Bared to Him Read online

  “It’s another reason why I want you to accompany her, Gray. You’ll keep the males away from her. You’ll keep her safe. I know I can trust you.”

  Guilt shifted through Gray like sharp razor blades. He knew he should tell Jack he wasn’t sure he could handle staying away from Miranda. Her scent drove him wild. Lately, every time he saw her, he wanted to take her into his arms and kiss her. He craved to touch her in ways a guy in charge of her safety should not be thinking about. And, at nights when he Turned in the depths of the ocean, he swam alone in the darkness, needing her. Wanting her.

  Jack’s slap to his back snapped Gray from his thoughts.

  “She’ll be safe with you. You don’t know how good that makes me feel.”

  Yeah, right.

  Gray forced himself to smile at his partner and then took a sip of the scorching hot coffee. He grimaced as the fiery liquid slid down his throat. Perfect. Just the way he liked it. But the heat of the coffee did nothing to douse the chaos of his emotions. Guilt ruled. How was he going to protect Miranda from himself?

  “Have you unpacked from your other trip, yet?” Jack asked as he handed Gray the new itinerary he’d mentioned.

  Gray shook his head and pocketed the schedule. He’d look at it later and then give it to Miranda.

  “No, but I need a fresh set of clothes. I can pack in a few short minutes. Then I just need to add a suit for the wedding. I can order a rental over the Internet and have it waiting for me in California.”

  Jack nodded.

  “Good. Good. Seriously, I am glad I hired you all those years ago. I knew you would be the perfect man to protect her if she went into the Change. Do you think she has an idea she won’t be the human she’s always wanted to be?”

  She knows.

  But he didn’t tell Jack that or the fact he’d been reacting to her. Jack was human. He didn’t have to know everything about Octo males and how badly they hungered for a female.

  “I think you’d have to ask her that question,” Gray said.

  Jack frowned. He gazed out the eastern window of the business office and rubbed a hand across his scrubby white beard. Gorgeous snow-capped mountains loomed behind the handful of colorful buildings nestled amongst the cliffs of this secluded hamlet. It was a beautiful place here and it almost made Gray’s breath catch at how close he’d come to never coming here in the first place.

  “I’ve been her mother, her father, friend, and confidant since her mother died. She’s always wanted to remain human, like myself.”

  You mean you taught her to want to be human. But Gray kept the comment to himself. He’d never agreed with the way Jack catered to Miranda’s sporadic comments of wanting to remain a human. The chances were pretty much for sure that soon, at every twilight, her legs and arms would shift into octopus form. Her craving for sex in both her human form and her Octo shape would become a dominant part of her life. Just as it was for Gray.

  “I’ll have a talk with her when you both return,” Jack replied softly.

  Gray was sure Jack’s talk would come too late. Again, he remained silent. Jack would find out soon enough.

  “In the meantime, I should let you know we got the job from that business tycoon you were meeting with. He’s slapping down three million for a sailing yacht and wants it ready for Spring. That will be Miranda’s run.”

  Gray nodded, barely hearing Jack’s words as the older man continued chatting about the new job.

  He was so damned glad he’d returned earlier from his trip. Had she gone to that wedding alone, she would have been prey to strange Octoposeidon and Gray didn’t want her first Octo sexual experiences with one or more strangers. He wanted her first time to be with him.

  Chapter Two

  The instant Gray left her dad’s office and strolled up the outside stairs to where the three of them shared a large apartment on the second floor of their office building, Miranda left the yacht. A few minutes later, she knocked on her dad’s office door. Without waiting for him to call out for her to enter, she walked in.

  “Dad, we need to talk.”

  “Hey, sweet pea. Are you all packed up for your trip?” he asked.

  He didn’t look up as he studied some papers on his desk. She could tell in the way he worried his bottom lip that he didn’t want to deal with her now. She almost dropped the argument she had planned, but decided she owed it to herself to stick up for herself.

  “I just have to get my stuff on board. Dad, you promised I could do a solo run this year. It’s already October and unusually mild this year. Perfect boating weather. I had my heart set on going this one alone.” Guilt did wonders on her dad when she wanted something and she wasn’t above using it on occasion. Like now.

  He looked up and surprise washed over his face.

  “You know why you can’t go it alone this time, Miranda,” he said and returned to studying his papers.

  “I get that. But I want a promise from you that the next one is mine.”

  He frowned and looked up at her again. He shook his head.

  “That’ll be December. The ocean is not a good place for you to be in December, sweet pea. Gray is experienced with the winter deliveries. He’ll do the December run. You can do next Spring.”

  Gray. Gray. Gray. Damn him!

  “Promise me, dad. All the Spring runs are mine.” May as well get more than one trip out of the guilt.

  He seemed relieved. He stood and made his way around his desk and engulfed her in a warm embrace that was more like a tight bear hug.

  “My baby is growing up,” he whispered against her ear.

  His baby. Gosh, was he for real? She’d stopped being a baby years ago.

  “I’m impressed you didn’t argue more about this run. You’re turning into a real professional. I promise. Spring runs will be yours,” he said as he let her go. He gazed at her with love in his eyes and it made her feel guilty for extracting this promise out of him.

