“He grabbed you when you tried to leave,” Nik groused. “I don’t stand for manhandling, you know that.”
She couldn’t help the smile lifting her lips. The guy was a giant, overprotective teddy bear. “I know. I swear he wasn’t hurting me.”
The first time Tess met Nik, it was her freshman year. She and Josh had come into Chugs on a date. Nik had flirted as Josh sat back and laughed. She should have known then Josh wasn’t serious about her. He hadn’t been the least bit bothered by Nik’s flirtations or those of his brothers whenever they came in.
Over the last couple of years, she’d gotten to know the Braun brothers more and considered them friends. Flirty, sexy friends—but friends nonetheless.
“Give me one good reason I shouldn’t throw his ass out of here,” Nik growled.
Austin’s body tensed beneath her fingers. His hands fisted, and a rumbling sound emanated from his chest. Her hand vibrated the louder it got.
Time stood still. Millions of thoughts raced through her mind. What should she say? Nothing and let Nik and Landon toss Austin out. She could be free from his crazy notion they were mates. He would get the hint she wasn’t interested.
And she could continue to lie and hate herself for the rest of her life.
While she wasn’t ready to admit it to Austin, she did feel something for him. She had been uncomfortable in her skin all day long, anxious and jittery. The image of him standing in her doorway, pressing his lips against hers for the first time, filled her mind. It soothed the cheetah, which in turn soothed her. For once in her life, the two sides of her being worked together for the same cause.
Turning to face the two men trying to protect her, she went with the truth. “There’s a chance we’re mates. We came to talk, have some food, and maybe figure things out. Don’t throw him out because I’m being bitchy.”
The fight visibly drained from Nik. “You could never be bitchy, Tess,” he said with a measure of fondness. “A little angry and scary these last couple of months, sure. What happened to you would have made anyone a little crazy.”
“Just call me Tess the Mess,” she joked, and then his words sunk in. “Wait. You know what happened? Does everyone?” She looked between Nik and Landon.
“Uh, I think I hear Levi calling for help. You got this, right, Nik? See ya later, Tess,” Landon said before racing away.
“Coward,” she called out.
Nik shrugged. “It was a pretty hot topic there for a while, and it happened right at the beginning of the year. Sorry, Tess, but I think so. Maybe not the names of those involved, but they know the story.”
Tess groaned and let her chin fall to her chest in shame. She would never be able to look people in the eye. Right when she thought she’d moved on, the whole incident slithered in again like a venomous snake. It ruled her life, and she was sick of it. Ready to chop its head off and burn it on a stake in the middle of the football field. Maybe then she’d be able to move on with her life.
“I don’t know what they’re talking about, but I think you should tell me.” Austin laced their fingers together. A shot of warmth spread outward from their connected hands, moving through her arm, and into her chest. In an instant, she felt better.
“Follow me,” Nik said.
With no other choice, they followed him as he wove his way through the mass of bodies to the other side of the bar. He stopped at a small tabletop tucked in the corner with a guy sitting at it. With one look, the man gathered his drink and scurried away. Nik turned and grinned at them. “A table for two.”
“Thanks,” Austin said, before helping her into a chair.
“Anything else I can get you?”
“Could we get two beers and a couple of medium-rare steaks?”
Nik looked at her, and she nodded in agreement. “Coming right up.” His gaze narrowed in on Austin. “You may claim to be her mate, but until she says otherwise, I’m keeping an eye on you. Big man on campus or not, you hurt her in any way, I’ll come after your ass. She’s had a hard enough time and doesn’t need some other asshole fucking her over.”
Austin nodded. “I’d let you kick my ass if that ever happened. Tess is my mate, and I’d do anything to keep her from hurting ever again.”
Heat rushed to Tess’s face, and she had to look away from the two men. No one in her life had ever sounded so sincere.
Chapter Six
Austin glanced at Tess and wondered, not for the first time, what went on in her head. They had been sitting at the table for a few minutes. Not a word spoken between them.
