by Vella Day
He rolled onto his back, taking her with him. “Please stay the night,” he said.
“I guess since you are my transportation, I’m kind of trapped here.” Ella had no doubt that he’d take her back to the hotel if she asked.
“I’m glad you think that.” He grinned to let her know he was kidding. “Let me see about cleaning us up.”
When Tanner slipped out of bed and stepped into the adjoining bathroom, she sensed a loss. She had it bad. Tanner was a considerate and sexy lover, and Ella wondered how long this glorious feeling would last.
When Ella awoke the next morning, Tanner wasn’t in bed, but the smell of bacon and eggs implied he was in the kitchen. She thought about putting on her own clothes but decided it would be easier, quicker, and more exciting to throw on the white button-down shirt he’d worn yesterday.
Before she buttoned it up, she lifted the material to her nose and inhaled. Mmm. His scent drove her leopard crazy with need.
Wanting to see if he needed any help with the meal, she put on her panties and then headed out to the kitchen.
When he spotted her, Tanner grinned. “That shirt looks a hell of a lot better on you than on me.”
“It’s comfy.”
“I’m glad. Coffee is ready.” He nodded to the pot on the counter with two cups next to it.
“I’ll pour.” She didn’t have to ask how he liked his coffee since she’d made him some from the breakroom a few times. “Here you go.”
“Thanks. Have a seat. Chef McCarson will serve you.”
Where had this light-hearted man come from? She liked both versions—the serious business man and the super-hot-in-bed man. “I’ve been thinking,” she said.
“About?”
“Your offer.”
His brows rose. “Does that mean you’d be willing to move in here?”
“Yes, but only if I get to share your bedroom.”
He stopped stirring the eggs. “Are you serious?”
Uh-oh, she hoped she hadn’t overstepped her bounds. “Is that a problem?”
“Problem? Hell no, except that my eighty to one hundred-hour work week might end up at forty if I know you’ll be here waiting for me when I finish work.”
She laughed. Ella had never met a man like Tanner McCarson. “We can come up with a plan.”
He dished out the scrambled eggs. “I really like how you don’t let anything stand in the way of what you want.”
“What does that mean?”
“You are a solution girl. If there is a problem, you will find an answer.”
He had no idea how true that was. Moran wanted to mate with her, and Ella figured out a way to dodge that bullet.
The aroma from the food caused her stomach to grumble. Even though her family employed the best chef in Thedia, Ella bet this meal would taste better.
When they finished eating, Tanner wouldn’t let her clean up. “Not going to happen,” she said. “If I live here, I want to do my share.”
“Fair enough, but since we both work, we should hire a maid,” he said.
She chuckled. “A maid for only two people? I can keep this place up. If not, we’ll go the maid route.”
“See? The solution girl.”
“Maybe you’re right.”
Tanner suggested they head back to the hotel so she could check out.
“Sounds like a plan.”
This whirlwind romance seemed too good to be true, but Ella was optimistic that since she’d found her mate, all would be well. Her only worry was making sure no one in her family found her.
Chapter Nine
The next two weeks at work were surreal. Ella had checked out of the hotel and officially moved into his place. There were a few times when Tanner was swamped with work and had to stay late, but as soon as he thought about being with Ella, he focused and finished the job. Making love to her only got better and more exciting with each passing day. Never would he have imagined that having a mate would change his life so much.
He and Ella were currently sitting in a booth at the diner, eating lunch. Even though there were two servers, Sasha waited on them. She must have been able to tell from their smiles that they were meant to be together, because she was cordial rather than flirty.
“I have an idea,” Tanner said, after sipping the last of his coffee.
“What is that?” Ella asked.
“What do you say I show you the progress of the construction site? I think you should know what we’re doing there. It might be useful when speaking to our clients.”
Ella grinned. “I would love that.”
“Let me pay, and then we can go.”
“Now?”
“Why not?”
“You’re the boss.”
