All of their people were telepathic. Linked through a common path, they could speak to anyone at will. Sometimes they even spoke to those they didn’t know. It wasn’t an exact science, though mated sets had their own mental connection, established through the intimacy of love and friendship or a blood bond.
Mac and Gareth had both. They’d shared blood on a number of occasions when humans hunted them to near extinction and they had been best friends for over a hundred years.
“Corbin sent us to keep an eye on you two. In the event that you find your mate, he wanted to know that someone had your backs.” Mikhail leaned forward, grabbed a menu and opened it.
“We have each other’s backs,” Mac grumbled with another low growl. “And stop staring at our mate.”
“Your mate?” Mikhail scowled. “Which one?”
“Yeah.” Jake sat up straight in his seat, his expression grim. “Which one?”
“The blonde,” Mac replied with a sigh. It was as he suspected. One of the women was mate to Jake and Mikhail. He could only hope it was the brunette. Otherwise, they were screwed. Their tigers would fight to the death for their mate. They could share with their bonded mates, but Jake and Mikhail were not their bonded mates. They didn’t know each other well enough for that.
The other two men visibly relaxed and Mac grinned. “It looks as though someone else needs to watch your backs, as well.”
Mikhail grunted. “We’ll have to watch each other’s backs and make sure that none of us does something stupid.” He shook his head. “I’m not about to call anymore Tigers into this situation. Two mates for two different sets of tigers is coincidence enough. I refuse to take the chance that our mate could be compatible with someone else.”
“There is one good thing about the two of them being potential mates.” Jake sat back in his seat and crossed his legs at the ankles. “We can all move just that much faster. I don’t know about you two, but I can hardly wait to get our woman alone.”
“Neither can I,” Mikhail added.
Mac tilted his head and smiled toward their mate. “You two might like to take things fast, but Gareth and I like to take things a bit slower. We like things hot. You can’t get hot when you’re in a hurry.”
In fact, Mac would like nothing better than to take things slow, letting their natural attraction simmer until their mate couldn’t imagine a life without them in it. He could only hope they would have the time.
Mac stood and turned to his best friend. “I’ll be right back.” Standing, he took his time sauntering over to their table. “Excuse me, ladies,” he said as he smiled down at them. “Would you mind if I borrowed your sugar?” He turned and waved his arm toward Gareth. “Our table doesn’t have much.”
The two women stared up at him. The blonde’s heart rate sped up. Her breathing grew shallow, erratic, and her body emanated a wonderful, sweet smell, indicating that she found him attractive. It did his heart good to know that. It wasn’t often one met the most beautiful woman in the world and found out she was their mate. It was nice to know that she found them just as attractive as they found her.
“Um…” she licked her lips, causing his pulse to skip into overdrive.
It was all he could do to stand before her unmoving as she reached across the table for the glass jar of sugar at the other end. Already, he wanted her more than any other woman he had ever known.
She leaned forward, her breasts pressing against the edge of the table, drawing his attention to her low-cut blouse and the long line of her cleavage.
Mac’s mouth dried and he swallowed thickly. His cock hardened, pressing against his zipper as though attempting to break free of the confines of the strong denim.
Grasping the sugar jar, she lifted it toward him. “Keep it,” she said as she turned her head, her gaze level with his fly. Her face turned a becoming shade of pink and she hurriedly glanced away from the evidence of his arousal. “We obviously don’t need it.”
Mac frowned at the inflection in her voice that hinted at self-loathing over something of which she had little control.
He held out his hand. “I’m Mac. It’s short for MacKenzie.” He canted his head toward the other men. “The man by himself is my best friend Gareth. The other two in the blue and green t-shirts are Zach and Derek respectively.”
“I—um…it’s nice to meet you. I’m Jessi.” She waved toward her companion. “This is Kelly.” Jessi rested her hand in his briefly before jerking it back and wiping it on the napkin in her lap.
