Shifters on Fire: A BBW Shifter Romance Boxed Set (40 page)

Did I leave my purse here?

Zara’s original plan had been to sleep the day away and visit the bar the next day, but by seven am she knew the cause was lost. After spending a chunk of the day working on the website for the electronics store, she made her way to the bar. It wasn’t quite dinner time and she hoped to make good with her friends.

She also had to do something about this mate stuff. At the very least she needed to try and meet him. Maybe he really
was
meant for her.

Who was she fooling? Of course he was. All those years she had been lying to herself. She was holding onto her childhood “you can’t make me” mentality, and in the process may have lost her chance at true happiness.

Zara was happy to see the neon light of the bar on. That meant that the liquor license had come in on time for them to open as planned. She was such a craptastic friend. She should have been there on opening night, not stumbling in a day late begging for forgiveness after being a complete chickenhead.

Walking inside, Zara couldn’t help but smile. Partly because her lion was more content than she had been in days, but mostly because the place was packed. It wasn’t just the happy hour drinking bunch either. Tables were filled with people eating platters of yum. She was so happy for her friends.

“I think there’s a spot at the bar, hun. Unless you need a table, and then we are looking at about ten minutes.” The waitress was carrying a tray of drinks that had to be for at least three tables.

“The bar’s fine. Thanks.” Zara meandered toward the bar, but her lion didn’t seem to want her there. No, she had other plans.

“Hey, Zara.” Brina gave her a side hug, her other arm holding a stack of dirty plates she must have just cleared. “I was so worried about you. Your purse is in the office. Go grab it and I’ll find you to get your order.”

Brina scampered off before Zara could apologize. She was human – she should have at the least been mad. Conor must have tried to explain things to her. Yes, Zara had been rude. There was no denying that, but he would’ve most likely understood it was the mating thing.

Each step closer to the office settled her lion. Maybe Conor had put her chair there? He seemed like the kind of guy to think of that.

Zara pushed the door open and sure enough, sitting in the office was
her
chair. She knew now, that Conor had been right. Trapped here in this tiny office, it only made the pull stronger. She was going to have to beg Conor for his friend’s number. After she begged forgiveness, that was.

Her purse and an envelope sat on the chair. Darn them for thinking they could pay her when she had already told them no. Zara grabbed her purse from the center of the seat and hopped on. The envelope glided down and underneath the desk. Perfect. She would just leave it there for them to find later and there would be no fighting over getting paid.

Her lion purred the moment she landed on the stool. There was no denying it. This guy was her mate. She only hoped that Conor was right and it was his lion friend and not some other random person, because then she would be up a creek. There was no way she could find some random guy who sat in
this
particular chair at
some
point in time between when it was created and when she walked in. That would be worse than simply not knowing her mate had ever been there.

“I see you found what I left for you.” Conor eyed the purse on her lap.

“Yes, thanks. I needed my purse. About the other day.” She didn’t really know where to begin, but she had to make this right.

“Stop right there. There’s no need to apologize.” In his hands was a stack of to-go boxes. She was interrupting a beyond busy night, yet here he was talking as if he had all the time in the world. He was a good one. “I would’ve done the same thing. I was stupid like you once, remember?”

“With Brina.”

He really did understand. He tried not to claim his beautiful mate because he thought it was good for her. Safer. His reasons might have been far more selfless than hers, but just as hurtful.

“Yeah, trying not to claim her because I was scared.” His voice fell as he spoke. It might have been a long time ago, but the hurt in his voice still sounded fresh.

“I’m not scared,” Zara said.

Brina busted out laughing. Zara hadn’t even noticed her entering. Some lion she was.

“I’m just strong willed.”

“Strong willed and scared,” Brina conceded when her laughter died.

“Yeah, maybe a little. But what if fate was wrong and we aren’t compatible, or he sees me and thinks fate was wrong or…” Zara’s head was once again flooded with all of the
what ifs
that never got anyone anywhere.

“But what if fate is right?” Brina’s arm wrapped around her mate’s waist, her head on his arm which was still juggling the tower of to-go boxes. Her eyes filled with adoration.

Zara wanted that. She wanted to be so in love that it showed in everything she did. She wanted a mate. No more
maybe I will meet a nice guy
or
I can do just as well as fate
garbage. She wanted her mate. The one fate sent her. The one who sat in this very chair.

“Is there a chance I could get his number from you?”

