The Preacher's Daughter

by Valerie Reyes

  Texting him back, James smiled. The profile didn’t say what kind of shifter he was, but since James was advertising himself as a human looking for a shifter mate, he already knew he wasn’t able to shift.

  They texted back and forth a few times, and the guy made it clear he wanted to meet. He wanted to meet him tonight. James wasn't comfortable meeting him that quickly and tried to play it off. He told him he had just gotten off work and was tired, but he had a day off in a week. asked if he could meet him then. When he texted back, the chill James got from his messages irritated him. This guy was demanding and egotistical, telling him that he was a tease and that he was intentionally leading him on. Getting frustrated, James blocked him. He put his phone back into his pocket and thought that would be the end of that.

  Until he messaged again. He'd 'd blocked him, and yet he'd been unblocked. James knew he hadn’t done it. Blocking him again, he put his phone back into his pocket. When the man continued to be able to message, he decided the app had some bugs and made the report. James didn’t respond to him, but couldn’t help but read his messages.

  He wasn't scary, exactly, but James did feel intimidated by his authority. He didn't apologize for being demanding, he was point blank about his intentions and his interest, and he kept pushing it. James tried to block him again.

  Over the next couple of weeks, he kept getting messages from him. They weren’t nonstop, just enough to get him upset that the app wasn't keeping blocked profiles blocked. But the thing was, every time he read another message from the man, he was more intrigued. He wasn't scary or rude. He just pestered James and gave him a hard time for trying to avoid him. Mostly he was impressed that he didn’t give up.

  After a couple of weeks of playing hard to get, the man finally said he was done. He had found the game amusing for a while, but now it was time to be honest. Did he find him as interesting as he found James? Would he be willing to meet, or was it time for him to walk away?

  James had to be honest with himself. The man had grown on him. James wasn't sure meeting him was the best idea, but he agreed.

  He offered a public place near the cocktail bar. He had suggested the boardwalk of the beach during broad daylight to get ice cream. It was a place where no one would notice them but it was still fairly safe.

  Agreeing, James arranged to meet him on his next day off and then put his phone down. He couldn't believe he went from trying to block him repeatedly to agreeing to meet him. He had no idea how he'd gotten under his skin like that, despite his arrogance. His attitude that James would love him if he'd give him a chance was oddly hard to resist.

  He snorted at his own thoughts. He wasn’t sure if he was walking into a lion's den or if he’d met a man who could actually thrill him, entice him, and keep him on his toes.

  One way or another, he would find out soon enough if this man was dangerous or had the potential to be his soul mate. Pausing in his thoughts as he ran a comb through his hair, he wondered if maybe this man could be both.

  Chapter 2

  James sat waiting on a bench. They had seen each other’s pictures on the app, so he assumed they would find each other easily. He was more nervous than he thought he’d be. He was watching joggers and bikers ride by, a guy walking his dog with a red leash, the normal stuff people did on a nice, sunny day.

  James knew his first name, and that was it. He wondered if it was stupid to not have more information about him before meeting. He’d gotten carried away with the excitement of it all once he’d gotten over trying to get rid of him.

  Cesar It was kind of a nerdy name in James's opinion, but his look told a different story. He was a six foot four hulking bear of a man. If he’d had to take a guess at what kind of shifter he was, he would definitely have said bigger than a wolf.

  He had amber-colored eyes and dark, curly hair, and he was dressed like a regular person who wasn't trying to draw any attention. Jeans, sneakers, and a t-shirt. He strolled over to him with his hands in his pocket. He knew the color of his eyes from the picture on his app profile, but right now they were hiding behind his sunglasses.

  "James?" he asked as he walked over

  He nodded. "Cesar, I presume."

  "At your service," he said, and sat down next to James on the bench. They sat quietly for a few minutes before James decided to break the ice.

  "So, you never did tell me what kind of shifter you are. Should I be worried?" James raised a brow. He was the kind who just said what he was thinking. It chased a lot of people off sometimes, but those who could handle it loved him.

