BK 5 - Chapter 41 - I Want You
Maxie looked around Buddy's house and was surprised. It felt warm and cozy, not modern and sterile. She saw pictures of him and his parents from over the years. She smiled when she saw pictures of Buddy with her grandmothers. He walked up behind her to peer over her shoulder.
"I'm going to miss her," Buddy said, looking at the picture of Grandma Valerie. Maxie turned around, and he put his arms around her. She closed her eyes, enjoying the warmth and comfort of his embrace. She knew she needed to tell him the truth before she chickened out.
"I'm going to miss her too. Can we sit down and talk?" She asked against his chest. Cali was ready to start purring, but Maxie told her to wait until she could tell him what she was.
"Sure." Buddy took her hand and led her to the family room. A dark brown leather sectional was facing an enormous TV above the fireplace. He flipped a switch, and the fireplace came on, giving them some light. He sat on the sectional and pulled Maxie down to sit next to him. She turned slightly to face him.
Buddy saw the nervousness on her beautiful face and wanted to help her relax. He leaned over and kissed her. Without the awkwardness of being in the car, he could kiss her like he'd wanted to. Maxie closed her eyes and put her arms around his neck while he slid his arms around her back, pulling her closer. His tongue played with her lips, and she opened them, letting him explore her mouth. When Buddy pulled away, her face was red, but she was smiling.
"That's how our first kiss should have been." He said, kissing her again lightly. Maxie played with his silky hair that touched his collar.
"You're distracting me, and I need to talk to you about something." She said, even though what she really wanted was to kiss him again.
"I can't help that your lips are so delicious and your mouth so sweet. Not to mention the weird sparks I feel when we touch. You're the best kind of addiction that I don't think I'll ever get enough of." Buddy hoped he didn't sound corny. He had never been attracted to any other woman the way he was to Maxie. Many women had come on to him because of who he was, but that's all they saw. A movie star with money. Maxie hadn't even known who he was at first. Even when she found out he was an actor, instead of throwing herself at him, she tried to push him away. That made him want her even more.
""Before I get carried away, there's something I need to tell you," Maxie said, running her fingers through his hair. Buddy slid his hands up and down her back. He wanted to touch her everywhere, but there was no way he was going to do something she wasn't comfortable with. He'd never even had sex; what if he wasn't any good at it?
"Okay, but can you tell me while sitting like this?" Buddy pulled her onto his lap so she was straddling him and looking into his eyes. Maxie bit her lip, trying not to smile.
"I can tell you like this, but I need you to listen." She said as he slid one hand inside her shirt to stroke her back. Maxie moaned lightly from the feel of his warm hand on her skin and the sparks running through her body.
"I'll listen. I promise." Buddy liked having her sit on him the way she was. It made him feel like they were the only two people in the world.
"What I'm about to tell you I have never told anyone. It may sound unbelievable, but I can prove I'm telling the truth." Maxie said softly. Buddy was intrigued about what she had to say.
"Okay." He replied, still rubbing his hand on her back.
"I'm a werelion. That means I can change from a human to a lion." Maxie's voice was shaking as she spoke. Buddy would have burst out laughing, but when he saw the look in her eyes, he stopped himself.
"What do you mean you can change from a human to a lion?" He asked with uncertainty. Maxie placed one of his hands on her chest. Buddy gasped when he heard what sounded like purring and felt the vibration against his hand.
"That's my lion, Cali. I can shift into her if you'd like to meet her." Maxie said nervously. She was scared he was going to shove her off his lap and tell her to leave. Buddy moved his hand from under her shirt, and she braced herself for what he was about to say.
"Let me meet her." He said, looking into her dark brown eyes. He wouldn't have believed her if he hadn't felt the vibration or heard the purring, but something told him she was telling him the truth. Buddy wrapped his arms around Maxie and kissed her.
"You thought I was going to tell you to go, didn't you?" He asked. She nodded.
"That's not going to happen. Right now, you could tell me you're a serial killer and have run out of places to hide the bodies, and I'd start digging holes in my backyard." Maxie giggled and relaxed. She didn't know how he could be so perfect, but he was.
"I need to remove my clothes so they don't shred when I shift. Can I go to the other room?" Maxie asked, climbing off his lap.
