When had they gotten so close to each other? When had she stopped walking?
Wyatt’s nostrils flared, his lips hovered above hers. “I can smell your arousal.”
That single statement was all she needed to pull back from the precarious position she’d found herself in. Like a bucket of ice water being thrown on her. It was nothing more than the smallest reminder that he wasn’t like her.
He was a shifter. Something she’d never be.
“I’m going to be late for work.” She turned away from him, pulling their intertwined fingers apart. Picking up a brisk pace, Callie didn’t bother glancing behind her to see if Wyatt followed. She knew that if she had, her steps would have faltered. It was a risk she just couldn’t afford to take.
Chapter Eleven
“My mate is going to drive me insane,” Wyatt said for the hundredth time. “I know she wants me. She sure as hell doesn’t hide it in her dreams, and when I talked to her today, she’d leaned in to kiss me. I could even smell her arousal, yet she continues to deny it.”
He didn’t understand it. Not even the tiniest bit! One second, she was burning hot for him, then frigid in the blink of an eye. She could give the popular Disney Princess, Elsa, a run for her money.
Wyatt paced back and forth in front of Cam’s Diner as Ethan leaned against the light post, listening to his rant.
Wyatt had followed Callie to work, making sure she’d arrived safe and sound. What kind of a mate would he be if he hadn’t? When the diner opened for regular business, he’d grabbed a newspaper from the box inside and slipped into a quiet booth in the back corner, thinking what better place to keep an eye on Callie, and maybe learn a little bit about his all too human mate.
He noticed she’d faltered when she first spied him tucked away in the small booth before she pulled her ponytail tight and plastered the fakest smile he’d ever seen onto her beautiful face. Wyatt could only assume she was determined to meet the day with stride instead of running away from him, once again.
She had taken his initial order of a country style omelet with mushrooms, which she scrunched up her face in disgust, and a side of bacon. She’d diligently refilled his cup before it reached the bottom. Overall, Callie was one of the best waitresses he’d ever had.
He watched as she made her rounds, smiling at each new customer. She greeted everyone, other than him, as if they were friends or family. Then again, they could have been for all he knew. That’s how little he knew about his mate. It didn’t sit well with him. Not at all.
Hours and several cups of coffee later he’d noticed Ethan outside and motioned for him to join him. Ethan refused, opting instead to wait on the sidewalk.
“You don’t want to go in and grab some food?” Wyatt asked, puzzled by his brother’s reluctance to enter the diner.
“No. I’d rather not. I have a few things to take care of this morning. I’d like to go see the Alpha to find out about more permanent housing around here, since it looks like one or both of us will be here for a while.”
“Good idea. Have you caught any scent of your mate yet?” Wyatt had been so caught up with trying to figure out how to get Callie to speak to him that he hadn’t bothered to ask Ethan if he’d had any luck.
“Let’s get you settled with Callie first, then I’ll figure things out on my end.”
Classic evasion.
Wyatt arched an eyebrow at his brother, but decided to forego the interrogation Ethan deserved. Something was up. He knew it, his wolf knew it. He only hoped his brother would talk to him about whatever it was sooner rather than later.
“So, what are your plans with Callie? Are you just going to sit around the diner all day, like some creepy stalker?”
Wyatt looked ashamed. That was exactly what he’d planned to do. Now that he heard exactly how his plan sounded… well, he should probably come up with a new plan.
***
Callie couldn’t help but notice when Wyatt got up from his table to walk outside for a talk with his brother. She was going to have to face him at some point, and they were going to have to have a real conversation—whether she wanted to or not.
She tried not to watch his every movement like a hawk, but her eyes were glued to him. She wanted to deny the physical attraction she had for him, but she couldn’t. His presence commanded her attention. She felt drawn to him like she’d never felt to anyone before.
Her attraction to Trevor had always felt forced. She had always admired his looks, but more than once she’d found herself sickened as soon as most words flew from his mouth. Trevor had been hot, but in an arrogant asshole sort of way.
