by ML Guida
He snarled. “Who is it?”
“Gerri Wilder. Open up, tiger. We need to talk. Besides, I have a picnic basket for you.”
“Gerri?” He opened the door and immediately salivated at the smell of the picnic basket she’d packed.
Not waiting to be asked in, she pushed by him. “Cora’s best friend, Lara, called me.”
He shut the door. “And?”
She set the basket down on the table and put her hands on her hips. “Do you want this woman as your mate or not?” Her angry tone caught him off guard.
“Hell yes I do.”
“Fucking her behind the Arvada library is not going to win you any brownie points. That’s something Miles would do.”
He stiffened. “I’m not Miles.”
“Then quit acting like him.”
“I’m not acting like him.”
She jammed her finger into his chest. “Yes, you are. You need to think of her needs, not yours. Miles never thinks about anyone else but himself. His mate is suffering for it.”
He ran his hand through his hair. “I know.” He was drawn to the basket. The aroma of fried chicken, French fries, and baked beans made his mouth water.
“I can see I need to feed you before we can get things straight.” She pulled off the napkin and took out a platter of fried chicken, a bowl of homemade French fries, and another bowl of baked beans. The beans had chunks of crispy bacon and cut green peppers and onions.
He licked his lips. “That looks so good.”
“Don’t just stand there. Get us some plates.”
He did as she asked, along with forks, spoons, and a couple of paper towels.
She motioned. “Help yourself.”
Seth didn’t wait for a second invitation and piled up his plate. “So, how do I convince her that I won’t treat her like Miles does Caterina?”
“You’re going to have to give up something for her.”
He scowled. “What do you mean?”
“I can’t tell you what it is that you need to give up, but when the time comes, and you truly want this woman to be your mate, you’ll know.”
He picked up a chicken leg. “Nothing cryptic about that.”
“Seth, I have a sixth sense about these things. That’s how I’ve been in this business for so long. You and Cora belong together.”
“Can you at least give me a hint of what I need to give up?” He bit into the crispy, juicy leg. Just how he liked it.
She picked up a thigh and shook her head. “No, I can’t.” She shrugged. “Besides, I have no idea what kind of sacrifice you need to make for her. I’ve told you how to win her. The rest is up to you. What I can tell you is if you win her heart, she’ll make you the happiest tiger in the world.”
“If I do this mysterious sacrifice.”
She smiled. “Exactly.”
They ate silently for the remainder of the meal. He couldn’t get any more information from Gerri. But she did give him Cora’s address in Frisco.
Seth sped his bike up the mountain. He really opened her up, let her eat up the road. One of his favorite things to do was let loose on the mountain. He loved the smell of pine, the winding and rolling turns, and the crispness in the air. All in all a perfect ride.
Usually.
But not today.
He gripped the bars tighter and his jaw twitched. He was dropping in unexpectedly on his would-be mate. She was more elusive than a slippery trout.
He couldn’t get what Gerri had said out of his mind. How was he supposed to put her needs above his own? In order to do that, he’d have to get to know her better.
Lake Dillon spread out on his left. Actually, the lake was a reservoir that stretched out from Silverthorne all the way to Breckenridge. The water was Denver’s drinking supply. Sailboats glided across the lake and paddle-boarders huddled close to her shores. He’d love to take Cora out fishing on a boat or just sit on the shore, watching the sun set, but that’s what he wanted to do.
His job was to figure out what she wanted to do.
He got off at the Frisco exit and pulled onto the main road. According to Gerri, Cora lived in a small downtown condominium. His GPS led him down the main drag. He drove past a bakery, several restaurants, and clothing stores, until he reached her side street. He easily found her place. Her red-wood building faced an alley, but the balconies all faced Main Street. It didn’t really matter, because no matter where he turned, majestic mountains surrounded the town.
He pulled into the parking lot and sat on his bike. Cars and trucks were parked in the spaces, but he didn’t see her silver Pathfinder. It could have been parked in one of the single-car garages. He got off his bike and took a deep breath. He couldn’t figure out whether coming up here met her needs or his own. Just thinking about seeing her again made his cock rock hard, but he needed to think about her.
He mustered up his tiger courage and knocked on her door. No answer. He knocked harder and got the same response. His fault. He should have called, but he was afraid if he had, she wouldn’t have seen him.
Across the street was a little bakery, and he headed toward it. After the long drive, he could use a cup of coffee and a bagel or something.
“I guess I get to play stalker,” he mumbled.
He ordered a strong cup of coffee and a bagel with egg and bacon. He needed some protein. Luckily, there was a table near a window where he had the perfect spot to play voyeur. He bit into his sandwich.
“Seth, what are you doing here?”
He whirled around to look into Cora’s scowling face. She had her hair pulled back into a ponytail and had on gray sweats. Not many women looked great in sweats, but she looked hot as hell.
Shit, this wasn’t going to go well. He swallowed hard. “I came up to see you.”
“Who gave you my address?”
“Does it matter?”
“Actually, it does. I don’t like my trust being violated.”
He winced. “That’s a strong word.”
“My privacy is really important.”
