“Oh, I’m so sorry. Your uncle must have been Jerry Anderson.”
Glancing at Ellie in surprise, she shook her head with a soft laugh. “I forget sometimes what a small town this is.”
“Yeah, everybody pretty much knows everybody else. Is there a particular book I can help you find?”
Amelia felt herself flushing as she glanced at her feet, but really, there was no reason not to come clean. Ellie would see when she rung her purchase up, anyway.
“I’m looking for a book on seduction. There’s a man here I’m interested in, and well—I have no experience in it.”
Ellie looked at her, mouth forming an O of surprise. “Oh, well, I don’t think I have anything specifically about seduction, though I do have some dating books. But if you’re looking to learn about seduction, maybe some romance novels could help.”
Nodding thoughtfully, Amelia decided that could work. She grabbed one of the dating books, then followed Ellie to the section with romance novels, eyes widening at the huge selection in front of her. She had no idea romances were this popular.
“Do you have any recommendations?” she asked Ellie, not knowing where to start. A few moments later, with three romances, as well as the dating book in hand, she followed Ellie to the cash register. “This is a really beautiful store.”
“Thanks,” Ellie replied, flushing with pleasure. “I worked hard to make it inviting.”
“You own it?” she asked, impressed. Ellie nodded, and Amelia hesitated for a moment, but Ellie had been helpful, so she went for it. “Do you know where the best place to find casual clothing is? And maybe a place where I could get some makeup?”
“Sure. Fancy’s Boutique has the best selection of clothes, as well as a great selection of makeup. You can’t go wrong there. The store is just a couple buildings down from here.”
“Thanks,” Amelia told her with a smile. “You’ve been very helpful.”
“Any time. And feel free to come back if you need anything else, whether it’s book related or not,” Ellie replied with a smile.
Nodding, Amelia gave her a smile before she turned and left the store. She had one more stop to make before she could head home, and then some reading to do. Eager to get started, she put her books in the car, and set off at a brisk pace toward the boutique.
Later that night, Amelia closed the romance book, fanning her cheeks. Goodness, she never imagined there were books out there containing content like this. She enjoyed reading it, but she honestly couldn’t see herself ever doing or saying things like the women in those books.
She was twenty-five, but she had hardly any experience, and what she did have, she never wanted to repeat. She had sex once, when she was in college, but it had been quick, messy, and rather uncomfortable. Of course, she didn’t intend on having sex with Seth, but she did want to be seductive enough to get him to talk.
Hey baby, want to work in my lab and read a scientific treaty, probably wouldn’t do the trick.
Standing from the chair with a sigh, she decided she would wash the clothing she’d purchased today before reading the dating book. There would probably be more advice in there, but she didn’t see it being as interesting as the novel.
She loaded the washer and then changed into her pajamas before opening the fridge, looking for something to eat. Even the food here was weird, and a wave of homesickness washed over her. She picked up a jar of dill pickles that had been in there when she arrived, and unscrewed the lid, sniffing at the contents. Recoiling at the vinegary smell, she hastily screwed the lid back on. How Americans could eat some of this stuff, she’d never understand. Longing for some take-away of chicken curry, she reluctantly got out the fixings for a sandwich.
She definitely wanted to go home, for a decent meal, if nothing else. But as much as she missed England, she wasn’t going to leave until she had what she wanted. She needed to know what the fighters from Rocky River really were.
“All right, who pissed Jax off?” Ian said, hands planted on his hips as he eyed Seth.
“Hey, it wasn’t me. Not this time,” he replied defensively over the sound of Jax beating on his drums.
Ian looked at him for a moment, then jerked his head toward the porch. “Come with me.”
Exhaling, Seth put down the book he was unsuccessfully trying to read, and followed Ian outside. “Look, man, I really didn’t say anything to piss Jax off.”
“That’s what bothers me,” Ian replied seriously.
“What? Why? You’re always telling me to tone it down.”