Mac wasn’t sure whether to be insulted or amused. “Well,” he replied with a grin. “You’re probably right about the sugar. It would only make you sweeter.”
Jessi pressed her lips together and then scowled up at him. “Don’t you mean fatter?”
Ah…so that’s what’s wrong. She’s under the mistaken impression that we think her too heavy, he said to Gareth, whom he knew could hear the entire conversation between them.
Bending down, he set the sugar down, rested his hand on the table and met her gaze. “Sweetheart, not all men want a thin woman hanging on their arm.” He glanced back at Gareth before turning his attention back to her. “As a matter of fact, my friends and I prefer a little meat on our women. We ah…like it a little rough and like to know that we aren’t going to break our partners.”
Her face reddened even more as he took a moment, letting his gaze wander down over her lush curves and licked his lips. “And from what I can see, you’re damn near perfect. Don’t let anyone tell you anything else.”
Chapter Five
Jessi gaped at the man as he winked, straightened and then sauntered back to his table, sugar in hand.
He likes curvy women. She shivered as goose bumps covered her arms. “Oh, my,” she whispered as she met Kelly’s gaze. “What do you think of that?”
Jess wasn’t sure what to think, herself. Was the man serious, or did he say that just to mess with her head? She leaned forward. “Do you think he’s serious?”
Kelly glanced toward the four men, fanned her face and sighed. “I hope so. Which one do you want?” She licked her lips. “Because I have to tell you, I can’t choose between the second pair that strutted through here like a couple of proud Tom cats.” She frowned. What did he say their names were, Zach and Derek?”
“It doesn’t matter. As soon as they see us clean our plates, they’ll be running for the exit.” Jessi sighed and met Kelly’s gaze. “In my experience, men usually say one thing, but mean another.”
“Same here,” Kelly whispered. “But when have you ever heard a man say he preferred a big girl over a thin girl? Damn, Jess. He called you perfect.”
Jessi picked up her sandwich and stared at it for a minute before she took a big bite. To hell with nibbling the damned thing. She was hungry. Raising a brow, she chewed it and swallowed. “We’ll see what he thinks after we’re done with our lunch. If they’re still interested after that, maybe we’ll stay here for a few days, after all.”
“Yes!” Kelly grinned and took a healthy bite of her sandwich.
“Don’t get your hopes up,” Jessi mumbled as five women strode in. They, too, were in costumes—sexy-as-hell costumes. One, dressed in a rust-colored body suit, nude stockings and four-inch spikes shook her bushy fox tail when she saw the four men in the back of the diner.
While Jess was comfortable in her own skin, it had taken her years to get there. She knew what kind of woman men like that liked, and it was standing in the doorway. All five of them were thin and just what men usually wanted, right down to their tiny, perfect feet in their spiked heels.
The fox whispered to her friends, who were dressed in equally seductive costumes. They chuckled softly and made their way to the back of the restaurant, each of them shaking their pert little asses as they meandered past the four men who, surprisingly, didn’t give them so much as a glance. They were all too busy studying their menus.
Jessi was sure the four of them would have drooled over the five women if they h
ad seen them.
She shook her head when the conspiring women set their sugar dispenser on another table. The platinum blonde in the almost non-existent bunny costume stood and slinked her way between the two tables. “Excuse me, gentlemen, we don’t seem to have any sugar at our table. Could we borrow one of yours?” she asked as she bent down, exposing her cleavage.
All four of the men looked at her, then over at the other four women, who simpered and waved at them. If the men hadn’t noticed them before, they certainly had now.
Jessi felt sick. Her throat ached and she looked away. She couldn’t watch, though she knew what would happen. The women were beautiful. How could they resist?
“What if we split what’s left in here with you?” said a deep voice. It must have been Gareth. It hadn’t been Mac’s voice, though Jessi wasn’t sure. She didn’t look up. She couldn’t. She continued to stare down at her empty plate. Her stomach twisted into knots and she wished she hadn’t eaten all of her lunch.