Heat flushed through his body and he tensed. “I wasn’t trying to invade your privacy. I tried calling you, but you wouldn’t answer your phone.”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “So if I wouldn’t take your calls, what made you think I wanted to see you in person?”
“Ouch.”
“Sorry.” Her tone softened. “I’m just not used to anyone pursuing me like you are.”
“Good. I wouldn’t want them to.”
She lifted an eyebrow.
“I’m not here to fight. I just wanted to see you. Can you at least join me for a cup of coffee?” He gestured toward the chair.
“Coffee. Nothing else.”
“What would you like?”
“I’ll get it.”
“No, I will. Just tell me what you would like.”
She gestured at the counter. “There’s a long line. Your coffee and bagel will get cold.”
He shrugged. “I don’t care. I just want to talk with you. Will you stay here?”
She sighed and sat. “You’ve got fifteen minutes. I want a nonfat cafè latte.”
“Fine.”
He hurried to stand in line, which moved slower than a tortoise. His breathing grew heavier and louder. He kept glancing over his shoulder to make sure that Cora didn’t try and sneak out. He finally got to the cash register and quickly ordered her nonfat latte.
He had to maneuver between people to get back to his table. His tiger hissed, threatening to burst through the crowd to get to Cora.
As she promised, she waited at the table. He smiled. “Here you go.’
“Thank you,” she murmured. “Okay, talk.”
“That’s not exactly reassuring,” he said as he sat opposite her.
She took a sip of her coffee. “It’s the best I can do.”
She was an enigma. Hot and passionate one minute, and the next, cold as ice.
He wasn’t about to do a dog and pony show o
n her. He inhaled a deep breath, then blurted. “I like you. I like you a lot.”
“No, you like to fuck me. You don’t know anything about me except for what you remember from high school.”
This was going from bad to worse. “All right. I agree I deserve that, and I’m not going to lie to you. I like making you hot. I can barely keep my hands off you, but no woman has ever made me feel like that before.”
She slanted her body away from him and folded her arms across her chest. “I find that hard to believe.”
He sat straighter in his chair. “Well, it’s true. Do you think if I didn’t really like you, I would have driven all the way up here?”
She twisted her cup around in a circle. “I don’t know.”
“Okay, let me ask you this. If what you say is true, then I could have any woman I want, but I’m here with you.” He leaned close and gently put his hand on her wrist. “You’re the one I want. You’re the one I can’t stop thinking about.”
“Those are only words.”
He put his hand down and released her wrist. He was one step away from wanting to shake her. “This is because of Miles, isn’t it?”
“Miles used to say things like that to other girls, to Caterina.” She lowered her voice. “To me. But they were all lies.”
“What can I do to prove to you I’m not him?”
“I don’t know. Maybe nothing. Maybe a hundred little things. The problem is, Seth, when Miles turned Caterina, that’s when everything changed. Her life went from a fairytale to a nightmare.”
“You don’t want to be her.”
“Miles really hurt me, Seth.” Her eyes welled with tears. “He humiliated me at prom, married my sister, and has made my life a living hell at every family gathering.” She spread her arms wide. “That’s why I live up here. It’s safe up here. No one’s ever heard of Arvada East High School, or Miles Le Blanc, or my sister.”
“But you’re hiding.”
She sat stiffer in her chair and glared. “No, I’m not. I’m building a new life. I love living in the mountains. This is my home now. I don’t want to go back to Arvada or Denver. I want to stay here.” She grabbed her coffee and looked at the window. “I just don’t see how a long-distance relationship would work.”
“Arvada’s only an hour from here.”
She faced him. The tears were gone and determination glistened in her eyes. “When it’s good weather or not a holiday.”
“I can see we’re not going to get anywhere on this. You mentioned earlier about maybe a hundred little things that could prove I wasn’t like Miles.”
“What about it?”
“Name something I could do to show you I’m not Miles.”
“If I told you, then you’d just do it.” She skidded her chair back as if she were worried he’d bit her. “But that would change if you claimed me.”
“No, it wouldn’t. I swear it wouldn’t. You’re not even giving me a chance.”
“I know. And I’m sorry. But I just can’t go through that hurt again.”
He clasped her hand and caressed it with his thumb. “I promise you, you won’t. You’re all I’ve ever thought about.”
She smirked. “Really? It’s been ten years, Seth. Why is it just now those feelings are coming out? Why didn’t you come looking for me before?”
His lungs constricted. “A legitimate question.”
She narrowed her eyes. “And?”
He turned away. “I didn’t want to tell you.”
Her jaw was set tight. “Tell me what.”
“There’s a reason why I didn’t call you.”
“Stop playing games, Seth…”
“I was homeless.” He avoided looking into her eyes.
“What happened?” Her voice softened and she clasped his arm.
He glanced at her, expecting to see revulsion or pity in her eyes, but what he saw was warmed his heart. Concern filled her eyes and she brushed her thumb over his arm.
“You know my folks never had money.”
“Yes, I knew.”
“After high school, I wanted to make my own way, so I joined a band.”
She smiled. “I didn’t know you were in a band. What instrument did you play?”
“I didn’t. I was the singer.”
