He gave her another sexy grin. “You have a deal. Our past does not define us.”
When they got downtown he pulled up in front of the most expensive and exclusive restaurant in the city. Bailey had never eaten there, but she heard people made reservations a year in advance, yet somehow he’d gotten one at a moment’s notice. How he thought she’d believe he was bartender was beyond her.
The valet moved to open her door but Jaxon waved him off. He opened it instead, offering his hand. She took it gladly. It was firm and strong, with the slightest hint of roughness under smooth skin. As they headed inside she asked, “Did your assistant handle the restaurant reservations too?”
His look of surprise told her that he had no idea how popular the place was. “Yes, how’d you know?”
“Oh, I just had a feeling. What’s her name?”
“Jasmine.”
“Well, Jasmine deserves a raise.”
The hostess was a leggy redhead with a short skirt and glossy lips. Bailey peeked over at Jaxon to see if he was checking her out. She wouldn’t hold it against him, the woman was beautiful. She was just curious. But much to her discomfort, his eyes were glued to her. That made her turn away and blush.
“Two for Knight,” he told the hostess.
While he might not have noticed what Bailey had checked his reaction to the hostess, she certain did. Her lips curled in amusement and her voice was extra perky as she said, “Right this way!”
“Night as in opposite of day or guy on a horse saving damsels?” Bailey asked as they followed the hostess to their table.
“The latter.”
Bailey chuffed. “Of course.”
“Hey, don’t knock it. You might be Mrs. Knight someday.”
Bailey froze in her tracks, his words knocked her completely off balance. Not that she hated the idea, but she’d just met him.
Seeing her face, he realized his mistake. “Sorry…I didn’t mean…I’m no good at this. Most the people I talk to are already drunk and believe me, I’m far more charming after a few beers.”
She chuckled. “Don’t worry, you’re not doing too bad.”
They sat down at the table and the hostess handed them their menus. Bailey paid little attention as a waiter came up and began the describe the Chef’s Choice. She had more important things to worry about, like the entire menu being in French. How the hell was she supposed to order?
After the waiter finished his pitch, Jaxon handed him his menu and said, “That sounds great, I’ll have that.”
Bailey stared up at the angular faced man with a thin mustache and fumbled for anything to say at all. How could she admit she grew up with nothing and while her job afforded her some understanding of the rich, she was completely out of her element? She vowed not to judge him because of his wealth, but this was downright embarrassing. So she did the one thing she could, “Yes, I’ll have the special too.”
Wait, was she supposed to call it that? Diners had specials, not five star restaurants. The look on the snooty waiter’s face as he said, “Very good, ma’am” told her she’d probably called it the wrong thing.
The waiter turned back to Jaxon, “Would you like to see our wine menu?”
He shook his head. “No, just bring a bottle of your best.”
The waiter left to put in their order and Bailey turned to Jaxon wanting to fill the moment with talk of anything. “So, what do you do for fun?”
“Well, with the bar and brewery, I don’t have much free time, but when I do I enjoy the usual stuff—hiking, kayaking, you know.”
Bailey blinked. That was ‘the usual stuff’? She couldn’t remember the last time she’d seen a kayak in real life. “Reading, musicals, you know, the usual.”
He smiled, which completely disarmed her. “Yeah, that’s the thing about Southoak, there isn’t much to do, so most of the people I know have the same hobbies as I do. I’m afraid you won’t find any musicals.”
The waiter returned with a bottle of white wine and filled both their glasses. She gave him a nod of acknowledgment and lifted the glass to her lips. “Don’t worry, I have a car and I’m willing to travel for a good musical.”
As they waited for their food, they talked about their work and Bailey was becoming more and more at ease with every sip of wine. Though it wasn’t just that, there was something about Jaxon, that even in a six thousand dollar suit could only be described as homey. And it was hard to be uncomfortable around a man who exuded warmth. He was like a big teddy bear and she just wanted to brush up against him and forget the world.