“This isn’t our sugar. It belongs to the lovely ladies at that table, over there.”
Jessi looked up just in time to see the woman glance their way and chuckle. “Lovely ladies?” She leaned down and cupped his cheek. “Aren’t you nice to say that?” She practically purred, stroking his jaw as she retracted her hand. “They should pay you for that.” She took the full sugar dispenser and stood up. “I’m sure they won’t mind. It’s not like they need it.”
“You’re right,” Mac agreed.
Jessi’s stomach knotted at his words.
“I knew you’d agree.” The woman turned their way with a smirk. She had the men by the short hairs, and she wanted Jess and Kelly to know it.
“Of course. We all agree.”
Zach or Derek had said that. She wasn’t sure who was who just yet.
Jessi’s heart constricted. She had known they didn’t really think she and Kelly were beautiful, but it still hurt to hear it.
“They are already sweet enough. They don’t need sugar.” Mac sat back and crossed his arms. “You, on the other hand, could use a bit of sugar.” He grinned. “Put a little meat on those bones.”
Jessi stared at Mac, her jaw slack. She could barely believe he’d said that.
The waitress stopped by their table with a smile. “The men over there…” Pausing, she pointed to Mac and Gareth. “…paid for your lunch and gave me a tip. Have a good day, ladies.” She leaned down and dropped the volume of her voice to a whisper. “They look like keepers to me. If I were you, I wouldn’t let them outta my sight.”
“You got that right, sister.” Kelly leaned close. “I don’t know about you, but I think I might have fallen in love in here.” She sighed. “The only problem with that is, I’m not sure which one I’ve fallen for—maybe both of them.” She rested her elbows on the table, putting her head in her hands.
“Both?” Jessi glanced at her best friend, knowing that she might have fallen a little in love herself. She only hoped that the men wouldn’t come between her and her best friend.
“Yeah. Both of the two dreamy ones with the dark brown hair.” She wrinkled her nose. “The other two look more your type. I know you lean toward guys who are a little more radical. That hair is radical, in my opinion.”
“Thank goodness!” Jessi rested her hand against the center of her chest. “I was afraid you were going to say Mac and Gareth.”
“Nope. Zach and Derek look more my speed,” Kelly said, her smile fading. “Now, our only problem is choosing between them. We’re trying to start a new life, not continue with the old one. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want guys all over calling us sluts.”
“I know.” Jessi bit her lip. “Maybe the best thing we can do for our future is to leave this place and not look back.” Her stomach clenched at the thought of leaving. The two of them glanced at the men and sighed.
“You’re right. I hate to say it, but we should probably go before we make a colossal mistake.” Kelly set her napkin on the table and stood, her expression haunted. “I feel as though I’m leaving someone very important to me. It’s almost like I’ve known them forever.”
“I know what you mean,” Jessi agreed as they headed for the door. It was almost as though someone had ripped her heart out, leaving a gaping wound in the center of her chest. “For some reason, leaving this town is the hardest thing I have ever decided to do.”
Chapter Six
Gareth couldn’t believe it when the woman dressed as a devil, complete with horns, plopped down on his lap and wriggled around. She probably couldn’t figure out why he didn’t get a raging hard-on.
“Excuse me, miss.” He grasped her waist and lifted her off him as gently as he could. “But I do have a pressing matter to attend to.” He stood up before she could plop back down in his lap a second time. He didn’t want to be rude. In fact, he made it an unwritten rule never to treat women or children with anything but the utmost respect. All of their people felt that way, and most of them liked their women with lush curves. Thin women just didn’t turn him on. They never had.
The woman was attractive in her own way, but she didn’t have enough padding for him. Maybe their views on women were a throwback to times long past when a woman with a little extra flesh were deemed healthier and capable of caring for young better than a female who was thin and considered sickly.
He wasn’t sure what it was. Frankly, he didn’t give a damn. All he knew was the first woman he’d been attracted to in decades had just walked out the door. He’d be damned if he lost her now.
