Failing miserably with her inner pep talk, she took her time getting dressed, blow drying her hair and itemizing the reasons why her pair of jocks should look elsewhere for a mate. Unfortunately, her body kept coming up with its own list: they had wicked bodies, handsome faces, senses of humor, chivalrous tendencies. And, they’re also domineering, pig headed, probably violent and so obviously chaotic.
Battle armor in place, rejection speech prepared, she sailed downstairs to give them a piece of her mind, only to discover they’d already left. She found a pair of notes in their place.
Naomi,
I had to leave for lacrosse practice. I’ll see you later today.
Yours, Ethan
Short and to the point, yet the claim he’d see her later made her flush. She read the second note.
Dearest Naomi,
Holding you in our arms last night, while you slept, was pure heaven. The glimpse we were blessed with of your delectable body? Absolute torture knowing we couldn’t touch you and please you as you so rightly deserve.
We can only hope you’ll think of us today, my face buried between your thighs, lapping at your sweet core as my friend takes care of your beautiful breasts. If you need to stroke yourself during our absence, please think of us and the pleasure we’ll soon have plowing your body and making you scream in ecstasy.
Until I kiss you later, Javier.
The note should have disgusted her, annoyed her or at the very least ended up crumpled into a ball and tossed; however, nothing in the last twenty-four hours was going as expected. Instead of getting worked up at his dirty and presumptuous words, her knees trembled, her sex flooded with moisture, and a quiver ran through her body.
She just thanked god they weren’t around or she just might have asked them to act out the scenes in the note—more than once.
Chapter Six
Ethan hated leaving Naomi without even saying goodbye, but Javier made sense when he said she needed space to come to grips with the recent events—and time to miss them. Ethan wrote his note and then almost shoved it up Javier’s butt when he read his friend’s. But then, he’d realized part of her getting to know him included realizing he didn’t have the same flowery way with words Javier did. And, as his conscience reminded him, she hadn’t yet fallen prey to Javier’s charm, so perhaps his straight to the point methods would appeal. Or so he hoped.
Once at the sports complex, he couldn’t concentrate on lacrosse practice. However, even at his worst, he still shone, catching and flinging the ball with speed and precision. He skipped the locker room after their two hour drills to hit the gym. He found comfort in the mind numbing sameness of exercise.
Thankfully, the weight room was virtually empty and his dark look had hurried out the few patrons. As he lifted weights and did his cardio, he indulged in thinking about Naomi, which, of course, brought about a hard-on of epic proportions and just aggravated his blue balls. Like Javier, he’d spent some time in the shower, jerking off, numerous times, not that it helped. He only had to think of Naomi to harden again.
It’s not my fault. She’s too damned hot.
Today he’d gotten a glimpse of the beauty he recalled from his first mesmerizing glimpse, which combined with his heated memory of her body spelled trouble with a capital T. He wanted her so freakn’ bad, and not just because of the mating urge. That might have started the snowball rolling, but the more he heard her speak and the more she revealed of her stubborn, feisty nature, the more he simply wanted her.
Ethan didn’t care for meek and submissive women. He abhorred those that feared him, especially since his code of honor dictated he’d never hurt one. Naomi appeared fearless and possessed a fascinating mind.
Unfortunately, the very things he admired about her meant he’d suffer an even harder battle trying to win her over. What did he, a muscle bound jock—with a university degree, so at least dumb didn’t apply—have to offer her? He’d listened with dejection the previous evening on the phone as Naomi’s mother detailed the things they had going against them. One, they were shifters. Two, they didn’t mind violence and were damned good at inflicting it. Three, they had minds of their own. Four…
In other words, pretty much everything about them clashed with Naomi’s list of requirements. However, as Meredith reassured them, Naomi just thought she wanted some meek and mild human. It was up to Javier and Ethan to show her why life with them would prove more fulfilling. Somehow, I don’t think showing her my giant cock will sway her mind.
