by Sophie Stern
That gets Heather’s attention.
“Excuse me?” She looks up, pushing her glasses up. Her hair, which was probably perfectly styled at the beginning of her shift, is now in a messy bun with stray hairs framing her face. “What did you just say? Because it sounds like you just waltzed into my hotel buck-ass naked and told me my latest visitor is your soul mate.”
“She’s my mate,” I repeat. My voice is strained. It’s hard to get the words out, hard to admit this is what’s happening. It’s been so long. I’ve searched for so long, fought for so long. I’ve tried so hard to find my life-mate and now she’s here within reach, and I don’t know what to do.
“All right, big boy,” Heather says, motioning for me to sit in one of the plush velvet chairs. “Put a towel down so you don’t get your butt on the chair, and then have a seat. I’ll make us some tea.” Without a backwards glance, she heads through the door that leads to her family’s living quarters.
I open a cupboard where she keeps random things guests sometimes need, and grab a towel. By the time I finish setting up the towel and getting myself situated, Heather is back with two cups of tea and a plate of cookies.
“Cookies?” I ask, surprised.
“You’re going to want comfort food. Now shut up and drink your tea.”
She sets the tray on the little coffee table and I reach for a steaming mug of tea. I sip it while I wait for Heather to start speaking because if I know one thing about the wolf mistress of the motel, it’s that she tells it like it is.
I reach for a cookie and it’s only then, when I take my first bite, that Heather begins to speak.
“Don’t be stupid,” she says, and my jaw drops because that’s not what I was expecting her to say. I open my mouth to protest, but she holds up a hand and keeps talking.
“Adam Hart, I’ve known you since you were a little kid and I was your babysitter. You were just as impulsive then as you are now and you need to get over that real quick if you want to win this girl’s heart.”
“I’m not impulsive,” I say, but I set my cookie down sulkily.
“You are impulsive and right now, I’d say you’re trying to figure out how you can march over to room number four and introduce yourself without being weird. The correct answer is that you can’t, creeper.”
“I’m not a creeper.”
“No, you’re not, because I’m not letting you be. You male wolves are all the same,” Heather continues. “You think you can just walk up to a woman, declare you’re her mate, and live happily ever after. I hate to be the one to tell you, Adam, but it doesn’t work that way, especially with a human.”
“Then what do I do, Heather?” I’m exasperated. I chug the tea. I eat another cookie. “I’ve been waiting for her my whole life.”
“And she doesn’t even know you exist,” Heather says. “She doesn’t know you’re here, or that you’re destined to be together, or that you’re a damn wolf, so give the girl some fucking time and be patient. You’ve waited 25 years for her, Adam. You can wait a few days.”
I let her words sink in. I know Heather is right. I don’t want her to be, but she’s right. I need to be patient, especially now. I need to wait. I need to play this cool. Amy only just got to Wolfe City and chances are she’s going to be here for a couple of days. That gives me a few days to plead my case. That gives me a few days to win her heart.
“Tell you what,” Heather says, taking pity on me. “I’ll bring her to Tony’s for lunch tomorrow, all right? Herb is going to look at her car in the morning and he’ll let us know how long it’s going to take to fix. I’ll introduce you.”
“You’d do that for me?”
“Kid, you’re like a little brother. I’ll do anything for you. Now get out of my hotel, and wash that towel.”
I try to hug Heather goodbye, but she motions at my nudity and simply goes back to her desk and starts playing a computer game.
“Thanks, Heather. Thank you. For real.”
“Uh-huh.”
I take the towel with me and walk out of the Wolfe City Motel. With only one short glance back at room four, I head toward my home. It’s only a few minutes away. Let’s be honest: Wolfe City is small enough that everything is only a few minutes away.
I walk in a daze until I get to my house. Then I open the door and go inside, happy I left it unlocked. Because shifters can’t exactly carry keys, most of the Wolfe City Pack members leave their houses unlocked. We also all have hide-a-keys stashed around town. It’s probably not a good habit, especially when outsiders come to town, but it’s how we live, and it works for us.
