by Vivian Arend
“You fly…” Gem adjusted her image of him as a red-necked, untrained brute, just a second before it hit her. “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer.”
“Right. You’ve heard of our company? That’s cool.”
“I’ve hired you.”
Shaun sat upright. “The caribou trip? You? You’re the insane scientist who wants to go into the bush for two weeks?”
“Insane?”
Shaun snorted. “Sorry, not you personally. It’s just that almost every occasion in the past that we’ve had a southerner book flights into the backcountry, things have gone nutso. Statistically, you’re a walking time bomb.”
She wasn’t sure when she’d crossed her arms in front of her, sitting even straighter than usual. His comments were not what she’d expected, not in terms of the trip or their relationship.
“I’ve contracted a perfectly acceptable research project, with all the background information completed. I simply need to gather the final hard data and report my findings.”
His expression of disbelief hadn’t budged. “You want to go chase caribou?”
“Yes.”
“You.”
The heat in the room kept rising, but no longer because she wanted to jump him. “Me. To complete a project for my undergrad studies.”
“But you? Love, show me your hands.”
She tugged them from under her robe and snapped them in his face. He took one and rested it in his palm. Like a knight of old, he kissed her.
Gem huffed. “This isn’t the end of our discussion.”
He shook his head, but didn’t take his eyes off her fingers. He stroked them, long draws with his hand, his thumb on one side, the other four fingers rubbing and massaging. “So soft.”
Shaun rotated her palm upward and touched his lips to the pulse point on her wrist. The echo of lust-filled pleasure from the previous night reverberated through her body. “Stop. Please.”
Another kiss. “You don’t want to go into the bush. These beautiful hands aren’t the kind to handle the work.”
Her rising passion was doused by a bucket of all-too-familiar discouragement. She yanked her hand free and rose to her feet.
“I am very capable of whatever it takes to complete this assignment. I’ll have you know I practiced everything I needed for the wilderness part of the excursion.” Gem stomped to the dresser, head held high. Of course, bare feet on carpet meant her heaviest treads didn’t make much of an impact.
“Practiced? What did you practice? Getting lost in the scrub brush? Making a cat hole?” Shaun turned to follow her, his handsome face highlighted by a huge smile.
If he laughed, her response would involve pain on his part. She was so so sick of not being taken seriously, even if she had no idea what he was talking about.
What in the world had she done? Going off on such a wild hair and diving into bed with him before they had a chance to talk—all her lovely morning-after thoughts were well and truly trampled underfoot.
“Shaun, we’ve kind of gotten off topic. Maybe we should stick to background information for a bit longer, and we can worry about our work later.”
He nodded slowly. “Right. Okay. Well, I’m the youngest of two kids. My sister mated a fellow a couple years ago, and they live in Fairbanks, Alaska. My mom and dad are part of the Takhini pack, but they aren’t back from Florida yet.”
“Florida?” That was her backyard. Almost. “Oh, right. Snowbirds?”
Shaun laughed. “Yeah, only they found a 55-plus community that’s on the edge of a natural reserve, and the place is shifter-friendly. Most of the residents are either wolves or foxes, and once a week instead of bingo, they have tracking contests.”
“We have mainly shifters on the grounds as well. Actually, all shifters. I didn’t meet my first human until I was ten.”
Shaun lost a bit of his smile. “Where do you live that you didn’t meet a full human until you were that old? That’s insane.”
There was that word again. Gem chose to ignore the rude remark this time. “Our house is in southeastern Georgia close to Savannah. The estate borders a river and some woods, and there’s a small community of residences around the perimeter. That’s where most of the estate workers live.”
“School? Didn’t you go to a local school?”
Gem stared at him. “Of course I did. I just told you there was a community next to the estate. I went to grade and middle school there before attending a private school for upper grades.”
“It’s like you’ve been in a little shifter bubble your entire life. What about now? You said you’re doing research for an undergrad degree. Which university? You’ve got to be attending campus somewhere.”