Wyatt, on the other hand, was like sex on a stick, then dipped in chocolate. Six foot three of solid muscle. Legs roughly the size of tree trunks, stuffed into jeans that hugged the tight ass that she wanted nothing more than to sink her teeth into. She’d never been so wicked or wanton when it came to thoughts about sex.
“Mmmm, mmmm, mmm. That man. Honey, he is divine with an uppercase damn D. You decide what you’re going to do about him yet?” Ruby Jean asked with a dreamy sigh.
Callie giggled. “He is hot. I’ll give him that. But I’m still debating all of my options.”
“Debate? What is there to debate about? Maybe you should take him for a test drive to see how many orgasms he can give you in one night.”
“Ruby Jean!” Callie blushed.
“You want me to ask him for you?” Ruby Jean smirked.
“No! I most certainly do not. I’m sure he’s quite skilled at giving orgasms. I mean—look at him.” Callie motioned to Wyatt, who appeared to be deep in thought, tucked away in his corner booth after his conversation with his brother.
Ruby Jean rolled her eyes. “Fine. How about we just ask him if he likes to eat pussy?”
Wyatt popped his head up. A faint smile pulled at his lips as his eyes met hers.
“Jesus Christ, Ruby Jean!”
Callie wanted to die. Right there on the spot. She’d never been so embarrassed in her life.
“Humans kill me. You know that, right? A bunch of damn prudes. And just so you know, baby girl—you should always find out the answers to questions like that before you make any major decisions about a man.”
“What are we talking about?” Camryn set her tray down and grabbed a fresh pot of coffee before she made her rounds once more.
“Whether or not Callie’s new man likes to eat pussy,” Ruby Jean proudly announced.
Cam chuckled and Callie wished for the power of invisibility.
“We are not. I need to get back to work.” Callie grabbed her tray and marched right over her dignity. Thanks to Ruby Jean, it too had died of embarrassment and flaked to the floor. She imagined it lying there in a pile or pink glitter or something…
As much as she wanted to avoid Wyatt until she found a way to scoop up her dignity and reattach it to herself, she simply couldn’t. He’d parked his ass in her section, and that was where he’d remained all morning, other than his short trip outside to talk to his brother.
“Can I get you anything else?” Callie tried not to make eye contact, but failed. Go figure. She had to work to pull herself back from him, as she felt herself leaning closer with each second she stood waiting for his answer.
“You can have lunch with me today on your break. I noticed there were a few picnic tables out back.”
God, his voice. It made her body tremble. Goose bumps broke out over her flesh. “I—ah, don’t think that would be such a good idea.”
“It’s just lunch. In the open—where everyone can see us. And I promise to be on my best behavior. Otherwise, I’ll hang out here until I get a chance to talk to you.”
Sounded a lot like blackmail to her, but if that’s what it was going to take to get him out of here so she could concentrate on her job—so be it. It’s just lunch. What could possibly happen?
“Fine.” Callie glanced at her watch. “I’ll be taking a break in a little over an hour. I’ll meet you out back.”
She nearly melted into a puddle when Wyatt smiled up at her. Perfect white teeth, and my gosh, honest to goodness dimples.
“Perfect. I’ll be there.” Wyatt popped a couple of twenties on the table and stood. “By the way, you should have told Ruby Jean the answer to her question.” Wyatt winked.
Callie tried to say something, anything—but the words wouldn’t form as her mouth popped open and slammed shut.
“After last night’s dream, I know you know the answer.”
Chapter Twelve
Callie grabbed her coat, then bagged up two club sandwiches and two cups of chicken and dumpling soup, along with a couple of Cokes. Since Wyatt had left her such a nice tip, she didn’t mind springing for lunch.
“Have fun out there,” Ruby Jean called out.
“But not too much fun! If you decide to ride him like a monkey on a pogo stick, I’d suggest getting a room first.” Camryn added.