"If you're not attached to those clothes, let them shred. I'll give you some of mine to put on when you shift back. I want to see you change from a human to a lion." Buddy stood up and put his hands on her shoulders. He also wanted to see her wearing his clothes.
"I won't have anything to put on when I go home," Maxie said, looking up at him. He wondered what she would say if he told her she was already home.
"We'll worry about that later," Buddy said, sliding his hands down her arms and taking her hands.
"Okay. Go get me something to put on." Buddy kissed her and ran out of the room. He returned in a few minutes, holding a new pair of boxers and a blue T-shirt.
"The boxers I have never worn. The T-shirt is one of my favorites." He said with a smile, laying them on the couch.
"Cali is bigger than most lionesses, so don't be scared. She won't hurt you." Maxie said as she backed up to the middle of the room.
"I'm ready to meet her," Buddy replied anxiously. Maxie smiled, and right before his eyes, she went from human to an enormous lioness. He couldn't believe it. When he saw Maxie's beautiful brown eyes looking back at him, he walked toward Cali. She purred loudly.
"You're just as beautiful as Maxie. You're both incredible." Buddy said as he ran his hand from her head down her back. He sat on the floor, and Cali laid down, putting her huge head in his lap. He rubbed her head and scratched behind her ears. After a few minutes, Cali stood up, picked up the T-shirt and boxers in her mouth, and walked out of the room. A minute later, Maxie walked in. Buddy couldn't move when he saw her in his clothes. She was like a fantasy come to life.
"So, what did you think of Cali?" She asked, sitting on the floor in front of him.
"She's amazing, just like you. Can everyone in your family do that?" Buddy asked, moving closer so he could touch her. He pulled Maxie onto his lap so she was straddling him again. She put her hands on his shoulders and looked into his eyes.
"Yes, except for Grandma Valerie. She was human. Most of my family are werelions, but we also have panthers, tigers, wolves, vampires, bears, and witches. Some of the group homes are specifically for kids who are shifters or vampires. There's something else I need to tell you." Maxie was even more scared about the next part. What if he didn't want to be her mate?
"What else is there? Do you have magic?" Buddy ran his hands up her thighs. Maxie felt an ache between her legs. She wanted him to keep going, but not until he accepted her as a mate.
"I don't have magic. Shifters have mates. There's one person that we're destined to be with. When we find that person, we feel an instant connection to them. When we touch our mate, we feel sparks from the mate bond. Buddy, you're my mate." Maxie watched his expression, and he went from surprise to smiling.
"When you say I'm your mate, what does that mean exactly?" Buddy asked excitedly. He hoped it was the same as animals who have a mate. Many of them stayed with the same mate forever.
"It means that if you accept me, I'll mark you by biting your neck, and then you'll become a werelion like me. After you get your lion, then you will mark me. Once we're fully mated, we'll be together for the rest of our lives. I'll understand if you don't want that. I'm probably not the type of woman you want to spend your life with." Before Maxie could finish speaking, Buddy kissed her hard. He pulled her against him, and she wrapped her legs around him. When he pulled away, he kept her against him.
"I want to be your mate. I've always wanted a love like my parents shared. They fell in love at first sight. They may not have been mates, but what I felt when I first saw you reminded me of how my dad described meeting my mom for the first time. I want you, Maxie." Buddy had never been more sure of anything in his life.
"You want me, and you want to be my mate?" She asked in disbelief. Maxie looked into his eyes, and he smiled.
"Yes, I want you and everything else. I've been waiting for a woman to make me feel like you do." Buddy kissed her, and Maxie felt like crying with happiness. When she felt him pressing against her, she pulled back.
"You said I could stay in one of your guest rooms. Can I stay in your room instead?" She asked. Buddy swallowed past the dryness in his throat.
"Are you sure that's what you want?" He didn't want her to feel like she had to do anything she wasn't ready for.
"We save ourselves for our mates. Since you've accepted me, I'm ready." Maxie smiled and slid her hands under his shirt. Buddy held her tight and stood up. Keeping her legs wrapped around him, he carried her to his bedroom. Maxie smiled as he laid her on the bed. She had been at her lowest until he found her lying on the ground. She believed Grandma Valerie sent her mate, like an angel, so she'd never be alone again.
