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Legal Tension - Chapter 7

Inquiry

A searing jolt of pain woke Maria abruptly. The nerves in her spine and groin flared like they were on fire as her mind was jump started and the sensation slowly turned from pain to pleasure; a cry of agony gradually turned to a deep throaty moan that she struggled to suppress.

Squatting over her friend, Helen gave Maria a rueful grin. "Sorry about that." Biting her lip as she moved a paw between her legs and wiggled her hips around with a look of euphoria smeared across her face. After a moment the raccoon gave her hips one last twist unlocking their piercings and then fell on to her side with a low groan.

With her legs tingling, Maria sat up planted her paws behind her and stared down her body. Her piercing was glistening as it stood out between angry red lips and then she turned her muzzle towards Helen, who was lying on her side panting heavily with her back towards the shepherdess. A sigh left her as she shook her head disapprovingly.

"Sorry." Helen mumbled before rolling onto her chest. "I was trying not to wake you."

"Well you did." Maria stated bluntly. Sitting upright at last, she rubbed the back of her neck as she spied the time on her alarm clock. It was too early to be awake on a Saturday, but now feeling sore between her legs she felt strangely well rested and in no mood to go back to sleep. Instead she got out of bed and shuffled, with a heavy throbbing between her thighs towards the bathroom and fumbled to turn the shower on. Shortly after entering the shower and washing her fur, she felt the door open behind her and stepped to the side to allow her friend access.

Helen grumbled when the hot spray hit her and drenched her thoroughly. Setting her paws on the wall, she shook her head and sent her long brown hair flying. "Jets, Please."

Making sure she wasn't in the direct path, Maria pressed a button on the small touch screen panel and in an instant the pre-heated jets built into the stall unleashed a torrent of water at the raccoon standing in the middle of the stall. Coating her paws with shampoo, Maria began to lather Helen's back, massaging the muscles hidden under the fur and thick layer of foam. "What's the matter; didn't sleep well?"

The chipper voice mocked her and Helen canted her head until a dull pop sounded over the noise of the water clattering down. "Not really," she began before turning around and poking her friend right between her luxurious breasts "Your mattress has lumps in it." She turned back towards the jets as Maria chuckled softly behind her. Helen ignored it and let herself enjoy the barrage of water hitting her body. "Gaaah," she drawled with a content moan at the end. "I want this shower; I need this in my life." She turned her head and batted her eyes at Maria. "You've got money, buy me one."

Pressing herself against the raccoon's back, Maria smirked before patting the perky gray furred rump in front of her. "Tell you what; I'll meet you half way for your birthday." She said in jest.

They finished in shower quickly without a hint of their intimacy remaining. When they stepped out they gathered themselves in thick robes and set out for the kitchen where the bagels and coffee were to be found. Standing at the kitchen counter, Helen peered out through the window across the balcony to the city beyond. "I'm jealous, Maria. You've got a great view here; I can even see the ocean."

"The advantages of a high paying job and smart investing." Maria said without a hint of boasting in her voice as she sat at the kitchen table, cradling a large mug of steaming coffee with both paws. Following Helen's gaze out of the window she stood up and hooked her bagel with one finger then moved towards the balcony doorway. "It's already warm, I'm gonna sit outside; you coming?"

Taking a sip of her coffee, Helen watched her friend step out of the room and grabbed her own bagel before following. When she passed through the living room doors she was greeted by a soft breeze as the glass doors had been opened all the way. With her arms spread, Helen walked onto the balcony and all but shouted. "Good Morning world!"

With the back of the lounge chair upright, Maria sat still for several seconds and looked at her friend questioningly before finally bursting out in laughing. "If you shout any louder my neighbors are gonna disagree with you."

"There are always pessimists," Helen retorted before peering down over the railing and then glancing over her shoulder. "So is this a penthouse?"

Shielding her eyes from the sun as it appeared from behind a soft white cloud, Maria shook her head. "Not really. The apartments are all about the same surface area; this is just the top floor."

Helen gazed off to the side where the balcony narrowed when it passed the kitchen before widening again where the dining room began. The fact that the balcony was almost half as big as the apartment wasn't lost on her. Turning around to face her friend, Helen spoke with almost fierce determination. "I'll have a place like this one day." She bit down on her bagel as if to cement the point.

"I don't doubt it; you're already a lieutenant."

There was no sarcasm or derisive tone to the comment and it made Helen's smile a little wider than normal. Looking at her friend basking in the sun she smirked. "You look extremely comfortable."

Having just taken a bite of her own bagel, Maria grinned around a mouthful before gesturing towards the lounger next to her. "Take a seat."

"Don't talk with your mouth full." Helen admonished her friend before taking the offered seat and wiggling her backside to let her tail fall into the depression that ran between her legs. The raccoon then unceremoniously devoured her bagel before draining the last drops of coffee out of her mug. Taking her time with her coffee, Maria watched her friend let out a content sigh and recline against the lounger; it made her smile as they both listened to the early morning noise of the city. After several minutes of silence, Helen turned her head towards the shepherdess, an enigmatic smile on her muzzle. "How are you feeling today?"

Knowing exactly what the raccoon was trying to provoke, Maria sighed and tried not to sound too annoyed. "I'm good. I know after Nathan's vanishing acts I'm not the easiest person to be around."

"You're a walking, talking land mine if I'm honest."

"Well, that's flattering." Maria growled under her breath, but knew her friend was likely playing it down for her sake. "I don't know why it's different this time. Just learning to accept it I guess."

"You're definitely over it faster than usual." Helen let the silence settle, listening to the honking of a horn coming from somewhere on the streets below. "So," she said wearily to broach the subject. "Think you'll let him back when he shows up again?"

Anger made Maria's tail fluff out but it didn't last long before she slumped back in the chair. "Probably."

Seeing her opening, Helen bit her lower lips as she gathered her courage. "You never did finish telling me how he wormed his way back in the first time."

Maria's head snapped to the side and glared at her friend, but Helen had her eyes closed in the bright sunlight.

"So... Nathan's sleeping in the guest room and you haven't told me how in the morning, you were in bed with him again." Helen said, taking advantage of her friend's silence.

Shaking her head, Maria tried to look calm while she gathered her thoughts. Several long seconds passed before she spoke; her voice icy but neutral in tone. "Nothing happened that night," she didn't look but she could almost read the raccoon's mind "and neither did anything happen in the morning. We had breakfast, talked and then said our goodbyes." Once more, she paused while deciding what to tell her inquisitive friend. The interrogation tactics of yesterday came to mind and instead of being hounded for the rest of the day, Maria decided to tell the story. "We did agree to go out for dinner that evening though."

Perking up her ears, Helen turned to watch her friend tell the story; almost as if she was afraid it would stop if she didn't show how eager she was to hear it. "So, was it deeply romantic?"

Maria's stern expression broke and she let out a sharp snort. "It wasn't." Glancing to her side she saw the curious expression on Helen's face. "I never set foot inside the restaurant."

-Almost Three years ago-

With her car parked a few blocks away, Maria made her way towards the restaurant where Nathan had invited her to dinner. She was over an hour early and already her heart was pounding in her chest. Her gaze scanned around the street from the corner she was standing on and so far she saw nothing that would fit her plan until she checked behind her. A small one story building on the corner of the block across from the restaurant made her smile and then feel a little ignorant that she hadn't noticed it as she approached. A quick peek through the window revealed the perfect set up for her plan.

The bell above the door resounded with a hard clang causing several of the diner's patrons turn their heads. The scene was almost comedic as all patrons sat in a row at the counter, but Maria kept a straight face and nodded politely at them in greeting. She ignored the assorted grumbles she got and walked to the side of the building that looked across the street. Spotting a booth with a perfect view of the restaurant, and a large blinking neon sign on the other side of the window would hide her from anyone looking in. Maria slid into the booth and opened her briefcase to work on some papers to kill time.