  "Bear. And I only bite occasionally," he said, grinning. He took his sunglasses off and set them on his lap. When he turned his gaze towards him, James felt lost. Cesar was beautiful, in a ruggedly cowboy-handsome kind of way. He smiled again and James felt his heart start beating rapidly in his chest. Oh, yes. There was definitely chemistry between the two of them.

  "Would you like to get some ice cream and then we can walk around, talk, and get to know one another better." He said it as more of a statement than a question. When he stood, he put his hand out to help James off the bench. James looked at the hand in front of him for a moment before taking it. On this part of the beach, two men holding hands was not that odd of an occurrence. James gave him a shy smile as he stood. He was still unsure about this situation, but he'd somehow convinced him that they should meet. Why stop now?

  "So, who are you really?" James asked him finally, looking at him over the ice cream. "I mean, I know your first name, I know you're a bear shifter, but who are you, Cesar? What do you want in life, why are you looking for a mate, and why me?"

  "It's complicated. A bear shifter reaches a certain age when he realizes he needs to slow down in life a little and find a mate. Being gay has its own set of challenges within the shifter community. Don't get me wrong, It's not that it's a problem with anyone. We're a pretty open minded bunch, but most of them are looking for a mate to start a family. You know, cubs.”

  “I see,” James said. “It took me a while to get to a place in my life where I'm ready to slow down and focus on myself. It took me a while to accept that I'm not like the others in that way. Now that I'm there, I'm looking for a mate." He finished his ice cream cone and then wiped his hands on a napkin before walking down the beach. "As for you, well, you seem blunt, and I've always liked a challenge."

  "What happens if I don't stay a challenge?" James asked him curiously.

  "I have a hard time believing you'll be anything but interesting." Cesar smiled and winked. "You have the kind of personality that will always leave a man trying to figure out your next move."

  "My next move?" James was taken aback. So He had no idea what he meant by that. "What is this, a game of chess?"

  "Do you play chess?" he asked, changing the subject.

  "I know how to play, but that's not what I was asking." James crossed his arms and looked at him. He didn’t know what he was up too, but he seemed to be avoiding the direct question. "Why me?"

  "Because you're interesting. What kind of answer are you looking for? I don't want to lie to you and I'm not sure what you are really trying to ask." Cesar shrugged. His phone started beeping, and he took it out of his back pocket and looked at it. "I have to go, work emergency. But don't think this conversation is over between us."

  He left James standing there. Watching him leave, he felt confused, irritated, and turned on all at once. Something about Cesar just made him want to lick him from head to toe like the ice cream cones they just ate. The other part of him wanted to strangle him for being so evasive with the questions. Yet, another part was absolutely fascinated by his confidence and how easily amused he seemed to be.

  Shaking his head, James checked his phone and realized he still had time to catch a movie if he wanted to. Deciding to do that, he put Cesar from his mind for the next couple days. He didn’t go out of his way to message him.

  Chapter 3

  James was working when the bell on the front doors
of the diner started to ring as someone opened it and walked through. He was busy putting in orders for the table so he didn’t pay any attention to it. Unless they seated the people in his section, he didn’t need to worry about them.

  "Pssst, James, get a load of the hunk who just walked in. He's in your section, lucky dog," Martin whispered as he walked back with her orders and nudged James.

  "A hunk, huh?" James asked him and grinned. Martin was always looking for husband number three, though James wasn't sure why since Martin never wanted to keep the same man around for more than a few months. James always thought maybe it was just the chase and the challenge that Martin enjoyed, and once he caught them he lost interest. James grabbed a new pad for orders from under the counter on his way out to the table. The 'hunk’ had his back to him, and all he could see was his dark shirt and slacks from behind. He had wavy hair and he was well muscled. When James walked over to ask him what he wanted, he stopped mid-sentence, realizing it was Cesar sitting there.