“I thought he left it in the note.” Brina looked confused.

“The note?” Zara jumped from her seat, crawling under the desk to get it, not at all looking as desperate as she felt. Or at least she told herself that. “I thought that was from you guys.” She snagged it and immediately pulled it to her nose. Yes, it was from her mate.

“It says ‘mate’ on it and trust me I’m not into that.” Brina gave a playful wink which earned her a growl from her mate. 

Zara sat on her knees, turning the note over to see it, in fact, did say mate. Maybe she hadn’t ruined it all.

“This guy is enough for me.”

“So we’re going to leave now, and when you’re done, find us. We’ll eat and drink tea and celebrate,” Conor called back as he and Brina meandered to the door.

“What if there is nothing to celebrate?” Zara whispered, mostly to herself. Maybe he was calling her out on her crap and telling her he could do better. It would serve her right.

“Oh, silly lion, do you think I would have set you up like that?” Brina just shook her head. “If he had wanted no part of you, we wouldn’t have even let him back.”

“Why?” Zara inadvertently asked aloud.

“Because, Zara, you are our friend. Now hurry up so we can celebrate.” With that, they walked out, leaving her to the note. The note that had the power to change everything. No, that wasn’t right. It would change everything. The question was, how?

Still on the floor, she turned the envelope over again, trying to see if there was a way to open it without ripping it. Gah, she was acting like a teenager who had just gotten her first real Valentine. Sliding her nail under the seal, she pried it open. Inside, there was a folded piece of tiny notebook paper, most likely from the pads her friends no longer needed for their order taking. She carefully unfolded it. The writing was tiny and very neat. It was pretty much what she expected of a structural engineer.

She sucked in a deep breath before reading the words out loud.

Dearest Mate,

Conor asked me not to stalk the bar waiting for you and I promised him I would try. It’s not easy after having scented you. But I’m a man of my word and will do as promised. Here is my phone number. I’m leaving it up to you. You can call me or you can run. It doesn’t matter to me which you choose. My lion likes a good chase.

Your Mate,

Dylan

“My lion likes a good chase.” Zara read that line over and over again and each time her lion purred. Brilliant. Her cat was on the side of “don’t call” and her human wanted to call. Pulling herself up, she grabbed her purse and went to celebrate, dragging her chair behind her.

The Chase

“You brought the chair.” Conor held in a chuckle as he pointed out the obvious.

“Yeah about the chair, change of terms.” Zara let go of her chair, pulled out a twenty-dollar bill and held it out. “I’m trading the chair for the computer help and paying for dinner.”

“I thought there were no negotiations.” Conor was now overcome by a full-on belly laugh, somehow balancing a rack of glasses as he did. Shifter balance for the win.

“Cut that out, Conor.” Brina playfully smacked her mate in the shoulder. “Keep the chair and the money, Zara. As you can see, you more than earned it. We wouldn’t be able to keep up with this crowd without the tech magic you created.”

“You would have found a way.” They would have, but tonight would’ve been a bear, that part was true.

“So the note…” Brina wanted details and if it weren’t for her need to get her lion, Zara would have been happy to share.

“He said you told him not to stalk the bar.”

“Pretty much.” Conor put the glasses on the counter and started to wipe them before placing them on the shelf.

Brina just stared at her. She was not impressed by Zara’s lack of forthcomingness. Not at all.

“And then he gave me his number.”

Brina let out a squee. “And what did he say when you called?” The woman was practically bounding.

“I didn’t call.” Zara would. She just had to figure out what to say first.

“Why not?”

“Because he said his… he said he likes a good chase.” And that was the crux of it. Part of her wanted that chase. That part being her lion.

“And you like that too.” Conor smirked.

“Of course she does.” Brina piped in, probably completely missing the fact that by “chase,” Zara and Conor had meant run in lion form as he hunted her butt down and made her submit to him. Brina was probably thinking flowers and romance. The human side of Zara would be happy with that too. Brina leaned in and faux whispered, “FYI, he is hawt. Almost as hot as wolfie boy over there.”

“I can hear you.” The cups were mostly away already and leaving the shelf as quickly as he put them there. Good thing they had a ton of help lined up and a good system in place. Most places would be filled with high stress, delayed service, and possible tears with this amount of people on their first week.

“I know, love.” Brina winked at her mate.