"Hi Hun, what can I getcha?"

The unexpected voice startled the shepherdess and she looked up sheepishly into the eyes of a tall grizzly bear woman in an apron. Recovering quickly, she smiled warmly at the waitress. "Coffee, please." The smile she got back was barely pleasant, which was more than could be said for the contents of the cup that was placed in front of her after a minute or two. After just a single sip her tongue screamed in protest. The cup was filled with cheap, weak coffee that was somehow even worse than the concoction that she had to make do with at the office. The minutes crept past and the scents wafting in from the kitchen smelled a lot better than the coffee. It wasn't long before Maria's stomach started growling and she realized she hadn't eaten since breakfast, having been too preoccupied by her dinner date with Nathan. Her mind returned to the image of the huge smile the wolf had on his face when she agreed to go to dinner with him.

"Here you go, Hun." Again Maria was interrupted mid-thought and when she looked up, the bear's smile was more genuine than before. "Just give a shout if you want another one." Maria watched the bear return to the counter before looking at the plate in front of her. The two B.L.T. sandwiches looked highly appetizing and when she bit down into one it tasted twice as good as it looked. The first of the sandwiches was reduced to crumbs in minutes, but just as she got ready to bite down on the second, she froze.

There across the street, standing in front of the restaurant was a tall lupine figure dressed in a long black duster. Nathan had made an effort; his facial fur was neatly trimmed and he wore a dark green shirt above a casual looking pair of khaki pants. "Punctual," Maria whispered under her breath as she eyed him appraisingly. "Looking good there, Nathan." She wrestled her eyes away from him, knowing she couldn't watch him the entire time so instead she began reading the pages in front of her. The distraction didn't work. After ten minutes she realized that she kept re-reading the first three pages again and again; restarting after every bite of the delicious sandwich and every sip of piss poor excuse for coffee.

Eventually, Maria gave up and peered out of the window again; easily spotting Nathan in the same spot as before, next to the restaurant's entrance. She reached into her briefcase and pulled out her phone, the clock on display told her that the hour they had agreed on had already come and gone. With a solemn sigh she dialed the wolf's number while doing her best not to look out of the window at him. In the end, her head moved involuntarily and she peered around the bright sign in front of the window as the phone rang once before he accepted. "Hi Nathan."

The fact he had been waiting for over an hour hadn't dampened Nathan's enthusiasm and hearing Maria's voice set his tail wagging. "Hey Maria; running late I'm guessing?" The voice in her ear sounded chipper, but Maria saw the outwards sign of dread in Nathan's posture and couldn't help wonder if he feared her canceling their date. "Maria?"

The gentle question snapped Maria out of her pondering and she shook her head. "Sorry, I got distracted," she mumbled before clearing her throat "A case got dumped on my desk just when I was leaving. I should be done in about half an hour though. Will you wait for me?" Lying to him didn't feel that bad, as long as she kept it buried under the anger and grief he had caused her when he had left.

"Until the sun goes out."

The optimism that he emitted both in voice and posture made Maria inadvertently smile. "Cya soon." After ending the call she placed the phone on the table while she stared bewildered at the change that short interaction brought to the wolf. With paws deep in his duster's pockets Nathan returned to his vigil, ears perked up high and tail wagging excitedly.

Another cup of coffee came and went while Maria kept her eyes on the wolf, even when she wanted to look over the pages on the table again. When she almost succeeded in doing some work, something caught her attention on the other side of the street. A large family of opossums had gathered in front of the restaurant and the father had gone inside to see if the restaurant had a table to accommodate his wife and children. Meanwhile the wife, a weary looking woman, tried to keep their five children from running around and causing havoc. With no waiting area inside, the group had no choice but to remain outside.

Nathan seemed to attract the attention of several of the kids when he began flipping a coin; the shiny dollar vanished from one paw only to reappear in the other. In less than a minute the kids had gathered around Nathan, their mother standing behind the smallest of her offspring looking both weary of the stranger and thankful for distracting the rowdy pack. With dexterous fingers and a smile, Maria's former lover was pulling coins out of the smaller opossum's ears and from behind their backs; gathering cheers and happy chatters from the youngsters until the father came out and shook his head. Nathan had a brief exchange with the family, apparently expressing his own dismay that the family could not dine where they wished before passing his coin off to the youngest member of the family. Eventually the older opossum's gathered the troops together and moved on, the mother reminding her kids to wave at the friendly wolf as they left.

Guilt grew stronger than her anger and Maria could feel her stomach tighten in shame. Her mind started to weigh all of the good things against the bad. The shepherdess remembered when she had had a long day at work and he had given her a massage and made dinner. Then later the same evening he had tucked her in bed and had gone home. There was another flash of memory as she saw the things they had done on their first official date which made her blush like a small cub. More memories followed, and Maria recalled how early in their relationship she had dug into Nathan's history and the things she had found. The thoughts only pilled more guilt on her. As she drifted between thoughts and memories she was caught by surprise by heavy rumble that made the air around her vibrate and in a flash she recovered from her daze.

A storm had begun to roll in. The sky flashed with lightning every few seconds only to be followed by louder and louder thunder and equally heavy rain. Maria tried to look through the window, but the gusting wind and rain made it nigh impossible. A streak of lightning illuminated the entire street and for a brief moment she could see the wolf quite clearly as he had taken shelter under one of the restaurant's awnings. The wind whipped around harshly rendering Nathan's overhead protection of little actual use and within a few minutes the rain seeped through his duster and the hard gusts of wind made his body shiver. Still he looked determined not to move from his spot and even glared up at the rolling clouds in defiance.

His refusal to let the weather come between his date with her wasn't lost on Maria as watching him got harder by the second. A gust of wind howled around the diner and forced the rain to strike the windows, she felt a cold shiver run down her spine that made a sip from the lukewarm coffee feel good. Stopping the waitress from refilling her cup, Maria ordered several more sandwiches to go. There was a hint of relief on the old bear's graying face when she noted down the order, most likely happy to see the booth hogging German Shepherdess getting ready to leave the establishment.

For a few moments Maria played with her phone. Rolling it around in her paw before finally flipping it the correct way up, she started dialing. Pushing the call button she lifted the phone to her ear, by which time Nathan had already answered.

"Maria, what's up?"

The cheerful tone didn't reflect the posture of the soaked figure she was catching glimpses of across the street. As the wind and rain muffled his voice it didn't seem to dampen his spirit. "Hi Nathan. I'm sorry; I can't come to the restaurant." A perfectly timed flash of lightening granted her a visual of the moment his hope seemed crushed. Slouching against the wall with his back to the rain, Nathan sighed as his ears drooped like wet rags dangling from the side of his head with his phone wedged beneath one.

The rumble made the line crackle with static for a second before Maria heard the sadness in his voice. "Oh, okay. Nothing you can do about it I guess. I don't blame you though, the weather just turned really foul."

If he only knew; Maria thought, but her mind was already made up. "I'm just too tired, that last case file drained me." It wasn't a complete lie; the day had been tiring for her and viewing Nathan instead of her case files had been easily as mentally and physically draining. "I'm going to get some sandwiches and curl up on the couch." She licked her dry lips and listened to him breathing for what felt like forever, but was only a few seconds. "Want to come to my place? I feel bad for making you wait so long."

The change in him was immediate and his voice was once more filled with cheer and eagerness as his posture became more erect again. "Sure! I'll be there as soon as I can."

The sound of his hopeful voice made the shepherdess smile; his good mood always seemed infectious to her. "Can I pick you up somewhere?" She didn't want to tell him out-right that she was just across the street, but at the same time she wanted to get the stubborn wolf out of the rain.

"No need, I'll see you there in about half an hour. See you soon, Beautiful."

The connection was dropped and Maria raised an eyebrow as she peered out the window. As if aware of her need the sky lit up again and she saw Nathan's retreating form as he ran down the sidewalk with his duster and tail whipping wildly behind him.

