Stefan: Le Beau Brothers: New Orleans Billionaire Wolf Shifters with plus sized BBW for mates (Le Beau Series Book 3)

by V. A. Dold

  The tables and chairs were straight from a high-end antique store on Royal Street in the French Quarter. When Stefan pulled a chair from the table in front of the empty stage, El hesitated. The dining set had to be worth two thousand dollars and the legs on the chair waiting for her had the daintiest legs she’d ever seen. She was afraid to sit in it, what if it crumbled under her weight?

  “Stop it!” Stefan growled in her ear. “You’re perfect and you won’t damage the chair.”

  She eyed it one last time before carefully sitting.

  After pushing in her chair, he waved to a woman behind the bar as he joined her.

  “Stefan! How are you, cher?” she called as she grabbed two menus.

  “Great, Julia. Come over and meet my mate.”

  Julia’s smile grew at his announcement. “Congratulations! I’m so happy for you.”

  El watched as every head in the place turned to check her out. That was the moment she realized every man present was stunningly handsome. Were all shifters so good-looking? She'd never seen anything remotely like this assortment of amazing before her.

  It was every woman’s dream smorgasbord come true and every single one of them was staring at her. Maybe the floor would swallow her up? Nope. No luck. Not a crack in sight.

  “El, this is my cousin, Julia. Julia, this is my gorgeous mate, El.”

  Julia offered her hand. “Welcome to the family, El.”

  “Thank you,” El said as she shook it. “You have a great place here.”

  “Thanks. It’s more my mother’s dream than mine, but I guess it’s okay.”

  “Have you been to visit the plantation lately? Anna’s son, John, was just blessed by the goddess and has joined us.”

  “No!”

  “What are you talking about?” El frowned.

  “It’s extremely rare for a human to be converted to shifter by the goddess herself. Most come into the shifter community as a mate. The last time this happened was roughly one hundred fifty years ago.”

  “Holy cow.”

  “Yeah,” Julia agreed.

  “Anyway,” Stefan said turning his attention back to Julia. “You should stop over and meet John and Thomas.”

  Julia cocked her head. “Thomas?”

  “Anna’s oldest son. He’s the head of the new royal security team.”

  “Cool. Maybe I’ll stop over.” Then her expression became a scowl. “Goddess knows my mother would be thrilled.”

  “Is she still applying pressure?”

  “You have no idea. Krystal’s threatening to run.”

  Stefan shook his head. “Don’t worry, we already have a plan. I talked with my father and Lucas. The family is buying a cattle ranch in Texas and Krystal is moving there with Lucas.”

  “He’s back? He’s really taking her with him? Thank goddess, Krystal really needs to escape mother’s pressuring.” Then Julia scowled again. “She’s never going to let her go.”

  “She won’t have the choice. Father is decreeing it as king.”

  “Perfect! At least one of us will be free of my mother.” Julia glanced at the menus. “You all need a few minutes to look over the menu?”

  “I do,” El said.

  “I’ll stop over in a few minutes, take your time.”

  Stefan scooted closer to El. “Krystal is my other cousin, Julia’s little sister. Their mother is pushing them to find mates. She shops them around to every single shifter male like a prime cut of beef. It’s horrifying for the girls. Maybe you’ll get to meet her before they move to Texas. I’m so glad she’s able to get away with Lucas.”

  “Their mother sounds like a nightmare. I’m glad Mémé didn’t treat me like that.”

  Stefan glanced to her menu, “If you need a suggestion, I’m going to have the T-bone with baked potato and sautéed vegetables. The steaks are amazing here.”

  El paused a moment. “You know, that sounds good. I’ll have that, too.”

  *****

  Two hours later the band was doing a sound check and the walls were bursting with the number of people in the room. As soon as the first song started, the dance floor was packed.

  They watched the dancers, enjoying the band for most of the first set before Stefan stood and held out his hand.

