by R. E. Butler
“I need to head to the club anyway,” Tomlin said. “See you later, Juliette.”
She watched them leave, the screen door banging shut, their voices low enough that she couldn’t make out what they were saying. In moments, she couldn’t hear them at all, and knew she was well and truly alone with Cruz. She stared hard at the door, thinking she could make a run for it, get in her car, and hit the road before he shifted back to human and she got a look at all his sexiness again.
“Don’t even think about it,” a deep voice rumbled.
She snapped her head to the side and saw a very human, very naked Cruz standing in front of her, arms folded, and a deep scowl on his face.
“We have much to discuss. Mate.”
Chapter 5
Cruz had spent three hours in hell, desperately wanting to talk to Juliette but completely unable to. Telepathic abilities would be super handy, then he could have explained things to her, so she wouldn’t look like a doe about to bolt. He was thankful his family had managed to keep her around, so he didn’t have to haul furry ass out of town to track her down. He would have given anything to be able to talk to her directly, but instead he’d had to simply listen.
As he’d suspected, the redheaded beauty had a lot of misconceptions about shifters. She hadn’t realized there was such a connection between the beast and human sides. It was clear that she’d been under the assumption that when they were in their shifts, the beast ruled, which was far from the truth. Aside from this embarrassing uncontrollable shift situation, he was normally in full control of his beast. They worked together, two sides of the same coin.
After talking to his family, she’d seemed relieved at what she’d learned. He’d learned just as much about her as she had about his people. It was clear that her writing was important to her, and a key component of her happiness. He wished now that he’d done more than just glance at her website the night before. He could have read one of her books or her blog. Instead, he’d arrogantly been considering how to levy her curiosity to benefit him and his people.
Something had changed for him in the last three hours. In the beginning, he’d been consumed with making her his and keeping her forever. But what he’d learned about her had opened his eyes and his heart. She wanted to be romanced, not claimed. A bear female would have grown up knowing that a mate-at-first-sight was a possibility, even relishing the idea of the claiming. But in Juliette’s world, that was a fantasy, and she was more likely to balk at his heavy-handedness than appreciate his constant claims that she was his. She was a prize, but she was also a person. A stunning, clever, creative human being who deserved his respect.
It grated his bear, who wanted to convince her to be his mate with pleasure. But he promised his beast that it was better this way. No trickery, no guilt, no overwhelming her senses with crashing orgasms until she was too blissed out to realize they were mates. He’d do this the right way because he was positive she was worth it. And to hell with the club – he wasn’t going to leverage her for anything. A male of worth wouldn’t do that, and he wasn’t going to either. The club would survive, and he’d figure out how to make it happen, without using Juliette. The only thing he wanted from her was the chance to share a lifetime of happiness.
The moment his family had headed for the door, he’d shifted. Juliette had been distracted, staring at the door with a look on her face that told him only one thing: she was thinking about running. And not for a fun chase through the woods, but to get away from him for real. No matter that he was human now, he would absolutely follow her wherever she went. He’d just met her, and still he didn’t want to let her go.
As he straightened from his shift, he said the first thing on his mind.
“Don’t even think about it.”
Her head snapped so quickly to look at him that he was surprised she didn’t wince from whiplash. He could read her easily. She was definitely thinking about running. He would give chase.
“We have much to discuss. Mate.”
The word rolled off his tongue and meant more to him than any other word he’d ever spoken in his life. Juliette was his and he was hers. It didn’t matter that they were different physically, the mating bond would bring them together in a way that was unbreakable and powerful.
He hadn’t meant to sound so threatening, but his beast was riding him hard, mentally suggesting the many pleasurable ways he could use to ensure she wanted to stay and mate with him. Mentally pushing aside those thoughts so he didn’t come on too strong, he grabbed the clothes that Tomlin had set out for him and tugged the jeans on, shoving his erection into the unforgiving denim. Her gaze followed his every move, her cheeks pinking a perfect shade to complement her lightly tanned skin. Her eyes were emerald green and rimmed with dark lashes. And her hair was the loveliest mixture of reds and golds, as if someone had sat with a paintbrush and lovingly touched each strand to ensure it was perfect.
Her gaze traipsed up his stomach until it finally reached his face. He couldn’t suppress the smirk from his lips, knowing that the blush on her cheeks was caused by his nakedness. Nudity wasn’t a big deal to shifters. He liked that she was curious. Judging by the soft scent of arousal from her, she was also a little turned on.
And he liked that a hell of a lot.
He’d never worried about what a female thought of him. He was a perfect specimen – tall and muscular in his human form, and the best fighter in his bear form. There was no male in his clan who was stronger than him. He’d proven that many times over as he’d fought for the alpha position. But now, he wondered, while she might think he was good-looking, was she truly attracted to him?
He finished dressing swiftly in the silence that followed his statement. When he’d tied his boots, she rose to her feet and clasped her trembling hands.
“I’m human.”
He arched a brow. “I’m aware. I’m not.”