But that wasn’t an option, because the world was determined to intrude on their little bubble. The waiter came back and sat a plate down in front of each of them. Octopus. She had ordered fucking octopus! She glanced up at Jaxon and the waiter giving them a fake smile.
“Will there be anything else?”
She shook her head. “No, this is great. Thank you.”
Jaxon examined his forks for a minute, chose one and began eating.
Bailey stared down at her plate knowing what she had to do. She was an incredibly picky eater and didn’t like seafood. And if she had to choose, octopus would probably be the last thing she’d willingly put in her mouth. But she was at this expensive restaurant with a handsome, sweet guy and the last thing she wanted to do was insult him by wasting his money. This had to be an incredibly expensive dinner and she didn’t have it in her to tell him she wasn’t paying attention to what she ordered.
Fortunately, the fancy dish didn’t have much of anything on it. Just a few bites and she’d be done. She picked up the slimy piece of tentacle with her fork, closed her eyes and popped it into her mouth. It was raw.
She couldn’t spit it out, so she swallowed it down. The idea of having to take another bite sickened her. What she’d just eaten made her nauseous too. It was almost as if she could feel it squirming inside of her. She covered her mouth with both and jumped up. She was going to throw up, right in front of him. His several hundred dollar dinner and she was going to make a mess of octopus and white wine right there on the table.
She didn’t know where the bathroom was, so she ran for the front door as fast as she could in heels. She pushed through the double doors and was hit by the cool night air. She bent over and tried to wretch but it didn’t come up, instead she stood in front of this five star restaurant dry heaving. She was like a walking Yelp review.
Tears welled in her eyes. Not only from the discomfort and embarrassment, but from the fear of having ruined her chances. Guys like him were one in a zillion and she just stood up and literally ran from him. He must have thought she was insane.
“Are you okay?”
She spun around to find him looking at her with concern. She wiped her eyes on the back of her hand and pushed her brown strands from her eyes. “Yes. The octopus didn’t sit right with me. I didn’t mean to order it. I wasn’t listening.”
He laughed. “Well, if it makes you feel any better, I was listening and he never said octopus. He said a bunch of stuff I didn’t understand and I just pretended I did because I didn’t want to look stupid and unsophisticated in front of you.”
Now it was her turn to laugh. “I did the same thing.”
He offered her his hand. “Let’s go get some real food.”
She took his hand and followed him down the stairs. The valet brought back his car and she rode with him to see what constituted ‘real food’. Within thirty minutes they were sitting on the hood of the Bronco under a starlit sky splitting a box of cheese sticks and a six pack of beer.
Bailey picked up a piece with her mouthwatering as she watched the cheese stretch. “If you keep spoiling me like this, I’ll come to expect it.”
He smiled and took a swing from his beer before saying, “Eat up. The dough will help soak up the octopus.”
She shook with laughter, before once again being distracted by their picturesque surroundings. She had been nervous when he drove her out the city, more so when he tur
ned off the road and into the woods somewhere. But there was something about this place that seemed almost magical. The chirping of the insects, the smell of the air. The lake that spread out before them reflected the moon so vividly, it seemed like she could jump in and touch it. This place felt like the forest out of a fairytale. “How did you find out about this place?” She asked between bites.
“We’re in my backyard.” He pointed across the lake. “You see there? In the distance? That’s my cabin.”
Bailey squinted, she could barely make out the building on the other side of the lake, but she could tell it was two floors tall and very big. “That’s not a cabin,” she said decidedly.
“Is so, it’s just a very big cabin.”
She shook her head. “Do you do anything like a normal person?”
Jaxon chuckled. “Usually no, but I swear I try.”
She finished off the last cheese stick she could stand to eat and leaned back rubbing her tummy. “That’s okay, normal people are boring anyway. I like a guy that keeps me guessing.”
