Freakn' Shifters Bundle (3-in-1) (49 page)

Fuming, Sheng stared at the only remaining quote on his desk.

“Why are you trying to set the paper on fire with your eyes?” his sister asked, as she came to stand behind him.

“I have to go with the wolf if you want the gym by the next full moon.”

“I want the gym.”

“Maybe we should wait. One of the guys says he’ll have time in about six to eight weeks.”

“Two months? No way. You promised me somewhere I could let my cat out. Unless you’ve changed your mind about the woods?”

“You know we can’t be seen.”

“Then the answer is easy. Hire the wolf. Get me my gym.”

“I don’t think hiring him is a good idea.” Every instinct for preservation he owned screamed no.

“Why not? What’s the problem?”

“I don’t like him.” Didn’t like the feeling he got that letting Chris into their life would introduce chaos and disruption.

“So you’ve said. Numerous times and I’m still not sure why. I thought he was rather nice.”

“Therein lies the problem,” Sheng snapped. He whirled his chair around and glared at her. “I’m not blind Jiao. I saw how you stared at him.”

Turning away, his sister toyed with the books on the shelf and shrugged before she replied. “He’s attractive. Who wouldn’t look?”

“You’re married. It’s not seemly for you to notice.”

“It’s a fake marriage to my brother,” she growled back. “Can you really blame me for admiring a handsome man? Not only do I have eyes, I’m twenty two years old and a virgin.”

“As is proper for an unwed woman.” Actually, he’d prefer she remained that way permanently. Some things a brother just didn’t want to think of.

“But that’s just it! How can I get married if I can’t even look at a man?”

“It’s to keep you safe.”

“Maybe I’m tired of being safe. Maybe I’m ready to do something dangerous. What was the point of escaping for our freedom if you’ve got me chained up just as tight?”

Sheng’s lips tightened. Did she really compare his careful protection of her to the monster that held them prisoner? “Well excuse me for everything. If I’d known you’d prefer staying behind and playing brood mare so Kaleb could sell your cubs, then I would have left you to rot in his prison.” No he wouldn’t, but in the heat of anger, the words slipped out. The immediate fear in her eyes slapped him with chagrin. “I’m sorry,
jiā z
ǐ
. I didn’t mean that. I’m just worried.”

“I’m sorry too, Sheng.” Jiao knelt beside his chair and laid her head against him. “I know what you’ve sacrificed. I’m just impatient. I think it will help when I can let my cat out to exercise.”

Such a small request, one he could give her, appease her with so she’d forget the rest for a while longer. “I’m chafing to let my feline out too. Which is why, despite my better judgment, I’ll hire the wolf. But,” he held up a finger. “Promise me you’ll stay away from him.”

When Jiao didn’t reply, Sheng wanted to grab a hold and shake her. He could tell she planned to do something. A part of him couldn’t really blame her. Given this insight, he realized he’d have to do his best to keep them apart. If the wolf had any honor, then perhaps he’d stay away from a married woman.

If not, then it wouldn’t be the first time Sheng did something drastic for his sister. Something for her own good.

*

Jiao left her brother with her heart heavy with sorrow and, at the same time, bursting with joy. On the one hand, Jiao would get to explore the feelings Chris evoked. Discover if he was her mate as she suspected. Indulge in things she’d yet to experience like flirting and maybe even a kiss.

But, on the other hand, Jiao hated going against her brother’s wishes. Sure Jiao didn’t reply when Sheng asked her for a promise to stay away, didn’t lie to Sheng’s face, but only because she knew she couldn’t stop herself from finding out more about this Chris. From seeing him. Touching him.

Hugging her brother’s stiff body, Jiao bit her lip at the realization Sheng already guessed her plan.

How she wished she could find her brother a mate of his own so he’d agree once and for all to drop the charade. Or, if that proved impossible, at least help him get laid so he’d lose some of his uptight attitude. Some relationship doctor on a late night show claimed sex cured everything. It wasn’t just her cat’s curious nature that wanted to test that theory out. Perhaps a good screw would fix her brother’s inability to laugh and smile.

How she missed that side of him.

Only seventeen when they escaped, Jiao barely sixteen, he’d taken the role of protector seriously. He’d kept his promise to their father made less than a year before, getting them out of that freezing river before a fish ate them or they drowned. He’d held her head above water when her leaden arms would have given up. Despite their captivity and inexperience with the outside world, he’d persevered and found them a way through the wilderness to civilization. A frightening time she’d never forget, where hunger seemed their constant companion, and terror haunted their footsteps. Lucky for them, they’d run into a grizzled bear of a man who knew who to call for help.