“Really?” She edged her chair closer. Her eyes commanded his attention. Dark gray, flecked with every subtle shade between brown and black, and they were bright as polished onyx. And direct enough to give him hope that she didn’t think he was a clone of Miles.
The tension in the back of his neck lessened.
“Yeah. It was a mistake, though. The band convinced me to move to LA where we could get our big break. Bands were a dime-a-dozen out there. We were lucky if we got to play at a bar mitzvah.”
She laughed. It was charming and warming his heart.
He grinned. “Anyways, the band broke up. I didn’t have a job so ended up on the streets.”
“How come you didn’t ask your parents for help?”
“My parents were pissed at me for leaving, especially my old man. He wanted me to get a real job… said we’d never make it.” He sipped his cold coffee. “I didn’t want to come home with my tail between my legs and admit he was right.”
“I’m sorry, Seth.”
He tilted his head back. “Well, the real problem was I couldn’t face my parents, especially my dad. Besides, I knew they didn’t have the money to send me a plane or bus ticket. Dad was saving every dime he had to buy a motorcycle shop. I couldn’t ask him to throw his dream away. He’d been working so damn hard.”
“So what happened?”
He shrugged. “I lived on the streets. Slept under bridges, parks, beaches.”
“You didn’t go to the shelters?”
He scrubbed a hand over his face. “Pride makes you do stupid things.”
She lowered voice to a whisper. “Weren’t you scared?”
The streets offered no easy life and was merciless to anyone who showed a hint of weakness. Like he had before, he pumped his chest as if he were a warrior and spat in the eyes of his enemies, but it was a lie. He blurted. “Every day.”
“How did you get out of it?”
He ran his shaking hand through his hair. “It took me awhile, Cora. I was drinking heavily and ended up begging for money. A low point in my life.”
“How long did you live like that?”
“Four years.”
Her eyes widened. “Wow. God, I’d have been so scared.”
“Anyways, I finally stumbled into a treatment center that turned my life around. I stopped drinking like a fish and went to trade school. Learned how to work on bikes.”
She scowled. “But you drink…”
“Shifters aren’t like humans. We can’t become addicted to alcohol. We can drink like a sieve, but still not be addicted. I learned how to solve my problems with downing a case of beer every night.”
“So what do you do when you get stressed out?”
“I work out. Lift weights.”
She rubbed his biceps. “I can see that.”
He smiled, wishing she was touching him in all the wrong places.
“When did you come home?”
“About two years ago. Dad was real sick, and I had to help Mom.”
“Did you and your dad make up?”
He shrugged. “I guess so. He left me the shop.” Not exactly the truth, but he wasn’t ready to tell her everything.
At least not yet.
She hung her head. “So, I guess that explains why you didn’t call me?”
“I wanted to, Cora. I really did.” His voice choked. “I thought about you all the time.”
She sighed. “Okay, I’m probably going to regret this…” She grinned. “Can I cook you dinner?”
He slowly lifted the corner of his mouth. “Really?”
She laughed. “Yes, really.” She stood. “Come on. Let’s go back to my place.”
“Are you sure?”
&nb
sp; She rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I’m sure.”
He followed her out of the café, praying he’d just eat dinner, but staring at her ass, he didn’t want dinner. He wanted dessert.
Chapter 8
Seth held her hand as they walked across the street to her condo. It was on the second floor and the balcony faced Buffalo Mountain which was her favorite view. It was only a one bedroom and one bath, but the vaulted ceilings and large living room made it seem bigger.
Cora couldn’t believe she was so stupid as she unlocked her door. Seth smelled so damn good–pine, wind, and power. This was a man who had lived on the streets and fought to survive. He hadn’t been handed money like Miles. He had to fight to keep everything he had, reminding her of the outlaws of the wild west; an original bad boy.
Don’tbestupid,don’tbestupid,don’tbestupid.
“Wow, this is nice.” He looked around the living room that had a gas log fireplace and tall windows that framed the mountains.
“It’s small. Only one bedroom and one bath, but it’s just me.” Her place diminished in size with Seth. He walked across the hard floors to the patio doors. “Great view.”
“Yes, it is,” she whispered. But she wasn’t talking about the mountains. His jeans hugged his tight ass.
She clenched her fists to keep her hands from running over his leather jacket. Why was it whenever she was around him she wanted to strip off her clothes and mount him like a harlot?
She’d never felt like that about anybody–not even Miles.
Taking a quivering breath, she turned her back. “I was going to make hamburgers and a fruit salad. Nothing special.” She headed toward the kitchen.
He shed his jacket and lay it across the back of the couch. “Hamburgers sound great.”
She grabbed the thawing hamburger out of the sink and took buns out of the refrigerator. “I only have a George Foreman grill.”
“I don’t mind.” He came up behind her and nuzzled her neck. The brush of his lips sent her body trembling.
“Dinner. Remember?” She wiggled away from him.
He put his hands up. “Okay. I’ll behave. Do you have anything to drink?”
“Yeah, I do, but I only have red wine. It’s on the baker’s rack.” She opened the cupboard and pulled out two wine glasses.