After Gauge made a dinner of big New York steaks, baked potatoes, and green beans with garlic, they went upstairs and she took a shower before they got in bed and snuggled together.
Gauge didn't pressure her into anything sexual. She was still sore from being beaten up and still unsure of herself as a woman after leaving the compound. She just wasn't ready. Losing her virginity was a big step that she was still a little nervous about.
All Gauge did was hold her close and sleep beside her, offering her his strength and the comfort of his embrace. She slept more soundly and securely than she had since her mother died and in the morning she woke up feeling absolutely refreshed.
When she went to the bathroom to look in the mirror, her black eye had already begun to fade. When Gauge got up, Lola walked back into the bedroom and smiled at him.
"Yesterday was the best day of my life," she said.
"If sitting around watching reality TV was the best day of your life, today's gonna blow your mind," he said. "Just hang out here and I'll be back with some pastries and some fabulous coffee."
"How can I say no to that?" she giggled.
Gauge took a quick shower and got dressed and was out the door in no time flat. Lola took a leisurely bath in his big jetted tub. By the time she was done with her soak, Gauge had already arrived downstairs. She rose out of the bath, wrapped his fluffy bathrobe around her shoulders, and tied it at the waist. Downstairs, she found something she had not expected.
There was a gorgeous pink printed dress hanging over the door with a pair of ballerina flats that were so absolutely adorable that she gave out a little shriek when she saw them. She hadn't worn anything so beautiful and feminine in years.
"Where did you get this?" she asked.
"I got it from Rollo's mate Zoe," Gauge said. “She also threw in some new underthings and makeup.”
Lola slowly walked across the room and took the dress off the doorframe. She held it up in front of her, marveling at the delicacy of the design and the smooth silky fabric.
"I have to put this on right now!" she said with a giggle.
Lola gathered up all of her things and trotted back upstairs, a huge grin plastered on her face. She slid into the dress and ballet flats, then did her hair and makeup. When she looked at herself in the long mirror, she could barely recognize her reflection.
One day of nutrition through an IV and another day of eating steak and sandwiches with Gauge had put a little softness into her curves. She walked back down the stairs, feeling a lightness to her step.
When Gauge looked up at her in the dress, his mouth dropped open. He took a step back, grasping his heart.
"You were already more beautiful than words, but you look amazing in that dress."
"Thank you," she said shyly. "Thank you for getting this for me."
He handed her a coffee and invited her to sit at the dining room table beside the sliding doors that looked out on his backyard. They shared pastries and coffee and chatted about what they would do in Portland. Lola was feeling so spoiled that she imagined that this is what a princess must feel like.
Suddenly she had a man who adored her, she was in a beautiful home, wearing a beautiful dress, and he had promised to take her shopping for even more fabulous things. She could barely contain her joy.
Gauge and Lola went outside and stood on the porch. It was a warm sunny day with a slight breeze that ruffled the maple leaves. Gauge locked up the house before they climbed into his pickup truck and started down the highway to Portland.
Gauge put some high-energy music on the radio and Lola felt it radiate through her body, making her want to dance. She felt so giddy and good that the hour-long trip to Portland felt like it only took a few minutes.
They parked in the parking lot downtown and walked along the street where happy people strolled together and popped in and out of interesting little shops. Gauge was looking at his cell phone, trying to find the best clothing stores in the area, and she had to giggle at how dedicated he was to taking her shopping.
"I thought men didn't like going shopping," she said. "That's what I learned on TV yesterday anyway."
"Those men are probably human. I’m a shifter taking my sweet little mate shopping for the first time in forever," he said.
She threaded her fingers through his and smiled up at him as they walked hand-in-hand down the street.
"Ah, here it is," he said, leading her into a designer boutique.
The shop was filled with beautiful clothes, filling racks along the walls and throughout the main floor. There were bright festive colors and patterns of every kind and the explosion of color and pattern brought absolute delight to her eyes. She and Gauge walked together, pulling things off that they both liked. The sales girl walked over and was immediately caught by their infectious enthusiasm.
"This is my mate, Lola," Gauge said. "Isn't she beautiful?" The salesgirl nodded. "She’s been trapped at a secluded compound in the mountains for the last year. And I am going to buy her an entirely new wardrobe today. Only the best for my mate," he said. His voice full of enthusiasm and humor.
"I see," the salesgirl said, clearly unsure whether or not she should believe everything he had just said.
Lola couldn't help but giggle at Gauge’s enthusiasm for buying her clothes.
"She’s going to need shoes and handbags as well. If I know anything about women's clothing. Which I don't really,” he finally admitted.
Lola giggled again and the salesgirl began helping Lola pick out the best colors and shapes for her body type. By the time they were done in that shop she had a smart little skirt suit that's made her look professional. Several gorgeous and girly summer dresses. Three pairs of shoes, and two new handbags. One for the day and one for the evening.
Lola hadn't been so spoiled in her entire life. Before her mother married her stepfather they’d been poor. After her mother married her stepfather, all frills and girly accessorizing was essentially banned from the household. She'd been wearing camo almost exclusively since she was ten years old.