A hint of embarrassment rose. “Well…no. I’m registered at Savannah, but most of my classes have been tutorials or home study. There’s a full lab on the estate, and my classmates join me there for projects.”
At the expression of absolute horror on his face, she crossed her arms in defense.
He shook his head in wonder. “Incredible. I didn’t know this kind of situation existed.”
“It’s perfectly acceptable.”
“You haven’t been living in the real world.” Shaun leaned closer, his gaze narrowing. “Hang on. Your classmates come to the estate? The prof as well?”
She nodded.
“What the hell kind of kickbacks does that take to arrange?”
Kickbacks? “What are you talking about? Daddy simply asked and they come. There was never any trouble. I always had tutors visit the house when I needed them.”
“Wolves, right?”
“Usually.”
“Because associating with humans was beneath you?”
Gem laughed. “Of course not. It was a safety issue. Do you know any US history? The natural lupine population was eradicated from Georgia during the 1960s. To this day residents can shoot wolves on sight without a permit.”
His eyes widened in horror. “Holy shit. Really?”
Her amusement faded rapidly. “It isn’t a great setting for a non-stable teen shifter to be out in public, which is why I assume my family organized private studies in the first place.”
“And you still live there? I’d have thought all the shifters would have gotten the hell out.”
“The estate has been our family’s home for generations, and we don’t want to abandon our heritage. We’ve adapted. Only it means that Daddy is more protective than I’d like. That’s part of the reason I decided to do this trip. Spread my wings a little, and show that I’m capable.”
Shaun fell silent. He strode to the window and threw open the curtains. Bright sunshine flooded the room. Gem caught herself fidgeting with her robe and deliberately folded her hands together, standing in a position that said relaxed, even though she was far from it.
The addictive sensation of his touch hadn’t faded. The incredible awareness of having him inside her lingered, intimate and demanding. While the physical need to jump him remained, she wasn’t at all happy with the way their conversation had progressed.
Shaun rotated, backlit by the sunshine. “What’s your name?”
“I told you—”
“I can’t remember your last name.” He snapped the words.
She lifted her chin. “Jacobs.”
His response was not what she expected. He buried his face in his hands for a second. “Holy fucking hell.”
This time it wasn’t a thrill of excitement that hit upon hearing his curse. “Shaun! Such language.”
He gaped at her. “You’re a Jacobs? Like the southern multibillionaire Jacobs who owes half the land in Georgia and—”
“That’s not true.”
Shaun collapsed back onto the foot of the bed. “Oh, sorry. Slight exaggeration on my part. Only a quarter of the state. You’re a fucking heiress.”
“Shaun. Enough swearing.” She pulled herself upright with as much poise as possible, years of experience of dealing with dignitaries helping her deal with her mate. “T
here’s no need for you to be vulgar. Yes, I’m a Jacobs, and we own a few properties and such. When we go back home, you can discuss with Daddy what part of the family business most interests you. With your background in aviation, you might like to take over one of the airlines at some point.”
Gem trailed off. The expression on his face had shifted from disbelief to disgust.
“You expect me to move to Georgia?”
“Of course. Why wouldn’t you? We’re mates.”
Shaun rose and stepped against her body. The desire to wrap herself around him was instant and strong, but she kept her hands in place, fingers gripped together tightly. He stared down, one finger stroking her cheek. He took a slow breath, as if calming himself. “Yes, we’re mates. That means you can come and live with me. That’s how this works. My sister met her mate, then she moved to be with him.”
“And sometimes it works the other way. It makes more sense—”
He grabbed the back of her neck, his hand warm and gentle on her skin even as his words cut and stabbed. “I’m sorry, there’s nothing that makes sense to me about abandoning my business, my life and my friends to go become a pampered boy toy for the Rockefellers of the wolf world. Not to mention moving somewhere I could be shot on sight—forget that shit.”