"Ahem."

Maria turned around so quickly that her phone nearly slipped from her paw and was surprised to see the bear standing next to her booth with a large paper bag in her large paw. "Ah, thank you," she said graciously as she accepted the bag and handed the waitress a large denomination bill. "Keep the change."

"Well thank yah." Came the drawl response.

Not even listening, Maria began placing the papers back into her briefcase while she tried to plot the quickest way home. Clutching the paper bag with their dinner to her chest, she all but ran out of the diner using her briefcase to shield herself from the downpour as best she could while scrambling to her car. Even though she had parked relatively close, by the time she sat down in her silver Ford fusion, Maria felt water seeping through her clothes and fur in several spot on her body. The briefcase and the sandwiches went onto the passenger seat before she started the car and set off. She had been heavy with her right foot and managed to arrive at the high rise apartment block she lived in, in about fifteen minutes as traffic dispersed due to the heavy rain.

The parking lot gates opened before her and Maria parked the car in her apartment's reserved spot; between a sleek jaguar and big shiny S.U.V. "Maybe it's time to get that new car." She whispered to herself as she could see her reflection in the glossy metallic paint of adjacent vehicle. Gathering her things, she made the short run to the side entrance. Pulling the security FOB from her pocket, she swiped it over the locking pad and pulled the door handle in one smooth motion. In the end, her swift movements hadn't saved her from the downpour, and she ended up leaving a trail of drips on the polished marble floor.

"Everything alright Ma'am?"

Surprised by the voice, Maria whirled around sending droplets flying from her long tail.

From behind a huge mahogany counter, a pair of near black eyes observed the soaked shepherdess. "Everything alright?" The voice asked once more, with a hint of genuine concern in the question.

Maria smiled at the doorman. "Hello, George." In spite of making the move to the high end apartment block, there were some things Maria wasn't sure she'd ever get used to. The posh surroundings and fancy cars outside were one thing, but a regular doorman in the lobby almost all hours of the day was quite another. Making her way towards the Meerkat behind the counter, she could feel her wet clothes rub against her back and legs, and it irritated her; though she was relieved to see only a few small wet spots on the bag of food she was carrying.

"Got a lot on your mind Ma'am?"

Reaching up, Maria rubbed her forehead before letting out a sigh. "Yeah, it's been an," she paused for a moment as she chose the correct word for the moment "interesting day so far."

Leaning forward George, rubbed his chin as he studied the shepherdess' face. "Interesting good or interesting bad?" The Meerkat absolutely hated the majority of the haughty, stuck up inhabitants of the building; though he didn't count the shepherdess among them, seeing her as a breath of fresh air instead.

The curious look on the doorman's face made Maria smile. "That remains to be seen. Was there any mail for me today?"

George nodded and reached under the desk. "Just a single letter from the district court. I think you've been summoned for jury duty."

The straight faced delivery made Maria laugh softly as she accepted the letter. "It'll probably be for a case I'm prosecuting." With the bag and letter in one paw and her briefcase in the other, she motioned towards the elevators with her head. "Have a nice evening, George. I want to get out of these wet clothes." She was about to start walking away when she gazed down and saw the small puddles that had formed around her. "Sorry about the mess."

With a smile on his face, George shook his head. "It's part of the job, Ma'am. Don't worry about it."

"Call me, Maria. You don't have to keep calling me, Ma'am."

"Not while on duty, Ma'am." George retorted turning his attention back to his work. Even though she was soggy and cold, Maria returned the smile before heading towards the elevators.

Once inside her apartment she dropped her briefcase and the letter on the hallway table, the bag of sandwiches on the kitchen table and a trail of water droplets on the floor. She undressed quickly and dumped the wet clothes into a hamper before stepping into her shower stall. Still wary of the new piece of technology, she carefully pushed one of the buttons on the small display. The ring around the small shower head icon flashed blue before shifting through the spectrum to red within a few seconds. Maria pressed the button again and the large round shower head built into the top of the stall directly above the shepherdess began to rain down warm water. The chill that had crept into her body was quickly expelled as she felt heat return to her body.

Warm at last, her mind wandered to the wolf that was on his way and whether or not to tell him about what she had done. The entire situation sent her head spinning; the wolf's sudden return, how easily he had wormed his way back into her life, and the fact that she had let him in. With a shake of her head she pushed those thoughts from her mind before bringing up her paw to the control panel. Her finger hovered over the button for the jets, but she moved on and pressed the button to stop the shower; she hadn't used the numerous nozzles pointing at her, and in her mind they remained somewhat intimidating. Once more Maria's fur was dripping wet, though now she felt a lot better. Pressing another button, blasts of hot air began to swirl around her. She ran her paws over her body combing her fingers through the wet fur to prevent it from clumping together as it dried. After giving her luxurious tail and thick black hair one last tussle, she stepped out of the stall with a little dampness the only evidence remaining of her shower. "Worth every penny," she commented with a glance over her shoulder before padding to her bedroom.

The shepherdess didn't get far before there was a series of sharp, rapid knocks on the front door that were quickly followed by another and another. Maria threw on a thick robe around her body before heading to the door, along the way she wondered why George hadn't called as he always did for anyone entering the building to see her. Her thoughts were silenced when she opened the door in the middle of another series of knocks and was shocked by what she found standing in front of her.

Drenched from head to toe, Nathan stood in the hallway panting like he had just run a marathon. "Hi," the big wolf panted; the huge grin on his face never wavering as his eyes locked onto hers revealing his joy to see her again.

"Nathan!" Maria barked in surprise. "You're soaked!" Grabbing him by the sleeve of his duster she pulled him in and saw the puddle he had made at her front of her door.

"I was already at the restaurant when you called," Nathan said, his panting still not under control. "So I ran here."

"You ran across town?" The shepherdess almost screamed at him, unable to hide her shock as guilt hit her like a ton of bricks, making her body tense. "You idiot!" Tightening her grip on his sleeve she began pulling him towards the kitchen, not caring about the mess Nathan left behind. Once in the kitchen she directed him towards the table. "Take off that jacket and sit down while I grab a towel."

Nathan watched slightly confused as Maria left the kitchen with her lovely tail hanging limp behind her. After peeling his soaked duster off, he draped it over one of the chairs and then spotted the paper bag on the table. Unable to restrain his curiosity he pulled the bag closer, opened it and reached in. One by one he got out the plastic containers containing the highly appealing sandwiches. Nathan was about to crumple the bag when a small rectangular piece of paper slipped out and landed on the floor. Scooping it up, he glanced over it. One side was blank, but when he turned it over there was the name of the dinner along with a phone number and the address. He was about to slide it back into the bag to be thrown out when he noticed something that made him look at the card again. Shaking his head, Nathan remembered looking at the same diner for several hours, he'd even thought about going there to wait for Maria's arrival.

Picking at the terrycloth towel, Maria strode back into the kitchen and upon seeing Nathan's confused and hurt look she could tell what had happened.

"Isn't this place across from the restaurant?"

Her ears burned fiercely when she stepped close to him and she was sure he was able to see it. Unfolding the towel she held it with both paws and reached up to dry his head. Feeling somewhat betrayed by the shepherdess, Nathan couldn't find words to say and instead stood still as her paws came to rest on his head. Ever so delicately, Maria began to rub the soft towel over the wolf's cheeks and muzzle; their eyes failing to meet. In complete silence she worked on his head until his fur was all fluffed up. Finally looking at him she smiled weakly before her paws began to reach down.

Seeing the shame in her usually harsh gray eyes, Nathan knew what had happened. Like the previous evening, she had let him wait; only this time in the rain. His frustration ran deep, yet he struggled to find the will to be angry with her, let alone voice his displeasure. He felt as if he was still being punished for his past actions, and stoically took all she had to offer without complaint.