When he didn’t respond, she looked over at him to find him staring. His eyes smoldering with desire. “What?” She asked anxiously.
“For a moment there, you looked so incredibly sexy, my bear almost rose up and took over.”
Bailey sat up, at full attention. “Your bear?”
“I’m a grizzly. Gerri didn’t tell you?”
“No, it never came up.” She had asked for excitement, but she’d never really thought about how the matchmaker would deliver. A charming, handsome, down-to-earth, shifter. The woman was good at her job.
“Is that a problem?”
“I don’t know. Do you plan to eat me?” She asked teasingly.
“Only in ways you enjoy.”
Her cheeks turned red. “What am I going to do with you?”
“Anything you like.”
Ha! That list was already long and graphic and growing longer by the minute. But she couldn’t risk him thinking less of her. Deep down she had a feeling she’d never had before. When she looked at Jaxon she felt like he could be the man she’d spend the rest of her life with. It seemed crazy, she barely knew him, but the feeling was there, deep in her bones.
They spent hours talking about everything. She told him about her childhood, all those years she spent alone, wondering how she could become worthy of love. She rarely talked about her childhood, but there was something about Jaxon that made it flow out of her. She wanted him to know who she was.
He told her about his clan. He was the leader of it, but his role was being challenged by an outsider. She practically swooned as she watched him talk about his people and how he’d do anything to protect them. She was imagining him having the same passion when it came to protecting her and their family. It would be a dream come true.
As the night rolled on, Bailey grew tired, but she wouldn’t say anything because she didn’t want the night to end. What if she closed her eyes and it all went away? What if it was just a dream? She fault sleep until she couldn’t anymore.
She woke up for a moment as Jaxon put her into the car, but she quickly dozed again when they started moving. Once again as he was taking off her shoes and slipping her into a soft warm bed. “Goodnight, Bailey.”
“Night, Jaxon,” she mumbled before pulling the comforter under her chin and dozing off again.
Chapter Three
Bailey woke up in an unfamiliar bed. It took a few minutes for the fog to lift and for her to remember where she was. When she did, she couldn’t help but smile. Glancing around the room, she didn’t see any personal effects, so she figured she was in the guest room, but still, she was in his home.
She wondered what kind of face to make when she saw him. Should she be coy? Confident? Dreamy-eyed? As she imagined different scenarios, she glimpsed a note on the bedside table. She picked up the blue square and began to read.
Turned out it didn’t matter what face she made because Jaxon was gone.
My Sweet,
This morning I left on urgent clan business and I’m not sure when I’ll be back. Feel free to make yourself at home. What’s mine is yours. If you need a ride back to the city let me know, I can have a car sent to pick you up.
At the bottom was his number and a threat if she didn’t make use of it. Don’t forget, I know where you live.
Bailey couldn’t help but smile, given all she’d shared with him, his comment had several different meanings. Even with his invitation to stay, she didn’t feel right staying in his cabin without him. He seemed eager to see her again, there would be plenty of time for her to explore his home. Though she learned plenty from the room she was in. From the quilted comforter she’d slept under to the hand-carved cuckoo clock on the wall, everything spoke of a family of builders. Ones that built their home with their own hands generations ago.
Jaxon had tried to tell her the kind of man he was. The image clashed with the expensive suit, but here, in his home, she could see who he was.
She climbed out of bed and slipped on her heels. Looking at the Uber app, she headed downstairs. At the base of the stairs she heard fumbling coming from a room to her left. She turned to investigate the noise.
Following the sound, she found Jaxon’s office which was in shambles. At the center of the mess was a tall, slender man wearing creased slacks and a vest. His blond hair fell into his eyes as he searched through Jaxon’s desk throwing each drawer on the floor when he finished with it. Behind him stood a bulky man in a chauffeur’s uniform and sunglasses. He cleared his throat, alert the blond man of Bailey’s presence.