The only consolation in the whole fiasco was Javier didn’t seem to enjoy any better luck. Naomi had clearly shown simple flattery and suave looks wouldn’t make her melt.
Thankfully, Ethan didn’t mind sharing with his best friend. They’d done almost everything together since their time at university, almost eleven years now, but while he didn’t mind being part of a three-way, mating bond, he really hoped Naomi wouldn’t shun him in favor of his slicker friend. Javier always knew the right things to say and do with a woman.
Somehow, between the two of them, they needed to convince her to give them a chance. To work together as a team to seduce and enthrall their spicy little wolf.
I need to woo her. Now if only he knew how. He’d done well with the Danishes this morning, a hint her mother had tossed his way when she’d called again this morning for an update. He hoped for even more clues to aid him in winning his woman when they met up with her family for dinner tonight.
He also figured he’d have to prove himself to Naomi’s obviously overprotective father and brothers, but he’d jump over that hurdle when he hit it. One important thing he’d learned was no flowers, or chocolate, or any other things most women expected. Naomi didn’t care for those trite offerings, but wandering through her home— almost austere in its decoration—he’d noticed one well-dusted curio cabinet filled with butterflies. Almost a dozen of them made of glass and so fragile he didn’t dare even think of touching one.
But at least they’d given him an idea.
I might not have the words, but by damn, I’ll make her like me.
* * *
Naomi didn’t want to attribute her bad temper to the fact she hadn’t seen hide or hair all day of the two idiots whom her wolf wanted to take a bite out of. However, telling herself she didn’t care as she cleaned her house in a frenzy, while pretending she was happier with them gone, just agitated her even more.
When her phone rang while she stripped and made her bed—trying to erase the delicious scent of them lingering on the sheets—she needed to race downstairs, her upstairs phone having met the door in a fatal accident earlier that morning during her fit.
Diving onto the shrilly, ringing phone, she answered breathlessly. “Hello.”
“Oh my god, did I, like, interrupt you having sex?” Francine’s voice started out loud and tapered to an exaggerated whisper.
“What? No, I’m not having sex. Why the hell would you think that?” Naomi replied in disgust—mostly because her body kept begging to have sex—as she flopped on the couch.
“Well, I heard from my mother, who heard from your mother, that apparently you found your two mates. Or they found you. Lucky bitch. And lacrosse players, too. I knew it!”
“You know nothing,” grumbled Naomi. “They might think they’re my mates, but I am not binding myself to a pair of dumb jocks.” With stupidly hot bodies and quirky smiles she refused to think of. “Oh, and thanks for sticking around last night to make sure I was alright.”
“Ha. I’d have to be insane to opt for a ringside seat to your brothers brawling. Although, had I known hunky and hunkier were going to show up and start some fireworks, I might have thrown on a hockey helmet and stayed for the show.”
“You are such a bitch,” Naomi groaned. “Of all the friends in the world, I just had to end up with a sarcastic, smart ass—”
“Don’t forget superhot and horny”.
“—one.”
Laughter poured from the receiver and Naomi pulled
it from her ear and glared at it. When it died off to the occasional giggle, she brought it back to her head. “This is not funny, Francine. Did you know they drugged me and then cuddled me all night long?”
“Oh, the jerks. That’s just awful. I’d kill them too if all they did was snuggle me instead of making me scream in orgasm. Yes! Yes! Oh, baby.” Francine went in a paroxysm of fake climaxes that made Naomi seriously debate trading her in. Best friend since kindergarten or not, the situation was anything but amusing.
“Francine! This is serious. What am I going to do?” Naomi practically whined. You could ride them until the cows come home, her insidious mind interjected with a snicker. “I don’t want to get mated with them.”
A loud sigh preceded Francine’s answer. “Wow, you are so unnatural for a shifter sometimes, Naomi. I would just love it if I found my stupid mate and here you’ve got two you don’t’ want. Care to throw one my way?”
“I thought my brother Mitchell was your one and only,” Naomi teased.