Bringing her paws down, Maria took hold of his shirt and began to pull it out of his pants before lifting it to reveal his stomach. With the corners of the towel wrapped around her paws she began patting the damp fur; slowly making her way up his body. As his shirt was raised higher and higher, Nathan lifted his arms to give her better access; losing sight of her when she lifted the wet shirt over his head. Licking her lips as she saw the wolf's bare furred chest; strong memories rushed back to her as she leaned in and brushed her nose against the matted fur, inhaling deeply and catching the scent of rain water, sweat and whatever gave him his ever present cool arctic smell.

Unable to stop herself, Maria's tongue flicked out and licked over his pectorals, before her lips zeroed in on one of the wolf's nipples. The towel slipped from her fingers as her arms looped around her lover's waist as she tensed her jaw and nipped at the small nub between her teeth.

"Ow!" Nathan exclaimed as he struggled out the soaked shirt. He was limber but couldn't quite get the purchase on the slippery wet cloth. Unfazed, Maria casually made her way up, leaving kisses where she first brushed her nose through the damp fur. Once at his throat she opened her jaw and pushed her sharp canines through the hairs and grazed the skin and making the male tense up. Rolling his head back Nathan growled affectionately at the playful biting. Sometimes the wolf couldn't understand the shepherdess and her mood swings, but he was thankful in his own way that they kept him honest towards her.

Hearing the growl, Maria chuckled and looked up at him; her ears perked up and wide toothy grin splitting her muzzle. Raising her paws, she helped the wolf lift the shirt further over his head until she could guide his muzzle towards hers. The kiss started innocently, but Nathan could feel the shepherdess hold back as he disposed of his shirt by throwing it on the floor with a splat. His arms wrapped around her shapely figure and pulled her close to him, while he opened his mouth to brush his tongue over his lover's soft full lips. To his delight Maria responded in kind and caressed his tongue with her own. Like two strangers brushing past each other, their tongues evaded each other before suddenly curving back and entwining. When she felt his tongue on hers, Maria could sense that all was forgiven although probably not forgotten. It didn't matter; nothing mattered in that moment as her arms locked around Nathan's neck. She pulled herself against his body and recalled times that she had dreamed of this even after coming home from a night on the town. She had often cursed the wolf for raising her standards and leaving her with vivid and highly explicit dreams about him that left her wanton.

For Nathan the kiss was like a dream come true. He had been lonely onboard the Nemo's Spirit, longing for her warm body to lie next to him. It didn't help that a picture of her was the first thing he saw every morning and the last thing he saw at night while aboard the ship. Finally though, after all of those lonely nights of waiting, he held her in his arms once more. With his fingers gliding over her back, he did his best to return the raw passion that Maria was pouring into him. Eventually the kiss broke and the pair ended up looking at each other with labored breaths.

Maria was the first to recover, and returning her muzzle to his neck, she continued her kissing and nibbling. "I missed you... You asshole."

Wisely, Nathan remained silent and simply smiled as he turned his head ever so slightly to offer his neck to her. While his neck was being lightly nibbled on he extricated the fallen towel from where it had become pinned between their bodies before flicking it around the shepherdess' backside and catching it with his other paw. Not needing the towel being stretched over her rump as encouragement, Maria pressed her body tightly against the wolf. Feeling her breasts squashing against the firm body in front of her, she began to roll back and forth on the balls of her feet; all the while her lips stayed on Nathan's neck.

Nathan could feel Maria's hardening nipples poke through her robe and his fur as the shapely femme moved against him. He turned his head towards hers and began to rub his nose against the base of her ear; even after a shower he could still detect hints of the perfume she had worn. "You smell good." He murmured into the thick black mane.

"So do you." Came the reply as Maria pulled back to look him in the eyes. Still rubbing herself against the wolf she moved one paw from around his neck to slip between their bodies, sliding lower until she felt something hard and warm pressing through his pants. "It feels like you brought me a souvenir from your voyage." Batting her eyes at him she lowered her head a little to enhance the effect and to hide her lecherous grin. "Show me."

Feeling his heart pound in his chest, Nathan gazed into her demanding eyes. The smile that formed on his muzzle was one of the purest happiness. "Gladly." He dropped the towel and ran his paws over her curvy backside before dipping on his knees slightly and gently picking her up by the back of her thighs.

Holding on tightly with one arm, Maria wrapped her legs around his and glanced around curiously, wondering where he was going to take her. She didn't wait long before he gently set her down on the kitchen counter. Letting her arm slip from his neck, the shepherdess reclined and gave his pants one last squeeze before she began to tease the hem of her robe open. "Well come on," she teased "I don't see much yet."

Without a word, Nathan unbuckled his belt then teasingly opened his fly, dropping his pants. Maria gave him encouragement by baring her cleavage to him, her eyes never leaving the bulge even when the pants dropped. Licking her lips at the sight of the wolf's wet underwear that gave her the perfect outline of his delicious lupine dick. She let out a soft murr that spoke volumes of her arousal.

With one paw, Nathan slid his boxers off and his cock hit his stomach with a wet thud, while he placed his other paw on the counter next to Maria's leg. Now completely naked, he slid his clothes off to the side and out of the way before moving both paws to the shepherdess' bare knees.

"Oh, nice." Maria commented as she eyed the wolf from top to bottom and then turned her gaze to her legs and spotted something next to her limb where his paw had been just seconds earlier. A small string of three condom wrappers lay on the counter next to her. The shepherdess smirked; Nathan always had nimble fingers, the proof being that she hadn't seen him remove them from his pocket. "Oh my, Mister Fenn. You seem to have plans for tonight." She reached down and pulled on the robe's sash until it spread and the flaps fell to her sides as she reached with a paw to grab the condoms.

"I had hopes." As the robe opened, Nathan felt an almost painful throb coarse through his body that made his cock jump. He had seared every curve and fold of her into his memory, and yet nothing could compare to the real thing. Sadly he had to pull his gaze away to grab her wrist and stop her from picking up the condoms. The look of confusion and slight apprehension that followed immediately didn't stop him from gently resting her paw back on her leg before he stepped closer. Leaning forward he planted a kiss on the swell of Maria's breast before moving his muzzle between her firm mounds.

For a moment Maria had been afraid that he would proceed without a condom, but as she felt his hot breath wash over the sides of her bosom she smiled. Clenching the muscles in her pelvis she could feel her need; her juices matting her fur down there as they trickled from between her winking folds. The Shepherdess had a feeling that he knew what she wanted and when she playfully flicked her tail, the tip brushing against his rock hard member, she immediately felt Nathan exhale forcibly into her cleavage. "What are you doing?"

Trying to ignore the velvety soft brushing against his scrotum, Nathan glanced up and smiled before lowering himself to one knee. "Serving the lady first." He held that smile while his muzzle neared her belly button until his long tongue flicking out to wet his lips. Feeling her body shift and her legs spread, he placed his paws on the inside of those powerful thighs before finally shifting his gaze to see the little silver barbell and whisper. "Hello my little friend."

Maria hadn't quite heard the whisper and was about to ask what he had said, but a well-aimed lick made her head roll back, killing the question immediately. None of her disposable lovers in the past few years compared to the wolf when he was between her legs. In truth, she had missed him dearly in those past few months. Her paws found his head quickly, her fingers splaying around his large triangular ears, while her claws affectionately scratched his scalp.

Their time apart had left Nathan ravenous and determined to sate his sexual appetite here and now. As his tongue dove in with his mouth wide open, he covered the shepherdess' groin almost completely, giving his tongue all the space it needed as he lapped at her sensitive flesh in a barely controlled frenzy. Her taste was every bit as good as he remembered, and he relished his contact with her warm pink flesh.

The act was messy and sloppy, yet Maria was in heaven. Even at his worst the wolf was good enough make her to moan in ecstasy. "Nathan..." she had to swallow before she could speak again "please, don't tease."

