The Jaguar's Beach Bride: BBW Jaguar Shifter Paranormal Romance (Shifters of Coral Beach Book 1) (3 page)

“Hush,” he said, rubbing her arms with his warm hands. “You’re all right. I’ll never let anyone hurt you, Wilhelmina.”

“But how did you? How did you know? How did you get here so quickly? And then Roger, he’s so strong…”

“Look at me.” When Mina refused, staring instead at her hands through a veil of tears, Brennan shook her arms until her gaze met his. “I’ll never let him hurt you. Do you hear me?”

Another sob rose in Mina’s throat. She nodded shakily and bit her cheek, hoping to calm down. She couldn’t break down here, and not in front of Brennan. She was being ridiculous, anyway. She was unharmed, Roger was gone, and Brennan had promised he wouldn’t let Roger hurt her. But that didn’t stop her from trembling like a leaf in the wind. Another sob caught in her throat, but she made herself take a deep breath.

Tipping her head back, she willed the tears to stop. Brennan, for his part, held her hands and said nothing more. After a time, she stopped trembling and the tears seemed to have dissipated. Looking back down at Brennan, she flushed with embarrassment at her near breakdown. And she was sure she looked awful: red and snotty and pathetic.

Pulling her hands from his, she swiped at her face, as if she could erase the evidence of everything that had happened. “God, I’m sorry. I’m being an idiot.”

“For what? Being afraid? I’d think you more of an idiot if you hadn’t been afraid.”

Mina laughed a watery laugh. “I shouldn’t have let him scare me so badly. He’s usually all talk. But today, he was just…relentless.”

“What did he say?” Brennan’s voice was little more than a growl, and she saw that his eyes were changing again.

“It doesn’t matter. He’s gone. I don’t want to talk about it.”

“
Wilhelmina.”

“I told you: I don’t want to talk about it.” She could be stubborn with the best of them, and right now, she didn’t want to tell Brennan about how Roger had offered to take the business from her as payment. How could she admit that she’d screwed up so royally that she’d hand over her dream shop to a guy like Roger?

Brennan sighed and stood up. His eyes went back to their normal human shade, the pupils circular instead of slits. “I won’t push you. But can you at least tell me what’s going on?”

Mina hesitated. She bit her lip and started tapping her feet. She hadn’t intended to tell anyone about the loan sharks. She hadn’t even told Jude that she’d taken out a loan. Mina prided herself on her independence, and having to confess that not only could she not take care of herself, but that she didn’t know what do next? It was humiliating.

But Brennan didn’t press. He sat in the chair next to her and waited. He didn’t chastise her like Jude would’ve.

Taking a deep breath, she said, “If I tell you, you won’t judge me? Or at least not say anything until I’m done talking?”

Brennan turned serious eyes on her. “Of course.”

“And you won’t tell my brother?”

That got a sly smile out of him. “Most definitely. He talks too much anyway.”

Mina smiled back and then took a deep breath. Forced herself to stop tapping her feet. Then she told Brennan the whole story: about her business draining money, about how she couldn't get a bank loan, about how her friend had told her about these guys who could get her money, and about how she owed them the money she didn’t have.

Brennan listened silently, although his eyes narrowed when she told him about the constant phone calls and texts. When she got to the part about Roger showing up at the store, his fists clenched and his eyes flashed, but he still said nothing.

“So that’s it. I’m in deep shit and don't know what to do about it.” Mina laughed bitterly. “You wouldn’t happen to have $100,000 lying around, would you?”

“If I did, I’d give it to you.”

Mina’s gaze collided with his at his words. He was absolutely serious, and a flush suffused her face. How did this man manage to get under her skin like this so quickly? And why was he so intent on helping her? He didn’t really know her; he’d just been kind to her when they were kids.

“Thank you,” she stammered. “Although I don’t know why you’re doing this.”

“Don’t you?”

“Is it out of loyalty to my brother? I know you guys were best friends, but that was a long time ago—”

“Mina,” Brennan began.

“And that seems kind of extreme. Especially for your best friend’s kid sister.”

“Mina,” he repeated. He took her hand and, to her shock, kissed the backs of her fingers. She melted at the warm brush of his lips, and her body started trembling again—but for an entirely different reason. “This has nothing to do with your brother.”

