by Milly Taiden
THE MATE CHALLENGE
SASSY MATES SERIES BOOK 4
NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR
MILLY TAIDEN
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are fictitious or have been used fictitiously, and are not to be construed as real in any way. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales, or organizations is entirely coincidental.
Published By
Latin Goddess Press
New York, NY 10456
http://millytaiden.com
The Mate Challenge
Copyright © 2015 by Milly Taiden
Cover by Willsin Rowe
All Rights Are Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
Property of Milly Taiden January 2015
ACCLAIM FOR MILLY TAIDEN
FOR Unexpectedly Mated
“If you are like me and love Milly's hot and sexy starts, this one will not disappoint ;) Then we fast forwards to a few months later, reminding us of what has happened to Jordan and Karla in the first two books before continuing on! Book 3 focuses on Jake and Nic, you can expect hot & sexy scenes, comic relief, frustration at the evil scum, and lack of communication - what more could you ask for!”
—Theresa Esterline, I Heart Books
“Would I recommend this book: Yes! If you want to read about a strong Alpha female and a sexy hot Alpha male this book is definitely for you! This book is filled with romance, lust, hot sex and conflict between the Alpha male and a sassy female.Would I recommend this author: Yes! I have read all of Ms. Taiden’s books and cannot wait until her next book hits the book shelves. She writes phenomenal paranormal romance!!”
— Fran Owen, Twin Sister’s Rockin’ Reviews
“Milly Taiden’s Sassy Mates series is full of filthy mouthed alpha males and feisty, smart mouthed females – the perfect type of duo to take readers on one hell of a hot and wild adventure. Each book in the series is the perfect mix of sexual tension, steamy scenes, drama, and action. Aric and Jordan and Nate and Karla’s stories are great reads, but Jake and Nicole’s story is by far my favorite of the three..”
—The Fairest of All Book Reviews
“Unexpectedly Mated by Milly Taiden became my favorite in the series in an INSTANT. I wasn't so sure how much I'd love it since I loved the others A LOT, but...boy, oh-hella boy! Let's talk setting: Vegas. *holds for dramatic pause* Vegas, ya'll. V-E-G-A-S. It's sin wrapped in a sparkly, Elvis blanket! And Jake and Nic? They're now my favorite couple! I mean...I can't even put into words how HOT -- how SWOON-WORTHY -- their scenes together are. I had one of "those" moments. You know, the one where you're reading something so dirty you do an awkward twitch, cross your legs, and you're constantly looking over your shoulder so no one knows! And you can't keep a straight face for nothing. Oh! Then when you read a line so hot you literally have to reread it twice, maybe even three times. And it's just as hot as the first time you read it!”
—N.K. Richards, My Home Away From Home
—For My Readers
Thank you for sticking by me. For loving my books. For liking my humor. For liking my big girls!
For Sheri and Teracia! This one is for you. You’ve loved Mason and Emma from the very first and I am so happy you loved their story!
To my wonderfully supportive Street Team (Sexy Biter Book Pimps)... You rock!
To all who love Big Beautiful Women...Curvy girls love you right back!
ONE
Emma removed the Bluetooth from her ear and turned it off. The camera was on its tripod recording so she sat down on her picnic blanket and waited, watching the ritual. The two shifters at the clearing were touching each other as if discovering their bodies for the first time. It was really interesting and strangely erotic to watch.
The heat from the night started getting to her. Oh boy. She glanced around the ground for the small cooler she’d brought with her water bottles. Ellie had mentioned it would take a while and Emma didn’t want to miss any of it. Even though she was recording it, it was much more fun to watch it as it was happening.
A mating ritual. The words made her think of Mason Wolfe. Her wolf. Mason had been pretty open with his desire for her. At first, it caught her off guard. Men were usually wary of her bossiness. She tended to piss a lot of people off writing lists and giving them demands and jobs. Not to mention her organizational skills rivaled that of the worst case of OCD. It was who she was.
When dating, a man didn’t want to hear that. Like her last boyfriend, Steve. It had been a few years since Steve, but she hadn’t forgotten how angry he used to get when they had sex and she told him what got her off. Steve liked to do what he wanted. Eventually, that led to her breaking things off because what was the point of sex if he couldn’t make her come? Not to mention how she kept thinking of Mason while with Steve. That had been pretty bad too.
A rustle in the wind sounded. She took a drink from her bottle and sighed. She hadn’t been out in the woods in a while. It was one of the things she used to love to do with her father. Go for walks and hikes.
She smiled thinking of what her father’s reaction would be if he would have met Mason.
“Probably tell him he felt sorry for him,” she mumbled.
Mason wasn’t like his brothers, though. The first time she’d met him, she’d been visiting Ellie’s house to work on a project together and bam! Mason opened the front door, took one look at her and hauled her inside.
What came next was something she’d never forget. She’d gotten a single look at Mason with his spiky short hair and crazy number of arm tattoos, nipple piercings and forgot how to talk. Then there was the immediate first kiss. Any other guy to try that and she’d have decked him, but Mason caught her off guard. He told her she was his and proceeded to kiss her like she was the love of his life.
