Ray, Helena - Taste of Pride [The Pride of Savage Valley, Colorado 2] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting)
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The Pride of Savage Valley, Colorado 2
Taste of Pride
When travel writer Marta Verner’s publisher folds, leaving her stranded in Savage Valley, Colorado, she takes a job as a waitress at Savage Hunger, the local diner. As soon as they meet her, diner co-owners and mountain lion-shifters Sam and Phil Pope know they’ve found their mate.
However, the curse that gives them their shifting powers prohibits Sam and Phil from mating her right away. They must convince their estranged younger brother Mel to mate her, too. Sam finds a loophole that allows them to mate Marta without Mel—a loophole that involves selling their diner to corporate giant NormCorp and jeopardizing the future of the Savage Valley pride.
When Sam and Phil discover that Marta has fallen for Mel, too, they must reverse their decision to sell the diner and mate her at once. Will her love be enough to reunite the broken Pope family before it’s too late?
Genre: Ménage a Trois/Quatre, Paranormal, Shape-shifter
Length: 48,107 words
TASTE OF PRIDE
The Pride of Savage Valley, Colorado 2
Helena Ray
MENAGE EVERLASTING
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK
IMPRINT: Ménage Everlasting
TASTE OF PRIDE
Copyright © 2011 by Helena Ray
E-book ISBN: 1-61034-918-0
First E-book Publication: October 2011
Cover design by Les Byerley
All art and logo copyright © 2011 by Siren Publishing, Inc.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.
All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.
PUBLISHER
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
Letter to Readers
Dear Readers,
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Regarding E-book Piracy
This book is copyrighted intellectual property. No other individual or group has resale rights, auction rights, membership rights, sharing rights, or any kind of rights to sell or to give away a copy of this book.
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This is Helena Ray’s livelihood. It’s fair and simple. Please respect Ms. Ray’s right to earn a living from her work.
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DEDICATION
To William Shakespeare, Michael Bublé, and the awe-inspiring women of Saturday afternoons and Monday nights
TASTE OF PRIDE
The Pride of Savage Valley, Colorado 2
HELENA RAY
Copyright © 2011
Chapter 1
“You swear it’s not too terrible here? Like, cross your heart and hope to die?”
Marta Verner watched her best friend Chelsea’s bright-red hair bounce as she laughed. She looked happier and more relaxed than Marta had ever seen her, which boded well for her own stay here in Savage Valley, Colorado.
Marta watched the scenery flash by as Chelsea turned onto Treaty Lane from Kwitakusix Cove, where Marta’s tiny new apartment was located. Get used to it. You’re going to be here for a long time.
“If you say so, Chels.” Marta took a deep breath and attempted a smile at her friend. “Maybe this will make a great story someday.”
“Oh, hush,” Chelsea said with a laugh. “It’s already made a great story for both of us, and you know it.”
Chelsea was right about her stay in Savage Valley making a great story. She had met two handsome locals and was engaged to be legally married to one of them. The three of them were living in a ménage relationship, although Marta didn’t quite understand how it worked. But her best friend glowed day and night now, and that was all that mattered to her.
And as for Marta’s own trip to the Valley, it hadn’t been quite as magical as Chelsea’s. She had originally dragged her friend here to accompany her on an assignment but left quickly to start a dream job writing a book about northwestern Colorado. Look how well that turned out. What had started as an idyllic journey quickly turned to a nightmare when Marta’s publisher folded and left her stranded in Colorado. Luckily, Chelsea was willing to arrange for Marta to stay in Savage Valley while she figured out exactly how she’d make it home to Memphis.
Not that Memphis really was home anymore. Since her mother moved to Florida with her stepfather and Chelsea moved to Colorado, nothing was left for her there. She had even broken the lease on her apartment when she started her latest book. Stupid. Now, jobless and homeless, Marta was stranded. Chelsea had intimated that she could use her new small-town connections to secure Marta a job, but after this recent letdown, Marta’s spirits were certainly downtrodden.
Chelsea turned the truck right onto Main Street, and they headed into the town center. Marta watched as they passed a small beauty salon, a gas station with a tiny grocery store attached, and a slightly dilapidated row of local shops—all the trappings of small-town America.
They pulled into the parking lot next to the row of shops, and Chelsea cheerily hopped from the cab of the truck. Marta sighed and hauled open her door. She looked up at the neon sign advertising Savage Hunger, Savage Valley’s local diner, and despite her sullen mood, her stomach grumbled. Funny, she had been here only about two months ago with Chelsea, and their positions had switched since then. Now, Marta was the one reticent in the passenger’s seat, hesitating to enter the diner.