  "What are you doing here?" he hissed at him, trying not to blush. It was one thing to meet in a public place and banter with each other. It was another entirely for him to show up at his workplace.

  "Am I not allowed to buy myself a cup of coffee?" he asked with a raised eyebrow. "I do get a menu, right? “James snorted and handed him a menu and then brought him back a cup of coffee. He gave Cesar an expectant look. "Do you know what you want?"

  "You?" Cesar grinned. "Okay, what's good here?"

  "Pies are good. Coffee's acceptable. We make a killer Bloody Mary. I would recommend the burgers, but the fries are so-so. I'd consider getting a different side if you eat a burger," He told him honestly. He didn’t lie to customers, even customers who looked like they'd rather eat him for lunch than anything on the menu.

  "What kind of pies do they have?" he asked as he browsed the lunch menu further.

  "Apple, chocolate, peach, and cherry, “He told him, and then added, "We also have homemade donuts, cookies, brownies, and bagels."

  "A bagel sounds good actually. Do you have cream cheese?"

  Nodding, he wrote down the order, and when James was about to walk away Cesar reached and grabbed his wrist to stop him for a moment.

  "What?" He asked him, looking confused.

  "I want you to go out with me again tonight. This time something more date-like, something where I can take you out to dinner and maybe enjoy a little mood lighting. We are supposed to get a meteor storm tonight. We should be able to see the shooting stars," Cesar told her.

  "I never would have pegged you for a science geek," James muttered, but then nodded. "Okay, I'll text you my address and you can pick me up."

  As James walked into the back, Martin jumped on him for details.

  "You know that man?" Martin asked her. "I'd eat that man for breakfast if given half a chance. Is he single? “James laughed. "Yes, he's single, sort of. I kind of know him. He just asked me out, again."

  "He came here for you?" Martin looked disappointed, but then bounced back. "Well, if you decide you don't want him, send him my way when you are done with him."

  "Okay, Martin. If we don't work out, he's all yours," James said as he put in his order.

  "Do you like him?" Martin urged.

  "I don't know yet. I'm just getting to know him. There's something about him that I can't put my finger on. I feel like I've seen him before, but I don't know where." James shook his head. "Either way, I have agreed to dinner and, I guess, stargazing tonight."

  "Do you know what you are going to wear?" Martin asked, looking excited. Martin loved clothes and fashion. If you got him started it was hard to get him to stop.

  "I have a few things in mind. I have to take care of my other tables now. Try not to drool too hard, will you?" James laughed and patted Martin on the shoulder. His friend had a heart of gold and meant well. He just had different priorities in life than James. James was chasing men in his life, but it was because he wanted to find a mate. The right mate, not just any old mate. Bringing Cesar some fresh coffee when he brought his food out, James wondered if he was going to be the right man.

  When he smiled, he felt like he could get lost looking at him. The way his lips curved up at the sides and his eyes crinkled. He was relaxed and acted like nothing in the world could faze him. James found that appealing in him.

  He wasn’t quite sure how he'd handle his bossy, domineering side full time. He wasn't mean about it. It just seemed like he had a take-charge personality. He acted like he was used to getting his way. It's not that James wanted to play hard to get, but he’d never been very good at being told what to do in life.

  "Thank you for the meal, James. I will see you tonight," he said. James nodded and brought him his check. Cesar was gone by the time he got to the register and opened it up realizing he'd left a hundred-dollar bill in there. Gasping, he stared at it. Cesar’s bill had been nine dollars after taxes.

  "Whoa," Martin said when he saw the money. "Is that thing real?"

  "It sure is," James said as he took a pen to it to test its authenticity. Musing about what kind of job this man had that would allow him to drop a hundred-dollar bill for a nine-dollar meal. He wondered if he was into illegal activities or if he had a legitimate job.

  For the first time since meeting him, he was really worried that he knew so little about him. He decided to dig further if he was going to get involved with him. Starting with his last name.