“But you never listen. You’ve been acting differently for a couple months, ever since Cammie was kidnapped.”
Avoiding Ian’s eyes, Seth rubbed a hand over the back of his neck. “I’ve still been an ass since then.”
“You’ve been forcing it, trying to pretend you’re fine, but we can all see you’re not. Did you really think you could fool us? What’s going on, Seth?”
“It just brought memories of the past back up. I’m working through it. I’ll be back to myself in no time.”
Ian studied him, slowly shaking his head. “You almost sounded truthful, but you didn’t quite manage it. Keep putting the work in. It’s just not the same around here when you’re not being an ass.”
Clapping him on the shoulder, Ian went back inside. Seth leaned against the railing, breathing the night air, and listened to Jax pounding the drums. Shifters all had their own special gifts. Some were physical, some were mental. Both he and Jax had physical gifts. Seth’s was making something beautiful out of wood. Jax could play any musical instrument set in front of him like he’d taken lessons from birth.
He usually played his guitars, but when something pissed him off, or he was worked up about something, he’d play the drums. The heavy, fast beat suited Seth’s mood tonight. The words his leopard spoke to him left him feeling off, and four days later, he still wasn’t back to normal.
But what was normal, really? He hadn’t been himself since Cammie was kidnapped, Ian was right about that. The whole situation reminded him of his childhood, and left him shaken.
Told you you’re a pussy. A real leopard wouldn’t let something like that bother him.
Seth snarled at his cat. Maybe that makes me a pussy, but you’re still a dick. Looks like we truly belong together.
The leopard went silent after that, with no comeback, but Seth still couldn’t relax, his mind flashing back to his past; being snatched from the field behind his home when he was seven and held for ransom, and his family’s rejection when he was released and sent home.
The moment that rival leopard clan took him outside of clan lands, his fate was sealed. He would never be the same in the eyes of his family or his clan.
It took years after the incident for him to feel like he wasn’t suffocating inside. Humor, jokes, making others laugh, were what ultimately pulled him out of his downward spiral. Sometimes he took it too far, but it was when others were hurting that he tried too hard, putting his foot in his mouth even more than usual.
Usually, he was lighthearted, but lately, he felt every bit of his twenty-seven years, and then some. He’d felt ancient in the last two months, really. He wanted to snap out of it and put the past back where it belonged, but he didn’t know how.
An image of the woman from the fight floated through his mind, but despite feeling his leopard stir at the thought of her, he did his best to shake it away. He wouldn’t lie to himself and pretend he didn’t want her. But he never fooled himself, thinking he was good enough for anyone, and he definitely wasn’t good enough for someone like her. She was class personified, and he was the class clown.
There was no way she would want someone like him. If he wasn’t enough for his family, he sure as shit wouldn’t be enough for someone like her. And even if for some reason she did want him, he still wasn’t sure he’d give in. She deserved better than a fucked in the head leopard shifter.
Chewing on her lip, Amelia stared at herself in the full-length mir
ror. She was wearing a t-shirt, jeans, and sneakers. It felt incredibly odd to dress so casual, but she couldn’t deny the clothes were comfortable. And she looked like any other woman from Eagle Creek. Just what she was going for.
Nodding her head in satisfaction, she went to the bathroom and opened the case containing the contacts she bought yesterday. She washed her hands as she studied the small discs. Surely putting them in couldn’t be too hard. Gingerly picking one up on the end of her finger, she placed it in her eye, blinking wildly and trying to get it settled into place. It felt like there was something stuck between the lens and her eye, and she turned from the sink, hopping and blinking, cursing as pain stabbed her eye. The pain suddenly ended as it popped out, and she watched with dismay as it fell into the toilet.
“Bugger,” she exclaimed, staring at it as it floated in the water.
Well, she obviously couldn’t use that one now. Grateful she bought more than one pair, she got another container out and opened it carefully. This time, she used the solution the optometrist recommended, rinsing it thoroughly before inserting it. Luckily, she didn’t have issues the second time, and she quickly popped the other one in. They felt peculiar, and she looked different without her glasses, but this was going to work, she could tell.