  “You be very careful out there, sweet pea. Keep an eye on the marine forecast. Storms can sneak up on you this time of the year.”

  “I will.”

  “And don’t argue with Gray when you’re out there. You two need each other to keep this delivery on time. You can run the boat nights while Gray takes to the ocean and follows you. In the mornings, you can both sleep. He’ll do the renovations to the yacht in the afternoons and evenings. Gray has the itinerary. Stick with it and you’ll have no problems.”

  Miranda nodded. She could promise to stick with the schedule, but Gray, on the other hand, was going to be a problem. Especially with that earlier sexual fantasy still very fresh in her mind and affecting her body.

  * * * * *

  As Miranda hauled her belongings below deck to the master cabin, she thought about her past. For her entire life she’d craved being near the ocean. That urge had really come out following the tragic death of her mother. She’d been five and her dad had moved the two of them inland. But Miranda had grown depressed and moody, crying and begging to go back home. Home, meaning the ocean.

  Therefore, in his overprotectiveness, he’d then moved them here to the secluded bay near the Alaskan Glacier Park. Here, with the stunning backdrop of snow-capped mountains and glistening ocean waves and an abundance of nature, Jack had built his custom-made yacht business and home schooled Miranda. In turn, she had flourished.

  Miranda smiled at the memories of carefree days as she followed moose and deer in the nearby woods, taking the motorboat out and chasing the seagulls. The air was fresh and salt-tinged and the evening sunsets were spectacular. This evening was no exception, she thought, as she climbed topside and took her place at the helm.

  Ahead of her, the horizon glowed gold. Behind her, her dad stood on the dock and waved goodbye. She returned his wave and then reluctantly turned away as a bubble of emotion snapped through her. Quickly she brushed away some renegade tears, took a deep breath, and put the yacht into a faster pace.

  She truly loved her dad but it serious
ly was time to break free of his tight restraints on all aspects of her life. She looked out at the moody ocean.

  Somewhere out there Gray was already swimming beneath the dark waters doing God knew what. Until recently, she hadn’t been interested in his nocturnal turnings. However, tonight there was an invisible pull to gaze out into the darkness and search for a sign of him. But she saw nothing except the full moon slowly lifting out of the ocean horizon and an occasional glitter of silver rings as a fish jumped out of the water and splashed back in.

  Giving up her search for Gray, she turned the yacht out of the bay. Tonight the water was choppy and the October breeze was cold. She didn’t waste any time closing the nearby windows. In order to make good time they would do as her dad instructed. She would pilot the boat during the nights and they would sleep during the mornings when the yacht was anchored. Gray would work on what needed doing thru the afternoons. It was best if she stayed away from him, because he both irritated and fascinated her at the same time.

  Man, she just wished she wasn’t so damned confused about him.

  * * * * *

  Loneliness wrapped around Gray as he swam through the murky ocean water. He used the currents to help him move along with the yacht. He munched on whatever seafood got in his way, and he kept his hearing tuned to the sound of the yacht’s motor nearby.

  When the need to see her could hold him back no longer, he popped his head above the surface and sniffed the air, inhaling Miranda’s succulent scent. Every time he smelled her, his cock swelled. Along with it, came an intense need to lure her into the water with him. He wanted to swim with her, mate with her, and just have her with him all the time.

  Life as an Octoposeidon wasn’t easy. He spent his nights napping, eating, and steering clear of predators and craving female companionship. But females were scarce. They were the weaker of the species and many died at birth. It did not matter if she was born as a human during the day or born as an Octoposeidon during by night. No one knew why most females didn’t survive. It just was.

  The sudden urge to get back under the water to breathe grabbed him and reluctantly he followed his need for survival.

  * * * * *

  British Columbia, North Coast

  It was just after dawn when Gray turned back into his human form. He was soaking wet and naked as he climbed up the yacht ladder, and padded across the deck. Miranda had been motoring for more than twelve hours with him propelling himself along behind her. He’d had no trouble keeping up with the fast pace and she’d dropped anchor over an hour ago. Since then, he’d been waiting in the chilly waters to return to his human form so he could get back onto the boat.

  He knew he should try to get some sleep. However, resting was the last thing he wanted, especially with Miranda on board. The instant he’d climbed out of the water, her sensual scent had captured his full attention. As he let himself into the wheelhouse, he gazed down at himself.

  An extreme tightness had grabbed his balls. His cock was at full mast. It was engorged, swollen, and aching like a son of a bitch. Frustration burned through him as he opened the windows and allowed the fresh air to blow away her scent.

  He knew he should not let her smell get into the air. It would carry for miles in the wind and capture the attention of any other Octoposeidon males in the area. But, this morning, he just had to find a way to get her off his mind and getting rid of her scent was hopefully going to help. Besides, by the time any Octo male caught wind, they’d be long gone from this area.

  He was about to press the button to pull up anchor when a sexy little sound drifted through the wheelhouse. He paused. Miranda? Was she masturbating? Sure, he’d heard her moaning away in her bedroom back in the building he shared with Jack and Miranda. He’d listened at her bedroom door plenty of times while she masturbated.