“It doesn’t?”

“No. It has to do with
you
.”

Mina got up, untangling their hands. He was so serious, so intent, that she could hardly bear it. She knew she should run from this porch, screaming about the crazy man acting like this, but instead, her body lit up and her heart pounded at his words.

“I heard you,” she said. “Earlier. About how I was your woman. What did you mean?”

Brennan’s eyes narrowed, and his face closed off. “Exactly what I said. We have a connection.”

“How do you know? It’s just been a few hours.”

Standing up, Brennan came to her. Brushed strands of her hair from her face. He then cupped her face in his hand, his touch gentle. “I just know. Trust me.”

Mina wanted to protest. She didn’t understand one bit—at least her mind didn’t. But her body and her heart didn’t protest. They agreed wholeheartedly with Brennan’s words. The two of them did have a connection and although it terrified her, it was also exhilarating.

Brennan stroked her cheek. Mina closed her eyes. His touch ignited something inside of her, a warm ember that slowly flamed to life. An ember she’d never even known existed.

“I’m going to kiss you,” Brennan said.

Mina leaned into his hand. She opened her eyes and saw his green eyes gazing at her like someone he’d never seen before. Like she was this precious person he wanted to protect with his life. Covering his hand with hers, she nodded.

And then she saw nothing, but only felt, with his warm mouth pressing against hers and her entire world coalescing into this one single, bright, pure moment.

Chapter Four

Brennan didn’t really believe in fate or destiny or the world colliding to bring two people together. But he did believe that this moment, here with Mina, was one he wanted to imprint on his memory for the rest of his life.

When their lips touched, Brennan’s mind cleared. This felt
right.
Perfectly, completely right. That was the only word that echoed in his thoughts as he kissed her.

Her lips were soft, and they tasted of coconut. Warm and plush, he kissed her mouth with a thoroughness that had her wrapping her arms around his neck to get closer. He wanted to bask in her, like a cat basking in the sun, and his inner jaguar stretched luxuriously within him. Mina was all softness and light, and at the feel of her curves as his hands skimmed down her body, Brennan deepened the kiss without even realizing it.

She gasped as his tongue entered her mouth, and then she moaned. Moaned low in her throat, clutching at his neck, her fingernails lightly scoring his nape. He shuddered at the bite of pain. He tasted her—coconut and sugar and something decidedly Mina—tangling his tongue with hers before nipping at her bottom lip.

His hands were equally busy stroking her sides, feeling the lovely indent of her waist, wondering at the silk of her skin underneath her thin tank. He wanted to touch and stroke her all over until she melted completely, her body under his thrall. He traced the skin of her hip right above her shorts, and she jolted a little against him. Brennan smiled. She was ticklish, was she?

He danced his fingers against that bit of skin, and she wiggled from his hand with a breathy laugh.

“Stop, I can’t concentrate,” she said against his mouth.

“Well, then I’ve been failing miserably. You’re not supposed to be concentrating on anything. Just feeling.” He swiped his thumb against the top of her hipbone, and she made a little squealing noise.

“You know what I meant! Oh no, don’t touch me there!” She laughed harder as he tickled her side. “No, God, stop!”

Even as she urged him to stop, she laughed harder, and Brennan’s chest filled with lightness and warmth at the unguarded sound.

He let her go, though, but she hadn’t moved her hands from around his neck. They gazed at each other a moment, and Brennan watched in fascination as a flush crawled up her chest into her face. It was a gorgeous, gradual wave of color that he wanted to lick from beginning to end.

“Do you always turn such colors, or is it just with me?” Brennan asked.

Mina yelped and tried to cover her face, but he placed her hands back onto his neck. Defeated, she buried her face in his shoulder. “Don’t talk about it or it makes it worse.”

“The blushing?”

“Yes, the blushing. Just talk about blushing and it makes me all red. I hate it.”

He smiled. She’d moved her hands from his neck, but now they fisted in his shirt. He kissed her hair, inhaling the scent of sunshine. “It’s adorable. And it tells me exactly how you’re feeling at any given moment. It’s extremely useful.”

Mina pinched him, making him yelp. “Shut up. It’s the worst and you’re not going to talk me out of it.”

