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Hataru decided that today wasn't half as bad as he first thought. Dinner was superb, he was enjoying the company and the dessert. Oh the dessert was by far the best he'd ever had.

The apples were just this side of crisp so he knew they were fresh, but not mushy and overdone. The spices fought for dominance in his mouth, each vying as they blended under the thick veil of the whipped cream. He was so enraptured by the delicacy before him, he hadn't even had the thought to thank the cook yet. But he knew that her seeing him enjoy it was worth more than any off hand compliment he could conjure.

It was only when she suddenly reached over and licked the cream off his face that he refocused on the situation. The wolf decided then to lift its head and sniff the air, making Hataru's eyes turn a lustery ember color. He had known that she had been dropping hints all night, subtle ques in body language that humans rarely noticed. Being a gentlemen, he had chosen to ignore these signals, knowing that girls often shied away despite what their bodies tried to convey.

So instead of saying anything, he decided to respond non verbally. Picking up his spoon, he smeared a small bit of cream on his face where she had licked before. The wolf within growled with idle interest.

He was bewildered by her sheer boldness. Each motion she made, from the shifting of her skirt as she sat, to the tensing of muscles along her neck as she licked his lips, was filled with little messages. Messages that the wolf took as an invitation to play. His eyes were completely golden now, and they twinkled with a mirth not entirely his own.

Again, merely because he could not help himself at this point, he smeared a little more of the cream on his cheek. With a tilt of his chin, Hataru waited for her response.

Breathe held, he dared not move as she sat upon his lap and kissed his warm skin. The wolf was a little uncomfortable with her so close to such vulnerable parts of his neck, but Hataru enjoyed each fluttering kiss.

When she pulled away after the last, he leaned forward slightly before catching himself. Then it was all he could do not to scoop her up and crush her to him as she sauntered over to the couch with a spoonful of sin.

A part of him saw the folly of his actions. He barely knew this girl. And he wasn't here to make friendlies with the locals. If anything, he wanted to be out of the way of everybody. He wasn't looking for romance, but his wolf had decided that he was tired of being antisocial. So after a few unsteady steps, he ended up on the floor by her feet. Since he was so tall, when he leaned towards her on his knees, his face was on level with her neck.

"Did you make that whipped cream yourself?" he asked breathily.

Normally he would have made a condescending comeback about seeing her make furniture by hand, but all her recent attentions were making him draw a blank.

When she handed him a spoonful, he stared at it in wonder for a moment. He looked unsure what to do with it, until a small glob slipped off and landed on the hem of her shirt, which was partly on her chest as well.

"Oops. I'm sorry, I spilled some," he said in a dead pan voice. Without further encouragement, he leaned over and licked the dollop away. Lingering on her skin, he took the moment to get another nasal blessing whiff of her season blended scent. Truly a child of the countryside, he thought.

When he pulled away, it was to see that he had "accidentally" touched his spoon to her nose and cheek. He promptly cleaned her of the fluffy goo.

"I wonder," he murmured suddenly. With eyes flecked gold, he leaned forward to give her a kiss after he licked a large amount of cream and held it on his tongue.

The man watched in disbelief as she got up and left him once more. He growled softly at such teasing, knowing it was what he deserved. Yet he knew that he could not let her do the dishes, at least not alone. She had done a marvelous job making it. It should be the least he could do, to help with the clean up.

"I would be a rude host not to at least help with this," he said as he brought the dishes from the table to the quickly filling tub. Minding himself more than usual, he didn't touch her as he scrubbed the plates and the cups and handed them to her to dry. Last thing they needed was to drop glass, because they were distracted.

Hataru didn't wait for an invitation, verbal or otherwise. With a growl from low in his throat, he settled himself in front of her, her legs curved around his slender hips.

"No thanks needed," he replied in a rick timber as he took a n** at her teasing lips. "My house, my mess. It's rude to let the guests do the cleaning." He let her fondle him, eyes averted from hers. City kid he may be, but some things he still could be modest about. Besides, it wasn't everyday that cute girls practically jumped him like this. Normally they would go for the more muscular jocks. Hataru liked that he had been slender, preferring height to bulk, but being what he was, he wasn't all bone either.

(I love that they are attempting to have such a civilized conversation while making out. lol XD)

As her ministrations continued, the beast within the man stretched and bathed in the attention. It wanted to claim this girl as theirs, to play with, to live with, to love with. If the opportunity presented itself, the wolf would definitely take advantage of the man's weakness.

He liked it when she claimed her territory, despite his knowing that this place was no longer part of it. The wolf knew it was a show of dominance, which it liked hearing, but Hataru didn't want to lay claim to anything. As she forced him to look at her, he started to come to himself.

She was just a simple country girl, innocent to what she was doing. Her advances, though well received, could spell danger for her and everyone in town. Like a slap in the face, his eyes became a mix of chocolate brown and warm yellow as he tried to force the wolf to sleep. He wasn't going to let himself become a threat to these people.

Resolutely, he put his hands on her shoulders and stepped back. At least it was resolute in the start. He looked like he was in a battle of minds, one that he wasn't entirely winning. Knowing that she would probably take it as a sign of rejection, the truth being quite the opposite, he looked at her in turmoil.

"Thank you for the dinner. Tonight was the best I've had in a while," he managed before letting go and walking quickly out the door into the clear warm night. Hataru knew that if he stayed there a moment longer he wouldn't be able to fight his instincts. He was not going to have casual sex with a girl he had only just met, consensual or otherwise. And it was the otherwise that frightened him most, especially after catching wind of the wolf's mind.

Hataru smiled to himself, albeit a little painfully, as he watched her wander back to her place. A few paces into the yard, he turned his back to her, hoping to resist the still near temptation to go after her. It hurt, a dull thrum in his chest, but he kept his distance.

"I truly am cursed, aren't I? To be tormented so sweetly when I had strove to be alone. Even out here, someone can't help but be drawn in," he murmured to himself. The wolf growled deep in his chest, showing its dislike at being thwarted. Hataru grimaced, feeling like his skin was crawling. After he wandered the yard and felt the night air til he was eased, he made his way inside and bade the world a goodnight.

The next morning, Mel would find a basket of eggs. A gift, or rather a promise that their friendship had not been soiled. He only hoped that she would accept them. As for himself, Hataru became scarce as he worked the ranch. He became more recluse for a time, wanting to distract himself from any possible lapses of judgement.

So he let pass another month, sending eggs Melody's way while hardly pausing to let himself be available to chat. Which was easy, considering his chickens had multiplied and the sheep needed constant tending. Poor thing kept getting burrs from the field caught in its wool.