Even when Patricia took them under her wing, spiriting them across half a continent, Sheng didn’t relax. Didn’t let down his guard. Didn’t smile.

In an odd twist, freedom lay more heavily on him than captivity. He trusted no one. Constantly looked over his shoulder. Jumped at every shadow. How she wished she could change that. The only way she could think involved taking herself out from under his protective thumb, leaving him free to live his life without having to worry about her.

He’d never agree to that unless he thought her safe, which meant she couldn’t just move out on her own. But, if she found her soul mate, a strong male who could take over the role of protector, then perhaps Sheng would finally let go. Say someone like a big, strong wolf?

Just the idea made her giddy. Yet, she got ahead of herself. First she needed to find a way to get to know the wolf without having her brother freak. Then she needed to ascertain if what she felt truly was the mating bond and not just a delayed hormonal reaction to an attractive male.

Either way, Jiao wouldn’t let life and this opportunity pass her by. She just hoped – and she crossed her fingers tight – that she didn’t end up inadvertently alerting Kaleb, the very thing Sheng feared. She’d hate to have to listen to his ‘I told you so’ for the rest of her – possibly short – life.

Chris got the phone call late in the afternoon telling him he got the job and to show up the next day at nine a.m. Letting out a whoop of victory, Chris grabbed his mother and swung her around.

Sighing, she tsked him when he set her on her feet. “Calm down. What did I tell you about taking it easy? And what happened to showing a girl a good time first before chasing after the married one?”

“You want me to cheat on my mate?” He drew himself up with an indignant huff.

“You’re sure she’s your mate?”

“Absolutely. I can’t stop thinking about her, ma. It’s all I can do to stop myself from marching over there and claiming her.”

“My baby boy is in lust.”

“Love.”

“It’s too soon to call it that,” his mother admonished. “You don’t even know this girl. She could be a right bitch for all you know. Just because fate wants to tie you together doesn’t mean it’s a match made in heaven.”

“Pessimist.” Her words of caution couldn’t penetrate his bubble of excitement.

“Realist. While it’s rare, not all matings work out. Yes, our heritage ensures the sexual spark and need to claim the other person is there, but sometimes, despite the attraction, personalities just don’t mesh.”

“Not in this case. Wait until you meet her.” Sure, he’d only exchanged the barest of greetings, but his gut – and his wolf – told him this girl would exceed his expectations.

“Why wait? I want to meet this girl who’s got you in such a tizzy. Invite them over for Thanksgiving dinner on Sunday. I’ve got more than enough turkey for a few extra mouths.”

“Them?” Chris frowned.

“I can’t exactly invite her without her husband. Despite what you hope, there’s a strong chance he’ll be a part of your life if you claim this girl. We can’t leave him out.”

“How am I supposed to get to know her, like you said I should, if he’s hanging around? Dude is a serious stick in the mud.”

“
Dude
is her husband. She must have seen something redeeming in him or she wouldn’t have married him.”

Actually, Chris preferred to think she’d not had a choice in the matter. While uncommon, some shifter groups still believed in arranged marriages, and also, how many childhood sweethearts got together young only to realize later what a mistake they made? Jack and Jill as a couple were a mistake, an unfortunate pairing he intended to split up. Damn, that sounded cold even when not spoken aloud. But still, what else could he do? Jill was his mate. Once his mother saw that, maybe she’d think of a way to help him claim her.

“Fine. You win. I’ll invite them both to dinner on Sunday.”

“No. I will. If the husband already dislikes you, then it’s best if I do it. Besides, I’d like to meet this paragon who’s managed to snare your interest.”

“No baby pictures,” Chris warned.

“Aw. No fun, my son. And here I had a whole slide presentation ready of your most embarrassing moments.”

“You’re kidding? Right?”

Her serene smile didn’t reassure.

*

Jack let Chris into the house when he returned the Friday before Thanksgiving. Not catching sight of Jill, Chris couldn’t help asking, “Where’s the wife?”

“Work. You won’t be running into her much. I got a key made for you. I want you to restrict your work hours to between nine and four thirty when we’re both at work.”