My home is small, but comfortable. I have a little two-story house on the edge of town. The backyard opens up to a beautiful field. Sometimes I’ll take a blanket out there and lie down so I can just stare at the stars and think. Living in Wolfe City is incredible. It’s beautiful. It’s lovely.
And it’s better now that Amy is here.
Call me a hopeless romantic, but when I walk into my house, all I can think is that I can’t wait for her to come live with me. I can’t wait to win her heart so I can bring her here and show her my home.
Our home.
The first floor has a living room, kitchen, laundry room, and bathroom. The two bedrooms are on the second floor with another bathroom. There’s a large wraparound porch and the master bedroom has a walk-out balcony. It’s tiny and it’s simple, but it’s mine, and I love it. I love my home.
Once inside, I do lock the door. Then I deposit Heather’s towel in the laundry room and head upstairs to shower. I need to take a long, cold shower. Yes, that’s exactly what I need. I need to shower and clear my head and think about what I’m going to do tomorrow. I need to think about how I’m going to win my mate.
I need to think about the fact that tomorrow, my entire life is going to change.
Tomorrow is the day I’ve been waiting for.
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Honeypot Darlings
Want more paranormal romance?
I have a series called Honeypot Darlings featuring three sexy shifter brothers.
Wyatt, Carter, and Micah are all different in their own ways, but they each share one very important similarity: they’re all bear shifters!
In The Bear’s Virgin Darling, Hope moves to Honeypot for a fresh start. She doesn’t expect anything, but a paycheck. Then she meets Wyatt and everything changes.
Here you can read the first three chapters of this book for free! If you prefer to jump right into the novel, you can get your own copy on Amazon here.
Chapter 1
Hope
Hope.
That’s my name.
My parents struggled for years to have a baby and then finally, they had me. They named me Hope to remind themselves that things can always get better. No matter how tough life gets, there’s always a way to make things better.
Always.
It doesn’t matter if you’re old or young or skilled or uneducated. No matter what you’re going through, you can get through it.
As I grip the steering wheel of my beat-up Saturn so hard I think my hands might bleed, their words run through my mind.
“Sorry, Mama,” I whisper. “There’s no hope this time.”
The highway is empty and I’ve been driving for hours. I still have at least two to go until I reach beautiful, isolated, far-from-home Honeypot, Colorado.
I don’t know a damn thing about the town except that it’s a 12-hour drive from my rink-a-dink hometown in Missouri and that I have a job interview with some ranch.
Like I know anything about ranching.
That doesn’t matter though. I learned this great skill in drama class called “fake it ‘til you make it,” and that’s exactly what I plan to do.
Holbrook can kiss my ass and so can Jacob Clint. Did he really think I wouldn’t find out he was fucking my best friend?
Did she?
It’s been a month since I caught them fooling
around, but the pain hasn’t dimmed. It took me a whole month to sell my stuff, give my landlord ample notice I was leaving, and set up this damn job interview.
I applied for a few gigs closer to home, but when I saw the posting for a ranch hand in Colorado, I couldn’t resist applying. I’m still shocked they liked my application. I’m still shocked they called me.
Granted, I could show up tomorrow and they might tell me to get lost, but it’s something new, something different, something brave.
It’s something to keep my mind off how badly my heart hurts.
I hope Jacob and Margaret are very happy together in hell.
I press the gas pedal a little bit harder.
I can’t wait to get to Nowhere, Colorado. Not too much further now. I blast my music and stare out the window, driving with one hand down the highway. My car is loaded with my life’s belongings. I sure as hell hope I get the job because if I don’t, I’m going to be stuck in Colorado with no house, no job, and no boyfriend.
Soon my stomach growls and I stop for a quick burger at a fast food place just off the highway. The only two things at the exit are a gas station and a fast food chain, so I eat my run-of-the-mill burger in silence, stretch my legs, and fill up the tank. My thoughts alternate between being horrified Jacob was the best I could do and being horrified that I won’t get the job.