Several minutes and multiple pleas later, Nathan relented enough and began to focus his attention. Long, slow licks along her pussy got his lover to shiver, squeak and moan whenever he twisted her piercing with the tip of his tongue. When he began to press in deeper, he had to push firmly with his paws to prevent his head from getting squashed by Maria's powerful thighs on either side of his head. Corkscrewing his thick appendage, he slipped it all the way into her depths while listening to the exalting moans and praises his lover bestowed upon him. He wished he could see her expression but knew if he opened his eyes he would only see a dark brown forest of hair from Maria's luxurious tail wrapped around his head.

Maria reclined against the wall to get comfortable; her fur was dampening with sweat as her body became ablaze with pleasure, the cool touch of the kitchen counter being the only thing helping her find balance in her surroundings. She brought one paw to her mouth and gently bit two of her fingers to keep herself from moaning too loudly, while her other paw grasped at the wolf's still wet and slippery hair.

The scrapping of sharp claws tips against his scalp didn't bother Nathan. Caught in the moment; he reacquainted himself with every one of Maria's sensitive spots, inside and out, and each time he struck one, he felt a resulting tremor run through her legs into his arms. With his muzzle thoroughly drenched by her slick juices, Nathan withdrew his head; a complaining whine emitted from the femme in front of him as he did. Slowly rising to his feet as her tail dropped away from his face he could finally see properly again. The sight that greeted him made his heart skip a beat. His enticing lover lay on the kitchen counter panting hard, making her chest rise and fall and with her shining, disheveled mane of raven black hair framing her face.

Steel gray orbs of fury locked onto the wolf as Maria tried to catch her breath to curse him, but something in his eyes stopped her. She couldn't see the usual mischievous twinkle; instead it was replaced by something she only describe as longing. As his paw moved to her side, she grabbed his wrist and gently placed his large paw on her thigh as she gazed at him she held back a giggle. His eyebrow rose in confusion and one of his ears turned slightly; it was a sight that Maria thought was absolutely adorable. Her paw moved again and took hold of the string of condoms before ripping one package off and putting the remaining two back on the counter. Nathan watched her dexterous fingers twirl the silvery package around before he took a step forward until he felt the heat from the shepherdess' core against his scrotum.

Holding the condom wrapper in her mouth for a moment, Maria pushed down with both arms to raise herself into a sitting position. Wrapping her legs around Nathan's waist she closed the distance between their bodies until his leaky tip pressed against her abdomen. "The guest of honor is a little under dressed." She whispered huskily; finally breaking the silence before opening the package and taking out the latex sleeve.

"We can't have that," Nathan said with a gentle smile before stroking his fingers through the fur on her cheek "I've gotta look presentable for my lady."

Maria's eyes never left his; the two lovers stared at each other, both were hungry for what was to come. Guided purely by touch, she took hold of the rock hard spire between their bodies and ran her fingers along its length, making Nathan moan, growl and make a slight mess of her paw. With her other paw she brought the contraceptive down on the tip before rolling it along his shaft and hitting the swell of his partially inflated knot. "Almost done, Babe." With both paws she tugged on the second seal of the condom, sliding it over the bulge and tucked it neatly against the opening of her wolf's dark gray furred sheath. Pulling her paws back she quickly cupped his balls and stroked his length. Judging from the swell of his sack and tension in his shaft, Maria guessed that he had not touched himself for several days. The smile that formed on her face was warm, affectionate and alluring. Leaning forward, her eyes softened as their noses almost touched. "Are you ready, Mister Fenn."

"Thank you, Miss Eckholdt, I believe I am." His reply was as good natured and playful as her statement, but instead of moving his hips, Nathan leaned forward and kissed the gorgeous Shepherdess before him. His paws took a firm hold of her hips as he pressed himself hard against her; his cock sandwiched between their bodies.

After just a few seconds, Maria broke the kiss and wrapped her arms around the wolf's neck and then leaned back separating her breasts from his chest. "Don't leave me waiting." She teased and batted her eyelids at him.

Taking a hold of his member and angling it down, Nathan moved his hips to give him the space to line up with her slick folds. Finally breaking eye contact, he looked down and saw how the red of his cock showed through the stretched milky white of the latex cover before sliding it between the throbbing labia in front of him. Pushing in he felt Maria's body attempt to suck him inside. Her muscles quivered around him and Nathan growled at the blissful sensation, squirts of pre-cum already slowly filling the tip of the condom as his pushed into her depths.

Feeling him enter her, Maria gasped and then moaned softly; her arms still wrapped around his neck as she pulled herself forwards. He lowered his head, resting his forehead on the nape of her neck and closing his eyes. With his muzzle facing down, pressing to the top of her breast, he inhaled her scent deeply. Tensing her legs, the shepherdess urged her lover to thrust deeper and let out a sultry moan in his ear when he did as she wished. It was as if her body recognized the intruder pushing into her and it rejoiced by sending a burst of pleasure along her spine. Shuddering and with her tail whipping around behind her, her legs clenched harder to his waist, trying to get every last perfectly fitting inch inside her body.

Craving the same thing, Nathan pressed forward with encouragement, but didn't think the impatient woman knew how tight she was. He grunted loudly before rolling his hips, his cock rubbing hard against every muscle of the hot tunnel in turn before it could slide in even a little farther. "Oh fuck... Maria."

Hearing the words, Maria smiled and rubbed her paws up his neck towards his ears before stroking back down slowly. "I missed you..." The words slipped from her lips before she could stop them and after a split second of feeling panic in the pit of her stomach, she was glad she said it. Relaxing her legs as she began shifting her hips, she quickly matched with the wolf's slow powerful rhythm. Moving together it wasn't long before the shepherdess and the wolf moaned in unison when the already sizable lump at the base of Nathan's cock pressed against Maria's loins.

Nathan finally opened his eyes and was greeted by the sight of two large perky mounds capped with stiff pink nipples. Pressing his muzzle against one of the soft furred and fleshy hills, he opened his mouth, freeing his long tongue and gave one of her rock hard nubs a quick lash. A satisfying moan was his reward as well as a ripple from Maria's pulsing pussy that squeezed his cock in all the right places.

Pleasure was dominating Maria's mind so much so that Nathan surprised her by pushing her onto her back. The act made her entire body tense up. Pinning her arms, Nathan gazed down on her with an impish grin that made her bare her teeth in return. "What the hell, Nathan?" She snapped as her shoulder and neck pressed against the cool kitchen surface. Not one to handle unexpected moves well, she freed one arm to strike the insolent wolf.

Seeing the attack in preparation, Nathan set his paws on the counter beside her hips and then jabbing forward hard with his hips. The shepherdess' body trembled as his knot battered her pussy and the fist she had made fell limp. With danger to his internal organs avoided for now, Nathan slowly pulled his hips back and could feel Maria's vagina fight to keep him inside her and resist when he pushed back in firmly; the femme's resentment for him being in charge was clear in her body's reaction and the look she gave him between pants and soft lusty whines.

While not overly thrilled by the change of position, she wanted the wolf to go faster. Maria tried to lock her legs around his waist but all she could do was watch as Nathan looped his arms under her legs and brought her knees to the same level as her stomach. The advantage of this new position was that his head was lower than before. In a flash she slammed the flat of her paw hard against the side of his head before opening her mouth to give him a piece of her mind.

The slap stung and his ears were ringing but Nathan had never been one to quit on a good thing and dove in, kissing Maria passionately. Daringly, he involved his tongue immediately risking a little knowing that she did occasionally bite if she was worked up enough. To his relief the wolf had caught her in a better mood and soon enough he was kissing her deeply while slowly rocking his hips back and forth. The blast of hot air from her nose made the hairs on his muzzle dance and from the depth of their locked mouthed came a slow moan of satisfaction. The vibrations of that moan traveled along the wolf's body and sent his tail wagging happily. Curling her fingers until her claw tips dug into Nathan's cheeks, Maria locked his lupine head in place so she could take command. Feeling him surrender to her, the shepherdess dominated him, pressing the agile appendage against the roof of her mouth; she could still taste hints of herself on his saliva.

