by Jane Wakely
When the girl from the club the night before opened the door, Matt couldn’t believe his luck or hide his disappointment. Of all the girls in Chestnut Rock, he’d been set up with one he already knew wasn’t the one for him. From the look on her face, she knew it too.
“You’re Jenn?”
“No—,”
“I am.” He heard another voice. “Sorry I’m late.”
Stunned, Matt couldn’t believe it. Her voice caressed every nerve ending causing him to harden at the very sound of her. The woman behind him was the one he’d been looking for. All the tension he carried over being lonely floated away. She relaxed and soothed him and his wolf with two words. It was unbelievable.
He turned to see her face and was stunned by her perfection. She stood at least six inches shorter than him and his protective instincts consumed him. He fought hard not to wrap her in his arms and shelter her from the world. It was like Jenn was made for him.
Her brown hair and brown eyes were lighter than his and tiny freckles sprinkled her nose. The pink color in her cheeks thrilled him, he was sure she was attracted to him, too. Even though she was still dressed for work and running late, she was stunning. Her pink blouse and brown skirt complimented her skin tone and her feet were encased in dark brown flat shoes that complimented her outfit and still looked comfortable.
Jenn’s roommate said something and ran past them. The excitement flowing through him made him want to break out in song and he never sang, except very badly in the shower. The urge to take Jenn back to his house and mate with her was strong, but he knew he couldn’t act on it. Dinner had to come first.
“It was nice meeting you, Matt. Thanks for coming by.”
She wanted him to leave? He’d just found her. He wasn’t going anywhere.
Something had gone wrong and Matt couldn’t figure out what happened. One minute they were going to dinner and the next she was saying goodbye. The look on her face when he tried to stop the door from closing tore at him. She thought he was going to hurt her.
Surprised by her anger and quick assessment of him, he let his hand fall and Jenn closed the door in his face. Unsure of what to do next, minutes passed as Matt stared at the closed entrance. The only woman who had ever stirred both his human and his wolf wanted nothing to do with him. She’d judged him before knowing him.
Dejected, he turned and walked to his car.
Chapter Three
Jenn woke up early the next day, thankful she had the day off. The library was only open from twelve to four on Saturdays and she and Marcy took turns working the short shift. She wished she could have slept in, but she’d gone to bed right after Matt left, skipping dinner which meant she’d already gotten enough sleep and now her stomach was growling.
When she made her way to the kitchen, Christina surprised her. Her friend never got up early, but she was waiting for Jenn with coffee brewing on the counter behind her.
An uneasy feeling swept over Jenn. She didn’t think Christina liked Matt, but she didn’t want there to be any weirdness between her and her friend. Jenn was about to tell Christina she was free to pursue Matt, but Christina spoke first.
“So how did it go? Did you kiss him? What did you think? I’m sorry I kissed him the night before. I had no idea he was your date, but still. When are you going out again?”
Jenn stared at Christina. Not only was she up early, but Christina had energy, and it seemed it wasn’t caffeine induced.
“What’s the matter? Not enough sleep last night?” Christina winked and started pouring their coffee. “Come on, Jenn, share the details!”
“Nothing happened. I didn’t go out with him.”
“What?” Christina stopped mid pour and turned toward her. “What are you talking about?”
“I saw how disappointed he was to see that I was his date instead of you so I told him to leave.”
“What are you talking about? From what I saw, he seemed happy to see you.” Christina grabbed the steaming cups and carried them to the table.
“You didn’t see his face. He was frowning at me and he had a hard on for you. Plus, he was drunk enough to randomly kiss you in that bar on Thursday. I don’t need a guy like that.” Jenn sat down and added sugar to her cup.
“Actually, he was frowning at me too. When I opened the door, I knew he wasn’t happy to see me. I wasn’t happy to see him either, and I didn’t want your date to be ruined because of that kiss. When you spoke up, that’s when he got hard. You did that with just your voice, Jenn!”
They sipped their coffee as she thought about what Christina said.
“Also, I don’t think he was drunk on Thursday.” Christina added.
“What do you mean?”
“I’d been watching that group and his friends drank a lot, but I saw him with the same beer for a long time. When he approached me, he asked me first before he kissed me. I think he was sober.”
Jenn thought about it and from what she’d seen, Christina was right. His friends were drinking and being loud, but Matt seemed to just be there almost if he was on the outside looking in—or trying to fit in. She remembered his face when she told him to leave. Instead of accepting his offer of dinner, she’d been mean. Thinking of the hurt look on his face, she couldn’t help wonder if she’d made a mistake. Had she judged him too quickly the way so many people had done to her?
The unexpected urge to see him and find out for sure coursed through her.
“I have to go.”
“Go where? It’s seven in the morning?”
“Christina, I think I’ve made a terrible mistake.”
“Ah. Yes, I believe you have.”
Happy that her friend agreed, Jenn raced down the hall to make herself presentable before going to find Matt. After a speedy shower, she brushed her hair and teeth before throwing on shorts and t-shirt.
With his address in hand after a quick call to Marcy, she slid her feet into her sandals, thankful that Marcy’s husband had given up Matt’s address easily.