I need the job.
Unfortunately, my thoughts are so focused that I don’t realize when the speed limit drops from 75 to 55 just outside of Honeypot. The sirens in the rearview mirror give me the notice and I growl in frustration as I pull over.
Dammit.
A ticket is not what I need right now. I barely have enough money saved for a hotel room while I’m in Honeypot. If I don’t get the job, or if I have a bunch of unexpected expenses, I will definitely be living out of my car.
This is a problem because my car is full of clothes, books, and trinkets I couldn’t leave behind.
Taking a deep breath, I place my hands on the steering wheel and wait for the officer to run my plates. I’ve never had a ticket before, but I’ve been pulled over, and I remember the cop explaining that he had to call in the license plate before he even came to speak with me.
After a few minutes, my heart finally begins to slow, and I realize that this was just an honest mistake. Besides, getting a ticket isn’t the worst thing that could happen to a girl like me. By the time the officer gets out of his car and walks toward mine, I’ve convinced myself that I’ll handle this like an adult.
I definitely will not cry in front of this stranger. Maybe I’ve been through a lot, but crying in front of strangers is definitely a hard limit for me. Unfortunately, as I begin to roll my window down – yes, my car is so old that I have to roll the window down – I catch a glimpse of the cop and he’s no tubby police officer.
No, this guy is tall, cut, and fit to be tied.
Dammit.
My mouth goes dry when he approaches and I’m very aware of the fact that I’ve been in a car all day and probably smell like stale French fries.
“Hello, ma’am,” the officer greets me, standing outside my window. He places one hand on top of my car and peers in the window at me. I swallow loudly as I stare at his aviators.
He’s so tall he almost has to bend in half to peek into my car. Suddenly, I wish I was wearing a low-cut shirt to give him a show. He smiles brightly, his perfectly white teeth shining in the evening sunset. And oh, is he filling out that uniform in all the right places.
“Fuck me,” I say out loud, and I immediately cover my mouth with my hand and start shaking my head. Shit! Shit. Shit. Shit. I did not mean to say that out loud. “I’m sorry,” I mumble, and look away, completely embarrassed. I can’t believe I just said that to a stranger.
To my surprise, the police officer doesn’t get upset, though. He just chuckles.
“New to the area?” He says, and I nod, but don’t say anything. “Well, do you know why I pulled you over?”
This is the part where I feign innocence. This is the part where I cry damsel, where I say that I just got out of a bad relationship and I’m trying to get a fresh start. This is the part where I say I didn’t know any better, where I missed the sign.
Only when he lowers his glasses and I see his deep brown eyes, I know I can’t lie to this cop.
Something tells me he’ll know whether I’m telling the truth or not.
Something tells me he doesn’t do lies.
“I was speeding,” I blurt out, and again, cover my mouth. What is with my bluntness around this guy?
He nods, and asks for my registration and driver’s license. I hand both over to him, cringing the entire time. He flips over my license and eyes my registration, then he asks me the question I’ve been dreading.
“And where are you headed, ma’am?”
I point to the exit that’s just up ahead, number 234.
“Honeypot,” I say. “I have a job interview tomorrow.”
“Is that so, miss?” He looks surprised, and I wonder why. I’m guessing not too many new people come to Honeypot. It’s basically in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by dense forests. The last exit was about ten miles back, so I’d say it’s pretty isolated.
“It’s not full of murderers, is it?” I ask him on a whim, wondering what secrets I’ll discover in the tiny town. “Because if you say it is, I’ll turn right on back around.”
He chuckles and shakes his head. “No murderers. No need to worry about that. Now, you just hold tight.” He heads back to his car and does something. I sit still, not bothering to play with my phone or pretend to listen to music. I don’t have anyone to text and I doubt I get cell service out here, anyway.