Stupid shifter and his sexy tongue. He’d destroyed her thinking ability way back when. Still, Emma wasn’t going to let some shifter tell her what to do. She didn’t care how sexy he was. She ignored his advances and proceeded to tell him she had a boyfriend, which she did at the time. Did he care? Not at all. He went on to tell her he’d wait because he knew in time she’d be his. Cocky asshole.
Though Mason was an amazing man, he was a protector, which was sweet, but that led to him trying to tell her what to do. Her father had done that for too many years of her life and she was not going there again. Not with mutt.
Another howl sounded. She glanced around. This time it came from somewhere nearby. Hopefully her plan to make sure Jordan, Karla and Nicole got marked that night worked. Ellie and Barbara had been a little unsure at first, saying how they should give the girls time to come to terms with being in love with shifters. Hah! Like that was ever going to happen. Emma had to explain to them they needed to have those guys show their dominant sides and take their women already.
She hoped all her hard work had paid off and everyone was busy getting their groove on. She’d talked more than her usual amount on that walkie trying to keep the women distracted. She’d also laid on the guilt trip when Karla and Nicole mentioned leaving. The last thing Emma wanted was for her plan to go down the drain.
Leaves rustled behind her. She got up and glanced around, poking and prodding at branches to make sure there was no one nearby.
Twin golden spots shone through the trees. She reeled back for a second before frowning
and moving forward.
“Who’s that?”
A blink and the spots were gone. There was a loud howl at the ceremony site. She turned to see what was going on and caught a glimpse of the man picking up the woman in his arms, throwing her over his shoulder and rushing off.
A hand slapped over her mouth and a steely arm went around her chest, holding her in place. She squealed, ready to kick and get out of the hold when the person holding her spoke.
“Hello, beautiful.”
The harsh pounding of her heart almost didn’t let her hear the words, but she recognized the body at her back. Mason. He removed the hand from her mouth and slid it down to encircle her chest, holding her in place with both arms.
“Are you out of your mind? You’re not supposed to be here!” She chastised. “Did you make sure the others knew where the girls were?”
Mason chuckled that low rumbly sound that made her knees weak. “So you expected me to sit around and twiddle my thumbs while you were sitting here all alone?” He slipped around to face her and met her gaze. “Not in this lifetime, brat.”
She licked her lips and hoped he couldn’t hear the crazy thumping of her pulse against her chest. Damn, it was getting so hot out there.
“Then...what did you have in mind?”
Mason Wolfe stared deep into the eyes of his mate and had to hold back the urge to take her then and there. Emma. His beautiful, fiery woman was a pain in the ass but he wouldn’t trade her for the world.
From the second he’d laid eyes on her he’d known Emma was his. The only one for him. Unlike his brothers, he’d marked Emma as his already. The problem he was having was that Emma didn’t like accepting his words as fact. She said she would not accept his mate bite if he did not stop trying to control her. Not that he was trying to control Emma. God knew that was impossible. All he wanted was to keep her safe from the dangers in Blue Creek. Too much was going on and Emma somehow always found her way into the middle of danger. He wouldn’t— couldn’t lose her to anyone.
She swiped her wet, pink tongue over her bottom lip and focused on his lips. Hell how he wanted to kiss her. Soon. But right now, he wanted to have his own brand of fun with her. After all, she’d made sure to get her friends marked by his brothers for the night. So what did she expect would happen with her?
He grabbed her wrists and pulled them behind her back, loving the feel of her curves pressing on him. His Emma wasn’t small. She had curves. She was soft with a real body. A body he adored touching and looking at. He lowered his head and groaned as the scent of her arousal curled around them.
She didn’t hesitate. That was one of the things he loved about Emma. No matter what came out of her mouth, her body always let him know she wanted him.
Their lips met and passion broke through the cage he’d locked it in. Her lips were feather soft and she tasted so good. Like coming home. The animal under his skin pushed him to get aggressive. To get her naked and inside her. But he reined in his beast and focused on Emma. On the soft little moans she did when he swept his tongue into her mouth and glided it over hers. He focused on how she boldly stroked hers over his and lured him to play. His Emma wasn’t shy.
He held her wrists behind her back with one hand and yanked out the cuffs in his back pocket with the other. She was going to be angry, but he knew that was the only way to get her out of the mating site without argument. As much as he did love debating with her, he had something a lot more fun planned for her for the night.
The cuffs clicked into place. It took her a moment before she pulled back from their kiss, eyes dazed and confused, to say something.
“What did you do?” She asked, her voice a husky whisper that shot lust right down to his cock.
He slid a hand down the side of her face, caressing her cheek and staring at her hazel eyes. Emma was gorgeous. Even with her lips pinched into a straight line and her brows creeping down in a fierce frown. “I’m taking you somewhere.”