“I’m sorry, ma’am. I don’t mean to be rude, but we have to go.”
Zach and Derek were already halfway to the door. They had been a little rude when they stood and left without a word, but neither of them had a half-naked waif in their laps.
“Kelly, you must convince your friend not to leave,” Zach said as Gareth and Mac stepped out on to the sidewalk in front of the diner.
The stench of car exhaust and rotting garbage from the alleyway assaulted his senses and he wrinkled his nose. He would never understand the human need to have everything so spread out that they needed automobiles to take them everywhere.
Gareth loved living in the cascade. There were no cars. The people who lived out of town either walked or rode horses into the main hub. He looked around the small town and noticed that there were few residences. It was mostly businesses surrounded by a black sea of asphalt. The cascade was different, much different in appearance, only the residents seemed similar, other than half-turned shifters who lived there in a self-imposed exile, people like Mac and Zachary. Mac couldn’t transform his tail back into a small tailbone and Zach would forever have a paw where his hand should be.
They got a lucky break that the prince of their people had found another shifter community where he and his partner had found their mate. Like Jessi, she, too, had been human. Where Corbin found out about the continued practice to dress in costume on All-Hallows-Eve, they hatched a plan to send the people of the cascade out where they could go unnoticed as though wearing costumes. So far, it looked as though his half-baked plan to find a mate might just work.
“Zach is right,” Gareth said as he and Mac approached the foursome. “You can’t leave now. You should stay and enjoy the festivities.” According to the article he’d read when he did his research, this town celebrated Halloween for the entire month of October. They had to convince the women to stay in this town or they would lose their chance at courting them. They couldn’t follow them to another town until just before the end of the month.
Jessi turned to face them, her expression blank. “You guys are so full of crap. You can’t possibly think we believe you prefer our company to that.” She waved her arm toward the restaurant.
“Why not?” Mac asked as he stepped closer. The scowl on his face would have given any one of their people pause, but their mate just glared back at him, her eyes narrowed to mere slits.
“Because men like you four are rarely attracted t
op women like us.” She thinned her lips. “Unless you just think we’re easy and you’re only after sex.” She slapped her thigh. “See that? It’s not firm. It jiggles.”
“And?” Gareth asked as he moved up beside her, reaching out and splaying his fingers over one, gloriously full globe and squeezing her ass. “I like it.”
“Stop that!” Jessi slapped at his hand and moved away. “Everyone can see you. We’re in public, for God’s sake.”
“So what?” Mac asked with a raised brow. “We’re in a town that celebrates Halloween for a full month. Their women wear costumes so skimpy they should be illegal. I don’t think we’re going to shock anyone.”
“I don’t care.” She continued to scowl. “It shocks me. The last thing we need is for you guys to ruin our reputations here.”
“Sweetheart, your reputations are safe with us. I promise you that.”
“So now you’re saying you don’t want us?” She shook her head with obvious disgust. “Make up your minds, will you?” She glanced at her friend. “Come on, Kelly. We need to get back on the road.”
When she turned to walk away, Gareth reached out and grasped her arm. “You can’t go.”
“The hell I can’t.” She glanced at his hand on her arm. “Let me go or I’ll scream bloody murder. You’ll be arrested so fast your head will spin.”
Apparently, taking things slow was out of the question. He jerked her against him, palmed the back of her head and pressed his mouth against hers in a rough, but searing kiss. If one thing could get a mate’s attention, it was a kiss. At the very least, it would disorient her enough to get her attention.
At first, she stood stiff in his arms, her body rigid, her mouth closed. It wasn’t until after he pulled her close in his arms, pressed his body tight against hers, and his erection dug into the soft flesh of her lower belly that she finally responded.
Jessi finally opened her mouth, her tongue tangling with his. Her arms snaked around his neck, drawing him closer.
Tigers Like It Hot Page 2