Freakn' Shifters Bundle (3-in-1) (50 page)

I’m doomed to be single forever.

Or not. Chris didn’t seem all that perturbed she’d used him as a Kleenex. Good looking and with a sense of humor? She should end up so lucky. Given the seriousness of her life, a little laughter sounded awfully nice. Not to mention, he came with a built in family, one he appeared close to. What she wouldn’t give to belong somewhere again. To have babies to hold, and other women to talk to.

Dream or possibility? Of more importance, did he feel the same connection?

Dumping his shirt into the washer along with some soap, Jiao recalled the brief moment before the untimely sneeze. That one unforgettable second in time where he almost kissed her. Despite her inexperience, she’d watched enough movies to know they’d come close.

A frown creased her brow.
He almost kissed a married woman.
For some reason, it bothered her. It was one thing for her to plan to drop subtle – or not so subtle – hints at her availability, another for him to manhandle her and take liberties when, for all intents and purposes, she was taken.
Just what kind of wolf is he?
Did she truly want to get with a man who would do such a thing as seduce another man’s wife?

Much as it pained her to admit, perhaps Sheng was right. Maybe Chris was bad news. Perhaps he wasn’t her mate but a man whose physical appearance appealed to her.

Or…

Could Chris, like her, feel so drawn that it didn’t matter if she appeared taken? Did he know or sense they were mates? Was he unable to stop himself?

Jiao recalled her mother saying when a shifter met the ‘one’, all common sense, all reason went out the window. Need, a pure need to mark and claim, drove the fated pair.

In that case, could she hold his inability to keep himself at arm’s-length, as was proper, against him?

Look at her. Knowing the danger, and how her brother would freak, did she not do her best to ensure Sheng would hire Chris? Going so far as to shred one quote and bribe others to pretend unavailability. She did that, and would have done more to see Chris again. And yet, she took offence at his actions?

Oh the confusion. More than ever she wished she had someone to talk to. How she missed the wisdom of her mother. Would have loved to have a friend, a female friend, someone who would listen and give advice. But Sheng thought it too dangerous. The less people who knew their secret, the better. Yet, Jiao wondered if perhaps Sheng’s paranoia was too extreme. Kaleb and his goons lived so far away.
And not everyone we meet is a spy.

However, did she dare take that chance? It wasn’t only her life at stake, but her brother’s. Despite her need for change, she would never do anything to harm him.

Back to square one. What to do?

The shirt washed on a quick rinse cycle, all Jiao dared given her brother wouldn’t stay out running errands forever, she tossed it in the dryer. As it tumbled around and around, she couldn’t help thinking of the wolf in her basement, the shirtless wolf. The very handsome, deliciously sexy, half naked man.

Right or wrong, she couldn’t help herself.

Minutes later, she headed downstairs, her arms loaded with a tray carrying a steaming decanter of coffee and a plate of pastries she’d bought a few days back. A little stale, they at least provided a plausible cover for when she went to corner the wolf, and hopefully figure out some things.
Like will he try to kiss me again?
Was it wrong for her to fervently hope yes?

*

Perturbed at what happened upstairs –
I almost kissed a married woman!
– Chris took up where he left off the day before, letting the calming monotone of work – hold nail, hammer, hold nail, hammer – bring his frenzied state of mind down a notch.

His mate attacked him. A fact his brothers would think was hilarious. In his defense, Chris didn’t smell her approach, not with the scent of her all over the house. And she’d not actually hurt him. Surprised him yes, but as soon as she got the first hit in, he’d guessed who wielded the weapon. Not wanting to frighten her, he’d let her get in a second lick and feigned falling to the floor unconscious. His ploy gave him a great excuse to touch her and he’d almost gotten to kiss her. Almost got to taste the lips haunting his dreams.

Her ill-timed sneeze ruined it, and in a sense saved him from himself. What would she think of a man, a virtual stranger, manhandling her and stealing a kiss? She’d think him a right jerk especially considering he knew she was married.

Still, though, in the heat of the moment, that simple tidbit of sanity fled him. So much for seducing her slowly. Forget discovering more about her situation. One touch of her body against his, and boom, he turned into an idiot.

An idiot who turned her on though. Yeah, baby.
He’d noted the way she admired his bare chest.
But what about my mind?
Chris snickered to himself. In the past, he’d used his body to get women, counted on his physique actually to do the work. Yet, now that he’d met his mate, was it enough? He couldn’t help recalling his mother’s words about attraction not meaning they’d have anything in common. Did it truly matter? Since when did he care if a female just wanted him because he was hot?

He cared a lot, he realized. He’d met the woman he’d spend his life with, a woman he hoped to convince to leave her husband. He’d need more than good abs and excellent technique if he wanted to claim her.

A clatter of feet on the stairs saw him putting his hammer down. He didn’t need to sniff, or have his wolf yip, to know she came to see him. It was his lucky day. He’d have to remember to buy a lottery ticket when he finished work.

Balancing a tray, Jill wouldn’t look him in the eye as she approached, but her awareness of him showed in the blush on her cheeks. Cuter and cuter.

“I was making myself some coffee and wondered if you’d like some.”

“I’d take it intravenously if I could.”

She set the tray on the worktable he’d set up the day before and busied herself pouring, still not meeting his eyes, nor speaking. Funny, because he’d not taken her for the super shy type.

He broke the silence. “Sorry about what happened before. I think I might have still been groggy from the blow to the head. I usually don’t molest the wives of clients.”

Big brown eyes met his. She looked startled at his boldness. “Oh. No worries. I shouldn’t have hit you in the first place.”

“And I should have knocked longer or harder.”

