Lion's Love (3 page)

Judith was right. When I thought about it, I realized how much I let what other people say, especially about my birthmark, affect my mood. I had to stop letting people mess with my head. It would be hard, but I had to do it. And I had to stop blaming everything on my birthmark, which was something I had to admit to myself that I did.

No one said anything as I walked back to my desk, but I made sure to walk with my head held high and pretend that they hadn’t bothered me. When I got to my desk, I reread Adrian’s email. He seemed so sincere. He was looking for love and to get married. 

According to the site we were a ten heart match—the highest possible. The ‘Luscious Lads and Ladies’ site used personality quizzes to determine if you were a match or not. You could email anyone you saw on the site. But when you clicked on someone, empty hearts would fill up with the color red. The number of hearts that filled up was decided by how much of a match you and that person would be according to your personality tests. You could email someone even if only one heart filled up, but the site advised you to stick to writing potential matches that had at least a six-heart match or above. 

I decided I would gather up the courage to write back to Adrian. I spent just a few minutes composing my message. I knew if I thought about it too long I would probably lose my nerve and wouldn’t send it.

I was a little anxious as I tapped on my computer’s ‘send’ button, but I kept it simple. I told him that I would really love to learn more about him and I asked him to tell me about Shifter Villages. I didn’t mention the birthmark though. What would I say? My co-workers had listed me on the site as a joke and uploaded a retouched picture? I would have to wait to get to know him first, and then tell him I had a birthmark.

I didn’t have to wait long. I was thrilled when Adrian wrote back almost right away…a sweet, tender message about himself and how he wanted to get to know me better. I sure couldn’t wait to get to know him!

~*~

I sighed as I checked the computer again. Ugh, no message. For the past few weeks, Adrian and I had been writing back and forth—several times a day, every day. I felt joy in my heart every time I heard the alert signaling a new message on my computer. At first we talked about what we did and our families. I learned more about his everyday life working as a barber in Shifter Villages. He lived in an apartment above his shop and he was close to his mother and father who lived in Maryland. He had a fun sense of humor and he loved sports, watching them, and participating in them.

Adrian had moved to Shifter Villages several years ago, along with a group of friends to help build the town. He was close to his buddies but he wanted to find a soul mate—a loving woman to settle down with. The more we talked, the more we shared how much we both wanted to find our true match and raise a family. It seemed crazy, but I knew I was falling deeply in love with him. Today I hadn’t heard from him at all, and it worried me. In my email to him early in the morning, I’d finally told him about how Roxanne and her friends had set up my ‘Luscious Lads and Ladies’ profile without my knowledge. And I didn’t hold back. I told him that they had digitally altered my face, removing the big birthmark I had. I’d taken a selfie of my face and included it in the email I sent to him. He needed to see how I really looked.  Normally, I would hear back quickly, but not this time. I had not heard from him since I sent the message.

I heard a light tapping on the side of my cubicle and turned to see Jill standing behind me. Unlike Roxanne, who creeped up on me all the time, Jill was polite and let it be known when she was nearby.

“How’s it going with Mr. Lion Man?” Jill asked, flipping her blonde hair to the side. Jill was one of two new co-workers my company had hired to help out with the workload, and we got along well. It was refreshing to work with nice people who genuinely cared about how my day was going.

“Umm…not so good,” I said, holding back the tears. It wasn’t like Adrian not to write me. Roxanne had been right all along. Now that he knew what I really looked like he didn’t want me.

“Not so good? What’s going on?”

There was something about Jill that made me open up to her. Shortly after she joined the company, I told her all about what happened with Roxanne and the mean girls. She knew I wasn’t thrilled to have to work around them.

Unfortunately, Roxanne and Jamie denied any involvement in signing me up to the ‘Luscious Lads and Ladies Marriage Mates’ site. And because there was no proof, Judith’s hands were tied. I guess the women knew they were under close scrutiny, because they’d pretty much left me alone the past few weeks. And as mad as I was at them, they had done me a favor. I would never have signed up to the site myself and gotten to know Adrian.

“What’s going on with Adrian?” she asked, concerned.

Adrian…just the thought of him made my tummy flutter. He was so gorgeous and seemed so sweet. And from the way we got along so well…I just thought that he was the one.