Nathan let the wild woman have his head while he planted his paws on her breasts and squeezed. His fingers couldn't contain the large mounds as they dug into her soft flesh. Grinning into the kiss as he felt her hard nipples rub against his palms, the muscles on his back rippled under his shiny slick fur as he made love to his his girl on the kitchen counter like he had something to prove. After one particularly hard shove the wolf got the shapely shepherdess to break their kiss before letting out an extremely loud groan of ecstasy next to his ear. Planting soft kisses along the side of her head he growled softly. "I think I'm deaf."

Gripping the back of his head harder and wrapping her legs around his legs again, Maria was breathing hard as her mind was solely focused on his latex wrapped length that was twitching and rubbing against her insides. "Just fuck me!" she whined and tensed her firm leg muscles to urge him on. The look on Nathan's face was somewhat resigned before he closed his eyes and rubbed his cheek against Maria's and shoved his nose into her luscious mane of black hair; a sanguine smile returning to his muzzle as he savored her scent. Oblivious to Nathan's change of expression Maria only wanted to feel his thick knot buried inside her, and so far he had just been teasing her with the thick bulge. One of her paws left his head, leaving several dark red marks in his scalp before slithering down between their bodies until her fingers wrapped around the sizable swelling flesh.

Feeling Maria's fingers wrap around his cock made Nathan growl softly in her ear but then yip sharply in surprise and pain when she tugged on him as he moved forward. "Ow, slow down Maria."

"Stop playing then!" The tone of her voice was that of a petulant child not getting the present that she really wanted. Her urging did yield a positive result and she felt his knot bash into her labia more fiercely; her folds spreading and stretching to let him in.

Even through the latex, Nathan could feel how drenched she was; supplying ample lubrication for their sexual escapade. He had lost any semblance of control, knowing that her paw wrapped around his cock could seriously hurt him if he didn't do as Maria demanded. The wolf didn't mind though, as her preferred form of punishment seemed to suit him well.

With every bump and grind, Maria felt her lover push deeper and deeper until he hilted himself with an audible slurp and plop. Her nerves burned with pleasurable electricity as she curled up and off the counter; her back arching with the robe clinching to her sweat drenched fur.

Nathan let go of her breasts and looped both arms under her body to keep her in her current position. Growling loudly he rubbed his nose against the shepherdess' shapely neck before rutting hard into her, his knot expanding rapidly to lock him in place as nature took over. The pleasure was incredible, but her current position wasn't and it was slowly ruining her enjoyment of the experience, so Maria chose to change it by kicking the back of the wolf's knees.

Bashing hard into the cupboards Nathan crumpled in agony, the pain and shock in his knees contorting his face as he stumbled backwards, taking the shepherdess with him. The impact on the floor knocked the air out of his lungs and for several seconds he lay there dazed, only able to look up at the sensual shepherdess who seemed to almost dance in his lap.

With a desire to keep her lover intact, Maria had held onto the wolf's head to make sure he didn't crack it on the hard tiles, but once they had landed and the buzz in her loins had died down she sat up confidently. With both paws on his chest, she began to swirl her hips like a practiced belly dancer. She could feel the tip of the condom brush her cervix, tickling her with every move.

While they had been busy the world had turned dark. Rainclouds had been carried farther inland and a full moon had risen; providing the couple with ample light. From his position on his back, Nathan had finally noticed and lay there captivated in the moment as the moonlight cast a silver sheen around the beautiful shepherdess. Her midnight black hair gained a bright white lining but her eyes made his heart beat faster. They seemed to be larger than normal, enhanced somewhat by her dark, wolf-like mask of fur, they appeared to be lit by a bright silver flame that made her gaze pierce him to his soul. "Maria..." he moaned with effort as the goddess on top of him continued her sensual dance.

Keeping to her rhythm, Maria's eyes screwed shut as she felt Nathan's thick knot grind against her sensitive walls and didn't see when the wolf finally moved and his large paws firmly onto her ass. She moaned loudly when Nathan's fingers dug into her flesh and spread her cheeks so that her pussy was pulled taut. Distracted, Maria didn't pay attention to the shifting of his legs until he suddenly shoved his hips upwards. She rose up and had to tense her arms so she didn't fall forward. With her hair falling around her face she gave the wolf a toothy grin. "Is that all you got?"

If Nathan had thought her beautiful before, the thought was eclipsed as Maria leaned forward; her hair falling towards him like silver rain. "Maria..." he whispered again in both delight and physical stress. The look on her face told him that she understood.

"Cum with me Babe."

Nathan didn't have much say in the matter, but did his best as he thrust into her with short hard jabs. He whined when she began milking him, her muscles clamping around his shaft and knot like a vice. Another grunt left his muzzle as the shepherdess on top of him reared back and called out loudly. "Oh fuck! Yes, Nathan!" His goddess had called his name and he exploded on the inside, he closed his eyes but he felt like a blinding light burned his retinas as his body became distant and heavy.

Maria felt her stomach tremble as she came, her tail slapped hard against the cupboard with each twitching wag. The feeling of bliss was prolonged when she felt the condom inside her expand as it was filled with Nathan's warm seed. Her mind went blank before she collapsed on his chest, barely having the strength to prevent herself impacting with the wolf too hard. One last groan escaped Maria's mouth before she fell silent, content and exhausted on top of Nathan.

A low rumbling made Maria open her eyes and she quickly realized that she was making the noise. Groaning as she tried to get her paws out from underneath her, she was suddenly grasped by two gentle paws on her shoulders that helped her to sit upright.

"Hey beautiful."

Maria finally noticed how dark it had gotten during their encounter; the moon had risen too far to shine through the window making it nearly completely dark. "Hey you." Her voice was soft as she smiled at the silhouette beneath her. She wanted to move but as she shifted her hips, her loins tensed unwillingly as she felt the wolf still inside her.

Biting his lips, Nathan stifled a pained whimper as she squeezed his sensitive flesh. "Careful." He cautioned but was nearly drowned out by another rumble from the shepherdess' belly. He chuckled softly before feeling his way down to her thighs and massaging them. "I think we could both use something to eat."

Not arguing with his conclusion, Maria pressed both of her paws on his chest and rose up. She shivered visibly and moaned as the latex balloon slipped out of her before hitting Nathan's stomach with a wet splat.

Exhaling loudly, Nathan recovered from the feeling of leaving the shepherdess' body and pushed himself up on his elbows. In the dim glow of the city bleeding through the window he watched Maria's curvy outline as she stood and then moved away, imagining how she would have looked with the lights on. Stepping over him, her thigh brushed past the side of his face causing him to grin playfully before sitting up properly. When the light came on the wolf was trying not to fall down though now it was while trying to stand on mildly trembling legs.

Once her eyes were used to the new source of light, Maria grinned at the slouching form against the counter. "Don't tell you're spent already?"

Nathan glanced up grinning, but then pouted as he watched the shepherdess close her robe and made his displeasure known. "I was watching that..."

Putting as much sway in her hips as she could without falling down, Maria walked casually towards him. "Oh, I'm sure it'll come on again later tonight. She pressed herself against his side before reaching down and easing the filled condom off of his flaccid member. "Go get clean up. I'll set out our dinner."

"I didn't bring any clothes." Nathan realized as he looked down at the heap of his wet clothes; the thought of putting them back on didn't sit well with him in the slightest.

Having quickly disposed of the soiled contraceptive, Maria smiled at him and gestured in the direction of her bedroom. "There is a robe for you in my closet, next to the door. I was going to give it to you..."

Feeling his ears burn in shame, Nathan sensed that she had planned on saying 'before' and silently thanked her for not doing so. Reaching out he cupped the shepherdess' cheek and caressed the side of her muzzle with his thumb. "I'll go get cleaned up."

