by Vella Day
His fingers fiddled with the elastic, but tentative men weren’t her style—at least when he came from her imagination. “Take me.”
One brow cocked. “How about if I want to love you slowly and with passion—like you deserve?”
Just hearing those words made her body flush with heat. Yes. Her man was perfect. “I’m good with that too.”
In a flash, her new animal print undies were down at her ankles, forcing her to step out of them or chance tripping. For the first time in her life, she wasn’t embarrassed about her appearance because Max wasn’t real.
Clasping a firm hand on her thighs, he opened her legs. “What you do to me. I’ll have to use all of my willpower not to hurry. I want you so much.”
God help her. “Far be it from me to stop you.”
Quickly, he stood and scooped her up in his arms again. “I can’t help myself. My inner beast is clawing to get out.”
He sure knew how to go with a theme—or rather she was the one who was good at keeping with the whole animal motif. Elise wrapped her arms around his neck and marveled at her ideal man.
Max placed her on the bed and crawled on top of her, his gaze never leaving her face. “I’m the luckiest man alive to have found you. You have opened my heart for the first time in my life.”
She was about to say he knew nothing about her, but then realized he did since he was an extension of her, merely residing in a different part of her brain. Elise feared that at any moment Nikolai would take her out of her fantasy and she’d be back on stage with the audience clapping at her amazing duet with the flamboyant magician. Wouldn’t it be a shame if they didn’t have time to consummate their relationship?
“Kiss me,” she whispered.
“My pleasure,” he said. When Max’s lips slightly parted, she noticed that his teeth were rather sharp. Given how much she loved big furry animals, it made sense she had conjured him up that way. He was the combination of both of her desires.
Supporting himself on his elbows, he cupped her face and stroked her cheeks while nibbling on her mouth. But Elise wanted more. She opened up and teased open his luscious lips. Her heart pounded hard because this seemed so real, and she prayed he wouldn’t reject her like Brent had.
The moment she slipped her tongue inside his mouth, all of those negative thoughts evaporated. A low growl escaped from his chest and he seemed to come alive, the wild animal inside him letting go. As their tongues entwined, her breath whooshed out. To keep her head from spinning, she clasped his muscular shoulders, loving how he made her feel so tiny and cherished.
She then slid her hands through his thick, silky hair and couldn’t help but moan from the glorious sensations coursing through her. Without giving thought to what she was doing, Elise wrapped her legs around his waist. While she was on the pill for her complexion, she always practiced safe sex. It didn’t matter now though. Max was only a figment of her imagination.
He broke the kiss, his eyes swirls of greens and gold, and lifted his head. When he roared, she nearly laughed. Every woman would be so jealous of her for having a big, cuddly animal that was really a human.
“I want to savor this moment, but I can’t control myself any longer.” He bared his teeth and lowered his head. “You are all mine—forever.”
She swooned. Elise lowered her legs and planted her feet on the mattress. “I need you now.”
The power of her command ignited her hormones and sent them flooding throughout her system. Dazed by lust and coupled with the euphoria of this wild experience, the room spun. She imagined hair sprouting on Max’s face and his fingernails extending into claws. She blinked and when he looked away for a few seconds, he appeared to be all man once more. Dreams were so wild and exhilarating.
“Are you sure?” he asked.
“Yes, and we need to hurry.” She had to experience him before she was transported back to reality.
Max slid his mouth across her throat to the tender part of her neck. He grabbed her shoulders and dragged his hands down her arm, his sharp nails scraping her skin, but she didn’t care. This was wild abandon sex at its best. When he slipped two fingers inside her, heat suffused her body. Clamping down on him, she clutched him closer. The second he curled his fingers and stroked her, her climax built.
Max lifted his head and when he kissed her hard once more, her orgasm claimed her with an intensity that would rival any fantasy she’d ever had. Heart speeding, she reached between them for his cock.