“But I’m supposed to give up everything to come live with you?”
“It’s where you belong.” Shaun brushed his thumb over her cheek as he spoke.
Disappointment, deep and heartfelt slammed into her. Her mate was as controlling as her father, and frankly, she’d had more than enough of being a docile little lamb.
She wasn’t about to give up the independence she’d worked so hard for over the past year. Maybe she appeared soft and fragile, but golly gee, she hadn’t spent all that time training and learning to stand on her own just to toss it away to mate with a footloose drifter.
She caught his hand in hers, stilling the caress that was simultaneously making her body tremble and her heart break. “Then it’s a good thing we didn’t mark each other, isn’t it? Because until we come to an agreement about how to deal with this situation, there will be no marking, understand?”
Gem slipped under his hand and snatched up her clothes, ignoring his protests as she stepped into the bathroom and firmly closed the door on his face.
Shaun spun his spoon between his fingers. Played with his coffee cup. Leaned back in his chair and rocked it precariously on two feet. He’d dressed and paced the room until Gem had basically ordered him to wait in the restaurant for her. It was either follow directions or break down the bathroom door, which she’d locked on him, and since he didn’t think Evan would appreciate him smashing up the hotel, he’d taken his reluctant carcass away and left his mate alone.
As he sat pondering his future, he didn’t know if he should run and hide, or go buy flowers.
“Careful. You break the chair, Evan will charge you to replace it. At least he always charges me.”
A familiar teasing grin poked into Shaun’s line of vision, and he caught himself a split second before tipping over onto his ass.
“TJ, what’re you doing here?”
The lanky young man grabbed the chair next to him, pivoted it to face backwards, and sat, straddling the seat. “Pam’s coming home today for a two-week stint. I’m picking her up at the airport, then we’re doing the four-hour drive back to Haines. Granite Lake pack is holding a celebratory…”
He sniffed the air, and his eyes grew wide.
Oh shit. TJ had the best nose in the north. Shaun figured Gem’s scent was all over him, and not only as a female he’d spent the night with for a bit of slap and tickle. He held up a hand. “I don’t want to hear it.”
As usual TJ ignored him. “Holy cow. Do I smell what I think I smell?”
“Shut it.” Just what he didn’t need. Love advice from someone nearly ten years his junior who until last year was best known for causing natural disasters everywhere he went. Didn’t matter that he and TJ belonged to different packs, there was enough history between them Shaun should have been eager to share his news, but no. Fucking. Way.
His friend paused for a moment then shrugged. “Okay.”
TJ motioned for the waitress, and she zipped over to pour him a coffee and top up Shaun’s.
It was the coward’s path. Shaun took an extra-long time adding sugar and cream to his cup in an attempt to avoid having to talk. To justify why he was sitting here by himself when it would be clear to any wolf in the area that he had just found his mate.
The urge to blurt out something—to explain away what he didn’t really understand himself—was so strong Shaun had to bite his lips.
For once, TJ seemed to take the hint and drop the subject.
“You heading to the hangar in Haines Junction soon? Tad had me go get the aircraft ready for the summer season.” TJ grimaced. “The float plane was easy, but I don’t know what the hell you left in the chopper the last time you flew her. There were like a million mice nesting in there.”
“Sorry.”
“You’re worse than the pack kids. You know, when I dropped in at Tad and Missy’s last week I nearly broke my neck, and it wasn’t me being a klutz. Those kids have enough Lego to build a causeway to Russia. Plus, with the balls and stuffed shit there are times I think…”
Shaun pinched the bridge of his nose. Having TJ not ask about his mate was worse than having the discussion.
He gave up and scowled at the younger wolf. “Met her last night.”
TJ thumped rapidly on the chair back in front of him to produce a drum roll. “Now we’re getting somewhere. You work fast.”
Damn wolf genes. “It wasn’t my idea.”