He looked up and noticing her he asked, “Who are you?” In a tone more fit for addressing a roach than a person.
Bailey folded her arms across her chest. She was invited to make herself at home. She wasn’t the one tearing the place apart. “Who are you?” She asked with just as much haughtiness.
The man must have realized he was being a jerk, because suddenly his expression softened. “Forgive me, I’m Levi Pierce, one of Jaxon’s clansmen. He has something of mine and it’s very important that I find it.”
“Well, he won’t be back for the rest of the day. Try calling him and asking him where it is.” She fidgeted as the man watched her with his strange eyes, a light gray, silver in the light.
He smiled. “That won’t be necessary, I have another way of getting it back.” There was something in that smile that made her heart beat faster, some hint of danger that only her most primal instincts could recognize. If he was Jaxon’s clansman, then he was a bear shifter too. Perhaps, that’s what she was sensing. He looked out the window. “I didn’t see a second car out front. Did Jaxon really bring you hear and then leave for a day?”
“He said he’d have someone pick me up and take me home if I needed.” She said in his defense.
“Of course, he did. No need for that. I’ll take you home, Princess.”
The offer seemed reasonable, and yet Bailey hesitated. She didn’t know this man, should she get into his car? Well she didn’t know Jaxon before last night and getting into his car worked out quite well.
Levi seemed to be able to read her thoughts. He walked over to her and spoke softly as if trying to calm a skittish horse. “Jaxon is my clansman, if you are his, I’m bound to do you no harm and aid you in any way I can.”
The idea of being a part of something like that was so seductive. What he was describing was family, something Bailey longed for more than anything. She wanted to trust this man. She wanted to be part of something. She wanted to belong.
“Sure, let’s go then.”
She headed out front and climbed into the back of Levi’s limo. She took one last glimpse at the massive structure Jaxon called his cabin as they pulled away. She looked forward to the next time she’d be seeing it.
“So, what do you do, friend of Jaxon’s who hasn’t given me her name yet?”
Bailey broke from her contemplations and realized she was being rude. “Oh, sorry. Bailey A
nderson. I run an interior design firm.”
With Jaxon she downplayed her job, but not with Levi. She wasn’t sure why. Maybe because his predator nature seemed so close to the surface, she stood taller just to seem more formidable. Or maybe because judging from his clothes, he was shamelessly rich with amazing taste and she never knocked new business.
“An interior designer? Really? I recently moved and I’d love for an expert to give their opinion on my estate. Mind taking a look at it?”
Smiling, Bailey fished through her purse for her business card, she was managing to fit in already. “Of course not. That would be no problem at all.” As she pulled out her card the contents of her purse spilled all over the limo floor.
Levi helped her gather them back up and back into her purse. “Sorry, I fumble.”
His smile was disarming. “Don’t worry. I’ll catch you.”
They started talking about decorating and Bailey didn’t notice that they weren’t headed back to the city. It wasn’t until they pulled up to a set of wrought iron gates did she realize something was up. “Where are we?” Though she already suspected the answer.
“My estate. You said you wanted to take a look at it.” Levi blinked at her innocently.
“I didn’t mean today.” Not only was it the weekend, she hadn’t even gone home yet. She needed time to unwind and mentally unpack every minute she’d spent with Jaxon. He made her heart flutter and she needed a chance to think about everything that happened without the distraction of his broad shoulders and manly smell messing with her head.
“Oh…but since you’re here already, you may as well.”
Bailey sighed. Levi seemed very much like a person used to getting his way. Unlike Jaxon, his wealthy childhood must have shaped him greatly. “Fine. Fine.” She said to the handsome man-child.
He made a gesture and the driver took them inside.
Bailey gasped as they pulled up to a gorgeous colonial. “You live here? Alone?” The place was massive! If she started walking at one end she’d be exhausted before reaching the other.
Paranormal Dating Agency: Bearly Rivals (Kindle Worlds Novella) Page 2