Before she could touch him, he rolled off her and cast his glance to the side. “I can’t. It isn’t right.”
“You can’t what?”
“Make love to you.”
That was preposterous. “You said you wanted me.”
She felt a bit self-conscious talking to herself like this, but she was frustrated, dammit.
“I do. More than you could know.”
He wasn’t making any sense. “Then why did you stop? This is my dream, and I want you.”
“You don’t know anything about me.”
Was he crazy? She’d made him up.
He reached out and touched her shoulder, as if to give her comfort. Instead, he exerted a lot of pressure. Before she could ask him what the hell was really going on, her vision blackened. What seemed like seconds later, three claps sounded close to her face, followed by thunderous applause. She opened her eyes and immediately crossed her arms over her naked chest—or rather what she thought was naked. When her fingers touched the fabric of her shirt, she dared to lower her gaze.
How was this possible? A second ago, Elise was in bed with the most amazing man in the world and the next she was sitting on the same seat, wearing the same painfully tight high heels as before. Damn. It had been a dream. She let out a huff as her shoulders drooped.
Nikolai stepped in front of her and held out his hands. “Come and take a bow.”
A bow? “Did I really do the Tango in front of all these people?”
“You did and you were magnificent.”
When he led her to the front of the stage, the lights were so bright it was difficult for her to see any of their faces, for which she was grateful. She was tempted to ask Nikolai to hypnotize her again so she could return to her dream world just so she could demand Max make love with her.
The magician held up her arm like a prizefighter who’d won a match. “Elise wants to know how she did?”
The crowd cheered, bolstering her confidence that she hadn’t made a fool of herself. At least something had gone well today. Her fantasy sure had flopped at the end.
“Thank you, everyone,” Nikolai said as a white puff of smoke blocked her view of the audience. “Come with me,” he whispered. “Be quick.”
Nikolai grabbed her hand and they trotted off stage. Unable to come to grips with what had happened, Elise’s head still spun with unanswered questions. “My fantasy was amazing,” she said. Holding her breath, she wanted him to say it hadn’t been her imagination.
“It seemed real, didn’t it?” Nikolai asked.
“More than real. I didn’t know I had such a vivid imagination. I was with this unbelievably amazing man, and I swear I could feel his touch on my skin, even hear his heart beat.”
Nikolai’s brows rose. “We all dream. Hypnosis is a powerful tool to unlock your innermost desires. It’s a way to do what you’ve always yearned for without any consequences.” He brought her hand to his lips and placed a soft kiss on the back. “Milady, you were a wonderful sport. When you exit through that door, it will take you to the main lobby area.”
So that was it. It was done—over. “Thank you for everything.”
With her purse slung over her shoulder, Elise hustled toward the exit. Bright lights greeted her and suddenly Regina and Samantha were upon her.
“Are you okay? We were so worried when you didn’t show up at the show,” Regina said.
“Yes. I’m fine. I lost you two in the crowd and went into a magic show instead. Boy, do I have a tale to tell.�
� However, she might have to change the ending to where she and Max had made mad, passionate love. How embarrassing to say that her own imagination couldn’t even consummate a fun evening out.
Samantha pointed to Elise’s sleeve. “You’re injured.”
Elise touched the wound and found it tender. In her fantasy, Max’s nails had lightly scraped her, but that wasn’t real. She must’ve banged into something when Nikolai had her doing the Tango. “I didn’t notice.”
“Do you need a bandage?” Regina asked, concern written all over her face.
Elise checked it again. “It’s not bleeding anymore. I’ll be fine. What I do need is a drink.”
Both of her friends smiled. “I’ll drink to that,” Samantha said.
3
“Stop pacing and tell me what’s wrong.” Nikolai glared at Max who stabbed a hand through his tangled hair.