“See you later, Christina!” She yelled as she went out the door.
“Hopefully not,” Christina yelled back, “Good luck!”
****
Matt covered his head with a pillow. Sunlight poured through a crack in the curtain, blinding him, and there was some kind of loud pounding noise coming from outside. He squeezed the pillow tighter around his head, but the pounding kept on. Unable to figure out what the noise was, or block it out completely, Matt got up to investigate.
When he walked into the living room, the pounding got louder. Someone was knocking on his door.
“Okay,” he yelled. “I hear you. Hang on.”
After leaving Jenn’s house last night, he’d come home restless and upset. In an effort to ease his tension and try to work out way to get to know Jenn, he’d stripped in the living room, allowed his wolf to take over and went for a long run. He’d run until his legs burned and he was too tired to think anymore. When he got home, he shifted back to his human form and fell into bed. That was only a couple of hours ago.
The sleepless fog that surrounded his brain started to clear when he saw her. She was sitting on his porch swing and stood when he opened the door. She held a tray with two steaming cups of coffee. Little sugar and creamer packets were stuffed in the tray’s two open holes.
Jenn wore a light blue tank top and black shorts. The crisp air had caused her nipples to harden and he could tell she wasn’t wearing a bra. The thought of her braless skin caused his cock to twitch.
“I’m sorry it’s so early, I’m not usually a morning person but I had to see you.” She stopped talking for a minute and seemed surprised to make such an admission out loud. Hesitant, she continued. “I brought coffee.”
Matt smiled when she held up the tray with the steaming cups.
“I’m glad you came. Come in.” He glanced around and realized his clothes were still thrown everywhere from last night. He cleared his throat, wondering what she must be thinking.
&
nbsp; “The kitchen’s this way.” Matt pointed and started walking into the other room.
Chapter Four
Jenn lost her breath and some of her nerve when Matt opened the door. Dressed only in wrinkled khakis, his bare chest was solid muscle. His tousled hair looked wild and he had dark circles under his eyes. He looked like he had a hangover and that gave her pause. Did he go on drunken binges every night? Remembering what Christina had said about him not being drunk on Thursday, but unsure of how to proceed, she cautiously stepped inside the door when he invited her inside his home.
“You know,” she called to him from her spot next to the door, “I can come back later.”
He turned, walked back to her and took the coffee as Jenn braced herself for rejection. After the way she behaved last night, she deserved it.
“You never have to call first, Jenn. I’m glad you’re here. Please don’t go.”
“Are you alone?” She asked as she glanced at the clothing on the floor.
“Yeah, of course. Why would you think…?” He followed her eyes. “Oh. I promise I’m alone. Last night I—,” he took a deep breath, “I was a bit frustrated when I got home so I went for a run. I was too tired to clean up when I got back.”
It seemed like he wanted to say more, but he didn’t so Jenn let it go. He seemed genuinely happy to see her.
“Let’s drink that coffee before it gets cold.”
****
They shared small talk over coffee and as she became more comfortable, he cooked scrambled eggs and toast. Matt wanted to bare his soul and show Jenn his shifter side. He didn’t want any secrets between them and the deep desire for her total acceptance consumed him, but it was way too early.
“This is terrific or else I’m really starved.” Her voice held no clue to her teasing, but her eyes sparkled as she quickly finished her eggs.
Matt was happy knowing she was comfortable with him but inside he teetered on that thin line between heaven and hell. While he was happy she was taking the time to get to know him, the urge to push her up against the wall and join their bodies in a frantic release consumed his thoughts.
“There are a few things I’m really good at.” He winked, teasing her back. “Why not let me make you dinner tonight?”
“That’s sweet, but you don’t have to. Breakfast was great.”
“I want to. I’d like to get to know you better. I’d like for you to get to know me, too.”
“Well, if you’re sure…”
“I’m sure.” He tried not to sound too eager even though he hung on her every word.
“Dinner sounds great.”
“Good. Come over at six.”
Chapter Five
After she agreed to dinner, they said their goodbyes and Jenn went home. It was past lunchtime when she woke from her nap, but she knew she wouldn’t make it till dinner so she made a half sandwich as she thought about Matt. Something about him was different, but she couldn’t figure out what it was. All she knew was when she was around him, her soul felt content.
Jenn arrived at Matt’s house one minute after six. She decided on a dressy, purple tank and a soft, frilly skirt that was white with matching purple flowers. She finished the look with the same casual sandals she wore earlier.
Matt opened the door in a black t-shirt and jeans. The black circles under his eyes had faded a bit, but he still seemed tense.
This time she didn’t hesitate when he offered her in and followed him immediately. He leaned down to kiss her cheek at the same time she looked up at him and their lips met in a soft touch. An electric spark raced through her body at the contact and Jenn was desperate for more. Matt seemed to feel it too. He broke the kiss, but lingered over her lips instead of pulling away completely.
“Wow.” She breathed into his mouth.
“Yeah.” He breathed back into hers.
Then he kissed her again.