“Don’t talk to me about your brother, mister I-think-of-you-as-a-sister. My wolf knows it, I bet his wolf knows it, but the idiotic man runs the other way whenever I so much as smile his way. Now stop trying to change the topic. We were talking about those hunky men who want to get into your uptight pants.”
“I am not uptight, just selective.”
“Did it ever occur to you to expand your horizons? Maybe these guys are like closet geeks who get turned on by math like you do. Have you even bothered to check and see if they discourse in a civilized fashion instead of fist fighting at the first cross eyed look thrown their way?”
Naomi snorted. “You did see them play last night, right? We’re talking about the behemoth, the guy who sent some of those players home crying to their mamas.”
“Okay, so maybe the bear might be a tad rough, but hey, I bet he’s a wild ride in bed.” Francine yahooed and made slapping sounds while Naomi sighed and rolled her eyes unseen. Francine didn’t have a serious bone in her body and seriously needed to get laid. “What about number sixty-nine?” Francine continued. “He seems like the civilized sort.”
“I’ve heard he beds so many women he owns shares in Trojan.” Francine’s mirth made Naomi smile—grudgingly. “Anyway, even if they are nice guys, I don’t want to just let them mark me and own me just because my wolf is aching to take a bite. I mean, we’re talking for life. What if they’re like my dad and leave their socks everywhere?”
“Only you would think that’s a sin beyond compare. What if they can cook?” Francine countered.
“What if they like country music?”
“Teach them to love techno by stripping to it.”
“What if they leave the toilet seat up?”
“They’ve got some electronic doohickey to take care of that problem, so stop coming up with excuses. Give them a chance. Get to know them. You know, you might be surprised.”
“And my family will learn to act civilized instead of rampaging roughshod like animals. Yeah right. Anyway, I better get going. Mom’s expecting me for dinner and given how I left last night, I can just imagine the state my brothers will be in. I’ll give your love to Mitchell,” Naomi sang, making kissy noises.
“Skank. I hate you,” Francine replied with a giggle before hanging up.
Wearing a grin of her own, Naomi placed the phone back on the charger and surveyed her place. The fresh scent of lemon Lysol permeated the air, erasing the delectable aroma of her want-to-be-suitors. Now if only she could scrub her mind and body to remove the erotic taint they’d left on her.
A check of the time showed her running late for dinner at her parents. Giving herself a quick wash first, she changed into some well-worn jeans and a blouse. A light brush of her hair, a thin sheen of lip gloss and she headed over to her parent’s house. It crossed her mind to wonder if the guys would have the nerve to show up, her mother had invited them after all, but doubtful given her cold attitude toward them. And besides, who would be nuts enough to volunteer for dinner with her family?
Apparently, dumb and dumber were. Upon seeing the Lexus parked at the curb of her parent’s house, a myriad of emotions claimed her.
Anticipation—which she squashed. Irritation—which she would soon vent. Pure, panty wetting arousal—she didn’t dare give into.
Stalking up the steps, she slammed the door open and discovered a tense silence. Javier and Ethan, perfectly at ease, sat on one couch, while, across from them, sitting and standing in various strained poses were her five brothers and father. She especially enjoyed their pointed glares.
Ignoring the smiles and scowls tossed her way by both parties, she stomped into the kitchen, looking for her mother.
“What are they doing here?” she growled.
Mama didn’t even look at her as she pulled a gigantic roast from the oven. “Whatever happened to hello, nice to see you, or do manners no longer matter to you now that you’ve moved out?”
Swallowing a sigh of impatience, Naomi pecked her mother on a cheek with a brusque. “Hi mom”
“See, that wasn’t so hard. As for your question, I told them to come for dinner yesterday, or were you not paying attention?”
“I didn’t think they’d actually show up. They left this morning and I thought they were gone for good. Which reminds me, why the hell did you tell them to drug me? They could have been murdering rapists and you gave them permission to incapacitate me!” Naomi’s tone got higher and higher as her pent up frustration vented.