Reaching out, he hesitated before touching her hand. Her head swiveled toward him, brows furrowed in question. “Take a chance, Tess. Talk to me. That’s why we’re here.”
How many times would he have to ask her to reach out to him? Did she not feel anything? Could he be wrong about them? Unease bloomed in his chest. He shifted his chair closer before breathing her in. In an instant, he calmed, his anxiety dropping to a dull roar. It proved what he knew to be true. They were mates. He would never question it again.
His cheetah prowled and nodded approval. It chirped and whined, wondering why she wouldn’t respond to him.
Austin lived his life listening to the beast within. Growing up, he’d learned from his mom and dad the harmony of the two sides brought what you needed. So far, everything the beast pushed him to pursue was correct. Whether he agreed at the time, he couldn’t be sure.
They sat, neither of them speaking, for so long the food and drinks arrived. He gulped half his beer down then tore into his steak. He needed something to keep his mind and mouth busy. Begging her to talk to him didn’t work. It was also pretty damn tiring. Maybe the silent treatment would pull her out of her thoughts.
He finished his steak, drank the rest of his beer, and sat back. Tess pushed her meal around, a bite or two taken out of it then abandoned it, shoving it away.
“Take a chance, huh? Last time I did, it didn’t end well.”
“Are you talking about the hot topic he”—Austin nodded his head toward Nik—“mentioned?”
Tess snorted. “Hot topic,” she said, rolling her eyes. “I guess I should have known it would spread like wildfire. It was naive of me to think it wouldn’t.” She glanced at him, head tilted to the side. “You really don’t know about it?”
“No clue. My life revolves around football and class, so unless it had something to do with either of those, then I wouldn’t have heard.”
A ghost of a smile graced her lips. “I can believe that. Ya know, I knew who you were when I walked into the Wash & Wait with Blaire. I don’t know a person who doesn’t.” She scrunched her nose. “You’ll think it’s stupid.”
“If it happened to you, then it isn’t stupid. Put a little trust in me. Please.” He didn’t deserve her trust, hadn’t earned it yet, but they had to start somewhere.
“Fair warning, my trust in people has pretty much been obliterated as of late.”
“I figured. Fair warning to you, I plan on earning it. We have a future, Tess. You just need to let me in to see it.”
With a shake of her head, she sucked in a huge breath. “My boyfriend dumped me at the start of the year,” she said on a rough exhale.
“Okay, I kind of figured.”
“Blaire,” she growled. “Some friend she is.”
He laced their fingers together, thankful when she didn’t pull away. “She just wanted to help. You hightailed it out of the Laundromat so quick, I didn’t know what do to. She thought if I knew a little about why you reacted the way you did, I would understand better and not think my mate hated my guts on first sight. Tess, you weren’t the only one taken off guard by the mating thing. I hope you know that.”
She looked at him out of the corner of her eye and gave a sharp nod. At least she can acknowledge that much.
Whatever her asshole ex had done, it must have been bad. Austin had yet to find a guy or girl so broken up about a relationship ending it put them in a long, drawn-out f
unk. Everyone knew the most serious relationship they would ever have would be with their mate. Until then, it was free loving and lots of it. Shifters were sexual. It wasn’t a big deal. Even though the thought of her having sex of any kind with anyone pissed him the hell off.
“I hoped you would tell me what was so horrible that you’re still heartbroken about it. I’m sure whatever it is; you aren’t the first person it’s happened to. Did he graduate? Tell you a long-distance relationship wouldn’t work? Ask for an open relationship so he could see other women?”
She shook her head. “I’m not heartbroken,” she objected, making him wonder. “Josh didn’t graduate or move away. He’s a senior like us. We’d been going out since the beginning of our freshman year.”
His chest tightened at her words. Freshman year! Anger and jealousy warred for dominance within. He knew he struggled to keep a calm façade on his face. He wasn’t naive enough to think she’d never had a boyfriend, and he certainly wasn’t a monk by a long shot, but damn, freshman year. That was unheard of for two people who weren’t mates. “I’m assuming college and not high school.”