How devious of Jack. Did he suspect Chris’s interest? “It will take a lot longer to get the job done,” Chris warned. “I don’t mind staring early and finishing late.”

Baring his teeth in a smile that didn’t reach his eyes, Jack replied. “Take as long as you need. I don’t mind paying a little extra to ensure my wife and I retain our
privacy.
”

Chris didn’t miss the emphasis and jealousy reared its head. However, punching his employer on day one probably wouldn’t go over well. He gnashed his teeth as he followed Jack to the basement. He needed to find a way to change the husband’s mind about his work hours. The whole point of getting the job was to run into Jill. Flirt a little. Touch her a few times innocently and see what happened. He’d have a hard time convincing her of their destiny as a mated couple if he never saw her.

As Chris worked, getting his job site setup and some of the basics started, he pondered the problem. Stewed over it all day as a matter of fact and when four thirty hit, he was tempted to ignore Jacks’ request and stay late. He could have pled losing track of time. But, just as he pondered the wisdom of pissing off his new boss on the first day, he got an idea.

Returning Saturday at nine a.m. – because Jack didn’t specify what days, just the time – Chris knocked. No one answered and he noted the lack of vehicle in the driveway. Damn. He’d hoped his decision to work weekends would allow him to run into Jill. However, just because they weren’t there now didn’t mean they wouldn’t return soon. Perhaps they went out for breakfast, or to run some errands.
Maybe they’re having sex?

Chris growled at the thought until he reminded himself the car was gone from the driveway. They weren’t home, but if he was lucky, they would probably return while he worked. Desperate, he knew, but unable to get her out of his mind, he’d take whatever thin chance he could. Chris let himself in with the key Jack gave him.

As soon as he stepped in, her scent enveloped him. Clinging to the walls, the furniture, it surrounded him and while it roused his wolf, at the same time, it calmed him. Breathing deep, he allowed himself to enjoy the fragrance for a moment before heading to work. He’d almost made it to the basement stairwell, when something whacked him on the back of the head. Stunned, he didn’t initially react, so the person hit him again.

Jiao heard someone knocking at the door but ignored it. House rule number one when Jack went out was ‘don’t answer the door’. So she didn’t and nearly peed her pants when someone opened the front door. Worse, she couldn’t smell them because she’d caught a cold and with her nose stuffy – red too, from blowing, ick – she didn’t know if friend or foe entered. Although, considering they had no friends, foe seemed more likely.

Grabbing a hold of the rolling pin she was using to make a pie crust for the quiche she’d planned for lunch, she vetoed the hallway which would have meant a direct confrontation with the intruder and instead, slunk through the dining and living room area coming up behind the stranger in the front hall. Wearing a plaid shirt, jeans, and a baseball cap, he seemed really large and imposing.

Shutting her eyes tight, she swung. The object of her whack, grunted, and she opened her eyes to see him still standing, so she swung again.

Down he went in a sprawled mess. Rolling pin held to the side, she approached him on silent feet, ready to hit him again if he moved. Up close she noticed a few things. How the jeans molded a taut ass and the seams of the shirt strained. Oh, and the fact that lying prone on her floor, face turned to the side, eyes closed, was Chris, the wolf and object of her fantasies the last few days.

Oops.

Chagrined, she dropped her weapon of baking destruction, and knelt beside him. Before she could touch him and see if he lived, she found herself flat on her back, a heavy body pinning hers to the floor. Startled she could only squeak in surprise. While her tongue lost its ability to speak for a moment, her body had no problem feeling, though. She noted how his calloused fingers gripped her wrists above her head. How his lower body nestled against hers, igniting a heat that crept through her limbs. Her lips parted as he caught her gaze with his intense brown one. She wondered what he planned in retaliation for his injury. Was it bad to hope for a kiss? A punishing one of course.

“Good morning,” he said, in a rumbly voice which did nothing to ease the agitation of her body, but rather increased it. “Do you always greet visitors with possible concussions?”

“Visitor? How was I supposed to know it was you? I thought you were a robber!” She tried to hide her rapid pulse and flushed cheeks behind a partial truth. Yes, she’d initially thought him a bad guy, but the truth was, the reaction of her body owed less to fear and more to excitement that he pinned her.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to frighten you.”

“Apology accepted,” and then because she did feel a twinge of remorse, she asked. “Did I hurt you?” But she bit her tongue before she could also say,
Do you need me to kiss you better?