“I’m worried.”

“Why?” Jill cocked her brows.

“I…I told him about the birthmark this morning. And I haven’t heard anything. I feel sick to my stomach.”

“You’ll hear,” Jill said.

“But what if I don’t?”

“If he lets a birthmark be a make or break deal, you don’t want him anyway,” Jill said.

I knew she was right, but even though we had only messaged, I felt so close to Adrian that I couldn’t imagine not being with him.

“I guess you’re right.”

“Do you want to get lunch or are you going to stay glued to your computer?” Jill chuckled.

I turned back to my computer and studied the screen again. I wanted to make extra sure I didn’t miss any emails from Adrian. “I’ll just hang out here for now. I’m not that hungry.”

“Ok,” Jill said. “Catch you later.”

After Jill left, I tried to busy myself, but it was hard not to stare at the screen. As the clock ticked by, my heart sank. I did not hear from him the rest of the day. It hurt. When I got home I checked my home computer, but still nothing. Finally, I gave up and went to bed, but I tossed and turned all night, a deep sense of sadness gnawing at me.

The next morning, I rushed to the computer, checking my emails before I even brushed my teeth. I was hoping and praying Adrian had written. A burst of happiness ran through me as I saw an email from Adrian—I only hoped it wasn’t a rejection. Nervously, I clicked on the email. As I read his words excitement rushed through me.

‘The birthmark just makes you even more special. You are beautiful. My guts tell me you’re the right mate for me. Can you come visit me at Shifter Villages as soon as possible, and if you like it, stay? By the way, I’m sorry I did not get back to you yesterday, but there was a fire at the Crazy Cake’s Bakery. My friends Evan and Grant own it so I needed to help them. We were there all day trying to contain the fire and I wasn’t able to get to my computer.”

My heart did cartwheels as I reread his message. He said he didn’t care about the birthmark—and he wanted to meet me to see if we were a match! I couldn’t wait to see him.

The next couple of days passed like a blur. I made arrangements to take time off of work and to travel to the town. My plan was to drive to Shifter Villages and stay at the Big Bull Inn, the only hotel there, for a couple of days.

The day before my visit, I went to the mall and bought some pretty new clothes and shoes. As I stopped by the makeup counter at one department store to pick up a bottle of my favorite cologne, a short, curvy woman with purple hair and tats covering her arms stopped me.

A dimpled smile crossed her mouth. “You have gorgeous brown eyes. I love how they match the color of your hair. But I bet I could make them look even prettier. We are doing free makeup consultations today. Are you interested?”

I knew she was just trying to make a sale, but her compliment made me feel good.

“No…I…”

“Come on…it’s a free make over.”

“Well…” I hesitated. I really hated looking in the mirror.

“I have a lovely green eye shadow that will make those brown eyes pop,” she said, encouraging me. “What’s your name?”

“Sherry Cole,” I replied.

“I’m Ava…Ava Adams. We have some beautiful new fresh lipstick shades in nudes and pinks too. So, what do you say?” I took a closer look at Ava. I was conservative and tended to wear makeup in neutral colors, if at all. Ava was obviously the opposite, with her bright colored hair, green eye shadow, and dark lips. Yet, despite combining shades I never would have thought of, she looked great.

“Well…I guess,” I said as I climbed on the stool. What did I have to lose? Makeup washes off, and I wanted to look as pretty as possible when I met Adrian. Maybe I should try a new lipstick. That would be nice. I certainly wanted him to find my lips kiss worthy. I couldn’t help but squirm a little when I thought of the hunky lion man kissing me.

“Do you ever wear foundation?” she asked. “You have lovely skin.”

“Lovely skin?” I almost snorted. This was a first.

“Yes, you do. Your pores are small and tight. And your skin is very soft.”

“But this birthmark…”

“That could easily be covered if you want it to be.”

“No, I don’t think it can be covered,” I said. I knew all too well that despite trying to cover it with foundation, it seemed to bleed through.

“Let me try.”

I closed my eyes as she went to work on my face. I had never let anyone but a doctor and my mother touch my birthmark, but somehow her touch was gentle and it didn’t bother me.

“What do you think?” Ava asked.

