by Lynn Howard
“Oh my god,” Carter muttered under his breath. He shook his head as he dropped it. “Nova. Seriously. You don’t always have to say the first thing that comes to your mind.”
“Oh, that wasn’t the first thing that came to mind. The first was how long it was going to take you to announce that the two of you are mated. I mean, I can see her mark and smell it on her. Might as well just make the announcement.” Nova’s smile was wide as she batted her lashes at Carter.
June’s face was hot as she watched the interaction, her eyes bouncing between Nova and Carter.
“I don’t think—” June started, but Carter cut her off.
“Gray? A little help?” Carter asked, his brows high.
June was getting irritated. Not quite angry, just severely embarrassed. They were discussing her right in front of her as if she didn’t have a voice or a choice.
“We don’t know what we are other than fuck buddies,” June blurted out.
The entire table went silent, wide eyes and gaping mouths turned on her…and then Nova and a few others busted out into loud laughter.
“Oh, you and I are going to be best friends,” Nova said, reaching her hand across the table for a fist bump.
With fiery cheeks and a churning stomach, June bumped Nova’s fist with her own then withdrew her hand and folded it in her lap. She picked at her cuticles and fidgeted under all the attention. She’d hoped to make a good impression. Instead, it looked like she’d done exactly what she’d feared and made a fool of herself.
The guy who was laughing with Nova – Reed, she thought his name was – wiped a tear away and was barely breathing as he continued to guffaw.
“She’s going to fit in perfectly with this group. You need to bring her around more,” Reed said. A pink haired woman beside him, whose name June had already forgotten, smiled and shook her head at her mate.
Carter turned a sexy smirk on June and shook his head slowly.
“What? You gave me no choice?” she said, feigning innocence.
The longer he stared at her with those sultry brown eyes, the more her leopard paid attention and begged June to rub herself up on Carter. Not here. Not with an audience. She’d never been into voyeurism and she wasn’t going to start now.
Turning her face away, she tried her damnedest to focus on the conversation around her. But all she could think of was the way Carter smelled, the heat coming from him, or the way his fingers were stroking across her back and shoulder as he draped his arm over the back of her chair.
Eventually, she was able to push her lust aside and hold a conversation with the people Carter obviously cared about. She’d wanted to make a good impression, and apparently, her crass outburst had won them over. Who’d have known?
“So what do you do?” Nova asked, leaning forward.
“I tend bar and wait tables as Havanah’s. Been there since they opened.”
“Ooooh. We should tell Noah you can bartend so he and Hollyn can take a day off every once in a while,” Nova replied, looking over June’s shoulder toward the bar.
“Noah’s the owner and part of my Clan,” Carter explained, leaning in so close his breath blew strands of hair that tickled her neck.
A chill ran up her spine and made her shiver. She pulled away before she straddled him in the middle of his Clan brother’s place.
June focused on anyone and anything other than the imposing man beside her. When his friends had asked about their mate status, she’d been uber reluctant to answer that one. She was still having a hard time accepting it herself. But now, with him in her space, with him stealing glances at her and lazily making circles on the exposed part of her neck, she wanted to scream it from the mountaintops.
But she wasn’t some young twenty-something girl with her first relationship. Just because their animals had chosen, and just because her freaking leopard, whom June had always been able to control, was trying to get pregnant, didn’t mean the human sides of June and Carter had to jump into this thing with blinders on. She wanted to know Carter the man before they decided to move forward.
She knew she was fooling herself if she actually thought she’d be able to walk away if she decided she didn’t like Carter enough to spend her life with him. Her animal would drive her nuts. She’d push June into madness until she was near her mate again.
As each thought rolled through her mind, the first night she’d met Carter made her think of something. She snickered, pressing her lips together. But she couldn’t hold it in. Her body shook as she giggled, her nostrils flaring with each chuckle.
“What’s so funny?” Carter asked, a curious smile on those sexy lips of his.