  “Let’s join the fun.” He led her to an open spot on the crowded floor, grinning his much too sexy grin. His dimples were on full display and her heart lurched. He spun her once, then led her in a lively two-step around the floor.

  As the song faded, the band transitioned into a slow love song. He pulled her close, and as she relaxed into him, he began to lead them in a romantic waltz. The slow beat of the base drum dictated their movements as two bodies moved as one. Stefan’s perfectly trimmed, soft stubble grazed the side of her face sending shivers down her spine. When she glanced up, he captured her gaze and held it through the entire dance.

  As the last note rang out, his gaze fell to her lips before he kissed her lightly. Barely a brush of lips but her heart stuttered. With intense eyes glowing, he brushed a strand of hair from her eyes, hoping he was showing her tonight how much she meant to him.

  His tenderness almost broke through her newly reinforced walls. It told her he was more dangerous than she realized. If she wasn’t careful, she would fall in love and never be able to resist him.

  While he excused himself to the men’s room, she took the chance to collect her out-of-control emotions. She would not let him get through her defenses again. Enjoy his company, sure. Sleep with him again, maybe. Get her heart involved, no way.

  Stefan hadn’t returned, and when the band took the stage she started to worry that he might have left and gone home.

  “We’d like to thank everyone for coming out tonight. As we start this next set, a man every shifter knows has a special message for his beloved mate.”

  The lead singer stepped back into the shadows. With the lights lowered, a guy walked from behind the stage and the keyboardist began to play. The lights came up as a man sang the first line, “Every time our eyes meet, this feeling inside me is almost more than I can take.” It was Stefan looking straight at her. Singing. To her!

  Her favorite song, “Amazed” by Lonestar, and he sang it perfectly. As the song grew in strength, he pulled the microphone from the stand and walked to their table. In front of the maximum crowd, he got down on one knee and took her hand. This man held no punches, he wanted her, heart and soul, and he was taking no prisoners.

  As he sang the last line, “Oh, every little thing that you do, baby, I'm amazed by you.” He gathered her close and kissed her deeply. All of the passion he was feeling in that moment poured into her mind as he fully opened himself to her. The depth of emotion he felt was crushing and panic sucked the air from her lungs.

  She couldn’t think clearly enough to recite her mantra. Her only thought was she had to get out of the bar into the open so she could catch her breath. The last thing Stefan heard was her strangled whimper as she bolted for the door.

  You could have heard a pin drop. As if choreographed, every head turned and watched her flee the room before turning back to him in shock.

  “Sorry.” One word. It was a miracle he had managed even that.

  El sat in the bow of the boat staring straight ahead. Unsure what happened or if he could fix it, Stefan quietly captained the boat home with a broken heart. The full moon reflected in the ripples of the water in a stunning display went unnoticed by his tear-filled eyes.

  His body continued to struggle to breathe when all he wanted to do was curl up and die. Overwhelming grief sat on his chest like a seven-ton elephant. Then, out of nowhere, a tiny shred of hope clawed its way to the surface, pleading for one last chance. Right then he resolved to go through with the dinner he’d planned to make for her, and if she didn’t snap out of whatever her issues were he would admit defeat.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Stefan’s Last Stand

  Finally. She could breathe. Stefan had dropped her off and
gone home. Her body ached from the tension and her head was pounding.

  “El. Is that you?” Mémé called from her room.

  “Yes. I’ll be there in a minute.” First she needed Tylenol®.

  “Where’s Stefan?” She took one look at El’s miserable expression and had her answer. “Oh, dear. You better sit down and tell me all about it.”

  El’s shoulders slumped. “I panicked.”

  “You’re going to have to elaborate,” Mémé said over her shoulder as she collected her shotgun from the closet.

  “What are you doing?” El frowned at her frail grand-mère loading a gun in her nightgown.

  “Stefan isn’t here to protect you, so I will.”

  El shook her head, but there was no arguing with her grand-mère.