Maria leaned into the paw as Nathan drew it back and then watched him walk out of the kitchen. "Don't make me wait." She called out after him, but her voice barely rose above a mumble. To her surprise, he didn't. She had barely set the containers on the coffee table when she felt his paws grip her hips. "That was fast."

"It wasn't." Came the reluctant reply as the wolf hugged Maria. "That new shower is weird."

Chuckling at the wolf's comment she glanced over her shoulder at him. "I'll show you how it works later; come sit down."

Nathan took one of the plastic containers as he made his way to the couch. Opening the package and cradling the sandwich in a large paw as he sat down; his eyes never leaving Maria. His large ears perked upright and his eyes wide; hoping that she would sit down next to him. To his dismay she sat in one of the chairs on the opposite side of the coffee table from where he was. Silence settled in as they just sat there; Nathan nervously picked at the corner of the container while Maria stared at the table and bit her lower lip. Starting to feel awkward, Nathan stopped fiddling with the plastic and instead began to finger the hem of the robe he was wearing. It was soft, comfortable and he even liked how the anthracite colour complimented his fur. Guilt weighed heavy on his thoughts and by the look of the femme sitting across from him she shared similar feelings. Even after their wild sex in the kitchen, there was still tension that hung between them.

Opening her container, Maria retrieved the sandwich and bit down hard; it tasted just as good as the one she had in the diner though she barely noticed. Her mind raced back to their encounter the previous night and she still felt a strong desire to punch Nathan square in the face.

"You know," Nathan started as he poked at his own sandwich and cast a wary glance at Maria before quickly looking away from the piercing look that rose to meet him. "What you did tonight. I deserved that."

"Yes you did!"

The cold anger in the comment made Nathan frown heavily before he spoke again. "I would do it again though," he saw the fur on the shepherdess' neck bristle and quickly added "waiting for you; not the leaving. The waiting."

Maria turned to face him, her half eaten sandwich forgotten for just a moment. "You meant what you said then? That you'd wait for me until the sun burned out?"

"I did."

Maria glared at him before setting the sandwich and container back on the table before rising from the chair. Scoffing the last bite of his sandwich down as the shepherdess approached, Nathan became still, with only slight movements from his head and eyes revealing his cautious change of character.

Placing both of her paws on the wolf's broad shoulders; Maria straddled his lap but refused to look him in the eyes. Nathan tried to smile but the endeavor ended when her paws smacked hard against each side of his head and sharp claws dug hard into the skin around his ears causing him to let out a startled yelp.

At last, her eyes met his and all that could be seen in the steely gray depths was internal strife. "Why... Why can't I figure you out Nathan?!" She barked harshly. A tremor rippled through her causing her fur to bristle before she continued. "You make me laugh, your kind almost to a fault, you try to help me, and yet," she screwed her eyes up tight and released the vemon that had built up over the last few months "you infuriate me! You insult my boss, leave without a word, and come back expecting to pick up where we left off. For everything you do that makes life a little better, you do something that makes it really difficult! Do you understand?"

Hard understanding eyes and a curt nod from the wolf were her only response.

"Good!" She huffed with some indignity. "I really can't figure you out, Nathan. You're stubborn, persistent, and even obnoxious at times." A sigh escaped her muzzle and her grip on his head lessened as she began to speak more softly. "And then there are times I see you do the most extraordinary things. The magic tricks you did for the kids at the restaurant tonight," she stifled a quiet laugh as it formed but couldn't stop herself from smiling "You even got in the face of some dumbass Dalmatian who was giving me a hard time that night we met without being asked." Her fierce grip faded and the shepherdess found herself tenderly stroking her lover's ears. "I can't figure you out, Nathan Fenn."

Nathan's smile slowly returned as the pain in his head subsided. "Sorry," he said softly "I'm not an easy person to live with."

Baring her teeth, Maria spat out her words as all the remaining anger she had was released. "Damn it you stupid bastard! If you ever, EVER! Do that vanishing act on me again; I will beat you until your fur turns black and blue! Got it?"

The torrent of abuse that was hurled at him made Nathan lower his ears. Resigned to accept his punishment, though deep inside of him he respected her display of dominance; he was in her home and in her life by her acceptance after all. In spite of all that had gone wrong in the past few days, Nathan still looked upon the shepherdess with love, admiration and understanding.

Left panting for the second time that evening, Maria glared at the wolf and upon seeing the weird expression on his face she shook her head before turning around. Wiggling her hips, she leant forward to get her sandwich from the table. A soft growl came from behind her as she lifted her tail and smacked his chin and then a smile crept on her face as it came back down and struck the male right between the ears.

Nathan felt as if he didn't have a choice. Having her perfect ass thrust towards his face deserved to be growled at as his eyes tried to burn through the terrycloth. His imagining was interrupted when her tail smacked his head, his vision now blocked by the fluffy appendage's soft brown hairs. In a flash he turned his head to the side and opened his mouth wide.

The sudden sensation of teeth pressing down on her tail made Maria drop her food back into the container, but the yank that followed made her giggle. "Beast!" she called over her shoulder before lowering herself back down into his lap.

Letting go of her tail, Nathan admired the shepherdess' backside a little longer until it came to rest on his thighs. He looped his arms around her waist and laid his head on her shoulder while she ate. After waiting patiently for her to finish, he quickly glanced over at the two remaining containers on the table. "I could eat some more." His statement fell on deaf ears as Maria seemed to be more interested in checking her claws. "Maria? Dear? Can I have another sandwich please?" He asked sweetly.

"No." Came the cold answer. Maria didn't even look at him when the wolf's stomach rumbled. "Maybe later."

Nathan raised an eyebrow and looked at her face, but no response was forthcoming. An idea suddenly popped into his mind and he pulled his head back, a little smirk split his muzzle as he put his plan into action. His nose pushed through the veil of black hair before it touched that slender neck, his olfactory receptors working at top speed as a mix of the shepherdess' shampoo and sweat flooded his senses. There was a slight trembling from her neck and shoulders as his cold nose touched her, but when he licked her he felt Maria tense in his grasp.

Trying her best to keep her breath under control, Maria felt his tongue move down her neck. The sensation made her smile even though she did her best to hide it from Nathan. Moment by moment, his muzzle and tongue probed around her neck and shoulders while his paws teasingly pulled at her robe. Maria could have stopped him, making her point that she was still angry with him, but her rage was spent and she was in need of more of his particularly intimate company. Tightening her buttocks over something firm forming behind her, she reached up with a paw and lightly stroked her fingers along his muzzle and in a breathy voice she uttered his name enticingly, betraying her near insatiable need. "Nathan..."

-Back in the present-

"We've been out here too long," Maria said bluntly as she peered up at the sun standing high in the sky. As she sat up on the lounger she heard a disappointed groan from beside her.

Helen raised her head and pouted; she had been laying on her side as she had been listening to her friend's story. "You can't stop there!" She complained in a whine. "It was just getting good again."

Maria grinned as she stood up and sauntered indoors. Once in the shade she could feel how hot she had become while telling her story. Moments later she was in the kitchen pouring two ice cold drinks, as the raccoon waltzed through the door.

Spotting the clock on the wall Helen hurried her pace and headed for the bedroom, the top half of her robe dangling around her hips as it was bound at her waist. She granted Maria one last glance at her bosom before lazily covering it up by pulling her t-shirt over it.

Familiar with her friend's expression, Maria held up the glass and grinned at her friend, and remembered college days together. "Running late?"

"I didn't realize how late it was. I gotta be on duty in an hour."

Maria's expression softened as she watched Helen return and drain the glass before reaching out and placing a paw on the raccoon's shoulder. "Thank you for that. Switching shifts to help me."

Waving her paw in front of her friend's face, Helen shook her head. "Don't mention it." She reached out and poked the shepherdess on the nose. "I'm sure you'd do the same for me." The smile on Maria's face told her enough. "I do have one favor to ask though..."