My eyes widened as I stared back at my reflection in the mirror. Oh wow! I looked at my skin from all angles. It wasn’t bleeding through and the makeup didn’t look thick or cakey. It was gone. Somehow she had been able to cover my birthmark!

“It’s fabulous, isn’t it?” she said, holding a pot of cream. “It’s a brand new product. It works much better than foundation or the cover-ups that have been available on the market. They looked thick and fake and didn’t blend. But this is like a second skin.”

“I can’t believe it,” I whispered.

“And it’s waterproof and smudge proof…it stays on!”

“Oh my gosh! I’ll take it.”

Ava grinned. “Let me tell you something, Sherry. You are pretty with or without it. So don’t feel you have to buy it to look good.”

I looked in the mirror again. “Are you kidding? I have been waiting my whole life to get rid of my birthmark and now it’s gone. Of course it’s just gone temporarily, but still…” I peered in the mirror again. Ava had a way with the makeup brush for sure. My eyes had a smoky, sexy look, my lashes had never looked longer, and my lips…they looked soft and pink.

“I’ll take it. I’ll take it all.” I would look my prettiest for Adrian!

On the drive to Shifter Villages, I couldn’t help but daydream about meeting Adrian and becoming his wife if everything worked out. Online, we’d talked about everything under the sun, right down to how many kids we wanted. It was my dream to stay home with the children while they were small, and Adrian wanted that too. We were so in sync with one another it was crazy. It made sense why the ‘Luscious’ site matched us up with ten hearts.

Shifter Villages was close to a two-hour drive from my home in Pennsylvania. According to the Shifter Villages website it had once been rocky land, unsuitable for much of anything. But the land did offer many benefits. The climate was temperate, the air was clean, and the area was open to homesteaders.

Attracted to the open land, a group of wolf shifters decided to try and tame the terrain and make it livable. Eventually, they were joined by a number of other shifters, including lions, tigers, coyotes, and bears. The photos of Shifter Villages when it was first in development showed a few small homes and a mom and pop grocery. Newer photos showed lush land dotted with thriving small businesses and family homes, with just a patch or two of rocky areas. I used Google maps to find the barbershop Adrian owned. It was exciting to look at the shop online from my vantage point, and know that Adrian was in there cutting someone’s hair. I could just imagine a lock of his hair dangling sexily in his face.

As I drove through the hills and valleys to get to Shifter Villages, I was astounded by the countryside. It was so rocky. It was amazing that the shifters who lived there had the dedication needed to be able to work the land to produce crops, supply fresh water, and build homes. As I drove closer to the town, I passed a number of billboards advertising local businesses. There was one for the Big Bull Inn, the lodge I was staying in. Other signs were for Kane’s Bar & Grill, C&K Realty, George’s Gym, and Crazy Cakes Bakery.  I remembered the bakery was the place that Adrian had helped with the fire and I did a double take when I saw the billboard.

The Crazy Cakes Bakery sign was a huge cut out of a cupcake but there was large red lettering spray painted on it. It spelled out the words ‘FU Dirk’. I didn’t have time to think about it too much, though, because right behind it, another billboard caught my eye. It was a photo of Adrian standing with a pair of barber shears in his hands with the words ‘Get a Great Cut’ plastered in large letters across the width of the display.  God, he looked so handsome. Seeing Adrian blown up on the billboard made me realize how real this was. I was almost to Shifter Villages, and soon I would meet the man that could become my husband.

I was so excited my hands were shaking and I felt like a nervous wreck as I arrived at the Big Bull Inn. Adrian was supposed to meet me at the Inn and I could hardly wait. As I pulled into the parking lot of the Big Bull, I made a mental note of a sign that Kane’s Bar & Grill was just up the street. I was starving but too excited to eat.

When I got out of the car, a giant of a man appeared. He was so big, at least 6’5”, he was frightening. From the look of the photos on the ‘Luscious’ website, all shifter men were big, but I hadn’t realized just how large they were. Despite my height and size, I felt petite in comparison.

“Welcome, you’re Sherry right?”

“Yes…how did you know?”

“I started the ‘Luscious Lads and Ladies’ site, so I know when a meeting has been arranged. Adrian’s a friend of mine also. He said you were coming…” the man grinned. “I’m Vic…Vic Harris. My brother and I own this hotel.”