“Does my pride count?” he asked, his lips quirking in a grin.

Okay, so a small flicker of pride lit inside at the admission she’d snuck up on him. Feline one, canine zero. “Perhaps you shouldn’t sneak into houses?”

“It’s not sneaking if I have a key. And, I might add, I did knock first.”

Hmm. So he had. But she couldn’t admit the rule forbidding her from answering. It sounded crazy and super controlling when spoken aloud. “I was busy.”

“Cooking I would assume? I guess I should count myself lucky you didn’t choose something more dangerous, like a spatula, or a fork.”

She couldn’t help smiling. “I did think of using the frying pan.”

“Ouch. I’ll consider myself warned. Next time, I’ll be sure to call out when I enter.”

“But what if I’m in the shower? I wouldn’t hear you then.” Why she tossed that out there, she couldn’t have said. The reaction proved interesting though. His gaze practically smoldered, and he shifted his hips against her, a hardness pressing against the vee of her thighs in a most delicious fashion.

“I should be so lucky,” he murmured.

Flustered at his innuendo, she pulled her hands free from his loose grip and pushed at his shoulders. Rock hard, and unyielding, she clenched her fingers into fists attempting to resist temptation. It didn’t work and her hands flattened on his shoulders.

“You should let me go.”

“And if I don’t want to,” he replied, dipping his head lower.

This close to him, the insanity of before returned in spades. Even without a scent, her cat made a fuss and her claws popped out of her fingers, wanting to dig into his flesh. Knead him and purrrrrr…

It wasn’t just her cat that was going nuts. She couldn’t stop her body from reacting, her core temperature rising while her heart pounded a mile a minute. She wanted to kiss the lips so close to hers. Remove Chris’s hat and run her fingers through his thick hair. Wanted to…

A tickle in her nose warned her. “Oh no. I have to sneeze,” she gasped. He reared back, but not far enough. She achooed with gale wind force right on to the front of his shirt.

It wasn’t pretty.

“Oh my god. I’m so sorry,” she babbled, the heat in her body gone because it bolted to her cheeks.

Getting off of her, Chris stood and couldn’t quite mask the incredulity on his face as he stared at his shirt front. “It’s okay. Not your fault. I should have moved faster. Quite the cold you got there.”

Embarrassed, she nodded. “I’m really sorry. Usually, I can’t catch a thing, but the seniors home I work at is overrun with sick people this week. And, well my body hasn’t quite fought it off yet and… ” She trailed off as he grinned, his eyes twinkling.

“No big deal. My niece and nephew have done worse to me.”

“You’re an uncle?”

“Yup. My sister had twins. Cute little suckers too. But gooey. I don’t think that much drool is normal, but my sister insists it is.”

“Better than spit up,” she replied recalling the few babies she’d encountered growing up.

He shuddered. “Don’t remind me.”

The humor in his tone, laced with an obvious strong affection for his family, made her drop her eyes. She once again noticed his chest and the mess she made on it. “If you’re planning to work here for a bit, then maybe I could wash your shirt out for you?” She said it, not really thinking through what it meant.

“If you don’t mind, that would be great.”

Quicker than she made the offer, the shirt came flying off. Holding the bundled fabric out, Chris waited when she didn’t immediately grasp it. Um, she knew she should grab it and run, but she couldn’t. She couldn’t move at all actually, not with so much skin in front of her. And not just skin, but muscle. Corded arms led to the impossibly wide shoulders she’d admired before. His chest rippled with definition, from his pecs to his washboard abs. A dusting of hair on his upper torso led down to his navel, to a lean waist under which his jeans hung low, indecently so.

Swallowing hard, she forced her gaze up to his amused one. Cheeks burning at having gotten caught staring – and by a woman he thought married, no less – she grabbed his dirty shirt and practically ran away. But she couldn’t escape the low rumble of his chuckle, or the heat burning through her body.

Maybe having him so close wasn’t a good idea after all.
Because now she didn’t have a single doubt. Either that wolf was her mate, or at twenty two, her body was going into a sudden sexual revolt and was ready to jump anyone not related to her. Given she’d not had an urge to kiss the pizza delivery guy the night before, or maul the gas attendant, it made the first option most likely.

And frightening. Not only was she in a fake marriage, hiding from a criminal who wanted her back, she’d sneezed chunks on her mate. Way to go.