Nothing like the first, this kiss was hard and possessive. Jenn held on to his shoulders as his lips planted kisses down her neck. She sighed when his tongue licked her collarbone. As if he was waiting for an invitation, his lips crashed on her open mouth, brushing his tongue against hers.
Matt slowly walked them backward until Jenn felt her back up against a wall. He lifted her easily and pinned her in place with his hips, resting his hard cock against her wet core. Her skirt had slid up her legs, but dipped between them, covering her panties. Jenn cursed their clothing as she tightened her legs around him, trying to pull him closer.
Matt’s hands found their way under the hem of her tank and he slowly slid them up her stomach, his rough hands sending shivers to her core. When they covered her breasts and scraped over her hard nipples, she whispered his name.
“Matt…”
“I love that you don’t wear a bra.”
She laughed. “Well, you’re the first.”
He stilled and looked her in the eyes. “You’re kidding, right?”
“No, most men prefer a girl with big boobs.”
“Good thing I’m not most men. I think you’re perfect.” Without warning, he bent his head and licked one of her hard pebbles. Jenn cried out and held his head tight, trying to keep him there. He was stronger than her and easily moved to her other breast, against her protests.
“Take off your shirt, Matt. I want to see you.”
“Wait,” he said between kisses. “We need to stop.”
“No we don’t,” she kissed him again. “Take off your shirt.”
Matt stopped kissing her and pulled down her tank before tugging on his own shirt. His hands rested on her waist but he kept her pinned to the wall.
“I’m sorry, Jenn. I didn’t mean to get so carried away, but we really need to stop right now. I’d like to talk to you before things go any further.”
Confused and turned on, Jenn was wary about what he needed to talk about. What in the world couldn’t wait? She braced herself for rejection.
“What do we need to talk about?”
“I’m going to let you down now, okay?”
She nodded and he let her down slowly. Her legs felt wobbly beneath her and she wanted to rip off her wet panties from embarrassment. Once she was steady, he led the way into the kitchen.
“We have about thirty minutes before dinner’s ready. Would you like something to drink?”
“No, thank you.” She sat down at the kitchen table.
Matt grabbed a bottle of water and joined her. He opened it and took a long drink before putting the cap back on and setting it aside.
“I’m not sure where to start so I’m just going to say it.”
****
Matt racked his brain for the best way to tell Jenn about his wolf side. He tried to think of another time when he’d shared his secret with a non-shifter but he couldn’t. Had he ever told anyone that he was a wolf before? He couldn’t remember, but Jenn needed to know. She was his mate and he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. He needed her to accept all of him.
“Jenn, I—” he cleared his throat and tried again. “Jenn, I’m a wolf. I mean, I can change—shift—into a wolf.” He watched her closely but her expression didn’t change so he continued.
“I’m still human, I just have heighted senses and strength most people don’t have. Even in my wolf form, I’m fully aware of who I am and of everyone around me.” He paused but she didn’t move. Jenn sat as still as a statue as if waiting for him to finish.
“Most shifters live solitary lives unless they find someone to accept them for both their human and animal selves. When I heard your voice last night, I knew you were my mate. When I saw you for the first time, it was confirmed. You’re the one woman in this world made especially for me. I’d like to spend the rest of my life with you.”
When he stopped talking, Jenn started nodding her head as if she was taking in what he said, processing and understanding it all. Hope grew inside Matt. Maybe she would agree to be with him for the rest of their lives.
“Is that it?�
�� She asked.
“Yes. I didn’t want to keep any secrets from you.”
“Do you share this information with every woman you have sex with?”
“No. I’ve never told anyone. I’m only telling you because I know you’re my mate.”
“So you can change? Into a wolf?”
“Yes.” Matt was starting to get nervous. Her face didn’t give anything away. He had no idea what she was thinking.
“Are you drunk?” Her voice slightly raised, she stood and looked around the kitchen. Was she looking for alcohol? He didn’t know.
“No, I’m not drunk. I told you this morning that I never get drunk and that I won’t drink around you. I didn’t lie to you, Jenn.” This morning she let a little bit slip out about how uncomfortable she felt around people that were drinking. Matt promised he wouldn’t drink around her and he meant it.
“How am I supposed to know that? You’re lying to me now!” She started walking toward the front door.
“I’m not lying to you. Wait and I’ll show you!” He chased after her.
She turned to face him.
“I don’t know how you’d pull that off and I don’t want to know.” She picked up her purse from the table by the door.
He grabbed her arm. “Jenn, please. Don’t go. Let me show you.”
She glanced down at his hand and met his eyes again.
“Let go of me.” Anger laced her words and he dropped his hand as unshed tears covered her brown eyes. “I can’t believe that you did this. All you had to say was that you weren’t interested. That’s all. I would have been able to handle it.”
She turned the doorknob and opened the door.
“Jenn, please don’t go. I’m telling you the truth. I want to be with you.”
“Goodbye, Matt.” She walked out the door, never once looking back at him.
Matt stood with the door open until he couldn’t hear her car anymore. She was gone for good and as a result, sadness gripped him as he stepped back inside. A bleak, lonely future stretched out before him. His mate hadn’t accepted him and he was alone. Again.