Gerri nodded. "Have some faith in my skills. You will have your date. Now, wait for my call. I will be in touch very soon."
Kian stepped off the elevator, the human part of him wanting to turn right back around and leave. His cougar, however, refused to let him make any more choices. Kian swallowed down the fear and the memories of his shitty excuse of a father. What was the point of going through a matchmaker when he had nothing to offer? Kian bit back against the shift as his cougar clawed out, angry at his decision making skills.
"Fine. I'm going."
Standing in front of the door he raised his hand to knock, and then put it back down. He did it once more and the door swung open, stopping the internal battle.
"Young man, are you planning to knock at any point? I might be patient, but the clock is ticking. Let's go."
Kian swallowed. The woman was intense.
Closing the door behind him, he followed. She had to be Gerri, although she didn't introduce herself, too busy scolding him he guessed. The little lady did have a way with words. He couldn't help but grin. This was the first good feeling he'd had since agreeing to meet her.
She turned and looked at him. Kian never felt small, but under Geri's gaze he felt like a little boy again.
"Oh, aren't you handsome when you aren't scowling? Now, sit down. I won't bite."
"I… Uh… Sure." He didn't know what to say.
"All right. So Kellie mentioned that you needed some help."
Her eyes analyzed him, her mouth pursed and wiggled side to side.
Squirming under her scrutiny, he wanted to bolt for the door.
"I don't really believe in the whole mating for life thing. I don't have a real good history with love," was all Kian said.
She clucked her tongue. "Yes. Well, until you meet the right one you wouldn't believe in forever. Most men don't. But your beast, he knows best. Cougar, right?"
He nodded. She knew her shifters at least. If she was half as good at guessing mates as breed then maybe this would work. His chest expanded, and he held in a breath for the count of three. Slowly he let it out. He needed to calm himself down. Little made him nervous, but having a matchmaker assess him left him feeling naked.
"Calm down. I'm finding you a few candidates, not sending you to the moon."
Was that an option? He'd accept being shipped off over dating any day.
"All right. So what is it you are looking for? What is the one thing you need the most?"
"A mate." It was the truth. He needed someone to put up with his cougar’s needs and his own. He needed someone to keep him calm. Steady him and help him stay in control.
"I guess I need someone who can stand up to my shit?" He instantly felt bad for swearing. "I, uh. Sorry about the language."
Gerri rolled her eyes. "Oh, please. Like I haven't heard that word before. Okay. Interesting. You'd be open to someone as strong willed as you then?" She jotted a note. "What else? How do you feel about a human, or a human that is more perceptive than most?"
He sat up straighter, not that he could relax anyway. "Human? That's not going to work. I'd probably break her. I was thinking some other shifter? Maybe another cougar."
The look she gave him made Kian feel like a scared child instead of a six-foot three man.
"Young man. I have an amazing record with finding soul-mates, but you have to have an open mind. If finding the right one was as easy as going to a store you wouldn't be here."
She scribbled some more in her notebook and left him feeling pretty stupid. The thing was, how did he relate to a human? Sure if he claimed her she'd become his mate, but how the hell would he ever get that close he'd want to mark her as his? He had a bad temper, he had baggage, and the last thing he needed was a china doll to watch. That didn't sound like a recipe for happiness.
"I think I've seen enough. I can't help you."
He stood up faster than he'd expected and yelled, "what?"
"I can't help you."
Panic shot up his spine. He needed her help. He was barely holding it together as it was. He'd fought his own nature for far too long. Even the adrenaline of the fight ring wasn't enough. The rush of jumping into a burning building hadn't worked either. His whole life had been built around subduing the animal nature within him and he couldn't do it anymore.
"No. Wait. Please. I'm sorry. I'm open to whatever and whoever you think works. I need your help."
He sat down in defeat. He needed help. God, those words were awful.
Bracing his elbows on his knees, he hung his head, cradling his face with his hands. He didn't rely on anyone. Never had. Never wanted to. Relying on people got you hurt. His mom would know. After Kian has sent her husband to jail, she'd stopped talking to him. His mom had been human, and she'd never been strong enough to handle his dad.