She shook her head at her friends’ comments and pushed her way through the backdoor. Wyatt had opted for the table farthest from the exit and that was fine with Callie. She didn’t exactly want Cam and Ruby Jean listening to whatever conversation she and Wyatt managed to have.
Wyatt stood and offered to carry the bag the few short steps to the table. “Thanks for grabbing all of this. How much do I owe you?”
“My treat, since you left such a nice tip.” Working hard to keep her voice neutral, she refused his offer for payment and began to unload the bag once he’d set it on the table.
“It smells wonderful, thank you.”
Callie sat down and opened her soup. She had no idea how to start the conversation or where to begin. She finally took the plunge. “So, how long do you plan on staying in town?” It was a perfect way to start the conversation, or so she’d thought.
“Long term. My brother, Ethan, is speaking to the Alpha today about our long-term housing options.”
Well, damn. Not what she’d expected or hoped to hear.
“That sounds like a commitment to the town and the pack.”
“And to you, my mate.”
Callie set her spoon on a napkin. “About that—you must be mistaken. I can’t possibly be your mate.”
“Why are you so against the idea of being my mate?”
“I don’t know you personally, but I dated a shifter before and let’s just say the whole situation left me less than impressed. My son will more than likely be two natured, as his father was, that’s the only reason I’ve remained here at Twisted Tail. I know that when he grows up, he’ll need the support of the community. But after the shit my ex put me through, well, let’s just say I’ll never date another shifter again.”
If that statement didn’t get her point through Wyatt’s thick skull, she didn’t know what would.
“Just so you know, there’s no such thing as two natured.”
“What do you mean?” Callie had thought she understood the world of wolves. Had she been wrong?
“If your son is a wolf, the wolf spirit will always be with him. He will be dual natured. Meaning together at all times. Not two as in two separate beings.”
“He’s just a baby. There’s no way he has a wolf living inside of him.”
“Wolves are born that way, with the wolf intact from birth. It won’t separate from him unless the wolf spirit dies. If that happens, your son’s life is also at risk.”
Callie didn’t know what to say. That’s not what she’d read online. She’d always assumed there was a possibility that Max would be human.
“What happened to your son’s father? Does he live close by?” Wyatt asked, pulling her from her thoughts.
“No, he died. Or that’s what I was told anyway.” She tried not to sound pleased… after all, Max would grow up without his father—a fact that should have made her sad, but it didn’t. Not one single bit. The man had been a monster. She and Max were much better off without him in the picture.
“Can I ask how he died?” Wyatt’s voice sounded unsure when he’d asked the question.
“How much do you know about the Twisted Tail Pack?” Everyone knew what happened to well over half of the males in the pack. Even out of towners had heard the tales.
“I have to admit, nothing. I’ve always tried to stay out of pack politics.”
“The last Alpha was a total prick. A real psycho. He pumped his men full of drugs and sent them off to battle a rival pack over a woman he wanted to torture and force to be his mate. Trevor was one of the ones who died that night.”
“What the fuck? What kind of pack is this?”
“Before Calder took over, it was horrible. People were half starved. Forced matings were a common occurrence. No one gave two shits that Trevor brought me here and beat the hell out of me throughout our entire relationship. I tried to escape a couple of times, but he caught me every time. Each time he dragged me back here, the public humiliation and punishments became more severe. Every single person lived in fear when Griffin Engle and his minions were in charge.”
Callie had to hand it to Wyatt, he looked outraged at the atrocities that had occurred at Twisted Tail.
“I am so sorry you had to experience any of that.”
“I’m not sure why you care.” It wasn’t like he could have stopped any of it or even prevented it.
“I care because you are my mate, woman. I’m outraged that some sick bastard not only took advantage of you but hurt you. None of it should have happened. I should have been there to protect you.”
Callie gasped as his eyes glowed with the intensity of his statement. Chills, and not the good kind, ran down her spine. Trevor’s eyes had done the same glowy-thing each time he hit her.