TJ gave him the look. “Believe me, I know about having choices taken out of your hands. You’re a wolf, mating is never completely your decision.” He glanced around before warning, “Just a heads-up. That excuse, it wasn’t my idea? Like totally gets my ass kicked when I try to use it.”
That was old news. Shaun had never let others get away with that wimpy whine before either, but he still fought the urge to groan. “She’s not from around here.”
TJ whistled, soft and low. “Hmm, that sucks. But, Shaun, while I bet the whole situation looks pretty impossible? Anything is doable. Pam’s south for months at a time as she waits for her transfer to come through. And since having me move to Vancouver with her and bag groceries or pump gas is stupid when I’m needed up here… Yeah, the living-apart thing isn’t fun, but for now it’s the only solution.”
Explaining to TJ what exactly about his mate made his skin itch when he didn’t really know himself made this conversation impossible. “Well, let’s just say we’re working on figuring things out. By the way, you want to pass on a couple of messages to your brother and Tad for me?”
“Sure, what’s up?”
“Tell Tad that I’ve got that flight to the north all taken care of, and let Keli know I’ll be the one guiding the trip.”
TJ frowned. “You want to take over the guiding as well as the flying? But if you’ve found your mate, I’m sure Tad can get someone else—”
“I’ve got it, okay?” Shaun snapped. TJ backed off, his hands raised in mock surrender. Shaun sighed. This emotional rollercoaster was turning him into a psychotic wreck. “My mate is the client, and there’s no way I’m letting her go north without me? So I’ll do the flight, guide her and everyone can be happy. The company, my mate…me. Hurrah. Happy, happy, happy.”
He forced a grin.
TJ pulled a face. “Don’t push it too hard, dude. I hear you. I mean, I hear more than you think.” He checked his watch.
Shaun did the same, starting to worry if Gem was going to join him or if she had run for the hills after their little enlightening conversation. He’d been a total jerk. Never suspected the extent of an ass he could be, but it was obviously a ginormous one.
TJ finished his cup of coffee and slapped some money on the table. “I need to get going but whatever is bugg
ing you, I suggest you get your head out of the sand quick. This isn’t you. I’ve never heard you whine before in your life. Hell, usually you’re the one telling everyone else to get their act together. Did you wake up this morning and make a shit list?”
Guilt smacked him like an avalanche. Yeah, he kinda sounded as if he’d made a list of everything he thought was fucked up and simply complained about them one after another. “It’s not what I expected to be dealing with this week.”
TJ shrugged as he rose to his feet. “That’s reality. If everything ran according to a plan, life would be pretty boring. Finding your mate is an incredible gift. But even though we’ve got the freaky wolf genes making the decision for us, it’s our human side that lets us work out the details. Just take it one step at a time, okay?”
Shaun stared at the younger man in shock. “When the hell did you grow up? You’ve never lectured anyone before.” He’d certainly never been on the receiving end.
His friend’s grin got wider. “Self-defense. My mate is a very stubborn woman. I’ve learned over the past nine months if I want something, I either need to sweet-talk her into seeing things my way or turn the logic way up.”
Everything in him wanted to laugh at the thought of TJ using logic, but Shaun figured he was far more screwed at this point than TJ, so who was he to argue? “Fine. I get the message.”
Already a couple steps away, TJ turned back. He winked at Shaun. “For what it’s worth, I think you can handle this.”
There was no time to throw anything at him before TJ waved and ducked out through the restaurant doors.
Shaun sat back down, slumping in his chair. Logic? He’d been using none of it, simply reacting. With his dick. His mouth, his attitude.
He had done the deed with his mate, and he couldn’t freaking remember. Why in the hell had that happened? Then there was the whole overreacting thing. Memories flashed of being a teenager and deliberately picking fights with his parents.
His stomach grumbled, and he checked his watch again. If Gem didn’t show up soon he was going back to the room to haul her ass out for breakfast even if he had to remove the hinges—