Raising an eyebrow that gave her face a smug expression, Maria reached towards Helen's waist and tugged at the spandex shorts she had been wearing. "Want to borrow something less revealing?"

"Yes."

"Top too?" Maria asked as she hooked a finger into the deep v-cut neckline before pulling it down slightly. "Strange how modest we get when work is involved?"

Pushing out her chest, Helen nearly spilled out of the neckline, but kept her eyes on Maria. "Our teenage selves would scream in horror." She retorted. "Yeah a top would work too. I just need to look presentable until I reach my locker."

"Just leave my suits alone and pick something from the casual stuff." Maria chuckled before letting go of the loose t-shirt. "I'll call you a cab to get you to the station."

Closing the distance between them, Helen gave Maria a quick hug. "Thanks, Hun." She turned and walked away with a strut that made her butt wiggle from side to side. "Now I'll peruse your modest wardrobe for something I could possibly be seen in public with." Her loose brown hair flowed behind her as she threw her head back to give an air of sophistication and class.

In answer, Maria stuck out her tongue and blew a long raspberry at the retreating figure.

Completely naked in Maria's bedroom, Helen set her bag on the bed before pulling her phone out. Opening a notepad app and typing frantically, she created a new document titled _"N. Fenn - Lying Bastard"_and with remarkable speed she filled it with bullet points. One of the traits praised in the police force was a good memory, and Helen's was exceptional. Her friend had told her a lot of things in confidence but in the raccoon's mind that didn't mean she couldn't do a bit of digging. "Let's see if there are any skeletons in Nathan's closet." She mused quietly to herself before finishing her rapid typing and dropping her phone back into her bag and then strode into Maria's closet to find some clothes.

Calling for a taxi and throwing a few bagels in the toaster didn't take long and as Maria began nibbling on her own breakfast Helen walked returned to the kitchen. The raccoon had found a knee length black skirt, a dark purple top with surprisingly modest neckline and a dark gray vest zipped up to the mid-point of her chest. In once glance Maria could tell exactly what was going on. "Don't want anyone to know you're going commando?"

Helen grinned and grabbed a bagel. Quickly spreading some cream cheese on it she glanced at her friend. "Wouldn't want to start any rumors that the lieutenant from inter departmental affairs is a nymphomaniac now, would we?" She bit down on the bagel and chewed it rapidly before swallowing and sensually licking a smudge of cheese from of the corner of her mouth. "I'll be too busy turning down all those frustrated rookies I have work with."

"Oh woe is you." Maria giggled mockingly as she brushed some crumbs from her muzzle.

There was a lecherous glimmer in the raccoon's eyes as she licked her fingers after finishing her bagel. "You might spread that rumor to your intern though."

Maria laughed and shook her head to dispel the mental image. "If you run into him outside the office you can do with him as you like. I don't doubt after the show we gave him yesterday that he'll probably be surrounded by soiled tissues by now."

* * *

In a small apartment across town a canine of questionable heritage sat on his bed in his underwear staring at his laptop. Licking his lips, Rick began typing and describing his desires to the search engine in front of him. Numerous hits appeared and he began swiftly skimming through them until one caught his interest. Two clicks later the picture he wanted appeared on his screen, making a small yet sinister smile appear on his face before reaching between his legs.

The grainy and slightly faded colour picture depicted a small group of males of all different species and sizes. Rick twirled the pencil he just picked up and began noting down some information on the small notepad lying next to his laptop. He saved the picture to his hard drive before further searching the site he had found it on. The picture that he had been looking at was a crew photo of a cargo ship called 'The Vagabond' and underneath in bold print was the names and positions of the crew.

"Nathan Fenn." Rick said in a growl as he read the name out loud before following up with what was written after the hyphen. "Cargo rating." After scribbling some more notes and a little skull before the name on the paper, he began to look through the other crew photos. A photo taken a year after the one he had saved caught his attention when he couldn't find Nathan's name and new rating appeared to be a bear call Damian Ferris replacing him. Scrolling up, Rick noticed that there was a gap of three years and between the recently saved picture and another he had glanced over a few minutes earlier. Instead on Nathan's name he found, Bryan Daye was listed as the cargo rating. Glancing at the photo he tried to find Bryan, but instead found Nathan staring back at him. He clicked on the photo to enlarge it but the graininess didn't improve the detail. It was clear that the photos had been taken using an old thirty-five millimeter camera then developed before being digitalized by a poor quality scanner.

Quickly saving that picture as well, Rick spent the next few minutes switching between the two trying to discern any difference between the two wolves on his screen. While he couldn't be completely sure about their height and fur colouring due to the poor quality, the one thing he could be absolutely sure about was that smug grin on their muzzles. He had seen that particular grin up close and personal, and it had burned itself into his memory. Scribbling on the note pad again, Rick put a theory in writing.

'Nathan Fenn = Bryan Daye?'

He tapped the paper with the butt of the pencil before scribbling a dozen more question marks behind his notes. With a new resolve fueling him, he began typing away. His search had suddenly become a lot more interesting.

-Weeks of peace and quiet later-

Going through the maintenance schedule for the building, George was enjoying a lazy Sunday morning with no chance of mail or packages arriving; he could finally deal with some administrative tasks. The sudden opening of the front doors made him look up and raise a curious eyebrow as a sharply dressed German Shepherdess stepped through the doors. "That's strange." He mumbled to himself quietly knowing Miss Eckholdt usually arrived through the side entrance. The closer the woman came the more curious he became until realization hit him; it wasn't Miss Eckholdt. "Ma'am all visitors must check in."

Twirling the key-fob she used to enter the building around a slender brown furred finger, the Shepherdess leveled a pair of icy blue eyes at the Meerkat then ignored him, proceeding on her way towards the elevators.

Swallowing hard after recovering from her near devastating stare, George picked up the phone and quickly dialed the apartment that would be the visitor's most likely destination. By the time the first ring sounded the elevator doors had closed and the car was on its way to its destination.

Maria had been enjoying her day off. She had seen to several smaller cases over the week and closed every one of them successfully. Feeling accomplished, the shepherdess sat curled in her favorite chair with the doors to the balcony wide open and the warmth of the early day sun slowly filling the living room as she leafed through the old book in her lap.

The sudden shrill ringing coming from the desk shattered the peace and quiet. Carefully closing the book, Maria stretched her legs and let out a groan as she stood up. Taking her time to walk over and pick up the receiver, she paused when she saw it was the front desk on the display. "Apartment ten-eighty, Maria speaking." She said suppressing some mild apprehension.

"Miss Eckholdt, this is the front desk. I'm sorry to disturb you, but I believe there is a visitor coming to see you."

Slightly confused by the way he framed the remark; Maria was silent for a moment before responding. "You believe?"

"Well, she just walked in and for a split second I thought it was you, Ma'am, but when I asked her to check in she just stared me down."

Letting out a grunt, Maria knew enough. A cold bead of sweat dripped down her spine as dread made her heart beat faster. "Thanks for calling, George. Yeah, she's here for me." Listening to George's sincere apology before saying goodbye, Maria hung up the phone. Her finger had barely come off the button when there was a hard, sharp knock on the door. Biting her lips, she looked down at what she was wearing. A pair of comfortable sweatpants and the sweater she had stolen from Nathan and nothing underneath. Another knock filled Maria with dread as she quickly stepped to the door and reached out to grab the latch before taking a deep breath and opening the door. With her head down she stood to the side to let the other Shepherdess inside.

"I know this is the big city, but I believe the correct etiquette when greeting a guest would be a polite 'hello' at the very least."

Maria saw the high-heeled pumps enter her downcast view and mumbled out a greeting. "Hello, Momma." After several seconds of silence she looked up and remembered where she inherited her own stern look from.

The older femme opened her arms and stepped closer to her daughter before wrapping them around her. "Hello puppa."