She chuckled. “Yes, college. I didn’t date in high school. Josh and I met here at Shifter U during our first band class.”
“Oh.” Austin didn’t know what to say. No dates in high school and one boyfriend in college. It was…odd, to say the least.
“Don’t worry. I never thought we were mates. We liked each other. He made me laugh. I made him look good. At least, that’s what he used to say. Little did I know he meant it in a literal fashion.” She took a long sip of her beer. When she set the glass back on the tabletop, she kept her gaze focused on it. Red crept over her cheeks. “We had sex once. It wasn’t good, not that I have anything to compare it to. But according to all of my girlfriends, it should have been better than that pathetic performance. We never did it again.”
“Excuse me?” He choked on his own spit. He was equal parts thrilled and terrified. A shudder rippled through him. God, what he wouldn’t give to bring her to climax and be the one to show her just how gratifying sex could be. What kind of moron had she been dating?
“Yeah, comical isn’t it. Shifters are supposed to be these super-sensual and sexual creatures. My first time was a train wreck filled with awkward thrusting and no fulfillment on my part.” She gulped the rest of her beer and waved the waitress over. When the girl arrived, Tess pointed to her glass, hiccupping softly. “Another please?”
The waitress’s worried gaze bounced to him then back to Tess. “Any particular kind?”
“I don’t know. I liked whatever we had before.” Tess looked into the empty glass as though it would give her the answer.
“I’m not sure another one is a good idea.” Austin got the distinct impression she was a lightweight when it came to drinking. Not eating the steak wouldn’t help matters either. Everything about her had turned out to be the complete opposite of every other shifter he knew.
She turned unfocused eyes on him. “If you want me to relive my humiliation and tell you what happened, then I’m going to need another drink.”
He still wasn’t convinced but didn’t want her ordering something she couldn’t handle. “Tommyknocker Maple Nut Brown Ale.”
The waitress’s eyebrows rose in surprise. He could understand why. The Maple Nut Brown Ale was a low-alcohol craft beer. It tasted good, but wouldn’t have the kick of the last beer they drank. He didn’t want to have to carry her home. He’d prefer a coherent mate who could hold a conversation.
The waitress brought their beers, Tess snatching hers before it could hit the surface. Finishing it off in a couple gulps, she thumped the glass on the table and turned in her chair to face him.
“I found him fucking his best friend in one of the practice rooms. They were so startled by the interruption they fell, knocking over the stands and instruments. They made so much noise our classmates came running in and saw them tangled together, their dicks hanging out, and both shocked as hell to see me. I stood there like an idiot with my mouth hanging open. I mean, what do you say in a situation like that?”
“Their dicks? As in more than one?”
“Yep. My boyfriend, Josh, was fucking his best friend, Steve. I finally had the answer to why we never had sex again. Other than it was a shitty experience. He had been banging his buddy from the start of our relationship. I was the decoy girlfriend to throw his parents off. I made him look good in their eyes. A nice, quiet, boring girlfriend who didn’t make waves. His sexuality was never questioned, and he could pretend all was right in his world while knowing he was using me.”
“I’m so sorry, Tess,” he said to her, even though he didn’t think it would be enough. A person didn’t recover from something like that after a couple of days. Sure, he was glad she wasn’t with the guy anymore. He didn’t have to prove his dominance and fight the guy for her—and to be clear, he would win hands down. It didn’t stop his desire to beat the shit out of the asshat from coursing through Austin’s blood. No one hurt his mate and got away with it. Even it if happened to be an ex-boyfriend. Austin got lost plotting ways to enact revenge when she spoke, breaking him from the vision of snapping the guy’s neck.