"Fine," said Geri. But you need to let your past go. Let it go and move on. And remember, whoever I send you, if she is there, you do not need to worry crushing her with those huge hands of yours. Now, be off. I'll be in contact with you soon. It just so happens I've recently had a new client that might be perfect.
* * *
Ethan tossed a beer to Kian as he made his way back to the couch.
"So, a human huh?" asked Ethan.
"I know Gerri has a killer track record according to just about everyone, but yes. She actually asked if I would consider a human."
They both stared at whatever game happened to be playing on TV. Ethan was probably paying better attention than Kian. The woman from the gym crossed his mind completely unbidden and he didn't want to chase her away. She was human but she could probably give him as much as he dished out. That being said, he wouldn't mind getting his hands on her ass. She was muscle with curves in all the right places. She wasn't tall, but she seemed to make up for that with her attitude. And her boots. Watching her walk away, he'd almost pounced on her.
"Maybe she knows something we don't? I mean human is easier than trying to get another species to accept you. We wouldn't be single if that weren't true," said Ethan.
Kian shook off the visual of grabbing the woman and pressing her into the wall. The idea of claiming her right then and there had his heart ratcheting up a notch.
Where the hell had that come from?
He could practically feel her breasts against him, rising and falling with every breath she took. And fuck him. He took a long pull of his beer.
He apparently had a thing for her, too bad he'd just signed away his life to Gerri the matchmaker. Kian was fairly certain he shouldn't mess with her and her idea of fate.
"So, yeah. Human. Maybe,” said Kian absently.
His phone rang. As he glanced at the caller ID, an acidic burn sat in his throat.
"Hey man, be right back."
Kian didn't bother waiting for a response as he got up and walked away.
"Mom. Hi. What's it been? Six months?"
Kian couldn't stop himself from answering, but he didn't need to be surgery sweet either.
"Hi baby. I'm sure you heard your fathers out?"
Typical mom, don't pass go, do not collect two-hundred dollars, just sucker punch.
"Yeah. I heard. I got notified this morning."
"Oh good. So I was thinking maybe you two could talk then. You never went to see him in jail and I think maybe you owe him an apology. He is the only dad you will ever have."
Deep breaths. Take some deep fucking breaths, he told himself.
"Nope. Pretty sure I don't."
There was a long pause. Kian was still trying to figure out how his mother was how she was. He wanted to take her side, he wanted to defend her, but he couldn't. She stayed with a bastard who beat her. She waited for him while he was in prison. She took his side over her own son. Kian had always heard that mothers would defend their cubs, their kids. Apparently that wasn't true, at least not with every species. He was raised with a survival of the fittest mentality and that’s what he was doing now. Surviving. Too bad the beast inside stretched his
claws and was ready to rip the throat out of his father. He wasn't any happier with the shitty justice system the city had.
"Yeah. Sorry mom. I didn't drink the same Kool-aid you did."
"Well, dear. You know how to reach me," was all his mother said before the familiar silence of a dead connection filled the air between them.
He needed to run. He needed fresh air. He needed something other than that. Too bad the woman he wanted wasn't within reach and probably didn't even know he was alive.
Glancing out the window at the fading sun his cougar stretched out settling for the freedom of a short run. Ripping his shirt over his head, Kian headed for his room.
"I need to run. Lock up before you go if I'm not back," he yelled to Ethan.
Pulling at the waistband of his shorts he let them fall inside the doorway. He stripped to nothing as he reached the window pulling it open, he ducked out to the fire escape. His body shivered as the shift started to take over. He'd welcome the freedom of his cougar over the thoughts flooding through his mind.
Curling her lip, Raine scanned herself in the mirror. Yup. This wasn't getting any better. The mirror was not her friend, and if she had to guess it didn't even like her.
"Would you stop fussing? Women with large chests don't have little delicate figures. You're gorgeous," said Gran.