“June Carter,” she said, the words bursting from her lips on a laugh.
“That’s what I said and everyone told me to shut up,” Reed said.
“I just caught it,” June said, tears welling in her eyes as she laughed. Eventually, the entire table caught the giggles and were wheezing as they tried to calm down.
“How much have you assholes had to drink?” a big guy asked as he approached the table.
Carter was the first to calm down. “June, this is Noah, owner of Moe’s. Noah, June.”
Noah stared down at June with wary eyes. “I remember you,” he said, his eyes narrowing. “The two of you ran out of here like your asses were on fire.”
“Leave them alone,” Shawnee said, bringing a tray with another bucket of beers over. “They’re cute.”
June wasn’t sure how to react to that. Cute? Since when were middle aged wrecks considered cute? Because that’s exactly what June and Carter were. They were wrecks. Hot messes. Disasters.
“They’re laughing like a bunch of lunatics,” Noah grumbled with a shake of his head.
June hadn’t spent much time with Noah or Carter’s other Clan brother Luke, but Noah seemed a bit on the grumpy side. He also appeared to be close to her age, so at least she had something in common with him.
“Hey,” Shawnee said, sidling up next to June. “Want to see something cool?”
June looked at Carter then back to Shawnee. “Sure.”
“Order a cocktail.”
June’s brows pinched together and, once again, she looked to Carter for an explanation. He just shrugged with a smile. Turning back to Shawnee, June said, “What kind?”
“Any kind. Just make sure it’s a cocktail.”
“Ummm…” June wracked her brain. She wasn’t into the fruitier, sweet cocktails. “Jack and Coke?”
“Oh come on. Something cooler than that,” Reed said. “Just order her a Long Island Iced Tea.”
June narrowed her eyes on Reed but there was no heat behind the mean mug. Reed was just a likeable guy.
“Hey, Hollyn,” Shawnee called up to the woman behind the bar. Her hair was so dark it almost looked blue and it was almost as long as June’s. “Carter’s mate wants a Long Island Iced Tea.”
“I’m not—”
“You got it,” Hollyn answered from behind the bar, cutting off June’s protest before she could get the rest of the words out.
June blew out a puff of frustrated air. The air wasn’t frustrated, per se. But she sure as shit was. They hadn’t decided exactly what they were going to do, and she really didn’t want everyone assuming anything.
Although, they carried each other’s mark and every Shifter could smell the change in her blood. Of course they assumed. Not to mention they’re PDA when Carter had gotten home.
Shawnee grinned wide and jerked her head toward the bar. June turned and her eyes went wide. It looked like one of those scenes from the movie Cocktail. Hollyn twirled bottles, flipped them around her back and caught them over shoulder, and put on one hell of a show.
“Holy crap,” June said as her grin stretched as wide as Shawnee’s
People whistled and cheered as Hollyn continued performing tricks as she made June’s drink. When she was done, she slid a slice of lemon onto the side of the glass, dropped in a straw, and pushed the whole thing t
o the front of the bar.
Shawnee looked down at June, winked, then hurried to retrieve June’s drink. She was the waitress, after all.
“Here you go,” Shawnee said, handing June the drink with a little extra flourish.
“That was freaking awesome,” June said, smiling and shaking her head.
“Oh. You ain’t seen nothing yet,” Nova called from across the table.
As the night went on, the bar filled with more Shifters. She’d been told humans periodically trickled in, but not often. That was also how Tristan, the quiet wolf from Big River, met his mate. She and a couple teacher friends decided to come in for a drink after work. She’d been turned against her will by an asshole Shifter and since then, her wolf was volatile and unsteady.
Once the bar was almost bursting with people, Hollyn really began to perform. She’d stack shot glasses and mixed drinks that, when poured, looked like a rainbow in the different glasses.
And then…she blew fire. As in, she took a big gulp of liquor, lit a lighter, and blew a ball of flames into the air. June could feel the heat from where she sat. She glanced at Noah, Hollyn’s mate, as he watched her with so much respect and adoration all over his face.