Her pretty eyes narrowed. “I’m also aware. I’m just pointing out that whatever you think this is, I’ve got a mind of my own and plans that include me heading home tonight.”
“This can be your home, Juliette.”
“No, it can’t. Not today.” She let out a frustrated grunt. “I was pointing out that I’m not a bear because whatever you think is going on between us isn’t affecting me the way it’s affecting you. Clearly.”
Although she looked to be attempting to fight it, her gaze slipped down to his erection that strained against the confines of his jeans. She made a face that he couldn’t read but suspected it was annoyance, then reached for her purse and slung it over her shoulder.
“Juliette,” he said, letting his voice drop low.
She shivered and shook her head. “This isn’t a game, Cruz. I’m not a prize to be claimed. If you want me, you to have to get to know me.”
“I do know you,” he said, taking a step closer. Her sweet scent called to him, raspberries and brown sugar. “I listened to you talk about your life and your work with my family for three hours.”
She didn’t move away, her head tilting back as he towered over her by a foot.
“That was work, not me personally. I didn’t talk about my family much except for comparison’s-sake. And besides, I don’t know you. It might be the norm for your kind to know on sight that you’re mates with someone and be happy to head to the bedroom, but that’s not my norm.”
He stared down at her, the sweet scent of her imprinted on his brain, along with everything about her. But she wasn’t wrong. He didn’t know her. They were strangers, no matter the emotional connection he felt to her through his bear.
He took her hand and lifted it to his lips. Her skin was soft and warm, and her eyes widened and turned the most striking shade of emerald with little gold striations he’d ever seen. Turning her hand over, he kissed the inside of her wrist. He could hear her heart beating swiftly. She didn’t smell of fear, she smelled like hope and a future that he hadn’t even known he’d wanted until she walked into his office.
He
could force her to stay and it wouldn’t take much effort on his part. He probably wouldn’t even break a sweat. But he didn’t want to force her to do anything. Even though his bear was banging in his skull to claim her again and again, to slake the need that threatened to drown him, he had never, ever forced a female to do anything, and he wouldn’t be starting with this one. He wanted her to come to love him, not fear him.
“When my people find their mate, there’s a mutual understanding that the claiming happens first, and then the relationship grows naturally after that. I can’t change the fact that I’m a bear, and he’s urging me to carry you to my bed and find out if you taste as sweet as you smell.”
Her blush deepened. He liked that he could affect her with his words.
“He is?” she whispered.
He rubbed his thumb along her wrist and drew her slowly closer, slipping his arm around her back, until she was pressed against him. “Yes.” He dropped his head to her neck and kissed the pulse that thundered there. He wanted to do more. Much more. But he resisted. Easing away from her tempting neck, he looked into her eyes and cupped her face with his free hand. “Juliette Parson, will you let me take you out on a date so that we can get to know each other?”
“Tonight?” she asked, her brow furrowed.
“It’s late. You said you didn’t want to stay here, which means you’ve got a long drive ahead of you. How about Friday night? In the meantime, we can text and talk on the phone to get to know each other. How’s that sound?”
Her eyes narrowed. “Too easy.”
He laughed. “I have a confession to make.”
“Oh?”
“When I first shifted, I was dead set on you staying with me at any cost.”
“What made you change your mind?”
“Listening to you. I realized how different our lives are, and I can’t expect you to go along with things simply because I’m telling you that it’s how it should be. I don’t want you to be with me because you feel obligated. I want you to want to be with me. If what you need to be with me is for us to get to know each other first, then that’s what I want, too.”
She rose onto her toes and kissed his cheek. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“Not trying to force my hand. You could have cajoled or guilted me into staying, but you’re being a good guy. I like good guys.”
“Then I’ll be the best good guy.”
“Friday?”
With a nod, he took a step back, kissed the top of her hand, then led her to the front door. “The offers still stands for you to stay here. We can get to know each other in person.”
“You’re very tempting.”
“You make it sound like a bad thing.”
“It is and it’s not. I’m curious, very curious. But I’m also a little wary of how fast this is. The right thing for us to do is get to know each other.”
“Then call me Mr. Right.”
She snorted, and it was adorable. “Thank you for the offer, but it’s best I go home.”
“I’ll pick you up Friday at seven. Text me your address.”
“I will.”
“And let me know you got home safely.”
“I’ll do that, too. Bye, Cruz.”
“Goodbye, sweetheart.” He held the door open for her, wishing she would change her mind and stay. But she didn’t, instead walking slowly to her car and climbing inside. With a long look at him through the windshield, she backed away from the cabin, waved, and left. He stood at the open door until he could no longer see the taillights as they wove along the road. He was disappointed, but also elated.
He’d found his mate. He just needed to get her on the same page as him.
He’d start off by reading her books. He only had a week to understand that side of his mate.
* * *
Cruz walked to the club and headed to his office. Tomlin followed and stood in the doorway as Cruz sat at his desk and opened the internet browser.
“She left?” Tomlin asked.
