Freakn' Shifters Bundle (3-in-1) (29 page)

“He’s gone,” murmured Alejandro. “He’s a fucking idiot, you know.”

Trying to move away from temptation, she found herself unable to, Alejandro’s arm anchoring her at his side.

“He’s not an idiot, just too honorable. Kind of like you, I think.”

“Me?” Incredulous eyes peered down at her. “I’ve been called a lot of things in my life, baby, but honorable? Not even close.”

“Perhaps because you’ve never had an opportunity. I think you’re a lot more chivalrous than you give yourself credit for.”

He dropped a kiss on the tip of her nose. “And you are lucky we are in a public place or I’d show you just how non principled I am.”

“Mmm, public sex. That’s not a threat,” she purred. “That’s foreplay.” Down went his head onto the table with a thump while Francine laughed. “Was it something I said?”

“When I agreed to this ruse,” he mumbled, his face still buried. “I didn’t expect you to try and kill me by making my blue balls explode.”

“Poor Jag. Am I too much for you to handle? It wouldn’t be the first time a man’s had that problem. Hell, the prime example just walked away. Speaking of which, our target’s gone so you don’t need to pretend anymore.”

Turning his head sideways, Alejandro’s dark eyes regarded her with a seriousness she found disturbing. “And what if it weren’t an act for his benefit? What if I did feel something for you? What would you say?”

His words took her by surprise, especially since she’d thought them herself. Did she want Alejandro as a lover?
Yes.
Did she want him forever?
Too soon to know.
Did she still want Mitchell?
Damn me, I still do.

An answer to his question didn’t arrive before their waitress did with drinks, and seeing the way she smiled coyly and flirted with Alejandro reminded Francine of one important fact.
He’s a lady’s man. Even if he finds me intriguing now, how can I throw away a possibility with Mitchell, knowing full well Alejandro will probably walk once I give in to his charm?

Sliding away from him, trying to regain some sense of equilibrium, they ordered. As they waited for their food, she analyzed the Mitchell thing while skipping the whole feeling thing she’d discovered for Alejandro. She didn’t want to get into the fact that everything she’d said about him was true and not a script for their plot.

Alejandro abruptly broke the silence. “Jag, huh? Nice spur of the minute thinking. Is it short for my cat? The mighty black jaguar, feared by all.”

She giggled. “Nope. For some reason, you make me think of a cocky air force pilot, which in turn, made me think of the military, and that show Jag. But, I guess it does work both ways.”

He clasped his chest. “Ooh, take a man down a notch why don’t you.”

“My grandmas taught me well.”

“You’re close to them?”

“Very,” she said, stirring her drink. “They both pretty much raised me.”

“What about your parents, or is that topic off limits?”

“I’ve got nothing to hide.” Other than the fact Mitchell wasn’t the first to walk away from her, tearing her heart in the process. “My mom got pregnant in her teens with another shifter. Neither was ready to settle down or deal with the responsibility of a child. So I spent my time going back and forth between my grandparents’ houses. Heck, even now my mom can’t be bothered to remember she has a child. She’s off on some cruise somewhere with her newest boyfriend. As for my dad, I haven’t seen him in years. Last I heard, he was living in the Bahamas with his latest girlfriend.”

Eyes of melted chocolate peered at her with a hint of sadness. “That sucks.”

She shrugged. It had, but she’d gotten over it—mostly. “I met Naomi while staying at my maternal grandmother’s place. My grandma would go over for coffee with Meredith, Naomi’s mom, and even though we were babies, we hit it off.”

“I bet the pair of you caused all kinds of havoc.”

A giggle worked its way past her lips. “Oh my God, did we ever. I don’t think Chris ever forgave us for pinning him down and dressing him in a diaper so we could use him as a real baby to play house.”

Alejandro winced. “Okay, now you’re making me glad I never had sisters.”