“Look, it’s done. It’s over with. I can’t change what happened, but I refuse to be the victim again.”
Wyatt’s head recoiled, almost as if she’d smacked him. “You have nothing to fear from me.”
“Maybe, maybe not. Either way, it’s not a chance I’m willing to take.”
***
“Well, this conversation is going nowhere fast,” Wyatt spoke silently in his mind to his wolf.
“You must find a way to woo her, to win her.”
“You know, there’s a chance that you could become one of us. You would no longer have to fear living among the wolves.”
Callie’s brilliant blue eyes met his. “What do you mean by that? How could I become a wolf?”
“Since the Fates chose a human for my mate, I could only hope for our gods to correct the error and grant you a wolf spirit upon our mating.”
This time it was Callie who looked as if she’d been slapped in the face.
“The way you said human—makes me wonder if you have a problem with people like me? You know—human?”
Wyatt realized his error a smidgen too late. He’d practically sneered the word human because every experience he’d had with humans had been shitty. That, and humans had killed his parents. But he couldn’t pull back now, all he could do was explain why he’d said it the way he had.
“I’m not a fan of humans. Other than meeting you, I can’t say that I’ve ever had a good experience with them.” It was an understatement as to how he’d felt for years. Since his parents’ death, he and his brother had steered clear of any and all humans.
“I like being a human and I’m sorry you can’t see that not all humans are bad.”
“Umm—you expect me to believe that not all humans are bad when you assume all wolves are bad, like your ex.”
“Why does it even matter? You know just as well as I do that we are not compatible. Besides, I told you already, I’m not dating another shifter.”
“Why would you want to stay a lowly scared human when there’s a chance you could be like us?”
Callie didn’t answer his question. She simply stood and looked back with regret. “Sorry, this lowly human has to get back to work.”
Chapter Thirteen
“Oh god, Wyatt! Please, I can’t take it anymore! I need to feel
you inside of me.” Callie couldn’t help but beg. Beg for release. Her skin felt as if it were stretched too tightly over her body, her mind had been reduced to a mass of confusion and need.
Wyatt’s mouth closed over her nipple, sucking the peak between his teeth. “You’re so fucking wet.” His finger slid below her panties to tease her clit.
“That’s it. Just a little bit more, please!” Her body trembled. Every nerve primed for release. She was so freaking close, she wanted to scream.
She wanted to scream even more when her eyes flew open to discover it had only been a dream. Just another second or two, Callie was certain that’s all it would have taken to reach her climax—even in her dream.
“Fuck. I can’t take it anymore.” Callie sprang from her bed and grabbed her robe. Feeling like she would suffocate if she didn’t get some fresh air, she headed for the back door, tiptoeing through the apartment so she didn’t wake her mom or Max.
“You shouldn’t be out here.”
Callie nearly jumped out of her skin. “What the fuck are you doing out here? You scared the hell out of me!”
Wyatt closed in on her fast, his eyes glowing with desire. “These dreams are driving me insane.”
Callie rolled her eyes and stretched out on one of the lounge chairs she used for tanning. “Yeah, me, too. How do we make them stop? I haven’t gotten a good night’s sleep in months.”
She’d given up on trying to figure out why she kept having the erotic dreams that kept her body tight and tense. Now it was time to figure out how the fuck to get rid of them so her life could go back to normal.
Wyatt sat next to Callie’s legs. “The only way to make the dreams stop is to complete the mating ritual. The sooner the better, but it must be before the full moon.”
“That’s not going to happen.” Her eyes roamed over his hard body. His black T-shirt clung to him like a second skin, outlining every ripple of tensed muscle. She tried to look away. It was the right thing to do. Especially since she’d just told him they wouldn’t be having sex, but damn—those arms of his. Completely and totally drool worthy.
Paranormal Dating Agency: Her Twisted Heart (Kindle Worlds Novella) (Twisted Tail Pack Book 3) Page 5