“Boss, can we take reservations for nine?” a waiter called to Conor from the phone.

“I’ll be right there.” Conor handed Brina his tray. “I need to go check out the books to see what we have room for. Go snag your mate, Zara.” He patted her on the head like a child and went on his way.

“You really are taking the chair?”

Zara’s hand hadn’t stopped holding it since they began talking. A couple of times it looked like a waiter or waitress was about to ask to put it away for her, but she gave them the eye and they backed off. It was her chair.
Hers.

“Oh, I so am.”

“I put my number in your purse. I was going to be all sly and put it in your phone, but that thing is like a vault.”

It was true. Not because Zara thought she needed the security, but because it was fun to mess with the tech of it.

“Do you want to know what he’s like?”

“No. I already know he is mine.” Zara reached over and gave Brina a half hug, never letting go of the chair. “Thanks. Now get back to work. You have a crowd in here.”

“That we do, and you have a mate to catch.”

“Oh, I’m not doing the catching.” Zara waggled her eyebrows before giving a half wave and walking out the door. She got a few weird looks from carrying the chair that was almost as tall as she was, but she couldn’t care less. It was hers. At least until she got her mate.

A block from the bar, she let her human side have a small victory. She dialed his number and waited. One ring. Two rings. Three rings. Nothing. She was just about to hang up when he picked up.

“Hello.”

In just that one word, Zara was sure that he had the sexiest voice on this planet. One word.

“Mate?” Her lion was clawing at her. There was no doubt he was her mate.

“Zara.” The way he said her name with such relief and awe and joy made her walk even faster. She was no longer carrying the chair slowly to hide her strength. Screw that. She needed to get to her mate.

“Yeah. I just got your letter.” Zara wanted to boot herself in the head. She had a college degree and she opened with
got your letter.

“And you decided to call me.” Was that hurt she heard in his voice?

“I did.”

“I’m glad.”

It was hurt alright. She had chosen wrong. Well forget that. She was smart and could fix it right quick.

“My name’s Dylan.”

“Hi, Dylan. Are you sad I called at all?” She hadn’t meant to ask it out loud. They should refer to the mating call as
when your brain stops working time.

“Me? No.” He inhaled deeply and she wondered what his chest looked like as it filled with air. Shirtless. Down girl. “My lion, a bit.”

“Because he wants a chase.”

“Yeah. He’ll calm down once we meet in person.”

Oh, she wasn’t letting him calm down. No, she had a better idea. “Can I meet you at the bar?”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” She was almost there. If she could drag this call out just a bit longer the timing could be perfect.

“Oh. Somewhere else?” He sounded more confused than hurt.

“I had something else in mind.” She tried to infuse some sexy into her voice, falling flat.

“And what is that?”

She could hear a car running in the background. He wasn’t home. Interesting.

“Well, you see I just left the bar and am almost home with
my
chair.” One more block. One more block and she could put both their lions out of their misery.

“Possessive little lion.” She tried to picture what his lips were doing as he spoke those simple words in such a husky, sexy, I want to ravage you now voice. Zara was pretty sure a smirk was involved.

“You have no idea.” Three more doors to her building.

“I like it.”

Her knees almost gave as he spoke those words, so filled with lust. She had heard of people loving phone sex, but had never understood the appeal. She’d thought there was nothing sexy about talking on the phone. Wrong. Now, here with him, she got it. He wasn’t even saying anything remotely sexy and yet she was wanting to chase him down. Bad lioness.

“When I get home, I am going to put my chair in my apartment and then I am going to leave again.” She heard his breath bate slightly. He was onto her. She needed to move quickly.

“I see.”

“Oh look.” She popped open the front entry way and practically ran to her front door, punching the keypad as she spoke. “I’m already at the front door.”

“And I already left mine, you little vixen.”

She had already known he wasn’t home, but now he wanted her to know. There was no mistake, the chase had already begun.

“Not a fox.” She put the chair inside, dropped her purse and started to close the door. She would just chance losing her phone. If she hung around too long, the chase would be over before it got good.

“Splitting hairs, I see. Could it be you are trying to distract me because you hear the music in the background?” Suck, there was music in the background. She had been so focused on her mission she missed it. He was close. Her lion began to purr.

“Hardly.” Zara was out the front door and speed walking to the break in the woods. Running in the dark in non-athletic gear would only draw attention and possible “do-gooders” and slow her down in the long haul. She needed to get to the woods if she was going to get a good chase. “I give you an hour.”