“You missed out then,” she said with a grin. “What about your family? Javier’s never talked about it much other than to say his brothers are pains in the asses and that your mother is a saint.”

A twinkle appeared in his eyes. “Who, us? And he’s right, my mother is a saint. She had to be. There’s five of us boys in total. We just about drove her insane with our antics.”

“What about your dad?”

“Who knows? He flits around, leaving behind half brothers and sisters that we’ve never met.”

“Oh. Your parents split up?”

“Not exactly. My father is not a believer in monogamy, and my mother foolishly allows him to get away with it. He goes and plays, then when he tires of it, he comes home to my mother’s open arms.” Alejandro’s gaze dropped, but not before she saw the anger and hurt in his eyes. It seemed her Jag didn’t agree with his father’s philosophy. A point in his favor.

Francine’s lips tightened. “I’d never tolerate that.”

“And yet you see no problem with Naomi’s situation?” He teased her, but she defended her words anyway.

“There’s a difference in several people choosing to live in a polyamorous relationship, who are committed to each other only. It’s a whole other thing for someone to go chasing after other people to have sex while hurting the family they have.” It came out a little more vehemently than she meant, but she hated the obvious pain he felt at the way his father treated their mother.

“I agree with you one hundred percent.”

She blinked. “You do?”

“You don’t hurt the people you love, ever. Sex, after all, is only a fleeting pleasure.”

“And yet you seem to engage in lots of it,” she replied dryly.

“Only because none of my partners ever truly made it past my body to see the man. If the right lady were to come along…”

“You’d fall hard like Javier did. I hope you find her one day,” she said softly, even as a part of her screamed—and her wolf howled—that he already had.

“Maybe I have.”

Not daring to look at him, scared of what she’d see, or not, she needed to change the direction of the conversation. “Well, even if your dad is a wanderer, at least you still have your mom and siblings. I’d love to belong to a big family. Not that my grandmas weren’t great. But, by the time I came along, they were old, and didn’t quite know what to do with me. Having Naomi and her family take me in and make me feel like one of them helped.” It made her feel like she mattered.

“And thus did your crush on Mitchell begin. It makes sense.”

A frown creased her brow. “It’s more than a crush. He’s my mate. Just ask my freakn’ wolf.”

He lifted his hands in a gesture of surrender. “I believe you.”

Her shoulders slumped. “He doesn’t. What do you think? He walked away pretty easy. Maybe he’s right and I’m wrong. After all, how would I know what the mating fever feels like?”

“You’d know.”

“You’ve felt it?” Strangely, knowing that roused a green jealousy in her and made her wolf’s hackles rise.

“Maybe.” He quirked his lips. “Or I’ve heard my brother describe it enough to know the signs.”

A wrinkle of her nose made him chuckle. “Yeah, since she caved to her jocks, Naomi’s turned into a right gusher about it, the bitch. I never thought she’d claim those two, not given her attitude on the whole mating matter. Then wham, she opened her eyes, had a few orgasms, and realized she couldn’t live without them.”

“It’s funny how even the smartest people can refuse to see what’s right in front of them.”

Again, he stared at her with that intent, yet puzzled look. It almost seemed like he spoke to himself rather than her.

“Maybe I should just give up,” she said with a sigh as she stirred the ice in her water glass with her straw.

“Coward. I thought you were a fighter?”

“I am, but— ”

“But nothing. The battle is not over yet, baby.”

The battle to win what, however? Mitchell or Alejandro? Why couldn’t she have Naomi’s luck and snag both? God, the fun she’d have.

She almost slammed her head down on the table herself at the thought. How she’d gone from wanting one impossible thing to two, she’d never understand.
Apparently, I’m a glutton for punishment.

Slamming his fist into Chris’s nose—Mitchell’s annoying younger brother—when he walked in the house probably didn’t rank up there with his brightest, shining moments. But the little prick deserved it for saying, “Still didn’t mark her, huh, dumbass? Maybe I’ll have a go. Francine’s got the sweetest ass I’ve ever seen.” Then Chris mimed humping that invisible backside.