Gauge paid for Lola's clothes, and they left the shop, bags filling their hands. They took their loot back to the truck and locked it in the back seats before going out to lunch at an adorable little café.
They had the most delicate sandwiches with feta cheese and spinach and sun-dried tomatoes. The flavors on Lola's palette were bursting inside her mouth. All of the sensations she was experiencing that day were swirling around her and with so much intensity it almost felt as if she was in an alternate universe.
The sights of the city, the sounds of the people talking all around her, the feeling of her new clothes against her skin, the smell of the delicious food, and the taste of fresh brewed coffee.
Together it created an experience for Lola that she didn't even know existed. To think, people experienced this life every day and took it for granted. She vowed she would never take it for granted as long as she lived.
15
"Now, I know that you grew up an outdoors woman. And all those pretty pink dresses and delicate shoes are gorgeous and perfect for you. But I have a feeling that my country girl is going to want some more comfortable things."
She'd been swept up in the idea of being a fabulous lady like the women she saw on reality TV. But the truth was that at the end of the day, Lola really just wanted to wear a pair of nice blue jeans, a tank top, and a pair of hiking boots.
As long as she was with Gauge, she would always feel like a princess, no matter what she wore.
"You know Gauge, I think you're right," she said.
Gauge grabbed a shopping cart and they started throwing things inside. Half a dozen pairs of jeans and cargo pants. A jacket, hiking boots, and a hat for the sun and rain.
Lola was having so much fun shopping, she almost forgot about Justin and the horrors she’d experienced over the last few years. Almost. When she passed a man who had a similar build to her stepbrother, she took a step back and turned toward Gauge, leaning i
nto his arms.
“Are you all right?” he asked.
“I just had a flashback, I think,” she whispered into his shoulder.
He held her close and kissed the top of her head, rubbing her back affectionately.
“Is there anything I can do?” he asked.
“You’re doing it,” she said, letting out a sigh.
“You’ll probably be shaken up for a while, babe. But I’ll always be here for you. If you need to punch someone in the face, you can punch me.”
She giggled and pulled away, feeling her joy return.
“Good to know,” she said, giggling. “Let’s see what kind of crossbows they have here.”
“I forgot you’re a bow hunter,” he said, walking beside her into the bow department.
The man behind the counter greeted them and directed his attention to Gauge.
“How can I help you?” the salesman asked.
“My mate here is a serious bow hunter, and she’s in the market for a new crossbow.”
“We have some excellent bows designed specifically for a woman’s shorter reach.”
“Do you have any Shadow point bows?”
“We do.”
“I’ve always wanted one. I know they’re super expensive. My stepdad would never buy one for me. He said a bow for a woman wasn’t worth that much money.”
“Well, we’ll have to fix that today,” Gauge said, lifting the bow off the rack.
He handed it to Lola. She hefted it in her hands and then took aim, looking through the scope. It felt perfect to her and it reminded her how much she really did enjoy the outdoors. Maybe with Gauge by her side, she could reclaim the missing parts of herself she’d lost because of her stepfather and stepbrother.
“How does it feel?” the salesman asked.
“Perfect,” she said.
“We’ll take it,” Gauge said.
They purchased the bow and several packs of arrows before purchasing everything else in their cart and heading back out to the truck. Lola was so excited, her heart pounded in her chest like a bass drum in a marching band.
As they climbed into the truck and started home, stopping at a drive-through coffee place before hitting the highway, Lola felt her soul begin to open back up to the light of love.
She finally felt like things could be good again. For the first time in so very long.
16
When they got home that night, Lola was bursting with excitement and gratitude. Gauge had shown her things she’d thought she’d never get to be a part of.
They carried the shopping bags inside and laid them across the dining room table. Lola went through her things while Gauge ordered a pizza from Fate Mountain Pizza to be delivered to his house.
She hung all her new dresses on hangers and brought them up to Gauge’s room. Neither of them had talked about where she would be living now, but it seemed self-explanatory. They were moving in together, but they still hadn’t made love.
While she was hanging up her things, Gauge came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.
“Pizza’s here,” he said before kissing her cheek from behind.
“Supreme with extra olives, just like you said you liked it.”
“As far as I can recall. I can’t remember the last time I had pizza.”
“Those men were monsters,” he said.
She giggled. They truly were monsters. But Gauge was helping her put things into perspective with his joke about the pizza. Her stepfather and stepbrother had kept so much of life away from her. The only way to deal with it was to find the humor.
“They were monsters,” she agreed. “I don’t know how I survived it.”
“I do,” he said, leading her back downstairs to find the dining room table filled with pizza boxes, bread sticks, chicken wings, brownies, and soda. Her stomach grumbled.
They’d eaten at an upscale cafe for lunch, but the smell of pizza really did it for her.
“If you keep feeding me like this, I’m going to get fat.”
Gauge grunted. “Babe, you’re hot as hell no matter what. But I’d love to see those curves filled out some more. You spent too much time on that mountain.” He gave her a light squeeze and she sighed with pleasure.
They sat down for a good old fashioned pig out, which left Lola feeling high off all the delicious carbs and yummy pepperoni.