“Yes, you should have.” Her mischievous smile stole his breath, lighting up her whole face. “Now that we’ve ascertained you’ve won the blame game, how do you like your coffee?”

Cute and sarcastic. He liked her more and more. “Hot. Dark. And in my mouth.” Okay, so he imbued the harmless words with a little more meaning than he should. Totally worth it. The pink in her cheeks heightened, and taut nipples poked through the fabric of her shirt. Damn, but she knew how to tempt a man, even if inadvertently.

“Here you go.” She didn’t reply to his innuendo as she handed him the cup.

He intentionally touched her hand as he grasped it, watching her closely for a reaction. He got one. Her breathing hitched, and her fingers trembled before she yanked them away.

Chris hid a grin by taking a large sip. Damned coffee just about turned him into a furry wolf. Strong didn’t come close to describing it. Something of his shock must have shown because her lips twitched.

“I guess I should have warned you that my coffee sucks. I’m a much better cook than I am a coffeemaker.”

“No, this is great,” he lied taking another gulp. Oh yeah. Strong enough to wake the dead. With the amount of caffeine already coursing through his body, he’d probably have to do a few hundred laps before going to bed in like fourteen hours.

“So how’s it coming?” she asked as she wandered around peering at the two by fours he’d gotten in place against the exterior concrete walls.

So the hot kitty wanted to talk? Excellent. “I’m just getting the framework up first. Then, the insulation followed by drywall. Once that’s done and approved by the city inspectors, I’ll get started on the actual gym itself.”

“Will it take long to build?”

“Depends. I’ve been told I can only work from nine to four thirty.”

A small laugh left her. “Ah yes. My husband wants to make sure you don’t impact our home life, and yet, here you are on a Saturday.”

Time to play dumb. “Was I not supposed to work on weekends? He didn’t mention any specific days, just time.”

Turning to face him, he could see the mirth in her gaze, a look that clearly said she didn’t believe him. “How remiss of him.”

“Indeed. I take it he’s not home?” Chris asked casually as he picked up his tape measure and marked out the next pieces to cut.

“Nope. But he’s coming back soon,” she warned.

“He seems rather protective.” With good reason given Chris wanted his woman.

She shrugged. “I guess. But he has his reasons. What about you? Do you have a wife or girlfriend waiting for you to finish work?”

He ducked his head lest she see his grin at her casual foray into his personal life. “Nah. I’m a single guy. Just waiting to meet the right woman.”

“And when you find her?”

Chris raised his eyes until he caught her gaze, and held it. “When I find my mate, nothing will keep me away. I will seduce her. Mark her. And claim her.”

“What if she’s not available?” she asked in a low voice.

“I won’t let anything stand in my way.”

Caught in a staring match, he could hear her heart pounding. Smell her lust. Craved to clasp her in his arms and show her the truth of his words.

The phone rang and broke the spell. Like a skittish cat, she bounded up the stairs, away from him. But while she could run for now, he’d catch her in the end.
And make her mine.

Of course, that task got harder when Jack, the annoying husband came home, exchanged words with his wife, and then came barreling down the stairs. Thankfully, Jill had tossed down his clean and dry shirt a while before, so at least the husband didn’t have to wonder why a half dressed handyman came in on a Saturday.

“What are you doing here?” Jack barked.

“Working.” Chris powered up the saw and zipped through another piece of wood.

“I see that. But why?”

Chris hefted the cut piece of wood and headed for the wall. “You said to work between nine am and four thirty. It’s currently only just after noon.”

“But it’s Saturday.”

“And?”

“You’re supposed to come Monday to Friday.”

“Well, you never explicitly said that,” Chris replied playing dumb. Something his brother Stu would have claimed he did all too easily.

“I am now.”

“Are you sure? Because, given I can’t start early or work late, that’s going to add at least two weeks to the job. Maybe three.”

Before Jack could yell something, probably to the effect of ‘So what!’, he got saved in an unexpected way.

“Let the man do his work,” Jill admonished coming down the steps.

“This doesn’t concern you,” Jack growled, a tone which put all of Chris’s hackles up.

No one talks to my woman that way.

Forget springing to her defense though, Jill did that all on her own. “Doesn’t concern me?” she snapped, eyes flashing and chin tilted stubbornly. “You promised me this gym before the next full moon. And now I find out you’re sabotaging that by forcing our contractor to work restricted hours.”

“I have my reasons,” Jack muttered.

“I know your reasons and I’m telling you right now, to stuff them. I want this gym. The quicker the better.” Hands on her hip, she glared at her husband, and Chris stifled a grin. Damn but she looked hot when she was irked. Even better, not all was rosy between the couple.

“But –”

“Don’t you but me,
husband.
Or else.”

What the or else was, Chris didn’t know, but Jack and Jill exchanged a look, and the Asian man scowled.

“Very well. You win. He can work whatever days and hours he likes.” The smile of triumph on her face just made Jack’s glower deepen.

Singing inside, Chris pretended to ignore their marital spat as he measured out another crosspiece. His wolf quieted as her footsteps receded. Drawing a line on his next length of wood, he ignored the stare of the man still standing across from him.

“So, am I to expect you tomorrow as well?” Jack finally growled.

Sunday? Hmm. Not this week. “No, actually. It’s Thanksgiving and my mother would shave me bald if I missed the family supper. You got any plans?”

“No.” With his terse reply uttered, Jack spun on his heel and stalked off.

Only then did Chris grin. Married or not, either Jill just gave him the opening he needed, or she truly wanted that gym. According to his ego, and his wolf, it was the former.

Freakn’ awesome.

When Jiao answered the door later that day, just after dinner time, a woman about her height with graying hair pulled into a pony tail, stood there. A familiar scent washed over her. The stranger smelled an awful lot like Chris, which meant…