“Watch your tone with me, young lady. I know you and your penchant for making mountains out of molehills. Your body needed to rest. I made sure you got it, and look at you, already almost healed. But do I get any thanks for being a caring parent? Oh no, I get yelled at.” Her mom turned to face her, her hands flinging upward and matching her facial expression of ‘Why me?’
Naomi snorted. “That guilt trip speech might work on dad and the boys, but don’t forget I learned from you.”
Her mother dropped the pretense and grinned. “Just keeping you in practice. Now as to your beaus, what do you think of them?”
“You tell me. Apparently, you’ve spoken with them more than I have.” Naomi snagged a roll out of the wicker basket and nibbled on it as she perched on a stool.
“Well, that Javier, he’s definitely a charmer. You should see the flowers he brought me. I get the impression he’s a little shocked by his meeting you.”
“Shock or not, that didn’t stop him from trying to get a piece this morning,” Naomi related with a blush. “The man’s a walking sex ad and he knows it.”
“Oh, so you’re not immune to his charm?” Her mother’s bright eyes missed nothing.
“Horny doesn’t mean I’m going to tie myself to him. He’s a bloody jock, for god’s sake. And a womanizer. That doesn’t spell happily ever after if you ask me.”
“Your father was quite the lady’s man before I came into his life. He chased and bedded anything in a skirt. But that all changed once he met me. It will happen with Javier too. You’ll see. The mating bond will keep him true,” her mother assured. “If not, then he’ll learn the mistake of his ways.” Her mother held up the carving knife with an evil glint in her eye.
Naomi choked on her bread. “Mom!”
As if she hadn’t clued in to the fact she’d just promised bloody violence, her mother continued blithely on as she sliced the roast. “That Ethan, what a polite boy. A little bit shy, but so sweet. I get the impression he’s already quite smitten with you.”
“The man is a beast. Have you seen the size of his hands? He’d probably break every goddamned thing I own.”
“I don’t think you’re giving him enough credit,” her mother intoned, carrying the carved roast on a platter to the dining room while Naomi followed, her own hands full with a basket of buns and a dish of butter. “I saw how gentle he treated you yesterday when you fainted.”
“The whole thing is moot anyway. I don’t want shifter mates. I want a nic
e quiet human who won’t require me to remodel the house every few months. You, them and a whole army of believers in fate won’t convince me to join with them. I have no intention of living in a war zone and needing to buy crazy glue by the case.”
“And you are deluding yourself if you think you can escape your destiny,” her mother snorted before bellowing, “Dinner!” Small woman, big lungs, Naomi cringed as her mother’s bellow right beside her made her ears ring.
A herd of men stampeded into the dining room, still jostling for position even after all these years. Only two chairs were never fought over—mama would kill them if they even dared touch the ones at the foot and head of the table. As if preplanned, Naomi ended up situated between Javier and Ethan. The large table had no trouble accommodating them all. Actually, it could have handled more, which was why she ended up with all her brothers across from her, still scowling.
For some reason, their attitude irritated her. She knew her reasons for not wanting Javier and Ethan here. What the hell was their problem?
“What’s got your undies in a wedgie?” she asked as she heaped her plate high with food—mama’s cooking was to die for.
“They shouldn’t be here,” Derrick grumbled with a dark glare.
“And we hear they spent the night at your house,” Mitchell added on a growl.
“I assure you, your sister’s virtue remains intact. We simply ensured she didn’t’ come to any ill while incapacitated” Javier replied before she could.
“I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself,” Naomi added with an elbow in Javier’s ribs.
“You were unconscious and required protecting,” Ethan rumbled.
“No thanks to either of you and your sleeping cocktail.”
“They drugged you!” Chris, her usually antagonistic brother, stood up from the table his fists clenched.
“Oh, sit down,” her mother ordered. “I told them to dose her because, knowing your sister, she would have cleaned her house top to bottom instead of getting the sleep she required.”
Fated Mates: The Alpha Shifter Boxed Set (12 Book Bundle) (Insatiable Reads) Page 63