Marta hurried after Chelsea as she burst through the glass doors to the diner. Several townspeople waved to her, and she embraced an older woman wearing a black-and-orange uniform.
“Oh, Chelsea, honey, how you been? We haven’t seen you around as much since, well, you know,” the waitress said with a friendly wink.
Chelsea’s cheeks flushed, and Mart
a knew exactly what she’d been doing for the past few weeks. Hell, she would have done the same thing if she had found two mouthwateringly delectable specimens like Chelsea’s men for herself. Not likely, she thought to herself.
“Well, you know, I’ve just…been…”
“No need to explain, honey! One look at Oliver and Roarke tells your whole story.” Chelsea’s blush deepened at the mention of her fiancés. “Now who’s your friend here?”
“Oh! Rita, this is Marta, my best friend. You two met when I first came to the Valley, I think?”
“That’s right, sug,” Rita said as she gathered Marta into her arms. Marta hugged the woman back enthusiastically, always appreciative of the multitudinous shows of affection in small towns. “How could I forget?”
Rita motioned to a round booth beside the glass doors to the diner and retrieved menus for both of them.
“You certainly get the royal treatment,” Marta observed as they settled into their places at the booth. “She seems to treat you like you own the town.”
Chelsea giggled and closed the menu in front of her. “Well, I am mate—” Chelsea cleared her throat before continuing. “I’m engaged to the mayor and one of the town councilmen.” Her words came out in a rush, accompanied by a nervousness Marta didn’t quite understand. “And everyone’s treated like royalty here. You’ll see that. It’s, um, well…” Chelsea suddenly seemed to become very interested in the menu again. “Savage Valley isn’t like other towns. You’ll come to see that.”
The journalist in Marta begged for release. “How so? It doesn’t seem that strange to me.” The bells on the door jangled beside Marta, and an older woman walked in holding hands with two men. One of them kissed her on the cheek as another attempted a thwarted grab at her ass. “Well, aside from the proliferation of ménages there seems to be in this town. How does that work anyway?”
Chelsea’s blushes could never stay away for too long.
“Well, um, what do you mean by ‘work?’”
“I’m not talking about in the bedroom, Chels,” Marta said with a laugh. “I think I’ve read enough erotica to know how that works out.”
“Shh!” Chelsea gesticulated wildly in an apparent attempt to silence Marta.
“What? You’ve never read any? I would assume that with your newly open attitude toward sex, your curiosity might finally get the better of you.”
“Okay, maybe a little.” Chelsea’s voice was only a squeak, and Marta couldn’t help but dissolve into giggles with her best friend, a reaction entirely inconsistent with her twenty-six years.
“But seriously. How does the town react to the relationships? I read an article about a town that practices ménageamy in Texas, but I didn’t think the practice was so widespread.”
“How do I put this?” Chelsea’s brow furrowed in concentration. “Let’s just say there are certain…qualities of Savage Valley that make ménage relationships particularly…advantageous.”
Marta stared at her friend. “What in the hell are you talking about?”
“Well, you see…” Chelsea began.
Marta didn’t hear anything her friend said. An extremely tall man emerged from the hallway behind the counter at Savage Hunger and made his way to their table.
“Hey, Chelsea,” he said before turning to Marta. He didn’t say anything for a moment, and his watery blue eyes locked on to Marta’s. She couldn’t move for a moment, couldn’t speak. Never before had she seen so handsome a man, let alone seen one this close to her and who was apparently on a first-name basis with her best friend.
A strand of previously slicked-back blond hair fell across his eyes, breaking the spell he held over her, and a stunning smile broke across his handsome features.
“Why, Chelsea, I don’t believe I’ve met your friend.”
Oh, shit, his voice was deep and sultry, just as sexy as the rest of him.
“You haven’t?” Chelsea looked back and forth between the two of them. “I would have thought you met a few weeks ago. Oh, well, this is—”
“Marta. I’m Marta.” Her words came out in a hurry, and she found herself extending her hand up to him. He took it, and the warmth of his long fingers stroking her palm had her melting. He squatted next to them so that they made eye contact and continued to hold her hand.
“Samuel Pope. It’s so nice to meet you.” He continued smiling at her, the expression lighting up his face. His eyes fixed on her even as she sat there mute, unable to recall the purpose for her visit to the diner.