“An hour or what?” He sounded far too pleased with himself. He thought he had this in the bag. Her lion disagreed. She had an advantage. She was a born alpha and he didn’t know that yet. There was a good chance he would underestimate her.

“An hour or…” She reached the tree line and began to remove her clothes behind the very well placed bolder. “I make you wait to claim me.” She turned off the phone, pulled her shirt off and let her lion take over. Stinks, another bra gone.

At first Zara just went for distance, putting as much space between them as she could. Then she went for smart. She laid false paths, went back and forth over the running stream, and pretty much used all of the tricks she and her siblings used to pull on each other as kids. Her lion was getting cocky as the time ticked by, but Zara knew not to underestimate her mate. If he really was the perfect match, then he was craftier than her lion was giving him credit for.

Crinkle.
Something moved behind her.
Crinkle.

And her mate was here. She could not only hear him, but she could suddenly feel him. Her lion took off like a shot. She would be lucky to buy herself a handful of minutes, but this close to the hour, every minute was valuable.

Zara, human Zara, wanted to stop and meet her mate. Lion Zara needed him to catch her. To claim her as his. She had all the advantages. She knew the area well and had spent the past three days running it as her lion. She set the ground rules. She had the head start. None of that would stop a worthy mate and as she ran, she knew he was worthy. Felt it in her bones.

One last leap over the stream and he was on her. Clever cat. He had her neck in his teeth and her cat started to purr. Loudly. It looked like her lion had no qualms being the prey. She rolled over, submitting completely. He licked her face and she his before they started to play. They pounced, they batted each other, they rolled around. They had fun. This wasn’t the smexy mating call she had been sure would take over and cloud her brain. They were playing like two ginormous kittens with razor sharp teeth.

When playtime was over, they meandered back to where she had left her clothes. His were there too, only unlike hers, his were folded.

She changed back and grabbed her clothes. He did the same, his back to hers, giving her both privacy and a really nice view of his back piece. Yummy, her man was tattooed. And ripped. Oh, the muscles on him.

“You don’t sound like you are getting dressed.”

Busted.

“I think you were slightly over the hour mark.” She completely ignored his razzing.

“I was well within the timeframe.” He slowly turned around and she pulled her shirt over the top of her head quickly. He might be made for her, but she still had rolls she prefer he not see the first time he saw her as human. “But no matter.”

Her stomach dropped.
No matter.
He didn’t want her. She had thought they connected so well and then…and then he saw her. Fuck a duck. He’d seen her, and waiting no longer mattered.

“Hey. Where did you go?” His hand tipped her chin up and his cerulean met hers, instantly sending a resurgence of desire through her. Darn mating call. She was being rejected and it turned her on. Boo on that.

“I’m here.” Her voice was weak, there was no way he was going to believe her if she didn’t push down her hurt.

“Now, you are here. Before you were elsewhere.” His eyes never left hers as if searching for the answers inside of them.

“You said
no matter
that you have to wait.” Her voice was barely audible.

“It doesn’t.” His voice was firm and if she was correct, held a bit of alpha in it. “It means I will have a chance to woo your human side.”

“Woo?” she gasped. Did she just go from being dismissed to being wooed? Her emotions and senses were too all over the place to make sense of all of this as it was happening. The mating call had her almost intoxicated.

“Woo.” He nodded with a smile. “Conor said you freaked out when you found out about his theory.”

She nodded. Freaked out was an understatement.

“He waited two days to call me. Thought it should be between the two of us, but Brina convinced him to call.

“I was running for three days.”

“Because you didn’t want to meet me?”

“No. Gosh no.” She put her hand on his cheek. He felt like he belonged there, with her, and his lion began another low rumble. He liked it too. “Because I got scared. I spent my life wanting to not have fate choose for me. I wanted the choice.” It sounded so stupid now. Here, in front of her mate, the
one–
there was no doubt in her mind or her heart
–
who was the one for her.

“Then the choice you will have.” He pulled out of her touch and closed the distance between himself and the boulder, reaching atop of it and grabbing a bouquet of flowers tied with a ribbon and returning to her. “Have dinner with me?”

“You bought me flowers?” She was stunned. No one had ever bought her flowers before for anything romantic.

“Of course.”

She took the proffered flowers and inhaled deeply. Beautiful.