“How did Elise act when she woke up on stage?” Max prayed she wasn’t scared or too angry. God, but he never should have tried to trick her. It didn’t matter that he needed her more than life itself. Hell, he was destined to be with her. But was that just an excuse he was telling himself? All he knew was he couldn’t feel lower if he tried.
“As expected, she was confused, but she totally believed that I taught her how to Tango. The audience clapped when she asked if she did okay.”
“They are our pack members, after all.”
“True.”
She might think what happened was a dream for a while, but eventually, all the sensations would come rushing back. “I’m glad Elise is okay, but I fucked up bad, man.” Max scrubbed a hand down his jaw. “I had no control in her presence. I almost made love to her—without her consent. That’s unconscionable.” He’d do anything to take it all back. His idea had been stupid. And wrong.
Nikolai grabbed his shoulders and led him over to the chair across from the bed. “Sit down and start from the beginning. You’re driving me crazy with all that pent up energy.”
“It’s leftover from being more excited than I’d ever been in my life.” Nikolai was not only his co-owner of The Winning Streak Casino, he was also his second in command in his tiger Streak. His friend deserved to know how he’d messed up. “When I first saw Elise and smelled her, I knew she was my mate, and that there would be no other.”
“You mentioned that, which is why you’ve spent a shitload setting up this elaborate scheme in order to meet her. I get it, but a simple, ‘Hi, how are you?’ would have been more effective—not to mention cheaper.”
Money meant little to him. “I tried that. Didn’t I mention that I was about to strike up a conversation with Elise and her friends when Draco and his daughter descended on me? Sari looked like a goddamn vulture.”
“She likes you.”
“She likes my money.” Max dropped his head in his hands, inhaled deeply, and then sat up. “I thought about waiting in the lobby for a second chance with Elise, but she’s here on vacation and isn’t the type to hook up with a stranger.”
Nikolai’s brows rose. “How do you know? Did you do a background check on her or something?”
“You know how thorough I am.”
Nikolai glanced to the side, acting as if Max had messed up again. “You might as well tell me about her. It might spark an idea how you can salvage this fiasco.”
“Elise is a marketing director for a magazine in California, but underneath that gorgeous exterior is just an average small-town girl. I made a few phone calls.” He held up his hand. “Don’t ask how I procured my information, but from what I was able to glean, she’s cautious around men and needs time before she gives her heart away—time we don’t have. She’s only here for a few more days.”
Nikolai paced in front of him, stopped, and then faced him. “Let me ask you this. How did you expect this charade to end? You brought her to your room—or rather to my room— to impress her with your good looks and charm before returning her to the stage. You had to believe she’d ask about you at some point. Hell, you said she looked you straight in the eye on the stairs in front of the El Paradisio. You can’t even be sure she didn’t recognize you.”
“She didn’t. Besides, I was in a suit when she first saw me.”
“If she ever learns who you really are and how you tricked her, do you think she’ll smile and throw herself in your arms?”
Standing in quicksand would be better than where he was right now. “No. I thought I’d be able to tell her what happened and she’d be impressed with the lengths I’d go to meet her.”
His friend shook his head as if his plan was completely insane. “Tell me exactly what you did and leave nothing out.” Nikolai’s brows furrowed and his tone turned deadly serious.
Max should chastise him for demanding answers from his Alpha, but right now he needed his friend’s advice. “As I carried her into my room—or rather your room—her scent drove me so crazy that for the first time in my life, I nearly lost control. Even though she was blindfolded, I had to duck into the bathroom.”
Nikolai’s eyes widened. “You shifted, didn’t you?” Max nodded. “This could ruin everything.”
He held up a hand. “Maybe, maybe not. It scared her when she saw me in my animal form, so when she hid in the closet, I changed back. She believes she imagined the whole tiger thing.”
Nikolai walked over to the credenza and poured two glasses of whiskey from the decanter. “Then we’re good, right?” He spun around and handed Max a glass. “You said you didn’t make love with her, and she has no idea that you tricked her. So why are you still freaking out?”