“So glad the two of you seem to be getting along,” Chelsea said, and suddenly the Adonis in front of Marta stood again, releasing her hand. “So, Sam,” she continued, “Marta’s in the market for a job. Any chance you have an opening at Savage Hunger?”
His gaze settled on Marta once again, and she felt her insides heat. He turned his head to the side, studying her, then laughed and smiled back at Chelsea.
“Right, Oliver mentioned that you might have a new waitress for me. For Oliver and Roarke’s girl, I’ll definitely give her an interview.”
Sam straightened then lowered his substantial height to the rounded bench beside Marta and scooted closer to her. Were they doing this right now? The feeling of his closeness excited her, but she kept her distance. Best not to blow a job interview before it started. She tried school her features into a businesslike countenance, though she was pretty sure she couldn’t be wearing any look besides one of complete fascination and attraction.
“Do you have a résumé?”
“Résumé?” Marta couldn’t think while looking into his eyes. Luckily, Chelsea poked her in the ribs and handed her a copy of the document. “Right. Oh, oh, um, yes,” she mumbled.
Sam raised an eyebrow and the corner of his lips kicked up in a smirk as he accepted her résumé.
“Let’s see…You worked at Corky’s in high school—any chance you could fly in some of their pulled pork?”
His affection for the signature Memphis barbecue comforted her a little, bringing back her confidence. “That depends on whether or not I get the job.”
“Hmm, we’ll see.”
“We’ll see what?”
Sam stopped and studied her for a moment, the slight grin on his lips growing into a full-blown smile.
“We’ll see plenty of things.”
* * * *
How on earth did Sam get so lucky? Just when he’d had a terrible morning attempting to figure out the Savage Hunger books, an angel of a woman showed up in his diner.
He had to force himself to focus on conducting the interview. One glance at her résumé told him she was beyond qualified as a candidate. She appeared to have waitressed her way through high school, college, and the beginning of her writing career. His only question was why such a gorgeous, intelligent woman wanted to work in his small-town diner.
“So why Savage Valley? Don’t get me wrong—you’re very qualified. I’m wondering why someone like you would want to stay here and work.”
The hurt expression she wore clenched at his heart. “Someone like me?”
“Oh, god, no. I don’t mean…” Her frown deepened, and he rushed to explain. “By someone like you I mean someone who’s done so much and could go anywhere she wants and…”
Since when did he ramble like an idiot? Marta reached up and twirled a lock of her chocolate-brown hair around one manicured finger. Sam watched the gesture attentively, engrossed by her graceful movements and the quickening pulse beating against her wrist. He felt a tingling underneath his fingernails, signaling his inner reaction to Marta’s presence. A deep breath steadied him, and Sam continued the interview.
“I only want to know why someone who clearly has a great deal service industry of experience and what looks like a bright future as a writer would want to work as a waitress in a diner in rural Colorado.”
She appeared to attempt to pull herself together, but Sam could detect sadness in her wide green eyes. “To tell the truth, I was writing a book and my publis
her folded.” Sam nodded, and she let out a breath that appeared long held. “And since Chelsea lives here, I thought it could work as a place to stay for a while.”
“Well, then.” Sam glanced at her résumé once more, but his decision had been made the instant he laid eyes on her. “Welcome to Savage Hunger, Marta.” He extended his hand, and the feel of her cool skin against his shook him to his core. He wondered if this was what Oliver had spoken of when he first saw Chelsea. Every inch of him burned for her, needing her to be close to him. Sam had never had trouble with women, but he usually only felt lukewarm toward his conquests. Never had he felt such a strong desire to be with a woman, to see her, to hold her.
“Really?” The glee in her eyes warmed his heart. She put her other hand in his, and he basked in the glow of her affection. “Thank you so much. Really. You have no idea how much this means to me.”
He chuckled at her effusive reaction to the job offer and stood. She followed suit, and he got his first full look at her. The sight stopped his breath in his lungs. He never expected women to equal his six-foot-four stature, but Marta held her own in the height department. Her legs were long and shapely. In fact, all of her was rounded and womanly, just the way he liked his women. The swell of her breasts heaved, and he had to remind himself to rake his eyes up to her face, where her green eyes sparkled beneath long brown bangs. And you thought you wanted her before.
She grabbed his hand again and shook it vigorously, a smile crossing her lightly freckled face.