  It was a good thing her father was hard at hearing and had his bedroom far away from the area where Miranda and Gray slept, or Jack would have put a stop to Gray sneaking around outside her bedroom the way he’d been doing the past few months.

  “Just pull up anchor and turn on the engines and get the hell moving, Gray,” he muttered to himself. The engines would drown out her sexy mews and he could get on with the day. Yet, he hesitated.

  A soft gasp drifted to his ears. His cock hardened some more. He swallowed.

  Don’t go down there. Gray. Stay here.

  Even as he was warning himself, he was moving out of the wheelhouse, heading down the stairwell and stepping into the narrow companionway that led to her cabin. Her succulent scent was powerful down here and it took everything in his being to stay away from her.

  A soft cry. A gasp. A broken moan.

  He stayed at the doorway and listened. Excitement pounded him. Need tore through him.

  She cried out again. He reached out and his fingers rested on the knob. He wavered.

  What the hell are you doing? Jack put you in charge of her safety. You owe him to keep her safe. Even from you.

  A muffled wail shot through the companionway. His resolve broke. He opened her door.

  Her sweet, intoxicating scent crushed his self-restraint and he stepped into the cabin. Gray light streamed in through the several portholes, illuminating her.

  She was lying on her side, in the king sized bed. Blankets had tangled around her body. Her cute feet stuck out from beneath the sheets, but he had no problem making out her succulent curves pressing against the covers. Her hair looked like a golden waterfall splayed out on the pillow. Long, black eyelashes framed her closed eyes and a hint of blush had swept across her cheeks.

  She looked like an angel. So beautiful. So perfect.

  His.

  He swallowed and took a few more steps into the room. Her breathing was fast and she moaned softly again. The sound clutched at him. He slipped both his hands in front of his thighs and grabbed a hold of his cock. It jerked hot and wild as he stroked himself. His velvety hard flesh strained and burned against his fingers, the veins pulsing against his palms.

  She cried out again and he suddenly realized she wasn’t masturbating. She was fucking dreaming.

  Irritation snapped through him. Whom the fuck was she fantasizing about? He knew that females experienced extreme sexual fantasies shortly before they went into the Change. It happened while they were awake and while they slept. It appeared she was having one now. Her wickedly attractive scent certainly attested to that fact.

  “Gray?” she whispered.

  She was fantasizing about him. Why would she be fantasizing about him after all the teasing he’d done to keep her away from him?

  She moved off her side and onto her back. She thrust her arms out. The blankets drifted off her neck and down, revealing her breasts.

  Oh, man. This was so not good. But really good, at the same time. He bit his lower lip and stifled a groan as he studied her. Her breasts weren’t large nor were they small. They were just right and he knew they would fit perfectly into his palms. Her areoles were big and round and her nipples were huge and erect.

  She cried out his name again.

  His gut twisted. Sexual hunger tore through him. His cock hardened to a painful throb. He winced.

  Her feminine aroma made him dizzy with need.

  He needed relief. Big time. He had to get out of here before the last shred of his self-control tore away and he climbed on top of her and made love to her.

  He could barely walk as he slipped out of her room. Up in the wheelhouse, he pulled up anchor and started the engine. Thankfully, the rumble drowned her sexy hot sounds, but her scent continued to cloak him and taunt him.

  Defeat made him curse. He reached down and wrapped his fingers around his thick erection. With his other hand, he stroked the growing length. Instantly, pleasure spiralled along his shaft. He squeezed his eyes shut and let his breath escape between his slightly parted lips.

  With a steady rhythm, he rubbed himself harder and faster. His body tightened. Sensations, hot and sharp, snapped along his
length. His thoughts and his restraint disintegrated. He thrust his cockhead against a nearby computer console, gasping at the cool hardness of the smooth plastic.

  Pleasure exploded into shudders and poured through him. His legs weakened. He cried out Miranda’s name as his release shot out of him.

  * * * * *

  Have mercy! Miranda moaned as she awoke to arousal coursing through her and the cracking of her heart beating way too loudly in her ears.

  Oh wait. It wasn’t her heart. Someone was hammering. It took her a few seconds to orient herself as a foreign room rolled into view. Then she remembered. She wasn’t making love with Gray as she’d been dreaming, but she was sleeping in the yacht.

  She’d been unusually tired and wickedly aroused all last night and before turning in to sleep she’d left a note for Gray, telling him not to worry about making noise. That extra wall and everything that came with it, plus the new bathroom, had to be finished and she needed to get away from him as soon as possible. These sex dreams she was having about him were breaking down her resistance to Gray.

  Her pussy convulsed just thinking of him. She could smell him too. Sweat, soft-scented soap and prime male. She inhaled deeply and allowed his smell to invade all her senses. She trembled as images of Gray erupted inside her mind again.

  Visions of his muscular arms wrapping around her waist, and holding her steady. Of her looking down and watching his thick, pulsing shaft slide into her pussy.

  Oh! This was getting utterly ridiculous. Why couldn’t she stop thinking about him?

  Maybe you should fuck him, a naughty voice prodded from somewhere in the back of her mind.