Her eyes widened. “I can’t leave! You know that, mutt. Now take these cuffs off me and let me get back to work.”
He grinned and glanced at the mating site where people were talking. The couple everyone had gone to see had gone off to have private time. Something he wanted badly with Emma. If he let her stay she’d just give him more excuses and he was tired of it. He wanted her now.
“No.”
She gasped. “What do you mean, no?”
He lowered his head again and brushed his lips over hers. Fuck, she tasted so good he almost forgot his plans for the night. But that was not happening this time. Emma has a tendency of making him forget everything. He inhaled her scent and let the animal inside enjoy her nearness. They’d been apart for too many days. She always let him into her home. She’d given him keys and welcomed him into her bed. The problems started when he spoke of mating. Then she’d argue that he had yet to learn she was an independent woman and had a brain on her shoulders. “I mean, I’m taking you with me.”
“Mason!” She shrieked as he picked her up off the ground and laid her over his shoulder. “You’re gonna get a hernia, you idiot!”
He laughed. She was so damn cute all angry and growly. It was one of the things he loved about Emma. She was never docile. Never easy. Never boring. Life with her had yet to become a routine.
“Baby, your body is light as a feather. Besides, I’d take a hernia any day if I get to touch all your curves. You on top of me feels like heaven.”
The scent of her arousal grew strong. “You love getting me in the mood at the worst possible times.”
“Don’t worry, beautiful. I know just the spot,” he said and carried her off the mating site.
She wiggled on his shoulder but he knew how to keep her in line. He held her legs with one arm and tapped her large cheeks with his other hand. The sound of the smack stopped her for a second.
“You,” she said breathlessly, “you, hit me!”
He loved the way she almost moaned the words out. “Don’t tempt me to do it again, brat.”
She mumbled something that sounded like ‘please do’ against his back. He reached his truck in record time and set her down on the passenger side.
Her wide eyes captivated him. “Where are you taking me?”
He shut the door and leaned in to kiss her again, just because he could. “You’ll see.”
She stayed quiet for the short drive. Something he wasn’t used to with Emma. He knew she had a hard time not being in control and not dictating what needed to be done. But he was happy she hadn’t argued when he took her out of her comfort zone and lead her away from the mating site.
He reached his house and once again picked her up in his arms only this time he didn’t lay her on his shoulder. Instead, he carried her inside and straight to his room.
Her gasp as they entered the bedroom wasn’t lost on him. “Mason...”
Placing her gently on the bed, he stepped back to soak in her reaction. Her eyes were wide with surprise and a smile unlike any he’d seen on her face split her lips.
A quick glance around the room and everything was exactly as he’d set it up. The skylights allowed them a view of the night sky. He’d also gone as far as getting her tulips, her favorite flowers. Hell, even candles adorned almost every surface of his bedroom. Good thing he didn’t have tons of clutter or he’d have worried over starting a fire.
“Do you like it?” A dash of insecurity rushed through him. Emma wasn’t your typical female. She loved being the one doing the nice things for others but this time he wanted to be the one doing things for her.
Her gaze continued to roam around the room before finally meeting his. “Wow. You’ve been busy,” she grinned. “Are you trying to impress me?”
He laughed and started removing his shirt, knowing her attention would be stuck on his body. This wasn’t their first time together. Emma was his. She just refused to admit it.
“Oh, I’ll impress you soon enough, baby. Just let me get comfortable.”
&n
bsp; She licked her lips and wiggled on the bed with a frown. “What about me? I need out of these cuffs.”
He jerked the T-shirt over his head, tossing it on a nearby chair. “Tell you what we’ll do. I’ll let you out of the cuffs and we can have some of your favorite wine.”
She lifted an arched brow and glanced around the room until she caught sight of the wine bottle and glasses. “Wow, you really did go all out didn’t you?”
He bit his lip to keep from laughing at her surprised expression and moved closer to the bed. “Do you want out of the cuffs or not?”
She scrunched her nose in thought. “That sort of kills the mood, doesn’t it?”
His Emma was one of a kind. He never knew what she’d say. “Not really. You’ll see.”
He uncuffed her and helped her sit on the bed. She watched him warily. Good. She should worry. He wasn’t done with their game. Emma liked being in control too much. It was time for her to lose it.
TWO
Emma wasn’t sure what Mason’s game was. They had a pretty solid arrangement. Nobody questioned the other and each did what they wanted. Sex between them was amazing and she wasn’t trying to give that up. Except it didn’t seem to be enough for him. Mason wanted it all. A relationship. She clenched her teeth before taking a sip of her wine. It had been too good to be true.
He moved around the bedroom with careful precision. God, the man had a body on him she never tired of watching. He was big and strong with all those tattoos and the nipple piercings were hotter than anything she’d ever seen. Mason was the ultimate bad boy to her dirty girl fantasies.
She still shuddered after their months of dating. Heck, memories of their first time together still made her knees weak. He ran long fingers through his hair and she gulped, watching his muscles shift. Breathe, girl!