  Texting him, James was blunt and asked him why he'd left a hundred-dollar bill and what his full name was.

  He texted the information back. Cesar Ellis was his full name. It was because he didn't have a smaller bill and had to get back to work.

  Ellis. Where had he heard that name before? Pulling up his phone’s search engine, James put in his name. When Ellis Enterprises showed up, he just about dropped his phone.

  "Are you okay?" Martin asked, looking concerned when he saw James's face and his shaking hand.

  "Do you know who that man really is?" James whispered, feeling suddenly way out of his league. What would a man like Cesar want to do with someone like him?

  "No, do tell though," Martin said, leaning forward on the counter and looking curious.

  "You've heard of Ellis Enterprises, right? That was Cesar Ellis," James informed his friend as he slid his phone over the counter to show Martin.

  "Yes, he owns one of the biggest software companies in the valley right now. He also makes like half the apps that are on the most phones. Why?" Martin looked down at the phone and gasped realizing what James was saying. "That man in here, the one who's interested in you? The one who asked you out is that Cesar Ellis? Oh my god, honey, you can’t blow this. He's worth billions."

  "Why would he want a server from Montana?" James asked, feeling suspicious. "I feel like this is a prank. It does explain how he kept getting unblocked when I blocked his profile on that dating app. He had access to everything. I don't know if I'm flattered that he liked me that much, or if this is some awful prank and he's just doing it to mess with me."

  "Oh, this explains a lot,” Martin said. “I keep reading that he is never seen out with a woman on his arm. It only makes sense. Honey, I think you need to disregard what Cesar does for a living, and get to know the man. He may surprise you. Very few men care about our backgrounds, or where we were born. If they find us attractive and interesting, that's enough to spark their desire. It makes them take the time to get to know us. If it goes further, great. If not, just enjoy the ride," Martin said, and then got up to go help his tables. "Just be open minded, you may be surprised at how this turns out. I doubt a man who has people falling all over him constantly would put so much attention into someone if he didn't actually want them."

  "Yes, but what does he intend to do with me if he gets me?" James asked, his left eyebrow arching up as he asked the question.

  "What any man would do. You are a strong, opinionated and can hold your own. You didn't know he had money when you started talking, and
were interested in him as a man. I would bet that had a lot to do with his interest in you. When people throw themselves at a man for his money, it makes it hard for him to know if they like him for who he is, instead of for the money in his bank account. You met him before knowing who he really was. You probably scored major brownie points in his book."

  "You know I'm going to confront him about this," James said as Martin left the counter.

  Martin looked over his shoulder and shrugged. "That's up to you, but if I was you, I'd just enjoy the time he's offering and spend it with him like he’s any other man, and worry less about his career, position, or how much money he has. “James nodded, but in the back of his mind, he realized what was bugging him about Cesar. It wasn't so much that he was one of the richest men James had ever met, or one of the hottest. It was the fact he didn't tell the truth from the beginning about who he was. And when asked why he was interested, he kept avoiding the question.

  James would get answers. Tonight. He wasn’t going to take no for an answer. If Cesar wanted to keep seeing him, he had to give him something. He needed to be able to trust someone he was going out with, and trust that this relationship had the chance to be real.

  Chapter 4

  James got ready, pulling the pale blue linen shirt over his head he peered into the mirror. He liked wearing this color because of the way it brought out his eyes. Also the Indian-inspired collar accented his collar bone and neck area. James examined the reflection peering back at him. He had always had a small frame which did him no favors back in Montana, especially since it was clear from a young age that he was... different.

  . Looking at himself in the mirror, he decided a little bit of hair gel was all that was missing.

  Realizing Cesar said he wanted to stargaze, he eyed his brown cowboy boots in the closet and shrugged. They went with everything. Putting them on, he smiled. Now he felt like himself.

  The doorbell rang and he answered it. Cesar glanced over him and grinned.