Pulling out the makeup, she carefully applied the foundation the attendant at the store helped her pick out, and then tried to put eye shadow on. Frowning for a moment, because it looked nothing like it had when the sales lady demonstrated it, she finally shrugged and pulled out the mascara. Untwisting the cap, she pulled the wand out and studied it for a moment, but it looked pretty self-explanatory.
Leaning in closer to the mirror, she brought the wand to her eye, successfully making a sweeping pass over her lashes. See, she could do this. Gaining confidence, she went to make another swipe, gasping when she poked herself in the eye with the wand.
“Bloody hell,” she cursed, dropping the wand in the sink as she slapped a hand over her stinging eye. Hopping around the bathroom for a moment, she waited for the pain to fade. Finally, it began to ease, and she pulled her hand away to look at her eye in the mirror.
Well, shit. She looked like a racoon. The mascara was smeared around her eye, and she looked down to see it streaked across her hand as well. Okay. This wasn’t going to be as easy as she thought it would be.
Squaring her shoulders in determination, she washed her face clean of the makeup and started over, going slowly. She could do this. She was a scientist, for crying out loud. Surely she could figure out how to apply a little makeup.
Seth was carrying an armload of lumber when he suddenly felt his leopard perk up. Looking around for the cause of his cat’s interest, he stumbled to a halt as he took in the vision coming toward him, hips swaying gently as she carried a plate. Something about her seemed familiar, and he squinted as he tried to figure out what it was.
He dropped the stack of two-by-fours when he realized it was the woman from the fight, cursing as one of the boards struck his toe. Pain shot through his foot, but he couldn’t bring himself to care as he watched her. She looked completely different than she had the other night. The biggest change was the lack of glasses, and he felt disappointment flow through him at their absence. She was beautiful either way, but the black square frames were sexy on her.
She was also wearing snug jeans and a t-shirt that hugged her curves just right. Maybe the other night had been a special occasion, or she’d gone straight to the fights from work or something. It really changed nothing, though. She was still too good for him. Anyone with eyes could see that.
Dropping his gaze for a moment to run them up and down her tall frame again, he realized she was holding a plate of cookies. He frowned, wondering for the first time what she was doing out here on Anderson property, with a plate of cookies, of all things. Glancing at her face as she came closer, he froze, cocking his head. Her eyeshadow was bright pink, done with a heavy hand, and her lashes were clumped together with too much mascara. He realized then she hadn’t been wearing makeup Saturday night, and he found himself wishing she wasn’t now either. And not because it was done poorly. While it was, he would have felt the same even if it were done with an expert hand. He much preferred her natural.
“Hi. I brought you lads some cookies. I thought you might be hungry, working so hard out here,” she said with a soft, musical accent.
Fuuuuuuuck, that English accent was sexy as hell, and he swore he felt the sound like a touch to his skin, sliding down his body and raising hairs in its wake. Repressing a full body shudder at the sensation, he cleared his throat while he scrambled to find his wits.
“You probably shouldn’t be out here in a construction zone. Besides, I’m not sure the Anderson’s would take kindly to you showing up unexpectedly on their property.”
She froze for a moment, blinking her hazel eyes wildly at him. “You must not know who I am. I’m Amelia Anderson. I own this property now.”
Well, shit. Even when he wasn’t trying to be an idiot, he still managed to stick his foot in his mouth like one. “Sorry, I didn’t know. I’m Seth Birmingham,” he said, offering his hand.
Still blinking, she handed him the plate instead of shaking his hand. He glanced down in surprise, mouth instantly watering when he saw they were chocolate chip, his favorite.
“I don’t bake, but I picked those up at the bake shop in town this morning,” she said.
He glanced up at her, arching an eyebrow in surprise. Most women in his experience would have pretended they made the cookies themselves, and he found her honesty refreshing. “Thanks. These will go over well with everyone. Did I see you at the fights Saturday? You were dressed differently, and you had glasses on.”