Because Ella was wearing a dress and heels, they’d have to stop back at the house so she could change. The hard part would be not to make love to her again once they were home.
After he paid, they went through the lobby of the hotel and took the elevator to the top floor. They then climbed the one flight of stairs to the rooftop. Tanner shifted, picked up his mate, and took off for home. Once inside the house, Tanner waited at the kitchen island for her to change.
“I’ll hurry,” Ella said, before dashing into the bedroom.
To his delight, Ella was ready in a few minutes. She had on jeans, a long-sleeve black shirt, and cute hiking boots.
“Perfect,” he said, and Ella returned a smile. “We can go this way.” Tanner pointed to the door that led to the garage.
“We’re driving?”
“The construction site is too congested to land. If I fly, I have to set down about half a mile away and walk in. Where we are going is on the far edge of the park.”
“Works for me. Driving is my usual mode of transportation anyway.”
The trip to the construction site took about fifteen minutes. Because it was in the middle of the afternoon, trucks, cranes, and people on foot were everywhere.
“This is huge,” she said.
“It has to be if it’s going to house a lot of animals and accommodate people—people who need to eat, shop, and rest. We’ll even have a medical station over there.” He pointed to a building that was nearing completion.
“I knew it would be big, but I didn’t really understand the scope of the project. No wonder you work so many hours.”
“Ever since I met you, I’ve cut down on my time substantially.”
Ella stepped in front of him and turned around. She placed a hand on his cheek. “You are the sweetest man.”
He chuckled. “Remember that when we get closer to completion. You’ll think I’m ignoring you, but I promise you I’m not. Come on. What I want to show you is over here.”
On the short walk to the zipline, at least three people stopped to ask him questions, and Tanner had to work hard to be patient and answer. Some of the men could have figured out the problem by themselves. He wouldn’t be surprised if some of them were there just to ogle Ella.
When they reached the set of stairs that led to the zipline, he grabbed two helmets. “Have you ever ziplined before?” he asked.
“No. I’ve ridden ski lifts, and of course, I’ve been on the best flight in the world when you were showing me the beauty of the realm.”
She was adorable. “I think this will be a bit different. To be honest, I haven’t been on it. It has passed inspection, but I thought I should try it out in case clients have questions. You game?”
Ella grinned. “You have to ask?”
“I’ve heard it’s really fast.”
“I’m the queen of fast. I’m a really good downhill skier, remember?”
“Then this will be no sweat.”
They climbed the stairs to the top. While there would be someone in the future to strap them in, since the park wasn’t open, they were on their own. It wasn’t hard to figure out how to put on the harness. As a dragon shifter, he could never be afraid of this route. It didn’t matter that it was the longest and fas
test zipline in all of Grindale Province. If anything malfunctioned, he’d just fly off. It was why he wanted to go right after Ella in case anything happened to her.
“Ready?” he asked.
“Yes. While there’s only a dusting of snow in the mountains, it reminds me of the slopes back home.”
Her wistful tone hurt. Was she missing Thedia? He had hoped she’d want to make a life here in Plux. But those kinds of thoughts were not productive, especially since he was determined to show her a good time.
“I can see that.”
She inhaled and then pushed off. Her joyful scream did his heart good. He was so busy watching her that he forgot to hook himself to the zipline. After giving her some space, he launched into the air. Tanner had thought it would be just like flying, but being in his human form while in the air provided quite a thrill. His dragon speed distinguished him from many other dragons, but this zipline gave him quite the heart pumping. As much as he’d observed the landscape from above, getting this close to the treetops was a thrill.
The trip only took a few minutes, but when he arrived at the platform on the other end, Ella was there grinning. He landed next to her.
“Can we go again?” she asked. Her cheeks were flushed, and she was slightly out of breath.
“We can go as often as you like.”
The adrenaline rush from the zipline didn’t even compare to the rush he was experiencing from seeing her so excited. This was what they were meant to do—enjoy life.