Mitchell flattened him, then jumped on him, their vigorous brawl bringing their mother from the kitchen. She let out a piercing whistle that separated them faster than Ethan could. No one messed with his mother. Not if they wanted to breathe.

“What are you doing, Mitchell?” his mother asked in that spooky calm voice of hers. At five feet nothing, with her arms crossed, what she lacked for in size, she made up in presence and attitude.

He hung his head, acting contrite. “Chris said something nasty about Francine.”

“And? It’s nothing worse than what I’ve heard you say about those bimbos you like to take out.”

A growl rumbled from him. “It’s different. Francine’s—”

“Not your sister. While it was nice when you were growing up that you all felt such an urge to protect her, she’s a woman now, and she is allowed to date who she wants until she settles down. Even Chris. It’s not like you have a claim on her.”

“You’re ganging up on me too?” Mitchell exclaimed, his tone relaying the sense of betrayal he felt at her words. He’d expected her to take his side.

“Yes. This foolishness of yours has gone on long enough. Haven’t you figured it out yet? You want her. It’s why you keep losing your temper whenever she’s mentioned.”

“Like fuck I do,” he lied even as the erotic images he kept having of her played through his mind.

“Don’t make me get the soap, Mitchell. We both know that’s not true. Not that it will matter soon. I was talking to Naomi, and it’s beginning to look like you aren’t the only man for her. Alejandro will probably be claiming her shortly, or as soon as she gives up her foolish notion that you’re her only one.”

Like fuck,
he almost yelled. A hard swallow was all he could manage as Francine’s words from the restaurant came back to haunt.
She’s already given up on us.
But that
’s okay, because despite what they all think, she’s not mine and I’ll prove it.
Tonight he would take Jenny out, a wolf like himself, whom he liked well enough. He’d take her to dinner then dancing before some naked horizontal tangoing back at her place. Fucking Jenny would put Francine back to her proper spot in his mind—and not atop his cock like he kept picturing.

*

After the disturbing lunch, and a hot kiss from Alejandro that made her see stars, Francine tried to work, but visions of two men kept dancing in her head. On the one hand, Alejandro and his playacting had her in a tizzy. His kisses today left her aching and wet, especially the soft and sweet one he’d planted on her after lunch when dropping her off. What a panty-wetter.

As for Mitchell, he’d finally paid her attention and while he’d not exactly swept her up in a tidal wave of passion, she couldn’t deny she had his blood stirring.
Mostly in irritation, but it’s a start.

When the phone rang, she dove on it, thankful for the distraction.

“Francine, what are you up to? Mom called and said Mitchell is just spinning and it’s all because of you.” Naomi didn’t sound at all perturbed about her brother’s mental state.

A satisfied grin curled Francine’s lips. “Good. About freakn’ time he noticed me.”

“You mean, you did on purpose?” Naomi chortled. “Awesome.”

“Maybe. Maybe not. The whole make him jealous thing was Alejandro’s idea. He thinks if we pretend to be a couple and keep shoving it in Mitchell’s face, he’ll finally stop seeing me as his sister.”

“I’d say it’s working.”

“A little too well,” she mumbled.

“What’s the problem?”

“What do you mean?” Francine played dumb.

“Don’t start with me. I know you’re not telling me something.”

The problem with best friends? They could read a girl like a freakn’ book. “It’s gonna sound crazy.”

“What is?”

For a moment, Francine struggled, the words sitting on the tip of her tongue, but she couldn’t quite manage to spit them out. Somehow, saying them aloud would make it real, force her to acknowledge them and do something about it. But, hiding it seemed cowardly and Francine prided herself on never acting like a yellow belly. “I think Alejandro’s my mate too.”

Dead silence greeted her words.

“Naomi, are you there? Did you hear me?”