I remembered Roxanne saying and later reading on the site that the owner was a bull shifter. “So you…you’re a bull shiter…” I felt like a fool as I stumbled over the words.

Vic chuckled. “Well, sometimes people tell me I’m full of shit. But I try not to be. But, yeah, I am a bull shifter.”

“Sorry,” I shook my head, “that didn’t come out right.”

Vic laughed. “I’m sure you’re excited about meeting Adrian. I know when I meet my mate I’ll be nervous as hell too. And damn, I hope that happens soon.”

“Oh…so you’re looking for a mate also?” I asked.

“Yeah, a lot of us are in these parts. Not too many women in this town. At first I was just going to start a little blog to look for someone for myself, but things just sort of snowballed…”

“…and you started the ‘Luscious’ site.” I said, finishing his sentence. “That’s so cool.”

“Yep, and you and Adrian will be the site’s first match.”

“How can you be sure?” I gulped. “I mean, how do you know we’ll make a good match?”

“You got a ten heart match on the personality test and Adrian said he just knows you are the mate for him. You’re certainly a pretty little thing,” Vic winked.

Little thing…No one ever called me a little thing. And pretty? I put my hand up to my face. At the last minute I had decided to wear the cover up makeup I’d bought from Ava. I knew Vic was being friendly and not flirting, but I wondered what he would think if I didn’t have the makeup on and my birthmark was visible.

“Well…I…I…hope we’re match.”

Vic winked. “Us shifter’s have a way of knowing when we meet our mates.” Vic lifted my bag out of the trunk. “Max,” Vic yelled, “come take our guest's bag.”

I turned to see a dark haired man walking towards us from behind the bushes. He looked just like Vic; brawny and muscular, but his face was scarred in several places. It looked like he’d been in a knife fight.

“This is Max,” Vic said. “He’s my brother and partner in the Big Bull Inn."

Wow, I could certainly see why they called it the Big Bull Inn. Both of these men were huge. I swallowed. Max's size and scars were intimidating. He was the type I would be afraid to meet in a dark alley. Even now in broad daylight he made me uncomfortable.

Vic must have noticed the startled expression on my face.

"Don't let his good looks fool you. He only looks tough. He may be a bull shifter like me, but he's really a pussycat," Vic laughed again.

“Hi Max,” I said softly. “I’m Sherry. Are you part owner of the ‘Luscious Lads and Ladies’ site too?”

Max squinted at me and shook his head.

"Max is not one for words. He leaves that to me," Vic laughed. "As far as the ‘Luscious Lads and Ladies’ site goes, nah, he doesn't believe the matchmaker thing works.

"Well, nice to meet you," I said.

"If you need anything you can ask him or me," Vic said. “Generally he does the heavy lifting around here and I run the day to day operations."

"Ok, thanks," I said. I doubted I would ever ask Max for anything. I'd be afraid he'd ram me with his horns.

“Take Sherry’s bag up to her room. She’s in 31.”

Max grunted, picked up the bag and left.

Vic grinned as he turned to me. “Like I said, Max doesn’t say much, but he’s a good guy. Adrian’s a great guy too. And he gives a good hair cut—not that I need it,” Vic ran his hand along his bald head.

I smiled. Despite his intimidating appearance, Vic was really sweet.

“Where is Adrian?’ I asked, puzzled. Adrian had said he was going to meet me at the hotel. It was disappointing that he wasn’t here. I looked at my watch. “I guess he’s running late.”

“Are you kidding me?” Vic chuckled. “Adrian has been here for hours. He was out here waiting but he keeps running inside to check that everything is perfect for you.”

Check what? I wondered. I wasn’t sure what Vic was talking about. But before I had a chance to ask, I heard a sexy, growly voice call out my name.

I turned to see the gorgeous, powerfully built man with lush brown hair I had been dreaming about for weeks standing in the doorway of the hotel. In seconds he was by my side and had scooped me up in his arms. If I’d had any doubts about him, they vanished in that moment as he pressed me against his firm body in a warm embrace.

“Sherry! You’re finally here! God, you’re even more beautiful than in your photos.”

I felt dizzy, yet so happy in his strong arms. It felt so right, and knowing that this may be the man I would spend the rest of my life with was a surreal feeling.