  “He surprised me by singing a love song in front of the entire bar. Then he kissed me and poured all his feelings into my heart and soul. He made me feel things I–can’t–feel. Especially now. I was so swamped by his emotions I couldn’t function and I forgot to recite my trigger words.”

  “Oh, sweetheart. Not every man you fall in love with is going to do terrible things like Short Dick did. Weren’t you encouraged to give love another chance?”

  “Yes. But, when he got intense and made me feel, I froze. Then I couldn’t breathe and I had to get out of there. It’s like someone who is afraid to fly or afraid of heights, you can’t just switch it off.”

  “Would it help you move forward if you took it really slow? I’m sure he’d listen and understand.”

  “You think so? He wouldn’t even look at me on the way home.”

  “Well, did you look at him, or did you stare out the window pretending he wasn’t there?”

  “I,” she paused, “might have done that.”

  “Take the night to decide how you want to move forward.” Mémé gathered her into her arms. “If you talk to him and make a plan together, it will all work out.”

  “Thanks, Mémé. I better say goodnight.”

  “Goodnight, cher.”

  After mulling it over for a few hours, El had a plan. She would start slow, leave her heart out of it but try to become comfortable with the physical aspects of a relationship first. Once she got over that hurdle, she could try to add her heart to the situation.

  Damn Chet and his frat brothers! Prior to that nightmare she had enjoyed an active, normal dating life. Since that night, she hadn’t gone on a single date, until Stefan.

  It was all too much too fast. The solution in her mind was to slow it down by breaking it down, one relationship piece at a time. Men preferred sex anyway, so it made sense to start there.

  Now she just needed Stefan to want to see her again.

  *****

  Enough was enough. He would give it his all today, and if El didn’t return his interest he would leave her alone for good. He needed to know once and for all if he was making any headway or just wasting time.

  Stefan knocked on her door. After everything, he didn’t want to be anywhere near his mate, which in and of itself broke his heart. The chores were done and it was time to make the last plans with El he may ever make.

  “Good morning, Stefan. Would you like coffee?”

  He frowned at her behavior. She acted like last night never happened.

  “No, I only have a minute. I wanted to know if you had anything special planned for tonight. I’d really like to make dinner for you at my place. I haven’t cashed in my auction winnings yet.”

  “That sounds like fun, and you know what we could also do?”

  “What?” He grinned hopefully.

  “Make a drive-in movie theater on the outside wall of your house. All you need is a projector, DVD player and chairs. I know where I can get everything we’ll need.”

  Okay, that didn’t sound like a half bad idea. He could use this as an opportunity to snuggle her up and keep her warm. “Sure, sounds great.”

  That Evening

  I can do this. I can have a physical relationship with Stefan if he agrees to wear a blindfold. But, no strings attached. Nada. Negatory.

  Taking a deep breath, she cleared her unwelcome, wayward thoughts and raised her chin in defiance of her stupid pitter-pattering heart.

  Knock it off, hearts aren’t allowed.

  “This is only dinner and a movie, nothing more.”

  “Who are you talking to?”

  “No one, Mémé. Just talking to myself.”

  “Well, if you’re finished with your conversation, give me a hug before you go.”

  El gave her a tight hug. “Love you, Mémé. I’ll see you later.”

  Calmly, she grabbed her purse and walked to her truck.

  *****

  Stefan paced in front of his living room window. El was due any minute. Dinner simmered on the stove. The red wine was breathing. All he needed was his date.

  He stopped, cocked his head. That was her truck. His palms began to sweat and his heart raced. He was about to have his mate in his home. His wolf was beyond excited.

  She hadn’t even had the chance to knock and he pulled open the door.

  “Welcome to my home, El,” he said taking her coat.

  “You have a beautiful house, Stefan.”

  “I’m glad you like it. I’d love to have you spend more time here.”

  She gave him a smile but inwardly she sighed. It really was a shame she couldn’t trust him or any man for that matter.