“Not as sorry as me. Come to find out, I was the only person who didn’t know. People I thought were my friends talked about me behind my back. Joked and laughed at how stupid I was to not realize he was using me. To make matters worse, if that were even possible, Josh pulled up his pants and, there in front of everyone, thanked me for helping him figure it all out. He said after fucking me once, it solidified his desire to fuck men exclusively. He said he would come out to his parents and fuck ’em if they couldn’t handle it. The entire scene was humiliating.”
Tess wiped her cheek, and he realized tears were making tracks over her soft skin. His heart broke for her. Draping his arm across her shoulders, he pulled her into his body, tucking her close to his side. “Baby, don’t cry. Not over him.”
She sniffled, burrowing deeper into his chest. Her soft peach scent wrapped around his head, and his dick hardened even more. Talk about poor timing. Not that it was ever a good time, unless he was about to get naked with her. Whenever he was around her, he sported wood. Having her take comfort in him, shit it undid him.
“I thought I was over all of this bullshit.” She slid her arm around his waist, and he sighed with contentment. He hated she could get upset about the douche-bag ex-boyfriend, but fuck, he loved her nestled against him.
Perhaps he would track the asshole down and lay a whooping on his ass. It sure as hell would make him feel better. Ryan could back him up, even though he didn’t need it.
They sat cuddled together, Austin breathing in her scent, for long minutes on end, wondering if she even knew the effect she had on him. Tess no longer sniffled. She slid a hand up his chest, resting it over his heart. If they could stay in that position forever, he would die a happy man. Closing his eyes he soaked it all in.
His cheetah purred in contentment. Mate.
He felt, rather than heard, someone approach the table, disturbing the air with the cloying scent of men’s cologne and musk. Austin cracked an eye open to find two men standing in front of them. A tall, scrawny, brown-haired guy with thick black glasses and a taller blond who was marginally better looking. They both gave off a geeky vibe. The blond had a shit-eating grin on his face, like he knew the punch line to a joke but didn’t want to let anyone in on it.
Tess must have realized they were no longer alone as well. Her body stiffened beneath his arm as she pulled away from him. She swiped at her eyes and cleared her throat.
“Well, well, well…if it isn’t my ex-girlfriend.” the blond sneered. “And you must be her pity date.”
“Josh, don’t be an jerk,” the other guy said in a hushed tone. “Hey, Tess.” He gave a weak smile and waved.
“Josh. Steve,” she said stiffly.
“How pathetic,” Josh snarled. “I will never want you back, Tess. Not even getting
someone as hot as Austin Shaw to pretend to be your date will do it. Get it through your head, you stupid bitch, I used you to get my parents to back the hell off. I don’t need you anymore.”
Anger radiated off Tess. It surprised him when she sat there and took the verbal abuse from her ex. She had been telling him what she thought since the moment they met, snapping back at him without much provocation. He grabbed hold of her hand to give her a reassuring squeeze. Startled when his fingers brushed against her extended claws. But her mouth stayed closed.
If she wouldn’t say anything, then he would. Standing, he rounded the side of the table until he stood in front of the men. His cheetah rolled to the surface, shimmering through his body. “You need to walk away,” he growled, flashing his feline teeth.
Steve, the brown-haired guy, stepped back, but the dumbass Josh didn’t. He stepped closer to Austin, flexing his bony little arms. The guy would never be a threat to him and, but if he weren’t careful, would end up hurt.
“How cute. You’re going to defend poor little picked-on Tess. I’m shocked to see she had the balls to ask you out in the first place. I mean, any other time she saw you, she was tongue-tied and drooling like a bitch in heat.”
Tess gasped, and Austin turned his head. Her cheeks flushed red, and she looked away. Holy shit, she does like me! Dipshit’s voice broke through his revelation.
“Why so surprised, Tess? Everyone could see you panting after him. I never said anything because I didn’t feel like pretending to be jealous. And I wasn’t about to break it off with you. You were a great smokescreen until I didn’t need you anymore.” Josh poked Austin in the chest. “How much did it cost to hire you? Or did she offer up her frigid little body? I wouldn’t expect much. She’s a terrible lay.”
Changing Her Tune Page 5