Raine sighed. "Gran, thank you for the vote of confidence. I haven't had a date in a really long time. Since, well yeah. Gerri swears he's perfect. I don't want to ruin this. Anything to get you to just go rest and stop haunting me."
A nervous laugh was all she could manage. Truthfully, she never wanted Gran to leave her, anymore than she wanted to go on some setup by another crazy old lady.
Running her hands over the stomach of her cotton dress and smoothing it over her butt, she twisted to one side then the other. Nope. It wasn't changing. She was still curvy. Hopefully that man enjoyed hips.
With an audible sigh, she took one more glance and turned away. "Fine. Let's go."
She grabbed the keys off the small hall table and then stood starring at the door. "What do I do now?"
"You walk out the door young lady."
"Really Gran? At least I come by my attitude honestly."
Gran floated in front of her. "Oh sweetie. Just go. What you do now is you go and give this guy a chance."
Raine had an all out MMA fight in her stomach, complete with gut punches. Swallowing down her nerves, she took a few steps forward.
Gran laughed. "Silly child. Breathe. Just go sit down. Maybe this is when we use the saying of making a man wait? Maybe you are too efficient. I failed you."
Settling in a kitchen chair, Raine tried to breathe. "In and out. In. Out."
Her nerves wouldn't let her calm down though. She crossed and uncrossed her legs.
Raine glanced at the clock.
"Sweetie, are you okay? It's just a date?"
"I'm fine. I promise. I think. Maybe I'm a bit nervous. I still have some time, but maybe I'll just go anyway. It's just coffee. I can have several before he meets me. Perhaps I can make a pit stop at the liquor store on the way."
She got up again and took a few arbitrary steps one way and then turned to face Gran's ghost. "I still don't see why I didn't get his name. What does 'you'll know him when you see him' even mean?"
She paced again. "I mean. What does that mean? Is that some kind of Paranormal thing? Do they just know? I mean technically I just see ghosts, I'm not one of those shifters that just knows things by scent or instinct."
"Goodness child. I failed you. Alright dear, let's just go. You're going to wear a hole in the carpet if you don't stop."
Stopping, novel concept. Sure. Stopping.
"Besides. He's probably early anyway," Gran said under her breath.
That made Raine stop. "What?"
"Nothing dear. Now, just go."
Raine shook her head. Gran said what she said regardless of what you wanted to hear. Raine's decision to have eggs for breakfast suddenly seemed like the worst idea ever as they threatened to come back up.
"Gran. I am only doing this for you. I find a date for my birthday and you will go to Heaven or wherever you think you're supposed to go."
Gran laughed. "Ha. Me? Heaven? In my younger days I was quite the hell-raiser."
Raine pushed passed the nausea and started for the door as Gran headed down memory lane. Raine took that as her cue to hum rather loudly, anything to block out stories no one, especially a granddaughter needed to hear.
No filter that one.
Exiting her building she turned towards the coffee shop. It wasn't too far and as least she had time to walk. She needed the air.
Deep breaths Raine.
As she looked both ways to cross the busy afternoon street, Raine tried to breathe past the dread of dating. Michael had seemed normal. He'd been her first shifter and at first he felt safe, but then the drugs started. The edge of danger she’d seen as exciting suddenly made boring seem safe and desirable.
A few months with him and she should have seen the signs. He wasn't just an alpha male, possessive and abusive. It took another month of trying to break up with him for the truth of his addition to surface. She nearly passed the coffee shop, distracted and terrified that this was another disaster.
Standing out front, she eyed the door. Did she go in? Raine's only talents with men seemed to be attracting train wrecks.
She took a step forward and then stepped back. Nope. She didn't want to go in. People pushed passed her on the sidewalk as she stood and glared.
No matter how much Gran had tried to raise her right, she still seemed to gravitate towards dysfunctional relationships. Raine had traded the issues she had with her mom for new issues, each one making things worse rather than better. The problem was, this last one ended up dead.
