Be enthusiastic

After reconsidering and turning a second deadbolt I stacked my change of clothes on the edge of the sink and moved my washcloth into the shower. Then I stripped down and let my old clothes pile on the floor.

I didn't like undressing in the cramped confines of my bathroom -- but regardless of what Hans had said about his instincts changing with his shape, he'd also said his memories and personality remained the same across forms. I was less comfortable with him having a memory of me parading around naked to put in his spank bank when he turned back into a human than I was with letting yesterday's outfit sit in the corner of the bathroom, so I made do. The clothes would go in the hamper when I was done, anyway. I'd just have to do a wash whenever I got home tonight. Or maybe Megan would be okay with swinging by my place after work to pick it up so I could run it at hers while she did that makeover.

I turned on the water and then, although I knew I needed a cold shower, I cranked up the heat anyway. I like long, hot showers and it had been ages since I'd dared to take one. I wasn't going to let Hans being a sexy beast -- when he wasn't being just a beast -- stop me now. Not when I knew that anyone who tried to interrupt me would have to get through said beast, first.

Hans is a werewolf. The thought was still preposterous and strange, but at least it wasn't quite so overwhelming anymore. I stepped into the shower and let the stabbing hot jets wash my thoughts away. Mmmm.... I do love a long, hot shower.

I'm not sure how long I was in there exactly, but I got out when I could tell my water heater was running out. I was scrubbed and clean and a little flushed from the heat -- and confident that I smelled of vanilla soap and coconut shampoo, and not of 'do me now, damn you,' pheromones. I toweled off and scrubbed the wet out of my hair as thoroughly as I could before getting dressed. I'd picked out plain panties and socks, one of my padded bras, a less faded pair of jeans, a slightly frilly (and thus the most feminine one I owned) blue blouse and a very soft grey cardigan.

Then I brushed my teeth, tried to brush out my hair, gave up and bit my lip while checking my reflection. Maybe my frilliest -- and then only slightly -- blouse was a mistake. Megan's makeup was gone, and I was just my plain old neurotic self. What was this? An attempt at being enticing? Ha! Like that wouldn't come back and bite me on the ass. Or fingertip. Or lip.

I started to blush and looked away from the mirror. If I were Megan, I'd be able to be enticing on purpose. Of course, Megan didn't need props like makeup and frilly clothes -- she could pull off 'enticing' by sheer force of confidence and charming personality. And it probably didn't hurt that she always had the option of undoing three buttons and presenting enough cleavage to distract everyone from anything else, too.

I took a deep breath. I didn't have nice makeup, sexy clothes, or awesome cleavage. God help me, I was going to have to go with confidence (which I also didn't have) and personality (which I had too much of, if 'weird and flawed' counted). I exhaled and undid two buttons anyway. Maybe I'd get lucky and Hans would have a kink for a nice expanse of clavicle. So far he had yet to bite anywhere that wasn't exposed -- but as much as I wanted to expand that territory, I had a sinking feeling that each additional inch would just reveal that much more of my lacks in the 'alluring anatomy' department.

Then I gathered up yesterday's discarded clothes and unlocked the door. When I went into the living room Hans -- still a wolf -- sat up and turned around to watch me. He had a big, doggie grin on his face and I couldn't help but grin back. Then I crossed the room and deposited my laundry in the hamper.

"Hans?" I said to get his attention. Confidence, Abby, I reminded myself. "Man."

Hans barked once and started shifting. I hastened into the kitchen to collect his clothes so I wouldn't have to watch. By the time I got them he was done and naked in my bed -- a state of affairs that wasn't helped by his utter lack of embarrassment. Confidence!

I walked over and handed him his jeans. He put them on without comment or fuss, which definitely helped my nerves but didn't damp down his sexiness at all. What can I say? Hans fills out denim well.

I took a deep breath and totally failed to hand him his shirt. "So," I said instead, "we've got about an hour before Megan shows up to take me to work."

Hans smiled and nodded. "I suppose that means I need to get going, then," he said slowly.

I think I was blushing. "Uhm... not quite yet," I said. I mean: I still had his shirt; I couldn't let him leave without it. What would the neighbors think? But then again, what would Megan think if Hans was still here when she showed up? It probably wouldn't be: 'Oh, wow, I bet he's a werewolf and the two of you spent all night talking about the secret history of the supernatural world.' No, she was probably going to be enormously pleased with herself for finally hooking me up, and then enormously annoyed that I was withholding all the sexy details...that didn't actually exist since they hadn't actually happened.

I sat down on my bed and put Hans' shirt aside. He twisted to face me, and I took in the eye candy. Maybe if I had more real sexy details I could fill in the blanks when Megan showed up. Plus... hell: I'd liked the making out, up until the evening went sideways. "I kind of want to continue with last night."

Hans nodded. "Of course. What would you like to know...?"

I didn't ask anything, though, because I hadn't meant last night's conversation. I leaned forward with my lips pursed. I wondered if maybe I should've popped that third button before leaving the bathroom, too. But despite everything Hans had said about not trying to read my signals, he definitely got this one.

He had to tilt his head and bend at the waist to kiss me. And in my opinion it was totally worth the effort on his part, because being all lithe and flexible just made him yummier.

The kiss started out gentle. Hans was propping himself up with one arm and the other slipped around me; his forearm paralleled my spine and his hand cradled the back of my head. It was warm and soft and nice and I liked it... but I'd liked last night better, and I was a little alarmed by what that seemed to say about me.

So, in order to give myself something more immediate to worry about, I bit Hans' lower lip and dragged my teeth over it like he had to mine last night. So much for gentle. "Come on," I dared him when his lip tugged free. "That's not where we left off. Be enthusiastic."

Craaaaap. There I went, baiting the werewolf again. I would have been worried about myself except that the next thing I knew Hans had shoved me back and was stretched out over me, pinning me against the bed with his massive bulk. His massive, hot, half-naked bulk.