“Yeah. I told her to.”
“Um, why?”
As Juliette’s website loaded, Cruz leaned back in the chair and folded his hands over his stomach. His bear was still grumbling in his mind, but the beast had been entirely smitten with Juliette and agreed that claiming her wasn’t the priority right now. He’d never cared about love before, but he cared about it now. He wanted Juliette to want him as much as he wanted her. He wanted her heart, not just her body.
“Because it was the right thing to do. She’s not like us. She wants to get to know me, and for me to get to know her first.”
He hummed. “You can’t get to know each other naked?”
With a chuckle, he threw a stapler at his brother, narrowly missing his head. “Careful, that’s your alpha female you’re talking about.”
“Okay, okay,” Tomlin said, picking up the broken stapler and tossing it into the trash. “Does Juliette know that when you and she mate that she’ll be a clan leader?”
“I didn’t want to overwhelm her,” he said. “She’s focused on the relationship part of things and the fact that I’m a bear. I suspect she never considered a life with a shifter, and she needs some time to come to terms with it.”
“You’ll need to talk to the clan before you claim her.”
“I know. We have a date on Friday. We’re going to get to know each other this week over the phone, and then we’ll see what the weekend brings. Once she’s mine in truth, I’ll explain what our mating means.”
“I think there’ll be some push back from some of the clan members.”
“Agreed. But it doesn’t matter. The female doesn’t have to fight for dominance. Her authority will be an extension of mine. If there’s opposition, they’ll have to fight me for the position, and I’ll win.”
“I guess it’s a good thing that she didn’t stay, then.”
Cruz nodded. “For now, keep it between us.”
“Of course. Did you talk to her about promoting the club?”
“No.” He shook his head and straightened in the chair, then returned his attention to Juliette’s website. He clicked over to the page listing her books. “I don’t want her to think our mating has anything to do with what she can do for us.”
“It was the point.”
“No, promoting the club was the point of the interview. Once I recognized her as my mate, the club took a backseat to anything but her. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, bro, but she’s the center of my universe now. You’re going to have to figure out another way to bring business to the club.”
“Thanks,” Tomlin said dryly. Then he smiled. “If I didn’t say it before, congratulations. I’m glad you found your mate. I just hope when I meet my mate for the first time, that I don’t shift suddenly and scare her.”
Cruz grinned. “Thanks for sticking with me and keeping my bear in check.”
“You bet.”
“I’ll do the same for you. If I need to.”
“Well,” he said, brushing off imaginary lint from his shoulder, “I’m a lot more in control of my bear than you, clearly.”
“Get out before I throw you out.”
“Aw, gruff bear is back. You must miss your mate.”
“I do, man. Now scram. I have some reading to do.”
Chapter 6
Leaving Cruz had been one of the most difficult things Juliette had ever done. Not only was she entirely smitten with him and attracted to him on a hardcore level, but she honestly missed him. The farther she drove away from him, the more she wanted to turn back. It took a lot of will power and telling herself over and over she was making the right choice, but she finally made it to her little apartment. She stepped inside and leaned against the door, letting out a deep sigh. Before she’d been inside Cruz’s amazing cabin, she’d been content with her place. Hours earlier, it had felt like home, but now it simply felt like a place she didn’t belong anymore.
Which was crazy on a hundred different levels.
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She regretted leaving Cruz, but she hadn’t exactly been prepared to stay over. Aside from the fact she probably wouldn’t have been able to keep her hands to herself for a whole night – the man tempted her like no other – she had work to do. Even though she worked for herself, she still had deadlines and responsibilities.
She took her phone from her purse and texted Cruz:
Home safe, followed by her address.
How was the drive?
Long.
I’m sure you’re tired. Glad you made it home safe. Sleep well, sweetheart.
You, too.
She stared at the phone for several moments and when no other message came through, she put her phone on the kitchen counter and poured herself a glass of milk. Her stomach was rumbling, but she was exhausted and wanted to get some sleep. She had a book to rewrite, after all. She’d learned so much from Cruz’s family. Even though shifters were real, she’d kept them at arm’s length in fantasy and she hadn’t done them justice. They weren’t cardboard characters ruled by beasts, they were people who happened to be able to change into animals.
When she’d started her story about the lion pride, she’d thought her choice to be able to shift into an animal would be a lion. But now, after seeing Cruz in all his furry glory, she knew she’d choose to be a bear. Not that she could do anything about it, of course. Unlike the vampires in her stories who could change a human into their own kind, shifters couldn’t turn humans into animals. It would be neat if they could, though. She’d ask Cruz to make her like him.
Chuckling to herself, she marveled at how easily she could imagine being able to shift, and how already Cruz consumed her thoughts. How was it possible that after only a few hours, she liked him so much?
Animal magnetism.
Or the shifter version of it.
She still didn’t believe in love at first sight, but she was damn sure that meeting Cruz had changed her life in a significant way. She would never be the same, because now she had a bear shifter in her life who wanted to be with her.