Brennan hummed underneath his breath. He let Mina breathe against his shirt for a few more moments before he tipped her face upward. The flush had decreased somewhat, but it still gave her a soft pink color that made his cock harden. She was so sweet and lovely and smart and brave, and he wanted to carry her into the back room and make love to her until she flushed all over. He wondered how pink she got in other places, and his body instantly lit up. Someday, he vowed, someday soon he’d find out for himself.

But Brennan didn’t tell her that. He kissed her forehead, her cheeks, her nose, and she smiled. And then pulling away slightly, he said, “Where are you going after this?”

Mina blinked at the sudden change of subject. “Where? Home, probably. Why?”

“Then I’ll go with you.”

She blinked again before leaving his arms. Her eyebrows knitted together in confusion. “Why are you coming home with me? I know we kissed, but I don’t think we should move
that
quickly—”

“I’m not talking about sex, Mina. I’m talking about watching over you. Keeping you safe.”

“Oh.” Mina seemed to deflate, and Brennan couldn’t help but glory in her disappointment. She wanted him, and she couldn’t hide it. “But I don’t need you to watch over me.”

“I think that’s exactly what I need to do. This Roger person isn’t going to leave you alone. And the next time, he’s not going to let you go without some kind of payment. Even if it’s not money.”

Mina shuddered, rubbing her arms. “I know that. I get that. But I can take care of myself. And I didn’t ask you to do something like this.”

“You didn’t need to.”

“Don’t you have a job? How are you going to be my bodyguard when you have to go to work? Or am I going to go along with you to the office like a kid whose babysitter cancelled?”

That shut him up. How the hell was he going to look after her? He couldn’t very well tie her to his leg as he went about his day. “We’ll figure it out.”

Mina glowered at him. “We’re not ‘figuring out’ anything. I don't need you to save me like some knight in shining armor. I’m a big girl. I can take care of myself.”
      

She moved past him into the shop, and Brennan watched her go. Jude was right. She was as stubborn as when she was little. But he couldn’t blame her. Although he wanted to protect her every second of every day, he understood the need for independence, too.

Following her inside, he was glad to see that no shoppers were present. “Let me at least discuss this with Jude. Find out a way to keep you safe during the hours I’m not available.”

Mina had been organizing a shelf with t-shirts, but she swiveled around to glare at him. “No. Absolutely not. Don’t you dare tell my brother about this. He’ll be unbearable. He already treats me like I’m still that silly little girl I used to be. This would only make it worse.”

Brennan came closer. Lowered his voice, and even brushed a hand down her arm. “Come on, Mina, don’t be unreasonable.”

Her hands tightened on the t-shirt she was folding. “Unreasonable?
Unreasonable?
You’re the one forcing yourself into a situation that is absolutely none of your business, acting like you're my boyfriend and bodyguard. And I’m telling you no. That doesn’t make me unreasonable. It makes me
normal.”

Brennan ground his teeth.

Protect her, we must protect her
, his jaguar growled.

Brennan told it to be quiet. Yes, his protective instincts were currently on overdrive. Yes, maybe he was being unreasonable. But it came from a place of wanting to keep Mina safe, and he couldn’t apologize for it.

Seeing the look on Mina’s face, though, he knew he’d get nowhere with her now. She kept folding T-shirts with agitated movements, as if they had offended her personally.

If he couldn’t keep her safe, then he’d do whatever it took to stop Roger and his crew from making her unsafe. Brennan almost reached out to touch her, but her angry gaze stopped him.

“Fine. I get it,” he said. “I’ll leave you alone. But if you ever feel unsafe, call me.”

“I don’t have your phone number.” She said it like a dare, and Brennan couldn’t help but smile at her. She was feisty, he’d give her that. Feisty and gorgeous and delectable.

He drew her arm away from her body, and pulling the pen attached to Mina’s tank top, he began writing his number on her forearm. Her skin was the softest silk here, and so pale he wanted to lap it up like cream. He wrote his number across her arm, like a brand, and Mina stared at him, her mouth slightly agape. He couldn’t help but brush his thumb against the inside of her wrist when he was done writing, where blue veins were visible. Her pulse fluttered.

“There,” he said as capped the pen and hooked it back onto Mina’s shirt. “Now you have my number.”