Did Carter look at June like that? Did June look at Carter that way? Would they ever? They might never find out if they didn’t stay out of the freaking bedroom.
Eventually, Noah called last call. Actually, what he said was, “Last call, assholes.” Hollyn had looked mortified, but the rest of his friends and the patrons still left didn’t even flinch. They must be used to his surly personality.
June’s heart raced a little more when she realized she might just have to get used to his personality, as well. He was part of Carter’s Clan. If they continued and gave in to their animals’ wishes, she might be joining his Clan. But why? Why couldn’t he join her Pride?
As everyone stood and tossed twenty-dollar-bills onto the table, June tried to picture Carter’s big body crammed into her trailer every day. It was fine for a visit, but once he moved his stuff into her place, they’d be bumping into each other at every turn. His cabin was bigger and warm and cozy. Even though it was more masculine than she was used to, it still made her feel comfortable.
The entire group, except Colton who waited for his wife, exited at one time, raising their hands and calling out goodnights to Hollyn, Noah, and Shawnee.
“It was great to see you, June,” Shawnee yelled over the noise.
“Next time, we’ll talk without all the boys,” Hollyn said with a wide grin and a wave for June.
She smiled at them both and nodded. Every single one of Carter’s friends were so accepting and nice. Well, there was one guy whose name she couldn’t remember who glared at her with bright blue eyes all night. As in, his eyes always held a hint of a glow. If Carter noticed, he never said anything. And since he was obviously friends with the entire group, June figured he was no one she needed to worry about.
Carter’s warm hand was on the small of her back as he guided her out into the cool night and over to his truck. A few people from Big River invited them over for a cookout the coming weekend. Carter agreed to the plans as he opened the passenger door and attempted to help her inside.
“I think we’ve already gone over the fact I don’t really need help into my seat,” June said with a flirty smile.
“And I’m pretty sure I already told you I’m just using it as an excuse to touch you.” He winked at her before shutting her door and rounding the hood.
A fluttery feeling tickled her stomach and she wrapped her arm around her middle to try to calm it. It didn’t help. As Carter climbed into the driver’s seat, crossing his wrists and draping them over the steering wheel, June couldn’t help but stare at him. He was so hot and masculine and yummy. Even if her leopard wasn’t in heat, June was pretty sure she’d want to jump his bones every chance she got.
But that was the problem; they were constantly fucking or fighting. They still hadn’t gotten to know each other very well. And she was adamant about making her own life choices rather than having some cosmic force push them together.
“What are you thinking about?” June asked when Carter continued to sit there, his arms resting on the wheel with the engine still off.
“Us,” he answered, ghosting her with a quick glance before looking back at the building.
And, once again, he went back to being silent. It was maddening. “And?”
Carter sat back and dropped his head against the rest on his seat and rolled it to look at her. “I’m trying to decide whether I want to stay the night with you or go our separate ways for the night.”
Okay. Not what she’d hoped he was thinking about. And, honestly, it stung a little. Even though she’d been thinking along the same lines.
“It’s not that I don’t want to wake up to your face, but…” He dragged a hand through his hair. “What are we doing, June?” he asked. His eyes looked tormented. “I like you. A lot. And obviously, so does my bear. It’s just…I still don’t really know a damn thing about you.”
That made her smile as she shook her head. She’d literally been thinking that same thing just moments ago. It was like he was reading her mind.
“Take me to my car,” June said, making up his mind for him. “I have to work tomorrow.”
Carter’s brows pulled together. “Are you mad at me now?” His tone was pissed.
She could either react to his sudden attitude or try to deescalate the situation before they ended up in a tangle of arms and legs. Because that was what seemed to happen any time one of them got mad at the other.