“I might not have taken her without her consent, but we were naked.”
“Oh, fuck, man. You were only supposed to share a glass of wine and have cheese and crackers. Get to know her a little.”
Max chugged the whiskey and stood. “That’s not all. I lost control and accidentally scratched her.”
“You did what?” Liquid spilled out of the top of his glass.
“I still can’t believe my claws came out like that, but it was only a light scratch. She’ll merely have a partial shift. It’s not like I bit her full on.”
Nikolai tapped his foot, looking way too focused and intense. “You have to confront her and explain what happened.”
His best friend had lost his mind. “I can’t exactly say, ‘Elise, hi, I’m Max and I’m real—not a figment of your imagination. By the way, I tricked you into going to the magic show by moving the cardboard cutout of the men and surrounding you with so many people that you lost sight of your friends. I even had two tall blondes dress like them—one in a pink shirt and the other in a green shirt—to fool you.’” He faced his friend. “What woman wouldn’t forgive me?”
Nikolai downed his drink and poured another for himself. “Perhaps honesty isn’t the best solution.”
“You think? I’m done with lying though. The problem is now that I know Elise is my fated mate, I can’t give her up. I have to go after her and win her over.”
Nikolai waved a hand. “I agree.”
“Just so you know, I did try to do the right thing.”
Nikolai dipped his chin. “How so?”
“After I used that death pinch you showed me, Elise’s eyes rolled back in her head. Seeing her there so peaceful and perfect, I realized what I’d done and I freaked. I tried to wake her up so I could come clean, but I couldn’t rouse her.”
“That’s when you contacted me.”
“Yes. I know she’ll think I’m a total creep, but I have to make things right.”
“You better. The Streak can’t take your sullen moods for much longer.”
His need to find his mate had made concentrating difficult. He wanted to have someone share in his successes and understand what it meant to lead a group of shifters.
Nikolai sipped his drink and began to pace again. “We need for the two of you to meet again and pretend it’s for the first time. Hopefully, she’ll think it’s coincidental that you look like her fantasy man.�
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“Who happens to share the same name? No, that’ll compound the lie. I won’t do it.”
“You might be a brilliant businessman, but you suck at relationships. There’s lying and trickery, and then there’s avoiding the truth. Just don’t admit anything and you’ll be fine.”
Max didn’t like it. “I’m not sure I can pull it off. Besides, the day after tomorrow is the full moon. I don’t have that kind of time.”
How in the hell had he thought this hypnosis stuff was a good idea to begin with? Because he’d wanted her too much and wasn’t thinking straight. “I’ll find a way, but I need to be careful.”
“Whatever you do, don’t tell her you own this casino,” Nikolai said.
“Why? Chicks love a rich man.”
“Chicks? She’s a woman. Trust me on this. You’re not the only one who did a little research on her.”
His second had stepped over the line. Max jumped up. “Are you fucking kidding me?”
“I’m your Beta for a reason. I have to have your back while keeping our Streak safe at the same time. At some point you’ll have sex with her and bite her, turning Elise into a tiger shifter. At that moment, she will be the Alpha’s mate. I need to make sure she’ll fit in.”
Nikolai did have a point. “What did you find out?” Everything he’d learned had been good.
“Did you know her father lost his business when a large automotive repair shop moved into their town and undercut his prices?”
Max shrugged, having done the same thing to several of the smaller casinos. “That’s sad, but it means Elise should be happy that I’m rich. Hell, I could support her whole family for life.”
Nikolai shook his head. “Get your head out of the sand. Elise’s family is the hardworking type. They won’t appreciate handouts.”
“So now my money is worthless? What am I supposed to do?”
“Make her see the real you—that you struggled at one point in your life and made something of yourself.”
Talking about himself was not his strong point. Then again, he’d never wanted any woman like he wanted Elise. “It’s worth a try. I’ll go over to the El Paradisio and find her.”