“Shit. I heard you. In fact, I kind of had a feeling that might be the case. Damn. You do know that’s going to make the whole Mitchell thing harder? He’s not the type to share.”

“No shit. But that’s not the only problem. If I’m right and Alejandro’s my mate, how do I turn him into a male who’s content with one pussy? He doesn’t deny he’s a ladies’ man. Why would he settle down with me? Why would either of them?” Short, curvy and outspoken for one night was one thing, but expecting it for a lifetime with one man already seemed an almost impossible challenge. Expecting it with two? What a joke.

“You listen here, Francine. You are gorgeous. Funny. Smart. And according to Mark Wilson, an animal in bed.”

Francine giggled. She did tend to get enthusiastic in the bedroom. Not all men enjoyed that kind of aggressive behavior, though. “You’re right. I am a prize. But still…”

“Shut up. I’m not listening to another word. Javier used to be a manwhore once upon a time, then he met me and he took to monogamy like a duck to water. So don’t worry about it. If he’s your mate, then he’ll reform.”

“But still? Two guys? What the heck would I do with them?”

“Do I really need to go into detail about my sex life? I thought you didn’t want me to—”

Francine broke in hurriedly. “No, it’s all right. Keep the details to yourself. I want to be able to look Ethan and Javier in the face.” Besides, she said it more as a rhetorical question seeing as how polyamorous matings weren’t a new thing to her. But, despite it running in her family, she never expected it to happen to her.

“Fine, no juicy tidbits, you chicken. But back to the whole threesome scenario, don’t sweat it. Like me, it looks as if you’re destined to have two men in your life. It’s a no brainer, really, when you think of how awesome we both are. It’s only natural we need more than one man to worship the ground we walk on. And two men in bed is so much hotter than one.”

“You are so fucked.”

“Yup, nightly, times two. Don’t tell me you don’t want the same thing? I know you do, you horny bitch, so stop the freakn’ pity party and go get your men! Start with Alejandro. I get the feeling he won’t take much to get in bed, and once he gets a taste of you, bam, he’s yours. That is, unless you’ve forgotten to tell me something about your sleepover last night?”

Did masturbation count? “No, we haven’t gotten naked together yet. But I have seen his cock.”

“Is it—No, I better not ask. Javier will lose his mind. For a man who used to screw everything with a hole, he’s got a funny jealous streak. Only Ethan doesn’t count, anything else, and I’m treated to macho posturing.”

“Like you don’t do it on purpose to drive them nuts?”

“Of course I do. What’s the fun of having two men who worship me if every now and then I don’t make them green with jealousy? Besides, they like it, and the sex afterwards… Let’s just say it blows the fucking mind, among other things.”

“Great, make me even more jealous, bitch. So you don’t think it’s crazy? I should go for it? But what if—”

“Don’t even say it. I tried to fight fate. It didn’t work, and if I can’t do it then my stupid brother sure as hell can’t. I look forward to laughing like a fiend when he does fall. And as for Alejandro, I think you’ll be surprised.”

“What do you know?”

“Can’t talk anymore. Apparently, I’m expected to make dinner for my jocks. Although it would be easier to just buy the poison and chug it direct,” she hollered away from the phone’s mouthpiece. “Anyway, the reason I called was to tell you to go to The Jungle tonight, about ninish.”

“But I’ve got to work tomorrow.”

“Suck it up, buttercup. If you plan on snagging my brother, then you need to be proactive. Mitchell’s going to be there with that slut, Jenny.”

“What?”

“He’s trying to pretend he doesn’t give a fuck by taking out the biggest whore he knows. So plan on being a little tired for work tomorrow and show up with Alejandro so you can prove him wrong.”

“But—”

“No buts, well, until you get them both in your bed. Then, pour on the lube and butts away.” Naomi cackled at her own poor joke as she hung up, leaving Francine bemused.

Claim them both? Could she dare even contemplate that kind of feat? Who knew? But Naomi did get one thing right. Francine was a fighter, and she didn’t know how to give up without giving it her best shot first—or as she preferred, a naked tackle.