“I’m not mad. I just think we need to slow down. And sleep in separate beds. And maybe have a chaperone when we go out.” She winked to soften her words and to let him know she was half teasing. But only half. Because more and more she missed having so many eyes on them. At least then, she knew she couldn’t rip his clothes off and climb onto his lap right in the middle of the parking lot.
“You’re right,” June said. “We don’t know anything about each other. And I’m not going to be forced into a pairing just because my cat wants it. I think we should have the chance to choose our own forever people. And we can’t get to know each other and decide if that’s what we want if we’re always naked.”
Carter watched her for a few seconds. Then his lips slowly pulled into a crooked, sexy boy smile. “Yeah. I was kind of thinking about you naked all night.”
“Exactly. Until my cat is out of heat, we should just date. You know, go into public, hang out, play cards…no. No cards,” she said as heat rushed her cheeks at the memory of their first card game. “I just think we should avoid being alone for a while.”
His head nodded up and down slowly as he pulled his lips into his mouth. He looked deep in thought as his eyes roamed her face. “You really are so fucking beautiful,” he whispered, the soft sound loud in the quiet of the truck cab.
June ducked her gaze. He made her feel beautiful. He made her almost forget all those hurtful words of people like Jackson and other exes who’d made fun of her height and size. Neither seemed to bother Carter. He was still way taller than June, even if she wore heels. Something she hadn’t been able to do for a while for fear of hurting the delicate ego of her ex. And by his constant boner, she knew he liked her body, like the curves and softness of it.
Turning back in his seat, Carter started the truck and backed out of the parking lot. They didn’t say anything the whole ride back to his territory, but June could feel his eyes on her every once in a while, even if she didn’t turn to see him. His gaze was like a caress everywhere it touched. And that just made it all that much harder to climb from his truck and walk to her car.
Carter stepped into her space, his body heat beating against her, warming her, waking up her leopard. His hands raised and cupped her face, tilting her head back. He lowered his head slowly, as if giving her a chance to stop him. Why the hell would she want him to stop?
When his lips touch
ed hers, she sighed against his mouth. Every time they touched, it felt perfect. Right. As if they’d been born to be together. Which, according to her animal, was the way the universe saw it.
He stepped closer, lining his body against hers, pressing his hardness against her lower stomach. June threw her arms around his neck and tangled her fingers in his hair as his tongue licked the seam of her mouth. She opened for him instantly and moaned at the heat and taste of him.
June’s animal stretched in her head and began to purr. She thought they were going to end up in a bed. Or bent over the car. Nope. Before June had a chance to pull away and stop them before they went any further, Carter broke the kiss, leaving soft, sexy pecks to her lips. He then kissed her forehead and stepped away so she could open her car door.
June’s body was tight and warm and full of jelly. She smiled, drunk with lust, and pulled her door open, practically dropping into her car. Carter held onto her car door at the top and waited as she pulled her seat belt into place.
Leaning into her space, he pressed his lips to hers once more. He didn’t deepen the kiss, didn’t touch any other part of her. Just pulled away and leaned his forehead against hers.
“Can I see you tomorrow?” he asked, his voice deep and growly. That sound vibrated through her and landed directly between her legs.
Like a dunce, she nodded with her mouth hanging wide open. Shaking her head to get her wits about her, she nodded again. “Yes.”
Carter smirked the sexiest half smile she’d ever seen. He tapped on the hood and stepped back, gently closing her car door. He stood with his hands shoved into his pockets and watched as June backed her car, turned around, and headed down the long gravel drive. She glanced in the rearview just before she turned the corner; he was still standing there watching as if he couldn’t move from that spot until she was no longer visible.
June’s heart raced and she still felt loopy from his kiss. Yet they’d been able to end the night with their clothes on and skin bereft of sweat. Win for them. Well, for their idea to slow down a bit. Totally not a win for her libido or her leopard’s need for her mate. Could women get blue balls? ‘Cause June sure was feeling a lot of pressure in her lower belly and it had nothing to do with cramps.