It was close to five, and Tanner was back at his desk with his door closed. He’d just hung up with a contractor when Ella’s voice rose in anger in the main room, making his scales throb. Needing to find out what was going on, he stepped out of his office and headed down the corridor.
“You’re coming back to Thedia with me now,” said a stranger’s voice.
What the hell? Tanner stormed out. “Can I help you?” he asked.
Dressed in a very expensive suit, the man looming over Ella’s desk was large with dark eyes and short black hair—a man Tanner didn’t recognize.
“I’m here to take Ella back home.”
Take her home? “She is home. And you are?” Not that it mattered. Even if the man had been her father, Tanner would have something to say about her leaving.
“I am Moran Blackwood, and Ella is my mate.”
The absurdity of it all made Tanner laugh. “Your mate? I beg to differ. Ella and I are mates. Isn’t that right, sweetheart?”
She pushed back her chair and stood. “Yes. Tanner and I are together. I’m sorry you spent so much time driving partway across the realm to find me, but there is no way I’m going back with you.”
“You can’t speak to the next Alpha of the panther clan like that. Your parents will make sure you return.”
What an ass.
“How did you find me?” Ella asked.
“You know how talented Mori is. She was able to ping your phone.”
Tanner had enough of this blowhard. “You can tell Mr. and Mrs. Snow that Ella is staying in Plux.”
Blackwood laughed. “You have no idea who she is, do you?”
His heart dropped to his stomach. “Ella Snow is the most amazing woman I’ve ever met. That’s all I need to know.”
Blackwood turned to Ella. “You told him your name is Ella Snow?”
Ella’s shoulders slumped as she faced him. “It’s really Ella Snowden. I was worried you might recognize my father’s name and somehow think you should take me back to Thedia.”
He would never do that. “I know your father is the Alpha of the snow leopard Clan. So what?”
She mouthed a thank you.
Blackwood stepped around Ella’s desk straight toward Tanner. “How about we settle this man-to-man or rather animal-to-animal?”
“I’m not fighting you.” Even if the man was a dragon shifter, Tanner would win. Of that he was certain.
Blackwood’s eyes widened. “Afraid you’ll die or lose your mate?”
“I’m not losing anything.”
Ella rushed up to them and planted her hands on her hips. She faced Blackwood. “Don’t do this.”
“Don’t tell me you think I’ll get hurt? How touching, but I assure you I won’t lose. You will be returning to Thedia with me.”
Tanner wasn’t the type to back down from a challenge, and he certainly wasn’t going to let some fancy douchebag steal his mate. Unfair fights were not his thing though. He’d blow some flames at him and maybe drag a claw across his body, but he wouldn’t kill him. Since Ella had never flown with a dragon before, he had to assume this man was not one. As abrupt as the man was, Tanner couldn’t blame him for not wanting to let Ella go.
“How about taking this outside then? There’s some space out back.”
Tanner didn’t wait for Blackwood’s response. He strode out the front door. It banged shut and then opened again.
“Tanner,” Ella called. “I’m not going back with him. You don’t have to fight.”
“Yes, he does, sweetheart,” Blackwood said, clearly mocking Tanner’s affectionate nickname for Ella.
“I won’t kill him. Don’t worry,” Tanner said.
“I don’t care if you do. I will never ever mate with Moran Blackwood.”
Tanner was not pleased that in the last two weeks Ella hadn’t seen fit to tell him the truth about her identity, but he’d deal with that afterward. Right now, he wanted to set Blackwood straight. Ella Snow—or rather Ella Snowden was his.
Tanner charged around the building to the alley behind his office. Fighting in the middle of the street would only cause a disruption. The last thing he needed was for people to think he was a bully for taking on this man. Yes, his kind was fast, but if the animal was also a snow leopard, Tanner would shoot to the sky or keep him back with a wall of fire.