Lucky for me, dating Jacob really ruined my friendships, so I don’t have anyone to care that I’m gone. There’s no one to miss me, no one to call. Everyone hated him and when I was with him, I became this unrecognizable bitch. It was my own fault, but the truth still hurts.
Finally, the officer returns and gives me a ticket. He looks at me, all business, and tells me to slow down.
“Yeah,” I say, taking it glumly. I shove it in my glove compartment, along with my registration. My license goes back in my wallet. “I’ll do that.”
“Best of luck in Honeypot,” he says, trying to be friendly. I can tell he’s the kind of cop who takes pride in his work, who doesn’t give out tickets just to be mean. Still, it’s annoying he chose me to target for his ticket-writing today.
“Yeah. Thanks. I hear the Blair Ranch is beautiful,” I say, trying my best to stay calm. Don’t cry, Hope. Don’t think about how much this ticket is going to cost you, Hope. “Hopefully it’ll be everything it’s rumored to be.”
“The Blair Ranch?” He cocks his head, suddenly interested. His body is turned, like he’s going to walk back to his car, but he pauses, waiting to hear more.
“Yeah, I have an interview there tomorrow,” I say. I try not to meet his eyes. Those dark brown, beautiful, gorgeous, could-get-lost-in-them eyes are just too much. This guy must be drowning in pussy because he’s seriously hot. “I’m hoping I’ll get it,” I add, motioning toward the back of my car. “Obviously.”
He looks in the backseat, seemingly noticing the boxes for the first time.
“Is that so?” He says. I can’t tell if he’s curious, amused, or annoyed. This guy is completely unreadable to me, which is fine. I’m not looking for a relationship. I’m only looking for a job and possibly a new vibrator if this town has a sex store, which I’m guessing it doesn’t, based on its current population size.
“Yeah, well, who knows how many people they interviewed?” I shrug. I really shouldn’t get my hopes up. “But the guy wanted to see me in person, so I guess that’s good, right?”
Why the hell am I talking so much? This poor cop doesn’t need to hear my life story or how nervous I am about the interview.
“Do you know Mr. Blair?” I ask. I’ve only ever talked with the guy through email. He could be
a cranky old codger for all I know.
The cop nods. “I know him,” he says. “Wyatt is a good man.”
“No, my interview isn’t with Wyatt. It’s with Carter,” I say, remembering the unique name. Carter Blair. I wonder what Carter is like. Maybe he’ll be one of those friendly old guys who wants to tell me stories about the war or who just wants someone to read him the newspaper at breakfast. There’s always the chance he’ll be an asshole, old and crabby, but I’m trying to keep my hopes up as much as possible.
The cop laughs, and I look back up, meeting his eyes that time.
“Trust me,” he says. “You might be meeting with Carter, but Wyatt is the one you need to impress.”
“Any tips?” I ask him hopefully. Suddenly, getting a ticket doesn’t seem like the worst possible thing to happen to me today. Maybe the cop has some great insight I can use to ace my interview.
“Don’t put up with his crap,” the officer says. He doesn’t even have to think about it. “Stand your ground with him no matter what he says.”
“I thought I was supposed to kiss my new boss’ ass,” I tell him. “Isn’t that the secret to getting hired?”
“Not with the Blair brothers,” he tells me. “With them, you need to be firm. Show them they can’t boss you around. And a low-cut shirt won’t hurt. Have a good day, miss.” He tips his hat and leaves.
My jaw is on the floor, but for the first time this entire trip, I can see myself actually landing this job.
Be firm?
I can do that.
Don’t let them boss me around?
I can do that.
Wear a low-cut shirt?
I can definitely do that.
Honeypot, here I come.
Chapter 2
Hope
There’s a tiny motel just off the exit. It looks questionable at best. The blinking Vacancy sign is missing a few letters and the outside of the building has seen better days. The entire parking lot is dark, although the lights are on in the motel. While I consider myself to be a go-getter, I’m not an idiot.