Work done, she left the office after saying goodbye to her bosses who barely looked up from their Blackberries, the workaholics. It didn’t surprise her to see Alejandro already parked out front of the building, ready to take her home when she exited. Warmth imbued her and a smile tilted her lips, a welcoming grin he returned.

“Hey, baby. Miss me?” he asked, pulling her close for a hug.

“Tons and tons,” she replied, realizing it was actually true.

“That’s what I like to hear,” he murmured, leaning his forehead against hers before dropping a kiss on her lips. Oh how she could get used to these types of sensual moments.

“What’s that?” she asked, pointing to the pink helmet perched on the seat.

“If you’re going to be a regular passenger, it only makes sense you have your own helmet. Read the back.”

Picking it up, she spun it and then laughed. In red letters across the back was printed, “Hot Stuff.”

“Awesome,” she exclaimed, tickled he’d thought of her. “Thanks.” She leaned up to kiss him on the cheek, but he turned and caught her mouth instead, the electric feel of his lips making her sigh in pleasure. All too quickly, he stepped back, but the glitter in his eyes let her know he found himself just as affected by the embrace.

“We can’t dawdle. Much as I’d like to kiss you for hours. Supper awaits you.” Putting his own helmet on first, he then swung his leg over the bike to straddle it before righting the bike and kicking the stand back.

Smooshing her new helmet onto her head, she then climbed on behind him and wrapped her arms around his torso. She’d grown to enjoy the rides on the back of his bike, her precarious perch the perfect excuse to snuggle. The rushing air and traffic noise made it impossible to hold a proper conversation, and yet, she didn’t feel forgotten as every so often his hand would leave the grip of the handlebar and stroke the side of her thigh. Needless to say, it made her hyper aware of him.

Arriving at her place, she walked into a heavenly aroma and she gaped at him.

“I got the groceries this afternoon, as ordered. I made a lasagna, which is just about done. So have a seat, my working wolf, and let me serve you.”

“I still can’t believe you cook,” she said with a smile.

“I do. Both in and out of the bedroom.” He winked mischievously.

She dropped to one knee. “Marry me.”

For the second time since she’d met him, Alejandro appeared lost for words. “Brat.” He pulled her up from the floor and gave her a swat on the ass as he pushed her in the direction of the stairs. “Go change into something comfy while I check on things.”

She needed a moment to freshen up, brush her helmet crushed hair, and wash her face, trying to cool her ardor. It didn’t work, and actually got worst when she caught sight of him bustling around her kitchen. Talk about an all over tingle. Even just doing mundane things, the man made her body ache as if he’d spent hours on foreplay.

“How was your afternoon?” he asked, flashing her a white grin as he served up heaping portions of pasta and garlic bread.

“Boring. Although I did talk to Naomi.”
And she told me, in not so many words, that I should jump your naked body until you concede you’re mine.
The idea had merit. Not that she said it aloud.

“Mmm,” he replied around a mouthful of food.

“She says Mitchell is spinning and that we need to go out dancing tonight.” A part of her found it uncomfortable to even talk about Mitchell, despite their agreed upon plan. Naomi’s suggestion she seduce Alejandro, and her own revelation about her feelings toward him gave her a sense of dishonesty.
Like I’m cheating on him.
He didn’t seem to notice her discomfort.
Of course he doesn’t, because he’s just acting. As for the flirting when Mitchell’s not around, I’d say that comes to him as natural as breathing.

“Fantastic. You’ll be delighted to know I am a fabulous dancer.”

“I’m not,” she grumbled. “This is one chubby girl who has no rhythm.”

“First of all, you are not chubby. Deliciously curvy, yes,” he said, tossing her a smoldering look. “Making me blue-balled with desire, definitely. Anytime you want me to prove how beautiful I find you, just let me know. My tongue is always ready for a workout.”