment before continuing them. "I don't want to pry if you're not ready... but I'm curious."

She inhaled deeply, closing her eyes before looking up at me again. "What do you want to know? I can't promise I'm ready to give you an answer..."

"That's okay..." I nodded. "I just want to know... is it over?"

She seemed to relax, nodding her head and never breaking eye contact. "Yes. It was never even really a thing, to be completely honest."

I nodded and tested the waters further. "Does he..."

"Know?" She shook her head. "Mmm-mmm..."

I nodded, watching her as she stroked her bump with a sadness. My heart began to tear and I regretted asking, only because it clearly caused so much pain.

"He really hurt you, didn't he?"

She swallowed thickly and nodded, never taking her eyes off of her stomach. I took her mug in my free hand and set both of ours down on the end table before drawing her in for a hug. She wrapped her arms around my torso so snug that it could have hurt. I pet her hair with one hand as the other held her shoulders, pressing kisses into the side of her head as I gently swayed with her. I wanted to absorb all of her pain so that she no longer had to feel it and protect her from anything that could ever possibly harm her again. I would be her shield, even if she sent me away, I would guard her and this child. Diffusing the sadness, I began to hum the Johnny Mathis song we had first danced to. Her shoulders relaxed and we began to sway fully to the vibrated melody as I smiled.

"Guess you feel you'll always be the one and only one for me, and if you think you could..." I mumbled softly, not trusting my voice to crack. I was an average singer, but I wasn't great and I definitely didn't have the confidence to fully serenade her. "Well, chances are your chances are... awfully good..."

"The chances are your chances are... awfully good..."

I chuckled, squeezing her a bit tighter as my throat ran dry with tears of joy. To anyone else, she would have been an average singer as well, but to me it sounded angelic. How cliche... Did we have our own song? Any other time I would have rolled my eyes and been disgusted... but in this case, I loved it. Cara lifted her head, her hazel eyes deep with an emotion I had never seen... at least not projected at me. I couldn't describe her eyes, but they were as deep as the sea and I wanted to be pulled under their waves for eternity. I brushed her cheek with the backs of my fingers on my path to tuck a caramel wave behind her ear. She reached up, holding my hand in place as she turned her head, sealing a slow and loving kiss to the inside of my palm. Her mascara coated lashes whispered against the tops of her cheeks as her eyes closed.

Cupping both of her cheeks, I was deliberate in my next movements. Without so much as a breath between, I gently pressed her against the wall, rattling the frames next to us as I input more passion into our kisses. This time, she welcomed it. Instead of pushing me away, she drew me as close as she could, tugging on my shirt to keep me against her. I couldn't deny her, even if I wanted to. Her scent enveloped me, protecting me as I did her, and I immersed myself... Hands traveled across bodies, leaving warmth in their wake as they stroked places that weren't even close to private. Shoulders, biceps, waists, hips; until there was no denial that those areas had been covered and the others were ready for their turn. My palms found the round flesh of her bottom with a soft but determined squeeze. Her hips pressed to mine in response, grinding in time with the soft mewls humming in the throat that I kissed and nibbled my way down. Her collarbones were greeted with groans and kisses from my own lips as I slid a hand down her left thigh, raising it until I could grip her well enough for a lift. She squealed in surprise, giggling as I was able to wrap both of her legs around my hips.

"Impressive." She mumbled, grinning against my lips as we found each other's again.

There was no hiding how aroused I was and I didn't want to. I wanted to bare every inch of myself for this woman and lay it at her feet. The best I would do tonight was worship every sliver of her body my hands and lips could reach. Her fingers twisted into my hair, fistfuls and tugging as her kisses became more forceful. The musky aroma she projected was enough to intoxicate me. I craved more and my wolf couldn't rest until I had her. She slid her hands down to my shoulders, tugging at the fabric until I got the memo and assisted her in removing the offending fabric. I settled her back onto her feet and tossed the long sleeve onto the floor as she explored my torso. Her cool fingers sent a shiver through my body and I couldn't suppress the groan that escaped.

I studied her expression intently, this time able to see her emotions. The want, the need, the attraction as she traced the toned muscles of my torso were unguarded and I quickly committed each to memory, never wanting to forget the way her face shaped in this moment. I mirrored her actions, tracing down her rounded tummy until I reached the edge of her shirt and pulled it toward the ceiling. I discarded it for her, allowing the black fabric to be forgotten on the hardwood as I studied her body. Her breasts were small enough to just fit into my palms and covered with a black bra, the jeans stopping at her hips, but a dark blue fabric attached to the edge and stretching over her stomach. Compared to mine, her skin was only a few shades lighter and I wanted to see more of it.

I slipped my thumbs under the navy band, slowly pushing it down until the jeans could slip down her legs of their own accord and she could step out of them. I smiled to myself, noting the white with purple striped underwear, appreciating the mismatched undergarments. She tugged at my jeans, but I gently nudged her hands aside and open-mouth kissed my way down her body. I left her bra alone but kissed the swell of her breasts as my head dipped between them, skipping their black cage and stroking her stomach as I kissed down the line beginning to darken down the center, kneeling as I did. I glanced upward, her expression adoring as she raked her fingers through my hair. I left even her underwear alone, but continued to kiss my way down her right thigh. She giggled, wiggling her legs as my fingers touched the outsides of her thighs and my lips found the inners. I enjoyed the reaction, but I didn't want her to feel ticklish right now.