When they reached the back lot, Blackwood shifted into a panther. Even though this shifter was larger than Tanner expected, he wasn’t a threat. Tanner shifted into his dragon form.
And then he waited. Tanner would not be the one to initiate this battle. It was possible that Blackwood didn’t realize he’d be going up against a dragon.
Tanner stood there working hard to contain his anger when Blackwood charged. Fire seemed to be the easiest way to discourage him, so he shot out a blast a few feet in front of the man—or rather the panther. Then came the shock. Blackwood shifted into a dragon.
Holy goddess.
“Tanner, be careful,” Ella shouted. Pain and fear tinged her voice, but that only served to bolster his spirits that she was rooting for him.
Had Tanner’s reflexes not been as quick, he might have been harmed. Instead, he shot upward, flapping his wings hard. It appeared as if Ella didn’t know that her supposed rescuer was both a dragon shifter and a panther. There were several explanations, but he couldn’t worry about that now.
Fire singed part of his tail, and that pissed him off. He had promised Ella that he wouldn’t hurt this man, but that was before Blackwood made it an even fight. Tanner spent his life flying and practicing to do battle, and he bet Blackwood had hid his other identity. Too bad for him.
In the space of a few feet, Tanner turned around and went after his adversary. Going head to head rarely worked, which meant he needed to get underneath him in order to do any real damage. As he approached Blackwood, right before they collided, Blackwood went on the offensive and ducked under him. Smart—but not smart enough. Tanner then did a steep dive before circling upward again. With his claws extended, he attacked the man’s gut. Going for that soft spot under his heart wouldn’t have been hard, but he saw no reason to kill him.
Tanner’s claws dug into the man’s scales. Blackwood flapped hard to get away, but he failed. Hoping Blackwood would admit defeat, Tanner let go and then slowed down in order to take the top position again. While Blackwood could flip over and attack, Tanner doubted the man had the requisite skills.
Blackwood screeched and shot upward. Tanner had enough of t
his man’s nonsense and decided it was time to take him to the ground. After executing a large circle, Tanner resumed the top position once more. He dove downward, latched into Blackwood’s wing and shot to the ground with his adversary in tow.
When his opponent’s claws reached the ground, Tanner released him. He then landed and shifted. Blackwood shifted, too.
Ella ran up to Tanner. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. It’s Blackwood who will need some time to repair his wing. Let’s go inside. I don’t want to look at him.” Tanner turned to Blackwood. “If you don’t want this to be your final day on Tarradon, I suggest you leave and never return.”
With his arm limp at his side, Blackwood hustled down the alley. When he disappeared from view, Tanner escorted Ella inside. Now that the adrenaline rush of the fight was leaving his body, he needed an explanation.
As soon as they stepped inside, he turned her around. “Want to tell me what that was about? I knew Blackwood wasn’t your real mate, because I am, but why didn’t you tell me?”
Chapter Ten
Ella was going to be sick to her stomach. From the way Tanner’s eyes flashed red a few times, he was not happy with her, and she couldn’t blame him. She had lied.
“I know my actions are inexcusable, but I had my reasons.” Ella tried to keep her voice from wavering, but she didn’t succeed. She’d never needed forgiveness from anyone before, but now she did.
He stepped closer. “What were your reasons?”
Where to begin? “As I’ve mentioned, my father is the Alpha of the snow leopard Clan in Thedia. For centuries, it has been drilled into us that families should not cross-pollute our species. I never believed it though.”
His eyebrows rose. “What do you mean by cross-pollute?”
“Bad choice of words. We are expected to mate with other snow leopards.”
“I would think that would weaken the gene pool after a few hundred years.”
“Yes! That’s what I’ve been saying. Eventually, others agreed, and the clans eventually agreed to combine the two largest clans in the area—the snow leopards and the panthers. But I didn’t want to be forced to do anything against my will. It was why I refused to mate with Moran. My parents thought he was only a panther, which means his family has been lying for years.”