They took the dessert into the living room and watched a light romantic comedy, holding each other close. Lola was feeling so good that she couldn’t imagine feeling any better. Then she realized Gauge had a massive erection he’d been trying to hide from her. As the credits rolled on the screen, she looked up into his bright blue eyes.
“I’m sorry I’m making you wait for me,” she whispered, cupping his cheek in her hand.
He caught her hand and looked intently into her eyes. “I would wait a thousand lifetimes to be with you.”
“I don’t want to torture you,” she said.
“Waiting for you is anything but torture.”
But Lola knew enough about shifters from all the things she’d heard from her stepfather and stepbrother to be able to piece together a few things that were probably true.
When a shifter found his mate, he felt a driving compulsion to mate with her. Gauge’s bear would drive him mad until he marked her and claimed her as his own.
“Isn’t your bear giving you trouble?”
“Well, yeah. But he’s happy you’re here and safe. That’s enough for now. I’d never move faster than what you’re comfortable with.”
“I think I’m ready,” she whispered, moving her hand to place her palm on his chest, right above his heart.
He grasped her wrist and let out a long sigh, closing his eyes and tilting back his head. He opened them again and looked at her with the sincerest expression, it made her heart weep with joy.
“I want you more than anything in this world, babe,” he said, unable to hide the tension in his voice.
“I want you to take me now, Gauge. I want to feel the primal desire you feel for me overflow and fill me with its intensity.”
“You don’t know what you’re saying,” he protested, looking away.
“I do. I know exactly what I’m saying. You’re the best man I’ve ever known. I desire you, just as much as you desire me. It was me that kissed you in the forest. And it’s me that’s asking you to take me. I want it.”
He let out a soft growl and gently lifted her off the couch, holding her in his strong arms. She gasped as he hefted her in the air and began to walk with her up the stairs.
He kicked open the door of his bedroom and gently laid her across his big, comfy bed.
Lola shivered with anticipation and Gauge slowly climbed over her, pressing his lips to hers in an infinitely tender kiss.
She shuddered under him, her body awakening with desire that seemed to explode out of empty space.
She wrapped her arms around him and held him close, pushing her tongue through his full, warm lips. Their mouths danced as they tasted each other in leisurely kisses that told her he was willing to take his time with her.
“Gauge,” she whispered. “I’ve never been with a man.”
“I know, babe,” he said. “Tell me if you want me to stop. I’ll stop.”
“Don’t stop,” she said, tilting her face toward him so she could kiss him again. His hands moved over her body, teasing out her desire with each soft caress.
Gauge lowered himself between her legs, pressing his hardness against her soft core. She gasped with pleasure when she felt him there. It was exquisite. Pleasure pulsed through her and she groaned into his mouth.
His hands roved her body, squeezing her breasts and caressing her hips. He slid his hand under her skirt as he kissed her neck and chest. Lola’s heartbeat quickened and her breaths came in gusty pants. She groaned when he licked her ear and ran his hand over her taut nipple. Gauge changed position and pulled her dress up over her head in a quick motion. She lay under him i
n her panties and bra, an excited thrill pulsing through her blood.
Gauge kissed her gently as he unfastened her bra. She covered her breasts, remembering the last and only time a man had looked at them. That night with Justin. Gauge cupped her cheek and kissed her slowly, gently pulling her hands away from her breasts. They were small but he ran his tongue over her petite body as if he loved every inch with all that was in him. His stiff, wet tongue flicked over the peaked mound of her nipple, pulling a moan from her lips.
He sucked her into his mouth, nibbling on her arousal. Her need sparked brighter, electric and sharp. She wanted him inside her. She didn’t care if it hurt. Lola reached down to pull off her panties, hot and wet for her mate’s touch.
“I need you, Gauge,” she gasped.
He pulled her hand back and laid it on the pillow before sliding his own fingers into the sides of her delicate satin underpants. He pulled them down her hips, the patch of fabric between her legs completely soaked through. He brought her panties to his nose and took a long pull of her scent, smiling down at her.
Lola shuddered, her body tensing and her nipples pricking harder. Her knees shook as she watched him descend down her body, kissing each of her curves.
He closed his eyes and ran his hot tongue up the length of her pussy and groaned at the taste of her.
“You’re like honey,” he growled, licking up her juices.
Lola arched her back, never before having felt something so erotic. She ran her hands over her body, cupping her breasts, her eyes tightly shut. She felt Gauge’s hands grip her hips as he eagerly lapped up her sex.
He pressed his tongue against her tight bud, flicking it in little circles. She mewled, gripping the bedsheets.
“Oh god,” she groaned, running her fingers through Gauge’s cropped blond hair.
He increased his pressure and speed, holding her hips tight in his hands. Lola threw her head back and gasped, her mouth wide open and her eyes tightly shut. The explosion of pleasure in her core radiated through her thighs, her legs and out her toes. It shot out her nipples and sent electric sparks out through her heart. She tensed as she came, her whole body going rigid. But then it smoothed out into complete surrender. Gauge kissed her sensitive thighs and stomach as he rose back over her.