  Stefan was always a gentleman, opened doors, took care of her. The problem was, the last man suckered her in the same way. Then ‘IT’ happened. No matter how many therapy sessions, she couldn’t get past her knee-jerk reaction. Maybe she could work on that with Stefan?

  “Are you ready for dinner? If we’re going to get your movies started on time we should eat.”

  “Yes. I’m starved. It smells wonderful, what did you make?”

  “Crawfish etouffee, tossed salad, and cornbread. There’s bread pudding for dessert as well.”

  “Wow. You’re going to make someone a fine wife one day,” she joked.

  He looked at her sharply but didn’t laugh.

  Okay, tough crowd.

  He held her chair before joining her to serve the dinner and pour the wine. The small talk was going well so he pulled up his big boy pants and asked the million-dollar question.

  “Would you like to tell me what happened last night?”

  “I’m really sorry about that,” she said, never raising her eyes from her dinner. “I have an ugly history with men after they convince me they love me. I panicked and ran.”

  “Can you tell me what happened to scare you so badly?”

  “I don’t talk about it. Ever.”

  “If you won’t let me love you and won’t talk about what’s bothering you, what am I supposed to do?”

  “Enjoy your dinner, watch movies with me and see where it goes.”

  “Fine. I’ll play along and see what happens.”

  They changed the subject and slowly the thick, heavy air of the room dissipated. Once dinner was cleared, they bundled up in warm coats and headed for the outdoor theater.

  As they took their seats Stefan clasped her hand and said, “I made a deal with the man in the moon and he’s going to put in some overtime tonight.”

  El laughed and popped in the first movie. She suppressed a grin as ‘The Proposal’ began to play.

  He shifted in his chair but remained silent. Wise man. Gradually he let loose and enjoyed the humor of the movie.

  Time for number two, ‘An Affair To Remember.’ Half way through, the fidgeting and moaning began.

  As the credits scrolled down the wall of the house he turned to her. “It’s getting late. Would you like to spend the night?”

  “To go to bed or to sleep?”

  “I want nothing more than to make love to you all night. But, the decision is yours. I do have a guest room.”

  “I was thinking about your offer the other day to use a blindfold. Did you mean it?”<
br />
  “If that makes you more comfortable.”

  “Then I would like to sleep with you again.”

  “There’ll be very little sleeping involved, just me loving you with all my heart and body.”

  She arched a brow at his response. “Stefan. I don’t think you listened to me earlier. I’m not ready to deal with love. I doubt I ever will be. This is just sex.”

  He stilled. There was no acceptance. No yelling. No expression or reaction at all, just an unwavering stare. His lack of response or reaction was more unnerving than if he had railed at her.

  Stefan extended his hand to help her to her feet. As she rose, his gaze traveled slowly from her feet to her eyes. His intense appraisal sent tingles skittering over her skin.

  While still holding her gaze, he wrapped his hand around the back of her neck and jerked her mouth to his. She was too startled to resist, and when he ran his tongue over her lips she no longer wanted to.

  Grinding his body against hers, he moaned when she swept her tongue into his mouth. His whole body was on fire, and he was done.

  “Goodbye, El.”

  He turned and walked into the house and closed the door. Seconds later the lights went out.

  She was getting what she wanted, sort of. He finally gave up and would leave her alone. So, why did it feel like a hand had reached into her chest and crushed her heart?

  “Goodbye, Stefan,” she whispered.

  *****

  He watched with a heart remade of stone as her taillights faded into the dark and out of his life forever. Her words had struck him like a physical blow to the gut. It was still difficult to breathe.

  She could go on without him, date and marry anyone she pleased. He was the only one restricted to whom he was destined to love and mate. The laws laid down by the goddess didn’t bind the human women as they did shifter males.

  Sure, they each held the other half of their souls, but she wouldn’t die from refusing him. She wouldn’t be denied finding a satisfactory human male and having children.