Raine started at Gran's voice.
"Alright dear. He's there and I think you will be pleasantly surprised. Just remember, Gerri is never wrong. Never. But if you choose to not let this work out, then let him know I'm interested."
"Stop sneaking up on me Gran."
Gran floated in front of Raine. "Oh sweetie. I thought you knew I was a ghost?"
"Haha Gran. Very funny."
Raine's nose wrinkled as Gran's words registered. "Ew. Gran. Seriously? I haven't even met him yet and you're already calling seconds? How did you know who he was anyway?"
It was real. He was here. Breathing in through her nose and out through her mouth, she tried to trip the conga line of butterflies in her stomach.
"That’s my cue to make myself scarce. You'll see him."
"Gran? Wait?" she'd already disappeared though. Who knew if she was still spying, it's what Gran did, but apparently this was something she was supposed to do all on her own.
Pushing her way through the door Raine couldn't stop the anxiety. She closed her eyes as she stepped inside.
Calm. Just calm down.
Her eyes flew open as she slipped. "Oh, crap!"
Lucky for her she'd fallen in front of a full coffee shop and her date. Before her butt hit the ground, a strong hand caught her arm.
"Careful. They just mopped."
Raine stilled. That voice was familiar. A zing of electricity pulsed through her girly-bits, as she remembered the man attached to the voice.
She looked up into the same green eyes from the day before. The same golden flash through them as his gaze met hers.
"You, but why are you here?"
His brow furrowed. "I could ask you the same thing. I'm meeting someone here."
She righted herself and he let go. Their eyes locked and the store disappeared.
She'd forgotten how to breathe as she got lost with the way he looked at her. A slow burn that started as an innocent tingle made its way across her body, until the feeling had her practically begging to wrap herself around him. The vision that followed had her giggling. If she wrapped around him, it would probably be more like a Venus flytrap rather than something seduct
ive.
As she righted herself she tried to smooth out her dress as she studied him. His jeans hung off his hips perfectly. The button down shirt he had on was a stark contrast to the gym clothes of before. The shirt hugged his arms like a second skin. Biting down on her lip, it took every ounce of control to keep her hands from wandering over his expansive chest. No one needed to see her molest this guy in a coffee shop.
"And you?" his voice came crashing though her musings.
"What? I. Oh. Yes. Meeting someone."
He smiled. "Well isn't that a coincidence. Bumping into each other twice in one week."
Skeptically she nodded. "Yes. Isn't it."
Something wasn't right. Or maybe it was. He was probably her walking talking fantasy, but that was the problem. She would choose him, and her judgment stunk. There was no chance he'd have been her set up. The world was small, but not that small. Besides, a man this pretty probably couldn't hold up in the bedroom anyway. Or that’s what she was telling herself.
"Well, we can wait together. If that works?" She nodded as she ran her tongue along her dry lips.
"Do you want to get something while you wait? I'm pretty early, so I'm game if you are. Are you? Early I mean?" asked Kian.
She nodded and followed.
So much for being a strong, independent woman.
At this rate, any other date probably wouldn't compare. His butt was perfect. She'd follow him just to watch his ass move.
"Well shit."
He turned to look at her and then she realized that had been her outside voice.
"You okay? It was Raine right?"
"Oh. Uh. Yes. Raine, that’s me. And yes I'm okay. You're okay?"
The look he gave her said he didn't believe her. "You said something, didn't you?"
"Nope, nothing." Her cheeks heated.
"Okay. Sure. Do you know what you want?"
"What can I get for you miss?" asked the barista.
"Oh, no. I'm separate."
Kian smiled. "No it's fine. On me. It's the least I can do for interrupting your class yesterday."
She wanted to say no. Really, really wanted to say no. Then again, the way he watched her as she ran through all the reasons to tell him no, to wait for her date had her feeling as if he could see the gears in her head turning. The issue was, his were just one rotation ahead.
When It Raines, He Purrs (Move Over Fate Book 2; Paranormal Dating Agency) Page 3