She froze for a moment, blinking owlishly at him. “Oh, yes, I was there. I like to change it up with my clothing every now and then.”
Nodding, his brow furrowed as she continued to blink, her eyes starting to water. “Do you have something in your eye?”
A flush stained her cheeks, and she hastily nodded. “You know, I think I do. I better go see if I can get it out. Enjoy the cookies!”
He watched in bemusement as she threw a hand up in a wave, walking away. That whole conversation had been a little strange. Shrugging, he plucked a cookie from the plate, biting down on it and nearly moaning in bliss. They were from Mansfield’s, he knew right away. Mansfield’s had the best chocolate chip cookies in a hundred miles, hands down.
Starting to turn away as he munched, eyes still lingering on Amelia as she walked away, he nearly choked on his mouthful of cookie as his leopard spoke up inside him.
She’s our mate.
Well, fuck.
“Please, Mom. Please talk to me.”
Seth watched as his mom glanced at him for a split second, her eyes full of anguish before they turned vacant and she looked away. He watched, heart hurting, as she walked in the other direction.
It had been two years since he was shunned, and he knew his family wouldn’t change their minds. But he couldn’t stop himself from trying anyway. Shoulders drooping and stomach cramping with hunger, he walked to his little pallet of old, ragged blankets in the field, watching his filthy feet as he walked.
Maybe Trey would bring him something to eat. His friend had to publicly shun him like the rest of the clan, or he would be in the same position Seth was in. But sometimes, he snuck out and brought Seth food. Otherwise, Seth was going to have to shift and let his leopard hunt. He hated eating like that, but sometimes he had no other choice.
Flopping down on his blankets, recoiling from their stench as he always did whenever he was away from them for long, he stacked his hands behind his head and closed his eyes. If only his shifter gift was turning back time. He’d go back two years and never be in the field where he was kidnapped.
Yep. Time travel would be a handy gift to have right now.
Cursing as the knife he was holding nicked his thumb, Seth took a deep breath and unclenched his hand from aroun
d the blade. Fucking memories, popping out and surprising him. He never thought of that time in his life, but he was doing it a lot lately. Blowing out a breath, he pushed it from his mind and refocused on what he’d been doing when the memory struck.
“Okay, spill.”
Seth glanced up from the dragon he was whittling. “I don’t know what you’re wanting me to spill, Cammie.”
“Bullshit,” she replied, sitting beside him on the porch step. “You’ve been acting weird for months, and even more so since you got back from Anderson’s ranch tonight. Talk.”
“You’re as bossy as ever,” he grumbled.
“Talk to me, Seth, or I’ll kick your ass.”
“You can’t kick my ass,” he replied with a smirk. “You’re pregnant. You can’t fight.”
“I can as soon as this baby’s born, and I won’t take it easy on you.”
He snorted. “Like you ever have before. Okay, okay,” he said as she glared. “My leopard talked to me today.”
“Was he being an ass? Is that why you’ve been so mopey tonight?”
“I don’t mope,” he protested.
“You do, and you have been. Now tell me why, because your animal acting like a jerk isn’t anything new.”
Exhaling as he put his knife down, Seth tossed the dragon back and forth between his hands. “He actually wasn’t, for a change. But what he said can never be. And since I’m not going to follow through on it, it’ll just make shit between us worse.”
“What’d he say?”
“I met Amelia Anderson earlier. You know, old man Anderson’s niece. And he said… well, he said she’s my mate.”
“Seth, that’s great news,” she replied, a smile lighting her face before it faded to a puzzled frown. She bumped his shoulder with hers. “What’s the problem here? Finding a mate is amazing.”
“Do I look like I’m ready for a mate?” he asked, arching his brow. “I’m not exactly in the best place to take one on.”
“Are any of us, really? I wasn’t ready for a mate, or even willing to contemplate having one, when I met Alex.”
Fighting for Keeps Page 2