After the longest time Adrian let go of our embrace.

“Come with me, Sherry.” Taking my hand, he waved at Vic. “You’ll take care of the bag?”

“Of course,” Vic replied.

“I need to show you something, Sherry. You need to see me for who I truly am.”

“Okaaaay…” I wasn’t sure what to think.

“Have you ever been with a shifter before?”

“No, I don’t really know any.” I followed Adrian as he led me to a shady spot underneath a tall tree on the side of the hotel.

“I want you to see me for what I am. I want to make sure you can handle it before we go any further. Don’t be frightened…”

Frightened…this hot man turned me on. How could I be frightened?

Adrian let go of my hand and pulled away. Then his eyes narrowed into thin slits and his shoulders hunched.

I had thought about his transitioning before we met, but nothing had prepared me for this. I was in shock as I watched him change from a regular man to a massive, hairy lion beast right before my eyes. He growled as his body transformed; bones elongating, bristling hairs curling up from his back... In moments he was a huge, powerful creature. And then he roared—a fierce sound that shook me to my core.

“Oh my God!” His pure, raw animal smell enveloped me. I shivered, rooted to the spot. 

Whipping back his mane he slowly and tentatively rubbed against my body, his nostrils flaring as he inhaled my scent. He licked my bare flesh with his thick, raspy tongue.

Here he was, this huge, powerful lion who could snap me in two in an instant. But for some reason, after the initial shock of the transition, I wasn’t afraid. I stroked his fur as he purred. He was beautiful. My Adrian – he was absolutely gorgeous in his man
and
in his beast. 

And then as quickly as he transformed, he transitioned back into his man again.

He studied me, waiting for my reaction. I smiled and he pulled me in his arms, holding me closely.

“I knew you could handle it,” his gravelly voice whispered.

“I can,” I whispered. I admit, it had been shocking to see him change, but at the same time it was raw and powerful. Frankly, it was exciting to see what a savage, yet gentle beast he was.

I cleared my throat. “Yes, I can…but what about me?”

He frowned, a puzzled expression on his face. But he was not the only one with another ‘look’. Had he forgotten my birthmark? Would he still want me? I was afraid to show him my face without the makeup, but I knew I had to. Yes, he’d seen a photo of me not wearing the birthmark cover-up and he’d said I was beautiful. But would he feel that way in person? Reluctantly, I broke free of his firm grasp. Grabbing a leaf off the tree, I turned from him and wiped the makeup off the side of my face. I braced my shoulders as I anticipated what I was sure would be a look of disgust. All my life I had been the subject of glares and stares…but that didn’t matter now. All I cared about was what his reaction would be.

I turned back towards him with bated breath. Would he reject me? But as I looked at him, I saw only desire and love reflected back at me. His gaze told me everything.

“You’re beautiful, Sherry. And your birthmark makes you even more special.” Adrian wrapped his arms around me and pressed me next to his body. Lifting my chin up, he kissed me—a long, deep, passionate kiss that I happily returned. It felt so good to be in his strong, loving arms.

“I could hold and kiss you every waking hour, but I want to show you something inside first.” Adrian smiled, and I could tell he was excited. He took my hand and walked me back to the front of the hotel. Vic was there, puttering in the front.

“Everything ok?” Vic called out.

“It’s more than ok!” Adrian said, tightening his grip firmly on my hand.

“Good to hear. I put Sherry’s luggage in her room. She’s in number 31.” Vic tossed the key to Adrian. “Sherry, if you need anything just let me know, the Big Bull Inn aims to please.”

Adrian’s reflexes were quick as he grabbed the room key in midair. “Thanks Vic. Thanks for everything. If it wasn’t for you…” Adrian’s voice was rich with gratitude.

“Yes, thank you Vic,” I added happily. I couldn’t believe I was finally with Adrian. “Thank you for matching us up!”

Vic grunted. “Enjoy. Hopefully I’ll find my mate soon too.”

As we walked towards the hotel, Adrian wrapped his arm around my shoulders. “Sherry, I have one more thing to show you today. I hope you’re ok with it,” Adrian said.

Seeing him in his man and in his lion—what more could he have to show me? But in minutes, Adrian shocked me even more!