Gently parting her legs, I pressed my lips to the horizontal lines hiding her from me. She gasped in response, more out of pleasure than surprise I deducted as she allowed me to continue. The fabric was beginning to dampen and I trailed my tongue over it, aiding the process. She shivered more out of anticipation and shifted her hips against my lips. I chuckled at her impatience, purposefully letting the vibrations hum against her. She groaned, swaying her hips from side to side as I lifted a finger to slip under the edge. I tugged the cotton to the side and used my other hand to part her lips for a taste. This time she gasped as she placed her palms against the wall for support, widening her stance for me. I growled deeply as I buried my face deeper, swirling my tongue as I nodded my head, her path of hair scratching at my nose as I did. Even if I would have opened my eyes, I wouldn't have been able to see her reactions over her belly, but her grinds against my mouth were enough reassurance that she enjoyed what I was doing.

Two fingers joined my tongue, but not for long. She was whimpering and begging me to stop, gently pushing me away. Concerned I had done something wrong, I stood, holding her hips as I straightened. That fear was eradicated as soon as she grasped my cheeks and pulled me down for a searing kiss. I chuckled into her mouth before she pulled away and took me by the hand, leading the way up the stairs and to her bedroom. As we entered, she rest the baby monitor on the dresser and took hold of my shoulders, shoving me back toward the bed. I laughed as I fell onto the comforter, the frame hitting the wall with a deep thud that was lost to the sounds of the storm.

As she fully undressed, I sat up on my elbows to watch. I smiled softly as I noted the darkness of her nipples, the light brown lines striking lighting on the sides of her hips and stomach as they accommodated life, and the bikini tan lines that had yet to fade from summer. She had quiet dustings of freckles across her shoulders and upper thighs, a few dark ones here and there on her stomach and one just on the underside of her right breast. She was perfect.
She stepped forward with a new determination in her eyes, no longer hazel, but now dark green with lust. She bit her lower lip and I mirrored the action as she reached for my jeans with a small growl of her own. The sound aroused me further than I thought I already was and I twitched beneath the fabric, aching to be set free. She unbuttoned the denim and yanked them down along with my briefs. I had to grin at her impertinence. She was incredibly shy any other time, but this was a different beast. What hath hell unleashed unto this Earth?

Her hot breath and warm mouth on my appendage ceased all thoughts in their tracks. Every intent I had on loving her one way or another was forgotten in a matter of seconds and I was putty in her hands. As if it wasn't already clear, it became crystal and translucent... she could not and would not be denied whatever her beautiful heart desired. All she would have to do was say the word... but this would certainly seal any deal. It was at that moment I knew that she had to remain mine... I don't think I could stomach the idea of her pleasing another this way, of her allowing her curves to be worshiped by anyone other than myself. Even if they did... they would never compare.

I had nearly come undone and it wouldn't be much longer if she didn't stop.

She continued on and I was convinced she knew exactly what she was doing. She purposely inched me closer, only to detach her mouth and leave me begging as she climbed over me. The sight alone was enough to edge me further, but I refrained, watching as she crawled over my body like a lioness stalking its prey. Being the true animal here, it should have been the other way around, but I had no intentions of stopping her. She angled and lowered herself down with a groan, clenching around my member as I fully sank into her depths. My eyes fluttered back into my skull as she literally wiggled herself into a comfortable position, her knees pressed into the comforter and her hands grasping the bed next to my head. I regretted not adjusting so that I was properly laying on the bed, but that also was soon forgotten as she began to rock.

I held her hips, letting her set the pace and the motions as our sounds of pleasure overtook the raging storm just outside these walls. She lifted just enough to tease, then slipped back down, rocked a few times, and then did the same thing. The pattern was maddening and all I could do was dig my fingers into her hips, careful not to bruise. Profanities hissed through my teeth between groans and all she did was chuckle with a moan, grinning broadly as she clenched around my girth. I lifted my head, attempting to catch a nipple between my lips for some sense of control. When that proved futile, I lifted my hands until I could gently tug and twist at her nipples. Her back arched in response as I did so, her moans reaching a higher pitch as she stuttered in her movements. I smirked, but it didn't last long as she reached between us, letting her fingers work their own magic.

"Stop, stop..." I whispered, pressing my lips to hers. "I'm not done with you, yet."

The promise sent a shiver through her petite frame and she dismounted me. We groaned at the same time as we detached, but I was already reaching out to steady her, helping her lay back against the pillows. I pulled one toward myself and helped her slip one under her bottom, angling her in just the way I wanted. Even if it took all night, she would realize the lengths I was willing to go for her pleasure. My wolf was still, quiet... and for the first time since meeting Cara, I was in full control.